Sudan: "We escaped with the help of a Muslim cleric" says Metropolitan of Nubia, Savvas
- Written by E.Tsiliopoulos
The Metropolitan of Nubia, Savvas, spoke of the agonizing days they spent trapped in the building of the Metropolis in Khartoum and the dramatic hours until their release from Sudan, which is rocked by violent, civil strife.
In fact, he revealed that both he and the others fled the country with the help of a senior Muslim cleric.
"We are safe. Thank God we are realizing it little by little" he told public broadcaster ERT from Frankfurt in Germany where he was taken aboard one of the flights to remove foreign nationals from the African country.
Having the assistance of the Greek Consulate which has undertaken the care and repatriation of all the Greeks who escaped with him, the Metropolitan of Nubia stated that he expects his repatriation to Greece in the near future.
The senior cleric emphasized that for their escape they had the help of a senior Muslim cleric while, as he said, contacts had been made with members of the paramilitaries who were outside the church.
There are people left in Sudan who cannot escape
The Metropolitan of Nubia and All Sudan had remained, together with other Christians, trapped from Holy Saturday until two days ago in Khartoum, the epicenter of the conflicts, asked how the situation was inside the place where a total of fifteen people had taken refuge all these days days he said characteristically. "We tried to keep them as calm as possible. We didn't panic."
Regarding the situation on the streets of the capital Khartoum he stated that "there was nothing out on the streets. Only army, bullets and bombs". And as he said the situation they experienced was surprising even though tensions in Sudan have existed for the past three years.
Referring to the Greek Orthodox community of Khartoum and the efforts to remove them, the Metropolitan of Nubia stated that in addition to all those who have so far crossed the country's borders in the center of the capital, "there are people left behind who cannot escape". Having knowledge of the real situation in the African country that counts dozens of dead from the armed conflicts of the last few days, he emphasized that the truces announced are only on paper.
50 Greeks who fled Sudan so far
So far, 50 Greek nationals have been removed from Sudan. The calculations made for the remaining Greeks living in Sudan, are that their number may reach 80. All have taken care to hide in a shelter or in their homes, while their detection by the Greek authorities is done with difficulty.
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