Pope meets with Leader of UN Agency about Humanitarian Crisis in Libya
(March 03, 2011) Pope Benedict XVI met with the director of the World Food Program
to learn about the humanitarian crisis developing on the border of Tunisia and Libya,
said a statement distributed by the Vatican. In a private audience March 2, the pope
was briefed by Josette Sheeran, who, as head of the United Nations agency, had just
returned from a trip to the area. Thousands of people have fled Libya into neighbouring
Tunisia as forces loyal to Libyan dictator Col. Moammar Gadhafi fight with protesters
in the western and eastern parts of the country. Gadhafi's forces have been conducting
aerial bombing raids in an effort to repress the protests against his regime, and
some observers estimate 2,000 people have died since the protests began in late February.
In a WFP statement released by the Vatican, Sheeran said that the pope had asked her
for the meeting in order to be informed and to "express his concern for the innocent
people trapped in this terrible tragedy." Sheeran said, "It was clear to me as I saw
these desperate people pour across the border, more than 2,000 an hour that the world
must act and must act quickly to prevent a major humanitarian disaster." Sheeran said
she travelled to the border area to launch an emergency response and provide food
assistance, "and to help nations in political transition to strengthen their food
safety nets."