Veteran helper of refugees shot dead in Somalia, UN agency reports
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) today voiced “shock and sadness” over the murder of Dr. Annalena Tonelli, a 33-year veteran of assistance to poor people in Africa who earlier this year won the agency’s highest award for her work in brining attention to the crisis in Somalia.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) today voiced “shock and sadness” over the murder of Dr. Annalena Tonelli, a 33-year veteran of assistance to poor people in Africa who earlier this year won the agency’s highest award for her work in brining attention to the crisis in Somalia.
Dr. Tonelli, 60, an Italian, was shot Sunday night on the grounds of a hospital in Borama, northwestern Somalia, UNHCR said. The exact circumstances of the shooting are not yet known.
“All of us at UNHCR are devastated by Dr. Tonelli's death,” High Commissioner Ruud Lubbers said. “She dedicated her life to helping others, carrying out her noble mission in remote, difficult places little noticed by the outside world. In doing so, she touched the lives of thousands of people, demonstrating that individuals can still make a huge difference. We mourn the loss of a truly great woman.”
In June Dr. Tonelli won UNHCR’s highest honour, the Nansen Refugee Award, for her 33 years of work with Somalis. She started working with Somali refugees in Kenya and moved to Somalia in 1986.