The European bishops to the United Nations: stop the cycle of violence in Iraq

Wednesday, 13 August 2014, 17:11

The Council of European Bishops’ Conferences has sent a letter signed by the Presidents of Bishops’ Conferences from the entire continent members of CCEE to the United Nations Security Council.

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In it the bishops call on the international community to take urgent “decisions to put an end to the atrocious actions against Christians and other religious minorities in Iraq”. A copy of this letter will be handed over to different European governments and European Union authorities that they might join in this appeal.

The European bishops hope that other institutional, cultural and religious bodies might join in this initiative condemning what is happening in this violation of the right to life, security and religious freedom.

It is urgent – the prelates state – to undertake concrete humanitarian steps to respond to the desperate situation of the Iraqi Christians and hope that “in this case, too, the international community may be able to respond with rapid assistance to the many refugees and guarantee their security in returning to their cities and homes”.

The Catholic Church in Europe wishes to express its closeness to all those who are experiencing moments of fear and terror. It is committed to carrying out gestures of solidarity which are already underway to support the suffering peoples and families. The bishops assure them of their prayers for peace and with great dedication raise their voices in calling on the United Nations to act with the necessary urgency on behalf of these and all the other victims of war and violence who are suffering and awaiting the world’s solidarity.

Attached is the full text of the letter and list of signatories.

Press service CCEE

St. Gallen, 12th August 2014

To the members of the Security Council of the United Nations

Excellencies,

The situation of Christians and other religious minorities in Iraq is totally

unacceptable. The defense and protection of the Human Rights of these peoples and the

survival of their communities are urgent and obvious. The International Community is

called to put a stop to this tragedy with every possible, legitimate means.

We European Bishops, expressing also the sentiment of our faithful, request that

the Security Council of the United Nations take those decisions that would stop these

acts of atrocity as thousands of persons are dying or killed or forced to abandon their

homes because of their religious affiliation.

The Secretary General of the United Nations and much of the world opinion have

expressed their clear rejection of what is happening in Northern Iraq. It is urgent to

take some concrete humanitarian measures to answer the plight of children, of women,

of elderly and of many persons who have lost everything to escape death and who now

risk dying of thirst and hunger.

In recent years much has been done to understand the responsibility of the

International Community in safeguarding human rights, especially the right to life of

innocent people, the right to security and the right of freedom of religion. We hope that

even in the present case the International Community will be able to respond with

urgent assistance for the many displaced people as well as enabling their safe return to

their cities and their homes.

The tragedy unfolding in Northern Iraq, not only endangers multicultural

coexistence that is part of our globalized world, but it is also a risk for Christians in a

region where they have lived since the earliest years of Christianity and whose

presence is appreciated and necessary for regional and world peace.

With our appeal, we join the Holy Father Pope Francis who in recent days has

continuously called on the international community to bring concrete assistance to

people in danger and to do its utmost to stop this infernal circle of violence.

The Catholic Church in Europe is close to all who have been obliged to escape

from their homes or are living moments of fear and terror. It is concretely committed to

solidarity with them through initiatives already underway. Without a decisive

commitment of the International Community and the Iraqi authorities, however, these

efforts will not succeed in resolving the problem.CCEE page 2 of 4

Let us hope that the Security Council of the United Nations, whose purpose is to

ensure international peace and security and to promote human rights, may be

unwavering in its determination to reach this goal. We ask you, therefore, to act with

the necessary urgency for these, and all victims of war and violence, that are suffering

and awaiting the solidarity of the world.

Yours faithfully,

Cardinal Péter ERDÖ,

President of the Bishops’ Conference

of Hungary and President of CCEE

Cardinal Angelo BAGNASCO,

President of the Bishops’ Conference

of Italy and Vice-President of CCEE

Cardinal Reinhard MARX,

President of the Bishops' Conference of the Germany

President of the COMECE

Cardinal Seán BRADY,

President of the Bishops' Conference of Ireland

Cardinal Dominik DUKA,

President of the Bishops’ Conference of Cech Republic

Cardinal Willem EIJK,

President of the Bishops' Conference of the Netherlands

Cardinal Vincent NICHOLS,

President of the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales

Cardinal Christoph SCHÖNBORN,

President of the Bishops’ Conference of Austria

Beatitude Sviatoslav SHEVCHUK,

Major Archbishop of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church

Patriarch Manuel CLEMENTE,

President of the Bishops’ Conference of Portugal

Exarch Christo PROYKOV,

President of the Bishops’ Conference of BulgaryCCEE page 3 of 4

Archbishop Ricardo BLÁZQUEZ PÉREZ,

President of the Bishops' Conference of Spain

Archbishop Ruggero FRANCESCHINI,

President of the Bishops' Conference of Turkey

Archbishop Zef GASHI,

President of the Bishops’Conference of SS. Cyril and Methodius (Serbia, Kosovo,

Montenegro, Macedonia)

Archbishop Stanisław GADECKI,

President of the Bishops’ Conference of Poland

Archbishop Jean-Claude HOLLERICH,

Archbishop of Luxembourg

Archbishop André-Joseph LÉONARD,

President of the Bishops’ Conference of Belgium

Archbishop Angelo MASSAFRA,

President Bishops’ Conference of Albania

Archbishop Mieczyslaw MOKRZYCKI,

President of the Roman Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Ukraina

Archbishop Fragkiskos PAPAMANÓLIS,

President of the Greek Bishops’ Conference of Greece

Archbishop Paolo PEZZI,

President of the Bishops’ Conference of Russia

Archbishop Georges PONTIER,

President of the Bishops’ Conference of France

Archbishop Ioan ROBU,

President of Bishops’ Conference of Romania

Archbishop Youssef SOUEIF,

Archbishop of Maronites in Cyprus

Archbishop Sigitas TAMKEVICIUS,

President of Bishops’ Conference of LithuaniaCCEE page 4 of 4

Archbishop Philip TARTAGLIA,

President of Bishops’ Conference of Scotland

Archbishop Stanislav ZVOLENSKÝ,

President of Bishops’ Conference of Slovachia

Bishop Anders ARBORELIUS,

President of the Bishops’ Conference of the Nordic Countries

Bishop Markus BÜCHEL,

President of the Bishops’ Conference of Switzerland

Bishop Anton COSA,

Bishop of Chisinau (Moldova)

Bishop Andrej GLAVAN,

President of the Bishops’ Conference of Slovenia

Bishop Mario GRECH,

President of the Bishops’ Conference of Malta

Bishop Aleksander KASZKIEWICZ,

President of Bishops’ Conference of Belarus

Bishop Franjo KOMARICA

President of the Bishops’ Conference of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bishop Philippe JOURDAN,

Apostolic Administrator of Estonia

Bishop Želimir PULJIC,

President of the Bishops’ Conference of Croatia

TAGS: CCEE, Iraq

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