(Sept.30,2009): :The Holy See is lamenting the abuse of power that causes development
aid to hinge on a nation's willingness to disregard human rights. Archbishop Celestino
Migliore, permanent observer of the Holy See at the United Nations, cautioned the
U.N. general assembly against such an abuse, when he addressed the body at its headquarters
in New York on Tuesday. He said the UN must live up to its Charter, where it affirms
“We the peoples of the United Nation, reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights
and dignity, in the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small.”
Vatican’s representative said “we must always remember that true development
involves an integral respect for human life, which cannot be disconnected from the
development of peoples." "Unfortunately," he charged, "in some parts of the world
today, development aid seems to be tied to the recipient countries' willingness to
adopt programs, which discourage demographic growth of certain populations by methods
and practices disrespectful of human dignity and rights. He regretted that frequent
attempts continue to be made to export such a mentality to developing countries, as
if it were a form of cultural progress or advancement. Such policies, he said, constitute
an abuse of power. Rights and duties, explained Archbishop Migliore are not dependent
upon treaties and agreements, but on the foundation of the equal dignity of every
man and woman, be they citizens or aliens. The sharing of reciprocal duties, he said,
is a more powerful incentive to action than the mere assertion of rights. In conclusion,
Archbishop Migliore made a reference to the upcoming Copenhagan Climate Conference
in December and stressed that environmental issues must be taken as a moral imperative
and translated into legal rules, capable of protecting our planet .