Caritas: Peace talks only option to Syria crisis

August 31, 2013 - Caritas Internationalis says that the ongoing civil war in Syria can only be resolved through inclusive peace talks, not military confrontation. In a statement on its website, the worldwide social arm of the Catholic Church condemned the use of chemical weapons against civilians in Damascus as a “horrific crime”, which, it said, has highlighted how catastrophic the humanitarian situation has become for millions of people in Syria. Caritas said that the international community has an obligation to find an end to the suffering of the Syrian people, and that can only be achieve through broad dialogue. “The Syrian people don’t need more bloodshed, they need a quick end to it. They need an immediate truce. Scaling up military intervention by foreign powers will simply widen the war and increase the suffering,” said Caritas Internationalis Secretary general Michel Roy. Recalling the tragic consequences of military intervention in Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya, Roy said, “Caritas believes that the only humanitarian solution is a negotiated one. Dialogue can end the war in Syria, safeguard the lives of the people and build a viable future for everyone.” Meanwhile, Caritas Syria and other Church partners are continuing to provide humanitarian assistance to people, without regard to their religious or political beliefs. Caritas urged all sides in the Syrian conflict to ensure that humanitarian staff can reach those in need. (Source: Caritas Int.)