Caritas calls for end to attacks against civilians and humanitarian aid workers around
the world .
(August 09,2006):-Caritas Internationalis, has expressed strong condemnation at the
targeting of humanitarian aid workers by armed groups in Sri Lanka, southern Lebanon,
and Darfur in Sudan. In a statement released Tuesday, Aug. 8th,, the Catholic
organisation said it was saddened and angered by attacks that have occurred in Sri
Lanka, where two other Tamil aid workers were found dead. On Monday, ACF or “Action
Against Hunger,” had already announced that 15 of its employees had been murdered
in their office. Violent clashes are currently under way in the area between the army
and Tamil Tiger separatists. The President of Caritas Internationalis - Denis Vienot
said: “Together with the member organisations of the Caritas Confederation, we express
our sincere condolences to the grieving families and friends of the victims, and to
the Director and staff of ACF. In the hope for peace, we hold you all in our prayers,
as we do all those caught up in the violence of conflict in Sri Lanka, the Middle
East, Darfur, and too many other places across our world today,” Mr Viénot added.
Shocked by the growing death toll of civilians involved in humanitarian work, Caritas
is demanding that the international community do more to ensure that all parties
involved in armed conflicts, meet their obligations under International Humanitarian
Law for the protection of civilians and access of humanitarian workers. “Enough is
enough,” said Duncan MacLaren, Caritas Internationalis secretary general. “In so many
situations around our world right now, the lives of innocent people and aid workers
are being endangered because of the lack of respect for the most fundamental principles
of International Humanitarian Law, which are to prevent unnecessary suffering among
the civilian population”.