Pope repeats his call - End violence and bloodshed in Syria
April 03, 2012: There has been alarming increase of violence in Syria, with an indiscriminate
use of force which has not spared inhabited areas, bringing about loss of lives among
civilians and considerable damage to property, observed Mons. Michael Fitzgerald,
Delegate of the Holy See to the League of Arab States, at the second meeting of the
Friends of Syrian people, on Sunday. Recalling the appeal made by His Holiness
Pope Benedict XVI, on Sunday 12 February, the Prelate said that unfortunately the
Pope’s call for “an end to all violence and bloodshed”, is still relevant. Repeating
the appeal, Mosgr. Fitzgerald said that the logic of violence, where violence begets
further violence, is to be avoided at all costs. The Holy See expresses its solidarity
with victims of this violence. Pope Benedict prays for those victims, not only those
who have lost their lives, including young children, but also “the injured and all
those who are suffering the consequences of an ever more worrying conflict”, he added. The
Holy See delegate called for local and international organizations to assist in the
humanitarian aid to the needy. He also announced that the Holy See is making a financial
contribution to this humanitarian aid. Acknowledging the UN mission, he said that
a ray of hope has come from the mission entrusted by the UN and the League of Arab
States to former Secretary General of the UN Kofi Annan. Syria, no less than any
other nation, is a member of the family of nations, and so the international community
is right to be concerned for the peace and stability of the region. The Holy See remains
convinced that regional and multilateral organisations are an important instrument
in promoting peace and stability in the world, the prelate added. He reiterated
the appeal of Pope Benedict XVI to the Syrian people “to give priority to the way
of dialogue, of reconciliation and of the commitment to peace”.