HOLY FATHER'S MESSAGE TO BISHOPS OF ETHIOPIA AND ERITREA

VATICAN CITY, APR 28, 1999 (VIS) - Made public today was Pope John Paul's Message to the pastors of the Church in Ethiopia and Eritrea, which he presented to them yesterday.

"Prevented by the outbreak of hostilities between Ethiopia and Eritrea from easy access to one another in your own land," the Pope states in the English-language Message, "you have come to Rome in order to gather in one body as an episcopal conference." He recalls the "period of peace and friendship" between the countries following Eritrea's independence and states: "Thus the outbreak of hostilities last spring could not have been a cause of greater sorrow."

The Holy Father continues: "War brings tragedy and despair, reaping innocent victims as it destroys lives and homes, families and peoples. I repeat with urgency what I have said so many times in the past: every alternative to war must be pursued. God has blessed his children with an intelligence and creativity which can resolve tensions and conflicts, and which can succeed in building a society whose cornerstone is respect for the inalienable dignity of every human person."

John Paul II, stating that he knows "this conviction is shared by Eastern and Latin Rite Catholic faithful," adds that he also feels certain that "other Churches and ecclesial communities, ... your Muslim brothers and sisters, ... (and) followers of African traditional religions" feel likewise.

"It is your duty ... to build on these common sentiments and to encourage every initiative aimed at restoring that harmony and friendship which formerly marked the relations between your countries. The Catholic Church throughout the world supports you in this task."

"I pray for your countries and their leaders," the Pope writes in conclusion, "that the hearts of all will turn towards the paths of dialogue and peace. I renew my appeal to the international community to be of assistance in ways that fully respect your countries' independence and your peoples' dignity. A practical way to achieve this goal is the immediate implementation of the Framework of Peace proposed by the Organization of African Unity and already agreed to by the two governments."

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