Vatican City, 9 September 2015 (VIS) –
Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, secretary for Relations with
States, spoke at the United Nations International Conference on the
Protection of Victims of Ethnic and Religious Violence in the Middle
East, held yesterday in Paris, France. The prelate remarked that
during this past year we have witnessed “unspeakable atrocities
committed in the Middle East, which have forced thousands of
Christians and members of other religious and ethnic minorities to
abandon their homes and seek refuge elsewhere in precarious
conditions, involving great physical and moral suffering”.
“Fundamental principles such as the
value of life, human dignity, religious freedom and the peaceful and
harmonious coexistence of individuals and peoples are at stake. The
phenomenon continues, with the violation of human rights and
international humanitarian law by the so-called Islamic State, as
well as those perpetrated by other parties to the conflict. The drama
of migration during recent weeks, which has compelled Europe to pay
greater attention to the situation, is irrefutable proof of this
tragedy”.
He went on to indicate three key
aspects for improving the future of ethnic and religious minorities
in the Middle East, beginning with raising awareness in the
international community to face the humanitarian emergency and to
guarantee minimum conditions of safety for minorities and Christian
communities.
“Currently the situation compels us
to deal with the humanitarian crisis”, but, “in the long term,
other suitable measures will have to be taken to ensure their
presence in their homelands. Among the challenges to be faced, I
would underline those regarding first and foremost the respect for
human rights, especially those freedom of religion and conscience. It
is important to insist on religious freedom, which obviously includes
the freedom to change religion. Indeed, in many countries in the
Middle East, freedom of worship exists, although the space for
religious freedom is at times extremely limited. Increasing this
space for freedom is necessary to guarantee to all those who belong
to the various religious communities the true freedom to live and
profess their faith. It would appear appropriate for the States in
the region to be directly involved, along with the rest of the
international community, in protecting the fundamental rights of
Christians and members of other religious minorities. It is not a
question of protecting one religious community or another, or one
ethnic group or another, but of protecting people who belong to the
single human family and whose fundamental rights are systematically
violated”.
The second issue is that of
guaranteeing the right of refugees to return to live with dignity and
in safety in their country of origin; a right that “must be
defended and guaranteed both by the international community and by
States, whose citizens are refugees or displaced. It must be
emphasised that Christians and other religious minorities do not wish
simply to be tolerated but to be considered as citizens to full
effect. It is important that this concept of citizenship opens up an
ever broader space, as a point of reference for social life,
guaranteeing the rights of all, including members of minority groups,
through the implementation of adequate legal measures”.
Finally, it is important to face the
phenomenon of terrorism and to promote interreligious dialogue. “The
mechanisms must be found to encourage all, including in particular
countries with a Muslim majority, to deal with terrorism in a serious
way, with particular attention to the issue of education”, observed
the prelate. “In this respect, it is important that teaching in
schools, internet use and the preaching of religious leaders do not
provide an opportunity for the development of intransigent and
extremist attitudes, or radicalisation, but instead promote dialogue
and reconciliation. Furthermore, it should not be forgotten that care
must be taken regarding the use of certain expressions and
manifestations, considered sacred by some religions, as occurs from
time to time in the West, to avoid acts causing offence to those to
whom they are meaningful”.
It is also essential to promote
interreligious dialogue, which is “an antidote to fundamentalism,
which afflicts religious communities. Jewish, Christian and Muslim
religious leaders can and must play a fundamental role in favouring
both interreligious and intercultural dialogue and education in
mutual understanding. Furthermore, they must clearly condemn the
abuse of religion to justify violence”. Archbishop Gallagher
concluded by adding “a positive and respectful separation of
religion and State should also be promoted. In this sense, it is
necessary to contribute to develop the idea of the need to
distinguish between the two spheres, in favour of autonomy and mutual
independence, without concealing the indispensable collaboration
between them, so that they may coexist without contradicting one
another, thanks to dialogue between religious and political
authorities and with respect for their respective competences”.
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