NEWS: 21/2/03
CATHOLICS INCREASINGLY VOCAL AGAINST UNJUST WAR
United Nations Secretary General Kofi Anan visited
the Vatican on Tuesday, and spoke privately with Pope John
Paul II primarily over the issue of a possible war in Iraq.
An official Vatican statement said that the
Pope emphasised the role of the UN in ensuring respect for
international law and expressed his hope for “just and effective
solutions” to the crisis over Iraq that should avert further
grave suffering for that population, already tried by long
years of embargo.”
The Vatican has been a vocal opponent of any
war against Iraq, saying there is no moral justification for
a pre-emptive strike. It has also raised concerns that Muslims
would see the war as a crusade against them by Christians.
Meanwhile in Australia a group of prominent
Christians, including three bishops, have signed an open letter
to Prime Minister John Howard urging him against attacking
Iraq.
“War and international sanctions have taken
a heavy toll on the innocent people of Iraq – to unleash the
devastation of war on them now would be immoral,” the letter
said. “Please do not commit Australian troops to the Gulf.
Instead, work for peaceful resolution of this conflict.”
And in Melbourne the Catholic Commission for
Justice Development and Peace believes that applying “Just
War” criteria to the present situation in Iraq shows that
a war on Iraq may be morally unjustifiable – even with a UN
backing.
Executive Officer of the Commission, Marc Purcell
said that Iraq posses no imminent threat to the US, the UK
or Australia, a condition necessary to justify a war in self-defence.
“The evidence of possession of weapons of mass
destruction presented so far has been unconvincing as grounds
for war. Rather a policy of containment and ongoing UN inspections
provides a reasonable alternative to war. A just cause is
lacking”, he said.
Source:
|
