Förnyat krav från Caritas Internationalis om eldupphör och att en humanitär korridor öppnas

Caritas Internationalis beklagar i ett uttalande från Vatikanstaten att Israel verkar ha fått intrycket att man har fått grönt ljus att fortsätta bomba Libanon efter mötet i Rom. De civila förlusterna är nu mycket stora, inte bara i Libanon utan även på den israeliska sidan.Det enda sättet att få slut på lidandet är att vapnen tystnar och att de humanitära organisationerna ges tillträde och kan göra insatser för de människor vars liv förstörts av konflikten.

Påven Benedict XVI har uppmanat till böner för omedelbart eldupphör, för att humanitära korridorer upprättas för hjälp till nödlidande och för att förnuftiga och ansvarsfulla förhandlingar startar.

Caritas Internationalis uppmanar alla 162 medlemmarna att sätta press på sina regeringar att agera. Konfederationen konstaterar också att konflikten kan få förödande konsekvenser inte bara för Mellanöstern om den får fortsätta.

Läs gärna pressmeddelandet i sin helhet nedan eller på Caritas internationalis hemsida

Caritas Renews Call for Ceasefire and Opening of Humanitarian Corridor

Vatican City, 28 July 2006 – Caritas Internationalis regrets that Israel’s impression of the Rome summit was that it had been given a green light to continue with bombing Lebanon, where civilian casualties have now risen to over 600 and where more than 800,000 people have been displaced. Israeli civilians are also suffering, with over 50 dead from Hezbollah rocket attacks, many injured and people living in fear. The only way the suffering can end is when the guns go silent and then we in Caritas and the wider humanitarian community can have access to the people whose lives have been devastated by this conflict.

At the angelus Sunday, Pope Benedict XVI called for prayers for an immediate ceasefire from both sides, for humanitarian corridors to be opened in order to bring help to the suffering peoples, and for reasonable and responsible negotiations to begin to put an end to objective situations of injustice that exist in that region. A pre-requisite for this is that the guns stop firing and negotiations begin.

In particular, Caritas Internationalis has called on its 162 member throughout the world to put pressure on their governments to help bring about-

-         an immediate ceasefire

-         the opening up of a humanitarian corridor immediately

-         a guarantee that all humanitarian workers may work safely

-         the  release of  the Israeli soldiers in Gaza and Lebanon unharmed and the release of arrested Palestinian ministers

-         the stationing of an international peace-keeping force in Southern Lebanon

-         renewed efforts to begin a new process to bring lasting peace to the whole region.

The longer the conflict goes on, not only will more innocent people be killed and displaced, and more hospitals, schools, factories and homes be destroyed, but also a massive hatred will be fanned that will cause even more human devastation in future, and not only in the Middle East.

Caritas Lebanon, supported by many members of the Caritas Confederation, is one of the main humanitarian organisations assisting the injured and displaced throughout the country, from all religions, nationalities and migrant communities. In support of our workers and volunteers who risk their lives every day to help others and in solidarity with all those who suffer, we feel it just to draw the world’s attention to the humanitarian disaster that is unfolding in Lebanon and to call on all people of good will to demand peace.

Caritas Internationalis is a confederation of 162 Catholic relief, development, and social service organisations present in 200 countries and territories.

For more information, contact: 

Nancy McNally, media officer

Tel: +39 06 69879752

mcnally@caritas.va

www.caritas.org