Pope calls for end to bloodshed in Libya, Ivory Coast

Raymond Sammut

Apr 7th 2011, 02:20

"It was the only source of the news about the 40 odd people killed by the coalition bombing in Tripoli."(Mary Attard)

It is by your own admission, Ms Attard, that the Vatican "was the only source of the news". Your admission is clearly obvious. International news reporters are not allowed to report freely from Libyan cities that are under government control --which include Tripoli.

The Roman Catholic Vicar in Tripoli has a duty to the hundreds of civilians who are injured after they had been shot at by government troops. But instead, the apostolic vicar Bishop Giovanni Innocenzo Martinelli has now decided to assume the role of a freelance journalist. Why did the Bishop, all of a sudden, decide to become a journalist --or even worse, a mouthpiece for the government?

The unsubstantiated allegation --made six days ago by the Vicar-- of casualties resulting from NATO operations in Tripoli is still under investigation; according to Lieutenant General Charles Bouchard, whose office is presently located in Naples.

margaret richards

Apr 6th 2011, 21:39

The Pope has spoken! So what? Why didn't he speak before? Why now? Why doesn't he speak about the bishop of Tripoli whose only vested interest is in helping out the 2000 eritreans 'stranded' in Libya - so much for social justice and Christianity - what about the other people of other nationalities. The Vatican and the Roman Catholic curia - the biggest hypocrites, whited secpulchers on the face of the earth!!!

Charles.C.Brown

Apr 6th 2011, 21:21

If the pope really wants bloodshed to stop he should make a start by asking NATO to stop bombarding libya. Theres been more innocents killed by these air raids then killed by rebels and pro gadaffi fighting each other. all this we hear about presition bombing is nothing but a lot of bull to cover the truth and the pope knows very well whose causing all the distruction in libya.

Jesmond Micallef

Apr 6th 2011, 15:44

"Violence and hatred are always a defeat!"

Pope Benedict XVI is very correct and have no doubt about it.

Martin Cassar

Apr 6th 2011, 15:43

Thank you Pope. Your valuable words and your call for peace highly appreciated and speaks volumes in such time of crises and bloodshed across the globe (Palestine and Ivory coast included).

You are saying ‘France had been "hasty" in launching into a military operation against Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's regime and said there was "great confusion" over strategy.’

As your good self surely know, France's election time is pressing and the French economy is sinking.

President Sarkozy needed an advert for France's badly-selling Rafale jet fighter that costs €60-million-per-unit. The war over Libya is needed to experiment and advert the French killing-power. The whole Libyan population (anti and pro Gaddafi are off France’s marketing’s and President Sarkozy coming election’s calculation.

It appears to me that the French President never read what that Holy Bible says about loving neighbors and turning their cheeks to the enemy. The French action was hasty and nasty indeed.
Please send a 32 copies of the Bible to 28 Nato members along with Mr. Sarkozy, Mr. Cameron, and Mr. Silvio Berlusconi.

Thank you. May God bless you.

Reuben David Spiteri

Apr 6th 2011, 15:28

Despite the Pope's appeals I doubt any fighting will stop. The glossy black of oil is more interesting to some than the white dove of peace the pope is representing.

Alfred Farrugia

Apr 6th 2011, 15:27

At last there is some influential authority that can value the peaceful resolution of conflicts. The United Nations and its Secretary General have failed miserably in their responsibility “to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war” and have allowed members of the Security Council to render the UN a party to the conflict.

http://www.un.org/en/documents/charter/preamble.shtml

It is a disgrace that the UN has sub-contracted the peace enforcement military mission to NATO instead of retaining the command of such a mission under its own control.

http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/opinion/2011/04/20114410410950151.html

Michael Buhagiar

Apr 6th 2011, 15:18

the vatican's Osservatore Romano was never a good analyst of world events. How can the leftist Osservatore criticise the French for obeying the UN in bombarding Libya when the regime was killing and blasting to smittens its own citizens. The Editor of l'Osservatore should tender in his resignation. He is a disgrace to world peace.

Albert Farrugia

Apr 6th 2011, 15:18

Better late then never. This pope has been conspicuous by his silence in this crises. In comparison, Jon Paul II used to speak very openly and frequently against the war on Iraq. The Osservatore Romano has dared stating the obvious, that France acted in haste, without having any form of medium or long-term strategy, in attacking Libya. And, frankly, talking of arming rebels who dont have an organised command is the most irresponsible thing one can imagine. Certainly unbecoming of a modern, European and democratic state.

Raymond Sammut

Apr 6th 2011, 15:16

Vatican's official daily Osservatore Romano should know that was it not for the French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe, the city of Benghazi --with a population of just under a million-- would by now be in the same tragic situation as in Misratah presently.

Much gratitude is owed to Minister Juppe, along with French, British, American and Canadian pilots, who were highly active in the initial stages of the successful implementation of the no-fly zone that halted the impending attack from the government troops.

One has to ask: why the Vatican, along with Germany, did not support the no-fly zone, when the lives of so many men, women and children were faced with such grave danger --greater than the calamity that we are witnessing presently in Misratah? In my view, both Germany and the Vatican, as sovereign states, owe an explanation to the international community.