Russia
Kirill: “The military response must be commensurate with the offence, otherwise we risk succumbing to a spiral of violence” The recourse to violence to restore peace is legitimate, but only once all the other paths of peaceful negotiation have failed. Presenting the position of the Russian Orthodox Church as regards the international crisis that has been created following the terrorist attacks of 11 September, is Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, director of the department of external relations of the Patriarchate of Moscow, in an interview given to the television programme “Zercalo”. “From the Christian point of view affirms Kirill – all possible peaceful means to restore justice need to be used. However, if these are insufficient, the response may be violent”. Recalling the Christian tradition of the fifth century and the teachings of St. Augustine, the Metropolitan spells out the conditions for having resource to military actions. “War he explains – may be declared only once all peaceful means have failed” and “only once there are good grounds for hoping that it may achieve its stated aims”. “The United States adds Kirill has the right to re-establish justice by using military means. But if its actions are to be justified, they must be proportionate to the offence suffered” and “must not cause suffering to the innocent population”. If on the contrary “the retaliatory attacks cause a new wave of violence, then the USA would have to assume responsibility for it”. The Metropolitan recognizes, however, that it is difficult to make a judgement, because “what happened in America is a tragedy that could have happened anywhere, even in the Kremlin”. “At the same time Kirill adds we must never forget that the response must be proportionate to the offence. We cannot permit the world to succumb to a spiral of violence”. In the interview, the Metropolitan also makes a point of reiterating that “in this situation there is no religious implication” and adds: “Why did they attack the World Trade Center? Because it is the symbol of a model of civilization that claims to be universal and of which the USA forms part”. “Humanity the Metropolitan concludes cannot live according to a single standard of life, whatever it be: Western-liberal, Islamic, Catholic or Orthodox. We can achieve harmony in the world only if we learn to live together, and only if the values that characterize a system of civilization do not suppress those of others. Otherwise we will be destroyed by a combination of terrorism and war”. Solidarity with the United States was also expressed by the Interreligious Council of Russia, in which representatives of the Orthodox, Buddhist, Moslem and Jewish communities participate. “We understand and we share the sorrow of the American nation – declares the Council. There can be no justification for so monstrous a crime”. In its message, the Council appeals to politicians and the mass media “not to interpret these events as an interreligious conflict”. “No religion admits the possibility of committing such crimes”. “We have seen destruction and fire, bodies of martyred innocents, the tears of the American people and we weep with them”. So begins the communiqué of solidarity written by His Holiness Alexius II, Patriarch of Moscow and of all the Russias, who called the terrorist attacks against the United States “a sin against God and against humanity that violate the commandments of any religion”. “Let us strive to ensure he adds that from these tragic days a way may be found that may permit people from all over the world to live together according to their own traditions – not by discriminating against or oppressing each other, but by living in peace and harmony”. M.C.B.
