Justice has no love for war” “

In response to the ever growing risks of a war against Iraq, the appeals of the various European episcopal conferences and ecclesial movements are multiplying. We describe some of them below. Austria “There are many arguments to rebut the claim that it’s a just war”: so said Msgr. Andreas Laun, auxiliary bishop of Salzburg, speaking to the German Catholic daily “Die Tagespost”. He expressed his doubts and concerns about a possible US attack on Iraq. In Laun’s view, what’s needed to justify such an attack is “an extremely grave motivation” that must be “clearly” demonstrated by the Americans; the existence of a “danger so great as to give preponderance to, and hence legitimise, a war with all its terrible consequences”, must be proved. It must also “be clear that there are no other means to curb Saddam Hussein”. Consideration must also be given to the “question of the means used” and “the further consequences” of a war, which could represent “a catastrophe for the whole world: it will surely be one for the Iraqis”. “The time has come for Bush to listen to the Pope”, added Bishop Laun: if it comes to war, “the inhabitants of the Arab countries will more than ever hate the Western world. The Americans must bear in mind that in destroying the weapons [of Saddam Hussein], they are at the same time arming the populations with the very hatred they so justly fear: it is the most dangerous weapon of all, as demonstrated each day by the suicide attacks in Israel”. “Historically – he concluded – there are many reasons for be thankful to the United States and many reasons for counting on their sense of justice. Now it’s up to them to show to other people that it is a question of justice and not of hegemony”. France “We’re still in time”. The French Catholic associations are vigorously campaigning to reject a military action in Iraq and appealing to French Christians and citizens to press the government of their country to abstain from getting involved in “an adventure from which there is no turning back”. The associations that have signed this appeal include Acat, the Catholic Committee against famine (Ccfd), Justice and Peace, Christian Student Youth (Jes), the International Movement for reconciliation (Mir), Pax Christi and Caritas. “It’s immoral and illegal – say the associations – to have recourse to arms if these do not constitute the last resort to avert a grave threat to peace. The notion of preventive war is unacceptable”. Recalling the convictions of the French Catholic bishops and of the Federation of the Protestant Churches, the associations stress that “military actions and economic actions against Iraq only reinforce the dictatorial regime of Saddam Hussein”. “The threatened war – continues the appeal – would have disastrous consequences”. It would cause thousands of dead, but above all “it would prove the extremists right”. Hence the appeal to French citizens. “We can still influence future decisions”, say the associations in their appeal. Recalling that France has the power of veto in the UN Security Council they urge French citizens “en masse” to make their voice heard directly by the President of the Republic and by members of Parliament who will soon be called to debate the possible use of French forces. The President of the Republic is also urged to exercise his right of veto in the Security Council, while MPs are reminded of the “dramatic repercussions” that a military action in Iraq might determine on the region and on the relations between Europe and the Middle East”. Germany In a communiqué issued at Würzburg on 20 January, the German bishops expressed their opposition to a possible war on Iraq. Resuming the contents of the declaration “A Just Peace” (11 October 2000), that opposed the concept of a “just war”, the German Episcopal Conference approved “the efforts being made by the United Nations to exert pressure on Iraq, with a view to preventing the production of atomic, biological and chemical weapons and weakening as far as possible the capacity for Iraqi aggression”. According to the bishops, “the threat [of war] may be ethically accepted so long as a political strategy is aimed at avoiding war; but in no case” – the bishops stress – “can this policy lead to a logic of escalation, that makes war inevitable”. Armed conflict “may be taken into consideration only in the case of attack or as a means of self-defence against crimes against humanity of the utmost gravity, such as genocide”. Therefore the bishops say they are “profoundly disturbed by the fact that in recent months the prohibition of preventive war, as established by international law, has been increasingly thrown into question. A strategy of security that recognizes the legitimacy of a preventive war” – continues the communiqué – is in opposition to Catholic doctrine and international law”: it is “an aggression” that “would repudiate the prohibition of violence, sanctioned by international law, promote political instability and subvert the foundations of the entire international system of the community of nations”. Apart from the innocent victims, the “predictable consequences” of war would include the risk of “momentous political upheavals throughout the whole area of the Near and Middle East, that would wipe out the successes of the international alliance against terrorism”, increase the influence of the “fanatical Islamic fundamentalists of the region” and inflame “anti-Western prejudices, already so deeply rooted in the Arab and Moslem world”. Italy War on Iraq may “be avoided”, if there is “the sincere commitment of all the parties involved, along the lines indicated by the resolutions of the United Nations”. That’s the “hope” of the Italian Church, expressed by Cardinal Camillo Ruini, president of the Italian Bishops’ Conference (CEI), in his opening address to the permanent Council of bishops, held in Rome from 20 to 23 January. War is always a “defeat for humanity”, declared Ruini who, in responding to the “strong” appeal of the Holy Father “to avert the war that could be unleashed against the already sorely tried populations of Iaq”, added: “We don’t want to abandon the hope that this war may in the end be avoided” and that a peaceful solution may be found in conformity with the resolutions of the United Nations. But he also stressed the need not to “relinquish the Western solidarity that has been and must remain the guarantee of peace, security, freedom and development” in the region. On the contrary it is essential – he said – to “enhance this solidarity and render it more capable of tackling the problems and challenges that are emerging on the horizon by rooting it more firmly, and in a truly universal perspective, in those humanistic principles and values that are its firmest and most enduring source of legitimacy and strength”. Scotland An appeal to the governments of the United Kingdom and the USA, urging them to recognize that only the UNO has the right to evaluate the report of the UN weapons inspectors in Iraq and decide what measures to take: that’s the appeal being made by the interreligious Council of Scotland which brings together the representatives of the country’s Christian, Islamic, Buddhist, Hindu and Jewish communities. The appeal was released on 16 January, at the end of a meeting held at the Islamic Centre in Glasgow. “With deep concern – says the appeal – we are following the developments of the situation in Iraq and appeal to our government and that of the USA to recognize the role of the United Nations in evaluating the Report of the inspectors and deciding what further provisions to take in the light of that Report”. The religious leaders ask the international community to involve those Nations that may influence the Iraqi government, so that they may persuade the regime of Saddam Hussein to “satisfy the demands of the United Nations”. “In our view – write the religious leaders – only the UN Security Council may legitimately authorize a military action”.