No to revenge

At the end of the general audience of Wednesday June 20 Pope Benedict XVI launched an appeal to leaders "for an immediate end to the killing of so many innocents". "I am following with deep concern the news coming from Nigeria, where terrorist attacks have been particularly aimed against the Christian community", he said. His Holiness conveyed his hope that "the various components of Nigerian society will collaborate so as not to start down the path of revenge, and that all citizens will cooperate in building a peaceful and reconciled society, in which everyone’s right freely to profess their faith is fully protected". The Pope’s appeal adds to numerous statement and appeals to reconciliation pronounced by Christian churches over the past days marked by violence. An Islamic-Christian delegation in Nigeria. From May 22 to 25 a delegation of Muslim and Christian dignitaries undertook a joint visit to Nigeria, where over the past months an escalation of violence seriously jeopardized the relations between the two communities, especially in the Northern part of the Country. The delegation was led by rev Olav Fykse Tveit, Secretary General of the World Council of Churches (WCC), and by His Highness Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad of Jordan, president of the Royal Institute for Islamic Thought Aal Al-Bayt. "In addition to identifying situations and reasons for the ongoing tensions", the delegation conveyed, "to political and religious leaders in Nigeria the concern of the international community for the ongoing violence" in the country. According to the WCC secretary general, "the joint participation of Christian and Muslim leaders in this visit is aimed at encouraging the end of the violence but also to serve as an example of interreligious cooperation for the promotion of peace and harmony between people of different religions". On May 23-24 the delegation visited Kaduna and Jos in Northern Nigeria, two areas involved in the spiral of violence perpetrated by the militant group "Boko Haram". Delegates met with government officials, religious leaders and traditional leaders as well as with the families of the victims to gather first-hand information on the situation. Appeal to Christian Churches not to react. The general Synod of the Anglican Communion dedicated to the issue a session of the meeting held in the month of February, with the adoption of Archbishop Rowan Williams‘ appeal urging the British government "to do its utmost to protect all religious minorities in Nigeria". Last week the president of the united Church of Christ in Nigeria (Hekan) Emmanuel Dziggau, called upon the faithful to pray and to refrain from reacting to acts of violence. Msgr. John Onayekan, Catholic archbishop of the Nigerian capital Abuja, pointed out that the attacks "are not the sign of a religious conflict: they are caused by a group of criminals who feign religious motivations which are not shared by the majority of the Muslims of Nigeria". To this regard, the Evangelical Reformed Church of Christ (ERCC) launched a nationwide fund-collection in favour of the families of the victims of violence. On behalf of Nigerian churches, Setryi Nyomi, Secretary General of the World Communion of Reformed Churches, also sent a message of support. "Our brotherly sympathy goes to the victims and their families – Nyomi said – . We appreciate the efforts of our sister Churches to work with all those Muslims who have at heart love and peace, so as to build communities marked by harmonious coexistence". Also for Massimo Aquilante, president of the Federation of Evangelical Churches in Italy (FCEI) "more than being religious or ethnic the reasons for the conflict are of political and economic nature and they concern the distribution of the immense wealth of Nigeria, 95% of which is owned by the State".The commitment of the European Union. Escalating violence against the Christian communities will be discussed by the Council of Ministers of Foreign affairs of the 27 member states that will meet in Luxembourg June 25th. The decision has been supported by a statement from the High Representative for Foreign Policy and Security, Catherine Ashton, who censored "the contemptible attacks against the churches in Nigeria", expressed her sympathy to the victims and their families, and confirmed "the firm will to help the Nigerian authorities commit the offenders to justice". "I am appalled by the terrible attacks perpetrated against Christian churches in Nigeria" Ashton said. These acts of violence "follow several similar attacks in recent weeks". The Commissioner also "deeply regrets reprisal attacks", underlining that peaceful coexistence is the only possible way to give a future to the African country. The EU’s position is about upgrading the fight against terrorism and warding off "violence spiralling out, which is what terrorists want". EU Council and Parliament recently issued statements condemning discrimination and violence against Christians. In the meeting of June 25 the Foreign Affairs Council is called to ratify the new post of EU Special Representative for Human Rights, whose tasks include the promotion of democracy and fundamental rights, including the freedom of religion.