The fight against terrorism” “

“The creation of a European space of freedom, security and justice, in which the rights and freedoms of everyone will be protected, is a very valuable development”. But “the balance between the needs for security and the protection of fundamental rights and liberties must be respected”. The declaration is made by COMECE (Commission of the episcopates of the European Community, which gathers together bishops representing the 15 countries of the EU, plus other observers from candidate countries) in a press release issued on the conclusion of its autumn plenary session held in Brussels, behind closed doors, on 22 and 23 November. Theme of the meeting: “The EU faced by the challenge of terrorism”. In the course of the session the bishops were informed on the measures proposed by the European Commission to combat terrorism, on the basis of its common definition and the introduction of a European arrest warrant applicable throughout the EU. “May fundamental rights and liberties be protected”. The bishops expressed their concern for the “risk of the legislation being adopted too rapidly (without a profound preliminary reflection), in response to the current terrorist threat. That could cause the erosion of the protection of such rights and liberties and encourage, involuntarily, a discrimination against some members of our society, including the most vulnerable, such as asylum-seekers and the members of ethnic minorities”. This recommendation was also repeated at the press conference by Msgr. Attilio Nicora, vice-president of COMECE, who urged “that the right balance always be struck between the need to protect the public order and the respect for human rights, two needs that belong to the great European tradition”. Nicora also emphasized the need to avoid “the risk of the area of suspects being unnecessarily widened in the name of the just fight against terrrorism”: “Knowing how to combine these two factors is the task of jurists and politicians: we bishops can only recall the values on which they are based and encourage the efforts of the Union, hoping in positive results”. Of course – Nicora pointed out to SIR – Europe “may make a valuable contribution in developing shared methods in the identification of the offence of terrorism and of the judicial procedures aimed at prosecuting it. This is a delicate matter because it involves the renunciation of aspects of national sovereignty, but it is a step forward and a sign of the determination really to pull together when the fundamental values of civil society are at stake”. “The fight against terrorism – he stressed – must go hand in hand with the solution of the grave problems that are at the root of these phenomena and that represent their breeding ground. All States need to make an effort to reduce the poverty in the world, that leads to inhumane and dehumanizing situations”. Justice and interreligious dialogue, ways of achieving peace. The bishops also emphasize that “a true dialogue between cultures and civilizations must include a dialogue between religions. Interreligious dialogue is far more that religious tolerance: it is a serious and continuous commitment, founded on reciprocal respect”. In this regard, COMECE declares its willingness to “help the European institutions to relaunch this essential element of the Barcelona process” and urges that the deep roots of terrorism be analyzed”. The freedom and independence that Europe enjoys – says the document – are not shared throughout the world, and the absence of means of democratic expression may provoke fanatical extremism. Material inequality, in a world in which 20% of persons control 80% of the wealth, may also be a terrain propitious for terrorism”. That is why “COMECE asks the European Union to redouble its efforts to reduce poverty, to promote democracy, human rights and the state of law, and to contribute to the establishment of a more just world order”. The bishops also ask the EU to “assume its own responsibilities in the regions apparently forgotten by the mass media, such as Angola or Sudan, where long-standing conflicts have aggravated the exploitation of the natural resources, in which companies based in Europe are sometimes involved”. On 24 October COMECE published a report prepared by international experts on “World Governance”, i.e. the proposal to set up a group formed of 24 members (comprising heads of State and of government, and senior representatives of the United Nations and the international financial institutions) who may represent, in a balanced way, all the populations of the world, to ensure that globalization “may become an opportunity for everyone” (cf. SirEurope no.4 of 25 October 2001). Msgr. Josef Homeyer, bishop of Hildesheim in Germany and president of COMECE, announced that the report will be distributed in the various national Episcopal Conferences in the days ahead so that they may discuss it; copies will also be given to the Pope and to various international institutions. “The objective – explained the German bishop – is that Europe may make its own contribution to the world at the ethical level. The Church for her part will promote intercultural meetings and exchanges of experience and information”. In this regard, the bishops reaffirmed the importance of the dialogue between religions, in particular with Islam, expressing the hope that it would be “revived and reinforced” in spite of the difficulties of finding suitable interlocutors due to the absence of representative Islamic leaders. The auxiliary bishop of Stockholm, Msgr. William Kenney, and Msgr. Nicora suggested that “the dialogue meanwhile be begun with the Moslems that are living in our midst, in terms of life, friendship and mutual reflection on the great values we share”. “It would also be a good thing – said Msgr. Nicora – if each great religion were to assume a clear stance on these questions. It’s true that Islam does not have a central authority that can act as the mouthpiece of all Moslems, but it is also true that the academic institutions could adopt a common position, and thus indirectly encourage the efforts of everyone”.