The executive director of the Portuguese ONG Oikos, João José Fernandes, satisfactorily commented on the natural and fundamental rights of man, in particular as pertains to the context of wars, contained in the Message by Benedict XVI for the celebration of the World Day of Peace. Commenting on the Pontiff’s charge on the violation of international humanitarian right in the recent conflict in the Southern area of Lebanon “where the obligation to protect and help the innocent victims and not involve the civilian population has been sorely lacking”, Fernandes wished to stress that “in the humanitarian aid to persons any distinction of religious creed, race, skin color or linguistic differences is not justifiable”. The Oikos, Co-operation and Development (http://www.oikos.pt), for many years has tried to sensitize the civilian society and the Portuguese government about the victims of the various situations of poverty or war, being active in 11 States. “Our intervention – the spokesman for the organization explains – is above all aimed at protecting the refugees and the displaced persons due to war, trying to guarantee their basic needs such as water and food and health products”. “Later, we try to work on recuperating the individual’s human dignity through programs for specific development”. “Parallel to this however, – he continued – the fundamental and difficult action of social preservation is also very necessary. Humanitarian aid must always maintain its characteristic of neutrality and impartiality because it is still a civilian society, in its entirety, that is the victim of wars and finding itself as involved involuntarily”.
