By Linda Bordoni
“Blessed are the peacemakers,” Pope Francis recalled as he welcomed the expanded “diplomatic family” in the Vatican, thanking the ambassadors for their efforts to nurture good relations between the Holy See and their respective countries.
And immediately he shone the light on the central theme of his discourse – Peace – which he said, is primarily a gift of God, for it is He who left us His peace. “Yet it is also a responsibility incumbent upon all of us,” he added.
Greeting the ambassadors from throughout the globe accredited to the Holy See on Monday, 8 January 2024, he expressed deep concern about the escalating conflicts worldwide and described the current state of affairs as a “third world war fought piecemeal” openly addressing specific geopolitical crises.
Israel and Palestine
Recalling the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, the Holy Father condemned the October 7 attack on the Israeli people.
“I renew my condemnation of this act and of every instance of terrorism and extremism. This is not the way to resolve disputes between peoples; those disputes are only aggravated and cause suffering for everyone,” he said.
And condemning the subsequent military response to that act that has led to full-scale war in Gaza – where over 22,000 people have been killed and millions injured and displaced – the Pope decried the fact that it “provoked a strong Israeli military response in Gaza that has led to the death of tens of thousands of Palestinians, mainly civilians, including many young people and children, and has caused an exceptionally grave humanitarian crisis and inconceivable suffering.”
Thus, he called for an immediate ceasefire, the release of hostages, and access to humanitarian aid for the Palestinian people.
He also reiterated his support for a “two-state” solution, as well as an “internationally guaranteed special status for the City of Jerusalem, aiming for lasting peace and security.
Syria, Lebanon, Myanmar
The Pope expressed concern for the destabilizing situation in the entire region that is clearly affected by the present conflict in Gaza.
In particular, he turned his attention to the people of Syria who are “living in a situation of economic and political instability aggravated by last February’s earthquake.”
He appealed to the international community “to encourage the parties involved to undertake a constructive and serious dialogue and to seek new solutions so that the Syrian people need no longer suffer as a result of international sanctions.”
Expressing “profound distress for the millions of Syrian refugees still present in neighbouring countries like Jordan and Lebanon,” the Pope did not neglect to mention the plight of the Rohingya in Myanmar, pleading that “every effort be made to offer hope to that land and a dignified future to its young (…) not neglecting the humanitarian emergency that the Rohingya continue to experience.”
Russia and Ukraine, Armenia and Azerbaijan
Reiterating his perspective of a third world war fought piecemeal, the Pope recalled almost two years of large-scale war waged by Russia against Ukraine that has resulted in “great numbers of victims and massive destruction” and the situation in the South Caucasus between Armenia and Azerbaijan, with the dramatic situation of refugees.
In both instances, he called for negotiations, in respect for international law and for religious diversity.
Spotlight on Africa
Pope Francis addressed humanitarian crises in sub-Saharan Africa, including the effects of terrorism, political instability, and climate change. He called for serious efforts in implementing agreements, such as the Pretoria Agreement, to address conflicts in Tigray, and sought solutions to tensions in Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa.
The war in Sudan and its far-reaching consequences on millions of displaced people was also on his radar, as was the plight of refugees in Cameroon, Mozambique, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and South Sudan.
Challenges in the Americas
While acknowledging the absence of open wars in the Americas, the Pope highlighted serious tensions between several countries in Latin America, such as Venezuela and Guyana, and expressed concerns about political polarization affecting democratic institutions in places like Peru and Nicaragua.
”The situation in Nicaragua remains troubling: a protracted crisis with painful consequences for Nicaraguan society as a whole, and in particular for the Catholic Church,” he said, reaffirming the Holy See’s commitment to encourage “a respectful diplomatic dialogue for the benefit of Catholics and the entire population.”
A lacerated world and the human faces of war
Continuing to paint a vivid picture of an increasingly lacerated world where millions of individuals suffer due to conflicts, and detailing the human faces behind the statistics, Pope Francis condemned the violation of international humanitarian law, stating that grave violations are war crimes that demand not only identification but also prevention.
Noting that modern warfare no longer takes place only on clearly defined battlefields, the Pope lamented that in a “context where it appears that the distinction between military and civil objectives is no longer respected, there is no conflict that does not end up in some way indiscriminately striking the civilian population.”
“The events in Ukraine and Gaza are clear proof of this,” he said.
