Pope Wishes for “Free” Lebanese Decisions
Pope Benedict XVI has expressed hope that the Lebanese will be able to make decisions “freely” and said he was concerned for Christians in Iraq and anguished over the humanitarian crisis in Darfur.
“It is my earnest wish that the Lebanese people will be able to decide freely on their future,” the pope said in his annual speech to Vatican diplomats Monday.
He made reference to “the plight of Lebanon, amid its trials and all the violence that continues to shake that beloved country.”
The pontiff urged Israel and the Palestinians “to concentrate their energies on the implementation of commitments… in favor of a global approach respectful of the rights and legitimate interests of all the peoples
of the region.”
He was referring to commitments made at an U.S.-sponsored international conference held in Annapolis in November.
In Iraq, Benedict said, “reconciliation is urgently needed…. Terrorist attacks, threats and violence continue, especially against the Christian community.”
He added: “Important humanitarian aid is necessary for the peoples affected by the war; I am thinking especially of displaced persons within the country and refugees who have fled abroad, among whom there are many Christians.”
He also expressed “deep anguish” over the humanitarian crisis in Darfur.
“I should like first to reiterate my deep anguish (over) the menacing sequence of hunger and death that is unfolding in Darfur,” in western Sudan, the pope told the ambassadors to the Holy See.
“With all my heart I pray that the joint operation of the United Nations and the African Union, whose mission has just begun, will bring aid and comfort to the suffering populations,” he said.
In crisis-bound Pakistan, the pope said he hoped “that all political and social forces will commit themselves to building a peaceful society, respectful of the rights of all.”
Turning to the unrest in Kenya, the pope said: “I join the (Kenyan) bishops in their appeal… inviting all the inhabitants, especially political leaders, to seek a peaceful solution through dialogue, based on justice and fraternity.”
The pope also urged a “strong joint effort” to counter “appalling natural disasters” such as hurricanes and floods that have hit Latin America, Africa and Asia.