Catholic Bishops join anti-war protest
The Catholic Bishop's conference of Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei (CBC) today joined a rising number of protest voices around the world by speaking out against the possible military action on Iraq.
"The CBC agrees with the Holy See and Bishops from the United States and Middle East that resorting to war against Iraq under current circumstances would not meet the strict conditions in Catholic teaching for over-riding the presumptions against the use of military force," said its president Archbishop Antony Soter Fernandez in a press statement.
Fernandez urged for more groups opposed to the war to make their objections known and to press upon all parties involved in the Iraqi crisis to resolve the matter peacefully.
"We urge other Bishops' Conference all over the world to join their voices in solidarity to call upon all involved to abide by the principles of international law," he said.
The Catholic Bishop's conference of Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei is objecting the possible military action on Iraq and urging others to come forward to make their disapproval known as well.
"The CBC agrees with the Holy See and Bishops from the United States and Middle East that resorting to war against Iraq under current circumstances would not meet the strict conditions in Catholic teaching for over-riding the presumptions against the use of military force," said its president Archbishop Antony Soter Fernandez in a press statement.
Fernandez urged for more groups opposed to the war to make their objections known and to press upon all parties involved in the Iraqi crisis to resolve the matter peacefully.
"We urge other Bishops' Conference all over the world to join their voices in solidarity to call upon all involved to abide by the principles of international law," he said.
Pray for peace
In addition, the archbishop called for "people of all faiths and goodwill" to pray the activities carried out by the United Nations in Iraq "will not simply be a prelude to war but a way to peace and justice".
The current impasse arose after US President George W Bush last year threatened to wage war on Iraq for allegedly failing to comply with UN Security Council resolutions to disarm.
The threat of war prompted Iraq to submit once again to an UN weapons inspection in November last year, after a four-year pause.
The weapons inspection team is due to report its findings to the UN Security Council on Jan 27.
Although most countries have insisted that any attack on Iraq must have the backing of the UN Security Council, the US has said it reserved the right to wage war if the UN fails to force Iraq to surrender any weapons of mass destruction.
