Vatican envoy tells UN: violence, persecution imperil entire cultures in Middle East

October 23, 2015

The Vatican’s permanent observer at the UN has warned that entire cultures are in jeopardy in the Middle East.

Speaking to a Security Council session on the Middle East, Archbishop Bernardito Auza said that “extremists are seeking to eradicate religions, ethnic groups and cultures that have been in the Middle East for millennia.”

The archbishop called attention especially to the plight of Christians in areas held by the Islamic State, condemning the violence “that completely disregards the most elementary terms of international humanitarian law and, indeed, of humanity.” He observed that along with those killed or wounded, the flood of refugees and displaced families in the region must be counted among the casualties of violence. 

 

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Further information:

• Holy See: Extremists seek to eradicate religions and cultures (Vatican Radio)