The top church official in Libya
said he was praying to Blessed John Paul II for peace and an end to
civilian casualties in the North African country.
Bishop Giovanni Martinelli of Tripoli also questioned the morality of
the NATO airstrikes against the residence of Libyan leader Moammar
Gadhafi. The attack April 30 reportedly killed one of Gadhafi's sons and
three of his grandchildren, but the Libyan leader was said to be
unharmed.
"The bombs, as precise as the aim can be, lead to civilian victims.
Bombs are immoral. I wonder also whether it is moral to kill a head of
state. What right do we have to do so?" Bishop Martinelli told the
Vatican missionary news agency Fides April 30.
He said several people had reported to him earlier that day several other bombings had caused civilian casualties.
"They hit Sirte, Zentani and Misurata. In this last place the fighting
continues. I do not know who hit the civilians, but I know that the
situation in Misurata is dramatic," Bishop Martinelli said. He said he
hoped to be able to visit wounded civilians in the hospital.
"Even the statement on behalf of the coalition countries that bomb
Libya, who want to protect civilians from being attacked, does not
correspond to the truth, because these bombings cause victims among
civilians who they claim to want to protect. It is necessary first of
all to reach a cease-fire," he said.
"We ask the intercession of John Paul II that can work miracles. I
remember that it was this pope who opened diplomatic relations with
Libya in 1997, when this country was under international embargo," the
bishop said.
"I am praying ceaselessly so that, through his intercession, a peaceful
solution may be found to the crisis," he said. He said one of Blessed
John Paul's teachings was that "war cannot bring peace."