Do something about forced migration, Cardinal tells UN

The Vatican Secretary of State has pleaded for an increased commitment from the international community in addressing the root causes of forced migration, particularly war and arms trading, reports the Catholic News Agency.

“Since human choices provoke conflicts and wars, it is well within our power and responsibility to address this root cause that drives millions to become refugees, forced migrants, and internally displaced persons,” Cardinal Pietro Parolin said on Monday at the United Nations Summit for Refugees and Migrants in New York.

“The greatest challenge before us,” Cardinal Parolin said, “is to identify and act on the root causes that force millions of people to leave their homes, their livelihoods, their families, and their countries, risking their very lives and those of their loved ones in the search for safety, peace, and better lives in foreign lands.”

Cardinal Parolin highlighted the increase in religious persecution as a cause of displacement, acknowledging that while “other groups are heavily targeted, many reports confirm that Christians are by far the most persecuted faith group,” and that many are even harassed in refugee settings.

“We must not abandon them,” he urged.

“Addressing the root causes of displacement of peoples,” Cardinal Parolin said, “requires strength and political will.”