Parolin: "The Pope asks Assad for concrete initiatives for the population

Andrea Tornielli – Vatican City

Protection of the life of civilians, detention of the humanitarian disaster in the Idlib region, concrete initiatives for the safe return of displaced persons, release of detainees and access of families to information about their loved ones , conditions of humanity for political detainees. Parallel to a renewed call for the resumption of dialogue and negotiations with the participation of the international community. These are the concerns and specific demands contained in a letter that Pope Francis wanted to address to Syrian President Bashar Hafez al-Assad. The Pope's letter, dated June 28, was delivered at this hour by Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson, Prefect of the Department of Integral Human Development Department. The cardinal, the bearer of the document in English, was accompanied by Reverend Father Nicola Riccardi, F.F.M., deputy secretary of the Department of Integral Human Development, and Cardinal Mario Zenari, Apostolic Nuncio to Syria. On the content and the purpose of the letter, Vatican News interviewed the Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, first collaborator of the pontiff

Your Eminence, why did the pope decide to write to President Assad?

"The origin of this new initiative is the concern of Pope Francis and the Holy See for the humanitarian emergency situation in Syria, especially in the province of Idlib.More than 3 million people They live in the region, 1.3 million of whom are internally displaced, forced by the long-running conflict in Syria to seek refuge in the area, which was declared de-militarized last year. military added to the already extreme living conditions they faced in the camps, forcing many of them to flee.The pope continues with apprehension and great pain the dramatic fate of the civilian population, in especially children involved in bloody fighting, unfortunately the war continues, it has not stopped, bombings continue, several health facilities have been destroyed in this region, while others had to suspend their activities, in whole or in part. "

What does the pope ask President Assad in the letter that has been delivered?

"Pope Francis reiterates his call to protect the lives of civilians and preserve key infrastructure, such as schools, hospitals and health centers." What is really happening is inhuman and can not be accepted. President, do everything you can to put an end to this humanitarian disaster, to safeguard the defenseless population, especially the weakest, in compliance with international humanitarian law. "

So, it is said in a transparent way that the intention of the papal initiative is not therefore "political". It's like that?

"Yes, it is true, as I have explained, the concern is of a humanitarian nature." The pope continues to pray for Syria to return to a climate of fraternity after these long hours. years of war and that reconciliation prevails over division and hatred In his letter, the Holy Father uses the word "reconciliation" three times: this is his goal, for the good of this country and its people without The Pope encourages President Bashar al-Assad to make significant gestures in this process of Reconciliation is so urgent and gives concrete examples: for example, the conditions for the safe return of exiles and displaced persons to their homes. own country and all those who want to return to the country after being forced to leave .. family access to information about their loved ones. "

Another dramatic problem is that of political prisoners. Does the pope speak of it?

"Yes, Pope Francis is particularly concerned about the situation of political prisoners, to whom, he says, one can not deny the conditions of humanity." In March 2018, the Independent International Inquiry Commission on the Syrian Arab Republic He published a report on this topic that spoke of tens of thousands of people arbitrarily detained. Sometimes, in unofficial prisons and in unknown places, various forms of torture would be submitted without legal badistance or contact with their families. The report notes that, unfortunately, many of them die in jail, while others are summarily executed.

What is the purpose of this new Francisco initiative?

"The Holy See has always insisted on the need to find a viable political solution to end the conflict, overcoming partisan interests, and this must be done with the instruments of diplomacy, dialogue, negotiation, with We had to relearn that the war calls for war and that violence calls for violence, as the pope has repeated many times, and as he also repeats in this letter, we are unfortunately concerned stagnation of the negotiation process, especially that of Geneva, to find a political solution to the crisis, which is why, in the letter addressed to President Assad, the Holy Father encourages him to show good will and to Seek viable solutions to end the long-running conflict that has caused the loss of many innocent lives. "