Statement from Father Paolo Dall'Oglio, in NYC on Monday, August
6, on the occasion of his visit to the United Nations.
Is there reconciliation left in Syria today?
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| Father Paolo at press conference in NYC |
The answer is, quite clearly yes - however all of us Syrians
must work in our hearts to keep reconciliation as the aim of our action,
knowing there is no possible reconciliation without the pursuit of a pluralist
democracy, and respect for human rights. These are the platforms on which
future harmony will exist, through recognizing each other’s values.
Some of the Syrian people fighting for revolution have
stayed consistently non-violent in their resistance over the past 17 months and
have paid a high price for their faithfulness. They must keep their non-violent
commitment in order to facilitate reconciliation in the country during
the process of collapse and after the fall of the Bashar al-Assad
regime.
Reconciliation is also part of the commitment of the Free
Syrian Army, who have clearly and officially advocated for restraint against
actions that undermine human rights, even for actions that may target enemies
who have acted against the human dignity of the Syrian people during the past
40 years, especially over the past terrible months and will face fair
trials for their crimes. The free Syrian soldiers who commit to this
pledge and are respecting human dignity in all conditions are the heroes
fighting for the honor of an entire people, an entire country and of all
humanity.
There is no contradiction between the actions of the Free Syrian
Army, those of the Syrian revolutionary parties who are against the
use of weapons and the positions of pacifist activists. All of them
will become actors within the coming pluralist democracy, which will need the
participation of all faithful and sincere citizens.
It is evident that this deep attitude of
reconciliation is difficult and painful, especially for those who
are directly victims of violence. Justice however will need to be
re-established through internationally guaranteed fair trial and not through
personal revenge. Everybody is aware that some mistakes are happening and
crimes should be punished regardless of who perpetuated them. Of course, in the
coming free Syria we will also need to rehabilitate those who have
fallen into the practice of using indiscriminate violence to achieve their
goals.
Regarding
the role of minorities in a future Syria - the country is a nation of
minorities, and all people regardless of faith, ethnicity or ideology are
crucial to building a new Syria. We must also leave behind any collective
guilt or place responsibility for the crimes of this regime on any one group,
as the criminals and victims over the past 40 years cuts across all ethnic and
religious groupings.
Women and men of a free Syria, both inside and outside the
country, will need to promote "Syrian to Syrian" dialogue for
reconciliation. The "one Syria" we are all fighting for will be a
homeland for all of us regardless of our religious, ethnic or ideological
belonging. Unity in harmony is our goal which will shape a project of
justice and peace for the Arab nation and the Middle East region altogether.
As we stand in New York City, we ask the UN to work side by side
with the Syrian people in the fight for freedom and harmony. UN soldiers
from non-aligned nations should assume direct responsibility to protect
the endangered civilians in those parts of the country where massacres are
occurring and where inter-communal conflict is growing. UN forces are needed
today on the ground, together with international unarmed peace
promoters, to separate those Syrians being pushed by regional enemies to kill
one another.
This approach will empower the Syrian
people and allow them to rebuild the unity of Syria
throughout negotiations and international warranties for all
the components of this great civilization - a nation that must be
preserved for the good of the world.
May
Allah have mercy on all of us, so we can show mercy to one another!
