Pope calls for Darfur resolution
Pope highlights plight of victims of conflicts in Darfur and Iraq in Christmas message
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Tuesday, 25, Dec 2007 06:43
The Pope has called for the "grim sound of arms" heard in Darfur, Iraq and other conflicts around the world to end.
In his Christmas message the head of the Roman Catholic Church said that the "darkness of poverty, injustice and war" affected millions of people worldwide.
He told tens of thousands of worshippers in St Peter's Square in Rome: "On this day of peace, my thoughts turn especially to those places where the grim sound of arms continues to reverberate."
Pope Benedict XVI highlighted the plight of the "tortured regions" of Darfur and Somalia and "many other crisis situations that unfortunately are frequently forgotten".
His Urbi et Orbi (to the city and the world) message – broadcast live in 57 countries – also called for people across the world to be given their "legitimate aspirations for a more secure existence" and stressed the importance of combating climate change.
He said that healthcare, education, employment and participation in civil and political responsibilities made up these ambitions.
The pontiff continued: "It is the most vulnerable members of society – women, children, the elderly – who are so often the victims of brutal armed conflicts, terrorism and violence of every kind, which inflict such terrible sufferings on entire populations.
"At the same time, ethnic, religious and political tensions, instability, rivalry, disagreements, and all forms of injustice and discrimination are destroying the internal fabric of many countries and embittering international relations.
"Throughout the world the number of migrants, refugees and evacuees is also increasing because of frequent natural disasters, often caused by alarming environmental upheavals."