Displaying items by tag: call for justice

CAFOD and Church of England bishops have welcomed the Government’s recognition of Palestinian statehood, calling it a long-overdue step towards peace. CAFOD’s Middle East representative said the move, alongside similar actions by France, Canada, Australia, and Portugal, affirms Palestinians’ right to a viable, independent state amid the devastation of Gaza and rising settlement violence in the West Bank. Bishop Christopher Chessun and fellow bishops stressed the recognition offers parity of esteem, countering extremism and strengthening moderates, though it will not immediately end the suffering in Gaza or West Bank abuses. They see it as a moral and political signal that occupation is unjust and must end through negotiation. Families of Israeli hostages have condemned the decision as rewarding Hamas; by contrast, Hamas has celebrated the recognition as a victory. UK church leaders have also warned that Israel’s ongoing military assault will only deepen human misery. Despite bleak realities, Christian leaders urged perseverance in seeking a just peace that upholds dignity for all communities. See

President Moïse was assassinated on 7 July amid rising political tensions and violence. He was killed after pursuing an aggressive agenda, including rewriting the country’s constitution. The Bishops' Conference said the proposed changes to Haiti’s constitution while in the middle of a socio-political crisis were not wise. Vatican News reported violence had escalated under Moïse’s rule, and the Haitian people were bearing the brunt of it. The bishops wrote, ‘The daily life of the Haitian people is reduced to death, murders, impunity and insecurity. Discontent is everywhere, in almost all areas.’ They called on Moïse to step down as his five-year term had expired in February. Jamaica’s prime minister said, ‘The assassination is a stain on Haiti and a sorrowful time for the Caribbean. May God be a special covering over his family and over the people of Haiti during this dark time in the nation’s history.’

In the light of George Floyd’s death, the Evangelical Alliance has joined thousands of voices around the world, to declare that the indescribable pain and dehumanisation of others because of their skin colour has to stop. ‘Let us stand together as brothers and sisters in Christ, as we cry out for justice, as we stand with those suffering oppression, as we weep with those grieving and in pain. We all have a responsibility to act against discrimination and systemic racism in our workplaces, churches, justice systems, and wider communities. We cannot view this as white vs black. This is a clarion call for us to come together and fight every form of racism in all its disgusting manifestations. As the Church we must unite across all ethnicities in saying, and showing, that all are created equal, all people bear God’s image.’