Appeal for hostages made to Christian and Islamic authorities in Iraq
Rome (AsiaNews) An appeal for the Italian hostages in Iraq was sent today to the Chaldean Catholic patriarch, Emmanuel III Delly, to the world's most influential Shiite leader, Ayatollah Al-Sistani, and to members of the Ulemas Council. The authors of the appeal were Franciscan Father Jean Marie Benjamin and two Italian political exponents, Mr. Franco Cardini and Mr. Giulietto Chiesa.
The appeal was also directed in a general way to "all Iraqis, even those who at this time are holding men and women prisoners."
The authors appealed to the "reason and conscience of Muslims" while asking for them to "take steps to and measures so that the tragic error of killing other hostages will not repeat itself."
Recalling that it was they who "took sides against the war of aggression in Iraq right from the very beginning", the three authors write that they "feel morally... inspired by the words of the Prophet Isaiah: 'Peace will be the fruit of Justice."
The three men, therefore, have asked the abductors to release the hostages as an act of humanity.
"You have an exceptional chance to show those who invaded and have occupied your homeland in the name of freedom and democracy and to those who hold, torture and humiliate prisoners in Guantanamo and other secret far-off places of the world, how to treat prisoners."
"This your chance to show them what it really means to behave in a civilized and human fashion," they said.
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