Vatican says Iraqi prisoner abuse is scandal which 'offends God'

Channel NewsAsia ^ | 08 May 2004 | AFP

[yonif]

VATICAN CITY : The abuse of Iraqi prisoners by US soldiers is a scandal offensive to God himself, the Vatican said, in its first public comment.

"Violence against people offends God himself, who made humans in his own image," the Vatican's foreign minister, Archbishop Giovanni Lajolo, said in a pre-recorded television interview due to be broadcast later on Friday.

He condemned the abuse of Iraqi prisoners, made public last week, as "episodes of brutality, contrary to the most elementary human rights and radically contrary to Christian morals".

"The scandal is even worse if these episodes were committed by Christians," Lajolo said in the interview, due to be shown on Italian state television's TG2 news programme.

"You have to emphasize, all the same, that in a democracy such offences are not hidden away -- as is the case in the United States, where those responsible are judged and punished along with their superiors who did not fulfil their duty to monitor them," he said.

Lajolo said he hoped Iraq would regain its independence and sovereignty as soon as possible, that the country would be led by "a competent Iraqi leader, recognized as such by the people", and that the United Nations would be given "a defining role" in the oil-rich country.

He said he was optimistic that the return to Iraq on Thursday of UN special envoy Lakhdar Brahimi meant the UN could soon assume that role.

On Thursday Lajolo's predecessor as Vatican foreign minister, French cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, condemned the abuse and alleged torture of Iraqi prisoners by US soldiers.

"These images have a terrible effect on Arab populations and throughout the world," Tauran said in an interview with the Italian daily La Stampa.

"When one ridicules human dignity like that, one puts up barriers," added Tauran, who until recently was the top foreign policy official at the Holy See. "When one conducts war, one must respect the law."

He said that normally the US military did not behave in such a way and the photographs of the abuse were "deplorable".

He added that the US-led war in Iraq had clearly not succeeded in eradicating terrorism.

"The pope had reasons for denouncing the idea of a preventive war and it is clear that this war has not done away with terrorism," he said.

[BipolarBob]

and how did they classify child abuse by priests?

[aimhigh]

"episodes of brutality,

Brutality, no. Shame, yes. It seems everyone has to grandstand the issue.

[dfwgator]

As as Catholic let me be the first to tell the Vatican to save their indignation for their own pervert priests.

[hershey]

Uh, just what I was thinking.

[Numbers Guy]

Preface: I'm a devout Catholic, so this isn't bashing the faith. But if the church is so concerned about photographs of prisoners being sexually humiliated, you'd think they'd be even more concerned about 12-year-old altar boys being sexually assaulted.

[Triple Word Score]

Okay, this makes me mad but I'm going away before I say anything good Catholic FReepers might take wrong. It's not them, and they know it.

[Mr. Mojo]

Yep, this is just too easy.

[Darksheare]

That'll leave a mark.
*ouch*

[Planet]

...and how did they classify child abuse by priests?

The didn't...they just pretended it wasn't actually happening.

[Goreknowshowtocheat]

ouch........so true

[antceecee]

I agree. Because of their disgraceful betrayal, my tithe goes directly to Catholic charities, not to diocese support!

[mvpel]

I've done some web searching, but no luck so far. Can anyone point me to the statement by the Vatican deploring the murder and mutilation of the four contractors by a cheering mob in Iraq?

[dfwgator]

Your probably going to say anything that us good Catholics haven't already said here.

[al_c]

and how did they classify child abuse by priests?

"Inherrently evil." Got any other smart aleck off topic questions?

[B Knotts]

This is a perfectly reasonable, balanced statement from the Vatican.

Therefore I expect the usual Vatican-bashing from anti-Catholic bigots (yes, some of them "Catholics" themselves).

[Use It Or Lose It]

This only demonstrates the blind eye the Vatican has for their own problems. Someone wise once said, "Let he who is without sin...." The boys in the red skull caps should heed their Boss' admonition.

I am a lifelong Catholic and am amazed daily at the lack of understanding the hierarchy of the Church has toward these things.

[TrueBeliever9]

how did they classify child abuse by priests?

secret until busted

[dfwgator]

Oops that should have read 'You're probably not going to say anything..."

[magslinger]

Was the abuse of Iraqis by Saddamns thugs deploarable, too? More deplorable? Less deplorable? Wasn't putting a stop to it laudable?