By Holy See Mission
Intervention
of Archbishop Francis Chullikatt
Apostolic
Nuncio, Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the UN
Special
Political and Decolonization Committee68th
Session of the UN General Assembly
Item 51:
United Nations Relief and Works Agencyfor Palestinian
Refugees in the Near East
(New York,
7 November 2013)
Mr. Chairman,
Having carefully reviewed the Report
of the Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for
Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA)[1] as well
as his address to the meeting of the UNRWA Advisory Commission held in Amman,
Jordan, 16 June 2013, my Delegation wishes to draw attention to the views he expressed
and the clarity of the solutions he proposes for what has become a most complex
situation for Palestine refugees in the region.
In
that region, which is home to the earliest Christian communities, the Catholic
Church shares those same harsh realities on the ground which confront UNRWA
daily. Working with generous donor agencies from the United States, Germany,
Japan, Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland, the United Kingdom and other countries,
the Holy See provides education, health care and social services for the
population as well as rehabilitation facilities for those injured in conflicts.
We provide this on the basis of need, not creed, to all victims of the region’s
political, economic and social instability. Our own concerns go beyond these
basic services, as do UNRWA’s, insofar as these conflicts destroy homes,
rending refugees homeless, jobless and helpless. With family wage-earners debilitated,
imprisoned or killed, destitute families seek assistance from NGOs serving
alongside UNRWA in this troubled area.
Mr. Chairman,
The concerns of the Commissioner-General,
detailed in his reports to the General Assembly and UNRWA Advisory Commission
are the same as those of the Holy See, confronted,
as we are, with an ever shrinking presence of traditional Christian communities
in the very birthplace of Christianity. For both UNRWA and the Holy See the financial
burdens for providing services to frequently displaced populations of refugees constitutes
a growing problem, requiring more funding from donor countries. Current global financial
and economic realities, however, speak against funding increases as donor countries
struggle with debt and high levels of unemployment, especially youth
unemployment.
The rejuvenated peace process brings
some hope to this bleak outlook. A “bona fide” peace between Israelis and
Palestinians would create possibilities for economic investment rather than
burdening donor countries and humanitarian agencies with more requests for
additional funding. A successful peace conference on Syria scheduled to take
place in Geneva would bring further relief to the suffering of Palestinian
refugee populations who find themselves refugees yet again, on account of theatres
of war surrounding seven of twelve UNRWA Palestine refugee camps in Syria.
My Delegation urges the Quartet and all
those assisting in the resumption of the peace process to spare no effort in facilitating
negotiations between the Palestinians and the Israelis. The objective must be to
secure through negotiation and reasonable compromise two viable and stable
States which give each of the parties independent and secure States for their
peoples. This is no small task in light of the political diversities which
exist within each of the conflicting communities and the 64 tragic years of interminable
conflict between them.
Mr. Chairman,
Pope Francis met with Palestinian President
Mahmoud Abbas on October 17th and expressed the hope that the resumed
“peace process may bear fruit and enable a just and lasting solution to be
found to the conflict, an increasingly necessary and urgent objective”. He also
voiced the hope that “the parties to the conflict will make courageous and
determined decisions in order to promote peace, with the support of the
international community”.[2]
My
Delegation accordingly wishes to underline that a lasting solution in these peace
negotiations must include the status of our Holy City, Jerusalem. The Holy See firmly
supports “internationally guaranteed provisions to ensure the freedom of
religion and of conscience of its inhabitants,” their legitimate right to
property as well as “permanent, fair and unhindered access to the Holy Places
by the faithful of all religions and nationalities”.[3]
Mr. Chairman,
It would be remiss of my Delegation,
finally, if we did not extend an expression of our appreciation to the
governments of Lebanon and Jordan for their enduring collaboration with UNRWA
in housing Palestine refugees and now contending heroically with the influx of refugees
from Syria and the sectarian violence in Iraq. The humanitarian cries of these
refugee populations must not fall on deaf ears. Peacemaking must replace the
futile and counterproductive logic of violence and war. Let us never give up
the hope that the unquenchable quest for that peace, so much needed and desired,
will eventually dawn in that land so sacred to so many.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
[1]
A/68/13
[2]
Vatican Information Service, Year XXII - #199, 17-10-2013.
[3]
Cf. A/RES/ES – 10/12
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