15 May 2014 | Address of His Holiness, Speeches

ADDRESS OF POPE FRANCIS ON THE OCCASION OF THE PRESENTATION OF LETTERS OF CREDENCE OF THE AMBASSADORS OF SWITZERLAND, LIBERIA, ETHIOPIA, SUDAN, JAMAICA, SOUTH AFRICA AND INDIA TO THE HOLY SEE

Clementine Hall

[…] Looking at the challenges that in this time of ours need to be urgently faced in order to build a more peaceful world, I would like to lay emphasis on two things: the arms trade and forced migration. […]

[…] Another challenge to peace is right before our eyes, and unfortunately in certain regions and at certain times takes on the character of a very real human tragedy: forced migration. This phenomenon is very complex and we must, of course, acknowledge the noteworthy efforts undertaken by international organizations, States, social powers, as well as religious communities and volunteers that all strive to respond in a civil and organized way to the most critical aspects like: emergencies and the most dire situations. But, here too, we realize that we cannot limit ourselves to helping in emergencies. The phenomenon has already manifested itself in all its breadth and, so to speak, historic character. The time has come to face it politically in a serious, responsible way, involving all levels: global, continental, the macro-regions, relations between States, down to the national and local level.[…]

[…]The phenomenon of forced migration is closely tied to conflict and war, and therefore also to the proliferation of weapons, which we spoke about earlier. These are the wounds of a world, which is our world, in which God placed us to live today and calls us to take responsibility for our brothers and for our sisters, that no human being may be violated in his dignity. It would be an absurd contradiction to speak of peace, to negotiate peace and, at the same time, promote or permit the arms trade. We can also think that it would be an attitude of cynicism to proclaim human rights and, simultaneously fail to take responsibility for the men and women who, forced to leave their homeland, die in the attempt or are not accepted by international solidarity. […]