-
“War Against Iraq is unacceptable”, says His Holiness
Aram I Antelias, Lebanon
– On March 3rd, His Holiness Aram I denounced the nation that
aggressive war is a means to achieving justice, peace and democracy.
He said: “We hoped that the third millennium would bring justice,
peace and reconciliation. We hoped that mutual trust, mutual understanding
and mutual respect would become the guiding principles in human relations.
Aggression is not a means to justice and peace. It is unacceptable
to use democratic principles to safeguard political and economic interests,
and to ignore international law. Democracy calls for participation
and dialogue; only by listening to the will of the people and through
dialogue can we safely move towards a world in which human rights
are respected”.
-
Wed Mar 5, 2003
|
- "An Armenian
of Iraq Sebooh Hagopian Makes a New Call"
- An Armenian
of Iraq named Sebooh Hagopian who had appealed to the entire Armenian
Press from Baghdad through Internet to help the Armenians of Iraq, sent
a new letter this morning which is the third. Sebooh Hagopian, who we
don't know to which extent conveyes the feelings of other Armenians
of Baghdad, complains again that they are without leader with the departure
of the prelate and the other clergymen. He says that they are terrified.
Let's read his letter:
- [Marmara]
- Help
the Armenian Community of Iraq
The war becomes more and more violent. But they say that it's going
to be even worse tomorrow or the next day. Everybody stays at home and
tries to guess when a bomb will fall. The sounds are stronger and shake
every house. I already wrote to you that our prelate Archbishop Avak
left us for USA in January and it seems that he said he would come back
in six months. Now who is responsible of us? Is there any Catholicos
to punish him? They should send someone else from Etchmiadzin[to replace
him]. They said in the news that the Pope told his representative to
stay in Baghdad and help his community. This is the correct attitude
and not what our prelate did to us. Today we have made a phone call
and we have realized that our priest[Der Hayr] too ran away with his
family. What kind of clergymen are these? The Catholicos of all Armenians
should punish those. So many Armenians and no community leader. Lots
of Armenians left for Amman and Syria. But whoever leaves this place,
they rob their houses. Only today we have gone out to buy bread and
now the combats have started again. It's good that there is electricity
and that the telephone line still works, at least we can inform the
Armenian people around the world of our situation. I read the Armenian
newspaper Asbarez of USA on Internet and saw that it defends the Archbishop
Avak. They say he would come back[to Baghdad]. This is shameful. How
will he come back when there is fire falling everywhere? It's a shame
that they are defending the Archbishop Avak Asadoorian. Help us so that
the war stops. May they write from everywhere and stop the war.
- Marmara,
Istanbul, 26th March 2003
|
