蜜桃交友

By Charles De Pechpeyrou

The courage of peace 鈥渋n the very complex context we are living today is not limited to simply seeking a ceasefire and adopting measures to protect civilian populations, Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher said on Friday. It also means "believing that it is possible to act before violence erupts, rejecting the dehumanizing logic underlying conflicts, striving to build solidarity and fraternity everywhere, having the strength of mind and determination to overcome hostilities," and "working with people for true and lasting reconciliation"

The Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations was addressing  a  conference titled "Being a Military to Achieve Peace鈥� organized on 7 February at the Institut Français - Centre Saint-Louis in Rome as part of the Jubilee of the Armed Forces, Police, and Security Agents. 

His reference to the courage to win peace today which was the title of his lecture  echoed the words spoke during the ceremony he held in the Vatican Gardens with  the Presidents of Israel and Palestine on June 8, 2014.

Highlighting the changes in the military reality, Archbishop Gallagher remarked  that "peace today can no longer be taken for granted" and that "doubt is growing about the ability of the international community and its institutions to maintain trust between nations."

The different nature of modern conflicts

Focusing in  particular on the nature of modern conflicts, the head of the Vatican's foreign policy department, recalled that "it would be an illusion to reduce peace to the mere absence of conflicts," since "war today is not limited to the use of force."

Modern conflicts, often multidimensional, require "a comprehensive approach to security,鈥� he said. 鈥淔ood, environmental, health, and economic security must be taken into consideration."

"In other words, peace requires the construction of an order based on justice and charity. It is also the result of solidarity, the safeguarding of our common home, and the promotion of the common good."

In addition to the multidimensional aspect of the search for peace, there is the consideration of the very nature of conflicts, which varies significantly, Archbishop Gallagher emphasized. "Beyond direct conventional wars, today we witness proxy wars, civil wars, hybrid wars, frozen and postponed conflicts, and wars that are transforming into transnational conflicts,"  he noted, stressing that "the geopolitical situation is sometimes so complex and polarized that any conflict resolution becomes extremely difficult."

Weapons of mass destruction and use artificial intelligence

A third aspect of modern-times conflicts is the use of new types of weaponry, leading to the production of an increasing number of arms worldwide. In particular, many countries possess weapons of mass destruction and use artificial intelligence. This use of advanced technologies and systems "raises serious ethical concerns," Archbishop Gallagher reiterated, recalling that the recent of the Dicasteries for the Doctrine of the Faith and for Culture and Education  on the relationship between artificial intelligence and human intelligence "warns of the risk that lethal autonomous weapons systems may, in turn, make war more 'feasible'."

According to Archbishop Gallagher, the uncontrollable nature of such destructive power, which can harm a large number of innocent civilians, requires, "very serious attention, dialogue among various stakeholders, and a determined commitment to adopt a set of rules that allow us to move decisively toward global demilitarization, also by working immediately to build trust among peoples."

Need for a new approach to the issue of security

Finally, Archbishop Gallagher focused on the need for a "new approach to the issue of security," in a "completely new spirit," as indicated by the Second Vatican Council. This approach, he added, must primarily be non-violent: "It is about continuing the efforts made in modern times to exclude war as a reliable means of resolving international disputes, always favouring non-violence."

The Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations observed that, even in the Middle Ages, the Church has always had strong advocates of non-violence. And contemporary Popes have "severely condemned war, any war, even beyond the concept of 'just war,' whose moral framework had been defined by St. Augustine and St. Thomas in their times."

Need to comply with international humanitarian law

Secondly, this "completely new spirit" in considering war "requires a serious examination of compliance with the legal framework aimed at protecting the dignity and integrity of human beings amid hostilities," namely, "international humanitarian law." It is essential that humanitarian law maintains its rightful place in the midst of hostilities, regardless of the type of conflict. Indeed, civilians and combatants must be protected by the existing regulations, inspired by humanitarian principles dictated by public conscience," clarified the prelate, lamenting that in recent months, "in various contexts and recent conflicts, international humanitarian law has often been neglected, sometimes seemingly deliberately."

In this regard, he pointed out that the increase in atrocities is also part of a trend towards the trivialization of violence in many conflict zones, highlighting that "the violation of human rights and the laws governing the conduct of war is becoming so common that it is sometimes considered simply inevitable."

However, "there can be no genuine and lasting peace, nor even a 'just' peace, if this legal framework of humanitarian law is not respected."

Seeking and rediscovering the meaning of human dignity 

To fully apply the principles of humanitarian law, it is also necessary to recognize changes in reality, particularly the increasing complexity of conflicts, stated the Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations. These conflicts, in fact, "no longer necessarily involve only state actors but also armed groups and private militias."

On the one hand, "it is necessary to adapt this legal framework and how it is applied," but on the other hand, "this alone is not sufficient, as we must also rediscover, both personally and collectively, the fundamental ethical principles that must guide all our concrete actions, even in field conditions that sometimes make discernment so difficult."

"Seeking and rediscovering the meaning of human dignity and the moral principles that underpin our human community and unite us beyond political, cultural, or religious differences, and adhering to them," concluded Archbishop Gallagher, "requires courage, and this is also a condition for building true peace and creating a harmonious international order."