الاتحاد الكاثوليكي العالمي للصحافة- لبنان اوسيب – لبنان
Antelias, April 3rd, 2002
The World Forum of Professionals in the Secular and Religious Media in Lebanon condemns what encounters the Palestinian people who is deprived of his main rights, namely the right to a safe and dignified life, and the right to have an independent State guaranteed by an international law where meets a confessional coexistence as is the case in Lebanon. The Israeli aggressions against this people lead to future ethnic wars which threaten the future of this entire region people and deprive them from peace, evolution and well – fare opportunities.
The Forum, stemming from its principles, the church principles and educations, and Bkerki historical positions, considers that the violence can not lead for a real and permanent peace. When rejecting all violence means, it calls for establishing a pacific situation stemming from the international law principles, United Nations regulations and the Middle East morality and values. Therefore, it considers that the current military operations can not bring any solution but cause continuous and complimentary tragedies.
The role of mass media is essential in order to inform the public opinion of the events reality. Thus, the Forum condemns the Israeli military practices in repressing media freedoms, as the one which led to the death of the Italian reporter, Rafael Chirbello, and the injury of other reporters. The Forum condemns as well the Israeli prohibition of reporters to enter the war territories as if, by this act, it excludes the audience from the operations it carries out.
Translated by: Joyce Tary
