Scottish Catholic Observer

By Stephen Reilly

Pope Benedict XVI has led the international community in condemning the killing of more than a hundred people—including 49 children—in the town of Houla, Syria and also called on Muslim and Christian leaders there to lead a renewed push for peace.

Archbishop Mario Zenari, the Apostolic nuncio to Syria, has also issued a new appeal calling for an end to the violence as countries around the world, including Britain, expelled Syrian ambassadors in response to the tragedy.

United Nations observers on the ground have confirmed that at least 108 people were killed, including 49 children and 34 women, between Friday May 25 and Saturday May 26. Some were killed by shellfire, others appear to have been shot or stabbed at close range, but at whose hands they died remains a matter of contention.

Vatican spokesman Fr Federico Lombardi said the massacre was ‘a motive of great sorrow and concern for the Holy Father and the entire Catholic community, as it is for the international community which has expressed unanimous condemnation of the incident.’

“Renewing its appeal for an end to all forms of violence, the Holy See exhorts the parties involved and the entire international community to spare no efforts to resolve this crisis through dialogue and reconciliation,” Fr Lombardi said.

He also said religious leaders and those who believe in God ‘are called to commit themselves to promoting the peace which is so much sought after, for the good of the whole population.’

On Sunday, the UN Security Council unanimously condemned the Syrian Government for its role in the massacre of at least 108 villagers.

The 15-member council approved a statement that, while not blaming the Syrian Government directly for all the deaths, rebuked it for its use of tanks and artillery against civilians despite agreeing to an April 12 ceasefire.

However, the Syrian ambassador claimed the security council had issued a ‘tsumani of lies’ about the incident.