Urbańczyk at the OSCE: war, failure of international law
In his speech, at the end of the meeting in Vienna on “International cooperation to address the issue of international humanitarian law”, international humanitarian law and the permanent law of the Holy See, he underlined the risk for the prerogatives of the fundamental rights of the person during armed conflicts
Giancarlo La Vella – Vatican City
“What can we, as members of the international community, do to reduce the risk of human rights and international humanitarian law during an armed conflict?” This is the question that Monsignor Janusz Urbańczykpermanent observer of the Holy See at the OSCE, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, concluded the conference in Vienna on “International cooperation to address international humanitarian law and international human rights law”. War, says Urbańczyk, is, in itself, a rupture of the international legal order and represents a “profound failure of the rule of international law”.
Peace is based on respect for rights
Since the Helsinki Final Act, in 1975, the representative of the Holy See recalls, universal human rights and fundamental freedoms have been determined as “an essential factor for the peace, justice and well-being necessary to ensure the development of relations friendly and cooperation between them as between all States “. Therefore, any violation of universal human rights and fundamental freedoms poses a threat to peace. Urbańczyk then recalls the words of Pope Francis, from the very beginning of the unacceptable armed aggression against Ukraine. The Pontiff drew attention to the continuation of fundamental human rights, insisting “that international law be respected again!” “The blood and tears of children, the suffering of women and men who defend their land or flee from bombs shake our conscience. Once again humanity is threatened by a perverse abuse of power and partisan interests, which is condemning defenseless people to endure all forms of brutal violence. ”
Violations that question our conscience
The Holy See has always been convinced, concluded the permanent observer, that security and peace are “shaped by the direct efforts day after day towards the establishment of the universe ordained by God, with a more perfect justice among men” . That order and that justice are not based strength on military power, but on sincere respect for the defense and promotion of universal human rights and fundamental freedoms, which can never cease to disturb our conscience.