Saturday, October 22, 2011

Fr. Lombardi: The death of Gaddafi closes the long and bloody war against the regime

"The news of the death of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi marks the end of a much too long and tragic phase of a brutal struggle to bring down a harsh and oppressive regime”, says Father Federico Lombardi, director of the Vatican press office, on the death of Muammar Gaddafi in Sirte, killed together with his son Moutassin yesterday by rebel fighters of the National Council Transitional.

For Fr Lombardi the end of the war against Gaddafi “obliges us yet again to reflect on the immense toll of human suffering which accompanies the affirmation and collapse of any system which is not based on the respect and dignity of the human person, but rather on the prevailing affirmation of power.".

The director of the Vatican Press Office s hoped now that the Libyan people might be spared further violence due to a spirit of revenge, and invites the new leaders and the international community to work on rebuilding the country. 

Fr. Lombardi concludes that "the small Catholic community in Libya will continue to offer its testimony and selfless service especially in the charitable sector and healthcare."