Following the national mourning period after the terrorist attack in Nice on July 14, the attacks that struck Germany and, today, the massacre at the Saint-Étienne-du-Rouvray church, Œuvre d’Orient wishes to express its deepest sympathy and solidarity with the families who have suffered so greatly.
Despite the pain and horror of these crimes, it is important to remember that neutralizing the organization known as ISIS has never been more urgent.
We reiterate our incomprehension that the Turkish-Syrian border has not been effectively closed.
We reiterate our incomprehension that ISIS still has access to means of communication (telephone and internet networks).
We reiterate our confusion that the Nineveh Plains (Iraq)—that is, the left bank of the Tigris—have still not been liberated, driving the displaced populations—Christians and Yazidis—into despair.
We are concerned that some voices are beginning to question the value of France’s actions in Syria and Iraq.
Neutralizing the so-called Islamic State would not solve everything, but it would significantly weaken the terrorist threat in our country.
In light of this situation, we call on all religious leaders, believers, and non-believers alike, to be agents of peace and unity.
Bishop Pascal Gollnisch,
Paris, July 26, 2016
