AFRICA/LIBYA - "Providing weapons just means extending the war, " says Bishop Martinelli

Tripoli (Agenzia Fides) - "The risk of providing weapons to rebels in Benghazi is a way of not ending the war, or rather a way to lenghthening it, " says Archbishop Giovanni Innocenzo Martinelli, Vicar Apostolic of Tripoli to Fides. Tuesday, April 13, in Doha (Qatar), the "Contact Group on Libya" has decided to introduce "a temporary financial mechanism" to fund the Transitional National Council of Benghazi, while some countries that participated in the Summit have announced the 'intention to provide military equipment to the rebels.
"We prayed for the meeting of Doha, for dialogue to prevail in the truth without getting caught by so many vested interests, " says the Vicar Apostolic of Tripoli. Referring to the document of the Christian churches in Tripoli sent to the UN (see Fides 13/4/2011) Archbishop Martinelli comments: "We hope that in our small way we can grow the seed of reconciliation which only the power of God can give. " The Vicar Apostolic of Tripoli adds that in his view, the crisis could have perhaps been avoided if " more attention had been given to the needs of young people who desire a job and a future. "
"The situation in Tripoli is quite calm - he continues - last night I heard a loud explosion but it was quite far away. I know of areas of conflict such as Iefren, where some nuns work in the hospital. I picked up rumors about a protest that would be scheduled for today in Tripoli, but it is news which is difficult to verify. Tripoli, however, seems under control "says the Vicar Apostolic. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 14/04/2011)