AFRICA / LIBYA - "The bombs go ahead: a defeat for humanity" says Bishop Martinelli from Tripoli

Tripoli (Agenzia Fides) - "On Easter Monday, we witnessed a terrible bombing on Tripoli, but this did not stop the faithful to be present in the church. I was particularly impressed by the number of Filipinos who came, not only to pray but also to meet and be together. These people are truly dedicated to serving the sick”, says Archbishop Giovanni Innocenzo Martinelli, Apostolic Vicar of Tripoli to Fides. "In these days we also visited some centers near Tripoli to meet with Catholics at Easter – adds Archbishop Martinelli -. Unfortunately we could not reach other centers”.
The Apostolic Vicar of Tripoli told Fides about his bitter disappointment about the lack of will to find a peaceful resolution to the crisis: "The United Nations has decided to make war and do not allow any form of dialogue as a means of resolving disputes. Everyone wants to continue to pursue the solution of the bombs. It is sad, terrible, because nothing will change. It is a defeat for humanity”.
As to the decision of the authorities in Tripoli to involve the local tribes in order to mediate a way out of the crisis in the city of Misurata, which has been for weeks at the center of a dramatic confrontation between the rebels and the regular forces, and where the situation of civilians is dramatic, Bishop Martinelli comments:
"I think it is the most reasonable thing, also because the Libyan crisis is not limited to only Gheddafi, but involves a whole system of relations. It should not be limited to Misurata, but a way to involve the tribes in the dialogue should be found in the rest of Libya” concludes the Apostolic Vicar. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 27/04/2011)