AMERICA/ECUADOR - Catholics Bishops call for participation and transparency in electoral process, they also denounce new Health Code for attacking life and the family

Wednesday, 27 September 2006

Quito (Agenzia Fides) - In view of general elections on 15 October the Bishops of Ecuador have issued a message in which they call the Electoral Commission to ensure “transparency in the process, indispensable to guarantee moral prestige of those elected and national tranquillity”. Despite difficulties the Bishops say there are reasons for hope and they urge citizens “to exercise the right to vote with freedom and responsibility”. To do this, the bishops recall, citizens must be well informed of the candidates position with regard to fundamental aspects for the good functioning of society .
Among these the Bishops include public morals, mainly with regard to the eradication of corruption at all levels, pornography, drug trafficking and abuse; defence of the family and life "to protect families and defend life from conception to natural death"; education "respect for parents’ right to choose the education for their children, as proclaimed in the Constitution and the Declaration on Human Rights"; social policies to "improve working conditions, assist the poor, guarantee social stability and contribute in this way to the economic growth and development of Ecuador".
Another statement issued by the Standing Council of the Bishops’ Conference expresses disappointment for the approval by Congress of a new Health Code, which among various polemical changes, introduces contraceptives for minors without parental consent and obliges doctors to perform abortions, denying their right to objection of conscience. The Bishops say the measures "to give contraceptives to minors without parental consent is an attack on the family. There is also discussion about a vaguely termed a decision to ‘have or not have children’, which opens the door to legalising abortion”. They lament "violence on consciences of doctors, forcing them to perform an abortion in certain circumstances". The Bishops say they intend to issue a more inclusive statement "after more in-depth consideration of the law". (RG) (Agenzia Fides 27/9/2006; righe 29, parole 390)


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