Rome, Italy, Oct 31, 2008 / 12:36 pm
The Italian Senate has unanimously approved a motion condemning the persecution of Christians throughout the world, especially in the East. The motion unifies four measures that were all similar.
According to the L’Osservatore Romano, the motion encourages the government of Italy “to work at all community and international offices, as well as in the ambit of bilateral international relations, to ensure that the fundamental rights of persons and religious freedom are guaranteed, and that there be an end to violence and persecution fed by ethnic and religious fundamentalism in the countries or areas that are part of the world crisis.”
The motion exhorts the government to “take up an initiative that highlights the persecution suffered by Christian communities in India, Iraq and other countries from extremist and fundamentalist groups” and to bolster the international role the European Union has to play in protecting and promoting human rights and peace.
Italy’s President, Giogio Napolitano, told L’Osservatore Romano he hoped the West would raise its voice to put an end to the persecutions.