The Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Community (COMECE) has welcomed the European Parliament resolution describing Islamic State violence against Christians and other religious minorities as ‘genocide’.
In a statement on behalf of the group, COMECE’s general secretary Fr Patrick Daly said the move was “as remarkable as it was welcome”.
“We warmly welcome this resolution of the European Parliament as a significant step forward in facilitating measures to prevent the on-going incipient genocide against Christians, Yazidis and other ethnic and religious minorities and communities across the Middle East,” Fr Daly said, adding: “It represents a growing appreciation among MEP’s of the gravity of what persecuted minorities, including Christians, are enduring in the Middle East and a greater sense of urgency about addressing their fate.”
The Bishops’ statement went on to quote Pope Francis, who was among the first to point to the actions of Islamic State as genocide, offering his remarks of July 9, 2015, when he stated: ““Today we are dismayed to see how in the Middle East and elsewhere in the world many of our brothers and sisters are persecuted, tortured and killed for their faith in Jesus. This too needs to be denounced: in this third world war, waged piecemeal, which we are now experiencing, as form of genocide – I insist on the word – is taking place, and it must end.”
In categorising Islamic State actions as genocide, the European Parliament resolution paves the way for its actions to be dealt with by the International Criminal Court. The resolution urged “the members of the UN Security Council to support a referral by the Security Council to the International Criminal Court in order to investigate violations committed in Iraq and Syria by the so-called ‘ISIS/Daesh’ against Christians, Yazidis and religious and ethnic minorities”.
The COMECE statement can be read here.
