Monday, August 22, 2011

Archbishop Capucci’s inflammatory statement: “There’s a conspiracy going on in Syria”

“Syria is the victim of a conspiracy,” the Catholic archbishop Hilarion Capucci said.

In an announcement made in Arabic, the prelate stated that there is a conspiracy taking place in Syria to weaken the country’s position in the region and on the international front. 

The conspirators, according to Archbishop Capucci, wish to alter Syria’s status quo to implement their subversive plan and create what they call a “New Middle East”, based on the creation of small nations characterized by strong tensions and divisions, in order to make it easier for the United States and Israel to acquire their national resources, particularly oil. 

Monsignor Capucci, a Middle-Eastern Catholic bishop, not of Latin rite but of Greek-Melkite rite, lives in exile in Syria following strong disagreements with the Israeli authorities.

On April 7, 2002 he caused a tremendous outcry with his defense of suicide bombers in a speech he gave in Rome from the stage of a pro-Palestinian protest parade organized by the extreme left. 

“Greetings to the sons of the intifada and to the martyrs who go and fight as if they were going to a party. We want our land, or we will die with dignity. Intifada till victory,” said the archbishop. 

“L’Osservatore Romano” did not report the words of Monsignor Capucci, who was sentenced to twelve years in prison in 1974 by an Israeli Court, for having smuggled weapons to Palestinians. 

Three years later he was freed thanks to the pressure of the Vatican and pardoned by intercession of Pope Paul VI. 

On February 2009, 87 years old, the “keafiah-wearing bishop” was stopped by Israeli authorities, just off the coast of Gaza, on board a ship carrying humanitarian aid.
 
Monsignor Capucci’s statement to the media was divulged at the climax of the clashes triggered in Syria by those who, according to official sources, describe as armed terrorist groups, accused of attacking civilians in various cities, government buildings, police stations, and laying waste to private properties. 

On “AsiaNews” Gregorio III Laham, Melkite patriarch of Damascus had already rang the alarm bell: the riots and violence in Syria are a source of great concern for the Christian Churches of the Country.

“There’s a great danger that in the future all this will only produce mayhem, or Islamic fundamentalist governments that will leave to Christians the only choice of emigrating abroad,” says Gregorio III Laham, Melkite Patriarch of Antioch and the Orient. 

“All the movements and rebellions that are shaking Syria are unnerving to the Church and Christians," he added.

Not so much in terms of the present, but in terms of the future and what is to come. In the past, after every rebellion, in the Middle East there’s always been a great emigration of Christians to Europe, America or Australia.” 

His Beatitude is also afraid that, “the same thing will happen now, leaving an even greater void within the Christian communities. Even some Islamic figures are worried about a possible emigration of Christians from Syria and they ask that their presence is protected.”

In addition, “The future is very uncertain and nobody knows where it’s headed and who these rebels are. A lot of them, of course, are frustrated youths, but many say that among them there are also criminals and Islamic extremists calling for jihad. For this reason, we are afraid that this will only leave room for violence and chaos will ensue. I believe that the war tactic of obsolescence is being used against Syria.” 

Thus, “there are political problems and pressure to shake the balance of the Middle East: Syria’s alliance with Iran, the uneasiness of Israel... In everything that is happening in the Middle East there’s always a link with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict: crises, wars, emigration."
 
For 62 years now, Gregorio III Laham pointed out, “We have been in this situation: this is why I sent the letter to the European and American governments inviting them to pressure their governments to treat the Israeli-Palestinian issue as a priority: this is the only way to reduce emigration,  terrorism, fundamentalism and violence.” Peace is “important also for the future of the Islamic-Christian dialogue in Syria and in the world. If the crisis continues to force Christians to emigrate, the Arab world becomes only Islamism and a potential cultural clash between the Arab-Islamic world and Western-Christian world.”

The presence of Christians in the Middle-East “saves the Arabian nature of the Middle East by preventing it from becoming solely Islamic: if Syria is helped to overcome this chaotic situation, moving towards a guaranteed dialogue with the population, the future will be better for everyone.” 

The critical issue is whether Assad’s family is something positive for Syria or not. 

“In these past 40 years, Syria made giant steps in agriculture, economy, education, including higher education at the University level, producing many jobs. There’s been less development on the socio-political aspects, but people’s everyday life improved significantly,” the Melkite Patriarch of Antioch and the Orient states, “ There has even been a great deal of progress with regards to the freedom of religion issue. I was able to organize – with the sponsorship of the Government – an international meeting on the fruits of the Middle Eastern Synod attended by at least 3500 important figures, four patriarchs and 13 Churches.” 

In as far as political reforms are concerned, it must be kept in mind that “except for Lebanon there are no democratic states in the Arab Middle East. There are parties and elections, but the governments try to exercise full control over society. In many cases, this is in fact necessary.”