Rockville Centre Bishop William Murphy joined Nobel Peace laureate Elie Wiesel and other leaders Wednesday in calling for a clear U.N. mandate for the African Union to protect innocent civilians, and for other financial and logistical support from the international community.
Bishop Murphy is a member of the U.S. bishops’ International Policy Committee. He was delegated by Bishop John Ricard, committee chairman, to represent the episcopal conference at the meeting.
Bishop Murphy later released a statement by Bishop Ricard, who was unable to attend the meeting.
The statement said in part: “We call upon the international community to increase its pressure on the government in Khartoum to insure the following: saving innocent lives; allowing people to return home eventually in peace and security; protecting those languishing in camps for the internally displaced and those involved in the delivery of humanitarian relief; respecting ceasefire agreements and seeking a negotiated settlement between the government and the rebel groups; and holding responsible those who perpetrated atrocities and crimes against humanity.”
