Chinyere Amalu
7 January 2009
The Federal Government has called for peaceful resolutions of crisis in the Middle East, even as it said that it is not taking sides as Nigeria has excellent relationship with Israel and Palestine.
Also following the call for the withdrawal of the on-going Christian pilgrimage exercise, in Israel by some individuals, the Federal Government, said there is no wisdom in asking Nigerians who are on holy exercise to stop, just as the Chairman Nigeria Christian Pilgrims Commission, Bishop Nicolas Okoh said, there are enough holy site to explore in Israel other than mountain Sinai and Bethlehem.
Speaking on the crisis in the Middle East in an interview with some journalists yesterday in Abuja before his departure to Ghana, Foreign Affairs Minister, Chief Ojo Maduekwe, said Nigeria would continue to call for peace in the Middle East urging the leaders from both sides to eschew violence and go back to conference table.
His words, "We will repeat our traditional call for peace in the Middle East. We urge that all sides to the conflicts in the Middle East to eschew violence. Violence begets violence, the people of the Middle East, just like other parts of the world are all children of God and the escalation of violence is always bound on both sides to bear about the deaths of innocent people, particularly women and children.
"No cause can justify violence; all acts of injustice can always be addressed by peaceful negotiation and every right, which has suffered either in the past or in the present can be reduced to sustain dialogue and through creating a global concern on the side of those who have suffered.
"So we are urging for end of conflicts and a peaceful resolutions. We are not taking side rather we are asking for justice, peace and amicable resolutions of the conflicts".
He however, pointed out that the "Middle East tragedy is indeed giving more heart lending when you look at it from the perspective that all the sides that are involved in that conflicts have suffered greatly through out human history".
Chief Maduekwe, therefore, called on the leaders of both sides to quickly bring the matters on the conference table for negotiation, adding that at the end of the day both sides will go back to dialogue.
On the fears that Nigerians on holy land to Israel for their pilgrimage exercise, are not safe and should be recalled or stop the exercise for the main time, the minister said, "Israel holds strong memories for many Nigerians as a holy land and many Christians would naturally want to go on pilgrimage there, and I don't see any wisdom in asking them not to go, provided adequate measures are taken for their safety".
Also responding on the call to stop the exercise, the Chairman of Nigeria Christian Commission, Bishop Nicolas Okoh who just returned form Israel, said, though the journey, which suppose to take five hours, took about nine hours because it was looking for friendly countries is safe.
"We believe that there is enough space for the pilgrims to carry out their pilgrimage. They will be truly fulfilled if they follow up the guidance and instructions strictly. There is enough holy sites in Israel for them to visit, so I think the exercise should not be suspended".
He pointed out that only two areas are limited for he exercises, Mountain Sinai and Bethlehem, explaining that Mountain Sinai initially had problem because of additional 20 dollars charges for each pilgrims, which according to him was resolved but late.
"In addition to that, there is suspension that the tension is high and there might be people who will use the opportunity to kidnap the pilgrims. So it is safer to say stay away. Otherwise, neither the Egyptian authorities or Israelis is against us", he stated.
On age limit, he said age is not the issue, but responsibility, adding either a pilgrim is 30 or under, 60 or 70, once he is responsible and strong, he/she will go for the exercise.
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