Citation
VATICAN CITY, April 27 (Reuter) - Pope John Paul appealed for an end to what he called genocide in Rwanda on Wednesday and the Vatican urged the international community to arrange a peace conference between the warring parties.
The tragedy of those people seems to be endless... barbarism, vendetta, killings, innocent blood spilled, everywhere horror and death,
the Pope said at his weekly general audience.
I invite all leaders...to stop this genocide. Now is the time for brotherhood, now is the time for reconciliation.
An orgy of violence has killed about 100,000 people in clashes between the Hutu and Tutsi tribes in Rwanda.
Cor Unum, the Vatican department which coordinates Catholic charity aid around the world, called for a peace conference.
A statement appealed to the international community to call together the warring parties, with the collaboration of heads of state of neighbouring countries, to find a lasting and peaceful solution to the contrasts.
It called on the international community to step up diplomatic mediation because one cannot remain indifferent to this genocide
.
The statement said the Pope had made a donation from his private funds to help the victims of the civil war in Rwanda but did not disclose the amount.
(c) Reuters Limited 1994
