He Asks Them to Work With Christians to End Conflict : Help Save Lebanon, Pope Appeals to World’s Muslims

In a historic personal appeal to the world’s Muslims, Pope John Paul II on Tuesday begged them to join in helping to save Lebanon, that “ravaged land where human life no longer seems to count.”

The Pope asked the Muslims to work with Christians on behalf of a country racked by 14 years of civil war, “so that the way of conflict be replaced by a process of dialogue and negotiation, so that all the Lebanese be enabled, free of every occupying force,” to rebuild their country in peace.

He reiterated his determination to visit Lebanon, but his spokesman said no such visit is imminent.

“I wish, in effect, to go and venerate that land made fertile by the blood of so many innocent victims,” the Pope said, “and repeat to all the Lebanese that I have confidence in them.”

2 Simultaneous Messages

The unprecedented “Appeal to All Followers of Islam” was issued by the Vatican simultaneously with an apostolic letter from the Pope to all Catholic bishops, calling for “a day of universal prayer for peace in Lebanon.” The Pope said in the letter that he looks forward to “the pastoral visit I firmly intend to make to Lebanon.”

The two documents bore little resemblance to the Vatican’s normally careful, tepid communiques, but there was no doubt about the identity of their author. Papal spokesman Joaquin Navarro termed them personalissimi --extremely personal.

“The disappearance of Lebanon would undoubtedly be one of the world’s greatest tragedies,” the Pope said in the apostolic letter. “Its preservation is one of the most urgent and noble tasks which the world is called to take up in our day.”

The situation in Lebanon has gnawed at the Pope throughout his reign. In the past six months, in fighting between Christian- and Syrian-led forces, artillery fire has left the capital, Beirut, in ruins. A tenuous cease-fire went into effect last week, and Navarro said the Pope found it encouraging.

Navarro noted that John Paul has called publicly for peace in Lebanon 127 times since 1978. The first appeal came from the Sistine Chapel on the day after his election to the papacy, Navarro said.

Vatican sources said the Pope cherishes Lebanon as the only country in the Middle East where the world’s two largest religions, for a time, have lived side by side in peace. They said he believes that if Lebanon is torn asunder, it will be a failure of both Catholicism and Islam.

“Lebanon is more than a country; it is a message of freedom and an example of pluralism for East and West,” John Paul said in his letter to the bishops.

Damage Control Attempt

While acknowledging the depth of papal concern, some Vatican observers portrayed Tuesday’s documents as a damage control attempt by the Vatican. In August, the Pope accused Syria of “genocide” in Lebanon, infuriating the Arab world. John Paul and the Vatican, publicly and privately, have been backing away from that incautious remark ever since.

Tuesday’s appeal to the Muslims was written in Polish, translated into Arabic at the Vatican and sent to the secretary general of the Organization of the Islamic Conference in Jidda, Saudi Arabia, which maintains links with Muslim groups in 53 countries.

“The eyes of the whole world,” said the appeal, “behold a ravaged land, where human life no longer seems to count. The victims are the Lebanese themselves--Muslims and Christians--and day after day the ruins on Lebanese soil become ever more numerous. As children of the God of mercy . . . how can we believers allow ourselves to remain indifferent to a whole people which is dying before our very eyes?”

Affirming the moral obligation of the strong to aid the weak, John Paul addressed the Muslims as “members of a religion in which justice and peace are eloquently taught.”

“Let your voices be heard,” he said, “and even more, unite your efforts with those who demand for Lebanon the right to live, to live in freedom, peace and dignity. This involves a duty of human solidarity which your individual conscience and your membership in the great family of believers imposes on each one of you.”

He promised, “You can always count on the cooperation of Christians.”

Speaking as bluntly to his bishops, he said, “Lebanon cannot be abandoned to isolation.”

Although the Pope appealed for an end to arms shipments to Lebanon, he acknowledged that “it is not for the Pope to put forward technical solutions.” But he said that in the cause of peace, “I feel that it is my grave duty to insist on certain obligations which are incumbent upon the leaders of nations.”

He told the bishops that “we seek no privilege” for Lebanon’s Catholics, that “we ask not only the right to believe in accordance with their conscience, but also the right to practice their religion and to be faithful to their cultural traditions on an equal basis with their Muslim brethren without fear of exclusion or discrimination within the same country.”

The purpose of the day of prayer, John Paul said, will be to demonstrate that “the church will not have been silent.” In Italy, the day of prayer will be Oct. 4. Churches around the world may set their own date.