Imam Shirazi World Foundation Requests End to Deadly Conflicts
Imam Shirazi World Foundation published a statement, in which it underscored the responsibility of every human being to join the collective efforts to put an end to the ongoing conflicts and the destruction of our environment around the world. Parts of this statement reads as follows:
The international community and the United Nations have designated November 6 as the International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict, in a bid to prepare the necessary grounds for saving the environment from the destructive ravages of war. Wars are measured by the loss of life and destruction they impose on societies; however, it should not be overlooked that so much damage is also done to the environment and infrastructure of many nations in wartime. In many cases, gaining military advantage has justified so much damage to the environment as many water wells have been polluted, jungles were razed, and lands were poisoned with dangerous toxics in a war. To be more precise, the environment has suffered from the ravages of war in countries like Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria resulting in the mass immigration of people due to these environmental issues. Undoubtedly, such an important issue requires international commitment to remedy the damages imposed on the environment in warzones and countries where such conflicts are prevalent. Imam Shirazi World Foundation insists that mediations and negotiations must be focused on restoring peace in all these countries, in which the environment alongside people has suffered a lot. Any effort on the international scale needs to address issues like the mass immigration of people by the implementation of peace treaties in conflict zones. At the end, this foundation suggests reading the book “Environment and Islam” written by the late Grand Ayatollah Sayed Mohammad Shirazi to all civil and environmental activists so as to learn more about the real position of environment in the sight of Islam.