Jews Condemn Attacks on Other Religions in Latin America

The Jewish leadership of Peru and Argentina formally condemned bombings of Catholic and Moslem houses of worship in their countries and have conveyed their sympathy and solidarity with the other religious faiths, the World Jewish Congress reported here.

In Peru, the Association Judia del Peru, the representative body of Peruvian Jewry and the WJC affiliate there, issued a communique over the signature of its President, Jose Behar, expressing “deep indignation” at the violent attacks against two Roman Catholic churches in the country.

“It is painful for us to witness how far intolerance has gone throughout the nation, since not even the respectable and virtuous houses of prayer have been spared. As Jews, having been victims of all sorts of persecutions, outrages and murder throughout our long history, we cannot keep silent in the fact of this barbarous attack, full of fanaticism and violence.” The message was personally conveyed to Bishop Augusta Vargas Alzamora, Secretary General of the Peruvian Bishops Conference.

In Buenos Aires, the DAIA, the representative body of Argentine Jewry, condemned the bombing of a mosque in the city which was about to be inaugurated.

The DAIA’s statement, signed by its president Dr. David Goldberg, expressed “its most energetic condemnation and repudiation in the face of the criminal attempt against the socio-cultural Islamic complex of this city. The Jewish community expresses its solidarity with its fellow citizens of Moslem faith in view of this rash of intolerance, and reaffirms that the traditional coexistence of all religious communities will not be altered by extremists interested in shaking peace, pluralism and the normal democratic procedure which this country elected.”