The European Union (EU) yesterday strongly condemned Friday’s string of terror attacks across Paris which have left at least 129 people dead and more than 300 injured.
The EU Heads of State or Government and the leaders of the EU institutions have joined the rest of the world in expressing shock over the tragedy and assuring that they will do whatever they can to help in the fight against terrorism.
In a joint statement the two groupings said they were “deeply shocked and in mourning” after the terrorist attacks in Paris. “It is an attack against us all. We will face this threat together with all necessary means and ruthless determination,” the statement said adding that France is a great and strong nation whose values of liberty, equality and fraternity inspire the EU.
“Today we stand united with the French people and the Government of France. This shameful act of terrorism will only achieve the opposite of its purpose, which was to divide, frighten, and sow hatred. Good is stronger than evil. Everything that can be done at European level to make France safe will be done. We will do what is necessary to defeat extremism, terrorism and hatred,” it said.
Meanwhile the Government of Guyana in a release last evening said that the attacks remind “us that there still exists among us evil forces which use the cloak of a peace-loving religion as justification for their murderous agenda.”
In its statement the government said it recognizes Islam as a religion of peace and that the vast majority of Muslims lead peaceful and law-abiding lives in their ummah. “We reject those who use Islam or any other religion as a front to attack the people of any nation,” the statement stressed.
While stressing that the government and people of Guyana join with the rest of the international community in standing in solidarity with the government and people of France, the statement said government condemned, in the strongest possible terms these “coordinated despicable acts of pure evil perpetrated on innocent citizens.”
The PPP/C, also strongly condemned the attacks and used the opportunity to call for the “strengthened and continued collaboration among leaders across the globe to fight terrorism in all its forms so that every man, woman and child can enjoy the fundamental human rights to which the peoples of the world are all entitled, without regard of gender, race or religious or political creed.”
The statement said the act of terrorism went against the “long established and cherished values of freedom and democracy in which we in the PPP believe and strive relentlessly to maintain.
“It is our firm belief that the perpetrators of the inhumane acts of terrorism perpetrated in Paris and elsewhere must be brought to justice and made answerable to the people and the law. There is no place in society for those who do not value democracy,” the statement stressed.
Further it stressed that the attack on the people of France is an attack on all who believe in freedom.
