by Bernardo Cervellera

Yesterday's huge rally did not show a lot of 'liberté', 'égalité' and 'fraternité'. People demonstrated for freedom of expression, but in Russia and Turkey - who were represented at the event - detain journalists and bloggers. Political leaders were afraid of marching with ordinary people. Changing Schengen rules threatens to divide Europe along a north-south axis. Little solidarity was shown to the daily victims of terrorism in Syria, Iraq, and Nigeria. European countries sell weapons to Al Nusra Front and the Islamic State. Living side by side and education are necessary for a true 'fraternité'.

Rome (AsiaNews) - Although very moving, yesterday's show of courage in Paris was somewhat unconvincing. Of course, the killing of Charlie Hebdo journalists, police officers (including one who was Muslim), hostages (four Jews), and terrorists in the heart of Paris needed a strong and decisive show of support as well as solidarity from the whole world.

However, the "secular" rally that paid its respect to Marianne, France's republican symbol, and to the universal values ​​of 'liberté', 'égalité', and 'fraternité' did not go off without a hitch, as some said in a somewhat rhetorical way, covering up the hypocrisy of many.

First of all there was not a lot of 'liberté'. Among the more than 50 political leaders who took part in yesterday's rally, some represented countries that suppress freedom of the press in an almost dictatorial way, like Russia or Turkey, where bloggers and online journalists are accused and arrested in the same way as in many Islamic countries.

Although it might seem out of place - because we are neighbours and pray for the brutally killed journalists and nothing justifies the murderers - it is worth remembering that Charlie Hebdo's freedom and right to satirise have often been exercised offending the feelings of many Christian, Muslim and Jewish believers. France allows Femen to dance naked on the altars of churches, and does not allow rallies in the defence of the family based on a father and a mother.

The Paris rally was not even a manifestation of 'égalité'. On the contrary, one can say that there were two events: one by ordinary people, parents with children, people of all backgrounds and religions, which lasted most of the day; and one by the politicians, who walked for 20 minutes, behind huge security details, that ended quickly.

If the goal was to reassure people that Paris was a city where one can live without the nightmare of terrorism, then it was a lost opportunity. The speed with which leaders ended their rally shows that there is precious little of the much vaunted security.

Even the idea of revising the Schengen Treaty and boost border controls between states risks creating inequalities. Italy, Spain, and Greece will be left with the brunt of the tide of refugees coming from the Middle East and Africa; Northern European countries will control borders. If we take into account that many of the immigrants come from countries crushed by terrorism, we see that even 'fraternité' is full of leaks.

However, the biggest flaw is the fact that if the fight against terrorism and the recognition of the pain of the victims do not elicit an international response, we really risk hypocrisy. One can hardly forget that some of the countries represented in yesterday's rally are the ones that made the unfortunate decision to support and fund Islamist groups in the Middle East to fight the Syria's Assad; that the weapons used by al Nusra Front and the Islamic State were sold to them by democratic European countries, via Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Qatar; that the Islamist terrorism raging now in sub-Saharan Africa was caused by the disaster that the same European countries - France foremost - caused in Libya.

What about the little solidarity, the little 'fraternité', when we it comes to the victims of terror in Syria, Nigeria, Iraq, where there are massacres every day like the one against Charlie Hebdo?

Would not it be more honest for the international community to join forces under the auspices of the United Nations to stop ISIS and help Iraqis and Syrians, instead of a policy of containment that distinguishes the Al Nusra Front (al Qaeda) and the Islamic State, when in France, attackers from the two groups proclaimed their alliance?

Would it also not be good that instead of weapons and oil, we also engage in cultural exchanges with and fund schools in the countries of the Middle East as well as show openness among different ethnic groups and religions?

Living together is a challenge that must be met in the name of such 'fraternité'. It is everyone's task, including the four million people in the defence of our own freedom, whilst immigrants, Muslims and others, are stuck in poor neighbourhoods without hope.

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• hypocrisy