This
issue of Behind the News focuses on the voices
of Christians around the world who are saying "no"
to the possibility of a pre-emptive war, led by the US and
supported by the UK, against Iraq. Committed to the teachings
of Jesus Christ and the message of the Gospel, churches
globally are condemning military action against Iraq as
illegal, immoral and unwise. Given the news of the day and
the reality of a world filled with fear and talk of war,
there is a renewed sense of urgency for a clear message
of peace and reconciliation to counter the language of war.
In September this year, the World Council
of Churches' (WCC) governing body urged the international
community to uphold the international rule of law, to
resist pressures to join in pre-emptive military strikes
against a sovereign state under the pretext of the "war
on terrorism", and to strengthen their commitment
to obtain respect for United Nations Security Council
resolutions on Iraq by non-military means.
In a letter to the members of the UN Security
Council, Rev. Dr Konrad Raiser writes, "we are deeply
concerned by the potential human costs of a new war and
the prospects of large-scale deplacement of people. The
people of Iraq have suffered enough under a sanctions
regime since 1991. Inflicting further punishment on innocent
civilians is not morally acceptable."
He concludes by saying that the WCC joins
its voices with church leaders and Christian communities
around the world, especially from the USA and UK, in prayers
that the Security Council will focus its attentions on
addressing the root causes of conflict and putting an
end to the dire humanitarian crisis in Iraq and the Middle
East region as a whole.
This
issue of Behind the News offers key sources of
information, analysis and resources for action and advocacy
relating to visions of peace and calls for reconciliation
by the ecumenical family worldwide.
2.
Statements and actions of the global church and ecumenical
family
Statements
of International Ecumenical Organizations
a) In
its Central Committee meeting of early September 2002, the
World Council of Churches expressed “concern and alarm”
about the US aim to overthrow Iraq’s government. The
statement called on the United States “to desist from
military threats against Iraq;” urged US allies “to
resist pressures to join in pre-emptive military strikes
against a sovereign state under the pretext of the ‘war
on terrorism;’" and called on Iraq to comply
with United Nations' demands to destroy its weapons of mass
destruction and guarantee full rights for all its citizens.
http://www2.wcc-coe.org/ccdocuments.nsf/index/pub-5-en.html#iraq
b) In
mid-October, the WCC general secretary wrote to the 15 members
of the UN Security Council, the UN secretary-general and
under-secretary-general noting that many Christians around
the world “strongly believe that pre-emptive war against
Iraq is illegal, immoral and unwise.” The letter,
written in reaction to approval by the US Congress of a
resolution authorizing the use of force against Iraq, asked
members of the Security Council to take decisions based
on moral principles and legal standards. http://www2.wcc-coe.org/pressreleasesen.nsf/4d4fc8b8c54ae848c1256b94005f5b5c/f97dd48f2c17717bc1256c5400337a12?OpenDocument
c.
The Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance has issued a statement
"'Do not be afraid' – Act for peace", stating
that it is compelled to call upon all churches, related
organizations and people of faith to fulfill their role
as peacemakers. “The news of the day and escalating
tension between the United States and Iraq provide a new
sense of urgency. The powers of the world seem to have begun
an unstoppable march to war – but we must resist,
say ‘no’ and act now.” http://www.e-alliance.ch/iraqstatement.htm
d.
The Middle East Council of Churches issued a statement
on 5 August saying that as “talk focuses upon escalating
this low-intensity war into a full-scale military offensive,
the churches in the Middle East are truly alarmed…
All that military offensive will leave behind is ruin
and a shattered country. Chaos will ensue.” http://www.churchworldservice.org/news/MiddleEast/mecc-iraq-statement.html
e. The Christian Conference of Asia addressed an open
letter to US president George Bush and UK prime minister
Tony Blair, opposing the war against Iraq and asking “what
would be the difference between this military action against
Iraq and the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001?”
http://www.cca.org.hk/ccanews/press/cca20910.htm
f.
Pax Christi International’s Executive Committee
drafted a statement regarding pre-emptive war with Iraq
at their meeting 21 October in Antwerp, Belgium. It is
an open letter to governments and international institutions
based on Pax Christi’s experience in the fields
of peacemaking, reconciliation and human rights and expresses
Pax Christi’s solidarity with those who believe
that war with Iraq would be both illegal and immoral.
http://www.paxchristi.net/
On the Pax Christi site are links to a number of national
Pax Christi statements against the war in Iraq.
US Church
Statements
g.
In a September 13 letter to president Bush, Bishop Wilton
D. Gregory, president of the United States Conference of
Catholic Bishops, expressed serious questions about the
moral legitimacy of any preemptive, unilateral use of military
force to overthrow the government of Iraq as he welcomed
the president's efforts to focus the world's attention on
the need to address Iraq's repression and pursuit of weapons
of mass destruction in defiance of the United Nations. http://www.usccb.org/sdwp/international/bush902.htm
Also available in Spanish from: http://www.alainet.org/active/show_news.phtml?news_id=2641
h. The National Board of the Leadership Conference of
Women Religious sent a letter in mid-August to president
Bush and his cabinet members opposing military intervention
in Iraq. The letter was based on a Resolution for Peace
endorsed by the almost 1,000 congregational leaders representing
76,000 US Catholic sisters. “It is imperative that
we seek a new paradigm for judging questions of war and
peace today,” states the Resolution. “ We
must take seriously the Gospel challenge to seek, practise
and pursue peace through just and nonviolent means. We
realize we have a corporate voice and responsibility to
educate, reflect and act on the principles of nonviolence
and encourage the same in school, colleges and universities
[operated by women’s religious congregations]….
Through interfaith dialogue, education and prayer, we
have the opportunity to promote and support efforts towards
peace.”
http://www.lcwr.org/lcwr2/pressreleases/priraq082402.htm
i. Most US churches also have web sites providing background
material on Iraq, resources for study and action and information
about action plans. Statements from many US churches,
dating back to August 2002, can be found on http://www.ncccusa.org/iraq/iraqlinks.html
OCTOBER 2002
Church
of the Brethren General Board "Statement on the
threat of war between the United States and Iraq"
(October 14)
War
is Not the Answer -- an ecumenical statement from
hundreds of church leaders declaring that pre-emptive
war with Iraq would be “illegal, unwise and immoral”.
(October 11)
NCC
Board Asks Bush to "Move, Even Now, Away from
War" (October 7)
In Pastoral
Letter, President of United Methodist Bishops Counsels
Bush to Avoid ‘Preemptive Strike’ (October
5)
SEPTEMBER 2002
Presbyterian
Church (USA) General Assembly Council (GAC) Call for
U.S. Restraint on Iraq (September 28)
NCC
Justice for Women Working Group: "Potential War
on Iraq: A Threat to Women and Children" (September
24)
Heads
of Five Quaker Organizations' "Joint Statement
in Response to Threat of War with Iraq" (September
24)
American
Friends Service Committee Letter to President Bush
(September 20)
Declaration of the Florida
Council of Churches Regarding Iraq (September 18)
Religious
Leaders Meet with U.S. National Security Advisor Condoleezza
Rice (September 16)
Statement of United
Church of Christ Leaders Opposing U.S. War Against
Iraq (September 13)
Letter to Congress from Friends
Committee
on National Legislation (September 12)
Letter from 51
U.S. Religious Leaders to President Bush (September
12)
Episcopal
Presiding Bishop Frank T. Griswold's Statement on
Military Action Against Iraq (September 6)
United
Methodist Women's Division Statement on Iraq (September
4)
AUGUST 2002
United
Methodist General Board of Church and Society: Bush
Urged to Turn Back from War (August 30)
ELCA
Bishop Mark Hanson issues statement against U.S. attack
on Iraq (August 30)
Leaders
from American, Canadian, British Churches to U.S.
Government: 'Stop the Rush to War' (August 29)
Letter from Mennonite
Church U.S.A. to President Bush (August 27)
Pax
Christi - UK's "Christian Declaration on the
Morality and Legality of War with Iraq" (August 6)
j.
For additional information on the response of US churches
and related organizations to the threat of war against
Iraq, see also
FaithandValues.com's Compilation of Faith Groups' Responses
to Iraq
FaithandValues.com's Archives of News Reports on Iraq
Developments is updated daily at http://www.faithandvalues.com/channels/iraq.asp
American Friends Service Committee: http://www.afsc.org
Churches for Middle East Peace: http://www.cmep.org
Education for Peace in Iraq Center: http://epic-usa.org
Friends Committee on National Legislation: http://fcnl.org
The Interfaith Committee for Nuclear Disarmament: http://www.zero-nukes.org
Lutheran Office on Governmental Affairs: http://www.loga.org
Sojourners: http://www.sojo.net
Fellowship of Reconciliation: www.forusa.org
See
also report
of US religious delegation trip to Iraq (December 27,
2002 to January 3, 2003)
Statements
by national councils and churches in other parts of the
world:
k.
The
National Christian Council in Japan wrote to president
Bush opposing a US attack on Iraq regardless of whether
“it would be a US unilateral attack or on the basis
of UN resolutions".
l. Churches Together in Britain and Ireland has developed
a web site of UK church statements regarding the war in
Iraq. See: http://www.ctbi.org.uk/intaff/iraq/index.htm
m. The National
Council of Churches of Australia wrote to the prime
minister of Australia calling on the Australian government
to use its influence to dissuade the US government from
the threat of precipitate military action in Iraq and to
work through the United Nations, as the duly constituted
international body, for building a secure basis for world
peace. http://www.ncca.org.au/mediarelease/2002/Iraq&war_29-8-02.html
n. On September 25, Bishop André
Vallée, president of the Canadian
Council of Churches wrote to president Bush on behalf
of the CCC's Executive Committee, saying "For the
sake of the people of Iraq who have already suffered so
much, for the sake of your own people who would be targeted
even more ruthlessly by extremists if your government
were violently to invade Iraq, for the sake of the stability
of the Middle East region and of the whole world, we beg
you, Mr President, to seek peace by means of peace."
o. On the same day, 16 Canadian religious leaders, together
with representatives of the ecumenical coalition, Kairos
and Project Ploughshares, sent a letter to Canada's prime
minister, Jean Chretien to urge the Canadian government
"not to lose confidence that a peace-building approach
to the problem of Iraq, consistent with international
law and taking the common good of Iraq’s people
as its starting point, can be developed, can be fruitful,
and can prevail over war-fatalism in international negotiations."
See: http://www.ccc-cce.ca/english/jp/index.html?Iraq02.htm~main
p. At the Australia
Yearly Meeting the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)
in Australia on August 5 wrote to the Australian prime
minister about Australia's possible action in relation
to Iraq, stating their opposition to war against Iraq,
noting that the total number of Iraqis, both civilian
and military who died as a result of the 1991 war was
estimated at 205,500, 70% of whom were civilians.
q. La Fédération
protestante de France has issued a statement opposing
not only US unilateral military intervention against Iraq,
but all preventive war against Iraq. The results of a
“new war would only amplify the humanitarian catastrophe
and add to the risk of de-stabilizing the whole Middle
East, making Saddam Hussein a rallying symbol for the
Arab world. (In French)
r. The Union of Welsh Independents states that “Saddam
Hussein is a tyrant. We condemn him for developing weapons
of mass destruction and by the same token, Britain and
the United States of America for stockpiling arms.”
http://www.ctbi.org.uk/intaff/iraq/uwi01.htm
s. The moderator of the Church of Scotland wrote to the
British prime minister over possible military action in
Iraq and has urged church members to write similar letters
to the prime minister or to their member of Parliament
“How can we contemplate inflicting yet more misery
upon [the Iraqi people] without the clearest evidence
that the Iraqi regime is the threat that it is claimed
to be and that there is no other way of dealing with the
situation?” http://www.churchofscotland.org.uk/news/iraq06.htm
t. The Anglican, Methodist, Presbyterian Churches and
the Salvation Army of New Zealand have issued a joint
statement calling on the “New Zealand government
to continue to oppose and denounce any unilateral military
action against Iraq… We also call on the New Zealand
Government to stand by its commitment that no New Zealand
Defense Force personnel are involved in any phase of military
action against Iraq. http://www.cws.org.nz/newsflash.htm
u. Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, prefect of the Vatican Congregation
for the Doctrine of the Faith, says that he does not believe
that a unilateral military attack by the United States
against Iraq would be morally justifiable, under the current
circumstances. "It is necessary that the community
of nations makes the decision, not a particular power,"
the cardinal said, after receiving the 2002 Trieste Liberal
Award. He noted that the "concept of a 'preventive
war' does not appear in the Catechism of the Catholic
Church". His statements were published in the Italian
newspaper, Avvenire, on September 21. http://www.coc.org/resources/articles/display.html?ID=278
v. The European delegates of Justice,
Peace and Integrity of Creation of the Order of Friars
Minor meeting in Assisi on October 6-12, 2002 were "disturbed
by the profound conflict between our committed values
and the movement towards a war against Iraq". In
a press release issued on 9 October, they firmly rejected
war as a solution for conflicts. "We do not believe
in the concept of a preventive war. War kills, it creates
poverty, generates hate and destroys creation…We
make a call to the leaders of the nations to give priority:
to people over the economy; to universal interests over
national ones; to a just distribution of richness over
the profit for a few; and to the sustainable use of resources
over exploitation." http://www.ofm.org/pax/00just.html
3.
Inter-religious
actions and statements and responses from other faith communities
a.
The branch of the International
Fellowship of Reconciliation in France (Mouvement international
de la Réconciliation/M.I.R.) issued a communiqué
refuting the legitimacy of a unilateral decision and action
by the government of the United States to proceed with its
plans of "pre-emptive" war against Iraq. The communiqué
calls attention to the incalculable consequences on the
geopolitical, economic, and human levels, and urges not
only M.I.R members and participants but also the churches
in France to speak clearly about the dangers of such a war
and to vigorously oppose the participation of France in
such an effort.
b. The Shalom
Center offers a selection of resource materials in
a special section of their web site called “War
against Iraq — Rushing or Reflecting?” at
http://www.shalomctr.org/html/peace.html#wariniraq Among
the items is a report from an October 14 meeting on "Jews,
Weapons, & War", in which 30 Jews with a considerable
range of political and religious/secular involvement met
at the invitation of Break the Silence in Philadelphia
for a discussion of possible Jewish responses to the War
Against Iraq. http://www.shalomctr.org/html/peace119.html
c. A high-level Christian-Muslim consultation hosted on
16-18 October by the World Council of Churches noted in
its concluding report that it was "very conscious
of recent and current events which have impacted on relations
between the two faith communities around the world, above
all the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center in
New York just over a year ago, the threats of war against
Iraq, and the relentless pain and suffering in Palestine,
especially in our shared city of Jerusalem. Because of
the globalization of information, such events where Muslims
and Christians are perceived to be in conflict are translated
to other parts of the world, where they often contribute
to the worsening of unrelated situations. Misunderstandings,
mutual misconceptions and lack of trust are then exploited
by self-serving politicians and extremists to set the
communities against each other.
http://www.wcc-coe.org/wcc/what/interreligious/octconsul-rep.html
d. The US-based Muslim
Public Affairs Council issued a statement to the US
government on September 13 noting their concern that an
invasion of Iraq may rally the people around Saddam Hussein
and cause more suffering. They called on the US leadership
to "find a less harmful way to support democracy
in Iraq:" "We call on our government to offer
humanitarian aid that will empower the Iraqi people rather
than subject them to military strikes that may lead to
the entrenchment of the dictator, or the replacement of
one dictator with another." http://www.mpac.org/NEWS/newsitemdisplay.asp?ID=228&ITEMTYPE=NEWS
e. The Interfaith Alliance - a non-partisan,
clergy-led grassroots organization dedicated to promoting
the positive,
healing role of faith in civic life and challenging
intolerance and extremism - has posted several statements
by religious communities in the US on the threat of war
with Iraq: http://www.interfaithalliance.org/rresource/iraq/statemen.htm
f. Presidents of the nine member schools
of the Graduate Theological Union - a consortium of nine
schools of theology in the USA representing Roman Catholic
and Protestant traditions, centers of Jewish, Buddhist,
and Orthodox studies, and research centres - and the President
of that Union have issued an open
letter to the leaders of their religious communities.
"In the aftermath of September 11, we welcomed the
fresh stirrings of concern for the common good. Yet now
we fear that the broad support for our national leadership
in that earlier crisis has preempted religious communities
from asking the hard questions that people of faith who
love their country must always be free to ask… We
urge you to use your voice and your influence to make
our local religious communities places of prayer for peace
and of lively discussion about the right course for our
country to take." http://www.gtu.edu/news_announcements.php?annid=11
4.
Summaries of inter-governmental response
At
the time of this writing, reports are that US president
Bush plans to force a vote in the UN Security Council on
Iraq unless it is satisfied with progress toward a stringent
weapons inspection plan. After six weeks of negotiations,
the US-proposed resolution continues to face serious opposition
within the 15-member Security Council. The main elements
of the resolution are that:
- Iraq must accept the resolution within 7 days of its
adoption and must declare within 30 days all weapons of
mass destruction program and related materials
- Inspectors should resume their work no later than 45
days after the adoption of the resolution and are to report
to the Security Council 60 days after that
- Inspectors must get immediate, unimpeded, unconditional
and unrestricted access to any place they wish to inspect.
- Inspectors may ask Iraqi scientists and their families
to leave the country for interviews.
- Inspectors can “freeze” a site to be scrutinized
by declaring exclusion zones and UN security guards can
guard offices for the inspectors.
- Inspectors are to report immediately to the Security
Council any “interference by Iraq with inspection
activities as well as any failure by Iraq to comply with
its disarmament obligations.” The Security Council
would then meet immediately to consider the situation
and the need for “full compliance” with all
relevant resolutions.
- Iraq cannot take or threaten “hostile acts”
against any UN staff or a UN member nation “taking
action to uphold any Security Council resolution.”
5.
Humanitarian relief and related issues
a.
Several NGOs, churches and related agencies have produced
a report titled: Iraq Sanctions: Humanitarian Implications
and Options for the Future. For the full report and the
list of agencies, organizations and churches involved, click
on:
http://www.globalpolicy.org/security/sanction/iraq1/2002/paper.htm
b. The Mennonite Central Committee (MCC)
is preparing aid packages for people of Iraq. MCC states
that twelve years of economic sanctions have exhausted
many Iraqi families' resources. Another war could displace
thousands of vulnerable families. Some of MCC's supplies
would then be used to help families affected by the war.
The million-dollar humanitarian aid package includes tents,
blankets, relief kits, school kits and medicines. http://www.mcc.org/respond/rapid_respond/iraq/index.html
Based on its years of working in Iraq and the Middle East,
Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) fears that a military
invasion of Iraq will further harm Iraqi civilians and
increase the divide between the Arab and Western world.
http://www.mcc.org/areaserv/middleeast/iraq/sanctions.html
c. In their current response, Presbyterian
Disaster Assistance is sending 33,250 "Gift of the
Heart" school kits to Iraq as part of a contingency
effort on the part of several faith-based non-governmental
organizations, including Church World Service, to assist
vulnerable civilians in case of US military intervention
into Iraq. This is part of the continuing emergency and
humanitarian relief assistance that Presbyterian Disaster
Assistance, through their partnership with Church World
Service, has been providing in Iraq since the end of the
Gulf War. Last year, $160,000 worth of sewing and health
kits were sent as well as $10,000 to help purchase bed
sheets for needy hospitals. http://www.pcusa.org/pda/response/middleeast/iraq.htm
To visit Church World Service's web site on its Emergency
Response Program, click on http://www.cwserp.org/
d. Rhetoric and reality: A copy of a joint
letter from ActionAid, Cafod, Christian Aid, Oxfam GB
and Save the Children appeared in The Guardian newspaper
on Thursday 26 September 2002. The letter states that
"As British aid agencies working either in Iraq or
in the wider region, we believe military action could
cause a humanitarian catastrophe. Across the country hundreds
of thousands of people, especially children are already
in a weakened and highly vulnerable state. War is highly
likely to further destroy the water, power, health and
sanitation infrastructure and interrupt vital supplies
of food, fuel and medicines. It could well lead to the
cutting of food supplies to northern Iraq, which is not
government-controlled, as well as to areas that are controlled
by Baghdad. For more, go to: http://www.christian-aid.org.uk/news/stories/020930s.htm
e. Kenneth Roth, executive director of
Human Rights Watch, writes in a commentary for The Wall
Street Journal that one alternative has yet to be seriously
tried -- indicting Saddam Hussein for his many atrocities,
particularly the 1988 genocide against Iraqi Kurds. For
the full commentary, click on: http://www.hrw.org/editorials/2002/iraq_032202.htm#author
http://hrw.org/mideast/iraq.php
will take you to a detailed section on Iraq posted by
Human Right Watch. This section includes reports letters
and commentaries.
f. Amnesty International urges the US
to exhaust all efforts toward a peaceful solution, as
war will increase human rights violations in Iraq. AI
states that "in light of the risk that military action
may result in large-scale human rights violations, Amnesty
International USA reiterates its call to the US government
that use of force must be preceded by exhaustive pursuit
of a solution through peaceful means." http://www.amnestyusa.org/countries/iraq/
http://web.amnesty.org/ai.nsf/countries%2Firaq!OpenView&Start=1&Count=30&Expand=2#2will
takes you to an index of Amnesty International documents
and reports on Iraq.
g. The Boston Globe recently
featured and op-ed by Refugees International (http://www.refugeesinternational.org/cgi-bin/ri/index)
titled: "Plan Now to Meet Iraq’s Urgent Humanitarian
Needs", in which Ken Bacon writes: US planning for
a possible attack against Iraq continues to make front
page news, but preparations for post-attack programs are
getting much less attention. This is a mistake; war in
Iraq would create a humanitarian disaster, including huge
flows of refugees and a serious nutritional and public
health crisis in Iraq. Surrounding countries estimate
that as many as 1.5 million people will flee Iraq, and
hundreds of thousands could be displaced within the country.
The United Nations might need to feed seven to eight million
people, about one-third of the country’s population,
according to some estimates. Unlike Afghanistan, where
relief agencies have been working for years, there is
little infrastructure to deal with a humanitarian disaster
in Iraq. Stockpiling food, assembling supplies and medicine
and building relief teams will take time and money, mainly
from the US For the full article click on http://www.refugeesinternational.org/cgi-bin/ri/oped.html?oc=00071
h. The Christian Science Monitor reports
on western aid agencies' preparations to provide food
and medical help to Iraqis. In an article, "Iraqis
bracing for war's aftermath, Western aid agencies are
preparing to provide food and medical help to Iraqis in
case of a US strike", Scott Peterson, staff writer
of The Christian Science Monitor, reports from Baghdad:
"The son of Samir Jawad picked at a pomegranate,
as the Iraqi mother of nine spoke of living hand-to-mouth
- and the results for her family if an American war in
Iraq shuts down food handouts here. "We depend 100
percent on this food ration," says Mrs Jawad, pulling
her black draping head shawl tight around her chin. "We
have only five to six days of food in reserve. God will
provide - but without this food, we would die." http://www.csmonitor.com/2002/1018/p06s01-wogi.html
i. Barry Parker of Agence France-Presse
(AFP) reports from Baghdad that Iraqis cry out for lost
children as new generation faces war. BAGHDAD, Oct 14
(AFP) - A young boy's voice shatters the silence in memory
of Iraq's thousands of child "martyrs" of war.
A powerful sound system carries his strident lament of
a Muslim prayer through the gathering. The poignancy of
such tragic loss has been sharpened for Iraqi Children's
Day this year by president George W. Bush's repeated warning
that Baghdad will be attacked and even invaded unless
the regime stands down and disarms. Iraq began to mark
the day after an Iranian missile crashed into a primary
school killing 34 children on October 13, 1987, minutes
after the morning school bell sounded. The prospects of
it happening again are almost too much to bear today at
the monument to the little children who lost their lives
in this dusty suburb on the southwestern edge of Baghdad.
"We are the children of Iraq and we dream like other
children of the world," pleaded Ziyad Tareq. http://www.reliefweb.int/w/rwb.nsf/480fa8736b88bbc3c12564f6004c8ad5/ed39fcc817ba25ddc1256c520057272e?OpenDocument
will take you to the full report.
j. Christian Aid's position on the current
crisis in Iraq (October 3, 2002): Since 1995 Christian
Aid has supported local NGOs in Northern Iraq working
with local communities to meet basic needs, defend human
rights, and promote good governance and accountability.
The Iraqi government has not permitted Christian Aid to
work in this way in the government-controlled areas of
central and southern Iraq. Christian Aid's views are informed
by the principle that the Iraqi people must be allowed
to determine their own future. For the UK-based agency's
full statement, click on the following URL: http://www.christian-aid.org.uk/indepth/0210iraq/index.htm
k. The United Nation's News Service reports
on September 25, 2002, that the UN's humanitarian effort
in Iraq suffers a severe budget gap. The budget gap is
hampering the United Nations' "oil-for-food"
program, which allows Baghdad to use a portion of its
crude revenues to purchase humanitarian relief, the UN
official in charge of the operation, told the Security
Council. "The effective implementation of the program
during the past year has continued to face a number of
difficulties, foremost, a growing revenue shortfall as
a result of substantial reduction in Iraqi oil exports,"
said Benon Sevan, executive director of the Office of
the Iraq Program. Iraqi oil exports have dropped from
an average of over 2 million barrels per day in 2000 to
under 1 million barrels per day in recent months. The
UN calculates that the reduced exports have caused a $3.2
billion loss of revenue. The situation is further exacerbated
by the cumulative revenue shortfall from earlier phases
of the program, which has left over $2.3 billion worth
of UN-approved humanitarian contracts without funding.
http://www.reliefweb.int/w/rwb.nsf/480fa8736b88bbc3c12564f6004c8ad5/b7bcf42dbc65a7ae85256c3f00770720?OpenDocument
l. Save the Children Fund (SCF) states
that war will exacerbate the humanitarian crisis in Iraq,
pushing a population already suffering from poverty and
sanctions over the edge. Save the Children UK - the longest-standing
non-governmental organization operating in Northern Iraq
- has urged the British government to find a diplomatic
solution to the current impasse and focus on improving
the humanitarian situation for Iraqi citizens, almost
half of whom are under the age of 14. After 12 years of
sanctions, infant mortality in Iraq has doubled and the
civilian population is highly vulnerable to external shocks
that impact on food supplies and basic service provision.
Military conflict will interrupt the supply of food under
the UN Oil for Food Program if neighbouring states close
borders, central administration and distribution systems
break down, transport routes are obstructed and humanitarian
agencies cease operations. http://www.savethechildren.org.uk/whatnew/index.html
m. ReliefWeb, a project of the United
Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
(OCHA) offers analyses and reports detailing the work
of the humanitarian relief community. http://www.reliefweb.int/w/rwb.nsf/vLCE/Iraq?OpenDocument&StartKey=Iraq&Expandview
will take you to an index of stories and reports relating
to Iraq.
n.
AlertNet (http://www.alertnet.org/)
provides global news, communications and logistics services
to the international disaster relief community and the
public.
o. Action by Churches Together (ACT) International - a
global alliance of churches and related agencies working
in the field of humanitarian relief - is preparing for
a potential crisis in Iraq in co-operation with its member,
The Middle East Council of Churches. For more on ACT International,
click on www.act-intl.org
p. The Women’s Commission for Refugee Women and
Children has written to president Bush noting that “the
pending war is likely to unleash retribution and massive
bloodshed among local factions, which will result in further
abuse of civilians, including women and children.”
The letter also urges the government to work closely with
the UN, the ICRC and relief agencies to systematically
put in place structures to address a humanitarian emergency.
http://www.womenscommission.org/media/wc_stmtiraq1002.htm
6.
Articles, analysis and resources for information action
and advocacy
Articles
and analysis
a.
The Presbyterian Peacemaking Program has developed a web
site to help Presbyterians consider the issue of Iraq
including a summary of the General Assembly Policy on
Iraq taken at the 214th General Assembly (2002). The site
can be accessed at: http://www.pcusa.org/peacemaking/iraq/
b.
A Viewpoint/Peacewatch article on mideastweb,
by Dr Mohamed Mosaad - an Egyptian psychiatrist, sociologist,
educator and peace activist - makes the point that "Almost
everyone in the Arab world, including myself fears the
proposed US invasion of Iraq, and many ask why the Americans
are going to do it." http://www.mideastweb.org/lessonofiraq.htm
c.
Canadian church leaders have written to their prime minister
urging him to resist the pressures to endorse war and
to pursue the path negotiations and multilateralism. “We
write to cry NO to war…We in the West will be judged,
by future generations and by the creator of all, for the
damage we have been willing to inflict in the name of
security.”
www.kairoscanada.org
d.
Deenabandhu Manchala, an Indian theologian, by analyzing
the intentions and approaches of those favouring war against
Iraq, calls on churches and Christians to actively resist
the visions and plans of the wealthy and the powerful
and to uphold the values of justice, truth and the sanctity
of life in this hour of moral crisis.
http://www.elca.org/jle/articles/contemporary_issues/september_11th/article.manchala_deenabandhu.html
e.
A War Too Far: Not Again: Arundhati Roy, a distinguished
Indian writer known for her incisive analysis of political
dynamics and passion for justice, holds that the war plans
of the super powers are in fact to meet the demands of
global capitalism. http://WWW.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,801968,00.html
f.
A Roadmap to War: A Flawed Debate: Richard Falk, an American
thinker and writer, highlights the unethical, unconstitutional,
unwise and catastrophic bases of the pre-emptive war against
Iraq. http://www.transnational.org/forum/meet/2002/Falk_WarFlawedDebate.html
g. Several weeks before receiving the Nobel Peace Prize,
Former US president Jimmy Carter wrote a critical editorial
on the possibility of US military action in Iraq. Available
from: http://www.forusa.org/ArticlesandResources/JCarter.html
h. A recent article in The Observer points to
the role of oil as a key factor in US attempts to secure
the support of Russia and France for military action against
Iraq. While the US is interested in obtaining access to
Iraq’s massive untapped reserves of oil, France
and Russia, who hold veto power on the UN Security Council,
have billion-dollar contracts with Baghdad which they
fear will disappear in an "oil grab by Washington",
if the US installs a successor to Saddam Hussein. http://search.guardian.co.uk/search97cgi/s97observerr_cgi?ResultTemplate=Observer.hts&Collection=Observer&Action=Search&QueryText=Iraqi+oil+reserves&SearchPage=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.observer.co.uk%2F&SortSpec=VdkPublicationDate+DeSC
i. For a large number of articles discussing the possibilities
and consequences of a US-led war in Iraq, see the Washington
Post’s special web site “the debate about
Iraq.” http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/world/mideast/gulf/iraq/commentary/
j.
"Rumors of War: The Need for a Lutheran Voice"
was the title of a recent lecture by Dr Martha Ellen Stortz,
professor of Historical Theology and Ethics at Pacific
Lutheran Theological Seminary, Washington, USA. She writes,
“Lutherans will be of various minds regarding an
impending war with Iraq. If you are like I am, you are
still trying to sort out the "issues." At this
point, I do not know what we should say, but I am convinced
that we should be involved in the debate. Specifically,
I am convinced that Christians, particularly those of
a Lutheran persuasion, have an important role to play,
but it will take three things: public listening, public
speaking, and public deliberation…." http://www.elca.org/jle/articles/contemporary_issues/article.stortz_martha_ellen.html
Resources
for Advocacy and Action
Resources for reflection, prayer, worship, and bible
study:
a.
National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA
– “What
Makes America Strong: A Litany for Peace”
b.
Inviting widespread participation in a "season of
peacemaking" that includes prayer, faxing, phoning
and visits to Capitol Hill and local Congressional offices,
the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the
USA (NCC) has brought together information from the churches
for opposing preemptive military action against Iraq.
Tools and resources include a schedule of events http://www.ncccusa.org/iraq/iraqschedule.html,
advocacy links http://www.ncccusa.org/iraq/iraqlinks.html,
a "Litany for Peace" http://www.ncccusa.org/iraq/peacelitany.html
and an online form you can use to fax letters of protest
to President Bush and to your congressional representative
and senators (http://www.truemajority.com/action/index.asp?item=2182&ms=Lirqncc).
c.
The Presbyterian Church (USA) – a resource kit titled
“Iraq: a Resource for Presbyterians” includes
a call to worship, a litany, and prayers; also available
are confessions, Bible studies, and materials for working
with children
d.
Peace and Justice Support Network of Mennonite Church
USA – resources to prepare for a public
service of prayer, a litany
of dedication for oil lamps lit in remembrance of
Christian churches in Iraq, and other prayers and litanies
at http://peace.mennolink.org/resources/iraqaugust/prayers.html,
http://peace.mennolink.org/resources/listenpleairaq.html,
and http://peace.mennolink.org/resources/iraq5000/litprayersign.pdf
e.
Pax Christi (USA) - an examination
of conscience and consciousness based on the Beatitudes,
a
prayer to end the war against Iraq, and other
resources for reflection
Pax Christi (UK) – prayers and litanies, including
prayer resources for a Friday fast for peace, at http://www.paxchristi.org.uk/Iraq.HTML,
http://www.paxchristi.org.uk/TimeWar_files/Prayer%20Fasting%20War%20Rumours%20of%20War.pdf,
and http://www.paxchristi.org.uk/TimeWar.htm
f.
A variety of resources are available from the Washington
based Center of Concern
http://www.coc.org/topics/topics.html?ID=9069
g.
The editors of Sojourners magazine have created
a new study guide focused on five themes: the U.S. conflict
with Iraq; the global economy; fundamentalism and religious
diversity; the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and remembering
Sept. 11. The study guide - "A World at Odds: Conscience
in a Time of Terror" - is available online at http://www.sojo.net/terror/index.cfm/action/home.html
Other
Advocacy Talking Points
a. From the Institute for Policy Studies' Foreign Policy
in Focus:
Economic Costs: http://www.fpif.org/commentary/2002/0209warimpact.html
Iraq Talking Points (Long Version): http://www.fpif.org/papers/iraq2.html
and
Iraq Talking Points http://www.presentdanger.org/cgaa/talkingpoints/0208iraq.html
b. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Lutheran
Office on Governmental Affairs
c.
The Baptist
Peace Fellowship of North America
d.
The Fellowship
of Reconciliation (USA)
e.
The Lutheran
Peace Fellowship (USA)
f.
Peace
and Justice Support Network of Mennonite Church USA
g.
And the Church of the Brethren Washington Office which
has posted advocacy related documents to their site at
http://www.brethren.org/genbd/washofc/alert/IraqWarResolution.htm
and http://www.brethren.org/genbd/washofc/alert/AvertWarIraq.htm
Actions
a. American Friends Service Committee activities and ideas
for peace and reconciliation : http://www.afsc.org/iraq/activism.shtm
b.
b. For other creative ideas on taking action, see "20
ways to stop the war in Iraq" by United Church of
Christ (USA)
c. Pax Christi USA is urging its members and friends to
prayerfully consider participation in the Iraq Peace Pledge/Pledge
of Resistance that is endorsed, and currently being circulated,
by a number of peace communities.
Support Pax Christi UK's statement
- The Morality and Legality of A War Against Iraq: A Christian
Declaration. This statement was issued on August 6 and
delivered to prime minister Tony Blair. It was signed
by members of a variety of religious groups and several
Anglican and Roman Catholic bishops in the United Kingdom
and declares any attack on Iraq immoral and illegal. This
statement has generated a great deal of publicity and
controversy, as one of the signatories is Dr. Rowan Williams,
the next Archbishop of Canterbury, who assumes this position
in October. To add your signature to this statement, send
an email to declaration@uk2.net
or send a postcard to Pat Gaffney, Pax Christi UK, St.
Joseph's, Watford Way, Hendon, London NW4 4TY. Include
your name, title, and institutional affiliation plus your
address.
Pax Christi UK is also organizing a day of nonviolent
protest on 2 December at Whitehall, London. A day-long
seminar (Can there be a just war?) will be held on 9 November
in Leicester, and another is planned on The war on terrorism
– Iraq and beyond for 30 November in London.(http://www.paxchristi.org.uk/events.HTML)
d.
In the U.S., the National
Network to End the War Against Iraq brings together
the efforts and actions of hundreds of faith-based, justice
and peace organizations in opposition to the war with
a rich variety of resources and announcements of major
demonstrations all across the U.S.
e.
The US Catholic Conference of Bishops issued an “Action
Alert” on the Use of Force Against Iraq, urging
"the president and your members of congress to step
back from the brink of war and to work with other nations
and the UN to pursue actively effective alternatives to
war to address Iraq's threats.”
f. The National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA
has planned Religious Leaders’ Action Days in Washington
DC to advocate with US Congressional leaders concerning
the war in Iraq. For more information or to view a calendar
of forthcoming events, see http://www.ncccusa.org
g. Christian
Peacemaker Teams presently has a delegation in Iraq
(23 October - 5 November) accompanying, protecting and
serving as an alternative voice for media. Christian Peacemaker
Teams is an initiative among Mennonite and Church of the
Brethren congregations and Friends meetings, which supports
violence reduction efforts around the world.
h. The German Fellowship of Reconciliation (FOR) is sending
a mission of 12-15 people to Iraq from 28 November to
3 December with support from the Women’s
International League for Peace and Freedom, Swedish
Church and Swedish FOR, Austrian FOR, German FOR, and
French VB. The international office of IFOR
is supporting the mission and providing supportive actions
during the trip. E-mail addresses of the organizers: vgrotefeld@gmx.net
or mwEngelke@t-online.de
i.
Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) offers suggestions
for protesting the political use of hate language.
" There has recently been an escalation of religious
hate speech that is likely to be reflected in political
campaigns leading up to the November 5th elections…
Urge politicians in their campaigning to refrain from
language that promotes hatred, specifically the labeling
of people or nations as "evil", and to oppose
the ethnic and religious stereotyping of Arab and Muslim
people and nations. When you hear or see the language
of hate in candidate forums or campaign literature/ ads,
register a complaint by calling or writing or emailing
to the campaign headquarters…Ask that politicians
speak in ways that encourage peace between nations and
goodwill between peoples as well as a rational consideration
of the issues."
j. The Lutheran
Peace Fellowship has developed an appeal and call
to action opposing war in Iraq, a peace pledge, and a
brief guide, “sources of information on the impending
war on Iraq and key underlying issues”.
Advocacy letters
a.
To US president and/or members of Congress:
Church
of the Brethren Washington Office
Fellowship of Reconciliation (USA) - from a toolkit of
materials titled "No
Preemptive Invasion of Iraq" and http://www.forusa.org/Programs/Iraq/Letter-Bush-902.html
United
Church of Christ (USA)
Friends
Committee on National Legislation (USA)
Presbyterian
Church (USA)
Sojourners
b.
To UN secretary general Kofi Annan:
Fellowship
of Reconciliation (USA)
Sojourners
c.
To newspapers or other media:
Fellowship of Reconciliation (USA) - from a toolkit of
materials titled "No
Preemptive Invasion of Iraq"
Friends Committee on National Legislation (USA) –
from action alerts on 11
October and 17
October
Presbyterian
Church (USA)
d. War is not the answer: Following Congressional votes
authorizing the unilateral use of force against Iraq,
church leaders from the United States and Great Britain
met this morning to make a fresh plea today to President
Bush and Prime Minister Blair to pull back from their
nations' spiral toward war. More than 60 church leaders
signed a statement initiated by Jim Wallis, executive
director of Sojourners, and Church of England
Bishop Peter Price declaring that pre-emptive war with
Iraq would be "illegal, unwise, and immoral."
"We
want to send President Bush a strong message that if he
starts a pre-emptive war against Iraq, it will not be
with the support of the churches," said Wallis. "Despite
the claims of the White House, many church leaders are
now making it publicly clear that America does not speak
with one voice on going to war." Read the full statement
and send a copy to Bush, Blair, and UN Secretary General
Kofi Annan at: http://www.sojo.net/action
Behind the news: Visions
for Peace – Voices of Faith
is a joint initiative of:
World Council of Churches
(WCC) - a fellowship
of 342 churches, in more than 100 countries in all continents
from virtually all Christian traditions. The Roman Catholic
Church is not a member church but works cooperatively
with the WCC. The highest governing body is the Assembly,
which meets approximately every seven years. The WCC was
formally inaugurated in 1948 in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance
- a global action network of 62 churches and church-related
organizations who have pledged themselves to change unjust
policies and practices related to global trade and HIV/AIDS,
and to take up as a special concern work on peace and
conflict resolution by forging strategic partnership.
Alliance participants come from every corner of the globe
and varied traditions within the ecumenical family –
Roman Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox, and Anglican, as
well as church-related organizations who themselves represent
and serve many Christian faith traditions. Alliance participants
are committed to speak out with one voice against injustice
and structures which deprive human beings of dignity,
and for alternative visions based on the Gospel.
Action by Churches Together
(ACT) - an international
alliance of churches and relief agencies assisting thousands
of people recovering from emergencies in more than 50
countries worldwide.
Behind the News
focuses on alternative voices and perspectives behind
stories in (or conspicuously absent from) the international
news.
Visions for Peace highlights
statements, ideas and actions that aim to build peace
and reconciliation in situations of conflict and violence.
Voices of Faith
shares information particularly from churches, ecumenical
organizations, and other faiths, emphasizing different
regional perspectives.
This bulletin/website is intended
to provide an ecumenical space for visions for peace and
voices of faith; these materials do not necessarily reflect
official policy of WCC, ACT, or EAA.
Please circulate the Bulletin
to friends, colleagues and people who are looking for
alternative perspectives on the current situation.
Behind the news: Visions
for peace – Voices of faith
Web: http://www.wcc-coe.org/wcc/behindthenews
