"Dear John Howard,

Further to the letter written from this office on September 18, 2001 regarding the dreadful events of September 11 in the USA. You will now have received letters from Quaker groups around Australia on the same issue. All of these letters urged restraint and expressed the hope that any action taken would not create more victims.

As we see and read of the on-going military action and the subsequent suffering and dislocation of the Afghani people, we are moved to write again. We are particularly perturbed that Australian troops are being deployed in this military action. On-going military action will add immeasurably to the sufferings of innocent people. More victims are indeed being created with disaster being faced by the people of Afghanistan. We believe this must become Australia's prime concern.

In the face of the coming harsh winter and the possible consequent starvation people are likely to suffer, we urge you to press for a resumption of the UN program of food aid and note that the UN Commissioner for Human Rights, Mary Robinson, has spoken in support of this.

It is our hope and our prayer that Australia's future efforts will be directed towards fostering international co-operation, through the United Nations, so that an internationally acceptable response to terrorism can be developed.

Your Friend,

Colin Wendell-Smith
Presiding Clerk
copy to US Ambassador"

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