WCC letter to UN Secretary-General on the bombing of UN headquarters in Baghdad

Geneva, 20 August 2003

Dear Mr Secretary General,

The World Council of Churches is deeply shocked by the horrific terrorist attack on the United Nations headquarters in Baghdad. The United Nations and its related agencies, since the Gulf War in 1991, have served the common people of Iraq with dedication, selfless devotion and commitment. This unprecedented and wanton act of destruction of UN personnel and property is an indication of the extent terrorists are prepared to go to in their malevolent designs to destroy civilised norms and behaviour of society. It shows how urgent and important it is to resolve differences and disputes through dialogue and peaceful means and address the root causes of discontent, hatred and violence .

The World Council of Churches strongly condemns such unwarranted and unlawful acts that serve no acceptable purpose.

We mourn the loss of lives of the UN personnel who were in Baghdad to serve the humanitarian needs of the people and work for restoration of the sovereignty of the people of Iraq. We particularly grieve the untimely death of Mr Sergio Vieira de Mello, an international civil servant of repute, who throughout his career remained committed to resolving conflicts through peaceful means in order to end the sufferings of the people in different regions of the world. He will be remembered for his legacy as a nation builder and a great advocate of humanitarian values. His words of 22nd July that the security of the United Nations' presence “continues to rely significantly on the reputation of the United Nations, our ability to demonstrate, meaningfully, that we are in Iraq to assist its people” need to continue to guide the international community in its efforts to rebuild Iraq.

Mr Vieira de Mello was an old friend of the World Council of Churches. As an intern, when he started his career in Geneva, he was a frequent visitor to the Council. A few days before the 59th session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights he promised to renew his relations with the Council and visit its headquarters in Geneva to address the staff.

We pray for the souls of those who have departed and for the quick recovery of the injured. Please convey our condolences to the bereaved families and the staff of the United Nations. We are also conscious of the fact that Mr Viera de Mello was a very close and trusted colleague for you and therefore offer our sincere sympathy to you at this loss.

Assuring you of our prayers and support, the ecumenical family remains committed to the objectives and work of the United Nations in these difficult times.

“Therefore my beloved brothers and sisters be steadfast, immovable always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labour is not in vain.”
(I Cor. 15:58)

Rev. Dr Konrad Raiser
General Secretary

cc. Bertrand Ramcharan, Acting High Commissioner for Human Rights