Quaker
Service Agencies statement on the launching of war on Iraq
20th Day of Third Month of 2003
A good end cannot sanctify evil means; nor
must we ever do evil that good may come of it."
- William Penn, 1693
We are appalled and deeply saddened by the decision of the
United Kingdom, the United States of America and other countries,
such as Australia, to launch a war against Iraq. We pray for
all those affected - combatants and non-combatants alike. We
pray for world leaders that God's grace will lead them to bring
a rapid cessation to the war.
War threatens to terrify, maim, kill, and bereave vast numbers
of innocent people in Iraq who are already suffering the punitive
effects of economic sanctions (half of Iraq's citizens are children).
We fear that violence in the region will intensify, whilst efforts
towards peaceful democratic change will be undermined. Bridge-building
between the West and the Arab and Muslim world will become more
difficult. Support for political extremists across the world
appears likely to increase.
The primary purpose of the United Nations to "save succeeding
generations from the scourge of war" through patient dialogue
and disarmament has been cast aside by governments that claim
to be world leaders in democracy and human rights. We are shamed,
grieved and angered by the fact that a small minority of governments
has chosen the unconscionable act of war, going against the
will of the international community and against the will of
many of their own citizens.
Despite our grief and shame, our spirits are heartened by the
tens of millions of world citizens who are taking up the responsibility
of citizenship - to learn about global issues, to affirm the
role of the United Nations and the Security Council, and to
challenge the actions of government when their actions contravene
what is moral and just.
Quakers recognise that the crisis over Iraq has presented extraordinary
challenges to the international community. The world's goal
for Iraq must be the same as that for any nation - a just and
sustainable peace for its people and neighbours. To this end,
the United Nations weapons inspections and disarmament process
appeared to be making progress. The lifting of indiscriminate
economic sanctions against Iraq might have helped its people
towards determining their own future according to their right.
War is not the answer, not now and not ever. War does not bring
about peace. War does not bring about security. War hurts innocent
people and generates new resentment and new impetus for revenge
in generations to come. Faith in violence as a means of solving
political problems is both dangerous and contrary to our understanding
of God's way. It is irresponsible for any nation to possess
weapons of mass destruction and threaten their use against others.
Peace between nations can only be won if the international community
accepts a common responsibility for achieving disarmament and
answering the vital needs of all. We implore world leaders to
return to the tables of the United Nations with ever more resolve
to solve international crises peacefully and to hold each other
accountable for their actions in the global community.
We pray for the day when "nations will not take up sword against
nation, nor will they train for war anymore" (Isaiah 2:4). Quakers
remain joined to the global effort to bring this day nearer. We
renounce the use of violence, and affirm the power of non-violence
and love, to bring about the cause of peace and justice for
all.
Signatories:
| Mary
Ellen McNish
General Secretary
American Friends Service Committee
Philadelphia, PA, USA
Margaret Clare Ford
Clerk
Canadian Friends Service Committee, Canadian Yearly Meeting
60 Lowther Avenue
Toronto, ON, M5R 1C7
Joe Volk
Executive Secretary
Friends Committee on National Legislation
245 Second Street, NE
Washington, DC, USA
Bruce Birchard
General Secretary
Friends General Conference
(organization listed for purpose of identification only)
1216 Arch Street, Suite 2-B
Philadelphia, PA, 19107
Elizabeth Duke
General Secretary
Friends World Committee for Consultation
(organization listed for purpose of identification only)
4 Byng Place
London, UK, WC1E 7LE
Jo Valentine
Clerk
Northern Friends Peace Board
Victoria Hall, Knowsley Street
Bolton, UK BL1 2AS
Martina Weitsch and Elizabeth Scurfield
Joint Representatives/Heads of Office
Quaker Council for European Affairs
Quaker House, Square Ambiorix 50
B-1000 Brussels, Belgium
Elizabeth Mertic, Clerk
Margaret Fraser, Executive Secretary
Friends World Committee for Consultation Section of the
Americas
Steve Baumgarten
Executive Director
Pendle Hil Quaker Study Center
338 Plush Mill Road
Wallingford, PA, USA
|
Grant
McCullough
Project Leader
Quaker Cottage Family Centre
Northern Ireland
Jeremy Routledge
Director
The Quaker Peace Centre
Cape Town, South Africa
Beryl
Milner
Clerk
Quaker Peace & Social Witness Central Committee,
Britain Yearly Meeting
Friends House
London, UK NW1 2BJ
Derry Gordon
Convenor
Quaker Service Aotearoa/New Zealand
22 Mount Pleasant Rd
Christchurch
Heather Saville
Convenor
Quaker Service Australia Management Committee
Australia
Bernt-Erik Heid
Chairman
Quaker Service Norway
Skovvn 20
0257 OSLO, Norway
Tofte Frykman
Convener
Quaker Service Sweden
Frihamra 5704 B
S-762 94 RIMBO, Sweden
Rachel Brett
Representative (Human Rights and Refugees)
Quaker United Nations Office - Geneva
13 Avenue du Mervelet
1209 Geneva, Switzerland
Jack Patterson
Representative
Quaker United Nations Office - New York
777 UN Plaza
New York, NY, USA, 10017
|
OTHER
QUAKER STATEMENTS & LETTERS
Reviewed:
09/06/2005
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