wfn.org | NCCCUSA Church World Service Responds in Zaire, Rwanda

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National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A.
Contact: Carol J. Fouke, NCC, 212-870-2252
Internet: carol_fouke.parti@ecunet.org

NCC11/20/96                  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NCC'S CHURCH WORLD SERVICE RESPONDS TO CRISIS IN
CENTRAL AFRICA

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NOTE TO REPORTERS AND EDITORS: When listing
organizations receiving contributions toward
humanitarian aid for persons caught in the crisis in
Rwanda and Eastern Zaire, please include:

Church World Service, P.O. Box 968, Elkhart, IN
46515.  Credit card gifts: 1-800-762-0968.

Church World Service is the relief, development and
refugee assistance ministry of the National Council
of Churches, whose 33 Protestant and Orthodox member
communions have a combined total of 52 million
members.
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 NEW YORK, Nov. 20 ---- Church World Service,
the relief, development and refugee assistance
ministry of the National Council of Churches, is
appealing to its 33 member communions and their
congregations to make financial contributions toward
humanitarian response work in Rwanda and eastern
Zaire.

 CWS is helping provide for affected persons'
basic needs, such as food, medicine and shelter.
Inside Rwanda, CWS has been nurturing recovery
efforts through income generating projects for
families, particularly those headed by women who
also are caring for Rwandan orphans, so they can
provide for themselves, their own children and the
orphans.

 The NCC's General Assembly, meeting Nov. 13-15,
called on "all nations of goodwill, especially the
United States, to act quickly to support an
appropriate and adequate relief operation" among the
Rwandan refugees and displaced Zairians caught in
the crisis in Africa's Great Lakes Region.

"Involuntary refugee repatriation should not be
a component of such an operation," delegates agreed,
and long-term international response should include
support for efforts to: 1)mediate the conflict, 2)
stop the flow of arms into the Great Lakes Region,
3) reduce poverty and foster sustainable
development, and 4) support the civil society
sectors involved in the promotion of human rights
and democratization.  "History suggests that unless
the underlying issues are addressed, the region will
continue to experience violence," the resolution said.

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