wfn.org | Asian Churches Urge UN Peace Effort in Holy Land

[JerusalemRelOrgs@aol.com]

JERUSALEM, April 11, 2002--The Christian Conference of Asia has addressed an 
urgent letter to Israeli and Palestinian authorities calling for an end to 
Israel's military actions in the Palestinian territories.

The Christian Conference of Asia has called on the United Nations to take 
immediate actions to implement its resolutions.

The full text of the message, also addressed to the UN secretary general, is 
as follows:
  
Christian Conference of Asia 
AN OPEN LETTER

Mr. Kofi Annan, United Nations Secretary General

Mr. Ariel Sharon, Prime Minister of Israel

Mr. Yasser Arafat, President of the Palestinian People's Liberation 
Organization

Your Excellencies:

The Christian Conference of Asia, a fellowship of 121 member councils and 
churches in Asia, with a membership of more than 55 million individuals, 
writes to express its grave distress at the horrifying escalation of violence 
in the Occupied Territories.

As Christians who revere Bethlehem as the birthplace of Jesus the Christ, 
hence, the city that symbolizes the advent of "peace on earth and good will 
to all," we express our disgust and horror because of what is going on there 
that contradicts peace and good will among the races and peoples of the 
Middle East. 

We join with our member councils and churches, the Middle East Council of 
Churches, and the World Council of Churches in decrying the most expansive 
military operation in the Occupied Territories since 1982.  The level of 
destruction of human life has been termed by the General Secretary of the 
Middle East Council of Churches as "genocidal." 

The invasion of refugee camps, killing of innocent people, reoccupation of 
West Bank towns and cities, withholding of access to basic facilities such as 
food, ambulances, access to hospitals and safe passage to bury the dead are 
deeply shocking.

Closure of areas such as Ramallah to press scrutiny and refusal to 
facilitate the presence of international peace monitors ignites fears that 
dastardly deeds may be being done with impunity.  Surely all this is a 
violation of the will of God, the Creator and Lord of the universe! 

We urge that the United Nations immediately implement the UN Security Council 
Resolutions 1397(2002) and 1402(2002), in order to effect immediate 
ceasefire, withdrawal of occupation troops from Palestinian cities and 
resumption of the peace process. 

We express our solidarity with all peace-loving people of the region, both 
Israeli and Palestinian.  It is our prayer and hope that "justice will roll 
down like a river and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream" (Amos 5:24). 
This means recognising the rights of the Palestinian as well as the Israeli 
people.

Withdrawal to the pre-1967 borders and recognition of a Palestinian state, 
dismantling of settlements on Palestinian land, together with acceptance of 
the status of the recognised leader of the Palestinian people, Yasser Arafat, 
will form a sound basis for peace not only in Israel and Palestine, but will 
benefit the whole region and the world.  Achieving this will require 
international monitoring and supervision by the international community as a 
whole.

Terror begets terror; murder is a spiral which destroys democracy and all 
decent human values. A political solution needs to be urgently found.  Every 
burst of gunfire, every aerial bombardment, every death of an innocent child 
will make the inevitable political compromises more difficult to achieve.

We hope and pray that a just peace will be found. We pray with the psalmist: 

Let me hear what God the Lord will speak,
for God will speak peace to God's people, to God's saints,
to those who turn to God in their hearts.
Surely God's salvation is at hand for those who fear God,
that glory may dwell in our land. (Psalm 85:8-9)

May we all pray and work and live for God's own glory!

Very sincerely,

Ahn Jae Woong

General Secretary

10 April 2002