wfn.org | Religious leaders express concern on refugee admissions

[NewsDesk <NewsDesk@UMCOM.ORG>]

May 30, 2002        News media contact: Linda Bloom7(212) 870-38037New York
10-21-71B{237}

By United Methodist News Service

U.S. religious leaders have expressed concern to President Bush about the
low number of refugees that have been admitted into the country so far this
year.

The Rev. Paul Dirdak, chief executive of the United Methodist Committee on
Relief, and the Rev. John McCullough, a United Methodist who serves as
executive director for Church World Service, are among those leaders asking
the President to ensure that the maximum allowable number of refugees --
which is 70,000 for 2002 -- is admitted.

In a May 21 letter, the leaders pointed out that Bush had "reaffirmed our
nation's tradition of welcoming refugees" last Nov. 21 by committing to the
70,000 figure for the following year.

So far, however, only about 11,000 refugees have arrived in the United
States. "We are deeply concerned that unless strong measures are immediately
invoked, thousands of desperate refugees will be forced to languish in the
misery that is the plight of most of the world's 15 million refugees," they
wrote.

Responding to the needs of such vulnerable people reflects both the values
of religious communities and the moral leadership of the country, according
to the religious leaders.  "In a world where so much human suffering exists
and where thousands of innocent persons are so violently uprooted, we feel
that our country must be especially generous in assisting victims of terror
whose only hope for rebuilding their lives is resettlement in the United
States," the letter said.

The letter acknowledged the enhanced security measures deemed necessary
after the tragedy of Sept. 11 and the effects of those measures upon the
movement of refugees. "However, we believe that a nation that is strong in
defending its traditions and principles must include in this defense a
zealous adherence to guaranteeing the life-saving opportunities that
admitting refugees to our communities represent," the letter continued. "To
sacrifice this moral high ground is to submit to those forces that do not
honor our spiritual and moral values nor the values of the nation that has
allowed all of our faith communities to live together in harmony and peace."

Bearing witness "to the enriched fabric of our communities made possible by
the gifts of grateful newcomers," the letter concludes by asking Bush to
"assign the highest priority" for the maximum admission of refugees.

Other signers of the letter included representatives of the Christian
Reformed Church, Episcopal Church USA, Christian Church (Disciples of
Christ), Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, United Church of Christ,
Presbyterian Church (USA), American Baptist Churches, USA, Christian
Reformed World Relief Committee, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Hebrew
Immigrant Aid Society and Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism.

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United Methodist News Service
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