wfn.org | LWF General Secretary Noko Reiterates Opposition to War in Iraq

["Frank Imhoff" <FRANKI@elca.org>]

US-Led Coalition May Win in the Conflict, But Peace Will Have Been
Lost

SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador/GENEVA, 9 April 2003 (LWI) - The
Lutheran World Federation (LWF) General Secretary, Rev. Dr Ishmael
Noko, reiterated his criticism of the war in Iraq during a press
conference in the Salvadoran capital, San Salvador.

The United States-led war against Iraq cannot be justified, as the
United Nations inspectors were carrying out their work, and the
United States and Great Britain did not allow them to continue to
disarm Iraq in the framework of UN agreements, Noko said.

The general secretary is participating in the April 6-9 Latin
America and Caribbean Pre-Assembly Consultation (PAC) to prepare
church representatives from the region for the July 2003 LWF Tenth
Assembly in Winnipeg, Canada.

The attack against Iraq, Noko said, has flouted international laws
and sparked division in the world community. The war has also lead
to tension between governments and their citizens, as demonstrated
in the massive anti-war protest marches in many cities worldwide.

Noko cautioned that even though the United States and Great
Britain may win the war, peace will have been lost. The price to
pay will be very high, both in human lives and financial
resources. In addition, the conflict will only deepen
anti-American sentiment around the world and lead to increased
tension between Christians and Muslim communities.

Meanwhile, San Salvador's mayor-elect Carlos Rivas Zamora,
recognized Noko as a "distinguished guest." On April 7, the LWF
general secretary was given the keys to Quezaltepeque city in the
department of La Libertad.

(The LWF is a global communion of Christian churches in the
Lutheran tradition. Founded in 1947 in Lund (Sweden), the LWF now
has 136 member churches in 76 countries representing over 61.7
million of the 65.4 million Lutherans worldwide. The LWF acts on
behalf of its member churches in areas of common interest such as
ecumenical relations, theology, humanitarian assistance, human
rights, communication, and the various aspects of mission and
development work. Its secretariat is located in Geneva,
Switzerland.)

[Lutheran World Information (LWI) is LWF's information service.
Unless specifically noted, material presented does not represent
positions or opinions of the LWF or of its various units. Where
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material may be freely reproduced with acknowledgment.]

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