wfn.org | IRAQ'S RELIGIOUS GROUPS MEET IN AMMAN

["Nat'l Council of Churches" <nccc_usa@ncccusa.org>]

Contact in New York:  Barbara Greene, 917-523-5773

IRAQS RELIGIOUS GROUPS, MEETING IN AMMAN,  REJECT VIOLENCE AND CALL FOR
COMMON ACTION TO ASSURE A JUST SOCIETY
.
First Meeting of Iraqs Religious Groups Calls for Direct, Free and
Democratic Elections; a Constitution, and the Rule of Law;  Seek Continued
Support from Religious Communities Worldwide

AMMAN, Jordan, (May 28) - Representatives of each of Iraqs major religious
groups - including Shi'ite, Sunni, and Christian leaders - today rejected
violence and called for common action to build a just society in Iraq.

The meeting, titled Rejecting Violence and Promoting Peace with Justice,
was convened by the World Conference on Religion and Peace, and hosted by
its Moderator, His Royal Highness Prince El-Hassan bin Talal of Jordan.
This was the first time representatives of all Iraqi religions met since
Saddam Hussein took power.

In a "Joint Statement of Representatives of Iraq's Religious Communities"
adopted at the conclusion of the meeting, representatives of Iraqs
religious communities
7	demanded that coalition forces abide by their full responsibilities
as a
de facto occupying power under international law, particularly the Fourth
Geneva Convention and the relevant Hague Conventions.
7	called on coalition forces to provide effective security to assure
that
all Iraqis are safe and protected in their persons, households, and
communities.
7	called on international institutions and agencies to enhance the
delivery
of humanitarian assistance through greater cooperation with Iraqi religious
and other social institutions, including women's and youth groups.
7	called for an immediate temporary Iraqi national government, to be
followed by a permanent Iraqi government built on the basis of direct, free
and democratic elections, a constitution, and the rule of law that protects
equally all religious, ethnic and national groupings.
7	called for the creation of an Iraqi mechanism to provide advice on
the
situation in Iraq to the United Nations Secretary Generals Special
Representative.

Finally, the leaders urged the international community to follow through on
these recommendations, and invited the World Conference on Religion and
Peace (WCRP) to work in partnership with Iraqs religious communities to
achieve these goals.

Dr. William Vendley, secretary general of the WCRP, said, The Iraqi people
can be gratified that their religious leaders have begun the critically
important process of healing.  Religious networks are uniquely equipped to
meet the challenges of our time, during times of conflict and during times
of reconstruction.  This weeks conference demonstrates that collaboration
of Iraqs religious communities is possible, is already a powerful tool to
meet the needs of the Iraqi people, and needs to be further strengthened.

Attending the conference were representatives of the following Shiite
leaders:  Ayatollah Muqtada al-Sadr, Sayyid Hussain al-Sadr, Ayatollah
Mohammed al-Sayyid al-Hakim, and participants close to Sayyed Ali
al-Sestani.  Sheikh Ahmed al-Qubiesy attended on behalf of Iraqs Sunni
community. Christian leaders also participated, including the Chaldean
Catholic Archbishop of Baghdad Emanuael Deli.

The 20-plus representatives of Iraqs religious communities were joined in
solidarity by more than 40 international religious leaders, including Dr.
Bob Edgar, general secretary of the U.S.-based National Council of Churches,
a community of 36 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican, and historically African
American faith groups.

WCRPs Moderator, Prince El-Hassan bin Talal, said, In these troubled
times, Iraqs religious leaders give Iraqis a message of hope.	Saving lives
and upholding the dignity of the Iraqi people is our sole aim in coming
together.  Pledging common action to assure a just society in Iraq, these
religious leaders demonstrate that religion can be a powerful force for
peace and for affirming our common humanity.

The World Conference on Religion and Peace is the largest world-wide
coalition of representatives of the major religions, committed to take
common action to promote peace.

#   #	#