wfn.org | US Church Officials Defend CWS Against Charges of Proselytizing

[George Conklin <gconklin@igc.org>]

> FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

US Church Officials Defend CWS Against Charges of Proselytizing

NEW YORK, June 4, 2010 - U.S. church officials with long ties to 
Church World Service have defended the humanitarian agency against 
charges of religious proselytizing in Afghanistan.

"When I saw and read the allegations I was dumbfounded," said Stanley 
Noffsinger, general secretary of the Church of the Brethren General 
Board, Elgin, Ill. "For more than sixty years, Church World Service 
has grounded its role in serving people regardless of faith tradition."

"Church World Service is held in the highest regard and is seen as 
honoring those whom it serves," he said. "I believe CWS functions 
with the highest of integrity."

Susan Sanders, the head of Global Sharing of Resources of the 
Cleveland-based United Church of Christ, noted that CWS has signed 
the NGO code of conduct by the International Red Cross and Red 
Crescent Movement, which specifically prohibits proselytizing in 
disaster relief.

She also noted that in Afghanistan and Pakistan, Church World Service 
(www.churchworldservice.org) is a member of the Humanitarian 
Accountability Partnership International, known as HAP, a 
self-regulatory partnership of NGOs, and adheres to the humanitarian 
standards for quality and accountability established by the Sphere Project.

"We know that's so important," Sanders said of the commitment to 
impartial humanitarian aid. "CWS is committed to accompanying 
partners all around the world whatever their faith tradition may be or not be."

Earlier this week, CWS announced that its long-time work in 
Afghanistan - dating back more than 30 years -- had been temporarily 
suspended by the Afghan Ministry of Economy, pending investigation of 
allegations related to an Afghan television news story claiming that 
CWS and another humanitarian agency, Norwegian Church Aid, had 
engaged in religious proselytizing.

CWS has formally denied the allegations and expects the suspension to 
last only briefly.

Noffsinger, whose experience with CWS dates back to the 1970s and who 
once served as a CWS staffer, said the agency has always been 
committed to "accompanying people on their path so that life can be 
better for them; CWS has always heralded this position throughout our history."

Sanders agreed, adding that the agency's commitment to accompaniment 
is based on a belief that "people can grow into their full humanity."

Sanders said she believes CWS acts out of a faith commitment of 
service "that is simply based on need. It does not specify whom we serve."

CWS is an international humanitarian agency established in 1946 to 
assist displaced persons after World War II in Europe and Asia with 
food assistance and relief activities.

Media Contacts

Lesley Crosson, (212) 870-2676, media@churchworldservice.org
Jan Dragin - 24/7 - (781) 925-1526, jdragin@gis.net

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