Reformed church leaders issue calls for rights protection in Colombia and global arms reduction

["Penny Blachut" <PBL@warc.ch>]

>World Communion of Reformed Churches  
>News Release
>16 May 2011

Reformed church leaders issue calls for rights protection in
Colombia and global arms reduction

An international group of churches known for its work in
defending human rights has issued two statements calling for
renewed efforts to protect civilians in Colombia from violence
and for a reduction in global arms production. 

At the conclusion of meetings held last week in Geneva,
Switzerland, the Executive Committee of the World Communion of
Reformed Churches (WCRC) called on the world community to respond
to crises that threaten both individuals and global security.

The 30 member executive committee represents WCRCs 230 member
churches in 108 countries. Reformed churches include
Presbyterian, Congregationalist, Waldensian and United churches
with an estimated combined membership of 80 million adherents. 

Last week's discussions were chaired by WCRCs president, South
African Jerry Pillay, who serves the Uniting Presbyterian Church
in Southern Africa. The organization's general secretary, Setri
Nyomi, originally from Ghana, leads the organization's staff team
based in Geneva that is charged with following through on
decisions made by the organization's executive. 

The executive committees two statements follow.

>STATEMENT ON COLOMBIA

Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of
injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed
go free, and to break every yoke? (Isaiah 58:6)

Those who desire life and desire to see good days, * let them
turn away from evil and do good; let them seek peace and pursue
it. (1 Peter 3: 10-11)

As members of the Executive Committee of the World Communion of
Reformed Churches (WCRC) we express concern about the protracted
internal conflict that has caused the death of thousands of
people in Colombia, while some four million have been internally
displaced and continue to be displaced. The UN High Commissioner
for Human Rights, Navanethen Pillay, in her 2010 report of the
situation of human right defenders in Colombia, also manifested
deep concern over the increased threat to human rights defenders
by public officials and non-state actors.

In this context, the Executive Committee of WCRC calls on the
Colombian government to take specific measures to ensure the
prosecution of those state and non-state actors responsible for
human rights violations. It also asks the government of the
United States to implement an immediate cessation of Plan
Colombia, dismantle its military bases, and redirect its foreign
assistance to Colombia from military to humanitarian purposes.

We strongly commend the work of the Colombian churches in their
efforts to promote peace and justice in the country and reiterate
WCRCs prayers for the people of Colombia and its government.

>STATEMENT ON THE PROLIFERATION OF ARMS

The proliferation of arms is a major problem for the world
today. The World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC) has a long
history of drawing attention to the evil of amassing weapons of
mass destruction. We continue to deplore the ways in which
military force and weapons of mass destruction are deployed in
attempts to address global challenges today. We also deplore the
havoc wreaked by landmines in many parts of the world. In recent
years, it has come to our attention that the proliferation of
small arms in the hands of many is a major threat to the world. 

The WCRC Executive Committee joins other colleagues in the
ecumenical movement and among faith-based organizations to call
for an end to this aspect of the arms race. WCRC joins the call
from Religions for Peace to abolish nuclear weapons, stop the
proliferation and misuse of conventional weapons, and redirect 10
per cent of military expenditure to achieve the UN Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015. 

The peace that our Lord Jesus Christ left us calls us to seek
peace always and pursue it. We urge all our member churches to be
vigilant against this vicious evil in order to expose its danger.
We urge governments to take measures to ban such dangerous
weapons.   

WCRC was created in June 2010 through a merger of the World
Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC) and the Reformed Ecumenical
Council (REC). Its 230 member churches representing 80 million
Christians are active worldwide in initiatives supporting
economic, climate and gender justice, mission, and cooperation
among Christians of different traditions. 

>Media Contacts: 
>Kristine Greenaway
>Office of Communications
>Email: kgr@wcrc.ch 
>tel: +41 (0)22 791 62 43;
>fax: +41 (0)22 791 65 05
>www.wcrc.ch