wfn.org | Lutherans Sign Landmine Petition

[ELCANEWS@ELCASCO.ELCA.ORG]

ELCA NEWS SERVICE

NEWSBRIEF

September 30, 1996

LUTHERANS SIGN LANDMINE PETITION

Thousands of Lutherans, mostly women, have signed a Lutheran
World Relief (LWR) petition to ban landmines. The petition,
addressed to President Bill Clinton, asks the U.S. government to
support an international ban on the production, sale and use of
antipersonnel mines.  Delegates to the July convention of Women
of the ELCA answered the challenge of Kathryn Wolford, LWR
president.  She told of landmines in countries where LWR works,
like Angola, and asked the Lutheran woman to collect 67,000
signatures -- one for each of the quilts LWR sent to Angola in
1995.  The women took more than 2,000 petition sheets home.
According to LWR, 13,000 petitions have been mailed in from
congregations all over the country.  LWR hopes to send the
petition to Clinton in December.  In 1995 the ELCA adopted a
statement calling for a ban on production, sale and use of land
mines, and in April 1996, ELCA Church Council called on
individuals and congregations to write letters to Clinton and
members of Congress supporting an international ban on the
weapon.  According to LWR, landmines remain active long after
conflicts cease, denying farmers, villagers and refugees the use
of valuable land.  Every 20 minutes, someone is killed or maimed
by the devices.  Landmines are a threat to civilians in 64
countries.  LWR works on behalf of the ELCA and the Lutheran
Church--Missouri Synod.

For information contact: Ann Hafften, Dir., ELCA News Service,
(312) 380-2958 or AHAFFTEN@ELCA.ORG; Frank Imhoff, Assoc. Dir.,
(312) 380-2955 or FRANKI@ELCA.ORG