wfn.org | Religious Leaders to Go to Belgrade

[CAROL_FOUKE.parti@ecunet.org (CAROL FOUKE)]

National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A.

Internet: news@ncccusa.org

Contacts: Carol Fouke or Wendy McDowell, NCC, 212-870-2227
Stephanie Gadlin, Rainbow/PUSH, 773-256-2758

4/27/99 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

RELIGIOUS LEADERS DELEGATION AFFIRMS INTENTION TO GO TO 
BELGRADE
Led by Jesse Jackson and Joan Campbell, Group Leaves 
Wednesday
Agenda: Deliver Families' Messages to Captured U.S. 
Soldiers, Meet with Religious Leaders

 WASHINGTON, D.C., April 27 ---- A delegation of 
Christian, Muslim and Jewish religious leaders resolved this 
morning to pursue its humanitarian mission to Belgrade, and 
will leave Wednesday.

The delegation, led by the Rev. Dr. Joan Brown Campbell 
and the Rev. Jesse Jackson, assembled in Washington, D.C., 
on Monday.  It plans to deliver tape-recorded messages from 
the families to the three captured U.S. soldiers and meet 
with Yugoslavian religious leaders. Yugoslavia's Ambassador 
to the United Nations, Vladislav Jovanovic, has issued a 
written invitation to the delegation to visit the prisoners.

 The interreligious delegation includes Protestant, 
Roman Catholic, Jewish, Muslim and Eastern Orthodox 
Christian religious leaders as well as one U.S. Congressman.  

 "This is a pilgrimage of faith, not of politics," said 
Rev. Jackson, Founder and President of the Rainbow/PUSH 
Coalition, based in Chicago.  "We go to Belgrade as 
religious leaders who are concerned about all who suffer in 
that region.  We also have been assured a visit with the 
three American soldiers captured and held by Yugoslav Army 
forces.  We will share our prayers for their safety and 
swift release."

"We plan to meet with religious leaders there, with 
whom we have long ties," said the Rev. Dr. Campbell, General 
Secretary, National Council of Churches.  "The breadth of 
our delegation reveals our deep concern as people of faith 
for the captured soldiers and for refugees and victims of 
violence on all sides.  Should we get to see the three 
soldiers, we are bringing along personal messages to them 
from their families as well as a Bible for each of them 
signed by the religious leaders in the delegation."

The families of Staff Sgt. Andrew Ramirez of Los 
Angeles, Staff Sgt. Christopher Stone of Smiths Creek, 
Mich., and Specialist Steven Gonzales of Huntsville, Tex., 
have all tape-recorded personal messages for the religious 
leaders to take to the prisoners.  The three soldiers were 
part of the United Nations peacekeeping force when they were 
captured along the border with Macedonia on March 31.

The stated purpose of the religious mission to Belgrade 
is as follows:

The U.S. Christian, Muslim and Jewish leaders go to 
Belgrade to support the religious community in Yugoslavia 
and at their invitation.  This is a pilgrimage of faith, not 
of politics.  Our allegiance is to peace and justice for all 
of God's children and this mission should be understood in 
that light.  Therefore, the interreligious delegation:

  Hopes to meet with the American soldiers now held as 
prisoners to take personal messages to them from their 
families and to gather messages from them to bring back 
to their families.
  Hopes to present a Bible, signed by all the delegation 
participants, to each of the prisoners and share with the 
prisoners the profound prayers for their safety and swift 
release.
  Plans to visit the leaders of Yugoslavia's many religious 
communities to support their pastoral leadership as they 
aim to heal wounds rather than foster them.
  Will speak plainly about the destructive force of war 
that harms ethnic Albanians and Serbs alike.
  Will speak out on the destructiveness of animosity 
between God's children.
  Hopes to carry back a message to be shared with the 
American religious community from the Yugoslavian 
religious leaders.

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