wfn.org | Clergy delegation went to Yugoslavia for peace, bishop says

[NewsDesk <NewsDesk@UMCOM.UMC.ORG>]

May 4, 1999 News media contact: Tim Tanton*(615)742-5470*Nashville, Tenn.
10-21-71BP{247}

NOTE:  A photograph is available with this story.

By Woody Woodrick*

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (UMNS) -- Christians are called to visit prisoners and be
peacemakers, and that's exactly what a delegation of religious leaders did
when they won the release of three U.S. soldiers held captive in Yugoslavia,
says Bishop Marshall L. Meadors Jr.

Meadors, bishop of the United Methodist Church's Mississippi Area, was among
14 religious leaders assembled by the Rev. Jesse Jackson to travel to Europe
to seek the soldiers' release. The soldiers had been captured March 31,
shortly after NATO forces began bombing Yugoslavia in an attempt to end
atrocities blamed on the government of Yugoslavian President Slobodan
Milosevic.

After the interfaith delegation met with the soldiers and Milosevic, the
Yugoslavian president agreed May 1 to release the three -- Staff Sgt.
Christopher J. Stone, Spc. Steven M. Gonzales, and Staff Sgt. Andrew A.
Ramirez.

"Our leader is called the Prince of Peace," Meadors told a news conference
in Chattanooga, where the United Methodist Council of Bishops is meeting.
"He calls us to be peacemakers. That's what we tried to do."

"God has a pretty good track record when it comes to prisoners," he said,
citing the story of Paul and Silas being imprisoned in Rome. "Jesse also has
a pretty good track record for getting prisoners released. We were working
in faith with confidence in God."

Meadors was invited to make the trip during Jackson's recent swing through
Mississippi. Meadors accepted, but delays pushed the trip back a full week
as organizers worked out travel details.

The trip was not endorsed by the Clinton administration, but "they didn't
tell us not to go," Meadors said.

Some have criticized the trip, saying Milosevic used it as a public
relations ploy. Meadors points out that Milosevic has gained little from
releasing the prisoners. Although Jackson called for a one-day moratorium on
the bombing in response to the captives' release, NATO has continued its
air-strike campaign.

"We told him we had no power of  negotiation. We couldn't promise him
anything for letting these soldiers go free," Meadors said.

Meadors also pointed out that the decision has been unpopular among the
Yugoslavian people.
President Clinton indicated May 3 that he might be willing to consider a
pause in the bombing. However, he said Milosevic must meet NATO demands.
Those include the withdrawal of troops from Kosovo, the return of refugees
and the deployment of an international security force.

Meadors said he would like to see Clinton do three things that might lead to
peace:
*	Call Milosevic and thank him for releasing the three soldiers.
*	Release two Serbian prisoners being held by the NATO forces
*	Start a broad national debate on the U.S. involvement in the action.

Meadors also called for an end to all war.

The turning point in the trip appears to have been a meeting Jackson and
four or five other members of the delegation had with Milosevic. Meadors
said the Americans had what were described as tough, frank discussions with
Milosevic. When the meeting ended, they asked Milosevic and others attending
to pray with them. The 10 or so people joined hands and prayed.
About two hours after the meeting ended, Milosevic announced he would
release the prisoners.

Meadors said he was in the hotel lobby about to go out for dinner in
Belgrade, when a woman standing nearby with a cellular phone got a call
saying the prisoners would be released. Milosevic had announced his decision
on Serbian television.

Prayer played a major role in the trip, Meadors said. Each time the group
boarded a bus to attend a meeting, they prayed. When they arrived at the
meeting, they asked the communist Yugoslavian leaders to pray with them.
Even that act has been criticized.

"Ours is a tradition that prays with all people," Meadors said. "How do we
not pray with anyone? Our mission was surrounded in prayer."

The soldiers did not know where they were being taken or why until they
entered the room to meet the religious leaders. Meadors said about six
members of the delegation met with the soldiers, talked with them and prayed
with them. The meetings lasted about 10 minutes each.

As for his impressions of Milosevic, who some compare to Hitler for the
ethnic cleansing going on in Yugoslavia, Meadors said he wasn't part of the
meeting with the president, but characterized him as a strong, pragmatic
leader.

"I think he hopes this leads to some negotiations with our government,"
Meadors said. "So far, he has made a wrong choice from his perspective."

Meadors also said the Serbian people don't understand why their country is
being attacked. He said Milosevic has such control of the media that most
Serbians are not aware of the atrocities committed.

Leaving with the soldiers, the group drove two hours to the Croatian border,
where a bus carrying just the soldiers drove several hundred yards to meet a
second bus. The second bus then drove the soldiers to a third bus. The third
bus took the soldiers and delegation to a military base, another four hours
away.

Meadors returned with a silver POW bracelet given him by a U.S. military
general. Each member of the delegation was asked to wear such a bracelet
until the soldiers reach the United States. Meadors' bracelet  bore
Ramirez's name. Having the bracelet obviously moved the bishop.

"Hannah and I have three sons," he said, " and what I don't want to have
happen is for my sons or grandsons or anyone's sons to have to be in a war
or a prisoner of war."

# # # 

*Woodrick is editor of the Mississippi United Methodist Advocate, the
newspaper of the Mississippi Annual Conference.

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