wfn.org | Jesse Jackson gains release of prisoners

[Daphne Mack <dmack@dfms.org>]

For more information contact:
Kathryn McCormick
Episcopal News Service
Kmccoemick@dfms.org
212/922-5383
http://ecusa.anglican.org/ens

99-057
Jesse Jackson and religious
leaders gain release of American
prisoners in Yugoslavia
by James Solheim
(ENS) A 19-member interfaith delegation, led by Jesse Jackson and Joan 
Campbell of the National Council of Churches, gained the release of
three 
American soldiers held in Yugoslavia since March 31.

The delegation of Christian, Muslim and Jewish religious leaders called 
their trip "a pilgrimage of faith, not of politics," according to
Jackson. 
"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,"
added Campbell. The group was assured that they could see the soldiers
but 
they held out little hope that they could actually gain their release.

In a departure statement before they went to meet the soldiers, the
delegation 
said, "The violence suffered by all people in Yugoslavia must end.
Bombing 
and more war cannot bring peace."

The Clinton Administration was less than enthusiastic about the trip and
even 
exerted pressure on the group not to go, partly in a concern that the
Serbian 
government would use it for propaganda purposes. And it was clear that
NATO 
would not suspend the bombings during the visit. Later, however, State 
Department spokesman James Rubin said that Administration officials had 
"received a very good impression" of the delegation's humanitarian
intentions 
and endorsed its efforts to secure the release of the prisoners.

Members of the delegation pressed for release of the prisoners in a
private 
May 1 meeting with President Slobodan Milosevic and, despite little 
encouragement at the time, learned later in the day that the request
would 
be granted. 

Jackson, Campbell and U.S. Rep. Rod Blagojevich (D-Illinois) signed
official 
documents for release and, after they called their families and joined
in prayer, 
the group departed for the Yugoslav-Croatian border for the final
transition.
There the soldiers told news media that "they had developed friendships
with 
their captors, felt fondly about them and had prayed with them before
they left," 
said the Rev. Roy Lloyd, broadcast news director for the NCC, who
accompanied 
the delegation.

At the airport in Zagreb, Jackson repeated his call for some kind of
positive 
response from the Clinton Administration to what was an unconditional
release, 
one that might lead to dialogue and a peaceful solution to the crisis.

Earlier the delegation was warmly welcomed by Serbian Orthodox Patriarch

Pavle. Campbell expressed concern "for all who are suffering-for Serbs
and 
Albanians alike." Jackson outlined what he called "points for peace,"
that 
included an end to the violence in Kosovo, the removal of soldiers, and
some 
kind of peacekeeping force to ensure the safety of all sides.

On their return from the area, Campbell said, "We return today grateful
to our 
God for working wonders in our midst. We went to perform our pastoral
calling, 
to visit those in prison and to release the captives." She and Jackson
stressed the 
need to "build spiritual bridges that can't be blown up." They took
their message 
to high-level meetings with President Bill Clinton and UN Secretary
General Kofi 
Anan on May 4.

Delegation members stressed in the meetings that the NATO bombing is
very 
destructive and that civilians are being hurt and killed. They
acknowledged that 
the bombing is not the moral equivalent of Serbian violence in the area
but they 
did press Clinton and his staff to explain more clearly the purpose of
the bombings.

"Annan assured us that the United Nations is already working to
establish 
a diplomatic settlement and will increase their efforts," Campbell
reported. 
She added that the trip was undergirded by constant prayer. "We prayed
as if 
our lives depended on it-and maybe they did."