wfn.org | Ecumenical bodies welcome Kosovo peace agreement

[FRANK_IMHOFF.parti@ecunet.org (FRANK IMHOFF)]

Churches have major role to play in reconstruction, reconciliation

GENEVA, 16 June 1999 (lwi)   International church bodies with
headquarters here have welcomed the peace agreement for Kosovo and
commended the United Nations Secretary General and others whose efforts
have realized this result.

In a joint statement issued by the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), the
World Council of Churches (WCC), the Conference of European Churches
(CEC) and the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC) on 11 June
1999, the church bodies especially welcome the
agreement of the parties to return to the framework of the Charter of
the United Nations in pursuit of a lasting settlement of this dispute,
in the hope that it is only in this context that peace and harmonious
relations among the peoples of Yugoslavia and in the wider Balkans
region can be appropriately and effectively pursued.

Saying that "churches will have a key role to play in the enormous task
of reconstruction, refugee repatriation and reconciliation which must
begin immediately, the ecumenical bodies call upon the churches,
especially those of Europe and North America, to respond actively and
generously to this challenge, in Kosovo and the other Yugoslav
Republics, in Albania and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, and
among refugees who have sought asylum in their own countries."

In their statement, the Geneva-based organizations point out that
churches, Christians and people of other faiths around the world have
worked and prayed for an end to the terror of ethnic cleansing, and to
the destruction inflicted on Kosovo and Serbia by eleven weeks of NATO
bombing. "They have contributed aid and stood in solidarity with the
hundreds of thousands of ethnic Albanians, Serbs and others who have
been forced to flee Kosovo and other parts of Yugoslavia.

"We thank God that the parties have finally reached an agreement to
bring an end to the conflict, and for the efforts of the Secretary
General of the United Nations and all others who have worked so
tirelessly to achieve this result," the LWF, WCC, CEC and WARC say.

The church organizations also welcome and affirm the reiteration by the
UN Security Council that a lasting solution must be sought which
respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Federal
Republic of Yugoslavia. In addition, they strongly support the
affirmation of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
(UNHCR) that any durable solution to this crisis must be built on the
solid foundation of respect for human rights.

The church bodies urge "the international community to give priority to
rebuilding infrastructure, homes and economies throughout Yugoslavia,
and take a comprehensive, regional approach to reconstruction and
reconciliation in order to create conditions for economic and political
stability, and peace throughout Southeast Europe."

They note that the UN Security Council has clearly indicated that the
task of establishing and building the peace on the ground and of
restoring an effective civilian administration has both military and
civilian components. "These roles should not be confused. Those who will
assume military responsibilities for security must exercise the greatest
possible restraint with respect to the use of armed force," the
ecumenical organizations add.

Prior to the 11 June statement, a joint ecumenical delegation, reporting
on an ecumenical visit to the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and
Albania from 17 to 25 May 1999, said that it is "important to emphasize,
over and over again if necessary, that this is not a religious conflict.
Its causes are complex and solutions must recognize that complexity."

The delegation, whose members included Sylvia Raulo, (Evangelical
Lutheran Church of Finland), Elizabeth Ferris, (WCC International
Relations), Wilhelm Nausner, (representing the United Methodist Church,
based in Linz, Austria), Dr. Antonios Papantoniou, (Church of Greece)
and Alessandro Spanu (the Protestant Churches in Italy), met with church
leaders and staff of ecumenical agencies, visited refugee camps and
gathered information about the situation in both countries at that time.

The delegation stressed the importance of meeting not only the material
needs of the refugees, but also of upholding their human dignity and
responding to their social and spiritual needs.

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Lutheran World Information
Assistant Editor, English: Pauline Mumia
E-mail: pmu@lutheranworld.org
http://www.lutheranworld.org/