wfn.org | "Not a Religious War," Ecumenical Delegation Says

[PCUSA NEWS <pcusa.news@ecunet.org>]

1-June-1999 
99212 
 
    "Not a Religious War," Ecumenical Delegation Says 
    After Visit to Albania and Macedonia 
 
    by Karin Achtelstetter 
    WCC Media Relations Officer 
 
GENEVA - Continuing to respond to the crisis in the Balkans, the World 
Council of Churches (WCC) and the Conference of European Churches (CEC), in 
cooperation with the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), dispatched an 
ecumenical delegation to the former Yugoslav republics of Macedonia and 
Albania from May 17-25. The delegation met with church leaders and staff of 
ecumenical agencies, visited refugee camps and gathered information about 
the present situation in both countries. 
 
    "The delegation believes it is important to emphasize, over and over 
again if necessary, that this is not a religious conflict," Elizabeth 
Ferris, of the WCC International Relations team, said after the group's 
return to Geneva. "Its causes are complex, and solutions must recognize 
that complexity." 
 
    "We were struck by the regional dimension of the conflict," Ferris 
added. "The visit made us all aware of the war's tremendous impact on 
neighboring countries. Economically, politically and socially, the former 
Yugoslav republics of Macedonia and Albania are dramatically affected. 
Everyone in this region is touched by the war in some way." 
 
    Delegation member Antonios Papantoniou of the Church of Greece said: 
"The effects of this conflict on the neighboring countries will last for 
years. Churches should sustain their support to Albania and the former 
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia even after media attention has moved on. 
 
    "Also," Papantoniou continued, "it is not enough to assist only the 
refugees, when there are many nationals who are suffering because of the 
war. In order to prevent popular resentment towards the refugees, the 
international community should respond to local needs as well." 
 
    Delegation members emphasized the importance of not only meeting 
material needs of the refugees, but also of upholding their human dignity 
and responding to social and spiritual needs. 
 
    "The churches and their diaconal agencies in both countries are 
reaching out to the refugees with professionalism and compassion," said 
Ferris. "The delegation was impressed by both the quality of services being 
provided to the refugees, and by the concrete expressions of Christian love 
manifested every day by church workers and individual Christians. However, 
the churches are in a difficult situation - they are trying to meet the 
needs of their own people while welcoming an additional 500,000 refugees." 
 
    In Albania, the delegation had the opportunity to worship in the 
Annunciation Orthodox Cathedral, where they were formally welcomed by His 
Beatitude Archbishop Anastasios of Tirana, Durres and All Albania. 
 
    The members of the delegation were: Wilhelm Nausner, of the United 
Methodist Church, based in Linz, Austria;  Antonios Papantoniou, of the 
Church of Greece; Sylvia Raulo, of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of 
Finland; and Ferris. 
 
    Alessandro Spanu, representing the Protestant Churches of Italy, joined 
the delegation in Albania. 

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