wfn.org | WCC Executive Committee concern for Indonesia and Cyprus

["Sheila Mesa" <smm@wcc-coe.org>]

World Council of Churches
WCC Press Release
For Immediate Use
3 March 2000

WCC Executive Committee: continuing concern for Indonesia and Cyprus

The Executive Committee of the World Council of Churches (WCC) today adopted two minutes to lift up the WCC's continuing concern about the situations in Indonesia and Cyprus.

Indonesia

In its minute on Indonesia, the WCC Executive Committee appeals to member churches to offer generous assistance to the victims of violence and to support the rebuilding of their communities and places of worship. It calls upon Muslim and Christian leaders in Indonesia to "redouble their efforts to mediate in this dispute and to restore harmonious inter-communal relations".

Addressing the Christian as well as the Muslim communities, the WCC governing body recalls the model of tolerance Indonesia once provided by respecting the cultural diversity and the religious pluralism of its people. The Executive Committee expressed its "deep compassion" with the Communion of Churches in Indonesia (PGI) and with the Christians in the Moluccas, mourning with them "the deaths of so many of their fellow Christians". It also shared with the Muslim community of Indonesia its "sorrow at the suffering it has undergone, including the loss of many lives".

WCC general secretary, Rev. Dr Konrad Raiser, will visit Indonesia 17-25 March.

Cyprus

Based on a report of an ecumenical delegation to the Turkish-occupied northern part of the island in October last year, the Executive Committee requested WCC staff and member churches "to continue to monitor closely developments in Cyprus and to encourage the Church of Cyprus and all members of the Greek and Turkish Cypriot civil society in their efforts for justice, peace and reconciliation. 

The Committee also expressed its support "for the UN Secretary-General's effort to bring about a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem", and warmly welcomed "the resumption of UN-led proximity talks on Cyprus". 

The WCC Executive Committee met in Bossey, near Geneva, 29 February - 3 March.

For further information, please contact Karin Achtelstetter, Media Relations Officer           
Tel:  (+41.22) 791.61.53   	Mobile:  (+41) 79.284.52.12

**********

The World Council of Churches (WCC) is a fellowship of churches, now 337, in more than 100 countries in all continents from virtually all Christian traditions. The Roman Catholic Church is not a member church but works cooperatively with the WCC. The highest governing body is the assembly, which meets approximately every seven years. The WCC was formally inaugurated in 1948 in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Its staff is headed by general secretary Konrad Raiser from the Evangelical Church in Germany.

World Council of Churches
Media Relations Office
Tel: (41 22) 791 6153 / 791 6421
Fax: (41 22) 798 1346
E-mail: ka@wcc-coe.org 
Web: www.wcc-coe.org 

PO Box 2100
1211 Geneva 2, Switzerland