wfn.org | Faith-Based Groups Issue Principles for Aid to Afghans

[Carol Fouke <carolf@ncccusa.org>]

National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A.
NCC11/1/01 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
E-mail: news@ncccusa.org; Web: www.ncccusa.org
Additional Contacts Below

CHURCH WORLD SERVICE, FOUR OTHER FAITH-BASED HUMANITARIAN GROUPS
ISSUE PRINCIPLES ESSENTIAL FOR EFFECTIVE AID TO AFGHANS

	November 1, 2001, NEW YORK CITY - Church World Service and four other 
humanitarian response agencies today released principles that they assert 
"must guide humanitarian assistance to the people of Afghanistan."

	According to the "Three Guiding Principles for Humanitarian Aid in the 
Afghanistan Crisis," "humanitarian aid must be provided on the basis of 
need, not as an instrument of political or military strategy," 
"multilateral cooperation is critical for effective aid in Afghanistan" and 
"military intervention must not exacerbate humanitarian crises."

	"Adherence to these principles will save lives and relieve suffering among 
a people at risk from drought, chaos, wars and the approaching winter," 
according to the principles, which were signed by CWS, which is the 
National Council of Churches' global witness and service ministry; American 
Friends Service Committee, Lutheran World Relief, Mennonite Central 
Committee and Presbyterian Church U.S.A.-Presbyterian Disaster Assistance.

	The full text of the principles follows:

"THREE GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR HUMANITARIAN AID
IN THE AFGHANISTAN CRISIS"

The principles that follow must guide humanitarian assistance to the people 
of Afghanistan. Adherence to these principles will save lives and relieve 
suffering among a people at risk from drought, chaos, wars and the 
approaching winter.

As faith-based humanitarian organizations in the U.S. responding to the 
crisis in Afghanistan, we urgently call upon non-governmental and 
governmental agencies to uphold the three principles below in all 
humanitarian actions.  We also affirm the "Code of Conduct for The 
International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and NGOs in Disaster 
Response Programmes" (www.sphereproject.org/handbook/annexes.htm#5) and 
strongly recommend compliance in this extraordinary crisis.  In addition to 
the Code, the principles draw on lengthy experience in humanitarian 
service, reflect precepts of U.S. and international law, and address the 
special challenge that this crisis poses to Christians, Muslims and other 
people of faith.

All faith-based organizations have a special calling in this crisis. 
Extremist religion has fanned the flames of conflict.  Now faith-based 
cooperation is necessary to help repair the damage done and inspire 
remedies still to come.

1.   HUMANITARIAN AID MUST BE PROVIDED ON THE BASIS OF NEED, NOT AS AN 
INSTRUMENT OF POLITICAL OR MILITARY STRATEGY

We reaffirm the "Code of Conduct" requirement that aid is to be provided 
wherever it is needed, not as a partisan or political act and not as an 
instrument of military strategy.  In accordance with this principle and the 
moral teachings of our faith, we commit ourselves and call others to ensure 
the separation of humanitarian assistance from military action during 
conflicts, now as in the past.  The purpose of aid is to assist people in 
need, in this case, the vulnerable sectors of the Afghan population.

 2.  MULTILATERAL COOPERATION IS CRITICAL FOR EFFECTIVE AID IN AFGHANISTAN

We affirm the principle of multilateral cooperation in this crisis, 
particularly through the United Nations and its humanitarian agencies. For 
the U.S. and Europe to provide assistance to populations within the Muslim 
world, multilateral action is as critical in the humanitarian field as it 
is in the political arena.  The U.S. must be careful not to act alone in 
ways that sharpen the geopolitical, cultural and religious polarizations 
complicating this crisis.  Cooperation between governments and other 
international agencies rebuilds the unity essential for the well-being of 
all peoples now threatened.

In this context we also endorse the U.S. Government's increased commitment 
to providing humanitarian assistance to the citizens displaced within 
Afghanistan and in refugee camps across its borders.  Multilateral 
assistance is essential to the success of that U.S. aid.

3.  MILITARY INTERVENTION MUST NOT EXACERBATE HUMANITARIAN CRISES

Afghanistan's humanitarian crisis will not wait for other goals to be met. 
On September 11, up to five million people, one fifth of the Afghan 
population, were suffering through a major food crisis.  Their numbers have 
only grown since that date, yet the pursuit of suspected terrorists has 
taken precedence over their fate. Military responses that undermine 
effective humanitarian aid endanger innocent people and deepen this 
humanitarian crisis, and by so doing, also undermine the prospects for 
future cooperation against terrorist acts.

Given the urgent needs and approach of winter, we call for all parties to 
this conflict to establish conditions that permit the immediate, safe 
delivery of humanitarian aid in the quantities needed.   Such conditions 
may include ceasefires, safe zones for relief work, humanitarian aid 
corridors and similar measures, to be accompanied by multinational 
monitoring of compliance.

-END-

Media Contacts:
Janis D. Shields, American Friends Service Committee, 215-241-7060
Larry Guengerich, Mennonite Central Committee, 717-859-1151
Carol Fouke, NCC/Church World Service, 212-870-2252
Pamela Burdine, Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, 888-728-7228 x5839
Jonathan Frerichs, Lutheran World Relief, 410-230-2802