wfn.org | (LWF) Absent Delegates Remembered at LWF Assembly

["Frank Imhoff" <FRANKI@elca.org>]

LWF Tenth Assembly, Winnipeg, Canada, 21-31 July 2003

PRESS RELEASE NO. 11

Absent Delegates Remembered at LWF Assembly
LWF Denounces Visa Refusals by Canadian Government

WINNIPEG, Canada, 23 July 2003 - Red and blue scarves were draped over the
backs of empty chairs at the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) Assembly last
night in silent tribute to people who should have been there but were not.

The scarves * red for Asia, blue for Africa * symbolized participants at the
LWF Assembly who had not received visas to come to Canada for the event.

"As you pass by one of these chairs, you will know you are passing by an
absent sister or brother," LWF General Secretary Rev. Dr Ishmael Noko told a
special plenary session of the assembly.

Currently, 51 participants, including 38 delegates and 14 others (including
12 youth) had failed to receive visas for entry to Canada. All affected
individuals were from Asia and Africa.

Over half of those affected were from India, where 20 delegates and seven
others had either been denied visas or were still awaiting the outcome of
their visa applications.

Other affected countries were Ethiopia (five delegates), Indonesia (three
delegates), Madagascar (two delegates and one journalist), Cameroon (one
delegate and two stewards), Bangladesh (one delegate and one steward),
Democratic Republic of Congo (one delegate and one adviser), Senegal (two
delegates), Liberia (one steward), Philippines (one steward), Rwanda ((one
delegate), Sierra Leone (one delegate) and South Africa (one delegate).

An emotional ELCIC Bishop Raymond Schultz denounced the Canadiangovernment's
denial of the visas, noting that his parents had been welcomed into Canada as
children after fleeing Russia with their own parents decades earlier.

Schultz expressed "profound disappointment and shame" at the "insensitivity
and inaction" of the federal government in not responding to LWF pleas that
the visa applications be granted.

"The principalities and powers of globalization have created a world where
capital moves freely and people cannot," Schultz told the gathering.

But Evangelical Lutheran Church of Jordan Bishop Munib Younan reminded
delegates the reason for their presence at the Assembly was greater than any
government's power to deny visas.

"Thank God the communion of churches does not need a visa," Younan said.
"Our visa is the Lord Jesus Christ who gathered us in this house."

During the session, four young people marched solemnly to the main stage at
the Winnipeg Convention Centre carrying four national flags of countries
whose delegations had been affected. The flags will remain on the stage
during the duration of the LWF Assembly July 21 to 31.	

Bishop Jubil Raplan Hutauruk of the Protestant Christian Batak Church in
Indonesia sat at a table next to three chairs bearing red scarves
representing three colleagues who traveled twice to Jakarta to apply in vain
for visas to Canada.

Hutauruk, who leads the largest Lutheran church in Indonesia, suggested
possible fear of Islamic militant groups in southeast Asia may have
influenced the decision not to grant the visas.

"We come from the southern part of the world * the so-called Third World. We
see that political and economic power play a great role in this situation,"
Hutauruk said.

"The powerful countries think that people who come from the south can make
danger for them if they come here to the northern part of the world."

But Hutauruk cautioned against reacting with anger toward the visa issue,
which has so far overshadowed the LWF Assembly.

"I see it with a Christian hope. Even if people can't come hre, in my faith
they are here in spirit," he said.

"I don't like to create violence against violence. It is not the aim of this
communion. Let us see how we can overcome violence with non-violence."

The Tenth Assembly of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) is taking place
21-31 July 2003 in Winnipeg, Canada, under the theme "For the Healing of the
World." It is being hosted by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada
(ELCIC).

There are almost 700 men, women and youth participants in the Tenth Assembly
including 356 delegates from the 133 churches with full membership and three
associate members. The Assembly is the highest decision-making body of the
LWF, and meets normally every six years. Between Assemblies, the LWF is
governed by its Council that meets annually, and by its Executive Committee.

Further information including photos, video and audio news, is posted on the
Assembly Web site www.lwf-assembly.org 

To order photographs, please contact LWF-Photo@lutheranworld.org 

*	*	*

The LWF is a global communion of Christian churches in the Lutheran
tradition. Founded in 1947 in Lund (Sweden), the LWF now has 136 member
churches in 76 countries representing over 61.7 million of the 65.4 million
Lutherans worldwide. 

The LWF acts on behalf of its member churches in areas of common interest
such as ecumenical and interfaith relations, theology, humanitarian
assistance, human rights, communication, and the various aspects of mission
and development work. Its secretariat is located in Geneva, Switzerland.