wfn.org | (LWF) LWF Tenth Assembly Urges US Government to Respect

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

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

PRESS RELEASE NO. 36

LWF Tenth Assembly Urges US Government to Respect Human Rights Laws
Direction of United States' Policies Not Clear

WINNIPEG, Canada, 31 July 2003 - The Tenth Assembly of the Lutheran World
Federation (LWF) taking place here asked the United States government to
respect internationally-recognized human rights laws.

"Aware of the threats posed by terrorist acts, the Assembly affirms
international policies, which seek human security through international
cooperation and common security," said the Assembly in a public statement
July 30.

The Assembly expressed deep concern about the direction of a number of US
government policies. 

It pointed out the US refusal to ratify the Convention on the Rights of the
Child, the conditioning of support for HIV/AIDS programs in severely affected
countries on their acceptance of genetically modified organisms (GMO),
refusal to ratify the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against
Women, and the adoption of a "pre-emptive war" doctrine. 

The Assembly emphasized the Kyoto protocol saying the US had failed to ratify
it in accordance with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate
Change.

"Throughout the world, human beings are suffering from dried-out land, storms
and floods as a result of climate change. Also eco-systems with their species
are threatened because of these changes. These effects are increasing and
need to be dealt with very seriously and instantly," the statement said.

It cited carbon dioxide as one of the most common greenhouse gases which
affects the eart. "Further, this will have the effects of increasing and
decreasing the amount of rainfall in different areas, heavy storms will be
more common and there will be a risk of changes in the ocean currents. These
effects are of course affecting nature, including humankind," the statement
further noted. It added, "The United States of America is one of the largest
contributors of carbon dioxide emission in the world."

The Assembly called on the US government to ratify the Kyoto protocol and to
seriously work with decreasing the country's carbon dioxide emissions.

The Kyoto protocol is a document prepared by the United Nations and its
member nations. The protocol, a commitment to decrease levels of greenhouse
gas emissions, was an outcome of a meeting of more than 160 nations which met
in Kyoto in 1997 to continue the work with the Convention on Climate Change
from 1992.

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 around 820 men, women and youth participants in the Tenth Assembly
including 380 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 ecumeical 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.