wfn.org | NCC, CWS, other Christian leaders ask Obama to ease Cuba restrictions

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

NCC, CWS, other Christian leaders ask Obama to ease Cuba restrictions

New York, December 19, 2008   ?   NCC General Secretary Michael 
Kinnamon joined Church World Service Director John McCullough and 
more than a dozen other Christian leaders Dec. 18 in asking 
President-Elect Barack Obama to ease travel restrictions to Cuba that 
have made it harder for religious delegations to visit or support 
church partners there. U.S. religious institutions now qualify for 
only limited travel licenses, and some have been unable to obtain even those.

The group went a step further, urging the new Administration to lift 
the ban on travel to Cuba for all Americans, restoring full 
diplomatic relations between the United States and Cuba, and ending a 
46-year-old trade embargo.

"For decades the U.S. policy toward Cuba has had unfortunate 
consequences for the Cuban people, while denying important freedoms 
to Americans," the church leaders' letter said. "It has failed 
significantly in its stated objective to precipitate change in the 
Cuban government."

The faith leaders said hostility between governments has also 
disrupted historical bonds between churches in the U.S. and Cuba, at 
a time when Cuban churches are growing rapidly and need support from 
their Christian counterparts in the U.S.

"We are convinced that it is time to change the ineffective and 
counter-productive U.S. policy toward Cuba," the letter said. "We 
urgently request you to change the Cuba policy of the United States 
in ways that will assist the churches in their work and benefit all Americans."

Signers, in addition to Kinnamon and McCullough, included leaders 
from the Alliance of Baptists, American Baptist Churches USA, 
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Church of the Brethren, 
Episcopal Church, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Mennonite 
Central Committee, Progressive National Baptist Convention, 
Presbyterian Church (USA), Reformed Church in America, United 
Methodist Church and United Church of Christ.

Bob Allen of Associated Baptist Press contributed to this story.

NCC News contact:  Philip E. Jenks, 212-870-2228, NCCnews@ncccusa.org