wfn.org | WCC NEWS: Thailand: WCC calls for negotiations and end of violence

[WCC media <noreply@wcc-coe.org>]

>World Council of Churches - News

WCC CALLS ON PARTIES TO THAILAND'S CONFLICT TO NEGOTIATE, ABANDON

>VIOLENCE

>For immediate release: 19 May 2010

The World Council of Churches has lamented the "intolerable loss  of
life" in Thailand and asked for all parties to abandon violence  and return
to negotiations.

In a 19 May letter to the Church of Christ in Thailand, the WCC  general
secretary Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit has expressed "a deep sense of  sorrow"
as news come in about "the continuing upsurge in violence which  has led to
the deaths of more than thirty people in Bangkok".

"We grieve with the people of Thailand at this intolerable loss  of life and
extend our condolences to the families of those that have died",  Tveit
wrote.

The WCC general secretary called upon "all parties involved in the  present
crisis to exercise restraint in actions and words, and particularly  to
abandon violence as a means of solving problems". He strongly urged  "a
return to negotiations for a peaceful resolution to the current  crisis".
"Violence cannot be the solution" he added.

Tveit pointed out to the need for "an open and thorough investigation  of
the actions taken by all sides so that those who resort to violence  are
held accountable to the rule of law".

Tveit expressed the "firm solidarity of the WCC with the people  of Thailand
in this time of distress" and commended the Church of Christ in  Thailand
"for their faithful witness to the Prince of Peace".

He encouraged the church "to strengthen their work in seeking justice  and
peace for all" and called on "all member churches within the fellowship  of
the WCC to join in prayers with the churches and Christians in Thailand".

Full text of the WCC general secretary to the Church of Christ in  Thailand
(Link: http://www.oikoumene.org/index.php?RDCT=99baa241d91cdb7e95df  )

WCC member churches Thailand (Link:

http://www.oikoumene.org/index.php?RDCT=04c1ae599d8b154108ea )

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith,  witness and 
service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship  of churches 
founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 349 Protestant,
Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 560  million 
Christians in over 110 countries, and works cooperatively with the  Roman 
Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Dr Olav Fykse  Tveit, from 
the [Lutheran] Church of Norway. Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland.