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Church World
Service Resolution on Iraq
December 10, 2003
During Advent, the Christian season of hope, Church World Service expresses its deep concern about the continued devastating effects of the conflict in Iraq, the humanitarian situation, and the mounting number of injuries and loss of life among both military personnel and civilians.
In the midst of these horrific events, our hearts are heavy and our prayers are with our brothers and sisters in the Middle East and all those families who grieve at the loss of life in the conflict. We hear from our partner churches and agencies such as the Middle East Council of Churches that they live with increasing desperation. The painstaking collective efforts of a generation to improve relations among Muslims, Christians, and Jews are in serious jeopardy.
We affirm that God loves all humanity regardless of race, nation, or religion. Created in the image of God, we are all children of God united as brothers and sisters. We extend open arms to our brothers and sisters of other faiths, asking them to join with us to create a world of peace based on justice across cultures, languages, and religions, using dialogue to foster understanding, nurture friendships, and resolve conflict. Our rich religious heritages have much in common for building a peaceful world based on tolerance, cooperation, and the care for the “least of the earth.”
We are saddened that the people of Iraq suffered for many years under Saddam Hussein’s dictatorship. They are now living under the fear of sudden bombings or of being caught in a cross fire or military skirmishes. Their infrastructure, which was already damaged under Saddam Hussein’s dictatorship, has seen further deterioration resulting in frequent interruptions of water and electricity supply. Medicine and food are at premium price. Hospitals lack personnel, medical supplies, and basic equipment for treatment. Schools are overcrowded and have to operate at least two shifts. Malnutrition among children, after thirteen years of sanctions, is still a great worry.
We note with deep concern the termination of the unprecedented, multi-billion dollar United Nations Oil-for-Food program, which fed most Iraqis since 1996 under Saddam Hussein's sanctions-bound regime. The 46-billion dollar humanitarian program was transferred to the U.S.-run Coalition Provisional Authority as of November 21, 2003. It allowed the Government of Iraq to sell oil for food and humanitarian supplies and served as the sole source of sustenance for 60 percent of Iraq's estimated 27 million people. Under the program, the malnutrition rate among Iraqi children was halved, and national vaccination campaigns reduced child mortality from preventable diseases.
The termination of this UN activity should be replaced by another equally massive humanitarian program. However, since August 19, 2003, when the UN headquarters in Baghdad was bombed, there has been a steady withdrawal of UN and other relief and development personnel due to additional bombings and attacks.
The difficult experience of humanitarian actors in Iraq highlights once again that humanitarian operations cannot function effectively within an unstable environment. Humanitarian agency operations must be independent of the military and protected by the Humanitarian Code of Conduct and the Geneva Conventions and Protocols governing the rights of non-combatants.
We see as a positive sign the fact that, following a request from the United States-appointed Governing Council, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan met on Dec. 1, 2003, with his advisory group on Iraq for the first time. This initiative is aimed at persuading countries in the region to support a common approach to the post-conflict country, including improving Iraq’s economic development, political outlook, and military and police security. The advisory group comprises
Egypt, Iraq’s neighbors Iran, Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Turkey, the Security Council permanent members, plus Angola, Chile, Germany, Pakistan, and Spain.
It is our hope that Mr. Annan will announce an acting Special Representative for Iraq very soon, along with the establishment of a regional office to focus on UN activities in Iraq. This process eventually will enable the UN to assist with political transition and to resume full operations in Iraq.
It is our conviction that the rebuilding of Iraq must involve the U.S. and the international community, particularly the UN, the Arab League, and the European Union. Therefore, we urge President George Bush and the U.S. Government to:
- Take immediate and substantive steps to cede authority to the international community through the UN;
- Fulfill the U.S. stated commitment to respect Iraq’s sovereignty and meaningful representation in self-governance, and bring the occupation to a speedy end;
- Create safe conditions for impartial and independent delivery of humanitarian assistance; and
- Recognize its obligation to develop and provide access for multilateral participation in the rebuilding of Iraq and to contribute generously in the rehabilitation and reconstruction itself.
For our part, we pledge to continue to reject all efforts to demonize any group of people and to both stand against repeated political efforts to label some as “evil” and the use of scripture for the purpose of waging war. We also reject forms of violence such as terrorism, occupation, and war.
We encourage the members of our churches to continue praying for the safety of all the servicemen and women in the U.S.-led Coalition and for the safety of the people of Iraq. We hold in prayer especially the churches of Iraq, which are bearing witness in the land in which they have lived for two thousand years.
The crisis in Iraq challenges us as Christians to embrace our prophetic call to speak truth to power, our compassionate ministry to heal the broken and hurting body of Christ, and our ecclesial mission to bear witness to the oneness of the Church. These incarnate ministries witness to the world that we hold fast to the ancient faith to which we are grateful heirs.
In the words of the Middle East Council of Churches General Secretary, in a letter to the CWS Board of Directors, dated October 23, 2003, if we can communicate to the people of Iraq that we believe all of us to be created in the image and likeness of God, “we will see emerge from the ashes of the present moment an Iraqi people that will once again contribute their vitality and creativity to all their neighbors and the world at large.”
God calls us to be signs of hope and healing. However daunting the task, we must be bridge builders across cultures and pursue paths of peace rooted in mercy and justice. We recommit ourselves to God's vision of peace and will strive to build a world of greater understanding, tolerance, compassion, and care, and look to the day when we can live without the threat of war and all people can live in peace.
Policy Basis: NCCCUSA Statement on the Pillars of Peace and Church World Service Board Statement of March 19, 2003.