20th Day of Third Month of 2003
Quaker Service Agencies statement on the launching of war on Iraq
A good end cannot sanctify
evil means; nor must we ever do evil that good
may come of it."
�William Penn, 1693
We are appalled and deeply saddened by the decision of
the United Kingdom, the United States of America and other countries, such as
Australia, to launch a war against Iraq. We pray for all those affected -
combatants and non-combatants alike. We pray for world leaders that God's grace
will lead them to bring a rapid cessation to the war.
War threatens to terrify, maim, kill, and bereave vast
numbers of innocent people in Iraq who are already suffering the punitive
effects of economic sanctions (half of Iraq's citizens are children). We fear
that violence in the region will intensify, whilst efforts towards peaceful
democratic change will be undermined. Bridge-building between the West and the
Arab and Muslim world will become more difficult. Support for political
extremists across the world appears likely to increase.
The primary purpose of the United Nations to
"save succeeding generations from the scourge of war" through patient
dialogue and disarmament has been cast aside by governments that claim to be
world leaders in democracy and human rights. We are shamed, grieved and angered
by the fact that a small minority of governments has chosen the unconscionable
act of war, going against the will of the international community and against
the will of many of their own citizens.
Despite our grief and shame, our spirits are heartened
by the tens of millions of world citizens who are taking up the responsibility
of citizenship - to learn about global issues, to affirm the role of the United
Nations and the Security Council, and to challenge the actions of government
when their actions contravene what is moral and just.
Quakers recognise that the crisis over Iraq has
presented extraordinary challenges to the international community. The world's
goal for Iraq must be the same as that for any nation - a just and sustainable
peace for its people and neighbours. To this end, the United Nations weapons
inspections and disarmament process appeared to be making progress. The lifting
of indiscriminate economic sanctions against Iraq might have helped its people
towards determining their own future according to their right.
War is not the answer, not now and not ever. War does
not bring about peace. War does not bring about security. War hurts innocent
people and generates new resentment and new impetus for revenge in generations
to come. Faith in violence as a means of solving political problems is both
dangerous and contrary to our understanding of God's way. It is irresponsible
for any nation to possess weapons of mass destruction and threaten their use
against others. Peace between nations can only be won if the international
community accepts a common responsibility for achieving disarmament and
answering the vital needs of all. We implore world leaders to return to the
tables of the United Nations with ever more resolve to solve international
crises peacefully and to hold each other accountable for their actions in the
global community.
We pray for the day when "nations will not take
up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore" (Isaiah
2:4). Quakers remain joined to the global effort to bring this day nearer. We
renounce the use of violence, and affirm the power of non-violence and love, to
bring about the cause of peace and justice for all. Signatories:
Mary Ellen McNish
General Secretary
American Friends Service
Committee
Philadelphia, PA, USA
Margaret Clare Ford
Clerk
Canadian Friends Service
Committee, Canadian Yearly Meeting
60 Lowther Avenue
Toronto, ON, M5R 1C7
Joe Volk
Executive Secretary
Friends Committee on National
Legislation
245 Second Street, NE
Washington, DC, USA
Bruce Birchard
General Secretary
Friends General Conference
(organization listed for
purpose of identification only)
1216 Arch Street, Suite 2-B
Philadelphia, PA, 19107
Elizabeth Duke
General Secretary
Friends World Committee for
Consultation
(organization listed for
purpose of identification only)
4 Byng Place
London, UK, WC1E 7LE
Jo Valentine
Clerk
Northern Friends Peace Board
Victoria Hall, Knowsley
Street
Bolton, UK BL1 2AS
Steve Baumgarten
Executive Director
Pendle Hil Quaker Study
Center
338 Plush Mill Road
Wallingford, PA, USA
Grant McCullough
Project Leader
Quaker Cottage Family Centre
Northern Ireland
Martina
Weitsch and Elizabeth Scurfield
Joint Representatives/Heads
of Office
Quaker Council for European
Affairs
Quaker House, Square Ambiorix
50
B-1000 Brussels, Belgium
Beryl Milner
Clerk
Quaker Peace & Social Witness Central Committee,
Britain Yearly Meeting
Friends House
London, UK NW1 2BJ
Jeremy Routledge
Director
The Quaker Peace Centre
Cape Town, South Africa
Derry Gordon
Convenor
Quaker Service Aotearoa/New
Zealand
22 Mount Pleasant Rd
Christchurch
Heather Saville
Convenor
Quaker Service Australia
Management Committee
Australia
Bernt-Erik Heid
Chairman
Quaker Service Norway
Skovvn 20
0257 OSLO, Norway
Tofte Frykman
Convener
Quaker Service Sweden
Frihamra 5704 B
S-762 94 RIMBO, Sweden
Rachel Brett
Representative (Human Rights
and Refugees)
Quaker United Nations Office - Geneva
13 Avenue du Mervelet
1209 Geneva, Switzerland
Jack Patterson
Representative
Quaker United Nations Office
- New York
777 UN Plaza