NEWS SIDEBAR: Church council urges Clinton to avoid force in Iraq crisis

c. 1998 Religion News Service CHICAGO _ As the United States edged closer to a military attack on Iraq, delegates to the general assembly of the National Council of Churches ended their three-day meeting Friday (Nov. 13) urging President Clinton to”seek every way”to avoid the use of force.”We call upon you to seek every way […]

c. 1998 Religion News Service

CHICAGO _ As the United States edged closer to a military attack on Iraq, delegates to the general assembly of the National Council of Churches ended their three-day meeting Friday (Nov. 13) urging President Clinton to”seek every way”to avoid the use of force.”We call upon you to seek every way to avoid the use of force and to resolve the matter of this conflict by peaceful means,”the letter to Clinton said. The letter also noted the NCC’s continual call for Iraq to cooperate with United Nations weapons inspectors while expressing concern about the potential innocent civilian victims of armed action.”We are acutely aware of the immorally massive level of suffering that the economic sanctions have imposed upon the people of Iraq, especially the most vulnerable among them, including children, women, the elderly and the sick,”the letter said.”During Holy Week (the week before Easter) this year, members of our body have visited Iraq and seen at first hand the human devastation that the sanctions have wrought. Having seen such visions, the depiction of Iraqis in the media as enemies is repugnant to us.” The delegates, from 35 mainline Protestant and Orthodox denominations, voted unanimously by voice vote to send the letter to Clinton.

The Iraq situation topped a list of international issues addressed by the council during its meeting, including adoption of a resolution calling for the cancellation of the international debt of poor countries so that those nations are able to increase the amount of money spent on education and health care.


It urged the U.S. government”to use its leadership in the international community to support and promote debt cancellation for impoverished countries.”Such a step could”restore economic and environmental justice”to the residents of those nations, it said.

The resolution, which was adopted unanimously by voice vote, specifically sought the immediate cancellation of international debt of Honduras and Nicaragua, countries that are reeling from the ravages of Hurricane Mitch, to prevent hindrance of their work to meet humanitarian needs.

The Rev. Sandy Peirce, pastor of a Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) congregation in Placerville, Ca., cited statistics from human rights organizations demonstrating the disparity in funds spent by poor countries on debt compared to social causes.

For example, while Zambia faces rising infant mortality rates and 100,000 Ethiopian children die each year from diarrhea, the governments of those countries spend four dollars to pay back debts for every dollar on health care.”Today I bring this resolution to you as a first step,”said Peirce, a member of the NCC’s Church World Service and Witness unit committee.”If we are going to change the way the world does business, it will take more than just our simple action today, but the unit committee hopes and prays that you are ready to join us in confronting the injustice that we experience in these monstrous proportions.” Delegates to the general assembly also received a policy statement affirming the work of the United Nations, called”Pillars of Peace for the 21st Century.”In the 1940s, a document titled”Six Pillars of Peace”was adopted by the Federal Council of Churches, the precursor to the NCC, and helped in the founding of the United Nations.

The new statement, which is scheduled for final approval at next year’s general assembly in Cleveland, affirms the work of the United Nations and its”vision of peace rooted in justice.” In other matters during the three-day meeting, delegates to the assembly:

_ Received a proposal on public education that called on the nation to”come together now in a national crusade to save the public schools.”The proposed policy statement, which affirms”that public moneys should be used only for public schools,”is expected to be considered for final approval at next year’s general assembly in Cleveland.

_ Approved a policy statement declaring that”all human beings, including those among us with disabilities, are entitled to rights in church and society.” _ Welcomed its 35th member denomination, the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church.


_ Received a proposal on interfaith relations that would foster dialogue with non-Christian faith groups and condemn bigotry against other religions. A rewritten version could be officially adopted at next year’s assembly.

_ Received a greeting from the national ecumenical officer of the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches, a predominantly gay denomination that has unsuccessfully sought member status in the NCC, as well as greetings from Pentecostal and Catholic representatives.

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