As we pray fervently for peace in the world, and especially for the people of Iraq, please give thanks for the ministry of the Christian community there.

The Churches representing the two million Christians in Iraq are The Holy Apostolic Assyrian Church of the East, The Holy Ancient Apostolic Church of the East, The Chaldean Roman Catholic Church, The Syriac Orthodox and Syriac Catholic Churches, The Armenian Churches and The Protestant Churches.

These Churches also serve an additional two million Assyrian, Chaldean and Syriac Christians scattered in over 40 countries around the world.

Urgent prayer is being requested for protection for this special Christian community, the oldest Christian nation in the world, now struggling for survival in a sea of turmoil in the land of its forefathers.

Pray that the Assyrian Church of the East will endure this trial experience and return to its roots as the largest missionary force in the world.

The Indigenous Christian community in Iraq is on the verge of another survival situation. Between 1914 and 1918 and again in 1933 these Christians went through massacres in which over two-thirds of the nation was slaughtered - lost amidst the fog of today are these Christians, once a proud and very influential nation remembered in prophecy (Isaiah 19:23-25)..

The liturgy of the Assyrian, Chaldean and Syriac Churches is still today in Aramaic, the language spoken by Jesus Christ. Early in the first century the Assyrian Church sent missionaries to China, Central Asia, India, Mongolia, Japan, Siberia, Ethiopia and the rest of the known world.

Their history is little known. It was to them that Jonah came to bring the message of repentance and they repented. It was to them that the Apostle Thomas came and their King Abgar repented for his people and Assyria became the first Christian nation. The Christians of Iraq today are the remnants of Assyria that was the creator of much of our present civilization.

Cardinal Roger Etchegaray, special envoy from Pope John Paul II, recently said in St Joseph's Cathedral, Baghdad :
"Peace ? Who doesn't talk about it today everywhere in the world without thinking about the huge threats that weigh on Iraq? Who does not desire peace? But how many think that peace is still possible? How many truly want it with all their weal? How many see in prayer something other than a refuge during hours of panic? Something other than a simple alibi from human engagement?

"We pray for peace in Iraq and in the entire Middle East. It is most certainly a test of faith and the harder for those of us who take seriously both prayer and peace. They go hand in hand."

Information : Colleen Hodge - Education and Public Relations
Christian World Service - The National Council of Churches in Australia
Telephones 02 9299 2215/0419 6852 48 - Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

PREPARATIONS BY THE MIDDLE EAST COUNCIL OF CHURCHES
AND CHRISTIAN WORLD SERVICE / NATIONAL COUNCIL OF CHURCHES IN AUSTRALIA

At present in Iraq, Syria and Jordan, the Middle East Council of Churches has been preparing to help those who will be affected by conflict in Iraq. Forecasts of the potential humanitarian need are staggering. One UN document estimates there may be as many as two million internally displaced persons within Iraq, and as many as 5.4 million more who will need food aid if war disrupts delivery of monthly government "food baskets".

The MECC has conducted two training sessions for volunteers - December 2002 in Amman (Jordan), and January 2003 in the town of Hasakeh (Syria), near the Iraqi border. Some 75 volunteers, both from the host countries and from inside Iraq, were trained to deal with the problems of internally displaced persons and refugees. The trainers were MECC staff-persons experienced in working with displaced persons during the previous Gulf War and the Lebanese civil war. In line with international standards and procedures, the volunteers were trained in how to provide adequate shelter, food, and other necessities.

In addition to acquiring useful skills at a time when a refugee crisis seems imminent, the training exercises gave MECC coordinators in Jordan and Iraq opportunity to network some 30 volunteers inside Iraq who will respond to emergency humanitarian situations as they arise, and to form a staff team of four to help coordinate this effort. Two people are being recruited to be in charge of operations in Baghdad and Mosul. The MECC has identified some 18 centrally located local churches (8 in Baghdad, 4 each in Basra and Mosul, and 2 in Kirkuk) where food and other supplies will be received and distributed to all in need without regard to religion. In addition, the MECC has relationships with the Iraqi Ministry of Health and with local hospitals enabling it to deliver emergency medical supplies as needed.

Outside Iraq, major influxes of refugees are expected in both Jordan and Syria. MECC coordinators are working with local governments and international agencies -especially the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), and Action by Churches Together (ACT International), to prepare camps and preposition supplies.

Christian World Service/The National Council of Churches in Australia works in partnership with the Middle East Council of Churches and Action by Churches Together (International) and will co-operate with them in the alleviation of humanitarian need in Iraq and the surrounding countries.

CWS is preparing for an emergency appeal to the people of Australia for the people of Iraq and the Middle East.

Information : Colleen Hodge - Education and Public Relations
Christian World Service - The National Council of Churches in Australia
Telephones 02 9299 2215/0419 6852 48 - Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The leaders of the member churches of the National Council of Churches in Australia today expressed deep grief and sorrow at what is now unfolding in Iraq.

Jesus urged his followers to be peacemakers. He spoke in favour of love, justice and hope for the world. The Christian gospel counsels us to pursue human reconciliation and peace, and, as far as possible, to avoid violence as a means of settling disputes.

The commencement of war is an admission of failure. Yet another new century begins with bloodshed and destruction as a means of solving our problems.

War will always be problematic for Christian people. We confess as members of the Australian community that we have not sufficiently addressed matters that have led to the present situation. We now appreciate the folly of the supply of weapons and technology by many countries to dictators, and the inadequacy of United Nations action in the 1990s; the UN sanctions have not been appropriately controlled, and this has resulted in serious harm to the Iraqi people.

We pray that this war may end with minimal bloodshed. We pray for the people of Iraq, and for all who are caught up in this conflict. We wish to assure Australia's Defence Force personnel in Iraq and their families at home of our prayers and our wholehearted support in this time of great fear and tension. We recognise that many in our community are troubled, and reaffirm the hope God gives us in the face of human fear.

Australia and the world must learn a lesson from this situation.

The Iraqi people have lived under injustice and brutality for the past 30 years. We pray that they may experience justice and peace in the near future, and be able to contribute to the work for justice and peace of the world community.

We call upon Christians, Muslims and all people of goodwill in Australia to support the joint appeal of our own Christian World Service and the Muslim Aid that will be given directly as aid to the Iraqi people of all faiths. We reaffirm that this is not to be seen as a war between Christianity and Islam and must not be exploited as such. We are all children of God and our joint vocation now is to work for the good of all humanity. There is no place for religious hate or discrimination.

Given the Prime Minister's statement that the present war is only a first step towards the restoration of justice, peace and human dignity in Iraq, we now call upon the Australian government to invest in peace and to provide humanitarian aid to assist in the rebuilding of Iraq of at least twice the cost of the Australian involvement in the war.

We hope all Christian people will attend church next Sunday to pray for justice and peace.

Issued on 21 March 2003 on behalf of the Member Churches of the National Council of Churches in Australia.

For further information:
Contact the Revd John Henderson:
General Secretary - National Council of Churches in Australia
Tel: (02) 9299 2215 Mob: 0419 224 935

Matthew Wale from the Peace Office of the Solomon Islands Christian Association will be speaking at the National Council of Churches in Sydney at 10.30am, Tuesday 25 March.

The Peace Office is currently developing a framework for a Truth and Reconciliation Process in the Solomon Islands. Matthew is returning from a study tour of the peace and reconciliation process in East Timor. Matthew will speak to the current stage of the process in the Solomon Islands and his observations in East Timor.

Where: 7th Floor, 379 Kent Street, Sydney

RSVP: Mark Hobson
Pacific Programme Officer
International Programmes - Christian World Service
Tel: 02 9299 2215
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Leaders of other faith communities will join indigenous and non-indigenous Christians in releasing doves this Friday as part of the national release of DOV (the Decade to Over-come Violence), a new national initiative for reconciliation and peace. 'We are seeking to mark this Harmony Day', said the Revd Dr Jonathan Inkpin for the National Council of Churches in Australia, 'as an opportunity to celebrate what unites us, and to commit ourselves to a deeper sense of community and justice for us all. As we set free our birds of hope in the face of doom-laden clouds, so we call others to set free the love of God in their own lives and relationships.'

The worldwide Decade to Overcome Violence calls on churches and all people of goodwill to work together for peace, justice and reconciliation at all levels, and aims to find new and creative approaches to conflict so as to cultivate a culture of peace within ourselves, and our world. Churches across Australia have been working for some time on this project locally, but this marks the fresh urgency being given to it in our troubled times.

The DOV Release event will take place at The Centre, Randwick, Sydney on 21 March at 3.30 pm, and will be addressed by Lowitja O'Donaghue and Paula Masselos, two of the patrons of the Decade to Overcome Violence in Australia, whose work for indigenous justice and multi-cultural harmony typifies the intent of the Decade. Messages of support will also be read from fellow patrons Sir William Deane and the Revd Shayne Blackman. Representatives of the 15 member churches of the National Council of Churches in Australia and indigenous Christians will create a special covenant of hands to express their common commitment. The ceremony will conclude with the release of doves as a symbol of peace by Prof. Lowitja O'Donoghue, Mr. Jeremy Jones (National President, Executive Council of Australian Jewry), Mr. Amjad Mehboob (Chief Executive Officer, Australian Federation of Islamic Councils) and the Revd John Henderson (General Secretary, National Council of Churches in Australia).

'Overcoming violence is not easy', said the Revd Dr Jonathan Inkpin, 'but setting free the Dove of Peace in all of us can make a powerful difference.'

For further information:
Contact Emily Ninnes OR the Revd Dr Jon Inkpin at the NCCA

'What kind of ashes do we need?' is the question being asked by Australian churches in advance of UN Security Council deliberations next week. In solidarity with Pope John Paul II's own call, the National Council of Churches in Australia is inviting all churches to mark Ash Wednesday, March 5 (or 12 March, in the case of some Orthodox churches), as a special day of prayer for peace, in accordance with each church's tradition.

'Ash Wednesday is traditionally a day of repentance', said the Revd Dr Jon Inkpin for the NCCA, 'in which Christians seek grace to turn from paths of evil. Australia needs to find space for sober reflection at this time so that we turn to cultivating a culture of peace rather than war. What we require are ashes of repentance, in which we can find hope for the poor of the world, rather than ashes of destruction.

'The NCCA is encouraging particular prayers for all people facing the threat of war or persecution in the Middle East, for the members of the UN Security Council and for Australian service personnel and their families. Several NCCA member churches have recently produced new prayer and discussion materials on the subject of war and Iraq, and further resources are available from the NCCA website.

Opinion published in the Sydney Morning Herald, Wednesday 12 February 2003

The humanitarian crisis ready to unfold if war begins will be devastating writes Gaye Hart, President of the Australian Council for Overseas Aid.

Australian aid agencies know from previous experience in other conflicts that the real cost of war with Iraq will be a devastating humanitarian crisis. Aid agencies supporting humanitarian projects in Iraq, and the region, report that about 15 million Iraqis, out of an estimated population of 24 million, depend on food rations provided under an agreement between the United Nations and the Iraqi government.

Chronic malnutrition among children under five is 23%. The mortality rate for young children has risen by 160% since 1990. The health care system is no longer covering basic needs. Poor water quality is the primary reason for sickness and death among children, who make up almost half the population.

Iraq's water and sanitation system is on the verge of collapse, because it is dependent on electrical supplies crippled during the 1991 air strikes. Now, 11 years after the Gulf War, it is estimated that one-third of the national power supply is still down, two-thirds of house-connected water is untreated. In the cities, the trucks that used to empty cesspits and septic tanks have ground to a halt due to a lack of tyres, batteries and other spare parts, so sewage flows back into peoples' houses.

Any military action that damages power supplies and other infrastructure will inevitably further damage this already fragile system, and increase the likelihood of preventable diseases such as cholera and hepatitis sweeping through the population. Attacks that affect roads, ports or railways will lead to the collapse of the distribution system for food aid. The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation's representative in Iraq warns that a sudden loss of food distribution will force many over the brink of starvation. The people of Iraq no longer have safety nets to help them cope with another crisis.

Iraq currently has some 700,000 refugees. War would undoubtedly lead to additional refugee movements within the country and towards borders that would be heavily mined. The logistical problems that aid agencies would face in providing even the most basic humanitarian assistance to these people, especially those stranded on border regions, would be overwhelming.

Aside from the humanitarian impact of conflict, modern warfare is expensive. The World Council of Churches estimates that the United States will spend about $US12billion every month on the proposed war in Iraq. This is the same amount the US spends in a whole year on its entire overseas aid program.

The Australian Council for Overseas Aid (ACFOA), which represents 90 Australian aid and development organisations, urges the Government to avoid war and to pursue all possible avenues to bring about a diplomatic and just resolution to the current situation with Iraq through the United Nations.

Military action in Iraq will almost inevitably violate international humanitarian law and will have serious impacts on regional stability. Worse, military action that damages power supplies and transport infrastructure will have disastrous humanitarian consequences. And the price will be paid by the already suffering Iraqi population, mainly women and children, who will surely be left to struggle to survive against formidable odds.

Information : Colleen Hodge - Education and Public Relations, Christian World Service - The National Council of Churches in Australia
Telephones 02 9299 2215/0419 6852 48
Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

Extract from an Open Letter to the Prime Minister from Australian Aid Agencies

Australia is preparing for a possible war against Iraq. As Australian non-government organisations responding globally to human need we believe there will be significant humanitarian consequences from any military action.

In peace or war, the Iraqi government bears prime responsibility for the welfare of its citizens. But that responsibility is shared. With Iraq's economy undermined by war and sanctions, up to 16 million people - more than two-thirds of the population - are dependent on a fragile food-rationing system set up by the international community. Authoritative reports indicate that 23% of children in Iraq are already chronically malnourished. Any military action targeting Iraq's ports and roads would cause serious disruption to the food-distribution system.

A number of reports by the UN and by aid agencies working on the ground in Iraq confirm that the water and sanitation systems are in a parlous and vulnerable state. Clean water supplies, as well as the sewage system, depend on electricity. If power lines and power stations are targeted, sewage will not be pumped away and clean water will not be available. Inevitably, disease will sweep through a population whose child-mortality rates have already more than doubled in the last decade. Over 70% of current child deaths in Iraq are caused by diarrhoeal and respiratory diseases.

Iraq's people are already enduring a humanitarian crisis. Their extreme vulnerability, particularly among children and women, should be given full weight in the current deliberations of the Australian Government in the coming days and weeks.

We urge you to commit the Australian Government to support and pursue all possible actions to bring about a diplomatic and peaceful resolution to the situation in Iraq through the auspices of the United Nations, including efforts to support an improvement in the lives of civilians in Iraq.

Lynn Arnold, World Vision Australia
Jack de Groot, Caritas Australia
Caesar D'Mello, Christian World Service, the National Council of Churches in Australia
Gaye Hart, President, Australian Council for Overseas Aid
Andrew Hewett, Oxfam-Community Aid Abroad
Veronica Ross, CCF Australia
Heather Saville, Quaker Service Australia
Greg Thompson, AngliCORD

Information : Colleen Hodge - Education and Public Relations, Christian World Service - The National Council of Churches in Australia
Telephones 02 9299 2215/0419 6852 48 - Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

World Council of Churches, International Monetary Fund and the World Bank to continue dialogue - first encounter "historic" 

At the end of a two-day seminar, the World Council of Churches, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank have identified four areas of concern that will be addressed in a series of gatherings beginning later this year.

The agreed themes are:
• the challenges of globalization;

• participation of the people in development, such as in Poverty Reduction Programmes and in debt resolution;
• the respective roles of the state and public and private sectors in development and poverty reduction efforts;
• and institutional governance and accountability, with regard to equity, justice and the distribution of wealth.

"This encounter was historic, because it began a process of dialogue and of common challenge," commented Aruna Gnanadason, Coordinator of the WCC's team on Justice, Peace and Creation. This first step in the process "brought to the fore the urgency for reflections on the context of economic globalization and the grave inequalities in our world", Gnanadason said.

Konrad Raiser, General Secretary of the WCC, noted in a letter addressed to seminar participants, "Many among the constituency of the WCC would question the wisdom and purpose of such a dialogue." He said, the seminar had brought together partners "who have so far had very little opportunity to talk face to face", and had created "a space where the difficult issues concerning the sustainability of the global human community can be faced with respect for the integrity of one another's convictions and commitments".

While the WCC's contribution to this dialogue has always been "informed by the insight and advice of competent experts", it has sought primarily "to articulate the voice of those who have little opportunity of influencing the decisions but have to bear their consequences", Raiser said. The WCC has tried in this way to give the dialogue "the human face which is a central focus of the present discussion".

Information : Colleen Hodge - Education and Public Relations, Christian World Service - The National Council of Churches in Australia
Telephones 02 9299 2215/0419 6852 48
Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

Last week a group of 5 Indonesian religious leaders - 3 Muslim and 2 Christian - came to Australia to spread a message of hope.

The leaders included Mr Hasyim Muzadi, General Chairman of Nahlatul Ulama, the largest Islamic organisation in Indonesia, with 60 million members, and Cardinal Julius Darmaatmadja, President of the Catholic Bishop's Conference of Indonesia. The Cardinal said that when his friend, Mr Muzadi, was invited to come to Australia, he replied he would not come without his Christian friend, the Cardinal. So they both came!

The key message of the visit was one of friendship and solidarity between Muslims and Christians in Indonesia. It was jointly sponsored by the Australia Indonesia Institute, part of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and the Indonesian government.

The delegation of religious leaders met key figures in government, as well as their religious Australian counterparts in Sydney, Canberra, and Melbourne. At each meeting they reinforced the message of friendship, peace and hope.

They told about many bombings in Indonesia which attempted to make it look like one religion had attacked another. This interpretation would suit some interests, but faithful Muslims and Christians know otherwise. They will not be panicked into fear and reprisal. The bombings, said the Cardinal, are the work of "unseen forces" who want to use religion as a pretext for their own ends.

Despite the inter-governmental sponsorship of the visit, the delegation stressed the need for relational, non-institutional links between religions. An outcome of the Soeharto years was the institutionalisation of religious affairs by the government. They do not believe that governments should control the religious agenda. They want to show the world that the different religions of Indonesia know how to build harmony and understanding for a stronger, better and more united nation.
During their visit, the delegation formed new links and friendships that will strengthen relationships between Australia and Indonesia, particularly in religious matters.

Members of the Indonesian delegation were:
Mr KH Hasyim Muzadi, General Chairman of Nhadlatul Ulama
Cardinal Julius Rijadi Darmaatmadja, SJ, President of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Indonesia
The Revd Professor Andreas Anangguru Yewangoe, Executive member, Communion of Churches in Indonesia (PGI)
Mr H M Rozy Munir, Chairman of Nhadlatul Ulama
Mr Abdul Wahid Maktub, Special Assistant to the General Chairman

For further information:
Contact the Revd John Henderson