Church Leaders Statement on Iraq (10 February 2003)

Media Release 10 February 2003

There is still time

We, Church leaders in New Zealand, wish to speak out against a war on Iraq at this time. We do so aware of the probable evil intentions of the present government in Iraq and acknowledging the limitation of our knowledge. But we speak to that which we know.

Any decision to launch a military operation against Iraq should be made by the United Nations Security Council, and then only after all options have been exhausted.

As the Charter of the United Nations and international law remind us, war is never merely another means of settling differences between nations, except as the very last option.

Less than five months ago, we issued a joint statement on "the threat of war against Iraq" in which we stated unequivocally that an attack on Iraq would be immoral by its very nature; being a pre-emptive strike, a war initiated before all peace efforts and other means to avoid war have failed. We believe there is still a possibility of resolving the crisis by diplomatic means.

However, the threat of war now seems a near certainty with the amassing of military might in the region, and we cannot remain silent. War is not inevitable. Even a decision by the United Nations Security Council to launch an attack should be taken only after a study of the consequences for the Iraqi civilian population and the repercussions a war might have on the countries of the region and on world stability.

The current intentions of the United States of America toward Iraq constitute a serious threat to world peace and threaten relationships between Christians and Muslims. The reconstruction of Afghanistan hangs in the balance, several Arab states are experiencing serious internal stress, and the Israel-Palestine conflict endures. This wound in the Middle East is still open and weeping. Rather than opening the wound further the resources of western countries must be employed in healing the wound.

A war against Iraq has been portrayed as an action in the context of the so-called "war on terrorism". Terrorism is born of grudge and grievance, whether rightly or wrongly held. An invasion of Iraq would greatly increase grudges and grievances already in place. Violence breeds further violence, and there is a moral obligation on us to break this vicious cycle. Peace will have a better chance when we all understand that we are part of the same humanity, that the death of people in Iraq is as terrible as the death of the victims of September 11, 2001.

As leaders of churches in New Zealand, we call upon the New Zealand government to leave no stone unturned in exerting maximum diplomatic pressure on Iraq, the United States, the United Kingdom and the United Nations to find a non-violent solution to the present impasse. There is still time.

We invite the members of our churches and all people of goodwill in this country to join us in an emphatic 'no" against this war. We ask people to study the issues of this crisis and express their convictions to appropriate authorities. We are communicating our convictions to the New Zealand Government and the New Zealand based diplomatic authorities of the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia.

1 February 2003.

Signed:

John Paterson, Presiding Bishop, Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia; Brian Winslade, National Leader, Baptist Churches of New Zealand; Bryce Morris, Congregational Union of New Zealand; Norman West, President, Methodist Church of Aotearoa New Zealand; Michael Thawley, Moderator, Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand; Thomas Williams, Roman Catholic Church, Archbishop of Wellington and Metropolitan of New Zealand; Commissioner Dr. Shaw Clifton, Territorial Commander, The Salvation Army - New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga.

[ends]

An Open Letter to Congregations from Michael Thawley, Moderator of the Presbyterian Church

What can people of peace do? - Some practical responses to the ever increasing threat of war in Iraq