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January 15, 2003
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
UNITARIANS RENEW CALL FOR
PEACE
Across Canada, from
Victoria to the Atlantic provinces, Unitarians will join
the International Days for Peace marches, rallies and
demonstrations this weekend. Meanwhile, the Canadian
Unitarian Council continues its correspondence with the
Prime Minister’s office, urging that Canada uphold
international law.
"We have heard no
convincing or believable evidence that the Iraqi
leadership poses an immediate or near-term threat to us,
to any of our allies, or to any of its neighbouring
states," the CUC wrote to Prime Minister Jean
Chretien on January 8. "As a result, we believe the
deaths of innocent Iraqi children, women and men that
will accompany an attack will be unjustified, illegal,
and against any principles of human decency."
Unitarian-Universalists
covenant to affirm and promote the goal of world
community with peace, liberty and justice for all.
Moreover, Unitarians affirm that peace is more than the
absence of war. "Peace includes the broader concept
of mental, physical and spiritual well being of
people," according to a resolution adopted in 1974.
"We do not know
whether or not Saddam Hussein has weapons of mass
destruction," the CUC wrote. "We do know that
Israel, India, Pakistan, China, Russia, France, Britain
and the U.S. have them in such quantities as to beggar
whatever he has." In order to carry out good faith
negotiations, the CUC called for Russia and the United
States to lead by example, and eliminate their own
weapons first.
CUC adds its own unique
voice to the rising chorus – including the Canadian
Peace Alliance, Be The Change, and the Kairos Institute
– urging compassion and restraint in international
relations.
The swift (next day)
response from the Prime Minister’s Office indicates
that the PMO is well aware that many Canadians share
this perspective.
The Canadian Unitarian
Council/Conseil unitarien du Canada (CUC), is an
association of forty-four congregations located across
Canada with 5,200 individual members. Arising out of the
work of outspoken reformers and dissenters within the
Christian tradition five centuries ago, the Unitarian
movement today includes Universalists and flows in a
broad religious stream augmented by Humanist,
earth-centred, Buddhist and other progressive beliefs.
For more information,
contact: Rev Brian Kiely, Unitarian Church of Edmonton,
403- 455-9797
e-mail: brikie@aol.com |
