20th Day of Third Month of 2003

Quaker Service Agencies statement
on the launching of war on Iraq

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:

Paul A. Lacey
Clerk
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

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

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
New York, NY, USA, 10017