No cause is well served by violence. Those committing crimes against humanity in the Middle East will not be moved by harm to peace activits. To them, these hostages are expendable. The people being held are not guilty of any crimes against the Muslim people or non-Muslim Arabs, Iraqis, Iranians, Afghanis, Egyptians, Palestinians, or any others. These peace activists currently being held hostage can be more helpful to the cause of justice by being free. Think it through.
I pray the people holding the four Chrisitan Peace Team Members will find a positive way to advance their cause rather than doing the harm they are doing this way. Releasing and becoming friends with Harmeet, Tom, James and Norman could be the beginning of some healing.
I met Jim Loney at the Christian Peace-Makers office in Hebron when my family participated in a Compassionate Listening Mission as part of Mid East Citizen Diplomacy. Jim and the other CPT members were devoted to peacemaking and assisting those who were the victims of injustice. They are opposed to war and violence and their lives must be saved so that they can continue their assistance to those who are victims of war.
Please free the members of the Christian Peacemaker Teams held in Iraq. They are opposed to the coalition occupation of Iraq, and to the USA led war. Their presence in Iraq is to bear witness to the effects of the occupation. Last year James Loney made a presentation in Ottawa chronicling abuses to the Iraqi people. It was very effective and changed some people's mind regarding the validity of colaltion presence in Iraq.
These people are friends, not enemies, of the Iraqi people.
In light of recent revelations about secret Pentagon activities in Iraq, I consider it possible that a US inspired or financed group organized this kidnapping/
"Kidnapping and hostage taking bring on a reign of terror; by means of threats they subject their victims to intolerable pressures. They are morally wrong. It is necessary to work for their abolition." Catechism of the Catholic Church 2297-2298
Please release this people they don't have nothing to do with the war,but they are civil and human rights activist,they want to help and they are witnesses of any atrocities,release them
For THOSE holding these good men captive; let them go about their business of assisting the Iraqi citizens..TAT IS their Only usiness there.. and You desperately Need MORE good men jus like they are , alive & WELL.. God Bless All of You and Keep you under HIS UMBRELLA . VEDAGF
As coordinator of the Peace Advocacy Fellowship of the Lancaster Church of the Brethren, I appeal to you to allow the CPT workers to return to their work for peace and justice in Iraq. They are your and my friends who do not apporve of what the US government has been doing in the Middle East.
In these difficult times of war and injustice we are in desperate need of people of differing beliefs and faith to join together in solidarity for peace.
These four have been working for the release of those detained. They will be much more effective if they are allowed to continue their work. This sort of coercion has not historically been effective against the US government.
The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is a God of love and nonviolence. As a volunteer with Christian Peacemaker Teams in Colombia I can only attest to the fact that CPT is committed to siding with those in Iraq and elsewhere who find themselves in the crossfires of immoral acts of violence. No one at CPT, including our four friends who are angels in your midst, supports the act of military aggression by the United States against the people of Iraq. These four men stand on the side of the powerless, even as they are now at your mercy. God of all, protect these men and protect all men, women and children in Iraq from violence and death.
