Newsletters and Updates

Current Articles New Program Manager (June 2009) China Update (June 2009) Evans Honorary Doctorate (March 2009) Obama Recommendations (January 2009) Emerging China Program (January 2009) Little Rock Peace Network (January 2009) Tallberg Forum (October 2008) Seeking Peace in Colombia (October 2008) Papua Peace Update (July 2008) Evans Reflections on CTF (July 2008) Courant Plowshares Article (July 2008) Interfaith Dialogue Initiative (February 2008) Restorative Justice Work (February 2008)

A Recent Letter by Robert Evans to "Reclaiming the Prophetic Voice" Regarding Peacebuilding in Iraq

We need to celebrate what was accomplished by the enormous series of peace demonstrations in Connecticut and around the world and highlight current strategic issues of advocacy and support in Iraq and in the Middle East.  

(1)   Celebrate the largest number of demonstrations for peace ever held in the United States and around the world.  A result of those demonstrations appears to be greater constraint by the Allied forces in terms of the number of civilian casualties and the amount of destruction to Iraqi infrastructure than might have occurred without the demonstrations.  There are also new networks of dialogue and concern that have been developed beyond the traditional peace networks as a result of the peace movement.  Also, far greater quantities of medical and other emergency supplies were collected and distributed than would have been the case without the peace initiative.  Therefore, we should celebrate this new resurgence and action in the peace arena.

(2)   Next strategic steps: 

A.  Continue to contribute to the enormous food, medicine, and infrastructure needs that exist in Iraq.  Demand that our government and other non-profit agencies, particularly those from the religious community, put forth as a priority meeting the needs of people that have suffered so greatly from the U.N.-imposed sanctions and from the military invasion. 

B.  Insist in our conversations with our congressional representatives and colleagues that “the U.S. withdraw as soon as possible” from the control and occupation of this recovering nation.  The process of transition needs to be put in the hands of Arab and Muslim leaders, especially the indigenous resident leaders in Iraq itself.  This is not only for the benefit of Iraqis, but also for the United States.  A  recent Pew poll the  anti-American feelings are running at the highest level in decades in virtually the entire Arab world.  The startling reality is that Osama bin Ladin is a far more respected leader than George W. Bush in every one of the large Muslim nations in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.

C.  Focus attention on the core crisis, which is the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.  We need to genuinely acknowledge when there are at least hopeful initiatives such as the current “roadmap to peace.”  We need to insist that these demands be equitable to both the Israelis and Palestinians.   Isolated acts of terrorism must not be able to detour the road to two independent states co-existing in a mutually-beneficial way.  Initiatives by Bush and the U.S. administration must be both supported and tempered by colleagues from the U.N., the Arab world, and the European Union.  This is an opportunity for constructive dialogue on the Middle East in our communities and our congregations, focusing on understanding rather than agreement. 

D.  Recognize and address the negative impact that this build-up in military resources and the current tax cuts will have on our poorest communities, which are predominantly populated by people of color, by reducing resources for food, shelter, heating oil, and police protection.   The focus on funding the war and military sources for other possible pre-emptive action as potential military incursions drains the resources of virtually every state and community.  A priority on human and ecology “development” rather than “defense” must be sought. 

E.  Resist and to seek to reverse the policy of “pre-emption.” This policy of legitimizing pre-emptive military strikes against nations that are suspected to be a threat to the U.S. has become probably the most dangerous precedent in this century.  The Indonesian parliament and military has just used pre-emptive policy to launch a strike of “shock and awe” against the GAM liberation forces in the province of Aceh.  At the same time, alternative programs in the protection of human rights, the expansion of democracy, and intervention in conflict, such as those of Plowshares, are neglected, and policies of force are prioritized.

F.  We must acknowledge the benefit of the removal of the brutal and repressive dictator, Saddam Hussein, whose victims are being literally unearthed daily.  We must also acknowledge that the figures on the deaths of children as a result of the sanctions, while excessively large, may have been exaggerated because physicians and social workers were forced to lie by the Hussein regime.