WCC, others condemn bombing of UN offices

Christian Century, Sept 6, 2003

The World Council of Churches has strongly condenmed the bombing ot the United Nations headquarters in Baghdad that killed at least 20 people wounding and mainming scores of others, including aid workers. "The WCC is deeply shocked by the horrific terrorist attack," the council's general secretary, Konrad Raiser, said in a letter to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

Denouncing "such unwarranted and unlawful acts that serve no acceptable purpose," Raiser also said the WCC mourns "the loss of lives of the UN personnel who were in Baghdad to serve the humanitarian needs of the people and work for restoration of the sovereignty of the people of lraq."

He singled out especially "the untimely death" of Sergio Vieira de Mello the UN special representative in Iraq who Raiser said was "an old friend of the World Council of Churches."

Both the attack in Baghdad and a devastating one in Jerusalem the same day were apparently set off by suicide bombers. In Baghdad, a truck laden with explosives demolished a converted hotel filled with UN workers. In Jerusalem, a bomb ripped through a crowded bus, killing at least 20 and wounding 80.

Pope John Paul II was among religious leaders from around the world deploring the bombings. The pope urged international political leaders to find a way to end what he called "this ruinous spiral of hatred and violence." John Paul said that the "tragic news can only generate deep sadness and unanimous reprobation in our hearts."

Both the pope and many U.S. denominations opposed the U.S.-led coalition's invasion of Iraq, but they have also warned of terrorism's futility and immorality. "If we are ever to achieve a "just peace,' whether in lraq or among lsraelis and Palestinians, the cycle of violence must be broken," said United Methodist minister Bob Edgar, general secretary of the National Council of Churches. Noting that the attack struck at the very people working to improve living conditions in Iraq, Edgar applauded the United Nations' resolve to continue its work in Baghdad.

Action by Churches Together, a worldwide network of churches and agencies meeting human needs, said some of the people wounded in the August 19 blast had belonged to organizations that it supports and are involved in mine-clearing programs, funded by DanChurchAid and other ACT partners. ACT is based at WCC headquarters in Geneva.--RNS, ENI