Scottish Christian Vows to Return to Peace Work in Iraq

As freed hostage Norman Kember continues to celebrate his first few days of freedom on home soil, a Scottish Christian school teacher has expressed her desire to return to Iraq to continue with peace work.

|TOP|"I feel called by God to do this work," said Jan Benvie. "It sounds quite simplistic but it is just the way I can explain it."

The government did not openly criticise Mr Kember for conducting his peace work in Iraq but did warn against all travel to the country under the present circumstances.

Ms Benvie, a primary teacher from Inverkeithing and a fellow member of the Christian Peacemaker Teams with Kember, also came out to defend CPT, saying she believed they had a right to continue their work in the country.

“In general we allow adults to make their own decisions about their lives," she said. "Despite the dangers I believe, as Christian Peacemaker Teams believe, that it is vitally important that we go and try to make peace."

|QUOTE|Negotiator and former Beirut hostage, Terry Waite, came out to express his concern over the tactics of the CPT workers, warning that any westerner in Iraq was exposed to “very grave danger”.

“Many people say that's a risk we understand and are willing to take - people have to take their own decision and make their own responsible decision about that," he said.

"The only problem is that as you take that stance, you do involve other people, and in your situation that might be a problem."

According to the Scotsman, Ms Benvie said she did not expect British forces to intervene in the event of her being kidnapped and that any intervention on the part of the government or military commanders was their own responsibility.

Another Scottish member of CPT, Maureen Jack, said the groups would be considering whether to stay or to go under present circumstances.

|AD|“There is no doubt that CPT in Iraq will be having discussions with friends and partners about the most appropriate way forward. But there have been CPT members prepared to go back to Iraq," she said.

She added: "We go, not naively, but accepting the risks and believing they are worth taking. We don't expect people to take risks on our behalf."
Norman Kember issued a statement earlier in the week in which he expressed his joy at being free but also added that he needed to reflect on his own experience.

The full statement by Norman Kember and released on the Churches Together in Britain and Ireland website can be read here in full:

There is a real sense in which you are interviewing the wrong person. It is the ordinary people of Iraq that you should be talking to - the people who have suffered so much over the years and still await the stable and just society that they deserve. Another group that I hope you do not forget are the relatives of British soldiers killed or wounded in Iraq. I do not believe that lasting peace is achieved by armed force, but I pay tribute to their courage and thank those who played a part in my release.

I am not ready at this time to talk about my months in captivity except to say that I am delighted to be free and reunited with my family. In reality it was my wife who was kidnapped last November. She suffered more than I because while I knew that I was alive and well, she did not.

I thank all who supported Pat during this stressful time.
While in Baghdad we had opportunity to thank the Embassy staff who worked so diligently for our release. I now thank the staff in Britain who also dedicated so much time to the same end. Then I am grateful to all those from many faith communities who appealed for my release and held prayers and vigils in my name. Pat assures me that I will be overwhelmed by the volume of goodwill messages - our home is currently like a flower shop.

I thank the media for agreeing to share news and reduce the stress on me. I now need to reflect on my experience - was I foolhardy or rational? - and also to enjoy freedom in peace and quiet.

Norman Kember
London
25 March 2006