Family Appeals for Safe Return of Christian Peacemakers

The father of a Canadian hostage in Iraq appealed for his son and three other hostages Tuesday on Al-Jazeera television after families and supporters received news this past weekend that the hostages were still alive.

|TOP|Dalip Singh Sooden, father of 32-year old Christian Peacemaker Team (CPT) member Harmeet Singh Sooden of Montreal, spoke on the Arab television network saying, "I appeal for the captives of my son and his three friends to release them unharmed.”

“I hope my appeal will be answered," he stated, according to the Associated Press.

The three other CPT members in captivity include another Canadian, 41-year old James Loney of Toronto; an American, 54-year old Tom Fox of Clear Brook, Va.; and a Briton, 74-year old Norman Kember from the United Kingdom.

Family, friends, and co-workers had received encouragement over the weekend following the release of a video on Al-Jazeera showing that the four hostages were still alive.

The video, dated Jan. 21 and taken by the captors – a group calling themselves the Swords of Righteousness Brigade – was sent to Western news agencies on Saturday. The video shows short clips of the four men, first standing against a wall, then sitting and talking.

In a news conference Saturday in Toronto, Rebecca Johnson of CPT said, "Our prayers have been answered," according to CTV News.

|AD|Marches and prayer vigils were held in Toronto and Vancouver on the next day in support of the hostages and in prayer for their release.

The marchers protested at the U.S. Consulates in both cities against what CPT calls “the illegal U.S.-led occupation of Iraq," according to the Canadian Press. In Toronto, over 100 people set out to march in the rain, singing together on their way to the consulate.

Family members have been encouraged by the support they have received from their communities, from across the country, and from around the world.

"It's been great having so much support from our friends, locally, and our family, that's spread across the country," said Matt Loney, brother of hostage James Loney, to CTV's Canada AM, "and also internationally from the Muslim community and just having them speak out against their captivity is really significant for us".

The Swords of Righteousness have stated that this is the last chance for authorities in the United States and Iraq to free Iraqi prisoners with death for the hostages being the consequence if the prisoners are not released. The kidnappers did not set a deadline for their demands to be fulfilled.

The Swords of Righteousness Brigade had kidnapped the CPT workers on Nov. 26, 2005, in Baghdad, and had threatened to kill the four men if Iraqi prisoners were not released. A deadline was given for Dec. 8, and later extended to Dec. 10, but up until Saturday the fate of the hostages had been unknown.

Christian Peacemaker Teams, faith-based organization based in Chicago, seek to reduce violence, and stand for justice and peace in countries facing war and violence. According to its mission statement, the organization “believe[s] that a renewed commitment to the Gospel of Peace calls us to new forms of public witness which may include nonviolent direct action.”

The recent events have given families and supporters of the hostages a new hope while prayers for the four men’s' safety continue.







Jeff Skea
Christian Today Correspondent