WCC Requests Greater UN Role to Reinforce Peace in Post-War Iraq

Approaching the end of the 8-day Central Committee meeting of the World Council of Churches (WCC), the delegates have moved their focus to issues concerning peace in Iraq and proposing possible measures. Many constructive opinions were presented by the committee.

First of all, the WCC stressed on the importance of the role of United Nations to ensure Iraqis can get effective control of their country. While Iraq is entering a new era of democracy resulting from the first National Election after the fall of Saddam Hussein, UN agencies should assist the progressive transfer of "governance and resource management" as well as "security affairs" to Iraqi control.

In addition, the UN's role should include overseeing "the post-war reconstruction" so as to ensure the "maximum feasible participation of Iraqis" whilst "greatly reducing the role of foreign contractors".

WCC has showed its preference to the leadership of the UN in the new Iraq rather than the US military coalition. "A timetable for the reduction and termination of the United States-led coalition’s military presence in Iraq and for the removal of its military bases there" is the first among a series of recommendations made in the WCC’s statement about Iraq.

The WCC condemned the war on Iraq as "illegal under the UN Charter and international law" and asks for an "independent, credible and accurate third-party verification of casualty levels on all sides during this conflict - assigning responsibility for the deaths, illnesses, traumas and injuries". It also condemned "unequivocally the torture and humiliation of prisoners" by foreign military troops.

The WCC placed its priority to the benefit of Iraqi people in post-war Iraq. The governing body was inspired by the millions of Iraqi citizens who went to the polls last month. A new hope has emerged breaking through the gloom of terrorism in Iraq. WCC’s statement affirms that "leaders who used the false pretexts of terrorist connections and weapons of mass destruction in Iraq to bolster their case for war will be judged by history."

WCC has deep concern "at violence that targets innocent civilians," and calls on WCC member churches to speak out "on behalf of all who suffer violence, killings, attacks and kidnappings".

To the Iraqi Christian minorities who are often marginalised and threatened by attacks, the WCC encouraged them that they have a "unique role in Iraqi society today". As many Iraqi Christians flee to neighbouring countries to escape death, the Council's member churches are called to assist "Christian citizens to stay in Iraq by speaking out on their behalf".

In addition, churches should "support the continuing efforts of Christians to work with Muslims and people of other faiths in discerning common goals for Iraq and the Middle East".