New appeal for release of Iraq peace workers
-24/12/05
The families of four Christian p
New appeal for release of Iraq peace workers
-24/12/05
The families of four Christian peacemakers held hostage for four weeks in Iraq have made a fresh appeal for their release.
An announcement in Arabic and English has been made on behalf of Norman Kember, Tom Fox, Harmeet Sihngh Sooden and Jim Loney.
In the joint advertisement, to appear in papers and on radio in Iraq over the next few days, the families call for the safe return of their relatives.
They say: “A month has passed since our loved ones – Norman, James, Harmeet and Tom – were kidnapped in Iraq.
“Many clerics and religious figures from the Arab and Muslim world have spoken over the past weeks of the good work they were doing in Iraq and that their organisation have done in Palestine, and they have called for their release.
“We appeal to you to help us ensure the safe return of our relatives.
“If you have any information which can help, please call this number. You do not have to reveal your identity.”
A telephone number and e-mail address have been set up in the hope the kidnappers will make contact.
Anas Altikriti, of the Muslim Association of Britain, who has been campaigning in the Middle East for Mr Kember’s release, said experts in the region suggested the lack of news on his fate was a positive sign.
“If a group, especially an obscure group like this that doesn’t really have any kind of track record in this particular arena, if they want to be seen as serious and their demands to be taken seriously, then they would have come out fairly quickly and announced that they had carried out their threat,” he said.
Mr Altikriti said it would be a “wonderful gesture” if the men were released before Christmas Day.
The Muslim Association of Britain, meanwhile, renewed its appeal to Mr Kember’s captors
Mr Altikriti told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme: “One of the unique traits of this particular case is the kind of consensus that we have managed to achieve both inside Iraq as well as throughout the Muslim world.”
He added that the kidnappers would be aware of this reaction.
[Updated full chronological list of related articles on Ekklesia as of 24 December 2005 PM: Features – Christian Peacemaker Teams full briefing (with links to features and stories on CPT’s work); Christian peacemakers – a lesson to the peace movement (by Mark A. LeVine); A culture of Christian citizenship (Pat Gaffney, CAFOD, Advent inc. Iraq); Why are we here? (by CPTer Tom Fox). Advent hope for Iraq, captives and Limbaugh (Sojourners magazine). What on earth are we waiting for? (Simon Barrow, Advent and Iraq). Updates: FaithInSociety; News – Churches Urged to pray for Iraq hostages this Christmas 24/12/05; United Church of Canada calls for an end to detention and occupation in Iraq 21/12/05; Christians and Muslims show continued support for Norman Kember 21/12/05; Christian Peacemakers say they will carry on their work 18/12/05; Lack of evidence for Iraq negotiator abduction claim 17/12/05; Fears ‘unfounded’ over Iraq hostage negotiator 16/12/05; Search goes on for missing Christian peace workers 16/12/05; UK envoy remains hopeful on Iraq captives 16/12/05; Muslim envoy to Iraq returns as al-Jazeera publicizes mercy pleas 14/12/05; Christian peacemakers demand entry to Guantanamo Bay 14/12/05; Canadian churches pray for missing peace activists 13/12/05; Cardinal joins pleas for Iraq peace workers; Praying for a miracle amid Iraq hostage silence 12/12/05; All faiths candlelit vigil in London for Norman Kember 12/12/05; Officials and families seek news on Iraq Christian peace workers 12/12/05; Lobbying goes on as Iraq hostage deadline passes 11/12/05; Hope continues as Iraq captive deadline looms 10/12/05; Embattled Hezbollah backs Iraq ‘doves of peace’ 09/12/05; UN secretary general calls for release of all Iraqi captives 09/12/05; Former Guantanamo Bay detainees call for release of Christian peacemakers 08/12/05; Jack Straw says he will talk on Iraq hostages 08/12/05; Abu Qatada pleas for Iraq captives as deadline is extended 08/12/05; Christians criticize UK Iraq war budget increase 08/12/05; Christian peacemakers say the work must go on 08/12/05; Last minute appeals made for Christian peacemakers 07/12/05 ; Muslim detainees plead for lives of Christian peacemakers 06/12/05; Faith groups in the US unite to back Iraq captives 06/12/05; French engineer seized in Iraq 05/12/05; Norman Kember’s wife pleads for his life 04/12/05; Iraqi, Muslim and Palestinian support for peace hostages grows 04/12/05; Insurgents say they will kill Christian peacemakers 02/12/05; WCC calls for freeing of Christian peace workers 02/12/05; Vigils and messages of support for abducted peace activist 02/12/05; Palestinian bishop seeks mercy for Iraq peace workers 02/12/05; Anti-war campaigner flies to Iraq to plead for Christian peacemakers 01/12/05; Muslims urge release of Christian peacemakers missing in Iraq 01/12/05; Al-Jazeera releases film of Iraq peace hostages 30/11/05; Search goes on for Christian peacemaker kidnapped in Iraq 28/11/05. Key book: Patricia Gates-Brown (ed.), Getting in the Way: Stories from Christian Peacemaker Teams, Herald Press]Christian Peacemaker Teams full briefing (with links to features and stories on CPT’s work); Why are we here? (by CPTer Tom Fox); Christians criticize UK Iraq war budget increase 08/12/05; Christian peacemakers say the work must go on 08/12/05; Last minute appeals made for Christian peacemakers 07/12/05 ; Muslim detainees plead for lives of Christian peacemakers 06/12/05; Faith groups in the US unite to back Iraq captives 06/12/05; French engineer seized in Iraq 05/12/05; Norman Kember’s wife pleads for his life 04/12/05; Iraqi, Muslim and Palestinian support for peace hostages grows 04/12/05; Insurgents say they will kill Christian peacemakers 02/12/05; WCC calls for freeing of Christian peace workers 02/12/05; Vigils and messages of support for abducted peace activist 02/12/05; Palestinian bishop seeks mercy for Iraq peace workers 02/12/05; Anti-war campaigner flies to Iraq to plead for Christian peacemakers 01/12/05; Muslims urge release of Christian peacemakers missing in Iraq 01/12/05; Al-Jazeera releases film of Iraq peace hostages 30/11/05; Search goes on for Christian peacemaker kidnapped in Iraq 28/11/05. Key book: Patricia Gates-Brown (ed.), Getting in the Way: Stories from Christian Peacemaker Teams, Herald Press]
New appeal for release of Iraq peace workers
-24/12/05
The families of four Christian peacemakers held hostage for four weeks in Iraq have made a fresh appeal for their release.
An announcement in Arabic and English has been made on behalf of Norman Kember, Tom Fox, Harmeet Sihngh Sooden and Jim Loney.
In the joint advertisement, to appear in papers and on radio in Iraq over the next few days, the families call for the safe return of their relatives.
They say: “A month has passed since our loved ones – Norman, James, Harmeet and Tom – were kidnapped in Iraq.
“Many clerics and religious figures from the Arab and Muslim world have spoken over the past weeks of the good work they were doing in Iraq and that their organisation have done in Palestine, and they have called for their release.
“We appeal to you to help us ensure the safe return of our relatives.
“If you have any information which can help, please call this number. You do not have to reveal your identity.”
A telephone number and e-mail address have been set up in the hope the kidnappers will make contact.
Anas Altikriti, of the Muslim Association of Britain, who has been campaigning in the Middle East for Mr Kember’s release, said experts in the region suggested the lack of news on his fate was a positive sign.
“If a group, especially an obscure group like this that doesn’t really have any kind of track record in this particular arena, if they want to be seen as serious and their demands to be taken seriously, then they would have come out fairly quickly and announced that they had carried out their threat,” he said.
Mr Altikriti said it would be a “wonderful gesture” if the men were released before Christmas Day.
The Muslim Association of Britain, meanwhile, renewed its appeal to Mr Kember’s captors
Mr Altikriti told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme: “One of the unique traits of this particular case is the kind of consensus that we have managed to achieve both inside Iraq as well as throughout the Muslim world.”
He added that the kidnappers would be aware of this reaction.
[Updated full chronological list of related articles on Ekklesia as of 24 December 2005 PM: Features – Christian Peacemaker Teams full briefing (with links to features and stories on CPT’s work); Christian peacemakers – a lesson to the peace movement (by Mark A. LeVine); A culture of Christian citizenship (Pat Gaffney, CAFOD, Advent inc. Iraq); Why are we here? (by CPTer Tom Fox). Advent hope for Iraq, captives and Limbaugh (Sojourners magazine). What on earth are we waiting for? (Simon Barrow, Advent and Iraq). Updates: FaithInSociety; News – Churches Urged to pray for Iraq hostages this Christmas 24/12/05; United Church of Canada calls for an end to detention and occupation in Iraq 21/12/05; Christians and Muslims show continued support for Norman Kember 21/12/05; Christian Peacemakers say they will carry on their work 18/12/05; Lack of evidence for Iraq negotiator abduction claim 17/12/05; Fears ‘unfounded’ over Iraq hostage negotiator 16/12/05; Search goes on for missing Christian peace workers 16/12/05; UK envoy remains hopeful on Iraq captives 16/12/05; Muslim envoy to Iraq returns as al-Jazeera publicizes mercy pleas 14/12/05; Christian peacemakers demand entry to Guantanamo Bay 14/12/05; Canadian churches pray for missing peace activists 13/12/05; Cardinal joins pleas for Iraq peace workers; Praying for a miracle amid Iraq hostage silence 12/12/05; All faiths candlelit vigil in London for Norman Kember 12/12/05; Officials and families seek news on Iraq Christian peace workers 12/12/05; Lobbying goes on as Iraq hostage deadline passes 11/12/05; Hope continues as Iraq captive deadline looms 10/12/05; Embattled Hezbollah backs Iraq ‘doves of peace’ 09/12/05; UN secretary general calls for release of all Iraqi captives 09/12/05; Former Guantanamo Bay detainees call for release of Christian peacemakers 08/12/05; Jack Straw says he will talk on Iraq hostages 08/12/05; Abu Qatada pleas for Iraq captives as deadline is extended 08/12/05; Christians criticize UK Iraq war budget increase 08/12/05; Christian peacemakers say the work must go on 08/12/05; Last minute appeals made for Christian peacemakers 07/12/05 ; Muslim detainees plead for lives of Christian peacemakers 06/12/05; Faith groups in the US unite to back Iraq captives 06/12/05; French engineer seized in Iraq 05/12/05; Norman Kember’s wife pleads for his life 04/12/05; Iraqi, Muslim and Palestinian support for peace hostages grows 04/12/05; Insurgents say they will kill Christian peacemakers 02/12/05; WCC calls for freeing of Christian peace workers 02/12/05; Vigils and messages of support for abducted peace activist 02/12/05; Palestinian bishop seeks mercy for Iraq peace workers 02/12/05; Anti-war campaigner flies to Iraq to plead for Christian peacemakers 01/12/05; Muslims urge release of Christian peacemakers missing in Iraq 01/12/05; Al-Jazeera releases film of Iraq peace hostages 30/11/05; Search goes on for Christian peacemaker kidnapped in Iraq 28/11/05. Key book: Patricia Gates-Brown (ed.), Getting in the Way: Stories from Christian Peacemaker Teams, Herald Press]Christian Peacemaker Teams full briefing (with links to features and stories on CPT’s work); Why are we here? (by CPTer Tom Fox); Christians criticize UK Iraq war budget increase 08/12/05; Christian peacemakers say the work must go on 08/12/05; Last minute appeals made for Christian peacemakers 07/12/05 ; Muslim detainees plead for lives of Christian peacemakers 06/12/05; Faith groups in the US unite to back Iraq captives 06/12/05; French engineer seized in Iraq 05/12/05; Norman Kember’s wife pleads for his life 04/12/05; Iraqi, Muslim and Palestinian support for peace hostages grows 04/12/05; Insurgents say they will kill Christian peacemakers 02/12/05; WCC calls for freeing of Christian peace workers 02/12/05; Vigils and messages of support for abducted peace activist 02/12/05; Palestinian bishop seeks mercy for Iraq peace workers 02/12/05; Anti-war campaigner flies to Iraq to plead for Christian peacemakers 01/12/05; Muslims urge release of Christian peacemakers missing in Iraq 01/12/05; Al-Jazeera releases film of Iraq peace hostages 30/11/05; Search goes on for Christian peacemaker kidnapped in Iraq 28/11/05. Key book: Patricia Gates-Brown (ed.), Getting in the Way: Stories from Christian Peacemaker Teams, Herald Press]