Norman Kember remembered across UK
-15/01/06
Supporters and friends of abducted Britis
Norman Kember remembered across UK
-15/01/06
Supporters and friends of abducted British peace worker Norman Kember, who was seized in Iraq over six weeks ago along with three other volunteers, gathered in Cambridge and Peterborough on Saturday to keep the hostages in the public mind.
ìNorman and the others are in the thoughts and prayers of thousands of people across the UK and throughout the worldî, a participant told Ekklesia.
She continued: ìEven though there has been no certain news for many weeks, we have not given up hope ñ indeed the courage of Christian Peacemaker Teams in seeking to break down the cycle of violence and injustice is an inspiration.î
Muslim organisations, peace groups and Christian bodies such as the Baptist Union of Great Britain have made public expressions of support for Dr Kember.
The events in Cambridge and Peterborough, together with London tomorrow, have been organised by the Fellowship of Reconciliation UK, the religious pacifist organisation of which Dr Kember is a trustee.
Tom Fox, Harmeet Singh Sooden, Norman Kember and James Loney have been the subject of many high profile pleas to the captives by Muslim leaders, Iraqi and Palestinian scholars and politicians, and tens of thousands of ordinary people.
The third vigil will be on Monday 16th January from 6pm – 7pm in Londonís famous Trafalgar Square. It will gather outside the National Gallery, opposite St Martins-in-the-Fields Church.
Supporters of Dr Kember and the other hostages are also suggesting that people pray for Norman, Tom, Harmeet, James and all who are being held against their will in Iraq at noon each day.
Christian Peacemaker Teams in the USA is set to step up its ëShine the Lightí campaign with a presence outside the White House and calls for a meeting on Iraq with President George W. Bush.
The US administration is publicly braving out criticism and saying that its strategy in the region remains in tact. But many believe that behind the bravado a process of disengagement is being planned.
Further controversy has been caused by a raid in Baghdad of a mosque headquartering an organisation of Islamic scholars which has come out in support of the release of the CPT four.
A recent military raid in Pakistan aimed at Al-Qaeda operatives has also killed 18 people and brought 15,000 protestors onto the streets.
The Catholic bishops in the USA are now calling for a careful process of disengagement to allow the further development of autonomous Iraqi political initiatives.
Critics say that the American presence is fuelling an insurgency which would otherwise lose support.
[Also on Ekklesia: regular updates on the FaithInSociety weblog. News snippets: All faiths candlelit vigil in London for Norman Kember; Muslim envoy may return to Iraq for CPT four; Christian Peacemaker Teams seek meeting with President Bush; Hope continues as Iraq captive deadline looms; New London vigil for Norman Kember announced; Cardinal joins pleas for Iraq peace workers; Christians and Muslims show continued support for Norman Kember; Norman Kember’s wife in new TV appeal to Iraq captors; Christian peacemakers demand entry to Guantanamo Bay]
Norman Kember remembered across UK
-15/01/06
Supporters and friends of abducted British peace worker Norman Kember, who was seized in Iraq over six weeks ago along with three other volunteers, gathered in Cambridge and Peterborough on Saturday to keep the hostages in the public mind.
‘Norman and the others are in the thoughts and prayers of thousands of people across the UK and throughout the world’, a participant told Ekklesia.
She continued: ‘Even though there has been no certain news for many weeks, we have not given up hope – indeed the courage of Christian Peacemaker Teams in seeking to break down the cycle of violence and injustice is an inspiration.’
Muslim organisations, peace groups and Christian bodies such as the Baptist Union of Great Britain have made public expressions of support for Dr Kember.
The events in Cambridge and Peterborough, together with London tomorrow, have been organised by the Fellowship of Reconciliation UK, the religious pacifist organisation of which Dr Kember is a trustee.
Tom Fox, Harmeet Singh Sooden, Norman Kember and James Loney have been the subject of many high profile pleas to the captives by Muslim leaders, Iraqi and Palestinian scholars and politicians, and tens of thousands of ordinary people.
The third vigil will be on Monday 16th January from 6pm – 7pm in London’s famous Trafalgar Square. It will gather outside the National Gallery, opposite St Martins-in-the-Fields Church.
Supporters of Dr Kember and the other hostages are also suggesting that people pray for Norman, Tom, Harmeet, James and all who are being held against their will in Iraq at noon each day.
Christian Peacemaker Teams in the USA is set to step up its ëShine the Light’ campaign with a presence outside the White House and calls for a meeting on Iraq with President George W. Bush.
The US administration is publicly braving out criticism and saying that its strategy in the region remains in tact. But many believe that behind the bravado a process of disengagement is being planned.
Further controversy has been caused by a raid in Baghdad of a mosque headquartering an organisation of Islamic scholars which has come out in support of the release of the CPT four.
A recent military raid in Pakistan aimed at Al-Qaeda operatives has also killed 18 people and brought 15,000 protestors onto the streets.
The Catholic bishops in the USA are now calling for a careful process of disengagement to allow the further development of autonomous Iraqi political initiatives.
Critics say that the American presence is fuelling an insurgency which would otherwise lose support.
[Also on Ekklesia: regular updates on the FaithInSociety weblog. News snippets: All faiths candlelit vigil in London for Norman Kember; Muslim envoy may return to Iraq for CPT four; Christian Peacemaker Teams seek meeting with President Bush; Hope continues as Iraq captive deadline looms; New London vigil for Norman Kember announced; Cardinal joins pleas for Iraq peace workers; Christians and Muslims show continued support for Norman Kember; Norman Kember’s wife in new TV appeal to Iraq captors; Christian peacemakers demand entry to Guantanamo Bay]