Peacemaker vigils in Washington and Toronto focus on Iraq policy

Coinciding with Martin Luther King Day in the United States,

Christian Peacemaker Teams in Toronto (Canada) and Washington DC (USA) organized protest vigils on Monday against the American-led war and military presence in Iraq.

The aim was also to draw attention to the plight of four colleagues held captive by an unknown group in Baghdad for the past seven weeks.

¬ìMuch of the goodwill that came with the fall of Saddam Hussein¬ís regime has been thrown away by the brutality of the US occupation,¬î said Doug Pritchard, co-director of Christian Peacemaker Teams, an ecumenical group sponsored by the historic peace churches ¬ñ
Mennonites,
Quakers and
Brethren in Christ.

Pritchard continued: ¬ìThis kidnapping business, which has flourished in their wake, is really one symptom of that occupation and its failure to bring peace and security for Iraqi people.¬î

More than 100 people gathered outside Union Station in Toronto before walking to the US consulate via City Hall. They carried signs calling for the release of detainees in Iraq, including the four hostages, and an end to the occupation.

A vigil organised by the Fellowship of Reconciliation and
Pax Christi in the UK also took place in London¬ís Trafalgar Square, opposite St-Martin¬ís-in-the-Field Church.

This was one of three vigils in England, where the emphasis has been on cooperation between Christians and Muslims.

Muslim leaders have been prominent in making pleas for the release of Norman Kember. Harmeet Singh Sooden, Jim Loney and Tom Fox since they were snatched outside a Sunni mosque on 26 November 2005.

They had been taking part in a meeting with Islamic leaders about support for illegal detainees in Iraq.

Nothing has been heard from their captors,
Swords of Truth Brigades, since 8 December 2005 ¬ñ despite appeals on al-Jazeera, other Arab satellite networks and the Iraqi press and radio.

In Washington DC the CPT vigil outside the White House has been lobbying and praying for a meeting with President George W. Bush to discuss Iraq policy as well as the situation of the captives ¬ñ two from Canada, one from Britain and one from the USA.

Christian Peacemaker Teams member Greg Rollins, aged 33, who has been in Iraq since October 2005, will fly home to Surrey, British Columbia, this week, as part of a regular rotation.

He told the media that he will be leaving Baghdad with mixed feelings. ¬ìA big part of me wants to stay and continue trying to get [the four] released,¬î he said.

¬ìAt the same time, part of me realizes that it¬ís good to step aside and take a break,¬î he added.

Rollins believes that the hostages are still alive. He says that this is the most likely scenario because the kidnappers would likely have publicized anything to the contrary.

The CPT worker said that the current grim situation has shown him just how badly civil order in Iraq has crumbled under the American occupation.

¬ìIt¬ís made me aware of the culture of kidnapping here,¬î Rollins commented.

He went on: ¬ìSince our guys were abducted, there have been over 350 reported kidnappings in Iraq – that¬ís internationals and Iraqis both – and that¬ís just [what¬ís been] reported.¬î

The aim was also to draw attention to the plight of four colleagues held captive by an unknown group in Baghdad for the past seven weeks.

‘Much of the goodwill that came with the fall of Saddam Hussein’s regime has been thrown away by the brutality of the US occupation,’ said Doug Pritchard, co-director of Christian Peacemaker Teams, an ecumenical group sponsored by the historic peace churches – Mennonites, Quakers and Brethren in Christ.

Pritchard continued: ‘This kidnapping business, which has flourished in their wake, is really one symptom of that occupation and its failure to bring peace and security for Iraqi people.’

A vigil organised by the Fellowship of Reconciliation and Pax Christi in the UK also took place in London’s Trafalgar Square, opposite St-Martin’s-in-the-Field Church.

This was one of three vigils in England, where the emphasis has been on cooperation between Christians and Muslims.

Muslim leaders have been prominent in making pleas for the release of Norman Kember. Harmeet Singh Sooden, Jim Loney and Tom Fox since they were snatched outside a Sunni mosque on 26 November 2005.

They had been taking part in a meeting with Islamic leaders about support for illegal detainees in Iraq.

Nothing has been heard from their captors, Swords of Truth Brigades, since 8 December 2005 ‘ despite appeals on al-Jazeera, other Arab satellite networks and the Iraqi press and radio.

In Washington DC the CPT vigil outside the White House has been lobbying and praying for a meeting with President George W. Bush to discuss Iraq policy as well as the situation of the captives ‘ two from Canada, one from Britain and one from the USA.

Christian Peacemaker Teams member Greg Rollins, aged 33, who has been in Iraq since October 2005, will fly home to Surrey, British Columbia, this week, as part of a regular rotation.

He told the media that he will be leaving Baghdad with mixed feelings. ‘A big part of me wants to stay and continue trying to get [the four] released,’ he said.

‘At the same time, part of me realizes that it’s good to step aside and take a break,’ he added.

Rollins believes that the hostages are still alive. He says that this is the most likely scenario because the kidnappers would likely have publicized anything to the contrary.

The CPT worker said that the current grim situation has shown him just how badly civil order in Iraq has crumbled under the American occupation.

‘It’s made me aware of the culture of kidnapping here,’ Rollins commented.

He went on: ‘Since our guys were abducted, there have been over 350 reported kidnappings in Iraq – that’s internationals and Iraqis both – and that’s just [what’s been] reported.’