Mennonites concerned and active over Gaza
-03/07/06
The aid and development organizati
Mennonites concerned and active over Gaza
-03/07/06
The aid and development organization Mennonite Central Committee ñ a North American peace church agency ñ is closely monitoring the humanitarian consequences of the Israeli assault on Gaza, says the director of MCC’s programme in the Middle East.
The escalation of violence, the closure of crossing points to Gaza, and the disruption of electricity and water is causing great hardship among the civilian Palestinian population, said Rick Janzen in Winnipeg, Canada.
MCC workers, he explained, are in conversation with other relief and development agencies working in Gaza and with MCC partners in Gaza about the worsening humanitarian situation and possible emergency responses.
Mennonite Central Committee currently supports a children’s center in the Khan Younis refugee camp through its Global Family sponsorship programme, a women’s health center in Khan Younis town, and a women’s food processing centre in Beit Lahiya in the northern Gaza Strip.
MCC partner organizations in the Gaza Strip have suspended some of their activities temporarily as electricity has been cut off to most Gaza residents and water supplies are threatened.
Majeda al-Sakka, programme manager for the Culture and Free Thought Association in Khan Younis, reports that the start of the MCC-sponsored summer camp will now be delayed.
However, community development and other humanitarian projects in the West Bank backed by the organization have generally continued uninterrupted, it says.
[Also on Ekklesia: Mennonites work with soldiers who turn their backs on war 26/06/06; European Mennonite theologians tackle violence and God 22/06/06; Christian peacemakers stay committed to Iraq 19/06/06; Peace church seeks positive alternatives to military recruitment 13/06/06; Christian peace worker says al-Zarqawi death will not halt violence 09/06/06; Iraq hostage Tom Fox remembered by UK peacemakers 08/06/06; Norman Kember talks about life beyond his Iraq kidnap ordeal 07/06/06; UK Christian Peacemaker Teams meet to plan future 06/06/06; Christian Peacemaker Teams remain in Iraq with new plan; Briefing on Christian Peacemaker Teams; Christian peacemaker Norman Kember to give first major interview to the BBC ; Christian peacemakers can make a difference, Vatican Radio told; Briefing on media accusations against Christian Peacemaker Teams; Archive of comment and features on Christian Peacemaking; Christian peacemaker Tom Fox killed in Iraq; Iraqi, Muslim and Palestinian support for peace hostages; Getting in the Way: Stories From Christian Peacemaker Teams; Christian peacemakers report killings of women and children by US; Joy as Christian Peacemakers are freed in Iraq; Baghdad demo planned for Christian peacemaker hostages; Christians defend Iraq non-violence tactics against critics; Peace workers hold a key to Iraq solution, says think-tank; ëPeacenikí initiative will fund peacemakers to enter hotspots; Colonel Collins’ attack on Kember misplaced, say Christian peacemakers;Churches urged to consider more radical peacemaking following Iraq; Kember still evaluating Christian peacemakers’ role in Iraq; Peacemaker vigils in Washington and Toronto focus on Iraq policy; Clarification sought from army chief on false Kember snub allegation; Religious leaders call for end to detention without trial in Iraq; Military expert says peacemakers didnít imperil soldiers; What Norman said – from Iraq captive Kember’s BBC interview; Al-Jazeera releases film of Iraq peace hostages; Think-tank questions ‘ungrateful peacemakers’ media allegations; The Simon Barrow column; Press briefing on released Christian Peacemakers; Christian peacemakers demand entry to Guantanamo Bay]
Mennonites concerned and active over Gaza
-03/07/06
The aid and development organization Mennonite Central Committee ñ a North American peace church agency ñ is closely monitoring the humanitarian consequences of the Israeli assault on Gaza, says the director of MCC’s programme in the Middle East.
The escalation of violence, the closure of crossing points to Gaza, and the disruption of electricity and water is causing great hardship among the civilian Palestinian population, said Rick Janzen in Winnipeg, Canada.
MCC workers, he explained, are in conversation with other relief and development agencies working in Gaza and with MCC partners in Gaza about the worsening humanitarian situation and possible emergency responses.
Mennonite Central Committee currently supports a children’s center in the Khan Younis refugee camp through its Global Family sponsorship programme, a women’s health center in Khan Younis town, and a women’s food processing centre in Beit Lahiya in the northern Gaza Strip.
MCC partner organizations in the Gaza Strip have suspended some of their activities temporarily as electricity has been cut off to most Gaza residents and water supplies are threatened.
Majeda al-Sakka, programme manager for the Culture and Free Thought Association in Khan Younis, reports that the start of the MCC-sponsored summer camp will now be delayed.
However, community development and other humanitarian projects in the West Bank backed by the organization have generally continued uninterrupted, it says.
[Also on Ekklesia: Mennonites work with soldiers who turn their backs on war 26/06/06; European Mennonite theologians tackle violence and God 22/06/06; Christian peacemakers stay committed to Iraq 19/06/06; Peace church seeks positive alternatives to military recruitment 13/06/06; Christian peace worker says al-Zarqawi death will not halt violence 09/06/06; Iraq hostage Tom Fox remembered by UK peacemakers 08/06/06; Norman Kember talks about life beyond his Iraq kidnap ordeal 07/06/06; UK Christian Peacemaker Teams meet to plan future 06/06/06; Christian Peacemaker Teams remain in Iraq with new plan; Briefing on Christian Peacemaker Teams; Christian peacemaker Norman Kember to give first major interview to the BBC ; Christian peacemakers can make a difference, Vatican Radio told; Briefing on media accusations against Christian Peacemaker Teams; Archive of comment and features on Christian Peacemaking; Christian peacemaker Tom Fox killed in Iraq; Iraqi, Muslim and Palestinian support for peace hostages; Getting in the Way: Stories From Christian Peacemaker Teams; Christian peacemakers report killings of women and children by US; Joy as Christian Peacemakers are freed in Iraq; Baghdad demo planned for Christian peacemaker hostages; Christians defend Iraq non-violence tactics against critics; Peace workers hold a key to Iraq solution, says think-tank; ëPeacenikí initiative will fund peacemakers to enter hotspots; Colonel Collins’ attack on Kember misplaced, say Christian peacemakers;Churches urged to consider more radical peacemaking following Iraq; Kember still evaluating Christian peacemakers’ role in Iraq; Peacemaker vigils in Washington and Toronto focus on Iraq policy; Clarification sought from army chief on false Kember snub allegation; Religious leaders call for end to detention without trial in Iraq; Military expert says peacemakers didnít imperil soldiers; What Norman said – from Iraq captive Kember’s BBC interview; Al-Jazeera releases film of Iraq peace hostages; Think-tank questions ‘ungrateful peacemakers’ media allegations; The Simon Barrow column; Press briefing on released Christian Peacemakers; Christian peacemakers demand entry to Guantanamo Bay]