Letter from Faith Leaders Calling for Ban on Cluster Munitions, April 17, 2008

Faith Leaders’ Appeal for an International Treaty to Ban Cluster Munitions

17 April 2008

As people of faith, we raise our voices for the protection of life and promotion of peace by calling on all governments to end the production, transfer, stockpiling, and use of cluster bombs.

For more than 40 years, cluster bombs have killed and wounded innocent people, causing untold suffering, loss and hardship for thousands in more than 20 countries across the planet. These weapons cause death and injury to civilians during attacks and for years afterwards because of the lethal contamination that they cause. Cluster bombs hamper post-conflict rebuilding and rehabilitation and the dangerous work of cluster bomb clearance absorbs funds that could be spent on other urgent humanitarian needs. Without determined action, the civilian harm caused by these weapons both during and after conflict will continue to grow.

The voices of those whose lives have already been shattered by cluster munitions call us to take meaningful and courageous action. Our faith traditions call us to stand with those who have suffered, and to work for the well-being of the human family through relationships of respect, justice, and peace.

We are speaking out today on the Global Day of Action to Ban Cluster Bombs where people across all continents, cultures and faiths are taking action and calling for a ban on cluster bombs.

A comprehensive ban on cluster bombs can and must be negotiated one month from now in Dublin, Ireland, in May 2008. We urge governments to take up this heavy responsibility by seizing this opportunity to take concrete action for the protection of the vulnerable and for the promotion of peace.

Sincerely,

The Most Reverend Desmond Tutu
Anglican Archbishop Emeritus of Cape Town

Dr. Christoph Cardinal Schönborn
Cardinal Archbishop of Vienna, Catholic Church of Austria

Archbishop Gunnar Stålsett
Committee World Council Religions for Peace, Lutheran Church of Norway

Sister Emmanuelle
Founder and Honorary President of ASMAE (Association Soeur Emmanuelle), France

Archbishop Antonio Ledesma
Vice President of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines and Bishop-President of Pax Christi Pilipinas (Philippines)

Archbishop John Dew
Archbishop of Wellington, Catholic Church of New Zealand

Archbishop Anders Wejryd
Church of Sweden

Chief Rabbi David Rosen
Chairman of the International Jewish Committee for Interreligious Consultations, Israel

Archbishop John Onaiyekan
Archbishop of the Abuja Diocese of the Catholic Church and President of the Christian Association of Nigeria

Dr Muhammad Abdul Bari
Secretary General, Muslim Council of Britain

Indarjit Singh
Director of the Network of Sikh Organisations, UK

Rabbi Danni Rich
Chief Executive of Liberal Judaism

Monsignor Samuel Gandi
Apostolic Administrator, Archdiocese of Freetown and Bo (Roman Catholic), Sierra Leone

Reverend Osman J. Fornah
President, Inter-Religious Council of Sierra Leone

Sheik Abu Bakarr Conteh
1st Vice President, Inter Religious Council of Sierra Leone, Imam of Freetown Municipality Council and Masjid Hamdallah

Sheik Abu-Bakarr Tejan-Jalloh
Chief Imam of Freetown Central Mosque, Sierra Leone

Monsignor Laurent Monsengwo
Archbishop of Kinshasa, DR Congo and Co-President Pax Christi International

Bishop Thomas G. Wenski
Chairman, Committee on International Justice and Peace
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

Bishop Kike Figaredo
Apostolic Prefect of Battambang, the Catholic Church in Cambodia

Bishop Émile Destombes
Apostolic Vicar of Phnom Penh, the Catholic Church in Cambodia

Bishop Anthony Sami
Catholic Church in Cambodia

Bishop Yves Ramousse Gustave
The Catholic Church in Cambodia

Bishop Ragnar Persenius
Diocese of Uppsala, Church of Sweden

Bishop Eliezer M. Pascua
General Secretary of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines

Bishop Jessie Suarez
South Luzon Jurisdictional Area, United Church of Christ in the Philippines

Bishop Peter Cullinane
Bishop of Palmerston North, Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand

Bishop Denis Browne
Bishop of Auckland, Catholic Church of New Zealand

Bishop Barry Jones
Catholic Diocese of Christchurch, New Zealand

Bishop David Stancliffe
Bishop of Salisbury, Church of England

Bishop William Kenny
Auxiliary Bishop of Birmingham and Spokesman on European Affairs for the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales

Reverend Jonathan Edwards
General Secretary of the Baptist Union of Great Britain

Reverend Dr Martyn Atkins
President of the Methodist Conference, United Kingdom

Reverend Gregor Henderson
President of the Uniting Church in Australia

Reverend Dr. Setri Nyomi
Secretary General of World Alliance of Reformed Churches, the Presbyterian Church in Canada

Rabbi Steven Jacobs
Temple Kol Tikvah, USA

Right Reverend Francis S. Nabieu
Head of Methodist Church Sierra Leone

Dr. Fauzy Khoury
Exarch of the Greek Catholic Melkite Church in the Galilee

Muhammad Amir Kpakpo Addo
Ag. Executive Secretary, Ghana Conference of Religions for Peace, Ghana

Pratap Bhogilal
Chairman Emeritus, World Jain Confederation, India

M. L. Pindolia
President, Hindu Council of Africa, Africa

Samdech Tep Vong
The Great Supreme Patriarch of the Kingdom of Cambodia, Cambodia

Issa Kirarira
Chairman, Media for Peace and Religious Tolerance Organisation, Uganda

Rev. Pat de Ramos-Bremond
Minister, Broadmeadows Uniting Care, Australia

Fr. Tom Ryan
Paulist Office for Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations, USA

Taoist Mission Secretarial Office
Taoist Mission Secretarial office, Singapore

Ms Farida Ali
President Emeritus, Islamic Heritage Society, Pakistan

Pal Khn Chon
Won Buddhism Overseas Missions, Korea

Bishop Erik Norman Svendsen
Diocese Copenhagen, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Denmark

Bishop Kresten Drejergaard
Diocese Fyen, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Denmark

Bishop Elisabeth Dons Christensen
Diocese Ribe, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Denmark

Bishop Steen Skovsgaard
Diocese Lolland-Falster, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Denmark

Bishop Karsten Nissen
Diocese Viborg, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Denmark

Bishop Kjeld Holm
Diocese Aarhus, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Denmark

Bishop Søren Lodberg Hvas
Diocese Aalborg, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Denmark

Bishop Niels Henrik Arendt
Diocese Haderslev, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Denmark

Pastor Jørgen Bøytler
The Moravian Church in Denmark, member of the Provincial Board in the European Continental Province of the Moravian Church

Reverend Dr Anthony Dancer
Social Justice Commissioner of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand

Reverend Brian Turner
President, Methodist Church of New Zealand, Aotearoa-New Zealand

Monsieur Gregory BAUM, théologien et écrivain, professeur émérite, Sciences religieuses, Université McGill, Montréal

Sister Donna Geernaert, Congregational Leader, Sisters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul, Présidente de la Conférence Religieuse Canadienne – CRC – Canadian Religious Conference (Association of Major Superiors of Women and Men Congregations in Canada)

Monseigneur Pierre Morissette, évêque de Baie-Comeau, Vice-président de la Conférence des Évêques Catholiques du Canada (CECC) – Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB)

Mgr. A. H. van Luyn S. D. B
President Pax Christi Netherlands, Bishop of Rotterdam, Catholic Church in the Netherlands

Monseigneur Zacharie Masimango Katanda
Evêque du diocèse Anglican de Kindu, République Démocratique du Congo

Révérend Pasteur Mastaki Ahongo, Délégué de la 5ème Communauté, Eglises Libres de Pentecôte en Afrique en sigle «CELPA », Province du Maniema en République Démocratique du Congo

Abbé Milambo Baika Augustin: Conseiller Juridique de l’Evêque WILLY NGUNGMBI de la Diocèse de Kindu, province du Maniema en République Démocratique du Congo.

Msgr. Marc Stenger
Bishop of Troyes and Bishop President of Pax Christi France

Bishop Sofie Petersen
Evangelical Lutheran Church and Bishop of Greenland

Bishop John Bluck
Bishop of Waiapu, Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia

Bishop James Moriarty
Roman Catholic Church, Ireland

Bishop Raymond Field
Chairman Irish Commission for Justice and Social Affairs, Roman Catholic Church, Ireland

Bishop John Kirby
Chairman Trocaire, Roman Catholic Church, Ireland

Bishop Ragnar Persenius
Diocese of Uppsala

V. Rev. Leonid Kishkovsky
Director of External Affairs, Orthodox Church in America & Moderator, Religions for Peace, USA

Rev. Nichiko Niwano
President, Rissho Kosei-kai, Japan

Dr. Khurshid Khan
Ameer/President of the Islamic Circle of North America, USA

Khalid Rasheed
Secretary General, Islamic Centre of India, India

Rev. Canon Charles P. Gibbs
Executive Director, United Religions Initiative, USA

Mohammad Sammak
Secretary General, Christian-Muslim Committee for Dialogue, Lebanon

Karen Hurley
President General, World Union of Catholic Women’s Organisations

Dr William Vendley
Secretary General, Religions for Peace, USA

Rev. Vebjørn L. Horsfjord
General Secretary, European Council of Religious Leaders, Religions for Peace, Norway

Dr Sayyid M. Syeed
National Director, Islamic Society of North America, USA

Rev. W. Douglas Mills, PhD
Associate General Secretary, The United Methodist Church, USA

Mr Stein Villumstad
Deputy Secretary General, Religions for Peace – USA, Norway

Daniel Barton
Ecumencial Youth Council in Europe, Belgium

Dr Günther Gebhardt
Vice-Moderator, Religions for Peace – Europe, Germany

Sr. Mary-Ellen Francoeur
Religions for Peace – Canada, Canada

Christina Brown
Co-Founder, Center of Inter-Faith Relations, USA

Jim Schrag
Executive Director, Mennonite Church, USA

Rolando Santiago
Executive Director, Mennonite Central Committee, USA

Arli Klassen
Executive Director, Mennonite Central Committee, USA

James E. Winkler
General Secretary, General Board of Church and Society, the United Methodist Church, USA

Marie Dennis
Director, Maryknoll Global Concerns, Co-President, Pax Christi International

Mary Ellen McNish
General Secretary, American Friends Service Committee, Philadelphia, USA

Claudette Werleigh
Secretary General Pax Christi International

Ella Storesletten
Norwegian Church Aid, Norway

Roel Aalbersberg
Coordinator for Worldwide Program, ICCO, Netherlands

Rev. Stig Utnem
Former general secretary of the Council on Ecumenical and International Relations of the Church of Norway, Advisor to ECRL

Crescencia C. Gabijan
Board Member, Religions for Peace – Philippines, Philippines

Elizabeth Young
SA Interfaith Network, Australia

Ziad Moussa
Former IYC Coordinator, Lebanon

Arne Sæveraas
Special Advisor, Norwegian Church Aid, Norway

Gopika Dass
Regional Representative, Sudan-Kenya

Ela Gandhi
Editor/Chair of Satyagraha, In Pursuit of Truth, South Africa

Edy Korthals Altes
Former Ambassador, Netherlands, Netherlands

Gabriele Cipriani
Conselho Nacional de Igrejas Cristâs, Brazil

Luiz Alberto Barbosa
Igreja Episcopal Anglicana do Brasil

The Most Reverened Dr. John R. W. Neill
Archbishop, Church of Ireland

Rev. John Stephens
Methodist District Superintendent, Ireland

Rev. Bishop Donal McKeown
Auxiliary Bishop Belfast

Dr. Joachim Diestelkamp
Pastor of the Lutheran Church, Ireland

Imam Yahya Al Hussein
Islamic Foundation of Ireland

Mgr Maixent Coly
Archevêque of Ziguinchor, Senegal

Rev. Norman Grigg
Chairman and Suprintendent of the Methodist Mission, Gambia

Alhagie Ousman Jah
Deputy Head of the Supreme Islamic Council, Gambia

Karin Wiborn
General Secretary, Baptist Union of Sweden

Sten-Gunnar Hedin
General Superintendent, the Pentecostal Movement of Sweden

Göran Zettergren
President, Mission Covenant Church of Sweden

Pe. Gabriele Cipriani
Igreja Católica Apostólica Romana, Brasil

Rev. Luiz Alberto Barbosa da Igreja
Episcopal Anglicana do Brasil

Sra. Janette Ludwig
Igreja Evangélica de Confissão Luterana no Brasil - Secretária da Diretoria do Conselho Nacional de Igrejas Cristãs do Brasil e Coordenadora da Ação Ecumênica de Mulheres

Sra. Lídia Fernanda Crespo Correia
Igreja Episcopal Anglicana do Brasil - Tesoureira da Diretora do Conselho Nacional de Igrejas Cristãs do Brasil

Dom Filadelfo Oliveira Neto
Igreja Episcopal Anglicana do Brasil, 2º Vice-presidente do Conselho Nacional de Igrejas Cristãs do Brasil

Dom José Alberto Moura
Igreja Católica Apostólica Romana, 1° Vice-presidente do Conselho Nacional de Igrejas Cristãs do Brasil

Rev. Gerson Antonio Urban
Igreja Presbiteriana Unida, 3º Vice-presidente do Conselho Nacional de Igrejas Cristãs do Brasil

letter-from-faith-leaders-calling-for-ban-on-cluster-munitions-2008-04-17.pdf