| Christian Peacemaker Teams |
Index for Christian |
Shopping Peacemaker |
Website Links For Christian |
Information AboutChristian Peacemaker Teams |
|
Christianity and CPT CPT has its roots in the historic Peace Churches of North America, and its four supporting denominations are the Mennonite Church USA , Mennonite Church Canada , Church Of The Brethren , and Friends United Meeting . It is also sponsored by the following Christian groups ''Every Church a Peace Church'', ''On Earth Peace'', ''Presbyterian Peace Fellowship'', '' Baptist Peace Fellowship Of North America '', and the ''Society of St. Basil''. In conflict areas it works in partnership with Jewish , Muslim and secular peace organizations, such as the International Solidarity Movement and Peace Brigades International . Another component of CPT's work is to engage "...congregations, meetings and support groups at home to play a key advocacy role with policy makers." {Link without Title} Although it is a Christian-based organization, CRT does not engage in any type of Missionary activity. Their website states "While CPTers have chosen to follow Jesus Christ, they do not proselytize." {Link without Title} This has raised the question of what distinguishes them from similar "secular", organizations; "All the groups resemble one another other in that they all work to stop violence, but according to CPT's Web site, it has an advantage over secular groups: "In Muslim areas, the Christian nature of CPT helps to create confidence because of a shared sense of monotheism." The group does not believe that its Christianity might also put it at a dangerous disadvantage in areas of the world where religious tensions run high." {Link without Title} While their website also states that "Participants in CPT are Christians", they are not exclusively so. One of the recently rescued CPT hostages in Iraq, Harmeet Singh Sooden , is a Sikh . History The inspiration for the group came from Ron Sider at the Mennonite World Conference in 1984. At it, Sider criticized Mennonites and Brethren In Christ for reducing their peace witness to simple Conscientious Objection :
After a series of meetings, Gene Stoltzfus was hired as the first staff person for the new organization in 1987 . Over the next few years CPT trainings and conferences explored various models for international peacemaking. In 1990, just before the Gulf War , CPT sent a team of 13 to Iraq for 10 days. This delegation proved to be the first of a number the group sent its first delegations to Haiti , Iraq , and the West Bank . Iraq Activities CPT has operated in Iraq since October 2002 . Since the 2003 Invasion Of Iraq , they have worked with and advocated for families of people detained by the U.S. Military and collected stories of detainee Abuse . In January 2004 they released a report documenting routine abuse of Iraqi prisoners held by Coalition Provisional Authority , well before the photographs of Abu Ghraib prisoners brought international attention to the issue. {Link without Title} Hostage Crisis See Also: 2005-2006 Christian Peacemaker hostage crisis On 26 November 2005 , four human rights workers associated with CPT were kidnapped in Baghdad :
The four had planned to visit the Muslim Clerics Association , an influential group of Sunni religious leaders formed in 2003 after the collapse of Saddam Hussein's regime, and were about 100 metres from the entrance to a mosque where the meeting was to take place when they were abducted. Their captors are a previously unknown group, the Swords Of Righteousness Brigade . The hostages were shown on a video broadcast released worldwide on 29 November by Arab satellite channel Al Jazeera . The captors branded their hostages as spies posing as Christian peace activists. The captors threatened to kill the hostages unless the US freed all Iraqi prisoners held in the US and Iraq. A body found in Iraq on 10 March 2006 was identified later that day as being that of Tom Fox. On March 23 , 2006 , the three remaining hostages were rescued from a house near the town of Mishahda by a multinational force. None of the kidnappers were found in the house at the time. The '' Telegraph (UK) '' reported that "A deal had been struck with a man detained the previous night who was one of the leaders of the kidnappers. He was allowed a telephone call to warn his henchmen to leave the kidnap house. When the troops moved in and found the prisoners alive, they also let him go as promised." {Link without Title} The rescue force was led by elements of 'Task Force Black' - a multinational counter-kidnap unit consisting of British, American and Australian special forces and also involved Canadian and Canadian Security Intelligence Service were also involved. {Link without Title} The three surviving hostages were in good medical condition. While captive, they had been allowed to exercise and Kember had received medication he needs. {Link without Title} Although happy that the hostages were freed, CPT placed the responsibility for the kidnapping on the coalition itself: "We believe that the illegal occupation of Iraq by Multinational Forces is the root cause of the insecurity which led to this kidnapping and so much pain and suffering in Iraq." CPT initially made no mention of appreciation to coalition forces for the rescue in its statement, but did so in a later addenda after considerable media attention. It was reported that the CPT had not cooperated with the SAS officials who coordinated the rescue. CPT co-director Doug Pritchard stated that they did not want a "military raid" to occur and preferred to work with diplomats. [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2087-2104094,00.html Work in Colombia CPT has had a team based in Barrancabermeja , Colombia since 2001. The focus of their work has been accompanying a number of communities along the Opon river, a tributary of the Magdalena River . The farmers and fishers from these communities displaced themselves in 2000 due to heavy fighting in 2000 between the United Self-Defense Forces Of Colombia (AUC) and the Revolutionary Armed Forces Of Colombia (FARC). Since the community members returned to their homes in 2001, the team has has had a nearly daily presence in the area to support the people, work to prevent intimidation by both AUC and FARC and document human rights abuses if they occur. The team also works with Colombian womens groups and human rights groups based in Barrancabermeja in an effort to reduce threats and violent acts carried out by the AUC in the city. Criticism of CPT On occasion, Christian Peacemaker Teams have been accused of having a one-sided approach to international conflicts. For example, critics note that Christian Peacemaker Teams are quick to interfere in Israeli actions in the West Bank and advocate Divestment campaigns, but tend to turn a blind eye toward Palestinian terrorist attacks against civilians within Israel proper. {Link without Title} References
External links
|