November 18, 2002
Dear friends,
Warm greetings from WSCF-AP Hong Kong regional office.
Last month, we organized the 3rd National Coordinator’s Meeting of the WSCF-AP in Thailand. The Coordinators of 13 national Student Christian Movements (SCM) were present together with officers and staffs.
We discussed several critical issues both on the regional and global level, and we reached a common understanding that “the US-led war situation is the most urgent agenda for the SCMs to voice out”.
We have decided, therefore, to encourage our members to actively involve in promoting-peace and campaigning against war. This campaign includes the following action plans:
Please feel free to reprint the signature forms, and collect as many signatures as possible. Once you collect the signatures, please send them to the AP regional office so that we can send them to the concerned countries and organizations.
Peace in the world is at a critical moment! We should not be silent! We should voice out with the prophetic vision as SCMs have done before.
We sincerely ask you to support and join to our Anti-war campaign with prayers and action.
In ecumenical solidarity,
Shin Seung Min
Regional Secretary
World Student Christian Federation
– Asia Pacific Region
Anti-War Campaign Position Paper
No War! Give Chance to Peace!
“An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth!” Since the September 11 attacks, the United States have been accelerating its efforts to rally the world behind its so-called borderless war against terrorism. From the arbitrary branding of traditional enemy countries as “The Axis of Evil”, to the indiscriminate attacks on Afghanistan, and the present determination to wage war against Iraq, the United States government has no qualms about sacrificing thousands of innocent lives in the name of the “War on Terror”. While we do not believe that any nation has the right to possess weapons of mass destruction, we are against the use of war to disarm Iraq by the United States-led coalition. We base this appeal on our concern for the people of Iraq, on our common humanity with those who will suffer and on our concern for the Asia Pacific Region who are likely to be targeted in retaliation, as the recent bombs in Bali and the Philippines have shown and the destination of many refugees that will result from this new war.
The United States government has convinced the American people that they are threatened by a global network of terrorist set on more deadly attacks. They seek to convince their allies of this also, and falsely state that they seek to win the war against terrorism for the sake of world peace. Undoubtedly the American people were victims on September 11, however, instead of seeking insight into how this terrible event occurred, or seeking a peaceful solution, the United States is now lashing out with war and is using this opportunity to settle long standing disputes that are unrelated to the September 11 attacks. The victims of these wars were not responsible for the September 11 attacks, and rather than seeking justice the United States is seeking arbitrary revenge on countries who share the same religion as the attackers. The US are also using the “War on Terror” as a pretext for development of their foreign and economic interests rather than safeguarding the national security of any country, just as they have done countless times before.
Asia-Pacific allies of the United States are rushing to support this senseless war as well. Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, for example, has opened the Philippine territory for US military training against terrorists, and the Australian Prime Minister John Howard has offered Australian troops to be deployed in Iraq. And despite public opinion being opposed to this Macapagal-Arroyo has even pledged the Philippine territory as a launching pad, if the United States strikes Iraq. Other Asia-Pacific leaders have just as enthusiastically rushed in to offer their support.
The US House of Representatives is in the mood for war, increasing its military budget to an astronomical amount of US$389 billion. These are not the actions of a country claiming they are seeking peace and they will eventually cause the targets of this aggression to fight back with more determination. This will then lead to a cycle of vindictiveness that cannot lead to peace.
In the midst of this chaotic time, we, the Student Christian Movements around the world reiterate our prophetic voice and recall the words of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount, “Blessed are the Peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God”. We must respond to the events that are unfolding before our eyes by voicing our mission/vision and carrying it out. Our inspiration is Jesus Christ who came into this world to bring genuine peace, even in the most challenging times.
We as Christian students strongly believe that war will not solve the problems currently faced by the world. Nor will war dissolve any feelings of hatred that have already been deeply sown. Neither will war bring justice for those already killed. War will only bring massive destruction, torn lives and families and widen the gulf between nations. As Christian students we demand peace. We want peace that will bring justice, mutual respect for peaceful co-existence and understanding to all creation of God.
We sincerely appeal to all nations to say No War! Give Chance to Peace!
World Student Christian Federation – Asia/Pacific Region
Stephen Hsu, Chair
Edwina Hunter, Vice-Chair
Glenda Rocas, Exco
Vinnay Kumar, Exco
Kim Sung Ran, Member-at-Large
Shin Seung Min, Regional Secretary
Wong Yock Leng, Regional Women’s Coordinator
WSCF-AP Anti-War Campaign
(Note: theses are just suggested dates for simultaneous protest actions, the national movements are free to organize their own activities)
| November | Declaration of WSCF-AP Position Paper on Anti-War Campaign Massive Poster Campaign/Signature Campaign in the Campuses and on the streets. |
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| Dec. 10, 2002 | Simultaneous Launching of WSCF Peace Campaign in the Regional office and in all national movements via street demonstrations in front of US Embassies and ending with a candle light vigil. | |
| Dec. 16, 2002 | Launching of “Skip a Meal” campaign to raise funds for war victims. National Movements can have a Luncheon or Dinner Fellowship with the Press/Media to publicly announce the start of the fund raising campaign for war victims through “Skip a Meal”. Local churches may be invited to join in this campaign. | |
| 2nd Week of February 2003 | The Universal Day of Prayer for Students should be organized to promote peace. |
This is the core of our peace campaign. Consciousness raising among SCMers on the issue of US war intentions on sovereign nations is a must. This can be done through holding forums, symposiums and study circles within the SCM members. We can invite speakers from the church and civil society groups to discuss with SCMs. This consciousness raising campaign should be extended to non-SCMers, faculty members and other university/campus workers. Forums or symposiums can be organized in the local churches.
In this campaign, it is best to initiate and form a broad alliance of peace loving people ranging from students to faculty members, academicians, pastors, church workers and NGO workers.
One US writer put it in this way “ Street and Campuses are relatively quiet” compare to the anti US war on Vietnam during the sixties. If we will take extra efforts on issue popularisation and alliance building, it will be easy to come out in the streets with massive protests. Street protests are important factors in making public opinion, thus it is very important that we carry on street demonstrations with other groups.
Anti-War Signature Form
“SAY NO TO WAR!”
| Name |
Organisation/Church (or individual) |
Signature |
*Please return to the WSCF-AP office when this list is full.