Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

On Thursday, the 17th July 2014, you and the people of the Netherlands experienced a tragic incident when Malaysian flight MH17 met with a disaster over Ukraine and 298 passengers and crew, among them 193 of Dutch Nationality, died.

It is with profound sadness that we have followed the events during the past weekend, and we pray for all who have lost loved ones. We are particularly saddened that even now some of the bodies have yet to be recovered and those that have been recovered have not yet been returned to their families.

We have heard your call for solidarity from the ecumenical movement and our member churches in Russia to do all we can so that the finding and identifying of the bodies can take place as quickly as possible, and so that a proper investigation into the crash may be conducted. Together with you, we feel the urgency of calling on all parties to treat the crash site with respect, and the need to handle the bodies with dignity.

We take this opportunity to extend our sincere condolences to the families of those who have been killed in the plane disaster. May the peace of Christ be among you, and may the hope of the resurrection to eternal life bring you comfort.

We are reminded of our call to seek justice and righteousness; it is imperative for strengthening our faith. This call demands our concern for all those who are deprived of their inherent and inalienable rights and dignity, of fullness of life and equal justice.

May the God of Life continue to strengthen you to "seek peace and pursue it" (Psalm 34:14).

Yours in Christ,

Dr Isabel Apawo Phiri
WCC associate general secretary
Public Witness and Diakonia