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To open debate in the appropiate international forums about "a timetable for the reduction and termination of the United States-led coalition’s military presence in Iraq and for the removal of its military bases there" is the first among a series of recommendations made in a statement about Iraq approved by the World Council of Churches (WCC) central committee one day before the end of its 15-22 February meeting in Geneva.
The statement, which calls "governments and intergovernmental bodies to greater accountability under the rule of international law both for the cause of peace in Iraq and for more effective management of such crises in future", insists on the need of a greater role for the United Nations in helping the Iraqi people to gain effective control of their country.
According to the WCC governing body, this implies the progressive transfer of "governance and resource management" as well as "security affairs" to Iraqi control, with the assistance of the appropriate UN agencies. The UN's role should include overseeing "the post-war reconstruction" so as to ensure the "maximum feasible participation of Iraqis" while "greatly reducing the role of foreign contractors".
After reaffirming the Council's position that the war on Iraq was "illegal under the UN Charter and international law", the statement asks for an "independent, credible and accurate third-party verification of casualty levels on all sides during this conflict - assigning responsibility for the deaths, illnesses, traumas and injuries".
The WCC central committee condemns "unequivocally the torture and humiliation of prisoners", and deplores the "relegation of punishment for these crimes to low-ranking soldiers," disregarding responsibilities "at high levels of the US Administration".
The statement also manifests deep concern "at violence that targets innocent civilians," and calls on WCC member churches to speak out "on behalf of all who suffer violence, killings, attacks and kidnappings".
Since Christian communities have a "unique role in Iraqi society today", the Council's member churches are called to assist "Christian citizens to stay in Iraq by speaking out on their behalf". They are also called to "support the continuing efforts of Christians to work with Muslims and people of other faiths in discerning common goals for Iraq and the Middle East".
Although it recognizes "a ray of hope for the future in the millions of citizens who went to the polls last month," the WCC governing body insists that "the crisis in Iraq persists at the expense of the Iraqi people". "Leaders who used the false pretexts of terrorist connections and weapons of mass destruction in Iraq to bolster their case for war will be judged by history," the document affirms.
The full text of the WCC central committee statement is available at:
