Zum Brief des Nationalen Kirchenrats Koreas an US-Präsident George W. Bush
13 . Juli 2006
Liebe Koreainteressierte,
Passend zum heutigen Besuch von Präsident Bush in der Bundesrepublik leite ich ihnen untenstehend einen Brief weiter, den der Nationale Kirchenrat Koreas an ihn geschrieben hat.
Da der Brief auf Englisch geschrieben ist, hier die 3 Hauptforderungen:
Erstens: Wir wenden uns entschieden gegen jeden Präventivschlag der USA gegen Nord Korea und den Iran. Jeder Versuch Frieden und Sicherheit mit destruktiver Gewalt zu erzielen wird nur zu weiterer Gewalt führen. Als Christen glauben wir, dass wirklicher Friede nur durch Gerechtigkeit, Versöhnung und Gewaltlosigkeit erreicht werden kann. Deshalb fordern wir sie auf die gegenwärtige Krise durch friedliche Mittel und inspiriert vom Geist der Gerechtigkeit, Versöhnung und Gewaltlosigkeit zu lösen.
Zweitens: Wir fordern Sie auf die Sanktionen gegen Nordkorea aufzuheben. .... Wenn es den USA ernst ist mit ihrem Wunsch, das Leiden der nordkoreanischen Bevölkerung zu lindern muss die US Regierung sofort die Sanktionen gegen Nordkorea aufheben.
Drittens: Wir fordern Sie auf einen diplomatischen Prozess in Gang zu setzen, um den Waffenstillstandsvertrag von 1953 durch einen Friedensvertrag zu ersetzen. Obwohl der Kalte Krieg an anderen Orten vorüber ist, so beherrscht das Erbe des kalten Krieges und der Waffenstillstand immer noch die geopolitische Situation auf der Koreanischen Halbinsel und in der Welt. Dies war und ist ein Hindernis für die friedliche Wiedervereinigung der koreanischen Halbinsel. Friedliche Wiedervereinigung ist einer der Schlüssel, um Frieden in Nordostasien herzustellen......
Dass ein solcher Brief formuliert wird, ist ein Ergebnis einer Friedenskonferenz im Mai, an der Vertreterinnen von 23 Kirchen und Organisationen aus 9 Ländern teilnahmen.
Mit freundlichen Grüßen/with kind regards
Lutz Drescher
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Lutz Drescher
EMS Evang. Missionswerk in Suedwestdeutschland e.V.
Association of Churches and Missions
Verbindungsreferat Indien- Ostasien/ India - East Asia Liaison Desk
Vogelsangstr. 62
D 70197 Stuttgart
Tel. ++49-711-6367830, Fax ++49-711-6367866
drescher@ems-online.org
www.ems-online.org
July 6, 2006
Dear Friends,
Letter to President George W. Bush
As mandated in the final Statement of the International Ecumenical Consultation on Peace in East Asia, held May 2-4, 2006 in Seoul, the NCCK sent a letter on July 3rd to President George Bush urging that the US not engage in pre-emptive attacks on North Korea and Iran; lift the sanctions against North Korea; and initiate a peace agreement to replace the armistice of 1953.
On behalf of the NCCK I attach a copy of this letter. Please share it with your colleagues and churches.
This letter of course becomes all the more relevant and pressing in the critical situation following the missile tests conducted by North Korea within the immediate-past days. Let us pray that calm prevail and that God give wisdom to world leaders to find a peaceful resolution of the present crisis and peaceful relations with North Korea in the future.
Sincerely,
Shin Seung-Min
Executive Secretary for Ecumenical Relations
Presbyterian Church in the Republic of Korea (PROK)
Date 2006. 7. 3 President George W. Bush
Dear Mr. President, Church leaders and representatives of the World Council of Churches (WCC), Christian Conference of Asia (CCA) and member churches in Asia, Europe and North America held an International Ecumenical Consultation on Peace in East Asia, in Seoul, Korea on May 2-4, 2006. We explored ways to work together to build peace in the East Asia region where the cold war continues. Through presentations and discussions, we strongly affirmed that "peacemaking is not part of our mission, it is our mission in our day." We acknowledged that one of the keys to establishing peace in North-East Asia is the peaceful reunification of the Korean peninsula. However, we also identified further obstacles to peace and stability in North-East Asia: the power struggle between Japan and China; the Taiwan issue; the tension between Japan and North Korea; and [the tension] between the U.S.A. and North Korea. Particularly, we held the common belief that the USA strategic flexibility policy as applied to North-East Asia endangers the region more than it contributes to its security. It is in this context that the participants of the Consultation proposed that the National Council of Churches in Korea (NCCK) write a letter to you with regard to the following three issues: First, we oppose any possible pre-emptive attack by the USA against North Korea and Iran. Any attempt to achieve peace and security through violent destruction will only result in further violence. As Christians we believe that true peace can be achieved only through justice, reconciliation and nonviolence. Therefore, we urge you to resolve the current crisis through peaceful means inspired by the spirit of justice, reconciliation and nonviolence. Second, we urge you to lift the sanctions against North Korea. It is generally understood that the sanctions against North Korea since 1950 have been enforced by the USA in its own political interest. Experts indicate that the sanctions against North Korea have been one of the significant causes of the increasing suffering of the North Korean people. If the USA is really serious in its wish to relieve the suffering of the North Korean people, the US government must immediately lift the sanctions against North Korea. Third, we urge you to initiate a diplomatic process to replace the armistice of 1953 with a peace agreement. Even though the cold war has ended elsewhere, the legacy of the cold war, the armistice of 1953, still dominates the geo-political situation of the Korean peninsula and the world. This has been an obstacle to the peaceful reunification of the Korean peninsula. Achieving peaceful reunification is also one of the keys to establishing peace in North-East Asia. Therefore, we urge you to consolidate all efforts to replace the armistice of 1953 with a peace agreement. As an ecumenical church community we continue to pray and act together to achieve peace in the world. In our prayers and actions, we uphold the strong affirmation that dialogue and cooperation, rather than war and oppression, is the best way to achieve peace. Dear Mr. President, we pray that you and your country will be a critical peace-maker in the world so that all people may live in peace and harmony without threat of war. On behalf of Christians praying for peace, Bishop Park Kyung-Jo
Participating churches in the International Ecumenical Consultation on Peace in East Asia, May 2-4, 2006, Seoul, Korea: Church of South India |