Church federation asks a halt to U.S. bombing
Published 9:00 pm Saturday, November 3, 2001
SEATTLE — The Washington Association of Churches on Friday called for an end to the U.S. bombing in Afghanistan, saying it is blocking humanitarian efforts as the harsh Afghan winter approaches.
"Regardless of the importance of holding those culpable for the Sept. 11 attacks accountable, we ought to be able to do that and not endanger the lives of so many millions of people through starvation," said the Rev. John Boonstra, executive minister of the association.
The association, which represents 1,450 Protestant churches in the state, sent a letter to members of the state’s congressional delegation and to President Bush. The letter was signed by representatives of seven of the association’s nine member denominations as well as by other groups.
The letter cites relief organizations such as Oxfam and Christian Aid, which estimate that if they cannot distribute food within Afghanistan in the next two weeks, as many as 7.5 million people will be in jeopardy of shortages or starvation.
"We remember the disregard for humanity that was revealed on Sept. 11," the letter reads. "We recognize, too, that disregard for humanity may have created the events of Sept. 11. And we reassert that ongoing disregard for humanity must be eliminated wherever it is visible."
Rep. Brian Baird, D-Wash., bristled when he heard the contents of the letter.
"I believe the people who wrote this letter are well-intentioned," Baird said. "I respect those concerns, but I think the blame falls squarely on the Taliban. The people who attacked us were without mercy, without morals. They bear the responsibility for any lives lost."
The people of Afghanistan will be better off when the Taliban is out of power, he said.
The U.N. World Food Program estimates that Afghanistan needs about 1,870 tons of food distributed every day. Since the attacks began, the United Nations has increased shipments from around 770 tons a day to about 1,540 tons.
Boonstra claimed food drops by U.S. military planes have been ineffective.
"It’s symbolic at best, not to mention that there’s a lot of distrust among the Afghan people about whether the food is healthy," he said. "Long-term relief is needed to get through the winter."
The letter was signed by representatives of the American Baptist Churches of the Northwest, the United Church of Christ’s Washington and North Idaho conference, the United Methodist Church’s Pacific Northwest Conference, the Episcopal Diocese of Olympia, the northwest region of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America’s Eastern Washington and Idaho Synod, and the African Methodist Episcopal Church.
It was also signed by groups such as the Seattle International Human Rights Coalition and Community Action Network, but not by anyone from the Presbyterian Church U.S.A. or the Church of the Brethren.
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