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Home>Korean Hostages in Afghanistan KOREAN HOSTAGES IN AFGHANISTANSTATEMENT BY THE PEACE COUNCIL The international and interfaith Peace Council, 21 prominent religious and spiritual leaders, and the trustees of the International Committee for the Peace Council ask for the immediate and unconditional release of all the Korean hostages held by Taliban forces in Afghanistan. We ask our brothers in Afghanistan to consider the great distress of the hostages' families and to have compassion. These hostages are innocent civilians, not party to any war or violence. We believe that they should not be harmed in any way or detained and that they should be freed to return to their families in Korea. We also ask the Afghan and coalition military forces not to intervene in this situation, believing that military action will endanger the lives of the Koreans held by the Taliban. We support the Korean government's efforts to secure the release of their citizens without using military force. Although we understand that these hostages were on a humanitarian mission, they are associated with a Christian church in Korea. We ask the Christian churches who have sent missionaries to proselytize in Islamic countries to stop this practice. We think it is disrespectful to Muslims and for that reason Christians who believe in loving their neighbors should not do it. Lives are at stake; the matter is urgent. We ask all people of faith and organizations working for peace to join us in this appeal. Please act now. Finally, we pray for a true and lasting peace in Afghanistan and in all the world. Peace Councilors: Swami Agnivesh; Prof. Hizkias Assefa; Dr. Dalil Boubakeur; Dr. Elise Boulding; Rev. Marcus Braybrooke; H.H. Swami Chidananda Saraswati; Sister Joan D. Chittister, OSB; Prof. Chung Hyun Kyung; H.H. Tenzin Gyatso, 14th Dalai Lama; Ven. Dhammananda Bhikkhuni; Rev. Gonzalo Bernabe Ituarte Verduzco, O.P.; Fr. Thomas Keating, OCSO; Mrs. Mairead Maguire; Dr. Saleha S. Mahmood - Abedin; Imam W. Deen Mohammed; Dr. Chandra Muzaffar; Most Rev. Samuel Ruiz Garcia; Kalon Tripa Ven. Prof. Samdhong Rinpoche; H.E. Dr. L. M. Singhvi; Most Rev. Desmond M. Tutu; Rabbi Levi Weiman - Kelman. Trustees: Ms. Lydia I. Alpizar Duran; Lic. Miguel Alvarez Gandara; F. Peter Brinkman; Prof. Joseph W. Elder; Sr. Laura Goedken, OP; Dr. Daniel A. Gomez-Ibanez; Mr. Jim Kenney; Dr. Irfan Ahmad Khan; Prof. Sallie B. King; Dr. Paul Knitter; Sister Marcelline Koch, OP; Ms. Mary LaMar; Rev. Steve Minnema; Mr. John F. Udelhofen. Home || About the Peace Council || Peace Councilors || Purpose and Commitments || Current Annual Report || Looking Ahead || News || Trustees || How You Can Help || Links || Contact || Page Published: 08/08/2007 · Page Last Modified: |
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