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Christian Conference of Asia
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TSUEN WAN COMMUNIQUEInternational Consultation on TSUEN WAN COMMUNIQUE 1. One hundred and thirty-seven church leaders from across the world have today recommitted the ecumenical community to the goal of Peace, Reconciliation and Reunification of the Korean Peninsula. 2. Marking the 25th anniversary of the Consultation convened by the Commission of the Churches on International Affairs of the World Council of Churches and by the Christian Conference of Asia held in Tozanso, Japan in 1984 - the first ecumenical gathering to take steps towards the peaceful reunification of the divided Korean peninsula - the World Council of Churches and the Christian Conference of Asia brought together church leaders and participants from the two Koreas and from across the world in Tsuen Wan, Hong Kong, 21-23 October 2009. The Tsuen Wan Consultation included presentations from the churches of North and South Korea, a keynote address from WCC general secretary Rev Dr Sam Kobia, an overview of developments over the past 25 years, input from political analysts, a joint celebration of the Eucharist led by North and South Korean church leaders, and engaged in worship, Bible study and prayers for God's guidance and inspiration towards the goal of peaceful reunification. 3. The healing and reconciling spirit of the Tozanso process was affirmed by participants throughout the Tsuen Wan Consultation. They recalled the 1989 WCC policy statement on "Peace and the Reunification of Korea". This statement commenced by referring to the WCC 1983 "Statement on Peace and Justice" and then went on:
4. The Consultation recognised the many positive developments since Tozanso, including:
5. However, in recent years difficulties have emerged which have challenged the process towards reunification. These difficulties include:
6. Participants in the Tsuen Wan Consultation strongly affirmed that the gospel of Jesus Christ commits Christians to work against evil, injustice and suffering in all its forms, and to pray and work for God's justice, peace and unity in the world. The Korean people have suffered for too long from their forced division. They are one people, one culture, one nation, yet they remain divided. Justice demands that they be reunited in peace and in common commitment to one another. The rest of the world needs to step back from policies, prejudices and pressures which hinder the Korean people from moving forward in the process that will lead to their peaceful reunification and from shaping their future together. 7. In the spirit of the Tozanso Conference, and seeking to advance the principles and tasks declared at Tozanso, the Tsuen Wan Consultation offers the support of the ecumenical community for new steps towards reunification by:
8. It is the fervent hope and prayer of all participants at the Tsuen Wan Consultation that the divided people of Korea will be reunited soon. We long for the day when the people of the Korean peninsula, together with the rest of the world, can join together in thanksgiving and joy to celebrate that they are again one people and one nation. "In the name of Christ Jesus, our peace, in whom we are made one, who has broken down the wall of hostility, creating in himself one new people, reconciling all people to God in one body through the cross, thereby bringing the hostility to an end…" (from Ephesians 2:13-16). Tsuen Wan, Hong Kong posted by cbs on Monday, October 26, 2009 CCA calls for support for people displaced by continuing violence in Pakistan12 October 2009 Mr. Victor Azariah General Secretary National Council of Churches in Pakistan P.O. Box 357 Lahore 54000, Pakistan Dear Mr. Azariah: In the just-concluded Meeting of the General Committee of the Christian Conference of Asia, concerns have been raised on the continuing violence in Pakistan. In August, CCA received information on the killing of Christians in Central Punjab Province. The Christians who have been killed and the families whose houses have been burned based on false accusation of desecrating the Quran; with the perpetrators using the Blasphemy Laws against the Christian community is a high price that Pakistani Christians continue to pay in the name of the so-called blasphemy. The killings and burning of places of worship have continued and the Christians continue to suffer the brutality and displacement resulting from the violence in the northern region of Pakistan. Recent spate of violence have again rendered Pakistanis victims in other cities, including Lahore, Shanti Nagar, Sangla Hill, Gojra and Sialkal, while the Pakistan Government claims it is finally defeating the Taliban forces in the Swat Valley. Sporadic violence in the meantime has spread to different parts of the country in Punjab, Sind, Peshawar and Baluchistan. The churches in Pakistan continue to respond in appropriate ways to the population rendered victims by the on-going violence. The churches in Pakistan call on Asian churches through the CCA to support the call of the World Council of Churches for the Government of President Asif Ali Zardari to take necessary action to bring the perpetrators of such violence to justice and to ensure the safety and security of the civilian population at all times. CCA continues to call on member churches and Councils to offer practical support for the humanitarian needs of the population displaced by the continuing violence. Solidarity support and prayers are also offered to the families of the victims and the churches in Pakistan. This letter was passed by the CCA General Committee at its meeting in Bangkok, Thailand on 1st October 2009. Yours faithfully, PRAWATE KHID-ARN General Secretary cc:
Members, CCA General Committee Member Churches and NCCs posted by cbs on Wednesday, October 14, 2009 CCA prays for peace and reconciliation in Sri Lanka12 October 2009 The Rev. Dr. Jayasiri Peiris General Secretary National Christian Council of Sri Lanka Colombo, Sri Lanka Dear Dr. Peiris: At the just-concluded meeting of the General Committee of the Christian Conference of Asia, in which you are in attendance, concerns were raised about the situation of Mr. Santha Fernando's continuing detention and the political situation in Sri Lanka. You have informed the General Committee of continuing efforts to minister to the needs of Mr. Fernando and the work for his release. The NCCSL is also engaged in responding to the relief and rehabilitation work going on those who have been internally displaced in the aftermath of the long war that has raged in Sri Lanka. CCA and its member churches and Councils remain committed to the protection of the rights of the Tamil minority and the final settlement of the conflict, including full rehabilitation of the victims. Members of the CCA General Committee have offered their prayers and support for the continuing work of peace and reconciliation in Sri Lanka through the NCCSL and member churches. Yours faithfully, PRAWATE KHID-ARN General Secretary cc:
Members, CCA General Committee Member Churches and NCCs posted by cbs on Wednesday, October 14, 2009 CCA Letter to UNFCC, BangkokSeptember 30, 2009 Mr. Yvo de Boer Dear Mr. de Boer, Greetings from the General Committee of the Christian Conference of Asia (CCA), a regional organisation of churches representing 5 million Christians in more than 20 countries. CCA is happy to present the attached Statement on Climate Change as our contribution to the on-going two-week consultations in The issue of climate change and consequently global warming and its effects on our planet are urgent concerns that need the attention of the leaders and common people alike, world-wide. In Asia we are constant victims of the severe consequences of climate change and global warming – massive flooding in the Philippines from heavy rains brought about by typhoons, the most recent of which is the devastating effect of the Ketsana (Ondoy) typhoon; flash floods in Taiwan and China, the floods caused by the Nargis cyclone in Myanmar, the perennial floods in Bangladesh and other parts of Asia, as well as the tsunami which hit Indonesia, Thailand, Myanmar, Maldives, India, and Sri Lanka in 2004. At this meeting, we were also informed of the earthquake that hit Human greed, the obsession for profits and indifference to nature have led to the abuse and mismanagement of the environment and its natural resources. PRAWATE KHID-ARN posted by cbs on Wednesday, October 07, 2009 CCA Statement on Climate ChangeThe occurrence of natural disasters around the world in the last few decades has caused significant human and economic losses with worsening trends quantitatively and qualitatively. In 2008, there were 354 natural disasters that killed 235,000 people and affected 214 million people with economic costs reaching over 100 billion US$. Despite the lesser number of disasters in 2008 compare to the yearly average number of disasters for the period 2000-2007, which is 397 with 66,813 people killed, the death toll in 2008 was three times higher and the economic cost is more than twice the 82 billion US$ annual average for 2000-2007.[1] Another tsunami and an earthquake on September 30, 2009 brought new concerns and challenges. Geophysical disasters require serious attention and efforts in disaster risk reduction as they have a devastating impact on human life, economy, and nature; an example of which is the tsunami disaster that struck It has been internationally acknowledged through several international platforms such as the Yokohama Strategy 1994 and the current operating frameworks known as the Hyogo Frameworks of Actions (2005 – 2015) that reducing risk of disasters requires immediate and urgent action. A paradigm shift from response to risk reductions has been widely introduced in many countries. The role of civil society organizations and churches in facilitating this change is vitally important. The World Council of Churches has been working on climate change since 1990. Meanwhile, the Christian Conference of Asia have been showing a strong commitment and concern in fostering the Earth as our habitat which God has entrusted us in caring for and protecting from the beginning of creation. "The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof" (Psalm 24:1) is a scriptural call for environmental stewardship. Scripture clearly states that God created, blessed, protected and made a covenant with nature and all the species in it. As stewards of God's creation, we are likewise[5] called to answer this duty, therefore maintaining the ecological integrity of our biosphere, which for Churches has indeed both a spiritual and ethical dimension. However, there is still a gap between policies and actual actions to incorporate Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction ( DRR ) in the Asian Region. The urgency of the threat of climate change requires our generation to take immediate action and go beyond simple declarations and statements. New alternative models of life are called for.[6] Meanwhile, it is also important to have an effective mechanism of action frameworks of the DRR and Climate Change Adaptation incorporated by Churches in [1] Annual Disaster Statistical Review 2008, The numbers and trends; Jose Rodriguez - Femke Vos - Regina Below - D. Guha-Sapir; Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters [2] World Energy Outlook 2008, Executive Summary, International Energy Agency [3] Estimasi Dampak Ekonomi Bencana Tsunami; Dr. Bustanul Arifin; Economic Review Journal No. 199 (March 2005) [4] Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015: I S D R International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (www.unisdr.org/wcdr) *Extract from the final report of the World Conference on Disaster Reduction (A/CONF.206/6) [5] Christians Celebrating World Environment Day 2009, Freddy De Alwis, CCA-JID, http://www.cca.org.hk/clusters/jid/ posted by cbs on Wednesday, October 07, 2009 |
