Anglican Communion News Service

(LWI) Prompted by increased tension between Iraq and some Western powers and the subsequent military buildup in the region, the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) has turned to the ecumenical network "Action by Churches Together" (ACT) urgently asking for help. ACT's Iraq emergency relief appeal, sponsored by the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) and World Council of Churches (WCC) amounts to USD 2 million.

With other aid agencies, ACT and MECC are together preparing to provide humanitarian aid to about 500,000 people at the Iraqi-Jordanian border in the event of a military strike against Iraq. The Social Service Agency of the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD) has decided to contribute DM 500,000 to ACT's Iraq emergency relief effort. The agency's financial support is aimed at mitigating the impact of the UN sanctions upon the civilian population. According to Hans-Otto Hahn, director of "Bread for the World" and the agency's emergency work, it is more meaningful "to bring bread to people in Iraq than to rattle a saber".

WCC delegation visits Iraqis affected by sanctions

The WCC also advocated a peaceful settlement of the conflict following a seven-member ecumenical team visit to acquire firsthand information from the churches of Iraq and others affected by the application of sanctions.

The concluding report quotes Iraqi Christians who urgently warn against further escalation because the suffering of the Iraqi people would be intensified. According to the delegation, the churches in Iraq have called upon the world's Christians to join them in prayer for a non-violent solution to the crisis.

According to the U.N., 900,000 people in Iraq depend on aid. Almost 15 percent of children are malnourished.