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PaxChristiInternational:SeventyYearsofPeacemaking
IntroductiontoPaxChristi
Foralmost70years,PaxChristiInternationalhasincorporatedawiderange
ofcon
hierarchy,clergyandlaypeopleworktogetheronanequalanddemocraticbasis.A
bishopandalaywoman,bothofwhomwereelected,nowshareourpresidency.
PaxChristiInternationalhasheldconsultativestatusthroughECOSOCatthe
UnitedNationssince1979andisworkingatUNcentersinGeneva,NewYork,
ViennaandParis.Itisalsoof
rightsandinternationallaw;givingprioritytomeetinghumanneeds;and
protectingtheintegrityofcreation.
Asafaith-basedCatholicmovement,PaxChristipaysspecialattentiontothe
impactofreligioninrelationtoviolentcon
violentcon
peacefulprotestsandthedeliberatetargetingofciviliancommunities.
Sudan:InSudanthereweremorediversepossibilitiesthaninSyria.Pax
Christimembers–especiallyPaxChristiNetherlandsandPaxChristiItaly-have
workedinSudanand,morerecently,inSouthSudanformanyyears,beginningand
mostoftenstayingataverygrassrootsleveltoconnectwithandsupportlocal
Sudaneseeffortsforpeace.OurprincipalpartnertherehasbeentheCatholic
Church,nationallyandlocally.
OnegoodexampleofinternationalcollaborationwiththelocalCatholic
ChurchwasPaxChristi’scooperationwithBishopParideTaban,retiredbishopof
theDioceseofTorit,andhisKuronPeaceVillage,whichisnowitselfamember
organizationofPaxChristi.Someyearsago,astraditionalcattleraidingwas
becomingextremelyviolentanddangerous,BishopTabanaskedIKVPaxChristi
NetherlandsandSeedsofPeaceAfrica(SOPA)todevelopaprogramthatwould
bringtogethertheyouthwarriorsfrompastoralistcommunitiestocomeupwith
alternativepeacefulwaysofrelatingforthegoodoftheircommunities.
AftersuccessfulconferencesinKuronandNarus(Sudan),withyouth
warriorsandeldersfromneighboringpastoralistcommunitiesinUganda,Kenyaand
Sudan,IKVPaxChristiNetherlands,SOPAandlocalorganizationsdevelopedapeace
andsportsprogramcalledPlayingforPeacethathasbeenveryeffective.
Priortothe2010generalelectionandthe2011referendum,PaxChristi
teams–comprisedasmuchaspossibleofSudanesestaff–alsoworkedinseveral
villagesandtownsinSouthernSudan,includingNimule,Torit,Bor,MalakalandJuba,
takingfulladvantageofexistingparishanddiocesannetworksfororganizingevents
andcampaignsorcirculatinginformation.Theyaccompaniedandsupportedlocal
peaceinitiativesandsponsoredworkshops,dialogueandtrainings-mostlyfor
youth-oncon
nearby.
D.R.Congo:Inpost-con
decadeafterwarintheformerYugoslaviaended,highlightedthreecomplimentary
approachestorestorativejustice:(1)impartialtrialsforwarcrimes;(2)pursuitof
thetruthaboutwhathappened,includingtothosewhodisappeared;(3)expressions
ofsolidarityandprayerforallvictimsintheplaceswheretheyweredetained,
tortured,orkilled.
Uganda:ThegreatchallengeforPaxChristiandothersaccompanying
transitionalprocessesistolistenattentivelytothevoicesofthepeoplemostaffected
inagivensituationofwarorabuseandtore
refusedtoreturntosignthe
daysoftheColdWar,PaxChristihasworkedfordisarmamentanddemilitarization
throughnationaladvocacytowardspeci
andPaxChristiUKhavebegunaprocessofpubliceducationandadvocacythatwill
hopefullyhalttheuseandproliferationofthisdeadlyweapon.
Peaceandsecurityrequiremuchmorethantheabsenceofwarorabalance
ofpowerbetweenenemies.Alternativemethodstowarforresolvingintra-orinter-
nationalcon
CounciltorespondtotherepressionofprotestsinNorthAfricaandtheArabstates
andforthesuspensionofLibyaandBahrainfromtheUN
HumanRightsCouncil.Asmentionedabove,wecalledfortheimmediate
implementationofreformsinSyria;urgedtheEuropeanUnion,Turkeyandthe
RussianRepublictoactswiftlyto
avoidfurtherbloodshedandpromoteapoliticalprocessfor
transitioninSyria;andexpresseddeepconcernbeforetheUNHumanRights
CounciloverthesevererepressionbytheSyriangovernmentofpeacefulprotestsin
thatcountry.
Article9oftheJapaneseConstitution:Forseveralyears,PaxChristihas
participatedintheArticle9Campaign,whichurgescivilsocietytosupportthe
principlesofArticle9oftheJapaneseConstitution,whichrenounceswarasa
sovereignrightandthethreatoruseofforceasmeansofsettlinginternational
disputes.APaxChristiMemberOrganization,theJapanCatholicCouncilforJustice
andPeace(JCCJP),andPaxChristiUSAcollaboratedonavisittoWashingtonDCby
JapanesereligiousleaderstourgetheU.S.governmenttostoppressuringJapanto
changeitsConstitution.APaxChristiExecutiveCommitteememberandMember
OrganizationsfromJapanandtheUSparticipatedinAsianInter-Religious
ConferencesonArticle9tolinkourinternationalsupportforArticle9tothe
prioritiesinJapan,includingthepresenceofUSmilitarybasesinOkinawa,Japan,a
clearviolationofArticle9.PaxChristijoinedthecallfortheimmediateremovalof
allUSbasesfromtheislandandthereallocationofthecontroversial“sympathy
http://www.paxchristi.net/international/eng/show_mo.php?id=58&http://www.paxchristi.net/international/eng/show_mo.php?id=58&
payments”thattheJapanesegovernmenthasbeenpayingtoUStroops.
HumanRights:PaxChristicontinuesadvocacyoncriticalhumanrights
issues,recentlyincludingthehumanrighttopeace,theabolitionoftorture,the
spiralofviolenceanddeterioratinghumanrightssituationinIvoryCoast;the
intentionsofthegovernmentofSouthKoreatodestroyJejuIslandtomakewayfor
anAegisdestroyerbaseaimedatChina;theimpactofminingincon
sensitivitytolocaltensionsaroundtheimpactofmining.Basedonthecasestudy
andresearchintoexistingadvocacystrategiesonrelatedissuesintheregion,Pax
ChristipreparedadvocacyworkshopsforPaxChristiPeruandforthebroader
communityaroundalocal,nationaland,possibly,aninternationaladvocacyagenda.
PeaceSpiritualityandTheology
BasictoPaxChristi’sworkforpeaceisarichandvibrantspiritualityanda
commitmenttorespondtocomplexanddestructivehumanbehavioroutofadeep
wellofmoralandethicalprinciplesinspiredbytheChristianScriptures,Catholic
socialteachingandthewitnessofnonviolentpeacemakersfromdifferentfaith
traditions,includingArchbishopOscarRomero,FranzJaegerstatter,theRev.Martin
LutherKing,Jr.,DorothyDayandMahatmaGandhi.
Often,however,thespirituality–thefaiththatguidesandmotivatesPax
Christimembers-remainsinthedeepestplacesintheheartsofeachone.Their
experienceofGod’spresenceorabsence,encounterswithgoodandevil,inspiring
moments,theimpactononeofanother’switnesstotheirownbeliefsarerarely
shared–orevenarticulated.
Thus,morerecently,PaxChristihasinvitedpeopleinthemovementfrom
aroundtheworldtosharetheirspiritualjourneys.Bringingtogetherthestoriesof
grassrootspeopleandtheircommunities,PaxChristihasbeguntocapturethe
complexityofhumanexperienceswhichtakeplaceinaworldwherewar,con
re
earthcommunity.
IntheChallengeofPeaceandtenyearslaterintheHarvestofJustice,theU.S.
CatholicBishopssaid,“ThevisionofChristiannonviolenceisnotpassiveabout
injusticeandthedefenseoftherightsofothers….itconsistsofacommitmentto
resistmanifestinjusticeandpublicevilwithmeansotherthanforce.”The
nonviolencethatPaxChristihasembracedisdecidedlyactivenonviolence.
PaxChristibelievesthatthepursuitofpeacerequirescarefulsocialanalysis
andtheologicalre
victimsofafutureoverwhichwehavenocontrol.TheworkofPaxChristimembers
andmemberorganizationsinsituationsofintenseviolencegivestestimonytothat
belief.
DespiteitseffectiveuseinthePhilippines,EasternEurope,SouthAfrica,
Colombia,theSudans,ElSalvadorandelsewhereinrecentyears,however,the
nonviolencetraditionremainsunderdeveloped,boththeologicallyand
pragmatically,especiallyataninternationallevel.Thebeginningsoftheological
thoughthavebeenarticulated:nonviolenceisrootedinthevalueofeveryhuman
lifeandrespectforcreation;itisformedintheshadowofthecross;anditisinfused
withhope.Theimportanceofnonviolencealsoisemergingfrompainful,practical
experiencewhenresortingtoviolence–evenviolencethatseemedjusti
lawsandmoralboundariesde
internationalaffairsisanalogoustogoodnutritionandexerciseasawayof
promotingandmaintaininghealth.Nonviolence…isawayoflifethatrequires
courageandsacri
Serbianforces20yearsago,thewoundsofVukovararenothealed,butmany
citizensandthelocalgovernmentarepromotinginter-ethnictrust.Toaccompany
theirmovetowardreconciliation,participantsinthePaxChristimeetingsinvisited
theMemorialCenterOvčara,whichservedasaconcentrationcampfornon-Serbian
prisonersduringthewar.Twohundredciviliansandsoldiersimprisonedinthe
campwerekilledandburiedinmassgraves;62peopledisappeared.Tohonortheir
memory,thePaxChristigroupheldaprayerserviceattheplaceofexecution.In
part,weprayed:Godofallgoodness,youhavecalledustogetherinthesedaystorememberthevictimsofaterribleatrocity.Wedorememberthem–eachone.Wehaveheardtheirstoriesretold.Wehavelistenedwithcareandallowedthesestoriestoopenourhearts,toNilluswithcom-passion.
Wearestandingonholyground.
ToomanytimeswehavestoodongroundmadeholybyhumansufferingToooftenwehavebeentoplaceswhereviolenceoverwhelmedlife–
Throughouttheworld,communitiesofresistancetoviolence,peopleyearningforajustpeace,enactliturgiesofmemorythathaveprofoundcreativepower....
ButdeathbyhorriNicviolencecontinues;sodoesaspiritofirrepressibleresistance.That’swhywecometogetherthisafternoon.Resistancetodeathisimpelledbymemory.Thosewhoweresobrutallykilledinalloftheplaceswehavenamedassacredbecomemoreandmorealiveifweremember-eventhoughlifehasbeentakenfromthem.
Withthemandintheirnameswereestablishclaimsofjusticeandloveandsustaintheaudaciouspowertorefusedeath.
Eachsteptowardtruth,eachefforttouncovertherootsoftheviolence,eachmovementtowardabetterworld,honorsthewholecloudofwitnesses.
Godoflife,youwhoaretheGoodinaworldbrokenbyhatredand
violence,hearusthisday.Letoursmallgatheringnourishthepossibilitythattruthandjusticewillprevail.Grantuscompassion–thecapacitytosufferwithanother,eventhebitterestofenemies.Letusbecomethebetterworldweyearnfor,thepeaceweseek-bywhoweare,byhowwelive,bytheworkwedo.Amen.
Growingfromthiscommitmenttoreconciliation,PaxChristi’sspirituality
alsore
statementthatattractedtheattentionofthemedia.
Asanotherexample,intheUnitedStates,PaxChristihasmadea20-year
commitmenttotransformingitselfinto“ananti-racist,multi-culturalmovementfor
peacewithjustice.Becauseracismin
theimpactofouractions:“NewZealandisasmallandpowerlessnationremote
fromeverywheresigni
• Thenonviolencetraditionremainsunderdeveloped,boththeologicallyand
pragmatically,especiallyataninternationallevel.Tobuildaculturethatunderstands
andownsthevirtuesofnonviolenceisacrucialpersonalandpoliticalchallengethat
requiresurgentattentionandsigniNicantinvestment.Thatincludespublicinvestment
ineffectivenationalandmultilateralnonviolentmechanismsforstoppingoravoiding
violentconNlict,repressionandhumanrightsviolations.
• Widespread,well-organized,mainstreamedandholisticpeaceeducation;deep
involvementofyounggenerationsintheworkforpeace;interreligiousdialogueand
cooperation;andincreasedattentiontotheroleofwomenaspeacemakersareall
essentialtoourfutureworkforpeaceifoureffortsaretobesuccessful.
• PeacemakingisacomplexanddifNicultprocess,evenmoresointhecontextof
anincreasinglyinterconnectedworld.Toachievesustainablelocal,regionaland
internationalpeacewillrequireattentiontomanydifferentrootsandexpressionsof
violence;carefulattentiontoandnurturingofcreative,culturallyappropriateand
potentiallyenduringmodelsofsocietalorganization,includingpolitical,economic,
sociologicalandecological;theuseofmanydifferent,butinterconnected,toolsand
strategiesforbuildingpeace;andalongtermcommitmentinvolvingavarietyof
actorsworkinginacoordinatedwayatdifferentlevelsofsocietyandinresponseto
differentdimensionsofthechallengetopeace.
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