Natl Cncl of Churches Opposes Bush Move to Kill Cuba Aid
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Natl Cncl of Churches Opposes Bush Move to Kill Cuba Aid
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Progreso Weekly - Jul 13, 2006
http://www.progresoweekly.com/index.php?progreso=Council&otherweek=1152766800
National Council of Churches asks Bush to NOT stop aid
through Cuban Council of Churches
Washington, D.C. -- The National Council of Churches USA has joined Church
World Service, its sister humanitarian organization, in opposing a
recommendation in a draft report by the Commission for Assistance to a Free
Cuba. It proposes the U.S. Commerce Department no longer grant licenses for
humanitarian aid to the Cuban people that would go through the Cuban
Council of Churches, because it violates religious freedom.
NCC is urging its member denominations, state councils of churches and
others to send an urgent message to President Bush with copies to Secretary
of State Condoleezza Rice and Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez urging
them not to ban aid through the Cuban Council of Churches, an organization
that they have partnered with for decades. Rice and Gutierrez co-chair the
commission.
The report is in its second draft and expected to be officially released
within the next week. These new restrictions are alarming because they
would infringe upon religious freedom and jeopardize the Cuban people,
especially children, by limiting aid to reach those most in need.
In 2004, the Commission for Assistance to a Free Cuba issued its first
report. It resulted in severe new restrictions on family, educational and
religious travel to Cuba, and decreased the allowable remittances that
Cuban-Americans were allowed to send to their families on the island.
"We have had an ecumenical relationship with the Cuban Council of Churches
for a long time, as have churches and councils of churches around the
world," said Dr. Antonios Kireopoulos, associate general secretary for
international affairs and peace at the NCC.
"If these recommendations are accepted by President Bush it would indicate
that this administration is trying to dictate who our church ecumenical
partners can be and how our humanitarian agencies can deliver aid to people
who need it. That is an incredible intrusion into free exercise of
religion," said Kireopoulos.
The report recommends that the Department of Commerce "[t]ighten
regulations for the export of humanitarian items, other than agricultural
or medical commodities, to ensure that exports are consigned to entities
that support independent civil society and are not regime administered or
controlled organizations, such as the Cuban Council of Churches."
Although the recommendation appears to make an exception for food and
medicine - some of CWS's main shipments to the island nation - there is a
great deal of concern that the implementation itself might not make room
for such exemptions in the case of the Cuban Council of Churches.
Furthermore, other humanitarian items, such as blankets, school kits and
sewing supplies, and any other non-food and medicine aid will certainly be
off-limits to the CCC. With the expectation that this will be one of the
worst hurricane seasons ever, this seems especially unreasonable.
This new recommendation coupled with new restrictions on travel implemented
in 2005 is viewed as an attack by the current administration on ecumenical
relations that have existed for years. In addition, NCC is particularly
concerned that the Cuban Council of Churches has been singled out, which
could set a dangerous precedent internationally.
According to the letter being sent to the president, "It is completely
inappropriate for the U.S. government, or any government, to determine who
is and who is not a legitimate national council of churches, and to
restrict or deny Christian fellowship and humanitarian assistance to any
particular national church council, including the Cuban Council of
Churches."
Rev. John L. McCullough, CWS executive director, said, "Ecumenical bodies
have a right to determine their partners and to relate internationally.
This raises grave concerns apart from the politics of U.S.-Cuban
relations."
To view a copy of the letter being sent to administration officials or for
those who wish to take action and urge the U.S. not to implement this
recommendation visit www.faithfulamerica.org
NCC News contacts: Rev. Dan Webster (dweb...@ncccusa.org) 212-870-2252,
Rev. Leslie Tune (lt...@ncccuca.org) 202-544-2350.
Sample Letter
Dear Mr. President: [with copies to Condoleezza Rice and Carlos Gutierrez]
I am dismayed to hear that the second report of the Commission for
Assistance to a Free Cuba may contain a recommendation that U.S. churches
and ecumenical agencies cease being able to provide humanitarian assistance
to vulnerable Cuban children, women and men through the globally recognized
Cuban Council of Churches.
I believe that for the U.S. Government to implement this recommendation
would be an affront to religious freedom. Such an action by the U.S.
Government would seriously burden the religious freedom and Christian
mission of ecumenical bodies in the United States--Church World Service and
the National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A.
Ecumenical Christian bodies have a right to determine their ecumenical
partners and to engage with them internationally. It is completely
inappropriate for the U.S. government, or any government, to determine who
is and who is not a legitimate national council of churches, and to
restrict or deny Christian fellowship and humanitarian assistance to any
particular national church council, including the Cuban Council of
Churches.
For these reasons I ask you as a fellow Christian to place no burden on the
ability of U.S. churches and ecumenical organizations to engage in
Christian fellowship and to provide humanitarian assistance to vulnerable
Cuban brothers and sisters through the Cuban Council of Churches.
Thank you.
Please send letters and emails addressed to:
President George W. Bush
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500
Email: comm...@whitehouse.gov
Secretary Condoleezza Rice
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street NW
Washington, DC 20520
Email:
http://contact-us.state.gov/cgi-bin/state.cfg/php/enduser/ask.php
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