Statement suggests moral equivalency between terrorism, military responses
By Parker T. Williamson, The Layman Online, February 27, 2006
PORTO ALEGRE, BRAZIL – The 9th Assembly of the World Council of Church adopted during its final session on Thursday a carefully nuanced statement that appears to declare a moral equivalency between terrorist acts and military responses to those acts by governments. Terrorism is declared “abhorrent to all who believe human life is a gift of God,” but the WCC also finds abhorrent “some aspects of the so-called ‘war on terror.'”
“Terrorists base their actions in absolutist claims,” said the WCC. “Religion is sometimes used as a pretext for the use of violence, divinely sanctioned. Assembled as representatives from churches in all corners of the world, we state unequivocally that terror, as indiscriminate acts of violence against unarmed civilians for political or religious aims, can never be justified legally, theologically or ethically.”
The WCC proposes to deal with terrorism by strengthening international law and, specifically, empowering the International Criminal Court to respond to acts of terror. The United States has rejected this approach, declining to allow an international court that might be influenced politically to claim jurisdiction over the United States itself or one of its citizens. For the United States, submission to the rulings of an international court would be tantamount to the surrender of sovereignty.
But the WCC has a different view, one that would apparently elevate the authority of an international tribunal over national sovereignty. Referring to the United States’ “war on terror,” namely, its response to 9/11 and attempts by Al-Quaida and other terrorist operatives to inflict harm on American civilians, the WCC said, “The ‘war on terror’ has redefined war and relativized international law and human rights norms and standards. A military response to terror may become indiscriminately destructive and cause fear in affected populations. It may provide legitimacy to a violent approach rather than the criminal approach which is appropriate in dealing with cases of terror. The international community should co-operate in addressing terrorism, especially by strengthening the International Criminal Court to respond to acts of terror. Terror can only be overcome by the international community that upholds respect for the dignity of human beings and the rule of law.”
The WCC calls on religious groups to step to the forefront in condemning both terror and military responses to terror. It says that religions are uniquely prepared to work among people for peace.