06 May 2014
Dear Mr president,
On behalf of the World Council of
Churches, I write to communicate our profound concern and to encourage swift
and peaceful resolution of the abduction of reportedly more than 250 young
women from the Chibok boarding school in northeast Nigeria.
This tragic situation is devastating
not only to the immediate community, but also to all Nigerians praying and
working for peace. It touches the World Council of Churches (WCC) directly, as
many who have lost their daughters are members of our church families in
Nigeria.
Our concern is intensified in the
face of increasing global sexual exploitation of girls and women, and the
possibility that these abducted students may become victims of just such
injustice and violence. Following the rescue of these children for which we
pray, the impact of exploitation may require long-term accompaniment of the
young women and their families by the Nigerian government, faith communities
and local networks of care and support.
The WCC stands ready to assist you,
as best we can, in mobilizing the inter-religious and international communities
to seek effective and peaceful means towards safely restoring these students to
their homes, loved ones and communities.
Two years ago this month, I joined
with Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad of Jordan, chairperson of the Royal Aal Al-Bayt
Institute for Islamic Thought (RABIIT), in leading a Christian-Muslim
delegation to visit Nigeria in response to the inter-communal strife that your
country has been experiencing in recent years. Then, as now, we sought ways to
prevent lives being lost in the name of religion.
The delegation representing the WCC
and RABIIT encouraged Christians and Muslims in Nigeria to continue acting
together for the sake of justice, peace and reconciliation.
We are in conversation with
inter-religious and ecumenical partners, including our member churches in
Nigeria and world-wide, seeking advice and offering our solidarity in the
immediate crisis of the manipulation of religion for the purposes of violence
and discord.
We are committed to explore with you
and others of goodwill how we and our partners can be of service to all the
people of Nigeria. Please do not hesitate to be in contact with us.
You and the Nigerian people are ever
in our thoughts and prayers.
In Christian solidarity,
Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit
WCC general secretary
WCC general secretary
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