21 April 2008
In one month’s time, governments from around the world will meet to negotiate a total ban on cluster bombs, weapons that pose unacceptable harm to civilians. As people of faith, we raise our voices for the protection of life and the promotion of peace by calling on all governments, and especially New Zealand, to secure the strongest possible prohibition on the production, transfer, stockpiling, and use of cluster bombs these weapons.
Cluster bombs or munitions are large weapons that release dozens or hundreds of smaller bomblets. Dropped from the air or launched from the ground, they maim and kill combatants and civilians alike. Many bomblets fail to explode on impact as designed and instead can remain active (like landmines) for decades, endangering lives, hampering post-conflict reconstruction, and hindering development.
Cluster bombs have killed and maimed civilians and caused untold suffering and hardship for communities in more than twenty countries, most recently Lebanon, Iraq, Afghanistan, Kosovo, and Serbia.
People whose lives have already been shattered by cluster bombs call on us to take meaningful and courageous action. Our faith traditions call us to stand with those who have suffered, and to work for the well-being of the human family through relationships of respect, justice, and peace.
We commend New Zealand and more than eighty other governments that have endorsed the Wellington Declaration, committing to negotiate a comprehensive ban on cluster bombs in Dublin, Ireland starting 19 May 2008. All governments must now strive to adopt the strongest possible agreement that not only bans this weapon, but also offers helps to those harmed by its use.
We urge all the world’s governments to seize this opportunity to protect the vulnerable and to promote peace - now and for future generations.
Following signatures coordinated by: Caritas Aotearoa NZ, Peace Movement Aotearoa and Aotearoa NZ Cluster Munition Coalition (ANZCMC)
Representatives of Faith Communities/Organisations
Rev Martin Baker, Assembly Executive Secretary, Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa NZ
Raewyn Bayliss, Public Questions Convenor, Hamilton Methodist Parish
Rev Chris Bedford, Minister, Dargaville Methodist Church
Professor Margaret Bedggood, Chairperson, Anglican Pacifist Fellowship (NZ)
Helen Bichan, Chairperson, Tawa Union Church Council
Bishop John Bluck, Bishop of Waiapu, Anglican
Rev Claire Brown, Priest at St Paul’s Anglican Cathedral, Dunedin
Bishop Denis Browne, Bishop of Hamilton, Catholic
Fr Gerard Burns, Parish Priest, Te Ngakau Tapu Parish, Porirua, Catholic
Bishop Peter Cullinane, Bishop of Palmerston North, Catholic
Rev Dr Anthony Dancer, Social Justice Commissioner, The Anglican Church in Aotearoa, NZ and Polynesia
Tipene Daniels, Auckland Interfaith Council Executive; Vice President, Beth Shalom Progressive Synagogue
Bishop Patrick Dunn, Bishop of Auckland, Catholic
Janet Sim Elder, Elder, Knox Church Dunedin; Immediate Past Moderator of the Presbytery of Dunedin
Sharon Ensor, Minister, Wadestown Presbyterian Church, Wellington
Jonathan Fletcher, Director, Christian World Service
Joycelyn Foo, National Coordinator Public Affairs and Community Relations, Soka Gakkai International of NZ
Rev Dr Lynne Frith, Superintendent, Wesley Wellington Parish
Christina Gibb, Clerk, Dunedin Monthly Meeting, Religious Society of Friends, Te Haahi Tuuhauwiri o Aotearoa (Quakers)
Rev Ian Guy, Kaikorai Presbyterian Church, Dunedin
Dr James Harding, Lecturer in Hebrew Bible, University of Otago, Anglican
Rev Greg Hughson, Otago University Ecumenical Chaplain (Methodist Minister); Chairperson, Dunedin Abrahamic Interfaith Group
Rev Tim Hurd, All Saints Anglican Church, Diocese of Dunedin Social Justice Working Group
Prue Hyman, Convenor of Social Action, Temple Sinai, Wellington
Bishop Barry Jones, Bishop of Christchurch, Catholic
Zayid Jones, President, Nawawi Center, Christchurch, Muslim Community
Rev Allan Judge, St David’s Union Parish, Ashburton
Rev Rachel Judge, St David’s Union Parish, Ashburton
Ren Kempthorne, Coordinator, Amnesty International NZ’s Faith Communities Network
Rev Glenn Livingstone, St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, Christchurch
Kathleen Loncar, Lay preacher, Wesley Wellington Church, Methodist
Karel Lorier, Presbyterian Minister, North Shore Presbytery
Rev Alistair McBride, Scots Presbyterian Church, Hamilton
Kevin McBride, National Coordinator, Pax Christi Aotearoa-New Zealand
Dr Chris Marshall, St John’s Associate Professor in Christian Studies, Victoria University of Wellington
Rev Dr Margaret Mayman, St Andrew’s on The Terrace, Wellington
Dave Moskovitz, Immediate Past President, Temple Sinai (Wellington Progressive Jewish Congregation)
Archbishop David John Moxon, Archbishop of the New Zealand Dioceses, Anglican
Jackie Pearse, General Secretary, Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia
Rev Anne Priestley, Priest, All Saints Anglican Church, Ponsonby
Rev Robert Robati-Mani, Otara Presbyterian Church
Dr Michael Roberts, President, Auckland Inter-Faith Council
Rev Rilma Sands, Minister, Feilding Oroua Presbyterian Parish
Dame Terry Scott, Chairperson, St Pius X Parish Council, Melville, Hamilton; past National President and National Secretary, Catholic Women’s League of NZ
Michael Smith, Director, Caritas Aotearoa NZ
Rev Barbara Stephens, Oxford Union Church, Oxford
Rev Martin Stewart, Bryndwr St Stephen’s Presbyterian Church, Christchurch
Rt Rev Pamela Tankersley, Moderator of the General Assembly, Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa NZ
Rev Dr Susan Thompson, Minister, Hamilton Methodist Parish
Archbishop William Brown Turei, Archbishop and Primate, Anglican Church in Aotearoa, NZ and Polynesia
Rev Brian Turner, President, Methodist Church of NZ
Rev Stuart Vogel, Presbyterian Minister, Auckland
Rev Dugald Wilson, St Mark’s Presbyterian, Christchurch
Members of Faith Communities
Presbyterian:
Rev Clare Brockett, Wellington
Rev Jean Cotter, St Andrew’s Presbyterian, Hamilton
Rev Donald Feist, Member, Knox Church, Dunedin
Ms Margaret Feist, Knox, Dunedin
Rev Ken Irwin, Wellington
Rev Robin Lane, Minister Emeritus, Wellington
Rev Margaret Martin, Auckland
Rev Dr Peter Matheson, Dunedin
Rev Leanne Munro, Member, Wadestown Presbyterian Church, Wellington
Mary Lloyd & Robin Shallcrass, Clergy (retired), Christchurch
Rev Cherry Thompson, Wellington
Anglican
Jenny Campbell QSM, Member of General Synod, Dunedin
Rev Joan and Rev Russ Cook, Priests, Whangarei
Bishop Peter Sutton, Bishop of Nelson (retired)
Frank Swinney, Licensed Lay Minister, Winton Parish (retired)
Christian:
Dan Burkett
Alex Findlay
Anna Whitaker
Mrs Pat Williamson, Dunedin
Christian Anarchists:
Graham Cameron, Merivale community member, Tauranga
Jo Cameron, Anglican, Tauranga
Catholic:
Anne Lumb, Catholic Women’s League, Wellington
Jennifer Newman
Methodist:
Rev Dr James Stuart, Christchurch (retired)
Melina Takau, Wesley Wellington Church
Quakers:
Mrs Teresa Cadogan, Dunedin Monthly Meeting
Peter Low, Quaker Peace and Service, Christchurch
Phoebe and Philip Macdiarmid, Thames
Elizabeth Miller, Invercargill
Barbara Mountier, Kapiti Monthly Meeting
Neil Mountier, Kapiti Monthly Meeting
Also:
Dr Mary Butler, Sahaj Marg/Quaker, Dunedin
Alison Sheeran, Ponsonby Baptist Church
Dr Xaviour Walker, Interfaith Group Dunedin