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.