Viewpoint What the world needs now
By CLAIRE
SCHAEFFER-DUFFY
In mid-September, when East
Timors people were under assault, Pope John Paul asked Bishop Carlos Belo
how he could assist the prelates beleaguered homeland. The bishop was
specific in his reply. He asked His Holiness to ask President Clinton to
take immediate action to see that an international peace force arrives in
Timor.
When questioned as to why he specifically targeted President
Clinton for his mission of mercy, Belo gave a half grin and said, Well,
hes the master of the world.
Given the history of U.S. support for the Indonesian military, the
bishops appeal is a pathetic paradox -- the victims petitioning the very
government that subsidized and armed their oppressors. Expectations generated
by the Kosovo rescue and a poverty of choices pushed Belo into
Clintons corner. The president, however, has proved to be erratic in his
compassion, committing far fewer troops to the East Timorese than the
Kosovars.
Before we condemn this inconsistency, we who are Belos
coreligionists professing faith in Another Master must ask ourselves,
What do we have to offer the Timorese?
The question haunts Minnesota activist Mel Duncan and David
Hartsough of the San Franciso-based Peaceworkers. In consultation with 100
activists from around the world, the two have drafted a proposal for an
international peace force capable of offering a nonviolent presence in zones of
conflict around the world. It would initially be comprised of 200 active
duty members serving two-year terms, 400 reservists available
for two- to three-month stints and 500 supporters providing
financial and logistical backing.
Over a six-year period, the force would be built to a level of
2,000 active, 4,000 reservists and 5,000 supporters. Although still very much a
rough draft, the proposal wrestles with the nitty-gritty questions of funding,
training, strategies, relationship to governments and composition.
Last spring, another petition emanated from East Timor. Yayasan
HAK and Fokupers, two fledgling human rights organizations, requested the
assistance of Peace Brigades International. Peace Brigades provides unarmed
accompaniment to human rights activists in zones of conflict. Their presence
has often deterred political killings and provided vital international exposure
for courageous communities nonviolently confronting persecution.
Peace Brigades International is only one of numerous organizations
experimenting with nonviolent strategies in war-torn regions. The Peace Force
seeks to garner the collective wisdom of tacticians like the Christian
Peacemakers Team, Witness for Peace, International Fellowship of
Reconciliation, Balkan Peace Team -- the list goes on -- and to broaden its
application.
In specific situations, these organizations have honed the tools
of accompaniment, monitoring and advocacy and developed nonviolent tactics of
intervention. Unlike governments, their intervention comes unencumbered --
devoid of that fatal preoccupation with national security
interests.
In their letter of invitation to Peace Brigades International, HAK
wrote, We hope that an international presence will help reduce the level
of violence in that country. We also hope that we may learn more about
non-violent peace making methods and conflict resolution methods.
Humanitarian intervention is the new buzzword in the
post-Kosovo world. For people of faith, the concept is an old one. Jesus is the
supreme example of God intervening on behalf of humanity. The church has always
recognized martyrdom as an intercession (or intervention of sorts) offered in
the face of persecution. The discussion and experimentation with international
intervention will undoubtedly continue, and as Catholics we need to offer our
voice and -- more important -- our tactics.
For those of us horrified at the prospect of a global cop
periodically calling on B-52s to maintain law and order, the Peace Force offers
a practical hope and merits our attention. It invites the "little people" with
big faith to consider their role in keeping the peace.
For more information on the Peace Force please
contact: David Hartsough at PEACEWORKERS@igc.org or Mel
Duncan at MnDuncan@aol.com
Claire Schaeffer-Duffy, a mother of four, is a member of the
Sts. Francis and Therese Catholic Worker in Worcester, Mass. She writes for the
Sts. Francis and Therese publication, the Catholic Radical.
National Catholic Reporter, October 22,
1999
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