Text of letter to AIC Leadership to Kofi AnanOrganization of the United Nations
Secretary General
Mr. Kofi A. Annan
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Dear Secretary General Annan:
Respectfully and with hope we address you to express our support and our worry before today’s situation in the world, that once more threatens life, justice and peace.
We address you as members of the AIC, an international association to struggle against poverty. Our association is formed by 250,000 volunteers, women mostly, present in more than fifty countries, in four continents. Vincent de Paul founded the AIC almost 400 years ago, in 1617. Ever since, a group of women began to help the underprivileged, offering their volunteers a permanent and up to date formation, in order to give appropriate answers to the needs of the poor.
The way we struggle against poverty and its causes has evolved constantly, to go from assistance to self-achievement, and empowerment, not only of poor and marginated women, but also of the volunteers that form the association. In order to collaborate in a transformation process, we are committed to denounce unjust structures and all that threatens security and dignity of human beings. The central theme of our last Assembly of Delegates, held in Nice, France, towards the end of 2002, was: Social co-responsibility, a way to peace.
The AIC, worried about the future, especially of the poorest, votes for a sincere NO to the war and we join the voices of all the peoples that cry YES to peace.
In view of the pronouncements in favor of the war, by Mr. Bush, Mr. Blair and Mr. Aznar, and their adherence to a proposal that threatens the security and dignity of so many human beings, we feel the urgent need to be coherent with our principles, to manifest ourselves, to let our voice be heard. We do not want to assume a position of complicity, which finds an excuse in a mild we cannot do anything, especially since we have proclaimed, very often, that we feel co-responsible for the construction of a world of justice and peace.
We must do whatever is possible to achieve the success of the initiatives all over the world to arrive to a peaceful solution of the conflict, and thus achieve the noble objective of avoiding that Sadam Husseim becomes a danger, not only for his people, but for the whole world.
We consider that the war or terrorist proposals must be neutralized with commitment actions from people involved in this serious problem. This includes all men and women conscious of our opposition to the war. The Organization of the United Nations, that you preside, is the only institution that so far represents a counter weight against unilateral excesses and initiatives, that represent, in this imminent case, a great danger for humanity.
We cannot allow that the UN losses its force. All conscious human beings must support it. Convinced of that, we support the following proposals, made by different dignitaries, that you, General Secretary Annan, without a doubt, kwon very well:
1. That countries members of the UN that oppose the war, hold permanent session in Iraq, at least till the end of the month.
2. That the representation of the Security Council would not be limited only to the chancellors, but also to the heads of governments of the countries that form this council and that they hold also session in Bagdadh.
3. That the heads of the different churches publish also a declaration from Bagdadh.
We add a proposal for our own sector, the civic society, assuming the commitments it implies:
To promote a meeting of different Civic Society Organizations, in the conflict area, so we all have the chance to let our voices heard, as well as the voices of the gravely affect by the imminent war, and those that have a voice but cannot find a place to let themselves be heard.
All these manifestations, held simultaneously, would show a strong support to the UN, their peace policies, to the people of Iraq and to so many innocents of other countries that risk their lives by committing themselves to a cause that is not theirs. At the same time, this initiative would show a global reject to the alteration of the peace.
We are willing to help in any way and we offer the presence of an AIC’s representation in the conflict zone, to show our commitment for peace.
Sincerely,
Marina Costa (Italy) – Vice President International
Anne Sturm (Germany) – International President
Agnes Dandois (Belgium) – Secretary General
Patricia P. de Nava (Mexico) – Past-President
