CCA unhappy over sending additional forces to Iraq

Programme Review and Programme Direction

Two key deliberative sessions during the 15th CCA General Assembly are the Programme Review and Programme Direction sessions.

The Programme Review and Programme Direction sessions will both be conducted in three groups relating to the CCA’s programme areas, namely, (i) General Secretariat (GS), (ii) Mission in Unity and Contextual Theology (MU) and Ecumenical Leadership Formation and Spirituality (EF); and (iii) Building Peace and Moving Beyond Conflicts (BP) and Prophetic Diakonia (PD).

Assembly participants will have the option to join one of three groups for both the Programme Review and Programme Direction sessions. For the sake of coherence, the assigned group will remain the same for both sessions.

General Secretariat

The General Secretariat oversees the coordination of programmatic, administrative, and financial activities of the organization. The GS comprises various departments such as church and ecumenical relations, relations with ecumenical partners, finance, administration, and communications, which provide crucial support and services for the implementation of programs and contribute to the overall functioning of the CCA.

Programmes: Relations with member churches and councils, ecumenical partners; advocacy at the United Nations; ecumenical responses to emerging issues in solidarity; income development and finance; and communications.

Mission in Unity and Contextual Theology (MU) and Ecumenical Leadership Formation and Spirituality (EF)

Under the MU programme area, the CCA accompanies Asian churches to strengthen their mission and witness in multi-religious contexts, revitalise and nurture church unity and the Asian ecumenical movement, and develop contextual theological foundations.

Programmes: Asian Movement for Christian Unity (AMCU); Congress of Asian Theologians (CATS); Asian women doing theology in the context of wider ecumenism; contextualisation of theology in Asia and ecumenical theological education.

The EF programme area focuses on nurturing and developing ecumenical leaders in Asia. The programme aims to enhance spiritual formation and theological understanding, enabling people to actively engage in ecumenical dialogue and collaboration.

Programmes: Ecumenical Enablers’ Training in Asia (EETA); Asian Ecumenical Institute (AEI); Youth and Women Leadership Development; Ecumenical Spirituality and Nurturing of Contextual Liturgical Traditions; Asia Sunday

Building Peace and Moving Beyond Conflicts (BP) and Prophetic Diakonia and Advocacy (PD)

The BP programme area is dedicated to promoting peace, justice, and reconciliation in Asia’s diverse contexts. Through training, advocacy, and dialogue, the programme addresses the root causes of conflicts, empowers communities, and fosters sustainable peacebuilding initiatives.

Programmes: Pastoral Solidarity Visits; Churches in Action for Moving Beyond Conflict and Resolution; Young Ambassadors of Peace in Asia (YAPA); Ecumenical Women’s Action Against Violence (EWAAV); Eco-Justice for Sustainable Peace in the Oikos.

The PD programme area focuses on promoting justice, human rights, and social transformation in Asia. Through advocacy, capacity-building, and raising awareness, the programme addresses systemic injustice, empowers marginalised communities, and advocates for prophetic actions and meaningful change.

Programmes: Human Rights advocacy; Migration, Statelessness, and Trafficking in Persons; Asian Ecumenical Disability Advocacy Network; Asian Advocacy Network on the Dignity and Rights of Children (AANDRoC); Ecumenical Solidarity Accompaniment and Diakonia in Asia (ESADA); Health and Healing; Good Governance; Action Together to Combat HIV and AIDS in Asia (ATCHAA).

First Preference:
Building Peace and Moving Beyond Conflicts (BP) and Prophetic Diakonia and Advocacy (PD)
Second Preference:
Mission in Unity and Contextual Theology (MU) and Ecumenical Leadership Formation and Spirituality (EF)
31 October 2003
christian conference of Asia, Asia christianity

The CCA has expressed its concern and displeasure over the Korean governments decision to send additional troops to Iraq.

In a resolution, the 26-member General Committee of the CCA, which met from 22-26 October in Bangkok, urged the Korean government to withdraw the decision which was taken at the behest of the US State Department, and instead work towards building peace and reconciliation in Iraq through participation in the reconstruction and rehabilitation of Iraq and its people. 

The resolution, which was sent by the CCA General Secretary Dr Ahn Jae Woong to the Korean President, Mr Roh Moo Hyun, expressed solidarity with the Korean people and the National Council of Churches in Korea (NCCK) in their opposition to the governments decision, and expressed full support for their efforts in building peace in Iraq.

EXTRACTS FROM THE NCCK STATEMENT

20 October 2003

About Korean governments decision to dispatch additional forces to Iraq

1. Korean government decided to dispatch the additional forces lat 18 October, for the sake of national benefit and for the benefit and alliance of Korea and America.
2. Firs of all, Korean governments decision to disptach additional forces is against the wishes of most Korean people who a peaceful world without wars.
3. Although the war has been finished, many Iraqi as well as US soldiers are being wounded. We know that Iraqis are against the USA as well as other countries, which dispatch the forces.
4. In this situation, it is misjudgment and makes international position of Korea down that the Korean government decided to dispatch the additional forces for the sake of the alliance of Korea and America as well as helping the multinational army led by the USA in the name of security and reconstruction of Iraq after the war.
5. Furthermore, Korean people are in chaos whether it is truly beneficial for us since we have to pay thousands of millions of dollars for the additional forces in this hard situation of Korean economy. The Korean government must know that the Korean and America served for the unjustifiable war in other countries. The alliance of Korea and America should serve for peace and security between America and Korea.
6. We urge Korean government to do best for true peace and reconciliation through helping fast reconstruction and rehabilitation of the Iraqi in desperation and suffering out of war.

The National Council of Churches in Korea

General Secretary: Rev Paik Do-Woong
Chairperson of Human Rights Commmittee: Rev Moon Chang-Shik