[Seattle-editorial] McDermott Press Conference, 12 Nov.

[schwarzh at georgetown.edu]

NOVEMBER 10, 2001

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:
Dr. Howard J. Gale 206-548-5665

Dr. John Trombold 206-683-5380

For the Seattle 911 Peace Coalition

Representative Jim McDermott Joins in Call to Stop the Bombing of
Afghanistan and to Prevent Famine

Seattle, WA, November 10, 2001 — Starting a week of actions aimed at
avoiding a humanitarian catastrophe in Afghanistan, Representative Jim
McDermott will join with diverse interfaith, humanitarian and community
groups at a press conference on Monday, Nov. 12, at 6:30 PM in the Green
Room, Kane Hall, on the University of Washington campus. McDermott, the
Washington Association of Churches, the Church Council of Greater
Seattle, and the 911 Peace Coalition have come together out of concern
that the US bombing and military escalation are crippling the timely
delivery and distribution of critical food aid, placing hundreds of
thousands of Afghan lives immediately at risk

The UN estimates that close to 7.5 million Afghans, one-third of the
entire population, will require food aid to see them through the winter.
As people suffer malnutrition, they become vulnerable to disease, and
more people in these situations die of preventable diseases than
starvation. While no one doubts that the U.S. must find those
responsible for the Sept. 11 attacks, the loss of innocent life on this
scale is not acceptable. Through choosing its current military strategy,
the U.S is gambling with the possibility that the war will create the
worst humanitarian crisis in living memory. Afghanistan had been
receiving several million tons of UN food aid each year before the US
bombing halted that program.

After the press conference, there will be a benefit for the Afghanistan
Relief Program of Oxfam America from 7-9 PM in Kane Hall. April
Richardson, an artist who organized the benefit for Oxfam, said "There
are many Afghan people in pain who have nothing and not much hope at
all. We have a great deal. I am hoping that we can share with those who
need it."

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November 12: Representative Jim  McDermott Joins in Call to Stop the
Bombing of Afghanistan and to Prevent Famine

The Rev. John C. Boonstra, Executive Minister for the Washington
Association of Churches, said, in a statement released on November 2 and
endorsed by dozens of local community and faith-based groups, that "The
‘war on terror’ continues unabated and is indeed intensifying. But there
is a cost. And in moral terms, the cost is too high. There must be an
immediate cessation of the bombing because this is the critical link to
getting desperately needed food and winter supplies to the innocent
Afghan people."

"Christian Aid has warned that this could become 'the worst humanitarian
crisis in living memory', with potentially 7.5 million lives at risk"
said Alice Woldt, Acting Executive Director of the Church Council of
Greater Seattle. Ms. Woldt went on to say that "at a time of such
anguish, given the tragedy suffered here in the U.S. and the growing
catastrophe faced by civilians in Afghanistan, it is heartening to know
that so many organizations and individuals in Seattle are taking
action."

Starting Nov. 15 through Nov. 18, daily at 4:00 PM at the Federal
Building in Seattle, peace activists will gather to raise money for
Afghanistan and local food banks. As an expression of their grave
concern about the humanitarian crisis, some participants will maintain a
72-hour fast during this period. Delegations of people associated with
the fast will be meeting with Senators and Congressional
representatives.

Aid agencies fear that time has already run out to deliver over 300,000
tons of food needed for winter. Christian Aid has estimated that
delivering this amount of aid would require over 800 truck loads per
day, whereas in recent weeks only four trucks get through on some days.

Church Council of Greater Seattle brings together hundreds of Protestant
and Roman Catholic churches, thousands of  volunteers, and numerous
religious organizations to serve at-risk youth, the elderly, the
homeless and hungry; to advocate for global peace and racial and
economic justice; and to encourage ecumenical and interfaith
cooperation.

http://www.churchcouncilseattle.org 206-525-1213.