C O M E C E (Commission of the Bishops` Conferences of the European Community)

executive Committee of COMECE:
Rt Rev Josef Homeyer, Bishop of Hildesheim (Germany), President
Rt Rev Adrianus van Luyn, Bishop of Rotterdam (Netherlands), Vice-President
Rt Rev Attilio Nicora, Italian Bishops Conference, Vice-President
Mgr Noel Treanor, Secretary General

An Appeal for Justice, Responsibility and The Conversion of our hearts and minds

1. The world was afflicted by a deep sorrow last Tuesday, 11 September. At the very beginning of the new century, evil showed itself still to be a reality of human existence. In Europe, people have expressed in many ways their sympathy with the relatives of the victims and their solidarity with the United States of America. The European Union has committed itself to stand side-by-side with the USA.

2. As Bishops, we stand under The Cross with those who grieve and despair; we call for prayer and solidarity for the sake of the victims. No-one should invoke religion or faith to justify the attacks in the Unitaed States. Those who perpetrate, defend or sanction the destruction of human life cannot claim to act in the name of God. There is no justification for violene and destruction, there is no theological foundation for terrrorism - not in the Christian, Jewish or Muslim faith. We condemn these acts.

3. In deep sorrow and with grave concern, we, the members of the Executive Committee of the Commission of the Bishops' Conferences of the European Community (COMECE), turn to the political leaders of the EU and ist member states with a threefold appeal for justice, responsibility and a conversion of hearts and minds.

Justice

4. All responsible for the attacks must be identified and punished. Our collective sense of justice would be severely damagid if, in the face of this unspeakable wrong, ist perpetrators and instigators were not brought to account. However, our classical categories of justice seem inadequate to address the terrorist attacks on Neww York and Washington. The massive use of force is not an appropriate response for restoring law and justice. Political leaders face the most difficult questions of conscience in this regard. We therefore urge the leaders of the European Union to try to do everything in their power to prevent us descending into a spiral of retaliation and war.

5. A great and unprecedented injustice has been done. Injustices exist in the world; they are the source of many political and social conflicts. The world is divided into rich and poor, and not by religions and cultures. The present challenge lies in a new policy of development for the poorer countries. One way to establish more just global structures and to reduce material poverty can be found in new forms of global governance. The greatest danger in this challenge is that we give up the vision of a just and peaceful world. The aim of globalisation should not be the wellbeing of the few, but justice for all.

Responsibility

6. We warn against apportioning collective blame. The attacks in America were barbaric - they contradict both Christian and Islamic notions of civilisation equally. We strongly condemn any prejudice against the Islamic faith and its culture. Our shared faith in the one God leads us to a moral duty to pursue dialogue between Christians, Jews and Muslims. Many Muslims live in Europe, and Islam is part of Europe's religious heritage.

7. Terrorism - whatever its motivation - represents a real and lethal danger. The international community must co-operate in a spirit of trust to eradicate the menace of terrorism. We welcome the announcement by the European Commission that it will shortly present proposals to the Concil of Ministers to strengthen co-operation between police forces and courts based on a common definition of terrorism. Europol, the EU police service, needs even more energetic support from the member states.

Conversion of our hearts and minds

8. Western power, Western wealth and their symbols have provoked animosity and hate. These symbols stand in stark contrast to the misery and powerlessness of many people, to whom the West appears hard-hearted. We are therefore convinced that in the end there can be no other path to peace than through a renewal of solidarity.

9. We propose that the EU intensifies further its co-operation with the Mediterranean rim countries in the so-called Barcelona Process. Israel must under no circumstances be excluded from this process. The endeavours to promote inter-religious dialogue in this region must be strengthened and deserve greater political support. We also urge our heads of state and government to set out a timetable and method at the European Council in Lacken in December for reaching the goal of setting aside O,7% of gross domestic product for development assistance.

10. Our universal community of values encompasses more than material wealth and military might, the sybols of which have been attacked. It is based on shared values, which find their roots deep in the convictions of our faiths. These include the commitment, "to work sincerely for mutual understanding and to preserve as well as to promote together for the benefit of all mankind social justice and moral welfare, as well as peace and freedom". For this reason, we appeal for reflection to all those who, as poets and thinkers, as artists, as writers and journalists, as researchers and theologians, bear the responsibility for producing the symbols that denote our society. Turning anew to this spiritual wealth and finding new ways to symbolise it are the most important challenges of the conversion of our hearts and minds.

11. Countless people have turned to God in these dark days and hours in search of consolation and peace. We pray that the God of Jesus Christ "will help all people not to give in to the temptation of hate and violence, but to commit themselves to justice an peace".

Johan Eliasch, head of management board, Head Tyrolia Mares (HTM)

Terrorism is today our greatest threat to world peace. The recent terrorist strikes on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon in the US which killed thousands of innocent people, caused severe damages and caused the biggest disruption to the financial system and daily life all around the world since the First World War shows, in the most painful and tragic manner, that acts of terrorism are no different from acts of war. Marked by this horrendous act of terrorism, it is now not only vitality important, but essential, that all nations around the world use a concerted effort to eradicate terrorism to preserve world peace. Any nation that does not actively support and implement measures to eradicate terrorism must be treated as an outcast and suffer the consequences.

Dr. Göke Frerichs, President of the European Commitee for Economy and Socialism (Europäischer Wirtschafts- und Sozialausschuss)

Wir alle sind erfüllt von Entsetzen und Abscheu angesichts der fürchterlichen Terroranschläge, die gestern die Vereinigten Staaten von Amerika getroffen haben. Wir trauern um die Opfer und sind mit unseren Gedanken bei den Menschen, die ihre Angehörigen und Freunde durch diese sinnlose Tat verloren haben. Unser Mitgefühl gehört dem ganzen amerikanischen Volk, dem wir in dieser Stunde unsere Solidarität bezeugen.

Wir verurteilen den unfassbaren Terror, für den es keinerlei Rechtfertigung gibt, weder eine politische noch eine soziale oder eine ideologische. Wer immer diese Verbrechen begangen hat oder den Verbrechern Unterstützung gewährt hat, muss zur Rechenschaft gezogen und bestraft werden. Der Kampf gegen den Terrorismus, den die Staatengemeinschaft solidarisch und mit Entschiedenheit führen muss, verlangt auch die ständige Bemühung um die Beseitigung der Ursachen, die ihn nähren. Deshalb setzen wir uns auch in Zukunft mit Nachdruck für eine konsequente Friedenspolitik ein, das heisst: eine konsequente Politik zugunsten der Demokratie und der sozialen Gerechtigkeit innerhalb der Staaten und zwischen den Staaten.

Der Europäische Wirtschafts- und Sozialausschuss ruft die Organisationen und Verbände der Zivilgesellschaft und darüber hinaus alle Bürgerinnen und Bürger in ganz Europa auf, in geeigneter Form Zeichen zu setzen: Zeichen der Anteilnahme, des Mitgefühls und der Freundschaft mit dem amerikanischen Volk; Zeichen der Verurteilung des Terrors; Zeichen für Frieden und Freiheit.

Prof. Dr. Johan Galtung, Transcend Peace Network, Versonnex

UNITED STATES, THE WEST AND THE REST OF THE WORLD

[1] Diagnosis
The world will never be the same again after the terrible attack on the economic US, the military US, the foreign policy US, and on human beings like all of us. We embrace the victims of the violence, of all violence, in deep grief, and express our hope that perpetrators will be brought to justice. A violence at this level can only be explained by a very high level of dehumanization of the victims in the minds of the aggressors, often due to a very deep level of unresolved, basic conflict. The word "terrorism" may describe the tactics, but like "state terrorism" only portrays the perpetrator as evil, satanic, and does not go to the roots of the conflict. The text of targets reads like a retaliation for US use of economic power against poor countries and poor people, US use of military power against defenseless people and US political power against the powerless. This calls to mind the many countries around the world where the US has bombed or otherwise exercised its awesome power, directly or indirectly; adding 100,00 dying daily at the bottom of an economic system by many identified with US economic, military and political power. Given the millions, not thousands, of victims it has to be expected that this generates a desire for retaliation somewhere, some time. The basic dividing line in this conflict is class, of countries and of people. It is not civilization, although US sense of mission, manifest destiny, and Islamic sense of righteousness are parts of it. Right now the confrontation seems to be between the US/West and Arabs/Muslims. But this may also be a fallacy of misplaced concreteness: the matter may possess more intention and more capability than other victims of the enormous US/West violence since the Second world war. We should neither underestimate the extent of solidarity in the "rest of the world", nor the solidarity of the world upper class: the West; and build solidarity with victims everywhere. In placing the horrendous attack on the US in the context of a cycle of retaliation there is no element of justification, no excuse, no guilt-attribution. There is only deep regret that this chain of violence and retaliation is a human fact. But it may also serve to make us break that vicious spiral.

[2] Prognosis
With talk of Crusades from the USA, and of the fourth stage of jihad, Holy War, from Islamic quarters, the world may be heading for the largest violent encounter ever. The first jihad, against the Crusades 1095-1291 lasted 196 years; the Muslims won. The second, against Israel, is undecided. The third, against communism in Afghanistan, ended with Soviet withdrawal and collapse as a factor ending the Cold War (and no thanks). Muslims are willing to die for their faith.

[3] Therapy
To prevent a slide into a large war with enormous, widespread suffering, the US, everybody, should not rush to action. Hold It, Deep Self-reflection, Dialogue, Identify the conflicts, the issues, Solve them, Reconcile. Dialogue and global education to understand how others think, and to respect other cultures, not debate to defeat others with stronger arguments, can lead the way toward healing and closure. Governments in the West, and also in the South, cannot be relied upon to do this; they are too tied to the US and also too afraid of incurring US wrath. Only people can, only the global civil society. What is needed as soon as humanly possible is a massive peace movement, this time North-South. It worked last time, East-West. The future of the world is more than ever in the hands of the only source of legitimacy: people everywhere.

Hazel Henderson, author, futurist and consultant on sustainable development

Mr. Bush´s "Win-Win Option"

Many policy pitfalls have been pointed out to President Bush as his team crafts a response to the terrible attacks of September 11, 2001. They include the need to avoid any rapid retaliation with the use of force, which might kill more civilians. Afghanistan is already a wasteland of poverty, drought and suffering - while Osama bin Laden´s camps are mobile and hard to delect. Recruiting allies and NATO could lead to another set of "us versus them" divisions that could further alienate many other countries - and risk further terrorist acts.

President Bush can learn from his father and avoid such traps by uniting the whole world to participate in curbing terrorism. President Bush now has $ 40 billion of discretionary funds granted by Congress. He could take $ 1 billion of this and pay the USA´s arrears owed to the United Nations and to our allies for past UN peacekeeping actions, which were fully approved by the USA. Mr. Bush can properly bypass the Congress and cite our national security in an Executive Order to pay the UN what we own.

Why is this necessary? Because, like his father during the Gulf War in 1991, President Bush needs to create the very broadest coalition of support for the US in dealing with terrorism. Only the UN can deliver this: the support of every country in the world via a UN Resolution. Even our approaches to Pakistan will need to be strengthened by support of all countries - through a UN Resolution.

Such UN action will be swift and supportive of the US - since it can invoke the power of international law and precedent. Then a UN Summit on Terrorism can be quickly convened - with the willing help of our European and NATO partners and include every country wishing to be free of the scourge of terrorism.

The new "war", as we are learning, is different. The old cowboy West "guns blazing" models belong to the last century. The USA has been the key player in today´s technological and economic globalization. Such technological innovation created the tightly-wired interdependent world we now share with all people - rich and poor, industrialized or still pastoral. We took all the firewalls down between national economies and we are now learning how to deal with the consequences: massive flows of "hot money" and the crises and contagion as all economics now move up or down in synch.

Similarly, the world´s 2 billion people surviving on less than $ 2 per day can see on global media our affluent, often wasteful consumption. The result of this global interdependence is resentment, anger, desperate immigrants seeking better lives for their children - and inevitably, greater risks of terrorism. We in the USA are called to a greater maturity - matching our power and wealth. We lost our innocence on September 11.

Today´s current economics, technological globalization could end in another global recession and war as the previous globalization did in the 1930s and 1940s. Therefor, to prevent this, we must help shape a more just and ecologically sustainable global economy. The myriad of international agreements need to shape this healthier, more balanced globalization, must reinforce those already achieved on human rights, workplace core labor standards and the treaties to protect our global environment.

These accords were brokered over 55 years by the United Nations - and today, many more need to be ratified by the USA, from the Kyoto protocols on global climate change to the International Criminal Court. We need INTERPOL and many other international agencies to help catch Osama bin Laden and his accomplices. Then these criminals can be tried before the International Court in the Hague - along with Slobodan Milosovic and others who commit crimes against all humanity.

President Bush´s first months of unilateralism, during which he abrogated no less than six international treaties, including his missile defense threat to the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty, caused deep anger, even amongst the USA´s closest allies. Mr. Bush needs them now - as well as all other countries fighting terrorism.

Only the United Nations has a big enough tent to bring all countries to a Summit on Terrorism, where all - including many sympathetic Muslim countries can shape a worldwide strategy to combat terrorists wherever they are in our wired, global village. Such win-win strategies will become more prevalent as we all learn the lessons of global interdependence.

Prof. Baron A. L. Jaumotte, Honorary Rector of the free University of Brussels

A deed of the Université libre de Bruxelles

The free University of Brussels recently created the Pole Bernheim (after the name of the donator) for studies on peace and citizenship.

On November the 9th 2001, the Pole will organize a colloquy to be entitled "The Art of Peace: a trans-disciplinary approach".

During the colloquy, three sessions will be consecrated to
· From violence to peace
· To cultivate peace
· Peace as an international stake

Each session will comprise an account made by a reporter, followed by points of view and discussions prepared by various personalities.
A general conclusion will be made of, by the Chaire Bernheim´s titular 2000 - 2001, Pierre Calome, President of the Charles-Leopold Mayer Foundation for progress of Humankind.

In that way, the free University of Brussels takes place, in deeds, in the International Peace Foundation´s purpose, in a moment that all democracies and men of peace around the world are being questioned by the provocation that terrorists attempts of September 11th in New York and Washington D C constitute.
Let us remember T. Carlyle´s words: "It is a fundamental error to consider violence as a strength".
By defending democracy, one defends peace.
Politics is a necessary way to the realization of this double imperative, as this fundamental values are inefficient to define nor a strategy, either a diplomacy, when one must face Realpolitik´s requirements. Historical proof of this inefficiency was given in 1938, with the Munich concords: French and English pacifist politics did lead to war.

Could everything be done to avoid History to repeat.

Ervin Laszlo, President of the Club of Budapest

EINE WEISE ANTWORT AUF GEWALT

Die Kamikaze-Anschläge vom 11. September auf das World Trade Center in New York und das Pentagon in Washington war ein Verbrechen gegen die Menschheit und gegen jede Zivilisation. Wir verurteilen diesen Akt des Terrorismus und rufen alle ethisch motivierten und friedliebenden Menschen in der ganzen Welt auf zusammenzustehen und dem Terrorismus und der Gewalt in all ihren Formen ein Ende zu bereiten. Unschuldige Menschen zu töten und ihre Wohn- und Arbeitsorte zu zerstören bringt für kein einziges der Weltprobleme irgendeine Lösung.

Wenn wir bei der Ausrottung von Gewalt und Terrorismus erfolgreich sein wollen, ist Weisheit in unseren Handlungen geboten. Gewalt und Terrorismus können nicht überwunden werden durch Gegenschläge nach dem Prinzip "Auge um Auge, Zahn um Zahn". Die wirklichen Wurzeln der Gewalt liegen tiefer als die fanatischen Selbstverpflichtungen von Terroristen und die religiösen Forderungen von Fundamentalisten. Das Ausschalten einer Gruppe von Terroristen wird das Problem nicht lösen, denn solange die zugrundeliegenden Ursachen fortbestehen, werden andere an ihren Platz treten.

Der Terror, der in der heutigen Welt auftaucht, ist ein Symptom für tiefsitzende Enttäuschungen und Wut über die seit langem bestehenden offensichtlichen Ungerechtigkeiten in der Welt. Wir, die Mitglieder des Club of Budapest, haben uns darauf verpflichtet, nach den Ursachen jener Faktoren zu suchen, die diesen Hass und diese Gewalt hervorrufen, und friedliche und effektive Wege vorzuschlagen, wie diese überwunden werden können. Solange und soweit die tieferen Ursachen nicht beseitigt sind, werden wir keinen Frieden in der Welt haben, höchstens ein unsicheres Zwischenspiel zwischen terroristischen Akten und anhaltenden Feindschaften. Solange Menschen derart entmutigt sind und in sich den Wunsch nach Hass und Rache tragen, ist ein Zusammenleben im Geist von Frieden und Kooperation nicht möglich. Ob die Gründe dafür nun im verletzten Ego von Menschen liegen oder in der verletzten Selbstachtung von Völkern, im Wunsch nach persönlicher Rache oder nach einem "Heiligen Krieg" zur Verteidigung ihres Glaubens - das Resultat bleibt immer Gewalt, Tod und Katastrophen. Die Erlangung von Frieden in der Seele jedes Einzelnen ist die Voraussetzung für die Erlangung von Frieden in der Welt.

Der Club of Budapest ist hält daran fest: Eine weise Antwort auf Gewalt und Terrorismus besteht in der Hilfe für die Menschen, Frieden mit sich selbst zu finden und mit ihren Mitmenschen nah und fern. In der Förderung von Solidarität mit und der Kooperation für die gemeinsame Sache von Fairness und Gerechtigkeit ist der einzig gangbare Weg zu dauerhaftem Frieden auf Erden.

Joe Leinen, Chairman, Union of the European Federation

PRESSEMITTEILUNG, Kontakt: Bruno Boissiere

WELTWEITER TERRORISMUS: NEUE VERANTWORTUNG FÜR DIE EU

Nach der schrecklichen und feigen Attacke letzter Woche empfindet der Vorstand der Union der Europäischen Föderalisten und dessen Präsident, Europaabgeordneter Jo LEINEN, volles Mitgefühl mit den amerikanischen Bürgern.

Die Spannungssituationen, das Elend und die Anarchie, die der heutzutage verbreiteten Abneigung gegen die USA als Nährboden dienen, können nicht durch militärische Maßnahmen alleine bekämpft werden. Die Föderalisten plädieren für eine multilaterale Politik, die weltweite "governance" garantiert. Eine Politik, die auf Frieden basiert und die in den ärmsten und unsichersten Regionen der Welt die wirtschaftliche Entwicklung fördert und gerechte und fortschrittliche politische Lösungen findet.

Die U.E.F. ist der Ansicht, dass die europäischen Regierungen durch Ihre Uneinigkeit und Machtlosigkeit den Vereinigten Staaten eine zu große Aufgabe alleine überlassen. Die Amerikanische Regierung steht dadurch unter unerträglichem Druck.

Die U.E.F. weist auf die Notwendigkeit der politischen Union und somit der Erweiterung der menschlichen und materiellen Mittel Europas hin. Dadurch könnte Europa wichtigen internationalen Verantwortungen nachgeben und zur Entwicklung und Herstellung des Friedens in den unsichersten Regionen beitragen, im Nahen Osten angefangen. Die Europäer würden somit die Vereinigten Staaten von einem großen Teil der jetzigen Verantwortung entlasten und eine stabilere Weltordnung herstellen. Internationale Kooperation müsste sich gegen Machtkonflikte durchsetzen und dem internationalen Terrorismus würden seine Grundlagen entzogen werden.

Die U.E.F. fordert, dass die Staats- und Regierungschefs der EU (zumindest die weitsichtigen unter ihnen) auf die nationalen Souveränitäten verzichten, die das Entscheidungsverfahren der EU paralysieren und die Union zu einer unverantwortlichen Passivität verurteilen.

Die Europäischen Föderalisten fordern, dass die EU Mitgliedsstaaten sich in einer demokratischen Föderation einigen, die fähig ist, eine effiziente Aussenpolitik zu betreiben. Nur so können Freiheit, Demokratie, soziale Gerechtigkeit und Toleranz weltweit gefördert und verteidigt und Europas innere und äussere Sicherheit garantiert werden.

Jo LEINEN erklärte: "Um zur Bekämpfung des weltweiten Terrorismus beizutragen, muss die EU neue Verantwortungen übernehmen. Die EU muss dringend Ihre Aussen-, Sicherheits- und Verteidigungspolitik und Ihre Politik für Justiz und Inneres ausweiten, gleichzeitig aber auch die Effizienz dieser Politiken verstärken, indem die Entscheidungsverfahren verbessert werden".

Prof. Dr. Edgar Morin, Social Scientist, University of Paris

To declare war to terrorism it is necessary to declare peace to islamic world.
To declare peace to islamic world, it is necessary to repare soon some fondamenal injustices, in first to recognize the palestinian nation and a palestinian state.

Prof. Dr. Milos Nikolic, Director, Center for Transition to Democracy, Beograd

The terrible terrorist attack on the USA, which is at the same time an attack on the whole citied world, is demanding an organized struggle against terrorism.
This struggle has to be developed, nationally and internationally on various levels: on investigation, political, economical (financial) and educational levels and, of course, on police and military levels.

This struggle is a duty of international organizations (the UN, in the first place), national governments (including their corresponding institutions and agencies), international and national segments of the civil society (first of all, NGOs and media), etc.

National and International peace organizations and organizations for human rights have to find their specific role in the struggle against terrorism.
The struggle against terrorism has to be realized not only as police and military actions. If we really want to liquidate national and international terrorism, it is necessary to find their protagonists and particularly their causes and roots. Without knowing precisely the protagonists, causes and roots, terrorism could not be liquidated.

It seems to me the International Peace University could give a worthy contribution to the struggle of terrorism by the theoretical investigations and political considerations of the protagonists, causes and roots of terrorism.

Prof. John C. Polanyi, Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto

AMERICA'S NEW DIRECTION; FROM MAGINOT LINE TO "THERE IS NO BATTLE LINE" (G.W. BUSH, SEPTEMBER 18)

GENERAL RE. THE TERRORIST ATTACK ON THE U.S.A.

Adapting a Latin tag; 'to whom they seek to destroy, the Gods grant their wish'.

The terrorists wanted America's attention. They have got it.

They wanted America to suffer as others have done. They succeeded.
As a consequence America has joined the world in vigorous opposition to terrorism.

This has set the U.S., for the present, on the course of real consultation, co-operation and commitment to a rule-based world.

The talk in high policy circles is of caution, diplomacy, economic pressure not military action, the long-haul not the quick fix. Terrorism is to be rejected everywhere, beginning with the Middle East.
Its origins are to be addressed.

There is one wish of the terrorists that must, by implication, be denied; their desire for martyrdom in a rain of missiles that would leave them stronger and swell their ranks.
Miraculously, in part because of international calls for restraint, this has so far been denied them.
It is vital that this continue to be the case.

PERSONAL RE. RETURN FROM COMO, ITALY 'NMD' CONF.

In the days (Sept. 6-9) prior to the attack on NYC I spoke at a meeting on the U.S. proposal for National Missile Defense, in Como, Italy. (Participants included John Rhinelander who represented the U.S. at the ABM Treaty, and Robert McNamara, U.S. Secretary of Defense, Cuban missile crisis.)

We were there to discuss a proposal for concentric rings of anti-missiles to be erected around North America. This proposal, is, in my view, for a Maginot Line in the sky; it would provide the dangerous illusion of defense. Despite a pretence of consultation, it represents a unilateral U.S. initiative. It would require the abrogation of a major arms control agreement (the 1972 ABM Treaty).

My thesis was that these defensive arms are, nonetheless, arms. They will encourage others to arm. But we need clear evidence of disarmament if we are to halt the spread of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) around the world. The spread of WMD poses the greatest threat to global security imaginable, since it will put these weapons in the hands of terrorists who cannot be deterred.

I returned from that meeting one week late, because of the global consequences of conventional terrorism.

I was heartened on arrival here last night to hear President Bush say on television that his first priority is a war in which "no battle lines can be drawn". This is a dramatic change from his dream of an America secure within its 21st century perimeter. He is describing, today, the real world of contemporary security, which rests on agreed rules of conduct (laws) and a willingness to be bound by them. He deserves every possible support in elaborating this vision.

Edzard Reuter, former Chairman of Daimler Benz, Germany

In den letzten Tagen bin ich unzählige Male auf Stellungnahmen angesprochen worden. Angesichts der Flutwelle von öffentlichen Äusserungen erschien und erscheint es mit mehr oder minder sinnlos, eine weitere hinzu zu fügen, die nur wiederholt, was schon gesagt worden ist. Natürlich dürfen wir uns alle als demokratische Staaten nicht widerstandslos dem gnadenlosen Terror einiger Wahnsinniger fügen. Wohl bedachte Gegenwehr ist also unverzichtbar. Sie darf allerdings nicht ausarten in Militäraktionen, die keine Rücksicht auf Unschuldige nehmen. Das aber, so denke ich, haben inzwischen alle Verantwortlichen erkannt und werden es berücksichtigen. Ich sehe also keine Gefährdung des Weltfriedens am Horizont. Das einzige, was man tun kann und sollte, ist also, immer wieder zur Bedachtsamkeit zu mahnen. Eines kann nach den Vorgängen in New York und Washington niemand leugnen: nicht die Ermordeten, sondern die Mörder sind schuld, wenn ihnen ihr Handwerk gelegt wird.

Dr. Karan Singh, M.P. and Chairman of the Temple of Understanding, India

An Interfaith meeting conveyed by the Temple of Understanding, an international Interfaith organisation, was held on Monday, 17 September 2001 in the evening at India International Centre, New Delhi, to pray for the victims of the terrorist bombings in the United States of America and those who are grieving for them.

Dr. Karan Singh: such acts of mass violence, hatred and destruction need to be universally condemned. No religion sanctions the taking of innocent lives, and the horrifying bombing of the World Trade Centre twin towers in New York will go down in history as a day of infamy and tragedy. People, belonging to all religions, come together in prayer and harmony, so that we can build a better world for future generations.

Brother David Steindl-Rast, O.S.B., USA

A NEW REASON FOR GRATITUDE

This morning, I buried a chipmunk. The cat's teeth had left no marks. The cheeky fellow seemed to just have curled up to sleep in the hole I had dug between early chrysanthemums. As I piled a few trowels full of soil on this little grave, I remembered with a smile childhood games of burying dead birds and bugs and mice. Suddenly I thought of humans - thousands upon thousands - whom no one ever buried, because not even their bodies were left, victims of violence from Hiroshima and Nagasaki to lower Manhatten. Gratitude? The very word seems utterly out of place, even offensive, under the given circumstances.

And yet, that we speak of "given" circumstances is significant. Whatever is given is gift; and the appropriate response to any gift is gratitude. But what could be the gift in this case? The gift we were given by the Wake up Call of September 11th is an unprecedented opportunity. The gift within every gift is opportunity. For us, these days, it is the opportunity to wake up - wake up to the madness of violence and counter-violence. After all, we witnessed merely the most recent link in a chain of revenge for revenge. This recent retaliation is certainly not the first, but it gives us a unique opportunity to wake up and to make it the last.

Strange though it is, many of us were able to ignore the vicious circle of violence against violence - our own and that of others - as long as it was happening far away. We were asleep. This was a rough awakening. What now? We can show ourselves grateful for the Wake-up Call by staying awake, by acting wakefully. A danger recognized and faced is cut in half. The danger is violence - regardless who commits it, terrorists or legitimate governments. No rhetoric, no posturing can any longer obscure the fact that violence breeds violence. We must break that cycle of madness.

Violence has its roots in every heart. It is in my own heart that I must recognize fear, agitation, coldness, alienation, and the impuls to blind anger. Here in my heart I can turn fear into courageous trust, agitation and confusion into stillness, isolation into a sense of belonging, alienation into love, and irrational reaction into Common Sense. The crative imagination of gratefulness will suggest to each one of us how to go about this task. I will list here five small gestures which have helped me personally show my gratitude for the Wake-up Call and stay awake.

All gratitude expresses trust. Suspicion will not even recognize a gift as gift; who can prove that it isn't a lure, a bribe, a trap? Gratefulness has the courage to trust and so overcames fear. The air has been electrefied by fearfulness these days, a fearfulness fostered and manipulated by politcians and the media. There lies our greatest danger: fear perpetuates violence. Mobilize the courage of your heart, as the truly awake ones are doing. Say one word today that gives a fearful person courage.

Because gratitude expresses courage, it spreads calm. Calm of this kind is quite campatible with deep emotions. In fact, the mass hysteria rampant all around betrays confusion rather than deep feeling - superficial agitation rather than a deep current of campassion. Join the truly compassionate ones who are calm and strong. From the stillness of your heart's core reach out. Calmly hold someone's hand today and spread calm.

When you are grateful, your heart is open - open towards others, open for surprise. In the days since the Wake-up Call we have seen remarkable examples of this openness: strangers helping strangers often in heroic ways. Others turn away, isolate themselves, dare even less than at other times to look at each other. Violence begins with isolation. Break this pattern. Make contact with people whom you normally ignore - eye-contact at least - with the agent at the toll booth, the parking lot attendant, someone on the elevator. Look a stanger in the eyes today and realize that there are no strangers.

You can feel either grateful or alienated, but never both at the same time. Gratefulness drives out alienation; there is not room for both in the same heart. When you are grateful you know that you belong to a network of give-and-take and you say "yes" to that belonging. This "yes" is the essence of love. You need no words to express it; a smile will do to put your "yes" into action. Don't let it matter to you whether or not the other one smiles back. Give someone an unexpected smile today and so contribute your share to peace on earth.

What your gratefulness does for yourself is as important as what it does for others. Gratefulness boosts your sense of belonging; your sense of belonging in turn boosts your Common Sense. Your "yes" to belonging attunes you to the common concerns shared by all human beings. After the Wake-up Call, nothing else makes sense but Common Sense. We have only one enemy, our common enemy: violence. Common Sense tells us: we can stop violence only by stopping to act violently; war is no way to peace. Listen to the news today and put at least one item to the test of Common Sense.

Sir Sigmund Sternberg, KCSG, Chairman, International Council of Christians and Jews, London

At this times of crises for all civilised humankind, the Three Faith Forums, linking Christians, Muslims and Jews, was holding an emergency meeting of it´s Advisory Council on the 24th of September 2001, to which representatives of Government and the diplomatic community will join us in demonstrating our respect for each other.

We are concerned at the stereotyping of Muslims as terrorists or sympathisers to religious violence. Unfounded accusations against Muslims not only perpetuate prejudice against the religion of Islam and it´s followers; they also undermine the civic voice and contributions that British Muslims make to our society.

This unprecedented gathering enabled members of the faith community to reach out to each other, to proclaim their solidarity in the face of murderous acts of terror which threaten us all and offer our sympathies to the relatives and friends of all the victims.

Konstantin Wecker, Singer and Songwiter, Germany

Ist es nicht entsetzlich, was Nationalismus und Fanatismus anrichten? Wie verblendet und von Hass verbrannt muss man sein, um sich zum Massenmord berechtigt zu fühlen? Zum heiligen Krieg? Mein ganzes Mitgefühl gilt natürlich den Amerikanern: Den Verletzten, den Verwandten und Freunden der Toten, den Kindern und Müttern und Vätern, all denen, denen der 11. September 2001 das Leben zerstört hat. Wie viele Kinder warten heute vergebens auf ihre Mütter und Väter? Uns erschüttern diese Bilder auch deshalb so , weil es ein Anschlag auf unsere "zivilisierte", westliche Wohlstandsgesellschaft ist. Aber ich denke, gerade in solchen tragischen Momenten, sollten wir auch der 80 000 Menschen gedenken , die täglich verhungern. In Gegenden die weit weg sind. Am Rande sich rasant ausbreitender Wüsten. Denen keine Sondersendungen gewidmet werden.

... Ich hoffe, dass man jetzt nicht wieder einzig die "harte Mann" Reaktion als Antwort hat. Das würde die Spirale der Gewalt nur weiter drehen. Solch eine Zeit der Trauer sollte auch eine Zeit der Besinnung sein.Für uns alle.

... Meines Erachtens war der das kein Anschlag auf Amerika, sondern ein entsetzliches Verbrechen gegen 5000 Menschen aus über 60 Nationen. Meine uneingeschränkte Solidarität gilt diesen Menschen, ihren Freunden und Verwandten. Nicht einer Nation. Denn wir alle sind aufgefordert umzudenken, nicht nur die Amerikaner. Unsere westliche Lebensweise des Überflusses, der Verschwendung, der Gedanken- und Geistlosigkeit zu überdenken. Unseren Hochmut und unsere Ignoranz. Das große Leid rechtfertigt nicht die ewig alten Fehler.

Nationalismus ist und bleibt ein Grundübel.

Terrorismus muss mit rechtlichen, nicht mit militärischen Mitteln bekämpft werden. Also muss man die ganze Welt einbeziehen im Kampf gegen die unmenschlichen Verbrecher. Nicht nur die sogenannte zivilisierte Welt.

Dies ist kein Krieg.