The heart of many recent conflicts in Kosovo has been tied up with memories of pain and aggression in the past. Past suffering becomes the fuel for tomorrowÕs conflicts. It is not difficult to remind people of how they have been treated unjustly in the past and should fight to prevent it from happening again.
Such a mind set cannot produce lasting peace. Peace can only come through forgiveness and reconciliation. First there must be a shared desire for peace, a willingness to pay a price to achieve it. This is the model that Jesus presents to us. Reconciliation with our father came at a great price, but through sacrifice, not through law and punishment.
There are a number of concerns that we have in relation to the means that are presently being employed to bring peace:
1. How do we deal with a leader such as Milosevic? His people are the ones who suffer the consequences of his actions, and in many cases, the retribution that is aimed at such a leader becomes that leaderÕs tool to rally support.
2. What alternative role can the church present in the light of the cross and its vulnerability?
3. How can the role of the UN be enhanced by the church offering just and peaceful alternatives to what is presently being done?
4. What price are we willing to pay, as God's ambassadors, when we commit ourselves to peace?
5. We recommend that a task force be set up to investigate the options open to our Communion, and how these options for peace could be implemented. One suggestion has been that an army of peace volunteers be set up by the churches; volunteers who were willing to go to a country at war, meet with its people, and stand with them in the conflict but peacefully protesting the action of the warring parties, forcing them to consider other alternatives. Such a suggestion has a cost! Training, transport, logistics, and possibly lives. What price peace?
A web site should be set up.
A forum for discussion should be established.
A task force should be formed to make suggestions and lobby for their acceptance.
