On Saturday, November 26, four members of Christian Peacemakers Teams were abducted in Iraq.

On Saturday, November 26, four members of Christian Peacemakers Teams were abducted in Iraq.

Here at Nonviolence.org, we have always been impressed and highly supportive of the deep witness of the Christian Peacemakers Teams. Their members have represented the best in both the peace and Christian movements, consistently putting themselves in danger to witness the gospel of peace. Not content to write letters or stand on pickett lines in safe western capitals, they go to the frontlines of violence and proclaim a radical alternative. We pray that their deep groundedness becomes apparent to their captors, the diplomates of their home governments (Canada, Britain the U.S.) and the people of Iraq.

Here’s links to recent articles on the situation. Our prayers are with them.

Christian Peacemakers "Shine the Light" (CPT's "call to witness" to start on King's birthday Jan 15, will involve "dramatic processions" through the streets of Washington DC)
Audio interview with Ehab Lotayef (Canadian Muslim traveled to Iraq last month to try to facilitate release of Christian Peacemakers)
Chicago Tribune: Peace team keeps faith under fire ("the uncertain fate of the four hostages didn't stop Chicago-based Christian Peacemaker Teams from sending another activist to Iraq on Friday for a six-week stay,")
Ekklesia: Vigils go on for Christian Peacemaker Teams hostages in Iraq (More than 50 Christians & Muslims maintain regular vigil in London.)
Sojourners : Waiting Has Taken on a Whole New Meaning (A Christian Peacemaker currently in Badgdad talks about the meaning of Advent with the hostages still unaccounted for)
Families of Iraq hostages to launch radio appeal (Radio ads to say: "Many clerics and religious figures from the Arab and Muslim world have spoken of the good work the men were doing.")
Indie media radio interviews CPTer in Iraq
Macleans on the Christian Peacemakers: Just getting in the way? ("Abductions in Iraq have given Christian Peacemakers a higher profile, but that's not helping their cause.")
US Central Command on the Christian Peacemaker hostages ("What Extremists Are Saying" gives a brief overview of Muslim support for the peacemaker's release)
Jesus was a Liberal blog on US Central Command's statement on CPT ("Only when the good people of the world realize that right action is more important than being right will the day finally come when the world becomes rid of bullies.")
BTL:Christian Peacemaker Team Members Continue Their Work In Iraq (Radio interview with Christian Peacemaker in Iraq)
United Church of Canada calls for withdrawal of troops from Iraq (Prayers for the Christian Peacemaker hostages: "Like many Christians around the world, we have offered our prayers for their safe release")
Blog: We can but watch and wait and pray? (This Advent season "is a time of waiting in anxious hope for news")
42 Blog on a blogger dismissal on Christian Peacemaker Teams (Refers to blog that suggested CPT hostage situation was publicity stunt)
Ekklesia: Iraq peacemaker describes the agony of waiting ("We fill our days with work -- important work -- but work that helps us avoid the waiting.")
The hostages as a Christmas tale? ("Peace is still as simple, radical and rare as it was in Christ's time. It takes courage to carry it out.")
Election curfew cause of non-communication with Christian Peacemaker captors? ("the kidnappers may have more freedom after the heavily-guarded election to move and communicate.")
Release of German flicker of hope for Christian Peacemaker hostages ("We are delighted to hear about the safe release of this woman... It gives us more hope that our friends will also be safely returned to us.")
Guardian: Video release purportedly showing recent execution of American contractor Ronald Schulz. (Man unidentified in companion video, face not visible.)
SooToday: Christian Peacemakers respond to President Bush (Some text of a press release from Christian Peacemaker Teams following President Bush's address to the nation Sunday night.)
Hostages' friends still 'waiting and praying' ("We're not trying to second guess them (the captors). We?re just waiting and praying.")
CBC: New unit formed to investigate kidnappings (The article gives no details, even as to who?s created the unit (the Canadian government?, the occupation authorities in Iraq?).)
German hostage released (Held by a different insurgent group, but still could be a sign of hope.)
Family of Christian Peacemaker captive Sooden speaks of "burden" ("A lot of the good things he does we don't hear about, or haven't heard until now--perhaps he does that to protect us.")
Christian Peacemaker Urgent Action: contact Democratic Party leadership for Bush speech rebuttal (President to make rare address Sunday night about Iraq war)
Sault Ste. Marie News on hostage negotiator rumor ("Oddly, the [Toronto] Star's online edition provides conflicting information about the authorship of today's article.")
As we suspect: lack of evidence for Iraq negotiator abduction claim ("no further evidence has so far been produced to back up the suggestion... that a hostage negotiator has been kidnapped.")
Kirk W: A teachable moment? (Whatever the outcome with the CPT members in Iraq, this may be a 'teachable moment'")
Toronto Star: Iraq hostage negotiator is missing ("The local negotiator has not been heard from since Thursday and had recently met face-to-face with members of the group believed to have kidnapped the activists.")
Very unsubstantiated report that CPT hostage negotiator has himself been taken hostage (Conservative website gives no sources)
Resources
ElectronicIraq.net (news portal on the US-Iraq crisis)
Street Corner Society (Quaker blog with great links on the CPT situation, frequent posts)
Leaving Munster has continual articles on the hostage situation
Technorati Search: christian peacemakers (Following the debate & commentary on the blogs.)
Langley Hill Quaker Meeting's page on member Tom Fox (Includes their statement, appeal and letters)
BBC News "Conflict with Iraq" homepage (Repository for top stories, analysis, background papers)
Electronic Iraq: Abduction of four CPT members in Iraq (News, updates, bios, statements of support)
Mennonite Peace and Justice Support Network (Action ideas, prayer vigil locations)
Free the Captives (Quaker website in support of the CPT captives)
Google News: christian peacemakers
And a personal note from Nonviolence.org’s Martin Kelley: I myself am a Christian and Quaker and one of our folks, Tom Fox, of Langley Hill (Virginia) Friends Meeting is among the hostages. I don’t know Tom personally but over the last few days I’ve learned we have many Friends in common and they have all testified to his deep committment to peace. Some of the links above are more explicitly Quaker than most things I post to Nonviolence.org, but they give perspective on why Tom and his companions would see putting themselves in danger as an act of religious service. I am grateful for Tom’s current witness in Iraq—yes, even as a hostage—but I certainly hope he soon comes back to his family and community and that the attention and witness of these four men’s ordeal helps to bring the news of peace to streets and halls of Baghdad, Washington, London and Ottawa.