Crisis prompts call for global ceasefire
As the Coronavirus crisis deepens Quakers are working with allies to speak up for the most vulnerable.
Following government directions, and like many other faith bodies, Quakers suspended face to face meetings for worship. Instead they are #SafeAtHome and learning to be the virtual Quaker community.
Many are sharing stillness in online worship (offsite link).
Quakers' long held concern for people in detention led them to support this letter:
Inquest and Women in Prison have written to the Prime Minister calling to immediately reduce number of people being held in detention. The letter begins,
“We, the signatories, call on the Government to take urgent life-saving steps to immediately reduce the number of people in prison, young offender institutions, secure training centres and immigration detention settings. This is for the safety of prisoners, detainees, frontline staff and communities during this unprecedented public health crisis.
“Detained people are reliant on the state for their health and safety. It is not possible to follow Government advice on COVID-19 in prison and immigration detention settings. People in prison are already dying. Many detention settings already have the virus within their walls, with thousands of frontline staff self-isolating. Astonishingly, people continue to be processed through a justice system despite the known dangers...
“…It is clear that keeping people in prison and detention during this pandemic threatens the lives of prisoners, staff, healthcare workers - and the public health at large. As we have seen worldwide, coronavirus does not discriminate. It is not prevented by prison gates, borders and walls - if people are not able to self-isolate and receive appropriate care, the virus spreads and kills."
The letter was signed by Paul Parker for Quakers in Britain. The full text can be found on Inquest's website.
Network of Christian Peace Organisations issued a statement regarding Coronavirus, following a call for a global ceasefire.
The statement began, "António Guterres, Secretary-General of the UN, called for a global ceasefire in light of the coronavirus, saying: The fury of the virus illustrates the folly of war. The threats we face as a planet, health pandemics and climate change among them, demand a coordinated international response with no room for continuing to waste resources on armed conflict.
“The Network of Christian Peace Organisations urges our government to robustly support this call by discontinuing the sale of arms during this crisis and calling on all involved in current conflicts around the world to lay down their arms.
“We are encouraged by the prompt, creative response of British manufacturers to the urgent need for new ventilators and the London ExCel Centre which hosts the DSEI Arms Fair, being used instead for a socially productive purpose as the Nightingale Hospital.
“This crisis is teaching the world much about the values of compassion and fairness, and the ability of societies to care for the most vulnerable as the basis of security. All our efforts now are rightly focused on preserving life and we have been heartened by the huge efforts made to this end, and by the strengthening of community bonds across the nation. The coming weeks will be painful for society. We will need time to grieve and to reflect. We hope that the bonds of common humanity, coupled with the compassion and imagination being deployed today can create a lasting legacy for future generations."
Signed by Oliver Robertson for Quaker Peace & Social Witness and Philip Austin for Northern Friends Peace Board. The full letter can be found on the Network of Christian Peace Organisations website.'Hope' image © 2018 Mike Pinches