Syria vote welcomed
Decision to reject military intervention in Syria welcomed by Friends House
The clear decision of the UK parliament to reject military intervention in Syria has been welcomed by Friends House in London. Paul Parker, recording clerk of Quakers in Britain, said: ‘The government’s vote against military intervention in Syria turns a crisis into an opportunity.’
He added that their message to decision makers was: ‘Quakers, holding war to be a violation of the sanctity of human life and no way to peace, believe that action for good must be nonviolent. Our rejection of military action does not spell rejection of the Syrian people.’
Friends are urged to write to MPs to redouble pressure to find nonviolent solutions.
Quakers in Britain had released a public statement before the vote calling for ‘those in power to work with diligence through the United Nations and all diplomatic channels to bring peace nearer. We challenge them to use their resources and imaginations creatively.’
Helen Drewery, general secretary of Quaker Peace & Social Witness, said: ‘Quakers see war as wrong because we value every human being so highly that killing them cannot be right. We need to use the nonviolent tools we have – we need to respect them, learn to use them better and not see them as weak alternatives. As the threat of military intervention is averted, at least for now, it’s important that we all redouble our efforts to find peaceful resolutions to this situation, support humanitarian aid to the region and encourage dialogue.’
The statement from Quakers in Britain urges MPs to work to stop the flow of arms to the region; step up multilateral international diplomacy and increase humanitarian aid.
It also reports that ‘fifteen BBC Radio stations interviewed Quakers on Sunday as well as much activity on social media. For updates see www.quaker.org.uk/syria-crisis’
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