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 Faith
and Ethics Network |
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Members of the international community have established the
International Criminal Court. The Court will investigate and
bring to justice individuals who commit serious violations
of human rights including war crimes, crimes against humanity,
and genocide.
The United States Faith and Ethics Network for the International Criminal
Court (US FENICC) is a coalition of religious and interfaith NGOs that
examine the moral, ethical and religious considerations surrounding
the Court. Religious organizations have a special role to
play in raising awareness at the grassroots level and helping
to shape the ICC. The Network promotes the ICC by disseminating
information about the Court to respective religious, ecumenical,
and ethical communities.
To inform others about some of the moral, ethical and religious
considerations involved in the ICC, the Network holds frequent
group meetings and plans events that will bring these issues
to the attention of a wider audience. The issues that the
group raises and decides upon will impact the role the court
will play and the way it is perceived around the world. The
following issues are among those that have been and will be
discussed by the working group in their meetings as well as
in their open events and dialogues:
- moral, ethical and theological imperatives and the importance
of the ICC as a powerful representation of these values
- moral, political and ethical dimensions of impunity
- reconciliation and long term peace building
- individual and collective healing in society
- redressive justice
- relationships between confession, repentance, compensation
and forgiveness
- issues of psychological and spiritual rehabilitation
Read the Network's
1997 Foundation Statement, including a list of the original
endorsing organizations.
- Promote education and awareness of the mission, membership
and objectives of the Faith and Ethics Network to faith and
ethics-based constituencies, elected officials, media and
the general public.
- Increase and diversify membership of the Network.
- Establish faith and ethics-based networks in The Hague
and Washington, DC.
- Publish a new advocacy
ad.
- Continue to develop network website.
- Promote education and awareness of the ICC and Rome Statute
within respective religious, ethics and faith-based communities.
- Encourage each network member to develop an education
and advocacy strategy to implement within their own
community.
- Continue to develop ICC materials for distribution
within faith and ethics-based communities, including:
- Encourage adoption of statements
and resolutions in support of the ICC.
- Create curricula to educate constituencies about
ICC.
- Update and distribute ICC brochures
for other faith and ethics constituencies, including
Bahá'í, Buddhist, Humanist, Jewish,
Muslim communities.
- Create and distribute Sabbath
observances.
- Promote the ICC
Trust Fund for Victims.
- Promote local congregational participation in AMICC
local alliances.
- Link network website to denominational websites.
- Promote NGO partnerships with ICC to further the reconciliation,
rehabilitation and healing of victims, perpetrators and
society.
- Help NGOs present religious persecution cases to the
Court.
- Develop seminars in New York and/or The Hague on religious
liberty & persecution issues for ICC judges, prosecutors
and staff.
- Develop working relationship with ICC Victims and
Witnesses Unit.
- Promote proposed April 2004 UN Fundraiser for Victims
Trust Fund by Victims Rights Working Group.
- Research and disseminate information about religious liberty
and persecution issues as it relates to the Rome Statute.
Explore the relationship between confession, repentance,
compensation and forgiveness, including the moral imperatives
of retributive and restorative justice.
- Post on network website relevant theological articles
that examine the moral imperatives of the Court.
- Contact theological seminaries and relevant academic
departments.
We welcome the participation of all faith and ethics-based
organizations. For information about attending meetings or
joining the US FENICC, please contact chair Bruce
Knotts.
Al-Khoei
Foundation
The
American Humanist Association
Baha'is
of the United States
Church
World Service
Conference
of Major Superiors of Men
Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America
Fellowship
of Reconciliation
Jacob Blaustein
Institute for the Advancement of Human Rights of the American
Jewish Committee
The
Loretto Community
Maryknoll
Office for Global Concerns
National
Council of Churches of Christ in the USA
National Service
Conference of the American Ethical Union
Presbyterian
Church, USA
Religious of
the Sacred Heart
Soka Gakkai
International
Temple
of Understanding
Unitarian
Universalist Association
General
Board of Church and Society of the United Methodist Church
World
Council of Churches
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American
Ethical Union, Resolution of the National Service
Conference in Support of US Ratification (2002) |
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American
Humanist Association, Flyer expressing support for
ICC (February 2003) |
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American
Jewish Committee, Letter to Congressmen Gilman and
Gejdenson (July 21, 2000) regarding the American Servicemember's
Protection Act |
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Bahá'i
International Community, Statement from "Turning Point
for All Nations" (1995) |
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Bahá'is
of the United States, Excerpt from letter to Assistant
to the President for National Security Affairs Samuel
Berger (October 21, 1999) |
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B'nai
B'rith International BBI
Press Release (April 2, 2002) and Faith-Based
Network for an ICC Foundation Statement (1997) |
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Individuals
from Catholic institutions and religious congregations,
Sign on letter, " A Catholic Community Responds to the
to the War Living with Faith and Hope (December 17, 2001),
calling for US support for ICC
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The
Church of the Brethren , Annual Conference ICC Statement
in "Nonviolence and Humanitarian Intervention" (1996) |
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Commission
on Social Action of Reform Judaism, Resolution on
US Support for the International Criminal Court (Spring
2002) |
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Cooperative
Baptist Fellowship, Letter sent to President Clinton
from Representatives of Faith-Based Groups and Organizations
(December 20, 2000) |
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Episcopal
Peace Fellowship, Letter sent to President Clinton
from Representatives of Faith-Based Groups and Organizations
(December 20, 2000) |
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Evangelical
Lutheran Church of America, Policy Statement, For
Peace in God's World 1995 (Adopted 1996) |
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Faith-Based
Organizations Information Packet, including sample
resolutions, statements, and letters (1998) |
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Fellowship
of Reconciliation Resolution in support of the ICC
(February 18, 2001) |
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His
Holiness Pope John Paul II excerpt from message for
the Celebration of the World Day of Peace, "Peace on Earth
to Those Whom God Loves!" (January 1, 2000) |
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Holy
See Press Release, "Contribution of the Holy See to
to the Trust Fund for the Establishment of the Internatinal
Criminal Court (July 1, 2002) |
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International
Association for Religious Freedom, Faith-Based Network
for an ICC Foundation Statement (1997) |
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Jewish
Council For Public Affairs Statement by Chair Steven
Schwarz (July 29, 1998) |
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Leadership
Conference of Women Religious National Assembly Resolution
for Peace (2002) |
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Lutheran
Office for Government Affairs and Office for the World
Community (ELCA), Letter to President for National
Security Affairs Samuel Berger (October 8, 1999) |
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Maryknoll
Missioners, Letter to President Clinton |
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Mennonite
Central Committee, Faith-Based Network for an ICC Foundation
Statement (1997) |
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National
Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A Resolution
on the ICC, NCCCUSA General Assembly (November 10-12,
1999) |
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Presbyterian
Church USA Resolution
and rationale
on the ICC (H), 211th General Assembly (June 1999);
Statement in support of the ICC by Clifton Kirkpatrick, Stated Clerk of the General Assembly of PCUSA (November 12, 2007)
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Quaker
UN Office QUNO
briefing paper (March 2002) and Faith-Based
Network for an ICC Foundation Statement (1997) |
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Religious
Action Center of Reform Judaism Press releases praising
US signing of ICC Statute (January 2, 2001) and expressing
dismay at US Unsigning of Rome Statute (May 13, 2002),
Action
alert, "Take action on Yom Hashoa — Support
the International Criminal Court and help ensure that
Genocide never goes unpunished" (April 2003)
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Union for Reform Judaism General Assembly
Resolution on International Human Rights in support of the ICC and US ratification of the Rome Statute (June 2008) |
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Unitarian
Universalist Association, Support the International
Criminal Court Action of Immediate Witness (2002) |
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United
Methodist Church General Board of Church and Society
Resolution (May 2000) |
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Vatican
Delegation to the Diplomatic Conference on the ICC
Intervention of Archbishop Martino, Head of the Vatican
Delegation to the Diplomatic Conference on the ICC, Rome
(June 16, 1998)
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Women
of Reform Judaism, Statement by Executive Committee
(2002) |
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World
Conference on Religion and Peace, Statement by Executive
Committee (October 24, 2001) |
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World
Council of Churches/Commission of Churches on International
Affairs (CCIA), Faith-Based Network for an ICC Foundation
Statement (1997) |
The Faith Based Network's current initiatives include:
Congregational Observances
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ICC
Information and Action Guide (includes brief history,
quotes, lectionary comments, suggested hymns, sermon illustration,
and litany) developed by the Presbyterian Church, USA
that can be modified as needed. |
Bruce Knotts
Chair, US Faith and Ethics Network for the ICC
Executive Director, Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office
777 UN Plaza, Suite 7G
New York, NY 10017
Tel: (212) 986-5165
Fax: (212) 983-5498
BKnotts@uu-uno.org
www.uu-uno.org
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