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Faith and Ethics Network
   
MISSION STATEMENT

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.


OBJECTIVES

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.
MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION

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.


CURRENT MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS

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


FAITH and ETHICS-BASED ICC COMMITMENTS/STATEMENTS


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American Ethical Union, Resolution of the National Service Conference in Support of US Ratification (2002)
American Humanist Association, Flyer expressing support for ICC (February 2003)
American Jewish Committee, Letter to Congressmen Gilman and Gejdenson (July 21, 2000) regarding the American Servicemember's Protection Act
Bahá'i International Community, Statement from "Turning Point for All Nations" (1995)
Bahá'is of the United States, Excerpt from letter to Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs Samuel Berger (October 21, 1999)
B'nai B'rith International BBI Press Release (April 2, 2002) and Faith-Based Network for an ICC Foundation Statement (1997)
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

The Church of the Brethren , Annual Conference ICC Statement in "Nonviolence and Humanitarian Intervention" (1996)
Commission on Social Action of Reform Judaism, Resolution on US Support for the International Criminal Court (Spring 2002)
Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, Letter sent to President Clinton from Representatives of Faith-Based Groups and Organizations (December 20, 2000)
Episcopal Peace Fellowship, Letter sent to President Clinton from Representatives of Faith-Based Groups and Organizations (December 20, 2000)
Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, Policy Statement, For Peace in God's World 1995 (Adopted 1996)
Faith-Based Organizations Information Packet, including sample resolutions, statements, and letters (1998)
Fellowship of Reconciliation Resolution in support of the ICC (February 18, 2001)
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)
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)
International Association for Religious Freedom, Faith-Based Network for an ICC Foundation Statement (1997)
Jewish Council For Public Affairs Statement by Chair Steven Schwarz (July 29, 1998)
Leadership Conference of Women Religious National Assembly Resolution for Peace (2002)
Lutheran Office for Government Affairs and Office for the World Community (ELCA), Letter to President for National Security Affairs Samuel Berger (October 8, 1999)
Maryknoll Missioners, Letter to President Clinton
Mennonite Central Committee, Faith-Based Network for an ICC Foundation Statement (1997)
National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A Resolution on the ICC, NCCCUSA General Assembly (November 10-12, 1999)
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)

Quaker UN Office QUNO briefing paper (March 2002) and Faith-Based Network for an ICC Foundation Statement (1997)
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)

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)
Unitarian Universalist Association, Support the International Criminal Court Action of Immediate Witness (2002)
United Methodist Church General Board of Church and Society Resolution (May 2000)
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)

Women of Reform Judaism, Statement by Executive Committee (2002)
World Conference on Religion and Peace, Statement by Executive Committee (October 24, 2001)
World Council of Churches/Commission of Churches on International Affairs (CCIA), Faith-Based Network for an ICC Foundation Statement (1997)

INITIATIVES

The Faith Based Network's current initiatives include:

Congregational Observances

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.


CONTACT INFORMATION

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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