Appeal from the Christian Peacemaker Team in Baghdad, Iraq.

"We are very concerned about our friends. We would very much like to know that they are in good condition.

"It is our most sincere wish that you will immediately release them unharmed.

"While we believe the action of kidnapping is wrong, we do not condemn you as people. We recognize the humanity in each person, and respect it very much. This includes you, our colleagues, and all people.

"We believe there needs to be a force that counters all the resentment, the fear, the intimidation felt by the Iraqi people. We are trying to be that force: to speak for justice, to advocate for the human rights of Iraqis, to look at an Iraqi face and say: my brother, my sister,

"Perhaps you are men who only want to raise the issue of illegal detention. We don't know what you may have endured.

"As you can see by the statements of support from our friends in Iraq and all over the world, we work for those who are oppressed.

"We also condemn our own governments for their actions in Iraq.

"Please, we appeal to your humanity to show mercy on our brothers and let them come back safely to us to continue our work.

"May God spare our friends, and all the people of Iraq any further suffering."

Source: 12/06/2005 Newsline
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