Free the Captives: Witness Against Illegal Detention and Torture

This time of year, many letters go out with holiday wishes and glad tidings, but one letter expresses our concerns very well: "My wishes for this Christmas season include the release of my four friends and other captives in Iraq, that troops stationed here will be reunited with their families soon, and that Iraqis will be able to find the peace that has eluded their country for so long." As the air is shaken by voices singing "Peace on earth and mercy mild" we turn to a reflection on the Peaceable Realm written by our friend Tom Fox on the day before he was abducted:

... Why are we here?

If I understand the message of God, his response to that question is that we are to take part in the creation of the Peaceable Realm of God. Again, if I understand the message of God, how we take part in the creation of this realm is to love God with all our heart, our mind and our strength and to love our neighbors and enemies as we love God and ourselves. In its essential form, different aspects of love bring about the creation of the realm. [...]

Why are we here? We are here to root out all aspects of dehumanization that exist within us. We are here to stand with those being dehumanized by oppressors and stand firm against that dehumanization. We are here to stop people, including ourselves, from dehumanizing any of God's children, no matter how much they dehumanize their own souls.

Tom's home meeting is inaugurating the Christmas season with a series of interfaith prayer vigils to support Tom Fox, CPT, and peacemakers around the world. Other public vigils are listed here; if you know of other prayer services focusing on this concern, please add it to the directory so that others may attend.

News sources around the world repeated the Toronto Star's report Friday claiming that an Iraqi hostage negotiator working to free the CPT was kidnapped. However, the UK religious think-tank and news service Ekklesia said "there is in fact no such hostage negotiator," and that no reliable evidence can be found to corroborate the Star's report.

"Security experts say that Baghdad remains a rumour-mill with much speculation and little hard information," Ekklesia reported. "Official envoys from Canada and Britain have recorded mixed results so far.

"Experienced journalists such as the BBC's John Simpson suggest that the silence is likely to continue until well after the [Iraqi] election period."

The Sault Ste. Marie News, a "hometown paper" for captive James Loney, was similarly skeptical. It said none of its sources, in or out of the Canadian government, had been able to confirm that the negotiator even existed.

We remain in an unsettled state throughout this ongoing ordeal, and this report from the Toronto Star has been even more unsettling. While we hope that Ekklesia's insight proves out, dealing with these rumors has added a perplexing layer to the present turmoil. We will continue to monitor this situation with attentiveness and humilty to God.

In a transcript of the last video released by the Swords of Righteousness Brigade, Tom Fox speaks the following words:

I'd like to offer my pleas to the people of America, not to the government of America--a plea for my release from captivity and also a plea for a release from captivity of all the people of Iraq. We are all suffering from the same fate, and that is the occupation of the American troops and the British troops which have brought me to this condition and has brought the Iraqi people to the condition they are in. So I would ask the people of America to do what they can to free us all from this captivity.

A group known as Witness Against Torture has carried these concerns in a dynamic way: As we await word about the fate of our friends in Bagdhad, twenty-five Christians take a stand at Guantanamo Bay prison to visit with prisoners and pray for the release of Tom Fox, Norman Kember, Harmeet Sooden, and James Loney.

In June of this year, President Bush said to those concerned with the conditions in Guantanamo, "You're welcome to go down yourself... and take a look at the conditions." Now these US Christians are calling his bluff. They are asking people to call on President Bush to grant permission for them to visit the prisoners.

The full article is available here.

Please continue to pray, vigil, and take action on behalf of Tom and the other captives. We will continue to monitor the reports and post updates at least once a day.

"For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me." Then the righteous will answer him, saying, "Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?" And the King will answer them, "Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me."

Matthew 25:35-40

In the most recent message from those holding our friends, Tom Fox plainly states that his life is tied to our efforts to free other detainees, and he pleads for our help in this matter: "... a plea for my release from captivity and also a plea for a release from captivity of all the people of Iraq. We are all suffering from the same fate ...". While we can't make promises that cannot be kept, we share an abiding concern for all people being held without trial, or enduring humilation, torture, or captivity in violation of international law. Tom himself has worked tirelessly with families of detainees in Iraq to bring more public attention to their plight. We too can take direct action on these concerns.

We are inspired by the example of twenty-five Christians who take their stand outside the gates of the US Naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to visit with inmates there, while appealing for the release of Christian Peacemakers being held in Iraq. This is motivated by the demands of their faith:

"For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me." Then the righteous will answer him, saying, "Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?" And the King will answer them, "Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me."

Matthew 25:35-40

The group began fasting on Monday after base authorities turned down their request to visit with prisoners, and the fast continues as repeated appeals for entry are denied. On Tuesday night, they wondered "What ever happened to George Bush's generous invitation that those who are concerned about Guantanamo should 'go down yourself... and take a look at the conditions'?" As their vigil goes on, they call all Americans to "join us in pressuring the Bush Administration to let us in. Please call President Bush at 202.456.1414 and Donald Rumsfeld at 703.692.7100 and request that they respond to our request for access. You can contact the US Naval Base itself at (011)(53)993-021."

This vigil is just one example of what might be done by the American people to lift up this concern while we continue to call for the release of Tom Fox, Harmeet Singh Sooden, James Loney, and Norman Kember. While we all explore creative and dynamic means to bring more light to this issue, we strongly urge activists and people of faith to remember the disciplines of civil initiative articulated by Jim Corbett. Although there is a great need for renewing the way, aquaintance with history may enable us to stand on the shoulders of giants while advancing our call to free the captives; Corbett dedicated tremendous work and thought to the struggle for human rights and understanding humanity's fault lines; it would be foolish for us to neglect his template for direct action.

A lot of work remains ahead of us, work that we must continue when Tom and the others are released. There remains "a great people to be gathered." Let us find our tasks in the work before us.

At the time of this writing, the deadline is upon us, and there is no news yet from Iraq. It is tempting at this difficult time for all of us to hold our breath.

As a guest in Iraq, Tom has spoken and written often of the awesome hospitality and compassion of the Iraqi families and communities with whom he works. His team has been involved in the formation of Muslim Peacemaker Teams in Kerbala & Najaf, and he is a friend and admirer of many Iraqi Muslims who endure suffering and sacrifice in order to support strategic nonviolent alternatives to the warfare that engulfs their country. The isolation and sacrifice Tom himself has endured for his work is continually inspired by the resilience of these people, as well as his own deep faith in the power of God's mercy and compassion.

The deadline is here, but with so many voices, particularly in the Arab world – even militant groups have raised their voices – calling for their release, it is not impossible that this could drag on for weeks. We are very grateful for the all the voices being raised on the behalf of these devout and pacific men, and we are surprised and amazed be joined by groups such as Hamas, Hezbolah, and Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade. Their means are not our means, and many of their goals are not our goals. But it is remarkable that they are now part of an unprecedented worldwide witness for compassion and mercy in Iraq. Even as we await more news from Baghdad, there is not time for us to fall silent.

Last night Muslims and Quakers joined together in a vigil at one of the largest mosques in the Washington DC area to call for the release of our friends. It is critical for us to continue this collective witness even while the fate of Tom and the others remains unknown.

And when this ordeal is over, let us not forget the spirit of friendship and common concern that has shone forth in this trial. Let us make it the beginning of a new kind of work for peace.

Late Wednesday afternoon, news media reported that the captors of Tom Fox and the other three peaceworkers had pushed back the deadline for meeting their demands until Saturday, December 10. Here's a good Canadian report.

We can't be sure what this change means -- except that it gives us more time to raise our voices, and to tell others how to join in.

Wednesday also brought more startling statments, including one from a reputed Al Queda operative, imprisoned in England, who filmed an appeal for release of the captives from inside the jail. Here's a report about that.

On Tuesday December 6, there were several remarkable developments:

- A marvelously articulate and moving interview was given by Tom Fox's daughter Katherine on ABC TV Nightline. We had been careful not to identify her here before now; but that is no longer necessary. Here's a link to the podcast in MP3 format. The transcript is posted here.

- Statements of support for the release of Tom and the others came from prominent figures in more Palestinian Arab militant groups, including the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, Hamas, and Hezbollah. To have armed groups like this bearing witness on behalf of unarmed pacifists is a remarkable testimony. This Canadian news report has more detail.

- A website has gone up in New Zealand in support of Harmeet Sooden, one of the captives. Find it here.

- The total number of signatures on online petitions for release surpassed 33,000 -- up from 25,000 a day earlier. Keep spreading the word! Let's keep the ball rolling!

Dear Friend,

This page is a tool, to help YOU take action to support the immediate release of four unarmed peaceworkers taken captive in Iraq on November 26, 2005. They are: Tom Fox, Harmeet Sooden, James Loney, and Norman Kember.

We believe that the most help those outside Iraq can be to these prisoners is to make it clear to all the world, and especially those who captured them, that they were in Iraq NOT as spies, military contractors, or even missionaries, but as advocates of peace, justice, and reconciliation. To this end, they worked without weapons, and at great risk to: - Oppose the US occupation, - Expose and denounce torture, and - Bring impartial aid to victims of the fighting.

They have done no wrong, and deserve to be free and safe. We call on their captors to let them go, now.

If you agree, here are the specific steps we advocate:

1. Sign our petition. Click on the link to go to a special petition page.

2. Hold a public vigil or prayer service focused on the call, expressed in your own words, to release the captives, end the occupation and stop torture. Invite the media to attend and report on your action.

3. Write to newspapers, call in to radio shows, and tell them of the innocence of these men and your support for their immediate release. Mention this website!

4. Send emails to the feedback pages of media such as Aljazeera, Al Arabiya, and other major international media, especially in the Gulf region, repeating the call to free the captives.

5. If you are part of a group or church with a peace and justice emphasis, ask them to join this effort in whatever public way is appropriate to their polity.

6. Let us know what you are doing.

7. VERY IMPORTANT - Pass this message on! Tell your friends about this website. With your email help, we can quickly reach supporters of peace and justice throughout the world. Together our voices can make a powerful chorus for freeing the captives and ending the war.

Thank you for reading!

Take action! And Spread the Word!