ABDUCTORS BLAMELESS

Here's the Christian Peacemaker Teams' description of its activities in Iraq:

CPT initiated a long-term presence in Iraq in October 2002, six months before the beginning of the U.S. led invasion in March of 2003. The primary focus of the team for eighteen months following the invasion was documenting and focusing attention on the issue of detainee abuses and basic legal and human rights being denied them. Issues related to detainees remain but the current focus of the team has expanded to include efforts to end occupation and militarization of the country and to foster nonviolent and just alternatives for a free and independent Iraq.

Despite being well aware of the danger of being targeted by "insurgents", CPT maintained its presence in Iraq:

October - December 2004

Continuing Occupation - a rash of kidnapping foreign aid workers compelled the team to severely curtail its size and visibility. Iraqi partners, while acknowledging the potential danger CPT’s presence posed to them, encouraged the team to remain in Baghdad.

January 2005 - Present

Persisting Occupation - though travel remains treacherous and insurgent attacks continue on a daily basis, team members have ventured forth in response to urging from Iraqi human rights workers in Karbala.

CPT’s persevering presence and establishment of trusting relationships throughout the shifting sands of circumstance laid the groundwork for today’s exciting partnership with Iraqis committed to forming a “Muslim Peace Team.”

Now that four of its volunteers have been abducted CPT has issued an angry indictment of those responsible:

We are angry because what has happened to our teammates is the result of the actions of the U.S. and U.K. governments due to the illegal attack on Iraq and the continuing occupation and oppression of its people. Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) has worked for the rights of Iraqi prisoners who have been illegally detained and abused by the U.S. government. We were the first people to publicly denounce the torture of Iraqi people at the hands of U.S. forces, long before the western media admitted what was happening at Abu Ghraib. We are some of the few internationals left in Iraq who are telling the truth about what is happening to the Iraqi people We hope that we can continue to do this work and we pray for the speedy release of our beloved teammates.

~

We fear that whoever is holding them has made a mistake.

The abductors are, of course, blameless.