Pax Christi Metro DC-Baltimore

April 10, 2010

Ambassador Karl W. Eikenberry
U.S. Embassy to Afghanistan
USAmbassadorKabul@state.gov

Dear Honorable Ambassador Karl W. Eikenberry:

We respectfully ask that the decision to reject the visa applications of Mr. Abdul Ali, Mr. Faiz Ahmad, and Dr. Wee Teck Young be reviewed and reversed. We have invited them to represent their community and country as part of a speaking tour crossing the United States during the summer of 2010. We believe that our use of this method of cross-cultural, international delegations is a proven technique with a nearly 100 year history of successfully contributing to the building of peace and friendship among peoples by the strengthening of civil society and the understanding of one another as people.

The denial here is troubling in many ways, not the least of which in that we are not at war with the people of Afghanistan. As citizens and civilians we should be able to travel freely to visit one another. The policy of the U.S. government would appear to support this kind of international exchange, and the applicants and sponsors have a high profile commitment to discourse and practices that are nonviolent, on principle, at a time when violence mars so much potential for progress in our relationships.

This is not an appeal, as the decision cannot be appealed, but rather a call for reversal by you on the basis of personal knowledge of the case and the opportunity presented here. Put simply, this was a stupid decision. It ought to be dismissed as unthinking and reversed without prejudice allowing us to move forward with our program for the summer. Nor should there be a burden of, or cost for, reapplication by these individuals.

Silencing the voices of peace and reconciliation will not advance the cause of stability and broad-based well-being in Afghanistan. Rejecting the visa requests of peacemakers, youth and adults, committed to nonviolence and carrying a message of love to Americans from Afghanistan is counter-intuitive and counter-productive to the pursuit of a just peace in the world.

This week a bureaucratic functionary at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan, rejected the applications of three representatives of “Our Journey to Smile” a project of the Afghan Youth Peace Volunteers of Bamiyan.  (The letter of rejection bears no signature for accountability and thus we are unable to be more respectfully personal in our response.) The applications were being requested in response to an invitation from Christian Peace Witness, a coalition of peace fellowships and organizations, to bring the delegation to the United States for a two month tour in the summer of 2010. A copy of that invitation is also appended. The rejection appears to be the result of a pro forma application of a provision of law because the functionary was not persuaded that the delegates would return to Afghanistan at the end of the tour because they “have not demonstrated ties that will compel you to return to your home country after your travels to the United States”. Please!

When asked the purpose of the visit, the interviewer was told that the delegation wished to share their story, that seeking “peace in Afghanistan is tough.” You will understand both the vernacular and the implications of the statement. It is not only tough, it is dangerous. The offer to travel on behalf of this message is courageous. The response of the interviewer, “You mean, you guys are going to go all the way there just to say that?” is appallingly condescending and ignorant of a context that can only be addressed and a condition that can only be restored with a great deal more compassion and empathy than demonstrated by the remark. As the Afghan youth themselves share, their only intention is to be able “to live, study, work and die here [in Bamiyan, Afghanistan]. What more can the ‘poor’ wish for?” It goes without saying, ironically, that they wish to live in peace.

In recent weeks the U.S. Government has also rejected the visa applications of much higher profiled Afghani advocates of nonviolence and peace work. It is inconceivable that the application at the local level of such decisions can be seen as consistent with the professed goals for advancing the development of democratic institutions and a strong civil society in Afghanistan or elsewhere in the Middle East.

Civilian peace delegations, both out-bound and in-bound from the United States of America, have been a constructive response to conditions and threats of violence between the United States and other nations for decades. Perhaps it would be helpful for a delegation of us to visit with your Embassy staff to underscore the currency and purpose of such exchanges. We would prefer to invest our resources in supporting a sharing of the spirit of these young people with a larger American audience. We would certainly accept an invitation from you for this purpose.

Throughout the world radical voices appeal to, attract, and serve to recruit young people to indoctrination in the work of violence to effect change and training in violence and aggression on behalf of distorted causes and views of peoples who would prefer to live in peace. Much less often do youth hear, or are they rewarded for learning nonviolent techniques and practices as the path to peace.

In this particular case, Mr. Ambassador, you and your wife met with the Afghan Youth Peace Volunteers, celebrated their work and vision, committed to communicate their messages to the President, and urged them to continue their efforts on behalf of peace across all borders. You are clearly informed about the sincerity, authenticity and commitment of this group to the work of peace and their sacrifices on behalf of peace. Perhaps you have already seen the recent message from Zekerullah as he returns to school as he promised you he would. http://ourjourneytosmile.com/blog/2010/04/an-afghan-boy-fulfills-his-promise-to-us-ambassador-eikenberry/.

At a time when our media is full of evidence of ruthless, senseless, lawless use of deadly force against civilians by members of military forces in Afghanistan and Iraq, it is more important than ever that Americans hear voices of peaceful outreach, and are allowed to respond with commitments to peaceful relationships between our peoples, especially our youth. When we find ourselves confused by your message to the President that the leadership needed to secure a peaceful future for Afghanistan was not in evidence and his response was to significantly increased troop levels rather than investing those resources more fully in education and other infrastructures of a strong civil society, we offer another way. The way of peace; it is the only way.

We have followed the work of the Afghan Youth Peace Volunteers for over a year. They are remarkably supported in their efforts by a medical missionary from Singapore who effectively mediates between various communities around the world in spreading their message through digital medium and constant communications. In recent weeks dozens of audiences around the country have been able to open a conversation by conference calls with these young voices of peace. But nothing is more powerful than people-to-people, face-to-face meetings. That is what we have proposed and are pursuing.

The prospective contribution to a restored civil society committed to an education in nonviolence in Afghanistan by this cadre or future leaders is beyond calculation. The moment to give them encouragement is now.

We encourage you to initiate a review and effect the reversal of the rejection of these visa applications. It would be helpful to have a response to this request in the coming week so that we may proceed with our plans effectively. We would be happy to bring the encouragements of national and local elected officials to this request if it would be helpful as well.

Respectfully yours,

Peace,

Mark C. Johnson
Executive Director
Fellowship of Reconciliation USA (mjohnson@forusa.org)
On Behalf of Christian Peace Witness*

CC:     President Barack Obama
Vice President Joseph Biden
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
Afghanistan Desk, Department of State
Senator John Kerry c/o Chris Wyman

*Christian Peace Witness is a network of 34 religious peace fellowships and organizations representing hundreds of congregations and tens of thousands of members across the Untied States. The members include (http://christianpeacewitness.org/partners):

Adventist Peace Fellowship
Alpha Mennonite Church
American Friends Service Committee
Baptist Peace Fellowship of North America
Brethren Witness Office
Catholic Peace Fellowship
Christian Peacemaker Teams
Deep shift
Disciples Justice Action Network
Disciples Peace Fellowship
Fellowship of Reconciliation (A network of 12 Religious Peace Fellowships)
Every Church A Peace Church
The Institute for Progressive Christianity
Justice and Witness Ministries
Kairos: A Time to Speak, A Time to Act
Kirkridge
Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR)
Lutheran Peace Fellowship
Maryknoll
Medical Mission Sisters
Mennonite Central Committee
Methodist Federation for Social Action (MFSA)
Multifaith Voices for Peace & Justice
The  Network for Spiritual Progressives
No2Torture
Pace e Bene
Pax Christi USA
Peace and Justice Support Network of Mennonite Church USA
Pentecostal Charismatic Peace Fellowship
Presbyterian Peace Fellowship
Santa Clara County Council of Churches
Sisters of Mercy of the Americas