From Episcopal News Service
n
a statement issued March 26, Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold of the Episcopal Church
deplored the "terrible spectacle of violence and civil strife being visited upon the
people in the state of Kosovo and wider Yugoslavia" and expressed the hope that the
United Nations Security Council would exercise its primary responsibility for maintaining
international peace and security by playing a leadership role in resolving the tragedy
unfolding in Kosovo and neighboring countries. As the violence continues and the number of
refugees increases to nearly 800,000, the Presiding Bishop has reiterated his plea to all
parties to pursue the path of negotiation and for the church and all people of good will
to pray fervently for peace.
In responding to the humanitarian crisis of thousands of refugees pouring into Macedonia,
Montenegro, and Albania, the Presiding Bishop's Fund for World Relief-the humanitarian
assistance arm of the Episcopal Church-notified parishes around the country that the Fund
was receiving contributions in response to the crisis. The Fund channeled emergency
assistance through ACT (Action by Churches Together), providing an important early
response to the Kosovo crisis. This Sunday parishioners will receive inserts in their
service bulletins urging them to contribute generously to the Fund to support further
assistance to the refugees, including support for their longer-term rehabilitation and
resettlement. To multiply the impact of its assistance, the Presiding Bishop's Fund works
ecumenically with Church World Service and ACT in responding to humanitarian crises around
the world.
Episcopal Migration Ministries (EMM), the refugee resettlement and refugee advocacy
program of the Episcopal Church, has with other national resettlement agencies urged the
US Government to increase humanitarian assistance to support those countries that have
suddenly found themselves hosting thousands of uprooted ethnic Albanians. The well-being
of the refugees and the preservation of avenues of escape for those who may yet flee
Kosovo require that host countries be sustained in their effort to provide hospitality to
those still in flight. A corresponding concern will be the fate of the thousands of
internally displaced Kosovars-a number that will increase if access to neighboring
countries is blocked.
EMM and its national partner agencies have actively opposed the US Naval base at
Guantanamo Bay as a relocation center for the 20,000 ethnic Albanian deportees whom the US
Government has offered to assist. While applauding the Clinton Administration's initiative
in relieving the refugee burden of those nations receiving the brunt of the refugee
crisis, EMM with its partner agencies has written to the Administration indicating a
preference for a relocation option that recognizes the need for the vast number of
separated families to be reunited as soon as possible. Additional reasons for rejecting
Guantanamo as their temporary home include the overwhelming desire of uprooted Kosovars to
return home and the inappropriateness of placing traumatized refugees in a setting as
inhospitable and isolated as Guantanamo. We prefer to maintain the refugees in the Balkan
region with generous US aid to the impacted nations or arrange for displaced Albanians to
be resettled in the US until their voluntary repatriation could be accomplished.
Many people have called about sponsoring Albanian refugees. EMM is registering interested
parties and, more particularly, those relatives willing to sponsor family members affected
by the violence. However, EMM has made it clear that there is no immediate prospect of
resettling Albanian refugees in the United States as the US Government and the United
Nations High Commissioner for Refugees are focusing all efforts on relieving the present
humanitarian crisis facing the refugees and their eventual return to Kosovo. Depending on
future developments, resettlement could be an option for some Kosovars.
The Episcopal Church's Office of Government Relations in Washington, D.C., monitors
Congress and the Administration in this constantly changing crisis and collaborates with
ecumenical partners in attempting to influence an early and peaceful solution to the
current Balkan crisis. The office will seek opportunities to join the voice of the
Episcopal Church with other denominations in strategizing about how the churches can be
instruments of peace and reconciliation in this tragedy.
To contribute to the Episcopal Church's collection for refugee aid, make each check
payable to the Presiding Bishop's Fund for World Relief, note on the check that it is for
Kosovo Refugees and mail it to:
PBWFR
C/o Bankers Trust
P.O. Box 12043
Newark, NJ 07101
Persons making credit card donations may call (800) 334-7626, ext. 5129.
The executive director of the Fund is Sandra Swan, (800) 334-7626, ext. 6020.
Persons inquiring about refugee sponsorship may call Richard Parkins, director of
Episcopal Migration Ministries, at (800) 334-7626, ext. 6252.
The Office of Government Relations can be reached at (800) 228-0515.