Mennonite
Central
Committee

Canada's Afghanistan mission and MCC's commitment to nonviolence

April 3, 2006

Canada's military involvement in Afghanistan will both challenge and strengthen MCC's traditional commitment to nonviolence, says the coordinator of MCC Canada's peace and justice program.

"MCC's commitment to peace arises out of our Christian commitment to the way of Jesus," says Esther Epp Tiessen. "We believe that Jesus lived and taught the way of nonviolent love. As Christians we believe we are called to follow Jesus' way of nonviolence."

MCC's response

MCC's response (and that of its supporting churches) to Canada's mission in Afghanistan—a part of the so-called "war on terror"— will simply be the most current manifestation of a commitment to nonviolence that has survived the centuries.

Traditionally, Mennonite commitment to peacemaking has meant a refusal to go to war and to take up the sword, but it has not involved a critique of war itself. The early Anabaptist understood the world in terms of two kingdoms: the kingdom of the world and the kingdom of those who commit their lives to Christ, explains Epp Tiessen.

"They realized that armed force, war and "taking up the sword" were part of the reality of the kingdom of the world. They argued that because their loyalty was to the kingdom of Christ, they could not participate in this. They believed that their calling was to live out the nonviolent way of Christ in their communities and, in doing so, they could be a witness to others."

This is largely the kind of thinking that guided Canadian Mennonites and Brethren in Christ churches until World War II. During World Wars I and II, Mennonites' concern was: would Canada provide means whereby their commitments not to go to war and to be "conscientious objectors" would be honoured? They did not really challenge Canada's decision to go to war.

Speaking out against war

This has changed in the last 30-40 years. As a result of Mennonites' increasing involvement in the larger society, some Mennonites have begun to speak out more against war and preparations for war itself.

It is because of this shift, and also because of MCC's experience in contexts of violence around the world, that MCC now also raises questions and concerns about issues like the waging of war, military intervention and the production and export of military weapons.

With respect to Afghanistan, Epp-Tiessen questions whether combat missions will improve the security situation in that country or diminish the threat of terrorism in Canada. Terrorist acts, she suggests, should be considered and treated as crimes, rather than acts of war. Dealing with terrorists then becomes an act of law enforcement, rather than an act of war.

Address the grievances that make people angry

"MCC's own experience in working in conflict zones around the world is that violence usually contributes to more violence. The way you deal with terrorism is to take away the oxygen that fuels the fire—you address the grievances that make people angry.

"As much as we may find terrorist tactics illegitimate and abhorrent, Canada should expend energy in finding out what the legitimate concerns of the terrorists are and addressing those concerns. We have to address the root causes that push people to take up arms."

MCC, along with the faith communities and individuals supporting MCC, are advocating for non-violent means to pursue peace. Canada, she said, could strengthen its reputation as a peace-promoting nation through devoting more resources for training in the areas of conflict resolution, mediation and negotiation, human rights advocacy and other forms of peace building.

Addressing global poverty and injustice

Canada can also be a leader in addressing global poverty and injustice by cancelling debt, promoting trade that is just, and increasing development assistance. Such development assistance currently stands at about 0.32 per cent of the Canada's gross national income and should be boosted to meet the 0.7 per cent target which is one of the Millennium Development Goals set by United Nations member countries in 2000.

 

With files from Gladys Terichow, MCC Canada staff writer.