QUIP Meeting

On the Balkans

Dear Friends:

We are all aware of the twin tragedies of "ethnic cleansing" and NATO bombing which continue in the Balkans. I expect that all Friends share our grief, our concern, and our deep desire to do something to help bring true peace with justice to the suffering peoples on all sides. As an organization devoted to nurturing and building vital Friends meetings, and with several other Quaker bodies devoted to active peace and political work, FGC has not been involved in formulating or organizing such a Quaker response.

We know, however, that many Quaker organizations, meetings and individuals are involved. We particularly encourage concerned Friends tocheck the following web sites for the most up-to-date information:

•Peaceweb put together by Carl Stieren of Ottawa MM's Peace & Social Concerns Committee at http://www.web.net/~peaceweb/komain.html

•Nonviolence Web http://www.nonviolence.org/kosovo

•Chuck Fager/Kimo at http://kimopress.com/kosovo.htm

•AFSC http://www.afsc.org/kosovo.htm

•FCNL http://www.fcnl.org/kosindex.htm

We are particularly aware of the work of the American Friends Service Committee, which is involved in refugee relief (including sending kits prepared by hundreds of Friends meetings) and in organizing citizen responses here at home and of the Friends Committee on National Legislation, which continues to communicate Friends' deep concerns and to recommend alternative, nonviolent responses to the conflicts in the Balkans.

Let us all hold the people of the Balkans in our prayers.

Bruce Birchard

General Secretary
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