Violence is not the way forward

They invite people of all faiths and none, who share the belief that violence is not the way forward to join them. Those in the vigil share the view that if we search for them -- peaceful resolutions can be found to seemingly intractable problems.

We are appalled by the tragedy in then USA on September 11 and believe that those responsible should, if possible, be brought to justice -- but this justice must be international justice and not simply one enforced by overwhelming power. We do not consider that the recent weeks of bombing have anything to do with justice. To inflict carpet bombing, cluster bombs and the largest conventional bombs yet known against one of the world's most desperately impoverished countries, causing who knows how many innocent deaths, is sheer unthinking vengeance and terrorism -- not justice. Although it does not excuse the destruction of the Twin Towers -- we must never lose sight of the fact that many countries in the Middle East and the Arab world have a very understandable grievance against the West.

For example -- allowing the state of Israel to ride roughshod over the Palestinian peoples for decades -- contravening many UN resolutions with impunity in the process. And, sooner or later, these grievances must be addressed if there is to be peace with justice in the world. What is the way forward now that it seems that Taliban control over Afghanistan has ended? In the short term, we believe that the West should put every effort into ensuring that humanitarian aid is poured into Afghanistan before the Afghan Winter makes an already desperate situation worse.

There needs to be strenuous diplomatic efforts to put in place a viable broadly based system of government in Afghanistan. Something on these lines seems to be the preferred policy of the British and other European governments, but sadly the US does not treat this as a priority. The US is apparently intent on continuing the bombing at the expense of courting further humanitarian disaster and may be prepared to widen the "War Against Terrorism" to include Iraq (a country that has already suffered terribly from sanctions and bombing) and other states where other terrorists are thought to be. It is at this point that we would call upon British government to depart from its "shoulder to shoulder" stance with the US government and insist upon policies based upon negotiation and reconciliation that address the very real grievances of the peoples of the Middle East.

It is for reasons such as these that we will join the Quaker Vigil for Peace held on the Town Hall Square every Thursday evening from 6-6.30pm. This is open to people of all faiths and people of none who believe in their hearts that there is a better way out of this present tragic situation than resorting to further violence which only sows the seeds for future violence.

W K Dewhurst

Wigan Road, Bolton

Barry Mills

Silverdale Road, Bolton