Second concretization of the act of covenant

4. Towards the support of activities which aim at exposing the causes and effects of the international debt crisis and of those communities and organizations that try to create economic alternatives

• For the true security of all nations and peoples;
• For the demilitarization of international relations;
• Against militarism and national security doctrines and systems;
• For a culture of non-violence as a force for change and liberation.

we commit ourselves to work and engage our churches to work:

1. For a community of the churches who claim their identify as the Body of Christ through providing witness to the liberating love of God

1. through practising our Lord's call to love the enemy,
2. through working for peace with justice for the whole creation, land, water, space and air, in which violence and structural violence are minimized,
3. through moving from the traditional doctrine in many churches of a just war to a doctrine of just peace,
4. through giving up any theological or other justification of the oppressive, threatening use of military power, be it in war or through other forms of oppressive security systems,
5. through actively promoting a culture of non-violence in which racism is overcome and the equal dignity of all races affirmed,
6. through the realization of a new community of women and men, overcoming structural violence and discrimination against women,
7. through witness to the peace of Jesus Christ by confessing that the loyalty to Christ is above the loyalty to the nation, and by declaring readiness to live without the protection of arms when the two loyalties come into conflict,
8. through developing and coordinating justice and peace ministries including a global non-violent service which can advance the struggle for human rights and liberation and serve in situations of conflict, crises and violence.

2. For a comprehensive notion of security that takes the legitimate interests of all nations and peoples into account; this common security has to grow from a realization of peace with justice and should include the defence of God's creation

1. through the creation of an international economic and social order that will enable all nations and people to live in dignity and without fear,
2. through the overcoming of the institution of war as a means to resolve conflicts,
3. through the rejection and overcoming of the spirit, logic and practice of deterrence with weapons of mass destruction whose use would infringe the principle of non-combatant immunity,
4. through the strengthening of the peace-making role of the United Nations and the recognition of the jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice.

3. For a halt of militarization, especially of the Third World countries

1. through the dismantling of military industrial complexes and through the stopping of the trade and transfer of arms,
2. through the withdrawal of military bases and troops from foreign countries,
3. through resisting national security doctrines, low-intensity conflict strategies and 'total war' concepts and all other forms of destabilization,
4. through the building up and strengthening of democratic norms and institutions that will ensure justice and the rights of the people and enable participation of the people in decision-making processes.

4. For the demilitarization of international relations and the promotion of non-violent forms of defence

1. through a defensive, non-threatening and non-offensive posture of security measures and the development of civilian-based defence,
2. through radical reduction and eventual abolition of all nuclear weapons and while nuclear weapons still exist, a progressive development of international control and thorough verification measures,
3. through reduction and limitation of conventional weapons and elimination of chemical and biological weapons,
4. through immediate cessation of all nuclear weapon testing and stopping the proliferation of nuclear weapons by strengthening the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and ensuring that the nuclear weapon states fulfil their obligation of disarmament under the NPT,
5. through unilateral steps of disarmament as well as bi- and multi-lateral steps and processes of disarmament,
6. through preventing an arms race in space through observance of the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty,
7. through denuclearization of the navies of the world and encouraging states not to allow to come into their harbours and waters ships which cannot convincingly indicate that they have no nuclear weapons on board.

5. For a culture of active non-violence which is life-promoting and is not a withdrawal from situations of violence and oppression but is a way to work for justice and liberation

1. through expressing and implementing the preferential option for a peaceful resolution of conflicts,
2. through supporting the right to conscientious objection to military service and tax for military purposes, and providing alternative forms of service for peace efforts and taxation.
3. through overcoming violence in education, families, schools, at work and in mass media, especially the pervasive violence against women and children,
4. through resisting militarization as it specially affects women and children depriving them of their human rights, dignity and health,
5. through recognizing and supporting women as builders of a culture of non-violence and in their non-violent resistance to oppressive and exploitative policies.

next