II. OUR ENVIRONMENT
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Quaker statement
Quakers and the quest for peace
International campaigns we support – un decade
International campaigns we support – wcc decade
Local campaigns we support
Networking partners
QUAKER STATEMENT
S&CAYM. Modderpoort, South Africa. December 2000
The Monthly and Yearly Meetings of the Religious Society of Friends
(Quakers) fulfil the basic organising functions of this community of
worshippers at local and international levels. The Central & Southern Africa
Yearly Meeting (C&SAYM) represents Friends in Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi,
Madagascar, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe. This
Meeting is concerned with peace and development in these countries, as well as
in Angola and Mozambique, and in Africa as a whole.
The Statement on Peace in Africa was developed by the Central & Southern Africa
Yearly Meeting and has been accepted by the Cape Western Monthly Meeting. It
will be discussed by other meetings in the southern African region.
Quakers have a long tradition in working for peace. We believe that war and
the preparation for war are inconsistent with the gospel of Christ.
The governments of the world at the United Nations General Assembly have
declared the years 2001–2010 a ‘Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence
for the Children of the World’.
We commit ourselves, and call on all citizens and governments, to initiate
programmes that will bring this culture into being.
There are more wars in Africa than in any other part of the world.
We commit ourselves, and call on all citizens and governments to
 work towards the abolition of war in Africa,
 build peace by non military means,
 demilitarise and reduce expenditure on arms,
 convert arms industries to socially useful production and in the interim to ensure
transparent and accurate reporting of all subsidies, direct and indirect, to the
arms industry and related activities,
 consider voluntary or national youth non-military service as a means of building
peace and development,
 consider state funded ‘Institutes for Peace’ to research non-military means to
ensure the security of the state against the strategic threats as well as research
the experience in peacemaking that has been developed on the African
continent.
Nobel laureates have proposed a code of conduct for the transfer of small arms.
Africa is awash with arms, particularly small arms, which have not contributed to
stability and have diverted scarce resources away from peace and development.
We commit ourselves, and call on all citizens and governments, to
 work towards a moratorium on the import to and manufacture of arms in Africa
and in the interim legislate and implement rigorous controls on arms transfers
 ensure effective gun control legislation as well as its effective implementation
 recover and destroy
 illegal arms,
 arms left over after cessation of hostilities,
 arms surplus to police and military requirements.
Peace is not brought about by preparation for war. Peace is achieved by ensuring
democracy, good governance, and justice and upholding the rule of law and
human rights. It is achieved by addressing the basic needs of people such as
provision of adequate health care, fighting the scourge of HIV/AIDS, eliminating
inequality and poverty and providing education including early childhood
education, adult literacy and peace education.
We commit ourselves, and call on all citizens and governments, to work towards
democracy, good governance, human rights, equality and meeting the basic needs
of all people in the region.
Economic inequality is a major cause of war, instability and lack of security. Our
security is not ensured by arming ourselves, employing armed response and
building high walls with razor wire, but by economic justice and building strong
communities.
We commit ourselves and call on all people to contribute by way of wealth, talent
or effort to the promotion of peace, reconciliation and economic justice.
We call on governments to ensure that their policies create a more equitable
distribution of wealth.
Leaders of government have committed their armed forces to war in foreign
countries as well as invited foreign armies to their territories without informing their
citizens or getting a mandate from their citizens by a decision of parliament.
We commit ourselves and call on all citizens and governments of the region to
work for the abolition of armed forces and in the interim, to ensure transparency
and accountability when military decisions are made.
Women are major victims of war and potentially major contributors to peace, but
are seldom consulted when decisions are made which result in war, or when
peace treaties are negotiated.
We commit ourselves, and call on all citizens and governments, to ensure that
peace and peacemaking are enhanced by equal participation of women and men.
Conflicts in the region are fuelled by the exploitation of natural resources from
which only a few individuals benefit. The majority of citizens suffer the effects of
war and are not organised so as to be able to bring an end to the conflict.
We commit ourselves, and call on all people and governments to
 identify and expose those who benefit from conflicts in the region
 support civil society movements working for peace.
South Africa destroyed its nuclear weapons that had been built by the apartheid
regime without the knowledge of its citizens.
We commit ourselves, and call on all citizens and governments, to
 ensure that never again are nuclear weapons manufactured in Africa
 ensure that nuclear weapons are never transferred to any African country
 ensure that nuclear weapons never enter the territorial waters of any African
country on a foreign naval vessel nor that they ever be flown over any African
air space
 ensure that nuclear weapons are never targeted at any African country
 ensure that Africa remains a nuclear weapon free zone.
Quakers have witnessed to their opposition to war and preparations for war by
conscientious objection and by refusal to support war financially.
We commit ourselves and call on all people in the region to work for legislation
allowing
 taxpayers to indicate that their taxes are not to be used for military expenditure
 for conscientious objection to military service.
We would like to draw attention to the fact that The Coalition Against Military
Spending (CAMS) in South Africa has called on organisations and individuals in
South Africa to sign their Charter:
 declaring their opposition to the recent and the prospective increases in military
spending;
 demanding a substantially increased allocation of resources to poverty
eradication and development;
 demanding transparency and honesty of the government on defence spending
and its economic implications;
 committing them to building real security in the Southern African region.
We commend this charter to all people and governments in the region. We call on
people in South Africa and its government to support this charter. We call on
citizens and government of the other countries in the region to work towards
initiating similar charters and coalitions within their own countries. 
Note: This document is offered to all who may consider it useful as a point of departure for your
own deliberations and decisions about peace and peacemaking in Africa.
RELIGIOUS SOCIETY OF FRIENDS
QUAKERS AND THE QUEST FOR PEACE
It is not true that all Quakers are pacifists, but it is true that pacifism and the
Peace Testimony have always been central features of Quaker life, starting
with George Fox’s statement in 1651: “I lived in the virtue of that life and power
that took away the occasion of all wars”. This goes to the heart of the matter:
Quakers try to negotiate and mediate in a way that will help prevent wars, and they
work to ameliorate the suffering that arises from wars, but above all they try to
promote a way of life in which wars will never arise.
In a declaration to King Charles II in 1661, Quakers stated “We utterly deny all
outwards wars and strife and fightings with outwards weapons, for any end or
under any pretence whatsoever”, and they refused to take up arms on his behalf .
This stand was based on their vision of the nature of Christ, and led to many being
imprisoned as conscientious objectors. They issued similar statements during the
Austrian Wars in 1744, the Napoleonic wars in 1804, the Crimean war in 1854,
and the South African war in 1900. In the First and Second World wars (1914–
1918 and 1939–1945), in order to counter the charge that they were opposing
conscription out of cowardice, they set up the Quaker Ambulance Unit that
operated at the front lines, with their unarmed drivers under the same threat of
death as the soldiers they were serving. They were very involved in relief works
after these wars, and the British and American Friends service units were jointly
awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1947 in recognition of this work. Quakers were
again heavily involved in the Peace movement during the Vietnam war.
To try to counter the causes of war, they have made representations and
undertaken negotiations in many countries over the years: in the Crimean war, the
South African war, and the Zimbabwe war of independence, for example. In South
Africa during the Apartheid years, a Quaker (H W van der Merwe who died in
March 2001) took an early role in getting discussions going between the ANC and
the Nationalist Government. But it is the way of life they have tried to live that has
been most powerful. A South African example is that of Richard Gush, who lived in
Salem in the Eastern Cape at the time of the wars between British settlers and
Xhosas. He went out unarmed to meet a group of hostile Xhosa warriors, and
treated them as friends rather than enemies – thus disarming the conflict. A play
has been written about this by Guy Butler, and the event is still remembered to this
day by descendents of the Xhosa warriors involved.
The main point is what is aimed at in this work, expressed by Neave Brayshaw as
follows1: “The Quaker testimony concerning war does not set up as its standard of
value the attainment of individual or national safety, neither is it based primarily on
the iniquity of taking human life, profoundly important as that aspect is. It is based
ultimately on the conception of ‘that of God in every man’ to which the Christian in
the presence of evil is called on to make appeal, following out a line of thought and
conduct which, involving suffering as it may do, is, in the long run, the most likely
to reach to the inward witness and so change the evil mind into the right mind.
This result is not achieved by war”. 
George Ellis, January 2001
Website: http://www.quaker.org
1.
Christian Faith and Practice in the Experience of the Society of Friends, quotation 606.
INTERNATIONAL CAMPAIGNS WE SUPPORT
UNITED NATIONS: DECADE FOR A CULTURE OF PEACE AND NON-VIOLENCE
FOR THE CHILDREN OF THE WORLD (2001–2010)
In September 2000, the United Nations General Assembly declared an
International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence for the
Children of the World (2001–2010). It falls appropriately within the time-span of
various other Decades such as the Third Decade to Combat Racism and Racial
Discrimination (1993–2004), the ongoing Decades of Women (fourth meeting at
Beijing, 1995), the International Decade of the World’s Indigenous People (1994–
2005), the United Nations Decade for Human Rights Education (1995–2004) and
the United Nations Decade for the Eradication of Poverty (1997–2006).
This is an attempt to fulfil the United Nations task in saving future generations from
the scourge of war. It requires a fundamental transformation in human behaviour
towards a culture of peace – embracing values that acknowledge our
interdependence on one another, and inspiring social interaction and sharing
based on justice and equity. It assumes respect for human rights, democracy and
a celebration of diversity. It would seek to solve problems through dialogue and
negotiation with all participants.
The declaration highlights eight important areas for action in the transition to a
culture of peace and non-violence.
 A culture of peace through education
 Sustainable economic and social development
 Respect for all human rights
 Equality between women and men
 Democratic participation
 Understanding, tolerance and solidarity
 Participatory communication and the free flow of information and knowledge
 International peace and security.
Only if adults practise these principles, will we be able to prepare future
generations for a responsible life in a free society where there is respect for peace,
and an understanding of the wealth that social diversity brings.
These values are to be instilled through formal education through curricula
changes and new teaching methodologies, but also through cultural and sporting
activities. Further, the media and modern information systems play an important
role in establishing norms and values. This will require concerted action from all
levels of society – individuals, groups, institutions, governments – everyone who
cares about peace will need to be active in transforming these values.
Peace is not merely the absence of conflict, but a positive, dynamic process of
encouraging dialogue and resolving conflict in a spirit of co-operation and
understanding with the aim of eliminating social discrimination, prejudice and
intolerance.
The Manifesto 2000 for a Culture of Peace and Non-violence of the UN
International Year calls on people to make a difference by pledging in our daily
lives, in our families, our work, our communities, countries and regions to:
 Respect the life and dignity of each human being without discrimination or
prejudice.
 Practice active non-violence, rejecting violence in all its forms; physical, sexual,
psychological, economical and social, in particular towards the most deprived
and vulnerable such as children and adolescents.
 Share our time and material resources in a spirit of generosity to put an end to
exclusion, injustice and political and economic oppression.
 Defend freedom of expression and cultural diversity, giving preference always
to dialogue and listening without engaging in fanaticism, defamation and the
rejection of others.
 Promote consumer behaviour that is responsible and development practices
that respect all forms of life and preserve the balance of nature on the planet.
 Contribute to the development of our communities, with the full participation of
women and respect for democratic principles, in order together to create new
forms of solidarity. 
Women’s contribution to a culture of peace
Since the Fourth World Conference on Women (Beijing, 1995) women have been
involved in an UNESCO Women and a Culture of Peace Programme (WCP,
1996).
Women, who historically have developed care-taking functions, have an important
role to play in transforming the culture of violence into a culture of peace. A culture
of peace does more than accept or tolerate difference. It is based upon the
appreciation and respect of the ‘other’, drawing strength from diversity. A culture of
peace that strives to root out injustices, discrimination, poverty and violence, can
only be achieved within the context of full equality between women and men. 
UNESCO Agenda for Gender Equality (1995)
WORLD COUNCIL OF CHURCHES:
DECADE TO OVERCOME VIOLENCE (2001–2010)
At the same time as the United Nations concern with a culture of peace and
non-violence, the World Council of Churches in Harare, Zimbabwe,
established a Decade to Overcome Violence (DOV) in 1999. The Assembly
said that the WCC should work strategically with the churches on issues of nonviolence and reconciliation to create a culture of peace. They would interact and
link internationally with partners and organisations in the process of developing
suitable approaches to transformation and just peace-making in the world.
Their focus will be on the local level, where churches engage with peace-keeping
and the prevention of violence in their own communities. The WCC will act as a
‘switchboard’ to highlight and disseminate these experiences, so that all member
churches, other churches and other organisations committed to peace can also
benefit from them.
Most people around the world yearn for peace and a life of dignity, but the last
century has left the earth scarred by prejudice, greed and intolerance. Though
frequent declarations had been made regarding peace, there is a long journey to
integrating peace into the hearts of individuals and communities. Violence is
extremely pervasive, and actively living in peace requires overcoming physical,
emotional, structural and intellectual violence. The connections between different
forms of violence need to be understood, and solidarity formed with all those who
struggle for justice. Living in peace involves the transformation of identities –
individual as well as institutional and national – that rely on fanaticism,
competitiveness and aggressive egocentrism.
One of the key features facing the churches is the concept of metanoia:
understanding the role that the churches have played historically, and still play in
perpetuating violence. “Metanoia encompasses confession, repentance, renewal,
and celebration of faith and is therefore a foundation of a culture of peace”.1
The WCC commits itself to overcoming violence in this decade by:
 Exposing the cultural roots of violence
 Campaigning against the perpetrators and instruments of violence
 Introducing education that upholds values of peace and the dignity of life
 Innovating theological, liturgical and biblical initiatives
 Linking people, peace initiatives and supporting peace networking.
Violence begets violence. Peace starts with taking the responsibility on
one’s own shoulders.
If not me, who?
If not now, when? 
Website: http://www.wcc-coe.org
1. From: “A Basic Framework for the Decade to Overcome Violence”. Working document adopted
by the Central Committee of the World Council of Churches, 26 August–3 September 1999.
Accessed 7/4/01
The Hague Appeal for Peace
The Hague Agenda for Peace and Justice for the 21st Century has emerged from
an intensive democratic process of consultation among the members of the Hague
Appeal for Peace Organising and Coordinating Committees, and the hundreds of
organisations and individuals that have actively participated in the Hague Appeal
for Peace process. The Agenda represents what these civil society organisations
and citizens consider to be some of the most important challenges facing
humankind as it embarks upon a new millennium.
The Agenda reflects the four major strands of the The Hague Appeal:
 Root Causes of War / Culture of Peace
 International Humanitarian and Human Rights Law and Institutions
 Prevention, Resolution and Transformation of Violent Conflict
 Disarmament and Human Security
There are ten main themes and fifty main actions. 
Website: http://www.haguepeace.org
Small Arms & Light Weapons
All people have a right to security, and increasingly national security is being
redefined to include security in the home, and freedom from violence at all times.
Crimes are increasing, and personal security is becoming more fragile. People no
longer trust in the national security systems to protect them, and resort to
acquiring small arms.
Small arms and light weapons create wealth for a few, while millions suffer. They
have devastating effects in communities where they proliferate – urban terrorism,
humanitarian crises, crime and violence against women and children. Like an
infestation they form part of an escalating global culture of violence. Children’s
toys glorify violent destruction, and the mass media present unending and
unchallenged narratives where shooting someone is the inevitable outcome of
conflict. In the world of ‘entertainment’, even minor differences are presented as
life or death issues, and someone usually ends up dead.
A commitment to building a culture of peace must recognise that controls be
introduced to curb the proliferation of these weapons. 
LOCAL CAMPAIGNS WE SUPPORT
ALTERNATIVES TO VIOLENCE PROJECT [AVP]—CAPE TOWN
Since its inception in 1975, AVP has developed a volunteer network of
trainees dedicated to reducing levels of interpersonal violence in our
society.
People undergo personal transformation through doing workshops on creative and
non-violent handling of conflict. Originally developed for use in prisons, the training
is now also offered in places such as schools and communities. The training
consists of three workshops of about three days each: basic, advanced and a
training for trainers. All workshops are run by volunteers and are experiencebased. There is now a small group of qualified trainers available in Cape Town
who have been building the AVP network and offering workshops since 1996.
The foundation for the training is individual empowerment which emanates from
overcoming violence in an active and practical way. This is a ‘transforming power’
which strengthens our self-esteem, builds community and increases our capacity
for joy. 
Website: http://www.avpsa.com
COALITION FOR DEFENCE ALTERNATIVES [CDA]
The CDA task is creatively to challenge existing defence and military
policies, and to develop alternative pragmatic visions of security, based on a
just distribution of national resources and an understanding of security in
terms of human security instead of only military security.
Through public education, government advocacy, and engagement with the
defence community, the Coalition calls for re-thinking defence spending. The
building of South Africa as a united and prosperous nation depends on our
capacity to empower people through the eradication of poverty, not on the firepower of the military. These priorities could be achieved by a withdrawal from the
arms trade, the re-development of military bases for civilian use, and full and open
accountability to Parliament and the public. 
Website: http://www.quaker.org/capetown/cda/
GUN-FREE SOUTH AFRICA [GFSA]
Guns are made to kill. The more guns, and the more people there are who
own guns, the more injury and killing there will be – in fact, firearms have
become the fastest growing cause of violent death in South Africa.
Though people argue that guns make them feel safer, recent studies show that
guns are far more likely to be stolen than to be used for defence, so they don’t
really bring actual security. Using a gun requires a mindset to kill. Criminals
usually choose their time and place so they are sure their victims will be vulnerable
and possibly outnumbered. An armed criminal facing a gun is more likely to shoot.
Having a gun in your home means the chances of someone getting killed is
increased, one way or another. Owning a gun often leads to threats of death, or
death being the first way to deal with conflict, rather than finding alternative
creative and co-operative solutions. When ordinary people carry guns, your
mindset changes: there is a constant reminder of how unsafe we feel.
GFSA campaigns for the establishment of gun-free zones and the reduction of
guns in our society, as well as undertaking relevant research.
We are very pleased to host their office at our Centre, and have valued the
experience of sharing and learning while they undertook a major lobbying
campaign around the Arms Control Bill. The Bill which was passed by Parliament
reflected much of GFSA’s thinking.
Without guns around, we can all feel more free. 
Gun Free South Africa, Western Cape office:
PO Box 12988, Mowbray 7700, South Africa
Tel: +27 (21) 686-1308
Fax: +27 (21) 686-1302
Email: gunfree2@sn.apc.org
NETWORKING PARTNERS
Abalimi Bezekhaya
Alternatives to Violence Project
(Cape Town)
Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual
University
American Friends Service Committee
Burundian Trauma Healing and
Reconciliation Centre
Amy Biehl Foundation
Cape Peninsula National Park
Cape Town Interfaith Initiative
Cape Town Peace Plan Job Creation
Project
Inter-Religious Commission on Crime
and Violence in the Western Cape
Centre for Christian Spirituality
Joint Forum on Policing
Centre for Conflict Resolution
Jubilee 2000
Centre for Ubuntu
Management Committee of the MultiAgency Delivery Action Mechanism
(MADAM)
City of Cape Town
Coalition for Defence Alternatives
COMBAT
Community Psychological
Empowerment Services
Community Safety Fora –
Khayelitsha, Guguletu, Nyanga,
Crossroads, Philippi
Mediation & Transformation Practice
National Youth Commission
Open Society Foundation for South
Africa
Peace Development Programme
Peace Monitoring Forum
Conciliation Resources (Accord) – UK
Public Health Programme – UWC
Consultation of Christian Curches –
Cape Town
Quaker Peace and Service, UK
Coordinating Committee for
International Voluntary Service
RDP Fora
Department for Safety and Security
RAPCAN
Safe Schools Programme (WCED)
Early Learning Resource Unit
South African Association for Conflict
Intervention
Economists Allied for Arms Reduction
– South Africa
South African Association of Youth
Clubs
El Taller – World Courts of Women
South African Council of Churches
Friends of the Silvermine Nature Area
South African National Civics
Organisation
Gender Education and Training
Network
South African National NGO Coalition
Gun Free South Africa
South African Police Services
Human Rights Committee
South African Youth Exchange
Initiative for Participatory
Development
South African Youth Workers
Association
INSET Providers’ Coalition
Technikon South Africa
Institute for Justice and Reconciliation
The Gun Control Alliance
Institute for Restorative Justice
UMAC (U Managing Conflict)
International Fellowship of
Reconciliation
Uniting Reformed Church –
Carnarvon, Nyanga
United Nations of Youth Foundation
University of Cape Town (UCT)
Volunteer Centre
Western Cape Provincial Council of
Churches
Western Cape Anti-Crime Forum
Wisdom Works
Western Cape Education Department
(WCED)
Women for Peace
Western Cape NGO Coalition
Youth Justice Project – UCT