Sign-on Letter -- October 12, 2000

Funding for UN Peacekeeping

The Presbyterian Washington Office has signed on to the following letter regarding funding for UN peacekeeping. Advocates are encouraged to use or adapt the text of the letter in their own communications with policy makers on this issue.

Following is a copy of the sign-on letter sent to members of the Senate and House of Representatives.

Dear Senator/Congressman:

We are writing today to urge your fall support for UN peacekeeping funding in the FY 2001 budget. Each time the US votes in favor of a peacekeeping mission, the United Nations assesses the US share of the mission costs at 30%. In 1995, the US Congress unilaterally chose to lower peacekeeping support to 25% of overall mission costs. In keeping with this congressionally accepted level of 25%, the Clinton administration has requested that Congress appropriate $846 million for peacekeeping in FY 2001. To date, neither the Senate nor the House has agreed to fully fund this amount.

Current House and Senate appropriations levels in the Commerce State Justice bill would cut this target of $846 million by more than 1/3, thereby jeopardizing all missions in Africa. Legitimate concerns do exist about how peacekeeping is carried out, especially in Sierra Leone, but to zero out funding for this and other African missions will only fuel instability and could help re-ignite conflict. The many hurdles of HIV/AIDS, abject poverty, and food security on the African continent cannot begin to be addressed in conflict areas until there is peace. Fulfillment of our financial contributions will make it possible for peaceful settlements in Sierra Leone, Western Sahara, Ethiopia-Eritrea and potentially in the Democratic Republic of Congo. In addition, this funding will support and expand missions in Kosovo and East Timor.

Last year, the Helms-Biden deal was hailed as a real breakthrough with money being released to pay US arrears to the United Nations simultaneous to negotiations with the General Assembly to reduce overall US assessments. Neither of these goals has been met. The United States continues in arrears and the General Assembly justifiably continues to resist US efforts to reduce its assessments. While we question this reduction in assessments, no progress can be made until we are willing to negotiate in good faith and in good financial standing.

As people of faith, we have consistently called for full support of the United Nations, seeing it as our duty to help create a worldwide community in which governments and peoples treat each other compassionately as members of one human family. Although an imperfect institution, the United Nations holds the best promise for creating this reality through its efforts for preventive diplomacy, peacekeeping, peacemaking and peacebuilding.

Sincerely,

Signed by members of the faith community.