WCC NEWS: WCC joins call for equal treatment of black and brown people stranded at Ukrainian border

The World Council of Churches signed a letter of petition from the Pan African Women’s Association calling for equal treatment of black and brown people stranded at the Ukrainian border. Arrival of Ukrainian refugees at the Polish-Ukrainian border crossing Medyka. Here the refugees are provided with warm food and clothing. From here, they are transferred by bus to major cities and collective shelters. Photo: Christoph Püschner/Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe 03 March 2022 The letter is also supported by various parliamentarians, civil societies, and activists from across the globe.  "In such crises, one would expect the affected population to receive equal and unbiased humanitarian aid irrespective of colour, race, or place of origin,” reads the letter. “Unfortunately, according to reports reaching us, this is not the case.” The petition highlights the plight of black and brown people in Ukraine who are being systematically excluded from humanitarian evacuation operations.  “Even though Africans make up twenty percent of Ukraine’s international student population, there is an absence of representative embassies in Ukraine,” reads the petition. “On social media, one African student described watching fellow Africans and children being violently removed from the train crossing the border while space was provided for domestic animals.” On the other hand, white Ukrainians have been allowed to go through the border without restrictions, the petition notes. “Therefore, we urgently need to amplify and condemn the differential treatment of the black and brown people and white Ukrainians,” the letter reads. WCC acting general secretary to Patriarch Kirill of Moscow: “raise up your voice so that the war can be stopped” (WCC press release of 2 March 2022) WCC urges President Putin to stop war, restore peace to Ukraine (WCC press release of 25 February 2022) WCC statement: WCC urges to stop this war, and to restore peace to the people and nation of Ukraine (25 February 2022) In Ukraine, “such a war has no excuse, neither from God, nor from people” (WCC news release, 25 February 2022) WCC calls for an immediate end to the current armed hostilities (WCC statement 24 February 2022) WCC gravely concerned for people of Ukraine amid escalating tensions (WCC statement 22 February 2022) WCC urgently appeals for peace for the people of Ukraine (WCC statement 25 January 2022) See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 349 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 550 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC acting general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca, from the Orthodox Church in Romania. Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches 150 route de Ferney Geneve 2 1211 Switzerland