Foundation for Relief & Reconciliation in the Middle East

UPDATE FROM THE FOUNDATION FOR RELIEF AND RECONCILIATION IN THE MIDDLE EAST

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Canon Andrew White writes...
Religious Leaders Anti Corruption Forum
30th June 2010
Dear Friends,

The first meeting of the Religious Leaders Anti Corruption Forum (RLACF) was held today. It was a very positive meeting and thoroughly reviewed the recent conference. The response to the media about the event had been very positive and there is a real desire to maintain a commitment to this issue and move forward.
 
The meeting also heard what the Grand Ayatollah Hossain Al Sader and Sheik Abdul Latif Humayem had to say about the issue of corruption. They were very pleased that this issue had been taken up by religious leaders and has asked to see me this week.
 
It was agreed that regular meetings on this issue needed to be held but several major issues were also discussed in full. There was the strong feeling that a Fatwa needed to be issued on the issue of corruption. The Grand Ayatollah has already issued one on this subject. I stated that this was such a big issue that we really needed a joint Sunni and Shia Fatwa.

One of these has only been organised before. I coordinated it and it took nearly two years to come to fruition. The issuing of a Fatwa was agreed between the Grand Ayatollah and Sheik Humayem today. I will start working on how this will happen when I see the Grand Ayatollah later this week. The agreement was that the Fatwa should be issued ay a major meeting of Sunni and Shia Religious leaders presided over by him next month.
 
It was also agreed that the whole forum should meet the Grand Ayatollah Hossain Al Sader next week. Whilst the declaration from the previous conference is very comprehensive it was agreed that the main priorities to work on at the next conference were as follows:
 
1.            The existence of corruption in the Government of Iraq
 
2.            The role of religious leaders in fighting corruption
 
3.            The role of the media in dealing with corruption

It will be these three points that will form the main focus of the next conference. The RLACF will be meeting at least every week often twice and will be looking at these issues. There is continued fear by two members of the Forum who do not have security. They are very aware that doing this form of work will increasingly expose them to danger. Do pray for their safety.

Yours faithfully,

Canon Andrew White,
Baghdad
For more information on the Foundation for Relief and Reconciliation in the Middle East please visit our website

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Speaking Engagements
There are some dates that Andrew is available when he returns from Baghdad.

FRRME's Director of Operations, Peter Marsden is also available to speak - including men's breakfasts and midweek meetings.

Upcoming events:
14th July - Connect Conference, Dorset. 7pm

18th - St. Mary's Church, Walberton. 6pm

Free dates for Canon White in July:
Friday 16th
Sunday 18th - AM
Monday 19th
Wednesday 21st
Thurs 22nd
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Verse of the Week
Jeremiah 23:24
"The LORD will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one LORD, and his name the only name."