The appeal was signed by Catholic Bishop Petrus Canisius Mandagi of Ambon, capital of the Moluccas; I.W. Hendriks, president of the Protestant Church of the Moluccas; and Muslim religious leader Uztad Hadji Wahab Polpoke.
«Social confrontations, criminality and abuse of human rights have tormented our region for four years,» the statement reads, sent to the Misna missionary agency.
«In the light of this terrible experience, we wish to express our point of view and our concern over the latest events in the Persian Gulf area,» the religious leaders continue.
In their message, the bishops appeal to the government of the United States, its allies and the Iraqi executive to avoid «any action that would lead to war, to renew the commitment to dialogue, to respect human rights always,» and finally «to trust the United Nations, as the organization representing all states, to find a just and peaceful solution.»
