Memorandum from John Courtneidge
1. It has been suggested that I might make
a submission to your Committee, concerning the matters of War,
conflict and violence: in this instance concerning the war on
terrorism.
2. I should like to make two connected points:
(a) The pandemic of war, conflict and violence
(the present events being a case in point) encourage us to ask:
— Why is there so much violence
in our world?
— What is the cause/what are the
causes of such levels of violence?
(b) Given that prevention of ill is (at
the very least) complimentary to cure, it seems fair to ask our
Government to set up a Peace Promotion Unit that could act to:
(i) Receive notice of research work
concerning the roots of war, conflict and violence,
(ii) Work to promote, both, an intra-national,
and an international culture of peace.
3. These suggestions are made as a contribution,
overall, to avoiding the cycle of violence, and subsequent response,
which these present events exemplify.
I offer these matters as a Quaker (and therefore
a pacifist).
In peace and co-operation
John Courtneidge
December 2002
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