Free Korean hostages, L.A. church envoys say

In a strong show of solidarity, leaders from different faiths came together Friday in Los Angeles’ Koreatown to urge the release of the remaining 19 South Korean Christian aid workers being held in Afghanistan by Taliban insurgents.

In a message directed at the international community, 25 representatives of Buddhist, Christian, Jewish and Muslim groups said hostage-taking violates tenets of all religions.

“There is no religion that condones this inhumane crime,” Rabbi Stephen Julius Stein, of Wilshire Boulevard Temple, said at a news conference at the Islamic Center of Southern California in Koreatown.

Twenty-three medical aid workers, five men and 18 women, were abducted on July 19 as they traveled by bus in Ghazni province.

Two male members of the team were killed by the Taliban. This week, two women in frail health were freed and allowed to return to Seoul.

“You have mothers, you have wives and you have children,” Steve F. Gilliland of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said in appealing to those holding the hostages.

“Listen to your heart and know that these people, likewise, are mothers, have children and are in need of your compassion.”

Salam Al-Marayati, executive director of the Muslim Public Affairs Council, said the only message that would get through to the Taliban captors is a united voice of Muslims and Jews, Christians and Buddhists telling them they are violating their own religion.

“We don’t believe that government diplomacy has worked,” Al-Marayati said.

“What will work is religious diplomacy.”

Since Aug. 6, the Muslim Public Affairs Council, working with Korean American leaders, has been in contact with an Afghan Embassy official handling the hostage case, Al-Marayati said.

Last Monday, the council hand-delivered a four-page letter written by the Los Angeles-based Concerned Citizens for Korean Hostages in Afghanistan, urging the release of the captives.

Wearing Korean attire and speaking in Korean, Jung-an Choi of the Won Buddhist Temple of Los Angeles said she was heartened by the support from such a diverse group of religious leaders.

“Los Angeles has wonderful things to share with the world,” said Father Alexei Smith, representing the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles.

“Perhaps what we do best -- we, defined as Christians, Muslims, Jews, Sheiks, Bahais, Buddhists and Hindus collectively -- is to live harmoniously together, each accepting and enriching the other, each working for the common good. . . . “

“It is our prayer that by our standing together, we can represent the kind of example that the world needs to see and emulate,” said the Rev. Clyde W. Oden Jr., senior pastor of Bryant Temple AME Church, who spoke for the Southern California Conference of African Methodist Episcopal churches.

Noting that Jews around the world this week will be reading in the Torah the words, “Righteousness, righteousness, you shall chase after it,” Rabbi Stein said, “we have to chase after it. We must find it, seek it out” in every corner of the world.

“We call on our domestic leadership, international authorities to condemn this and do everything in their power to end it,” he said, offering a prayer:

“May the Holy One of blessing, who blessed all our ancestors, bless and heal our beloved friends who are in danger. May they receive strength and fortification and a healing of the spirit and of the body.”

“Amen,” responded the others.

--

connie.kang@latimes.com