Janet Lenz to speak before the UN 4th Committee in favour of the decolonisation of Western Sahara

07/10/2008

Ms. Janet Lenz, person in charge of International relation in the Christ the Rock Community Church, will speak before the UN General Assembly’s 4th Committee, in favour of the decolonisation of Western Sahara, on Tuesday. Ms. Lenz will make her fifth appearance before the UN on Tuesday in New York City to request, again, that the Saharawi people be given their inalienable right to self-determination and independence. She declared to the press that the Saharawis "have been refugees now for 32 years and 17 of those have been waiting for the UN to orchestrate a referendum for them, which has not happened". "They have no way to speak for themselves about their own situation, especially at the UN level. Because of our long-term commitment and involvement there we know the truth about the situation, and that’s kind of a rare think there." Lenz, who is married to the Rev. Bill Lenz, senior pastor of Christ the Rock Community Church, Menasha, is a regular visitor to the camp, as are hundreds of members of the church, many of whom have led seminars for women and dialogues between Christians and Muslims in past trips. "I just feel a responsibility on whatever level whenever I can to speak for them until they can have their own voice," she said.

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