Wikipedia

Terry Waite

Sir Terence Hardy WaiteKCMGCBE(born 31 May 1939[1]) is an English human rights activist and author.

Sir
Terry Waite
KCMGCBE
Waite in September 2016
Born
Terence Hardy Waite

(1939-05-31)31 May 1939(age 85)
Bollington,Cheshire,England
Occupations
  • Humanitarian
  • author
  • negotiator
Organisations

Waite was the Assistant for Anglican Communion Affairs for the thenArchbishop of Canterbury,Robert Runcie,in the 1980s. As an envoy for theChurch of England,he travelled to Lebanon to try to secure the release of four hostages, including the journalistJohn McCarthy.He was himself kidnapped and held captive from 1987 to 1991.[2]

After his release he wroteTaken on Trust(1994), amemoirabout his experiences, and became involved in humanitarian causes and charitable work.

Early life and career

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The son of a village policeman inStyal,Cheshire, Waite was educated at Stockton Heath County Secondary School where he becamehead boy.[3][4]Although his parents were only nominally religious, he showed a commitment toChristianityfrom an early age and later became a Quaker and an Anglican.

Waite joined theGrenadier GuardsatCaterham Barracks,but an allergy to a dye in the uniform obliged him to depart after a few months.[5]He then considered a monastic life, but instead joined theChurch Army,a social welfare organisation of theAnglican Churchmodelled on theSalvation Army,undergoing training and studies in London. While he was held captive in the 1980s, many Church Army officers wore a simple badge with the letter "H" on it to remind people that one of their members was still a hostage and was being supported in prayer daily by them and many others.

In 1963, Waite was appointed education adviser to the AnglicanBishop of Bristol,Oliver Tomkins,and assisted with Tomkins's implementation of the SALT (Stewardship and Laity Training) programme in the diocese, along withBasil Moss.This position required Waite to master psychologicalT-groupmethods, with the aim of promoting increased active involvement from the laity. During this time he married Helen Frances Watters.[6]As a student, Waite was greatly influenced by the teachings ofRalph Baldry.[7]

In 1969, he moved toUgandawhere he worked as Provincial Training Adviser toErica Sabiti,the first African AnglicanArchbishop of Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundiand, in that capacity, travelled extensively throughout East Africa. Together with his wife and their four children, Waite witnessed theIdi Amincoup in Uganda and he and his wife narrowly escaped death on several occasions. From his office in Kampala, Waite founded the Southern Sudan Project and was responsible for developing aid and development programmes for the region.[8]

His next post was inRomewhere, from 1972, he worked as an international consultant to theMedical Mission Sisters,a Roman Catholic order seeking to adapt to the leadership reforms ofVatican II.From this base, he travelled extensively throughout Asia, Africa, the Americas and Europe, conducting and advising on programmes concerned with institutional change and development, inter-cultural relations, group and inter-group dynamics and a broad range of development issues connected with health and education.[8]

Archbishop's special envoy

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Waite returned to theUnited Kingdomin 1978, where he took a job with theBritish Council of Churches.In 1980, theArchbishop of Canterbury,Robert Runcie,appointed him the Archbishop of Canterbury's Assistant for Anglican Communion Affairs on the recommendation of Tomkins and BishopJohn Howe.[9][10]Based atLambeth Palace,Waite again travelled extensively throughout the world and had a responsibility for the Archbishop's diplomatic and ecclesiastical exchanges.[10]He arranged and travelled with the Archbishop on the first ever visit of an Archbishop of Canterbury to China and had responsibility for travels to Australia, New Zealand,Burma,the United States, Canada,the CaribbeanandSouth Africa.[4][11]

Hostage negotiator

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In 1980, Waite successfully negotiated the release of several hostages inIran:Iraj Mottahedeh(Anglican priest in Esfahan), Dimitri Bellos (diocesan officer), Nosrat Sharifian (Anglican priest in Kerman), Fazeli (church member), Jean Waddell (who was secretary to the Iranian Anglican bishopHassan Dehqani-Tafti), Canon John Coleman and Coleman's wife.[12]On 10 November 1984, he negotiated withMuammar Gaddafi[13]for the release of the four remaining British hostages held in theLibyan Hostage Situation,Michael Berdinner, Alan Russell, Malcolm Anderson andRobin Plummerand was again successful.

Terry Waite in 1985

From 1985, Waite became involved in hostage negotiation inLebanonand assisted in negotiations which secured the release ofLawrence Jencoand David Jacobsen.[14]American officials secretly facilitated the sale of arms to theKhomeinigovernment of Iran with a view to obtaining Iranian help in the release of hostages held in Lebanon. Waite's use of an American helicopter to travel secretly between Cyprus and Lebanon and his appearance with Lt ColonelOliver North,meant that he was compromised when theIrangatescandal broke in 1986. Against advice, Waite felt a need to demonstrate his continuing trust and integrity, and his commitment to the remaining hostages.[15]

Captivity and release

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Waite arrived in Beirut on 12 January 1987 with the intention of negotiating with theIslamic Jihad Organization,which was holding hostages, includingTerry A. AndersonandThomas Sutherland.[16]On 20 January, he agreed to meet the captors of the hostages as he was promised safe conduct to visit the hostages, who, he was told, were ill. The group broke trust and took him hostage.[17][18]Waite remained in captivity for 1,763 days, the first four years of which were spent insolitary confinement.He was released on 18 November 1991.[19]

Release and afterwards

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Following his release, he was elected afellow commoneratTrinity Hall, Cambridgewhere he wrote his first book,Taken on Trust(1994), amemoirof his captivity in Lebanon. It became abest-sellerin the UK and internationally.[20][21]

Waite decided to devote himself to studying, writing, lecturing and humanitarian activities. His second book,Footfalls in Memory,a further meditation on his captivity in Lebanon, was published in the UK in 1995 and also became a best-seller. His most recent book, published in October 2000,Travels with a Primate,is a humorous account of his journeys with his former Boss, Robert Runcie. Waite has also contributed articles to many journals and periodicals, ranging fromReader's Digestto theKipling Journal,and has also supplied articles and forewords to many books.[22]

In 2004, Waite returned to Beirut for the first time since his release. He told the BBC, "If you are bitter, it will eat you up and do more damage to you than to the people who have hurt you."[23]

On 31 March 2007, Waite offered to travel to Iran to negotiate with those holding British sailors and marines seized by Iran in disputed waters on 23 March 2007.[24]

Waite travelled again to Beirut in December 2012 to reconcile with his captors and lay to rest what he described as the ghosts of the past.[25]

Charity work

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In January 1996, Waite became patron of theWarrington Male Voice Choirin recognition of the humanitarian role adopted by the choir following theWarrington bomb attacks.[26]Since then, he has appeared with the choir for performances in prisons in UK andIrelandto assist in rehabilitation programmes. Prison concerts have become a regular feature of the choir'sChristmasactivities.

Waite is co-founder and president of the charity Y Care International (YMCA's international development and relief agency) and in 2004, he foundedHostage UK,an organisation designed to give support to hostage families.[20][27]Waite became president ofEmmaus UK,a charity for formerlyhomeless people,shortly after his release from captivity in 1991.[28][29]

He is patron of several organisations includingStorybook Dads,a UK charity which allows prisoners to send recordings of themselves reading bedtime stories to their own children, to help stay connected to some of the 200,000 children affected by parental imprisonment each year. He is a patron ofHabitat for HumanityGreat Britain, theRomany Societyand Strode Park Foundation in Kent.[29][30][31][32]

Honours and awards

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In 1991, following his release Waite was elected afellow commoneratTrinity Hall, Cambridge.[20]In 1992, Waite received theFour Freedoms Awardfor the Freedom of Worship.[33]In the same year,Durham Universitymade him an honoraryDoctor of Civil Law.[34]In 2001,Anglia Ruskin Universityawarded him an honorary Doctor of Philosophy.[35]On 30 May 2009, at a ceremony inEly Cathedral,theOpen Universitymade him an honorary D.Univ.[36]He was awarded an honorary degree by theUniversity of Chesterin 2009.[37]

In 2006 he was elected avisiting fellowofMagdalen College, Oxford.[38]

Waite was appointedKnight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George(KCMG) in the2023 Birthday Honoursfor services to charity and humanitarian work.[39][40]

See also

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References

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  1. ^"Hostage Waite Gets Belated Birthday Wish".Los Angeles Times.9 June 1989. Archived fromthe originalon 8 December 2015.Retrieved12 December2015.Friends and colleagues of Anglican Church envoy Terry Waite on Thursday sent him a belated birthday wish published in the independent newspaper An Nahar. Waite, who was kidnapped in Lebanon two and a half years ago, spent his 50th birthday on May 31 in captivity
  2. ^"Kidnapped Waite returns to Beirut".BBC News.9 December 2012.Retrieved13 March2020.
  3. ^Padman, Interview by Tony (13 May 2016)."Terry Waite: 'My children can be extremely stubborn. They get it from me'".The Guardian.ISSN0261-3077.Retrieved13 March2020.
  4. ^abWaite, Terry (8 September 2016).Taken on Trust.John Murray Press.ISBN978-1-4736-2757-4.
  5. ^Hymns Ancient & Modern Ltd (December 1993).ThirdWay.Hymns Ancient & Modern Ltd. p. 28.
  6. ^Trevor Barnes (1 June 1992).Terry Waite.Bethany House Publishers. p.54.ISBN978-1-55661-303-6.
  7. ^Terry Waite (8 September 2016).Taken on Trust.John Murray Press. p. 228.ISBN978-1-4736-2757-4.
  8. ^ab"Terry Waite not bitter about nearly 5 years in captivity".Tampa Bay Times.Retrieved27 August2021.
  9. ^Waite, Terry (8 September 2016).Taken on Trust.John Murray Press.ISBN978-1-4736-2757-4.
  10. ^ab"Episcopal News Service: Press Release # 80150".episcopalarchives.org.Retrieved13 March2020.
  11. ^"AROUND THE WORLD; Anglican Prelate To Make a Visit to China".The New York Times.21 December 1981.ISSN0362-4331.Retrieved13 March2020.
  12. ^Waite, Terry (8 September 2016).Taken on Trust.John Murray Press.ISBN978-1-4736-2757-4.
  13. ^"I remember: Terry Waite - Reader's Digest".readersdigest.co.uk.Retrieved13 March2020.
  14. ^"Lawrence Jenco, Roman Catholic Priest Held Hostage in Lebanon".AP NEWS.Retrieved13 March2020.
  15. ^Cohen, Nick(19 October 1992)."Runcie 'considered sacking Waite before hostage trip'".The Independent.Retrieved13 March2020.
  16. ^Terry Waite.Taken on Trust.Hodder & Stoughton, 1993. p. 3,.ISBN978-0-340-62452-4.
  17. ^Ap (1 February 1987)."Abductors in Beirut Demand That Israel Free 400 Prisoners".The New York Times.ISSN0362-4331.Retrieved13 March2020.
  18. ^"1991: Church envoy Waite freed in Beirut".18 November 1991.Retrieved13 March2020.
  19. ^"From the archive: Bells ring nationwide to welcome Terry Waite".churchtimes.co.uk.Retrieved13 March2020.
  20. ^abc"Terry Waite - ARU".aru.ac.uk.Retrieved13 March2020.
  21. ^"Former hostage Terry Waite on why he seeks solitude in Suffolk".Financial Times.4 August 2017.Archivedfrom the original on 10 December 2022.Retrieved13 March2020.
  22. ^"Our President".Open Door Newmarket.Retrieved18 December2024.
  23. ^"Ex-hostage Waite free from bitterness".BBC. 19 February 2004.
  24. ^"Bush attacks Iran over captives".BBC News.1 April 2007.Retrieved20 August2010.
  25. ^"Terry Waite returns to Lebanon 25 years after kidnapping".The Guardian.London. 9 December 2012.Retrieved31 March2014.
  26. ^"Concert to thank choir patron Terry Waite".Warrington Worldwide.4 April 2016.Retrieved13 March2020.
  27. ^Cooper, Ben (10 January 2019)."The Interview: Lara Symons, Director of Hostage International".Travel Risk Media.Retrieved13 March2020.
  28. ^"Our leaders & ambassadors".Emmaus UK.Retrieved27 August2021.
  29. ^ab"Ex-hostage Terry Waite reflects on 20 years of freedom".BBC News.18 November 2011.Retrieved27 August2021.
  30. ^"Our patrons".Storybook Dads.Retrieved3 February2019.
  31. ^"Membership | The Romany Society".Retrieved27 August2021.
  32. ^Strode Park Foundation Annual Report 2019-2020.p. 12.
  33. ^"Four Freedoms Awards".Roosevelt Institute.Archived fromthe originalon 25 March 2015.Retrieved6 September2015.
  34. ^"Honorary Degrees".University of Durham.Retrieved8 October2015.
  35. ^"Terry Waite CBE Honorary Doctor of Philosophy, 2001".Anglia Ruskin University.Archived fromthe originalon 23 January 2015.Retrieved8 October2015.
  36. ^"Conferment of Honorary Degrees and Presentation of Graduates (2009)"(PDF).The Open University.Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 15 February 2010.
  37. ^"Universities Week - Monday 13th June 2011".Chester.ac.uk.Retrieved1 September2011.
  38. ^"Speakers – Terry Waite".Edinburgh International Science Festival.Retrieved8 October2015.
  39. ^"No. 64082".The London Gazette(Supplement). 17 June 2023. p. B3.
  40. ^Hennessy, Ted (16 June 2023)."Former hostage Terry Waite says honour is 'peak' achievement".The Independent.Retrieved16 June2023.

Bibliography

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  • Barnes, Trevor (1987).Terry Waite: Man with a Mission.London: Collins Fontana.ISBN0-8028-0332-6.
  • Bell, Ni (2011).In The Footsteps of War: Ninety Years of Remembrance.London: Brimar Entertainment.ISBN978-0-9570902-0-0.
  • Bell, Ni (2015).In The Footsteps of War: The Definitive Edition.London, United Kingdom: Brimar Entertainment.ISBN978-0-9570902-6-2.
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