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Connecticut State Senators Repeal Death Penalty Law April 9th, 2012

On April 5, the Connecticut State Senate voted 20 -16 in favor of repeal of the state’s death penalty law. The bill would replace the death penalty with life in prison without the possibility of parole as the state’s harshest punishment for future crimes. The legislation would not affect sentences of the 11 inmates currently on Connecticut’s death row.

The bill now goes to the Connecticut House of Representatives, where it is considered to have a high level of support, and then to Governor who has said he would sign it into law.

Other states have passed similar measures; among them are Illinois, New Mexico and New Jersey. In California, faith leaders are leading a campaign to gather enough signatures for an initiative to throw out the death penalty by voters on the November ballot.

The Catholic Conference of Connecticut and Religious communities are pleased with the passage of the repeal of the death penalty. The Conference is engaging in a campaign through its website and in advocacy messages in parish bulletins asking parishioners to contact their elected representatives, requesting that they support the bill.

 

Corporations Make Strides in Conserving Water April 9th, 2012

Two companies, which the Missionary Oblates and other members of the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR), have engaged in long-term corporate dialogs, have adopted important water-use reduction and management goals.

The Coca-Cola Company has announced a goal of becoming water neutral in their direct operations by 2020, and has taken a leadership role in corporate water management efforts. Coca Cola released its fifth annual Global Water Stewardship and Replenish Report on World Water Day (March 22nd). The company also recently released its first GRI (Global Reporting Initiative) report, an important move to increase transparency of data on its sustainability efforts.

Ford Motor Company recently announced plans to cut the amount of water used to make each of its vehicles by 30 percent, as of 2015, compared with the amount of water used in 2009. Under its Global Water Management Initiative adopted in 2000, the company had already reduced water use per vehicle by 62% as of 2010. Ford has recognized water as a material issue, along with other environmental, human rights and financial impacts on the corporation, and has identified water as one of its top priorities. Operating as it does in a number of water-stressed areas, the car manufacturer is investing in technologies that make its manufacturing processes less water intensive, as well as technologies for treating and reusing wastewater.

The Missionary Oblates JPIC Office has increasingly focused on water in its faith-consistent investment work as a vital issue affecting the health and well being of people across the globe, but especially the poor living in water-stressed and water scarce areas.

 

 

 

Land Grabs in Africa Leave Communities Impoverished April 5th, 2012

The problem of land grabbing in Africa and Asia by investment firms and multinational corporations is a serious and growing problem. Governments make deals with large multinational companies while thousands of poor farmers are left with inadequate compensation, low wages, polluted water and exposure to toxic agricultural chemicals that cause health problems.

While problems with land grabs abound, SOCFIN Agriculture. Co. is a particularly egregious company. Owned by French billionaire Vincent Bollore, SOCFINAF Group owns and operates plantations of rubber, oil palm and coffee in Indonesia, Cambodia, Kenya, Cameroon, Nigeria, Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) and Liberia. SOCFIN recently has secured 6,500 hectares of farmland for rubber/palm oil production in Sierra Leone.

The Oakland Institute, a California-based think-tank, has detailed a pattern of coercion, lack of consultation, and failure to fairly compensate Sierra Leonean landowners who have been pressured into ceding their land to the corporate giant. Watch this video on SOCFIN’s Sierra Leone’s operations:

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Faith Community Submits Recommendations on Human Trafficking to the UN Special Rapporteur April 4th, 2012

The Missionary Oblates, through VIVAT International, have supported/endorsed the Recommendations submitted by the ‘NGO Committee to Stop Trafficking In Persons’ to the ‘Special Rapporteur on Trafficking In Persons, Especially Women and Children’.

Learn more… (Download PDF of the Recommendations)

Sri Lanka Resolution Passes UN Human Rights Council March 26th, 2012

The UN Human Rights Council voted Last Thursday (March 22nd) in favor of a resolution calling on the government of Sri Lanka to end impunity for human rights abuses. Allegations of war crimes committed in the final stages of the decades-long civil conflict have dogged the government in Colombo.

The resolution calls on Sri Lanka to “credibly investigate” alleged abuses committed toward the end of the country’s bitter civil war and asks the government to explain how it addresses alleged violations of international humanitarian law, as well as how Sri Lanka would implement the recommendations of an internal inquiry into the war. It also encourages the UN human rights office to provide Sri Lanka with advice and assistance and for the government to accept the advice.

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Faithful Budget Released March 22nd, 2012

WASHINGTON, DC — Today on Capitol Hill, prominent Christian, Jewish and Muslim leaders unveiled a Faithful Budget document, which encourages the Obama Administration and Congress to maintain a robust commitment to domestic and international poverty assistance programs.

The document has been submitted to all Members of Congress and the Administration. Faith communities will make follow up visits to Congress. The Annual Ecumenical Advocacy Days conference this coming weekend is titled Is THIS the Fast I Seek? Economy, Livelihood and Our National Priorities. Participants will visit their Congressional representatives on Monday and will take the Faithful budget document with them as a blueprint.

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