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Faith Groups Oppose Colombia Free Trade Agreement April 19th, 2011

Protest against U.S.-Colombia FTA in Washington, DC, June 2009

As a presidential candidate in 2008, Barack Obama said that he would oppose the U.S.-Colombia Free Trade Agreement unless human rights conditions in that country were improved. Three years later, Colombia still faces deeply troubling levels of violence, displacement, and poverty. Colombia has over 5 million displaced people – more than any other country in the world. Trade unionists and human rights workers face constant threats. Extractive industry projects violently push indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities off of their lands.

Despite all of this, the Obama administration recently announced that it is prepared to submit the Colombia FTA to Congress for approval anyway. A new agreement was reached with the Colombian government to make some improvements on labor conditions, but this plan does not go far enough, and it fails to address broader human rights concerns. Moreover, agricultural provisions in the FTA will undermine the livelihoods of small-scale farmers, pushing more people into poverty and deepening the instability that drives Colombia’s violent conflict.

The Oblate JPIC Office joined other faith groups in asking Congress to oppose passage of the Colombia FTA unless these important issues are addressed.

Read the letter from religious organizations here…

Replace Disposables with Reusable Products April 11th, 2011

Replace Disposables: Wherever possible, replace disposable products with reusable ones (i.e., razor, food storage, batteries, ink cartridges (buy refill ink), coffee filters, furnace or air conditioner filters, etc.).

Haitian Immigrant Deportations Should Be Halted April 1st, 2011

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has resumed deportations to Haiti, a development about which we are deeply concerned. Deportations place an unnecessary burden on Haiti, which is still struggling to recover from the devastating earthquake of January 2010. Reconstruction continues in the country, but at a very slow pace, with hundreds of thousands of people still living in tent cities. What is worse is that Haiti’s jails, where the Haitian government usually holds deportees, are notorious for their inhumane treatment of detainees.

Deportations from the U.S. to Haiti had been halted on humanitarian grounds when the earthquake devastated Haiti. On January 20, 2011, the U.S. resumed deportations to Haiti, deporting an estimated 27 people of Haitian origin with criminal records. One has died already in prison from cholera-like symptoms.

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) Committee on Migration has expressed deep opposition to the recent resumption of deportations, citing the slow recovery from the earthquake, the recent outbreak of cholera, and concern that this would communicate the wrong message to the Haitian people, who are depending upon the United States for long-term support in their effort to recover from the earthquake.

Take Action Now. Tell President Obama Administration and Secretary Napolitano that now is not the time to deport Haitians to Haiti.

Prayer Service developed for the United Nations International Year of Forests – 2011 March 25th, 2011

The declaration of an International Year of Forests by the UN is expected to help cultivate an appreciation of the role of forests in conserving the strength and vitality of the planet, as well as achieving certain goals in global development, particularly those outlined in the Millennium Development Goals.