News Archives » Asia
Religious Leaders Issue Call for National Immigration Reform February 11th, 2010
Washington, DC
In an unprecedented show of religious support for just, humane, comprehensive immigration reform, religious leaders from across the theological and ideological spectrum and Members of Congress kicked off a nationwide mobilization for immigration reform today on a conference call with reporters.
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Lenten Carbon Fast 2010 February 10th, 2010
“The environment is God’s gift to everyone, and in our use of it we have a responsibility towards the poor, towards future generations and towards humanity as a whole.” — Pope Benedict, Encyclical Caritas in Veritate
A Lenten Carbon Fast calendar is available from the Environmental Outreach Committee of the Archdiocese of Washington. Please use it as part of your Lenten discipline.
The calendar says: “As Catholic Christians we have a responsibility to be wise stewards of God’s Creation and each of us must decide how we can improve our stewardship to safeguard God’s creation now and for future generations. The Archdiocese environmental Outreach Committee suggests the following list of 40 carbon fasting actions everyone can consider as a part of your Lenten preparation for the Easter season. Each of these actions will reduce our production of climate change pollution and help to preserve God’s great gift of Creation.”
Download a PDF of the Lenten Calendar here…
Oblates Join Broad Coalition in Call for Reform of Financial Markets February 8th, 2010
Commodity Markets Oversight Coalition and Americans for Financial Reform Call for Reforms that Could Have Prevented Economic Crisis and Commodities Bubbles
The Missionary Oblates, long active in shareholder advocacy, have been pressing for major reforms in derivatives trading and commodity speculation in their dialogs with major banks and other financial services institutions. Recently, the Oblates joined a broad coalition calling for needed reform of the financial system to prevent a repeat of last year’s financial meltdown.
Advocates for financial reform have formed a powerful partnership with business interests ranging from heating and motor fuels retailers to cotton marketers, and trucking companies to airlines, and this new alliance is calling on Congress and Federal Regulators to bring derivatives out of the shadows and into the daylight.
Read the Coalition’s “Joint Statement of Shared Principles for Needed Reforms in the Futures/Derivatives Markets.”
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Protest the Attack on Bangladeshi Indigenous Peoples’ Advocate and Oblate Friend: Sanjeeb Drong January 24th, 2010
Sanjeeb Drong survives but fears further attacks…
Mr Sanjeeb Drong, an important advocate for human rights and indigenous peoples in Bangladesh and SE Asia, and good friend of the Oblates, was brutally attacked last Friday by a group of hired thugs. He and his wife were travelling home from a meeting with the Bishop and a Diocesan Committee. Sanjeeb fled from his attackers and was rescued by the Bishop and several priests who then took him to a hospital. He is now safe in Dhaka. His wife was unharmed.
Read our Action Alert, learn more…
Victory after Long Fight to Save Bangladeshi Indigenous Villages and Forest January 20th, 2010
The indigenous Khasi people of Bangladesh have won a significant victory after a long struggle to protect the forest on which they depend for their survival. The indigenous community organized against rampant logging from a local tea estate owner who had secured permission to log the forest allegedly through his political connections. Thousands of trees and many Khasi villages will be saved as a result.
The Oblates have been supportive of the efforts to protect the forest, with Fr. Joseph Gomes, OMI working closely with the Khasi people. APRA (Adibasi Poribesh Roskhya Andolon or Save Indigenous Environment Movement) of BAPA (Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon or Bangladesh Environment Movement). Fr. Gomes was joined by Sharif Jamil, National Coordinator, APRA, Joint Secretary, BAPA in successfully arguing on behalf of the Khasi people before a government panel charged with investigating the logging controversy.
