News Archives » Central America & the Caribbean
Stop Trafficking: July Newsletter Issue Available August 2nd, 2011
The Stop Trafficking newsletter, hosted by the STOP ENSLAVEMENT web domain, serves as a forum for exchange among religious congregations and their collaborating organizations:
- to promote awareness about human trafficking
- to exchange best practices in advocacy for and empowerment of survivors of human trafficking
- to recommend actions to counter human trafficking
Read the July issue of Stop Trafficking at www.stopenslavement.org
Available in English and Spanish.
Forest Peoples Programme Newsletter Available in Three Languages July 22nd, 2011
Given the increasingly urgent threat of climate change, efforts to reduce CO2 emissions from deforestation and forest degradation have led to sustained calls by indigenous peoples and concerned NGOs that forest peoples’ rights must be secured. These programs, known as REDD, are supposed to respect human rights and ensure the effective participation of indigenous peoples and local communities. Funders are to ‘safeguard’ these principles and ensure countries observe their international obligations.
Learn more in the newsletter of the Forest Peoples Programme, available also in Spanish and French.
Puede leer nuestro boletín de noticias en español
Lisez notre e-newsletter en français
Forest Peoples Programme supports forest peoples to secure and sustainably manage their forests, lands and livelihoods.
Their strategies to achieve this include:
(a) promoting the rights and interests of forest peoples at local, national and international levels;
(b) creating space for forest peoples to have an effective voice in decision-making processes;
(c) challenging top-down policies and projects that deprive local peoples of resources;
(d) coordinating support among environmental organizations for forest peoples’ vision;
(e) supporting community-led sustainable forest management; and
(f) publicizing forest peoples’ plight through research, analysis and documentation.
For more information, visit the Forest Peoples Programme website.
Bishops Speak Out on Migration Issues July 7th, 2011
In June, the Catholic Bishops from North America, Central America and the Caribbean met in Costa Rica to discuss migration in the region.
The bishops raised concerns about the increased violence against and kidnapping of migrants by organized crime, the increase in deportations between the United States and Mexico, the tragedy of human trafficking and growing economic inequality. The Bishops also urged continued support for the recovery of Haiti.
Please find attached the final statement of the bishops in English and Spanish – outlining priority concerns regarding the level of violence and kidnapping of migrants, threats against Church personnel working with them, the need to prioritize economic and development alternatives.
A full text of the joint statement in English can be found at: http://www.txcatholic.org/index.php/news/216-regional-bishops-issue-joint-statement-on-migration
A Spanish version is also available: http://www.usccb.org/mrs/regional-consultation-on-migration-2011-espanol.pdf
Action Alert: Torture is Never Permissible July 2nd, 2011
The National Religious Coalition Against Torture (NRCAT) of which Oblate JPIC is a member, is concerned about statements made in Congressional testimony by General David Petraeus regarding torture. On June 23, in a hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee on his nomination to be the Director of the CIA, General Petraeus suggested that the U.S. needed procedures for using “more than the normal [interrogation] techniques” during a ticking time bomb-like incident.
Yet, as NRCAT points out in an action alert, there are no situations — even a ticking time-bomb — in which torture is permissible, moral, or legal. General Petraeus has opened a door that he and President Obama need to close. Please write to President Obama and ask him to publicly reject General Petraeus’ June 23rd testimony on “more than normal” interrogation techniques.
People who support torture often refer to the hypothetical “ticking time bomb” to make their argument. Yet torture is always wrong and always illegal.
As people of faith, we know that, above all, our country must act morally. General Petraeus may have misstated his own position, but he and President Obama need to immediately reaffirm their unequivocal opposition to torture in all instances.
Take Action on Child Sex Trafficking in Wyndham Hotels July 1st, 2011
Thanks to Change.org for this Action Alert
From 2006 to 2011, Crips gang members in San Diego ran a child sex trafficking ring out of area hotels that destroyed the lives at least 16 girls.
An 18-month FBI investigation discovered that the gang was able to use two Wyndham-owned hotels (Travelodge and Howard Johnson) regularly for child prostitution with the knowledge and even assistance of staff.
After hearing about these cases, San Diego native Tim Rosner started a petition urging the Wyndham Hotel Group to sign an international child protection agreement for travel and tourism companies, which could have saved those 16 girls from sexual exploitation.
Staff at several Wyndham-owned motels have profited from sex trafficking, even though Wyndham has a child protection policy. The chain has failed at least 16 children — with more cases emerging.
Two major American hotel chains — Hilton Worldwide and Carlson Companies, an entity that includes Radisson Hotels and other chains — have already signed the international child protection policy, as have 945 other companies across 37 countries.
Click here to make sure Wyndham is next to sign the Code of Conduct for the Protection of Children and call on the company to implement this stricter child protection policy in order to prevent future instances of child sex trafficking:
Thanks for taking action.
