News Archives » South America
Victory in US Senate for Tax Justice! March 9th, 2012
This week, the Senate took a stand against one of the largest revenue drains facing developing nations today – tax avoidance. Members of the Financial Accountability and Corporate Transparency (FACT) Coalition, have been speaking out against the abuse of off-shore tax havens. And the Senate listened.
Amendment 1818, the Levin Amendment, passed the Senate last night and is a blow against corruption, secrecy, and tax avoidance that aims to end the use and abuse of off-shore tax havens. These tax havens help large corporations and corrupt individuals avoid paying a fair share of taxes to the nations in which they operate. An estimated $160 billion dollars is lost in tax revenue in developing countries due to the use of off-shore tax havens. The Levin amendment gives law enforcement officials tools to stop financial institutions in tax havens from aiding US tax cheats, and help put an end to developing country tax avoidance.
Jubilee USA and the Oblates are founding members of the Financial Accountability and Corporate Transparency (FACT) Coalition. Learn more about tax justice…
Symposium: “Towards Healing and Renewal” March 9th, 2012
A symposium on child protection in the Church, titled “Toward Healing and Renewal,” was held in Rome in February. The Gregorian University, which hosted the gathering, is developing resources for further training that will be available on their website. They propose a 30-hour training in child protection for students and professors from across the world. The content will be in four languages.
For more information, visit The Pontifical Gregorian University Centre for Child Protection. The internet portal offers information and training for all those dealing with child protection in the Church.
Threat to Water from Mining in Peru Mobilizes Masses February 5th, 2012
Thousands of Peruvians from the Amazon to Lima have mobilized against a serious threat to the water in the Cajamarca region of Peru. Residents there, mostly indigenous peoples, are deeply concerned about the threat to their water from a proposed mining development by the American company, Newmont Mining. Oblates in the US have engaged Newmont about the impact of their operations on communities where they have mining operations. The Yanacocha mine has been a priority in those conversations though the recent turmoil in the Cajamarca region is related to the proposed development of Minas Congas and extension of the Yanacocha project. The Oblates in Peru are supporting the March for Water that has been organized by civil society in the impacted areas.
The movement claims “the right to be consulted, to be respected and heard in decisions about its development model, for socially-just participation in economic growth, the prohibition of mining in the headwaters of rivers, and a stop to mining with cyanide and mercury that is causing so much damage to land and water.” The marchers are proclaiming their human right to water, and drawing support from churches and civil society alike in a several day march from Cajamarca to Lima. The Great National Water mobilization began on February 1st and will conclude with a convocation in Lima on February 9-10.
Read a full description of the mobilization (in English translation):
“SMALL STREAMS MAKE THE GREAT RIVER OF LIFE”: THE GREAT NATIONAL WATER MOBILIZATION”
Materials in Spanish are also available under News in the Spanish section of this website
Recrearte 2012: A Significant Experience in the Peruvian Jungle February 3rd, 2012
Oblates in Peru are working with children of the indigenous kichwa in the Amazon, whose communities are threatened by intensifying economic activity: oil exploration, increased illegal logging, pollution related to informal gold mining, commercial fishing operations, and the social ills that follow, including an increase in drug dealing. There is an increasing lack of teachers at all levels. Read the encouraging story of their recent RECREARTE Project.
Click here to download the PDF
Faith-Based Investors Call on House Leadership to Support Human Trafficking Legislation January 26th, 2012
The Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate joined members of US Social Investment Forum and The Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR) in a letter to The Honorable John Boehner (Speaker, U.S. House of Representatives) and The Honorable Eric Cantor (Majority Leader, U.S. House of Representatives) seeking their support on the Business Transparency on Trafficking and Slavery Act (HR 2759). The letter strongly encourages the House leadership to support investors, companies, workers and consumers by moving this important legislation forward in an expeditious manner.
This letter was drafted, reviewed and contributed to by a broad coalition of experts and members of US SIF and ICCR. Read the letter…
