News Archives » Peace
UN Secretary General Calls for True Sustainability in Global Economic and Political Relations July 6th, 2009
The United Nations Conference on the World Financial and Economic Crisis and its Impact on Development was held in New York on June 24-26. In his visionary opening remarks, H.E. Miguel D’Escoto Brockmann, President of The United Nations General Assembly, called for an economic system based on solidarity and a “…globalized policy and ethics based on the many cultural experiences and traditions of our peoples.”
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Faith-based and Nongovernmental Groups Condemn Coup in Honduras; Express Concern for Human Rights Situation July 1st, 2009
Faith-based, human rights, and activist groups in the United States joined in condemning the coup carried out June 28th against José Manuel Zelaya Rosales, the elected President of Honduras.
President Zelaya was forcibly removed from his home by the military and put on a plane to Costa Rica. The coup took place on the very day that a controversial non-binding referendum about the Honduran constitution had been scheduled.
Read full text of the June 30 letter (Download PDF)
Learn more: Read “Behind the Honduran Coup”
Chevron Human Rights Resolution Supported by Oblates June 18th, 2009
Using a proxy from the Missionary Oblates, Michael Eisenscher of U.S. Labor Against the War addressed the Annual General Meeting of the Chevron Corporation on May about the company’s efforts to profit from Iraqi oil. The company profited, in particular, from a widely-opposed oil law that would give foreign corporations like Chevron almost complete control of Iraq’s oil industry, to the detriment of the rights of ordinary Iraqis.
Members of the True Cost of Chevron coalition presented their alternative annual report directly to Chevron management and CEO David O’Reilly (who disparagingly responded during the meeting that it “deserves the trash can”). Edited and painstakingly researched by Antonia Juhasz, with help from a coalition of over a dozen groups, “The True Cost of Chevron” highlights the tragic human consequences that are the flip side of the record profits Chevron collected in 2008. It can be downloaded for free at http://truecostofchevron.com/report.html
Chevron is finding itself increasingly in the spotlight over the harmful consequences of its operations, and shareholders are deeply concerned, as evidenced by the 28% support yet again this year for the resolution calling for a clear human rights policy. 28% is considered extremely good performance for a shareholder resolution of this type. Investors representing billions of dollars in Chevron stock have spoken up in support of greater social responsibility, and although the True Cost of Chevron’s coalition’s speakers inside the meeting were treated dismissively by CEO O’Reilly, Chevron is taking notice.
Oblates Join Religious Coalition Calling for Investigation by US DOJ into use of Torture June 10th, 2009
The Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate’s Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation office has joined the Torture Abolition Survivors Support Coalition and more than 180 other organizations in calling on Attorney General Eric Holder to investigate and prosecute members of the Bush administration for violations of US and International law pertaining to torture.
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Oblate Parish Pastors Support Indigenous Peoples in the Amazon June 8th, 2009
Oblate pastors of Latin America, meeting in Lima, Peru on April 20-25, 2009, published the following declaration: Protecting and Respecting the Amazon, we protect the indigenous. The declaration was signed by 41 Oblates and 2 diocesan priests.
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