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Sri Lanka Media Attacks Brought to UN Attention June 3rd, 2013
Two written statements on Sri Lanka were presented recently to the 23rd Session of the UN General Assembly for the promotion and protection of Human Rights, Civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights and against all forms of Discrimination and Racism.
Sri Lanka: Systematic attacks on freedom of expression and the media requires specific attention of the Human Rights Council was submitted by the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (Download PDF)
Freedom of Assembly in the Democratic Republic of Sri Lanka was submitted by the International Movement against all Forms of Discrimination and Racism (IMADR) (Download PDF)
The General Service of OMI JPIC in 2009 spelled out the Oblate commitment to Human Rights, a commitment that was endorse by the present General Administration saying: “We commit ourselves so that all peoples should be respected in their right to life from conception to life’s natural end and to have access to basic human needs as well as enjoy the right to enjoy the free exercise of civic, political, social, religious and cultural rights, and to have a healthy community to live in”.
Another Oblate mission priority under PEACE and RECONCILIATION states:
“Inspired by Jesus who died to reconcile all peoples with God and guided by St. Eugene’s pastoral concern for reconciliation between people in his missionary activity takes us to commit ourselves to promote peace and reconciliation in identifying and acknowledging the nature of the historical divisions and animosity which exists between countries and ethnic groups; also to explore opportunities and learning tools and processes that can make a positive contribution to the peacemaking process”.
VIVAT International Submission on Mining and HR June 3rd, 2013
Newmont Mining Protests in Peru
VIVAT International submitted an Oral Statement to the 23rd Session of the UN Human Rights Council on the issue of human rights and transnational corporations. The submission focused on concerns related to mining activities and their negative effects, particularly on indigenous peoples.
A directive signed last year by Brazil’s Solicitor-General “opens up all indigenous areas to mineral, dams, roads, military bases and other developments of ‘national interest’ without the need to consult with or address concerns of indigenous peoples”, according to an expert familiar with the directive who asked to remain anonymous. It also restricts demarcation of new indigenous territories. A similar dynamic is underway in Peru, where the government recently backslid on implementation of the Indigenous Peoples Consultation Law (Consultation Law). The landmark law, passed in 2011, requires the Peruvian government to consult indigenous peoples affected directly by development policies and projects such as oil drilling, mining, roads and forestry. Consultations must aim to achieve agreement or consent. The hope was that the law, if implemented effectively, could help reduce the number of violent conflicts that frequently emerge in the country’s oil and mining industries.
However, in early May, Peru’s Vice Minister of Culture Ivan Lanegra—responsible for overseeing implementation of Peru’s Consultation Law—resigned in protest following Executive branch declarations that highland (or campesina) communities do not qualify as indigenous peoples. At the same time, the Peruvian government announced that it will proceed with 14 mining projects located in the Peruvian highlands without prior consultation with neighboring communities.
Investors Support Conflict Mineral Rule June 3rd, 2013
The Missionary Oblates JPIC office has joined other investors in supporting a U.S. law aimed at preventing trade in conflict minerals from the Democratic Republic of Congo. The investors statement supporting the final rule by the SEC on Section 1502 of the Dodd-Frank legislation says, “Given that the long standing conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has claimed more than five million lives and contributed to egregious human rights abuses such as rape, child soldiers, and slave labor, we believe companies must disclose their use of conflict minerals.”
Some manufacturers and business associations have sued the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on the Section 1502 rule.
Nuns on the Bus for Immigration May 31st, 2013
The Nuns on the Bus have kicked off a 40-city tour to promote immigration reform. Nuns on the Bus is a project by NETWORK, a catholic social justice lobby group.
The nuns are visiting cities across America to advocate for humane immigration policies that protect family unity, workers’ rights and provide a pathway to citizenship for those already in the U.S.
Visit the website for the Nuns on the Bus to know when they might visit your city. Follow the nuns on twitter and facebook to support the advocacy for comprehensive immigration reform!
Peace & Life Connections for May 31, 2013 May 31st, 2013
We reproduce the Consistent Life “Peace & Life Connections” weekly newsletter on this website. If you are interested in more information, or in subscribing to the e-newsletter directly, please visit www.consistent-life.org/ Please note that we do not edit the content of this publication.
Life/Peace/Justice Youth Conference
Aimee Murphy of Life Matters Journal, a member of the CL Advisory Board, has initiated a regional CLE conference in the Philadelphia area: “Life/Peace/Justice: A Conference on Life Issues.” It will be held March 29, 2014 at Villanova University. It’s for all ages with a large university student component. Several CL Board members have been involved with the planning.
To keep costs low, sponsoring groups are contributing funds. Gold Sponsorship costs $1000. We’re trying to raise special funds above normal donations to cover all or part of that cost. Funds donated here go directly towards the conference, and are credited towards our sponsorship. We greatly appreciate your support for this important effort.
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Legislation to Protect U.S. Taxpayers from Funding Violence
Our U.S. subscribers might want to contact their representatives, and subscribers outside the U.S. might have U.S. friends to spread the word about these ways of having the money that’s being cut from the federal budget come from places the federal budget has no business funding in the first place:
No Taxpayer Funding of Abortion Act (H.R. 7 in the House and S.B. 946 in the Senate) would replace all the annual riders and scattered amendments with one permanent rule: taxpayers don’t pay for abortions. This doesn’t just protect taxpayers; the numbers of abortions drop dramatically when there’s no taxpayer funding available for them. (See co-sponsors in the House and co-sponsors in the Senate)
The Smarter Approach to Nuclear Expenditures Act (SANE) (H.R. 1506) would cut billions of dollars and several programs out of nuclear weapons. See House and Senate co-sponsors.
Various amendments will come up during the budget process to cut Pentagon extravagance at a time when desperately needed anti-poverty programs are being cut instead. It’s a good idea to communicate the principle to representatives – money going for violence and taken away from life-affirming services is a double whammy against the vulnerable.
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CL Endorser David Gushee has published a new book, The Sacredness of Human Life: Why an Ancient Biblical Vision is Key to the World’s Future. From the publisher’s blurb: “Tracing the concept of the sacredness of human life from Scripture through church history to the present day, David Gushee argues that viewing human life as sacred is one of the most precious legacies of biblical faith — albeit one that the church has too often failed to uphold. Besides providing a masterful historical survey, Gushee’s discussion covers the many current ethical challenges and perspectives that will impact the survival and flourishing of human life, including biotechnology, the death penalty, abortion, human rights, nuclear weapons, just war theory, women’s rights, and creation care.”
CL member group Evangelicals for Social Action has also published a review (and we have one coming up in our print newsletter, due out in June).
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Quotation of the Week
Kelsey Hazzard
The Catholic World “Atheist, Secular, and Pro-Life,” January 24, 2013
History has many lessons about human beings who were not legal “persons.” What seems like common sense to one generation—“Of course Negroes aren’t real people”—is horrific to the next. What criteria can we set that will prevent this from happening? Every criterion proposed to exclude the unborn can also be used to exclude others . . . At the end of the day, human rights are for all humans. If we don’t protect them for the weakest among us, they’re rather worthless.”
issue #162 05.31.13 Consistent Life web page / Join or Donate / Previous Issues / Index
