News Archives » bangladesh
Shopping After a Factory Fire December 13th, 2012
Squeezed between the news reports of Black Friday weekend, when U.S. consumers spent more than $59 billion dollars, and a Cyber Monday that was the busiest online shopping day ever, came the tragic news of yet another horrible fire in a garment factory…
Read Fr. Seamus Finn’s latest blog on Huffington Post.
US Congress holds Hearings on Peru and Bangladesh July 20th, 2012
JPIC staff and summer fellow Fr Stephen Ashoki OMI (Sri Lanka) attended Hearings in the US Congress on Peru and Bangladesh. Both countries have a strong Oblate presence.“Poison Harvest: Deadly U.S. Mine Pollution in Peru.”
“This is a matter of grave concern, not just to the citizens and residents of La Oroya and of Peru, but of the world and, in particular, the United States,” – Testimony to U.S. Congress by Archbishop Pedro Barreto of Huancayo, Peru.
This week, on July 19, the House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs held a hearing on the mining contamination by Renco Group, a U.S. based company, which is operating in La Oroya, Peru. The hearing was entitled “Poison Harvest: Deadly U.S. Mine Pollution in Peru.” Those invited to testify included Archbishop Pedro Barreto of the Archdiocese of Huancayo, Peru and Rosa Amaro, President of the Movement for the Health of La Oroya. Also giving testimony were Dr. Fernando Serrano from St. Louis University School of Public Health and Keith Slack representing Oxfam America.
The hearing focused on the environmental damage in small town of La Oroya by Doe Run Peru, with testimonies from local community leaders, faith leader and NGOs. Doe Run is the Latin American affiliate of the Renco. Doe Run Peru is accused of being responsible for the health problems of the people in La Oroya especially children suffering from severe lead poisoning, and the environmental contamination affecting the area. Members of Congress strongly condemned Doe Run Peru for the environmental damage and promised to bring up the issue through the United States and Peruvian Free Trade Agreement (FTA) engagement. In addition to these solidarity actions, the JPIC office also attended a meeting at the Embassy of Peru with the Ambassador about human rights issues. In the light of the state violence against indigenous peoples protesting various mining operations in Peru, the JPIC office has signed onto NGO letters calling for respect of human rights in that country.
Bangladesh Human Rights
Earlier in the day another important congressional briefing was held focusing on the Human Rights Situation in Bangladesh. The United States is the largest investor in Bangladesh. However, there is an alarming human rights situation, with a number of recent extrajudicial killings and threats to labor activists. Leading international labor and Human Rights organizations are urging the United States government to use its influence to raise these concerns with the Government of Bangladesh. Those who perpetuate this violence, particularly certain national security operations, must be brought to justice. Since January 2012, Bangladesh has seen 34 victims of extrajudicial killings; the most recent being the killing of Bangladeshi labor leader Aminul Islam. Other issues raised during the hearing include the status for the millions of Burmese Refugees in Bangladesh, child labor in the garment industry, and unsafe working conditions in general. The U.S Government was also challenged to support Bangladesh civil society.
Press coverage of the Hearing…
Spring/Summer Issue of JPIC Report now available! April 26th, 2012
The Spring/Summer Issue of our bi-annual print newsletter is now available on-line. (Download the PDF…)
This issue includes articles on Global HIV/AIDS funding, a new organic farm at Oblate headquarters in Washington, the human reality at the US/Mexican border, shareholder advocacy in the financial sector, human trafficking and environmental issues: from biodiversity loss and climate change to OMI JPIC work in solidarity with Bangladeshi colleagues and new solar panels on an Oblate church in California.
US Textile Trade Associations Press Bangladeshi Government on Murder of Labor Leader April 20th, 2012
- Aminul Islam, slain Bangladeshi labor leader
A number of textile trade associations and unions sent a letter to the Bangladeshi Prime Minister in response to the recent murder of labor activist, Aminul Islam. Mr. Islam was a senior organizer at the Bangladesh Center for Worker Solidarity (BCWS) and a local leader for the Bangladesh Garment and Industrial Workers Federation (BGIWF). Both organizations have been working to help workers combat low wages, deadly factory fires, and repression of their right to organize. This letter went to the Prime Minister through the initiative of ICCR shareholders with Wal-Mart and PVH Corp. (Phillips Van Heusen). The Missionary Oblates is an active member of the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR).
Read the letter (Download PDF)
The International Labor Rights Forum sent out this information on Aminul Islam on April 12th:
Last Wednesday, Aminul Islam left his office for evening prayers. He noticed a police van parked outside and called his colleagues, worried about possible harassment. Then he went to meet with a worker. He never returned home.
His body was found a day later. According to police reports his legs had severe torture marks including a hole made by a sharp object. All his toes were broken.
Aminul was a senior organizer at the Bangladesh Center for Worker Solidarity (BCWS) and a local leader for the Bangladesh Garment and Industrial Workers Federation (BGIWF). ILRF has worked with BCWS and BGIWF for many years. They have been a critical force in the effort to defend workers’ rights in a country known for sub-poverty wages, deadly factory fires, and repression of the right to organize.
Over the past two years, the government of Bangladesh has carried out a campaign of intimidation and harassment against BCWS. On June 16, 2010, Aminul was detained by security forces, beaten repeatedly and threatened with death, in an attempt to coerce him into making incriminating statements against the organization. Not long after, he and his colleagues Kalpona Akter and Babul Akhter were arrested and kept in jail for nearly a month, where they were subjected to psychological and physical abuse. Since 2010, Aminul, Kalpona and Babul have faced criminal charges for which no substantiating evidence has been presented.
Given this history, there is strong reason to suspect that Aminul’s murder was in retaliation for his efforts as a labor rights organizer and to fear this could represent a violent escalation in the repression of worker rights advocates in Bangladesh.
Join with us in calling for a thorough and impartial investigation into Aminul’s murder. BCWS and BGIWF have asked for an outpouring of letters to the Prime Minister of Bangladesh. Please take a moment to add your voice!
Bangladeshi Environmental Activists Demand Protection of Dhaka’s Buriganga River March 20th, 2012
- Sharif Jamil, Fr. Joseph Gomes, OMI, Fr. Seamus Finn, OMI and a colleague on the Buriganga RiverKeeper boat in Dhaka
Environmental activists on Saturday demanded immediate execution of an earlier High Court order to save the River Buriganga from pollution and encroachment. The High Court in 2011 issued a three-point directive to the government to save the river.
Among those demanding action to reverse the severe pollution of the Buriganga was Sharif Jamil, a close collaborator of the Oblates in Bangladesh. Sharif is the Buriganga Riverkeeper, and part of the international Waterkeeper Alliance.
Learn more – read the article…
