Pax Christi International ~
Newsletter no. 168~ January 2008
~ In
this issue ~
TOC
\o "1-3" \h \z \u
Personalia. PAGEREF
_Toc187037033 \h 2
Msgr. Laurent Monsengwo Archbishop Named for Kinshasa, DR Congo.
PAGEREF _Toc187037034 \h 2
Ambassadors for Peace 2007.
PAGEREF _Toc187037035 \h 2
Obituary. PAGEREF
_Toc187037036 \h 3
Gordon Zahn Passes Away.
PAGEREF _Toc187037037 \h 3
In Memoriam Hans Anton Ederer
PAGEREF _Toc187037038 \h 3
Africa. PAGEREF
_Toc187037039 \h 3
Hope Gives Life to Congo.
PAGEREF _Toc187037040 \h 3
Americas & Caribbean.
PAGEREF _Toc187037041 \h 4
Plight of Kidnapped Victims in Colombia.
PAGEREF _Toc187037042 \h 4
Colombia: ammunition destroyed as part of peace
process.
PAGEREF _Toc187037043 \h 4
NGO-EU Coordination with Haiti
PAGEREF _Toc187037044 \h 4
Bulletin of JILAP in Haiti
PAGEREF _Toc187037045 \h 4
CPT releases preliminary statistics on land conflicts in Brazil for 2007.
PAGEREF _Toc187037046 \h 4
Asia & Pacific. PAGEREF
_Toc187037047 \h 5
Human Rights Violations in Sri Lanka.
PAGEREF _Toc187037048 \h 5
Stop the Bombardment of Innocent People in Sri Lanka.
PAGEREF _Toc187037049 \h 5
Support United Nations Monitoring in Sri Lanka.
PAGEREF _Toc187037050 \h 5
Boycott Elections in Pakistan or not
PAGEREF _Toc187037051 \h 5
Catholic Bishops Call for End of Emergency in Pakistan.
PAGEREF _Toc187037052 \h 6
India-Pakistan Peace Building Essay Contest
PAGEREF _Toc187037053 \h 6
Message on Human Rights Day of the Catholic Church in Thailand.
PAGEREF _Toc187037054 \h 6
Japanese Article 9 Campaign – Letter of Support
PAGEREF _Toc187037055 \h 6
Middle East PAGEREF
_Toc187037056 \h 7
Peace Mission in Afghanistan.
PAGEREF _Toc187037057 \h 7
Peace & Security Award 2007 for CCRR.
PAGEREF _Toc187037058 \h 7
Belgian Parliamentarians in Israel and Palestine.
PAGEREF _Toc187037059 \h 7
Donor Conference Palestinian Territories.
PAGEREF _Toc187037060 \h 8
Prayers and Wishes - Justice and Peace Advent and Christmas Bethlehem
2007.
PAGEREF _Toc187037061 \h 8
THE LIVING STAR: a symbolic action by inhabitants of Bethlehem..
PAGEREF _Toc187037062 \h 8
Working Together for Peace.
PAGEREF _Toc187037063 \h 8
News from Palestine.
PAGEREF _Toc187037064 \h 9
Europe. PAGEREF
_Toc187037065 \h 9
Kosovo – What Now?.
PAGEREF _Toc187037066 \h 9
Pax Christi in Belfast
PAGEREF _Toc187037067 \h 9
Expert meeting on the Georgian – South Ossetian conflict
PAGEREF _Toc187037068 \h 9
Pax Christi Germany on the European Union.
PAGEREF _Toc187037069 \h 10
Former Dutch Minister becomes President of IKV.
PAGEREF _Toc187037070 \h 10
Disarmament & Demilitarisation.
PAGEREF _Toc187037071 \h 10
Biological Weapons Convention: Meeting of States Parties.
PAGEREF _Toc187037072 \h 10
International Campaign to Ban Landmines.
PAGEREF _Toc187037073 \h 10
Vienna Conference on Cluster Munitions.
PAGEREF _Toc187037074 \h 10
Churches Should Unite Against the Arms Trade.
PAGEREF _Toc187037075 \h 11
Human Rights, Rule of Law & Violent Conflict
PAGEREF _Toc187037076 \h 11
Resumed Sixth Session of the Human Rights Council
PAGEREF _Toc187037077 \h 11
UN Commission for Social Development
PAGEREF _Toc187037078 \h 11
UN Commission on the Status of Women.
PAGEREF _Toc187037079 \h 11
UN Resolution on the Death Penalty.
PAGEREF _Toc187037080 \h 12
60th Anniversary of the Human Rights Declaration.
PAGEREF _Toc187037081 \h 12
International Migrants’ Day.
PAGEREF _Toc187037082 \h 12
Peace building. PAGEREF
_Toc187037083 \h 12
Negros Peace Week Celebration 2007.
PAGEREF _Toc187037084 \h 12
Peace Movement: Past and Future.
PAGEREF _Toc187037085 \h 13
The Future of Catholic Peacebuilding.
PAGEREF _Toc187037086 \h 13
Reconciliation Processes.
PAGEREF _Toc187037087 \h 13
The Past, Genocide and the Future.
PAGEREF _Toc187037088 \h 13
Interfaith and Intercultural Cooperation for Peace.
PAGEREF _Toc187037089 \h 13
The Russian Orthodox Church and Pax Christi International
PAGEREF _Toc187037090 \h 13
Europe and Asia: Between Islam and the United States: Lessons of
Afghanistan, Iraq, Lebanon and Iran
PAGEREF _Toc187037091 \h 14
Developing Peace Spirituality and Theology.
PAGEREF _Toc187037092 \h 14
Prayers for Peace in Iraq and in the World.
PAGEREF _Toc187037093 \h 14
Papal Message for 2008 World Peace Day.
PAGEREF _Toc187037094 \h 14
Networking. PAGEREF
_Toc187037095 \h 15
Antennes for Peace.
PAGEREF _Toc187037096 \h 15
International Calendar
PAGEREF _Toc187037097 \h 15
On the 6th of
December 2007, Pope Benedict XVI appointed Archbishop Laurent Monsengwo
Pasinya of Kisangani to lead the Diocese of Kinshasa, the capital of DR
Congo. Archbishop Monsengwo Pasinya, 68, is co-president of Pax Christi
International and president of the Episcopal conference of the DRCongo.
He succeeds Cardinal Frédéric
Etsou-Nzabi-Bamungwabi, who died last January at the age of 76. Msgr.
Laurent Monsengwo Pasinya was born in Mongibello, DR Congo. He is the
former president of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and
Madagascar.
In a press release,
issued on the 6th of December 2007, Claudette Werleigh,
Secretary General of Pax Christi International, expressed gratitude at
the appointment of Msgr. Monsengwo. “There has seldom been a more
critical time during the DR Congo’s long struggle for peace, that strong
moral leadership has become so necessary to the future of the country”,
Claudette said. Read the press release in English Ref:
07-01309 and French Ref:
07-01309.fr. Read also in French, Ref:
07-01315.
TOP
Pax Christi Flanders has
nominated Etienne De Jonghe, former Secretary General of Pax Christi
International, and his wife Magda Van Damme, as life-long Ambassadors
for Peace. Fr. Luc Vansina, Capuchin and Coordinator of Memisa Belgium,
which is a NGO active in the DR Congo, also received the nomination. The
nomination ceremony, was attended by about 200 people, and took place on
the 11th of December 2007 at the Egmont Palace in Brussels.
Claudette Werleigh, Secretary General, and Fr. Paul Lansu of the
International Secretariat attended. More information is available in
Dutch in Ref:
07-01345.
TOP
Gordon Zahn passed away
on the 9th of December 2007 at the age of 89. Gordon was a
co-founding father of Pax Christi USA and an advocate for the rights of
conscientious objectors. He played a major role in highlighting the
importance of people like Franz Jägerstätter from Austria, who was
recently beatified in October 2007. Gordon also played a crucial role in
the general progress of the Catholic peace movement, the Catholic Peace
Fellowship, the opposition to the Vietnam War, Pax Christi USA and also
at the outcome of the Second Vatican Council in the 60s.
The International
Secretariat of Pax Christi offers its sincere condolences and prayers.
We pray that God will bless him with eternal life. May he rest in peace.
Pax Christi USA issued a message with condolences, which is available in
Ref: 07-01339. Michael Hovey, a very good friend of Gordon Zahn, wrote
an in memoriam, which can be read in Ref:
07-01335.
TOP
The family and friends of Hans Anton Ederer of Pax Christi in Austria
thank all of us for being so close when Hans Anton passed away.
Approximately 300 people attended the funeral on the 19th of
November 2007. The local bishop, Msgr. Dr. Egon Kapellari, conducted the
service. An obituary in memory of Hans Anton Ederer is written, in
German, by Helga Tiffinger and is available on the front page of Pax
Christi Austria’s website:
www.paxchristi.at.
TOP
Africa
Pax Christi Flanders and
the Capuchin Community in Belgium held a Colloquium entitled “Hope Gives
Life to Congo.” Introductions were given by a delegate of the Belgian
Foreign Ministry and by civil, religious and military organisations
(CIMIC – Civil Military Cooperation) involved in the peace process in
the Democratic Republic of Congo, DRC. Josaphat Baligamire, volunteer
with Pax Christi Flanders, gave an overview of the commitment and
projects of the Flemish section in the DR Congo. The Colloquium took
place on the 11th of December 2007 at Egmont Palace in
Brussels. About 200 people attended. Claudette Werleigh and Paul Lansu
of the International Secretariat participated in the Colloquium. A short
report is available in Dutch, in Ref:
07-01353.
TOP
Americas & Caribbean
IANSA members in Colombia, Redepaz and Movimiento de Madres por la Vida
(Mothers for Life) highlighted the plight of kidnapped victims on the 7th
of December 2007, and asked members of the public to light a candle in
solidarity at 7pm. According to sources, an estimated 7000 people are
being held by kidnappers in Colombia. IANSA is the International Action
Network Against Small Arms, of which Pax Christi International is a
member. Redepaz is the Member Organisation of Pax Christi International
in Colombia. More information on the event is available at
http://www.iansa.org/regions/samerica/samerica.htm.
TOP
Colombia: ammunition destroyed as part of peace process
IANSA, the International Network Against Small Arms, of which Pax
Christi International is a member, informed us about the destruction of
ammunition in Colombia. 18,000 guns and 2.7 million rounds of
ammunition were melted into 25 tonnes of metal in the Colombian city of
Sogamoso on the 14th of December. Most of the guns were
AK-47s, handed in by the paramilitary group United Self-Defense Forces
of Colombia (AUC), as part of the peace process. The guns had originally
been used in the conflicts of El Salvador, Guatemala and Nicaragua, and
then sold on to Colombian guerrillas. The serial numbers of each gun was
recorded in a computerised database before their destruction. These will
be cross-referenced with 240,000 criminal cases involving paramilitary
groups currently being investigated. Victims of the conflict and former
combatants accompanied government officials to witness the destruction.
A sculpture to honour victims of the Colombian war will be created from
the residue. Redepaz, a Member Organisation in Colombia, is a member of
the national network of IANSA. More information in Spanish at the
following link:
http://www.elpais.com/articulo/internacional/18000/armas/paz/Colombia/elpepuint/20071215elpepuint_1/Tes
TOP
Claudette Werleigh, Secretary General of Pax Christi International,
attended part of the meetings that took place regarding the Coordination
between the country of Haiti and the NGOs active within the European
Union. The meeting took place on the 6th of December 2007 at
the offices of Broederlijk Delen. Broederlijk is in charge of this
coordination, which includes the participation of about 15 NGOs. An
exchange of information and analysis took place, and many of those
present who have visited Haiti recently, shared their impressions.
TOP
The Commission
Episcopale Nationale Justice et Paix (JILAP), a Member Organisation in
Haiti, issued its bulletin of July and November 2007. According to the
information received, the human rights situation in the country has
improved slightly, but the impunity continues to be a serious problem.
The bulletin is written in Creole, the national language in Haiti, and
is mainly addressed to all the members and local commissions of the
Commission in Haiti. Read bulletin no. 17 in Ref: 07-01319 and no.18 in
Ref:
07-01318.
TOP
CPT releases preliminary statistics on land conflicts in Brazil for
2007
On the 10th
of December 2007, the Pastoral Land Commission, CPT, a Member
Organisation in Brazil, released preliminary statistics on land
conflicts within Brazil, accounted by the institution from January to
September 2007. During that period the number of water-related conflicts
increased slightly, compared to cases filed during the same period in
2006. Moreover, 42% of the cases occurred in Brazilian states that are
crossed by the São Francisco River, where a large scale transposition
project is being developed by the Federal Government. Statistics show
lower conflict numbers for 2007, although murders in the West-Central
region of the country doubled during the first nine months, and the
number of people working in slave-conditions also increased. Further
data is available at CPT’s website:
www.cptnacional.org.br. More information is available in Ref:
07-01346.
TOP
Asia & Pacific
The Human Rights Media
Resource Center Kandy, a Member Organisation in Sri Lanka, is pleased
that the United Nations Human Rights Committee, UNHRC, has published its
view in the case of Lieutenant Dingiri Banda, after he claimed that he
was tortured by two captains of the Sri Lankan Army. The Center has been
providing Legal assistance and security to Dingiri Banda. He is a Human
Rights activist working with the Human Rights Media Resource Center.
Read more in Ref:
07-01284.
TOP
Pax Christi in the Archdiocese of
Berlin, Germany, is deeply concerned over the recent recommencement of
hostilities through bombardments by both the Sri Lankan Forces and the
LTTE in the Northeast of Sri Lanka. The movement also rejects all kinds
of violent attacks carried out in other parts of the country. As a peace
loving movement, on behalf of the affected innocent people, Pax Christi
asks the Government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE to stop the ongoing
violence immediately, and to alleviate the suffering of the voiceless
people by returning to a more humane approach, and to put an end to this
brutal and senseless war. They also request the international community
to intervene collectively to exercise the necessary pressure on both
sides to return to negotiating a settlement towards permanent peace in
the country. Read the press release dated 5th December 2007
in Ref:
07-01305.
TOP
Support United Nations Monitoring in Sri Lanka
At the request of Fr. Nandana, Director of the Human Rights
Media Center in Kandy, a Member Organisation in Sri Lanka, Fr. Paul
Lansu co-signed a letter addressed to the President of Sri Lanka. This
letter supports the call made by the United Nations High Commissioner
for Human Rights, Ms. Louise Arbour, to extend support for Sri Lanka
through human rights monitoring of all violations of human rights done
by any group whatsoever. In the letter, the Sri Lankan government is
urged to utilise this opportunity to address many of the problems that
have caused enormous insecurity to the people, and that act as obstacles
to development in the country. The Office of the High Commissioner for
Human Rights in Geneva received a copy of the letter. Read the letter in
Ref:
07-01360.
TOP
The National Catholic
Commission for Justice and Peace, a Member Organisation in Pakistan,
issued an evaluation on the coming elections in the country. A possible
boycott of the elections is proposed. According to the report, it
appears that the present political situation in the country is likely to
continue. The Commission is pleading for a non-violent way for the
establishment of democracy in the country. More information is available
in Ref:
07-01321.
TOP
The Pakistan Catholic
Bishops’ Conference (PCBC) met on the 23rd of November 2007
to discuss the imposed state of Emergency, the political unrest and
growing militancy, as well as the curbs on media and free expression in
the country. A statement, calling for an end to the Emergency and
providing recommendations, was issued at this session. The PCBC is the
founder of Pax Christi International’s Member Organisation, the National
Committee for Justice and Peace, Pakistan (NCJP). Following the
statement that emerged from this special session, the United States
Conference of Catholic Bishops wrote a letter to Ms. Condoleezza Rice,
U.S. Secretary of State, endorsing the demands made by the PCBC. For the
full statement and the letter, please see Ref.
07-01342.
TOP
India-Pakistan Peace Building Essay Contest
The National Commission
for Justice, Peace and Development, a Member organisation in India, is
in the process of finalising its Biennial Report for the year 2006-2007.
This report will include information on Human Rights training, Peace
Building, Campaign on the Right to Food, Social Advocacy and initiatives
in Indian and Pakistani Universities.
The NCJPD co-organised
an essay contest on India-Pakistan Peace Building (see Ref:
07-01373), which received a tremendous response from youth, both in
India and Pakistan (1500 students in total). The award ceremony will be
held in New Delhi on the 30th of January 2008. About 50 youth
from India and Pakistan will attend the ceremony and a National
Conference. The NCJPD is happy to have the opportunity to involve youth
of all religious, regional and linguistic groups in Peace building
initiatives.
TOP
Human Rights Day of the
Catholic Church in Thailand is celebrated every year in November. This
is done to raise awareness among Christians on the value and equal
dignity of fellow human beings according to the teaching of the Gospel,
and to encourage them to participate in the promotion of human rights
and peace in society. This year, it was celebrated on the 18th
of November with the theme “Christians and Elections”. Pax Christi's
Member Organisation in Thailand, the Catholic Commission for Justice and
Peace (CCJP) issued a messaged on this occasion. The Chairperson of the
CCJP, Bishop Philip Banchong Chaiyara, invited all Thai Catholics to
fulfil their duty in building a just and democratic society,
particularly in the general elections on the 23rd of December
2007. The full statement is available at the CCJP web site:
http://www.jpthai.org/english/content/view/28/14/
(Source: Justice and
Peace Workers Bulletin Oct-Dec 2007)
TOP
Japanese Article 9 Campaign – Letter of Support
As a supporter of the Article 9 Campaign, Pax
Christi International invites you, once again, to sign the following
letter of support. As you might know, Article 9 of the Japanese
Constitution, which is a commitment to the refusal of war, is under
pressure. Together with the Catholic Council for Justice and Peace, a
Member Organisation in Japan, we believe that it is important to keep
this article so that it can be maintained and applied, and stress the
need for a wide support base. More information is available in English,
French and Spanish in Ref:
07-01082, Ref:
07-01082.fr and Ref:
07-01082.es
In early December 2007, Jean
Stokan, policy director of Pax Christi USA, delivered a speech at an
inter-religious gathering in Asia on Article 9, the peace clause in the
Japanese constitution. She sent us the following plea from the Japanese
Catholic Council for Justice and Peace on Article 9. Read Jean's speech
at the following link:
http://www.paxchristiusa.org/article9presentation.pdf
TOP
Middle East
Peace Mission in Afghanistan
IKV/Pax Christi in the
Netherlands issued a document in which different scenarios for a better
policy in Afghanistan is analysed. The Member Organisation is pleading
for a stronger diplomatic effort in order to advance the peace process
further. On the 26th of November 2007, IKV/Pax Christi issued
a press release stating that the prolongation of the Dutch troops in the
context of the International Security Assistance Force, ISAF, is not a
good decision. The press statement is available in Dutch in Ref:
07-01266 and in French in Ref:
07-01266.fr.
Catholics for Peace in
Toronto (CFP), a Member Organisation in Canada, wrote an Open Letter
addressed to the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops concerning
Canada’s role in Afghanistan. CFP has urged the bishops to speak out
clearly on the morality of modern warfare. The letter is available in
Ref:
07-01362.
Pax Christi Germany is
co-organising a seminar to discuss a strategy for peace and security,
and the role of the peace movement in Afghanistan. The seminar will take
place in Aachen on the 18th and 19th of January
2008.
TOP
The Center for Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation, CCRR, a Member
Organisation in Bethlehem, Palestine, is very proud to announce that it
has received this year's WANGO award in the field of peace and security.
WANGO is the world's largest, general purpose, international association
for NGOs, with members in over 140 countries and close to 70,000
members. The CCRR has been selected as the recipient of the 2007 Peace &
Security Award. The prestigious WANGO awards recognise Non-Governmental
organisations (NGOs) from across the world, that demonstrate exceptional
effort, service, innovation, and excellence. These awards are presented
to both large, well-known NGOs, as well as to the smaller NGOs in less
developed regions, whose valuable work may have slipped wider
visibility. The various projects of CCRR - peace education, youth
projects, media programnes, school violence, young politicians’
programmes, and programmes for women - are fundamentally important for
the future of Palestine and ultimately world peace. On the 9th
of November 2007, CCRR's director, Dr. Noah Salameh, accepted the prize
at the Awards Ceremony at the World Congress of NGOs in Toronto, Canada.
Dr. Salameh said that security has to be based on Peace, and not peace
based on the misuse of security, as happens today in many different
places.
TOP
Brigitte Herremans, Middle East Desk of Pax Christi Flanders and
Broederlijk Delen in Belgium, accompanied a Belgian parliamentarian
delegation to Israel and Palestine during the first week of December
2007. The parliamentarians were Johan Verstreken (CD&V), Jan Roegiers
(Spirit) and Wouter De Vriendt (Groen). Some of the impressions of the
parliamentarians have been published on their websites (in Dutch)
http://www.wouterdevriendt.be/ and
http://www.janroegiers.be/.
TOP
Donor Conference Palestinian Territories
An economic donor
conference for the Palestinian Territories took place on the 18th
of December 2008 in Paris. This meeting was seen as an additional
conference to the top political meetings in Annapolis, USA, in November
2008. A statement was made at this meeting to create an independent
Palestinian state by the end of 2008. Brigitte Herremans of Pax Christi
Flanders prepared an analysis and evaluation of this donor conference,
which is available in Dutch, in Ref:
07-01361.
TOP
During the Advent and
Christmas Season 2007, about 400 messages for justice and peace in the
Holy Land made by individuals, parishes, communities and organisations
worldwide, have been communicated to our partners in Bethlehem. Read all
the messages in
http://www.paxchristi.net/xm/read.php?wat=all
You can also find the
Christmas Message of 2007 by His Beatitude Michel Sabbah, former
International President of Pax Christi International. The message is in
7 languages –Arabic, English,
French, Italian, Hebrew, German and Spanish
and is available
on the following Website
-
www.lpj.org
The text of the Christmas
Midnight Mass homily by Archbishop Michel Sabbah, patriarch of
Jerusalem, entitled "Human History Is Full of Wars, But It Is Also Full
of God" is available at Ref:
07-01376.
TOP
On Friday the 21st
of December 2007, inhabitants from Bethlehem, as well as visiting
internationals, held a vigil in the form of a living star next to The
Wall at Rachel’s Tomb. In a cold but clear evening, they came together
to bring out a message of peace, sumud (persistence) and solidarity
vis-a-vis the Wall with its message of division and expropriation.
Several buses
transported the participants to Rachel’s Tomb. They took up positions on
the outer lines of a large star made of plywood, walked, and sang
Christmas, peace and national songs.
AEI-Open Windows has
established a sumud peace house at the Wall near Rachel’s Tomb to
develop activities in the community and to conduct advocacy on the issue
of the illegality of the Wall.
The event was organised by the Arab Education Institute, a Member
Organisation in Palestine.
TOP
The International Church
Action for Peace in Palestine and Israel (ICAPPI) is an advocacy
initiative of the World Council of Churches, in which Pax Christi
International and its Member Organisations participate. ICAPPI will
complete 3 years in 2008, and the focus will be a joint Week of Action,
to be held from the 4th to the 10th of June 2008.
Churches, parishes, organisations or groups are invited by the WCC and
Pax Christi International to participate in the initiative. For a list
of 2007 participants and events please visit:
www.oikoumene.org/en/events-sections/icappi-2007?html
TOP
The Arab Educational Institute, AEI, a Member
Organisation in Bethlehem, Palestine, issued its E-newsletter for
December 2007. The edition contains a Christmas and Al-Adha message from
Fuad Giacaman, General Director of AEI, as well as different activities
and announcements related to the programmes of AEI, such as Palestine in
Education, AEI’s women’s group, etc. For more information visit
www.aeicenter.org or Ref:
07-01355.
TOP
Europe
A public debate on the status of
Kosovo took place on the 13th of December 2007 in Amsterdam,
the Netherlands. The debate was organised by IKV/Pax Christi. Since
1999, Kosovo has been governed by UNMIK, the Interim Administration
Mission in Kosovo. The Serbian minority wants to keep Kosovo as part of
Serbia, while the ethnic Albanians who are in a majority, want to be
independent. IKV/Pax Christi issued its December Newsletter on the 13th
of December, which is available in Dutch in Ref:
07-01351. More information is
also available by emailing Daria Nashat on:
nashat@ikvpaxchristi.nl
TOP
Members of Pax Christi in
Belfast, Northern Ireland, participated in non-violent peace protests at
the Nuclear Submarine Base in Faslane, near Glasgow, Scotland. The
group, which is part of the Make Trident History (including Peace
People, Quakers and Pax Christi), protested against the Trident
Missiles. On the 29th of November 2007, Pax Christi members
met with Mier, the brother of Mordecai Vanunu, the nuclear engineer who
is under house arrest in Israel. Mairead McKeown spoke to a group of
religious, at the request of the Redemptorist Fathers, on her
involvement with Non-Violent peacemaking in Belfast. The ExCom of Pax
Christi Ireland met on the 1st of December 2007 in Dublin.
TOP
IKV Pax Christi
Netherlands, the Open Society Institute, and the Centre for European
Policy Studies organised an expert meeting in Brussels on the 4th
of December 2007. This meeting was organised to explore ways of how to
support de-escalation and to promote a confidence-building process in
the Georgian-South Ossetian conflict. Mr Kosta
Dzugaev, analyst at the University of Tskhinvali and Mr Zura
Bendianishvili,
independent expert from Tbilisi, provided a unique view from the inside,
and pointed out challenges and opportunities for confidence-building and
the resolution of the conflicts. International experts and European
policy-makers attended, presented an outsiders’ view, and focused on the
possible role that the European Union could play in supporting this
confidence-building process. Michael Roekaerts of the International
Secretariat participated in this meeting. For more information please
contact Ms Marte Otter via email at IKV Pax Christi:
otter@ikvpaxchristi.nl.
TOP
Pax Christi Germany on the European
Union
“The European Union
should further reform in the direction of a more and deeper democratic
format” - this was the title of the statement made by the Executive
Committee of Pax Christi Germany issued on the 13th of
December 2007. The German section has called for a coherent EU reform in
which peace and security, environment and development, human rights and
social cohesion, become the key pillars of a more democratic Europe, as
well as the role of civil society and the churches in Europe will have a
bigger importance. More information is available in German, in Ref:
07-01349.
TOP
Former minister Jan
Pronk has been appointed the new President of IKV, the Inter Church
Peace Council in the Netherlands. IKV/Pax Christi in the Netherlands
have two autonomous organisational bodies and Executive Committees, but
has a linked cooperation of the two main peace movements - IKV and Pax
Christi in the Netherlands. For many years, Jan Pronk has been Minister
for Development Cooperation and has been adjunct Secretary General of
UNCTAD, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development and UN
Special Rapporteur on Sudan. The mandate as President of IKV begins on
the 1st of January 2008. Msgr. Van Luyn is the Bishop
President of Pax Christi. More information is available in Dutch and
English on the website:
www.ikvpaxchristi.nl
TOP
Disarmament & Demilitarisation
The “Biological and Toxin Weapons
Convention (BTWC): 2007 Meeting of States Parties” took place at the
United Nations in Geneva, from the 10th to the 14th
of December 2007. On the 10th of December, Trevor Griffiths,
representative of Pax Christi International, submitted an oral and
written statement in which he urged for the comprehensive implementation
and promotion of the universalisation of the BTW Convention. Jean Pascal
Zanders, coordinator of the Bioweapons Prevention Project, BWPP, of
which Pax Christi International is a member, participated in a direct
dialogue with the Chair. Read the statement in Ref:
07-01282.
TOP
Pax Christi International is a
member of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines, ICBL. ICBL has a
Newsletter and offers the latest campaign sources and developments on
the implementation of the Treaty of 1997. The annual Landmine Monitor
offers details about APM in different countries and regions.
Subscription information is available on the website:
www.icbl.org/news/icbl_news
TOP
Vienna Conference on Cluster Munitions
The Cluster
Munitions Coalition, CMC, of which Pax Christi International is a
member, made a statement at the Third International Conference on
Cluster Munitions on the 5th of December 2007, urging all 138
participating governments to work for a new treaty and for the strongest
global ban on cluster munitions. The Austrian government hosted the
conference, which took place from the 4th to the 7th
of December 2007 in Vienna. NGOs from more than 50 countries attended.
Read the statement in Ref:
07-01310 and a CMC Report of
the 21st of December 2007 in Ref:
07-01374. For more
information visit the website:
www.stopclustermunitions.org
TOP
Globalisation is a crucial factor in the modern arms industry, as the
trading of arms becomes more transnational. Enormous sums of money are
involved in this business, partly due to a growing dependency on
high-tech equipment in wars. Both from an economical and a moral
viewpoint, the issue of arms trade needs to be monitored and debated.
Through the so-called Gothenburg Process, the churches are playing an
increasingly important role in this challenge. In October 2007, the
Gothenburg III conference took place in Nairobi, Kenya. Peter Brüne,
Director of the Life and Peace Institute, a member organisation in
Sweden, represented our movement at the meeting and wrote an article
about the role of Churches in the Arms Trade. This article has been
published in New Routes, a Journal of Peace Research and Action of Life
and Peace. Read the article in Ref:
07-01363 and/or go to the following website:
www.gothenburgprocess.org
TOP
Human Rights, Rule of Law &
Violent Conflict
The resumed sixth session of the Human Rights
Council took place at the United Nations in Geneva, from the 10th
to the 14th of December 2007. Trevor Griffiths, Victor
Santiapillai and Raul Todea, representatives of Pax Christi
International attended the session. More information is available at the
website:
www.ohchr.org
TOP
The 46th
session of the Commission for Social Development will be convened from
the 6th to the 15th of February 2008 at the United
Nations in New York. The priority theme will be “Full Employment and
Decent Work for All.” In addition, the session will include a review of
relevant United Nations plans and programmes of action pertaining to the
situation of social groups such as: persons with disabilities, youth,
ageing and the family. On the 5th of February, a Civil
Society Forum will be convened. Madeline Labriola, representative of Pax
Christi International in New York, will attend. More information is
available on the following website:
www.un.org/esa/socdev/csd/csocd2008.htm.
TOP
The UN Commission on the
Status of Women (CSW) will hold its 52nd session from the 25th
of February to the 7th of March 2008 at the United Nations in
New York. The Commission will focus on the thematic issue of “Financing
for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women.” Madeline Labriola,
representative of Pax Christi International at the UN in New York, will
attend. More information is available on the website:
www.un.org/womenwatch/daw
TOP
The United Nations
General Assembly voted on the 18th of December 2007, to pass
a non-binding resolution that calls for a moratorium on the death
penalty, and urges countries to open debates on abolishing the practice
altogether. Egypt, Iran, Singapore and the USA were among the 54
countries that voted against the measure. On the 24th of
December 2007, Claudette Werleigh, Secretary General of Pax Christi
International, sent a letter supporting the resolution to H.E. Srgjan
Kerim, President of the General Assembly. Read the letter in Ref:
07-01375.
TOP
The UN
Secretary-General is leading a year-long campaign to mark the
60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration
of Human Rights (UDHR) on the 10th of December
2008. The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has
prepared some material to help us commemorate this day, which can be
found at the following address:
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/UDHR/Pages/60UDHRIntroduction.aspx.
Pax Christi International invites all its Member
Organisations to give priority to the commemoration this important
anniversary.
TOP
On the
occasion of International Migrants’ Day on the 18th of
December 2007, the European Network Against Racism, the Platform for
International Cooperation on Undocumented Workers (PICUM) and Solidar
wrote a letter addressed to Prime Minister Janez Janša of Slovenia. The
purpose of the letter was to emphasise the need for a stronger framework
of international human rights standards, including the ratification of
the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of all
Migrant Workers and Members of their Families, in taking forward
proposals to fight irregular employment and exploitative working
conditions. Slovenia has the EU Presidency over the coming 6 months of
2008. Pax Christi International is a member of the PICUM Coalition. Read
the letter in Ref:
07-01359.
TOP
Peace building
Negros Peace Week Celebration 2007
Pax Christi Philippines
took part in the Negros Peace Week Celebrations held on the Island of
Negros from the 26th of November to the 3rd of
December 2007. During that week, the Pax Christi Institute held a basic
course on transformative mediation. Different activities took place on
peace building, human rights and nonviolent conflict transformation. A
Prayer for Peace was used during the Flag Raising Ceremonies and Holy
Masses. Read the prayer in
07-01272.
TOP
A round table debate
took place on the issue of “The Peace Movement: Past and Future” on
the14th of December 2007 at the Belgian Parliament in Brussels. The two
main speakers were Etienne De Jonghe, former Secretary General of Pax
Christi International, and Prof. Katlijn Malfliet, former President of
Pax Christi Flanders. The debate was introduced by Els Schelfhout and
moderated by Sabine de Bethune, parliamentarians. Fr. Paul Lansu of the
International Secretariat attended.
TOP
Pax Christi
International is a member of the Catholic Peacebuilding Network, CPN,
based at the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies, University
of Notre Dame in the USA. CPN is organising its Fifth Annual
International Conference entitled “The Future of Catholic Peacebuilding”
which will be held from the 13th to the 15th of
April 2008 at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, IN, USA.
Archbishop Antonio Ledesma, Vice President of the Philippines Bishops’
Conference and bishop president of Pax Christi Philippines, will give an
opening speech on “Peace as the Church’s Vocation: The Role of Bishops.”
Marie Dennis, Co President of Pax Christi International will speak on
the issue of “The Ethics of War and the Ethics of Peacebuilding.”
Claudette Werleigh, Secretary General of Pax Christi International will
speak about Future Challenges and Directions for Catholic Peacebuilding.
More information is available on the website:
www.cpn.nd.edu
TOP
The
Center for Peace Ethics at the Faculty of Theology, KU-Leuven, and Pax
Christi Flanders, are planning a Peace Day on the 27th of
February 2008. The topic chosen is “Everything passes except the past:
on the processing of genocide, civil war and totalitarian oppression.”
Participants will consider the ways in which the confrontation with the
painful heritage of a war or oppression regime can be taken stock of, in
as dignified a manner as possible, in the development of a peaceful
society. Is amnesty doomed to failure? What are the factors that turn
many people’s tribunals into obstacle courses rather than into inviting
pathways to peace? Do truth commissions, in their organised quest for
the past, risk perpetuating the pain instead of bringing about healing?
And above all, what is the best, conceivable solution? Prof. Em. Luc
Huyse will give the main introduction on this topic. Three respondents
will react from the perspective of their specific research backgrounds:
(1) Restorative Justice in Peace building in Nigeria, (2) Religion and
Peace building in post-war Bosnia-Herzegovina, and (3) South African
Researching Issues of Human Dignity and Justice. More information is
available on the following website:
www.theo.kuleuven.be/page/coll_peace2008/
TOP
In a message dated the
29th of November 2007, the Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk
and Kaliningrad, Chairman of the Department for External Church
Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate in Russia, expressed his cordial
thanks for the cooperation between the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) and
Pax Christi International during the term of Etienne De Jonghe as
Secretary General. Since 1974, Pax Christi International held regular
dialogue sessions with the ROC. The need for efficient Orthodox –
Catholic interaction in all life spheres including peace-making is
increasingly high, the Metropolitan said. “So much the more valuable is
the years-long common experience of the ROC and Pax Christi
International.
In a similar message
dated the 3rd of December 2007 addressed to Claudette
Werleigh, the new Secretary General of Pax Christi International,
Metropolitan Kirill expressed his hope that the long-standing relations
will get a new positive impetus. “Our dialogue could be developed on
solid grounds of the needed Orthodox-Catholic cooperation in many fields
including some important peacemaking activities,” the Metropolitan
wrote.
TOP
An international
conference on religions and peace took place in Melbourne, Australia,
from the 5th to the 7th of December 2007. The
conference was jointly sponsored by the Centre for Dialogue (La Trobe
University), the Innovative Universities European Union Centre, the
Contemporary Europe Research Centre (University of Melbourne),
"L’Orientale" (Università degli Studi di Napoli, Italy), the Institute
for Social Ethics (Nanzan University, Japan), the Institute for
International Relations (Warsaw University, Poland) and the Cold War
Studies Centre (London School of Economics and Political Science, UK).
The Centre for Dialogue is a major initiative of La Trobe University. It
comes after several years of preparation and close collaboration with
Australian and international partner organisations. Pax Christi
Australia is co-sponsor of the Center. Read more about the Center in
Ref: AP.89.E.06. In August 2006, H.B. Michel Sabbah, Latin Patriarch of
Jerusalem and President of Pax Christi International gave a message of
support to the Center. The message can be read in Ref:
PB.27.E.06. More information is also available on the following
websites
http://www.latrobe.edu.au/dialogue/events.html
http://www.latrobe.edu.au/dialogue/index.html
TOP
Each day, at the same time, Pax
Christi USA members, friends and all people of faith, are invited to
take five minutes to join in prayer with others around the world for
peace. Pax Christi USA asks people to pray for five minutes, one minute
for each year of the war in Iraq. All are invited to pray that this year
will be the last year of war in Iraq, and prayers are offered so that no
future war-- whether in Iran or elsewhere--ever takes place. Prayers can
be downloaded from the Pax Christi USA website at
www.paxchristiusa.org
TOP
“The Human Family, a Community of Peace” is the
title of the Papal Message for the 41st World Peace Day that
will be celebrated on the 1st of January 2008. The message
includes dimensions of peace related to the environment, the economy,
the moral law, as well as on overcoming conflicts and disarmament. Pope
Benedict XVI has called for increased efforts from international leaders
toward nuclear disarmament. In the message he criticised those involved
in the ongoing arms race and highlighted the profit being made by those
involved in the manufacture and production of weapons. Member
Organisations of Pax Christi International make use of the Message
during the different Peace Sundays and other related activities. Read
the message in Ref:
07-01340.
TOP
Antennes de Paix in
Montréal, a Member Organisation in Canada, publishes the “Chronique Pax
Christi” every week, which contains interesting news items about Pax
Christi International, Member Organisations of the network, as well as
important items to be followed by our movement. The Chronique of the 15th
of December, a document in English and French and which has more than
100 pages, is available in Ref:
07-01354. Gilettes Pilette is the member of the group who collects
the information, and can be contacted via e-mail:
gillespilette@videotron.ca
TOP
Click here to view the International Calendar of
upcoming events:
http://storage.paxchristi.net/calendar.pdf.
To unsubscribe from this list contact
library@paxchristi.net or write to us at:
Pax Christi Newsletter, Pax Christi
International, 21 Vieux Marché aux Grains, B-1000 Brussels, Belgium.
Pax Christi is the International Catholic Peace Movement
with members worldwide
For more information visit our website:
www.paxchristi.net
Top of the Document
