Archive for November, 2008

Doha development summit

November 27, 2008
Michel Roy for Caritas

Michel Roy for Caritas

Friday, 28th November 

Read Vatican Statement on Doha Meeting and Civil Society Declaration

From the Civil Society Forum to the International Conference on Financing for Development

The Forum ended with a declaration giving civil society’s points of view and demands on the 6 Monterrey pillars, stressing that “the world is consumed by an urgent series of crises: energy, food, climate and finance that not only threaten the realization of the MDGs and the lives and livelihoods of hundreds of millions of people, but also the stability of the world’s economies. The northern governments and financial system are responsible for the present crises, but the costs and impacts are paid by the entire world and by the poorest countries in particular”. More than 1 billion people are directly struck by the current crises. Not even 2% of the sums that the rich countries have decided to use to save their financial institutions would be needed to finance the MDGs and give everyone a chance of a human life. This is just a matter of political will.

Here are some of the demands that came out of the Forum:
• Developing countries should be allowed to take effective democratic ownership and leadership of their domestic policy space, without interference from northern countries or the Bretton Woods institutions.
• Fair and progressive taxation systems should be established that are redistributive, gender sensitive, accords tax relief for low wage workers and the poor.
• Countries should ratify the UN anti corruption convention and establish an effective system of monitoring its implementation.
• The committee of experts on international cooperation in tax matters should be upgraded to become an intergovernmental body.
• Governments should agree to binding timetables to reach the UN target of 0,7% of GNI of ODA by 2015 at the latest.
• Recognising the global challenges to meet the greenhouse gas emission cuts, countries should commit the additional non-debt creating funds to address climate change.
• Measures should be adopted which promise to generate significant levels of additional funding for environmental and development initiatives including further work on currency transaction and financial tax initiatives.
• Debt cancellation of southern countries must be extended and de-linked from lender conditionality. Structures should be established for addressing the debt crisis in a transparent and accountable manner. Issues related to odious and illegitimate debt have to be addressed.
• In the context of the current financial crisis and its impacts on development, measures such as closing tax havens, ending shadow banking system, stronger regulation of private equity funds and hedge funds and a ban on speculative financial products including over the counter derivatives should be urgently implemented.
• In 2009, the UN should organise a “major international conference at Summit level to comprehensively review the international financial economic governance structures” and include the active participation of civil society.

The declaration was presented at a press conference today afternoon in the presence of the President of the General Assembly of the UN, Father Miguel d’Escoto. Fr d’Escoto is a Maryknoll priest, from Nicaragua, involved in politics of his country for many years where he has been involvements Minister of Foreign Affairs. He was elected for a year term at the beginning of the last General Assembly. He gave us big thanks for our contribution which he said relates very much to his own preoccupations. He spoke of the present moral crisis “we have all been contaminated by the present perverse logics of the predominant culture: the profit at the centre instead of the human being… We must bring the human being back to the heart of economy and development”.

There are representatives from almost all 192 member countries of the UN, but only around 40 heads of state in Doha. Nicolas Sarkozy‘s presence as president of the EU is appreciated, but the fact he his the only one from among the G20 stresses all the more the little importance given by the rich nations to the poor ones through the UN and to financing for development. Other heads of state are the presidents of Sudan, Zimbabwe, Congo, Iran… which gives the Conference a certain atmosphere!

I was interviewed by Al Jazeera on the reasons why such an organisation as Caritas is present and what are our expectations.

In the evening, UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon and the Emir of Qatar organised a “retreat” called “informal high level discussion on the implications of the financial crisis for development, climate change and multilateralism” to act as a bridge from the G20 Washington meeting to the Doha Conference. A kind of starter to put the Conference at the right level of expectation to face the global crisis.


Saturday, 29th November

There we are: the Conference is launched with a lot of hope!

To go beyond the stalemate which was reached as no agreement was found when the negotiators left New York to come to Doha, the President of the General Assembly of the UN, Fr Miguel d’Escoto, decided to propose a new text which should be more acceptable to all and prevent the Conference from being a failure. This would have had dire consequences for the Financing for Development process which is already shaken by the financial and global crises.

Of course, such a text will look weak, and it is by certain measures, but not the worst it could have been. It is particularly weak on tax, debt and aid.

It is important nevertheless to stress that the UN is mentioned as the convenor of next year’s summit on global financial reform and we hope the conference will hold on to it. Also important is that the General Assembly is presented as the relevant body to convene intergovernmental negotiations for finalising the modalities for follow-up of the Doha Conference.

Apparently, the EU said they could live with the document as it is now. And G77 (bringing together more than 130 very diverse countries with major differences of opinion, but all wanting to have a say) feels that, although some key paragraphs on debt and tax are still too weak to be acceptable, paragraphs on systemic issues and on follow-up mechanisms at least mention the minimum that they would be able to live with. We don’t know yet about the US position but things should go forward towards commonly agreed steps.

I (and NGOS here present as a whole) see this text as being weaker than the Monterrey Consensus. Here are some important points (as they presently appear) that we are pushing forward.

Chapter 1: Mobilising domestic financial resources for development

We emphasize the need to address the systemic injustice of South to North resource flows including illicit capital flows. We propose a fully mandated intergovernmental and adequately resourced and funded upgraded UN Tax Committee to address some of these challenges.

Chapter 4: Increasing financial and technical cooperation for development (chapter on aid)

We also welcome the declaration by the G8 leaders in Hokkaido, Japan that they will fulfil their commitments made at Gleneagles (the increase of their ODA by US$50bn to $130bn by 2010) but this is not reflected by the mention of the increase of ODA to Africa by $25bn a year by 2010.

We underline that the financial crisis must not lead to developed countries reneging on aid promises. Donor countries have to agree to have in place binding national timetables, by the end of 2010, to increase aid levels toward achieving the established ODA targets. This has been reaffirmed in one of the today’s side-events on “effective financing for development” chaired by the OECD secretary general.

Chapter 5: External debt

“More efforts are needed through international debt resolution mechanisms to guarantee equivalent treatment of all creditors just treatment of creditors and debtors, legal predictability/ have a juridical framework. These mechanisms should take into account the legitimacy of existing claims, based on how the loans were given.” There is here important wording on the legitimacy of debts.

“We acknowledge the need to address all relevant issues regarding external debt problems, including through the United Nations and considering new ad hoc forums with technical support from the Bretton Woods institutions to explore, inter alia, sovereign debt work-out mechanisms, improving the transparency of existing frameworks and the possibility of crafting permanent debt mediation or arbitration procedures.”

Chapter 6: Addressing systemic issues

“In light of this review and recent events, we stress the need to convene a major international conference, under the United Nations auspices…” This is discussed as another summit that not everybody would like to happen. But we agree that the present crisis and its consequences make a global reform of the international system necessary, and that this has to be done in an inclusive way.

Pdt Fr Miguel d’Escoto told the Conference that he has set up a group of experts around Joseph Stiglitz to reflect on the situation and propose a reform of the United Nations.

Conclusion: on the follow up

A new intergovernmental structure is requested in the text to complement the FFD office, with a clear process to go forward.

All our job now remains to promote our views, and for me the CI ones, with the delegates.

President Nicolas Sarkozy, as acting president of the European Union, has made the trip to Doha, thus recognising the importance of both UN and financing for development especially in this period of crisis. This has been largely appreciated, as well as the importance he gave to renewed international governance making Africa and other continents real participants in the various international organisations. He said that the G8 is finished, as it has to be inclusive of more nations from all over the world. The problem is that bringing RSA and the AU on board for instance does not mean that all nations will be really represented.
It remains co-opting when it should be a democratic representation. Actually continuing to weaken the UN. We were expecting strong words on tax havens and the struggle against illicit financial flows, but that did not come.

Apart from the Plenary where all governments speak to give their opinion on the draft outcome declaration, round tables and side events allow speakers to give their view on related issues. It is an amazing blooming of ideas, usually very expert and constructive. Even if they do not integrate the declaration, they contribute to going ahead on all major issues. At the side event on “Effective financing for development” organised by the OECD, we heard among others Trevor Manuel, Finance minister of the Republic of South Africa, present his experience on mobilising taxes and Eckhard Deutscher of the DAC of OECD on the predictability of aid.


Sunday, 30 November

A hard day of negotiations

Negotiations were stranded today after the US tried to reopen several paragraphs in the negotiations this morning. The President of the General Assembly decided to adjourn the negotiations, so country groupings could discuss in the afternoon what were the very few issues that they absolutely needed to be seen in the text (or didn’t want to see changed). The Secretariat then went back to try to incorporate some of the amendments on the text. Negotiations with all were due to resume at 9pm, but they were postponed to Monday morning, and instead a limited group of 60 went to work the whole night, through in a small room with no chairs. We will soon know whether the GA Presidency managed to streamline the list of objections to a few issues, or whether the US keeps on trying to reopen several paragraphs - which then will seriously threaten the possibility of having an outcome document.

Meanwhile, at 8pm, EU ministers met at the Four Seasons Hotel to discuss the European position with regards to their key issues, and what issues they were willing to compromise on. The Europeans won’t compromise on paragraph 60 on climate change and on aid - they do not want the language to be weakened. On the other hand, they want changes on paragraph 22 on trade (no mention to major reforms in the trade system) and on 58 on systemic issues (no summit, but only high level dialogue) and 65 on the follow-up mechanisms (no creation of new institutional mechanisms).

As the US is pushing strongly to reopen numerous paragraphs, and even threatening to abandon the negotiations, Civil Society Organisations decided to draft a brief letter addressed to the EU ministers urging them to stand strongly for the outcome document, even if we still have strong reservations on a number of issues, and not give up to the US pressure.

A symbolic action was undertaken in the afternoon in the press room: a vote on the US position or the G191 position.

With the CIDSE colleagues, we met the Apostolic Delegate to the UN, Archbishop Migliore. We shared our views on the Holy See document and devised some lobbying steps to forward on major issues.

And as everyday at 7:00 pm, we met the French/EU team to discuss the day and our respective positions. Our priority now is to try to keep the draft document as it is. For the sake of the expectations of the billions of people living in poverty around the world.

Touching down in Doha

26 November

Aujourd’hui 26 novembre se sont retrouvés à Doha, la capitale du Qatar, plus de 300 militants représentants d’organisations non gouvernementales, de syndicats et de réseaux internationaux. Un programme de deux jours pour faire le point sur les négociations entre les gouvernements qui vont se retrouver ici le 29 novembre et préparer notre participation à la conférence internationale sur le financement du développement. Militants de tous continents unis pour porter la parole et les attentes des plus pauvres quant à leur avenir parmi lesquels des membres des réseaux catholiques ou protestants de développement (dont CIDSE) et des représentants de congrégations religieuses comme les carmélites et le réseau Vivat international.

La conférence a été organisée par l’ONU pour faire un état des lieux 6 ans après celle de Monterrey qui avait défini 6 axes pour le financement des Objectifs du Millénaire pour le Développement : la mobilisation des ressources nationales, l’aide publique au développement, la contribution du secteur privé, l’annulation de la dette, des règles commerciales justes, et la réforme du système international.

6 ans après, le constat partagé ici est que peu a été fait pour atteindre les objectifs que Monterrey s’était fixés. Le suivi des engagements pris s’est tenu dans le cadre de réunions de dialogue de haut niveau tous les 2 ans, s’appuyant sur un secrétariat démuni en ressources. Les crises qui se sont accumulées cette année, au-delà des dérèglements environnementaux, crises alimentaire et financière, questionnent l’ordre économique international, bousculent l’agenda de Doha et rendent encore plus urgent la mobilisation pour donner à chacun et à tous les moyens de se développer. Les attentes à l’égard des dirigeants de la planète qui viennent se retrouver ici sont d’autant plus élevées.

Le Forum de la société civile a voulu, dans ce contexte, mettre l’accent sur les objectifs du développement : il ne s’agit pas tant de mobiliser des moyens que d’« investir dans un développement centré sur le peuple ». Ce Forum a été organisé avec le concours des autorités qataries qui étaient présentes à la séance d’ouverture.

Nous avons commencé par travailler sur l’approfondissement et la priorisation des recommandations que les uns et les autres ont élaborées ces derniers mois sur la base du projet de déclaration élaboré par le bureau FdD des Nations Unies dans le cadre d’ateliers travaillant sur chacun des 6 piliers de Monterrey, et disponible depuis la fin du mois de juillet.

J’ai participé à l’atelier sur la mobilisation des ressources nationales. Ont été débattues les questions de l’espace politique nécessaire aussi bien au niveau des états que des communautés pour définir leurs politiques de développement ; les politiques macroéconomiques et la prise en considération de l’économie réelle, largement informelle ; les impôts et taxes ; les flux illicites de capitaux qui représentent des sommes considérables qui peuvent financer les OMD plusieurs fois et la nécessité de mettre au point des outils de contrôle ; la prise en compte du genre, en soi et à travers l’ensemble du texte. Puis ont été définies en plénière des priorités et une stratégie pour les ultimes démarches de lobbying des jours qui viennent.

Une déclaration de la société civile est en préparation, reprenant l’ensemble des préoccupations majeures portées ici.

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Humanitarian Agencies appeal for $7 billion in aid for 2009

November 26, 2008

By Francesca Merico
CI International Delegate in Geneva

On November 19 2008, Caritas Internationalis participated in a meeting with governments, UN Agencies and non-governmental organizations, held at the United Nations in Geneva, to launch the Inter-Agencies Humanitarian Appeal for 2009.

Caritas was cited among the organizations participating in this consolidated 2009 appeal to facilitate humanitarian action in Central African Republic, Chad, Côte d’ Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Iraq, Kenya, the occupied Palestinian territories, Somalia, Sudan, Uganda, West Africa and Zimbabwe. 

« We are here to plead for US$7 billion for a response to the urgent call of 30 million people across 31 countries whose lives have been wrecked by conflict and natural disasters » said Mr. John Holmes, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, opening the ceremony. Other keynote speakers were representatives from UNICEF, the Norwegian Refugee Council and OCHA.

As during the other meetings I’ve attended over the past 5 years, it is always very moving and painful to hear about the impact of conflicts, natural disasters, and the effects of food and financial crises on large numbers of people forced to flee their homes and countries, lose their loved ones and be denied all basic services.

How can we stand indifferent in front of the 1.3 million people displaced since fighting broke out again in North Kivu in Congo? What about the hundreds of children abducted by the Lord’s Resistance Army from Uganda? What should be our response when sexual violence is used as a weapon of war, humiliating women and girls in the Democratic Republic of Congo? How can we help the 180.000 malnourished children in Somalia when the country’s instability poses increasing challenges to safe humanitarian intervention? How do we deliver effective and timely protection and assistance to the people affected by floods and cyclones?

The Inter-Agency Humanitarian Appeal strongly urges a response to these challenges. It aims to assist the most vulnerable people in twelve of the world’s most severe crises by helping key humanitarian actors to define their strategic priorities and present projects and requests for the funding necessary to implement the strategies and to achieve the goals.

The next step in this process will be a meeting in Geneva in January 2009, when donors will gather to discuss and coordinate their strategies, priorities, and responses to the Consolidated Appeals.

The Humanitarian Appeal for 2009 can be downloaded at:

http://ochaonline.un.org/humanitarianappeal/webpage.asp?Page=1709

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International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People

November 24, 2008

By Joseph Cornelius Donnelly, Caritas Internationalis Head of Delegation, UN in New York

On this solemn commemoration of International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, the global family of 162 Catholic organixzations which comprise the Caritas Confederation confirm our individual and collective support in distinct recognition of the inalienable rights of Palestinians. As in past years, we deliberately associate ourselves on this occasion with the United Nations General Assembly Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People.

We do so once again, however, deeply conscious of the grave circumstances and fragile human situations still endured by women, children, men and elder in Jerusalem, West Bank and Gaza. Caritas continues to monitor the daily realities as we accompany these communities in the just cause of the Palestinian people.

We stand in compassionate solidarity with our dedicated, often heroic, colleagues at Caritas Jerusalem and all their partners who have repeatedly spared themselves to address daily human needs in the occupied Palestinian territories - while also painstakingly seeking the peace needed between Israelis and Palestinians. We confirm the imperative contributions of our Member Organizations in the region whose own lives, expertise and aspirations for the Middle East are intimately intertwined with the Palestinian people. This solidarity distinguishes all serious committed stakeholders believing peace is possible.

The inalienable rights of the Palestinian people are defined by law and the international community as: the right to self-determination, national independence and sovereignty, and the return of Palestine refugees to their ancestral homes and lands. These are indigenous, human and political, as recognized in countries around the world. They are integral parts of the long search for a truly comprehensive, just and durable settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. We respectfully recognize the diverse journeys of persons, families and comunities through decades of extreme difficulties through terrible times. We implore all others to carefully consider these conditions to further challenge the long held “status quo” toward greater, more urgent interventions. Without substantive engagement to address the well known root causes of this struggle for liberation, Palestinian lives remind captive to occupation, barely existing in their anguished survival, mentally as well as physically.

Their sad story, however, is not without strength, determination, even hope. Many state: “Yes, we have hope. Hope beyond hope. This is our story, past to present.” Indeed, this enduring capacity to remain steadfast amidst insecurity and intensified turmoil is known around the world - with what seem to be more communities offering every kind of moral and practical assistance while never quite matching the vast needs. Gratitudes are measured more by the serious expressions of solidarity than the generous supports, appreciated and needed as they are.

While Palestine, the Holy Land, sacred to Jews, Christians and Muslims,was partitioned after the adoption of UN-GA resolution 181, exactly sixty-one years ago this week, the contless “temporary” rules and procedures have dug deeply into several generations now as regrettaable permanent facts of life. For 30 years this solemn commemoration, held annually at UN headquarters,
continues to turn the calendars - hoping, working, negotiating, searching. In 2007 there seemed a cautious but renewed energized window of opportunity. World leaders spoke anew for the realization of a free idependent Palestinian state by the close of 2008. Today’s 31st commemoration unfolds amidst heightened frustrations in an alarming humanitarian context with the unforunate sense that yet another year has come and will be gone in one month. The hoped-for 193rd Member State, Palestine,
has not been realized. The flagpole stands still amongst the 192 nations waiting. Despite some serious initiatives no breakthroughs have met the Roadmap. Israeli and Palestinian leaders meet without realizing transormation, reconciliation or alleviating the exacerbating effects of the conflict.
Suffering and displacement continue to cut desperate paths to nowhere.

So it is that we too, aware of extemely complex and often convoluted instances, continue to condemn all acts of violence, every attack against civilians, innocent Palestinians and Israelis. Weapons and military aggression are not the path to peace that’s needed now. The long years of fighting have killed souls and spirits, potentials and peoples. This tragic vulnerability is as high as ever - especially notable amidst the exceptional deprivation of 1.5 million people in Gaza. All leaders share measures of responsibility for the isolsation, the political impasse which has further complicated the quagmire.

We recognize the General Assembly’s efforts through its special committee, but urged that its challenging invitation to Member States, world leaders, civil society and the parties themselves
be made more robust, more concrete in day-to-day efforts and monitored far more asiduously so everyone everywhere can know the facts on-the-ground today. This reality check is quintesstial if anything more than another year of dashed hopes leading to another commemoration for the thirty’secoind year. Without the political will to reach new demanding levels of local and regional partnerships, the acts of patient waiting can be cast aside as pathetic distractions from peace.

As persons and organizations walking closely, deliberately with all, we guarantee our steadfast solidarity - rooted as it is in faith, hope and charity for all. Like countless others we ask God’s blessing to encourage all people and nations of good will, especially the Israeli and Palestinian peoples. Together we can help these sisters and brothers come home to the peace which is possible.

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Peace in the Holy Land

November 24, 2008

Prayer for peace in the Holy Land
By Joespeh Cornelius Donnelly, Head of Caritas Internationalis Delegation, UN in New York,

Lord, Jesus Christ,
Son of the Living God,
we come to in the sacredness of life,
conscious of the gift of every human being,
created in your image and likeness.
We come before you this November time
when the global community notes again
its solemn commemoration and concerns for
the inalienable rights of Palestinian People.

We pray for all your people,
for Jews, Christians and Muslims,
for Israelis, Palestinians, Arabs,
whose lives are inextricably linked everyday
in the Holy Land they must share.
You are the loving author of life.
All rights are God-given, from you to us.
We pray for our sisters and brothers,
longsuffering in Jerusalem, the West Bank,
and in Gaza where they are cut off from us.
We pray for the innocent victims of violence.
We pray that all extreme actions will cease.
We pray for new measures of courageous leadership.

With friends, partners and all believers in The Land,
and across the fragile earth we share, we pray too
that our coming together will multiply good will
for genuine opportunities to build peace together.
We pray for a peace as real as the ancient olive trees
so that a beautiful landscape will be fruitful once more.
We pray that the will for such a peace grows daily
so that in all hearts we unite rather than divide,
so that we can be sheltering trees in good times and bad.

Indeed, Lord,
we pray to walk humbly together,
to love justice as the greatest witness in gratitude to you
for the precious gift of life we treasure -
in the Holy Land and everywhere in the beauty of peace.

Amen.

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Desperate times for Congo’s homeless

November 21, 2008

Running away
Furaha Nijonzima, aged 31 years

Furaha Nijonzima

Furaha Nijonzima. Copyright: Cafod/Bridget Burrows.

I arrived here on 4th November. I came from Mushaki village.

I was running away from the war of Laurent Nkunda. I left because the CNDP rebels had started coming in and raping women and recruiting young boys. We thought we’d be safer away, but I was hit by the CNDP.

I’d lived in Mushaki for 10 years. This is the second time I’ve had to flee, I’m actually from Rubaye.

I’m very uncomfortable and worried here, because I’ve got 4 children, and since I left we haven’t had food, and we’re sleeping together here with 14 other families that have recently arrived at the camp.

If things get better I’d like to go back home. But only if peace comes… and as long as the CNDP aren’t there. If I could talk to the rebels I would say to the CNDP and armed groups that I’d like to go home, and please find a solution.

There are 26,000 people in Mugunga camp where Furaha has run to. More are arriving. Mushaki is 50km to the west of Goma. Furaha, her name, means Happy.

Caritas aid reaching those most in need in Congo
By Bridget Burrows, Cafod

26th November 2008

A cheer of delight went up around the crowd; the first overladen truck of desperately needed humanitarian assistance had just rumbled into the rural village of Ntamugenga, 10km from the town of Rutshuru.

The territory around this small village was rocked by some of the heaviest armed activity during the recent flash of conflict in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo earlier this month.

Hundreds of thousands of people fled for a second time, from camps that they were already sheltering in. Some ended up in rural areas, sheltering with strangers in villages.

Isolated for many weeks, they have had no help, and the situation has become desperate. “Since the last of the food I had was finished, we have collected grass to eat. Can you imagine, one month living on grass?” Mazirane Nzahera tells me, tutting and shaking her head sadly.

“Bombs were falling on the camp, too many people died, including three of my neighbours. I left with nothing but the clothes you see me wearing.”

On Monday, the first humanitarian assistance from Caritas finally reached Mazirane and 12,000 others like her, taking clothes, blankets, cooking pots, soap, and watercans to people in desperate need.

The Catholic Bishop of Goma, Faustin Ngabu was the first to hand over a blanket to an elderly lady at the front of the long queue.

Holding a megaphone, he addressed the massing crowd, saying humbly, “I know what Caritas have brought today will not remove all of your suffering, but we hope it will alleviate some of it.”

Bishop Ngabu, Bishop of Goma for over thirty-five years, has seen all of the long conflict that has afflicted the population in his care, but he says, “Caritas Goma has confronted difficult situations, but unlike others, the Church cannot leave the people.”

Michel Monginda, a Caritas aid worker, said, Although the situation is currently calmer and we have been able to deliver humanitarian aid to these people today, thousands of people in remote areas still have not been reached and need our help.”

For Mazirane, the future is uncertain, “I’m very afraid, I have nothing to eat in my village, and I don’t know if we will continue to get humanitarian assistance. Our trust is in God.”

By Bridget Burrows, Cafod
20 November 2008

Covered in flour up to his elbows, Jimmy tries in vain to wipe some of the white dust off his black face, before laughing and greeting me.

Jimmy Luputu is working for Caritas Goma. He is shouting out orders to a long queue, and pouring out heavy sacks of flour into the waiting hands of the hungry people in front of him.

Tens of thousands of people are still sheltering in camps, or are forced to hide in the forest because of continued fighting between armed groups in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

Made to abandon their homes, many have moved numerous times, trying to find safety and thus avoid being caught in the crossfire between fighting factions.

Caritas Internationalis members are supporting Caritas Goma with emergency survival kits such as blankets, cooking pots and soap - reaching people in remote areas that have received no humanitarian assistance yet.

In the Mugunga camp, 20 minutes outside Goma, food and shelter are provided. But away from their farms, the people here are stuck in limbo, unable to work and feed themselves.

The recent escalation of conflict in the east of the country is prolonging their suffering.

As long as armed groups in the region continue to vie for position, these people can’t return home and get on with their lives.

As the population continues to be terrorised, one wonders why the armed groups can’t put down their guns and let the people live in peace.

With each armed faction having its own interests for living its life by the gun, it becomes easier for the next group to want to achieve its goals by picking up a gun too.

Attempts at ceasefires and disarmaments have been negotiated - even as recently as the beginning of this year - but, so far, each one has ended in failure.

In the meantime, people such as Jimmy will keep helping to protect the affected population.

The crowd of displaced people in front of him queues patiently, not even moving an inch when it begins to rain heavily.

Jimmy continues his operation despite the soaking. The water runs down his face and washes away the flour.

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Only the poor will pay - Cardinal Óscar Rodríguez Maradiaga

November 17, 2008

Why can the world find money to save banks, but not lives?

Caritas Internationalis President, Cardinal Óscar Rodríguez Maradiaga, discusses this worrying phenomenon in an interview with Italian magazine Famiglia Cristiana.

“Last spring, leaders who met in Rome said the there wasn’t enough money for the Millennium Development Goals, yet no one had any problem finding millions of dollars for the banks,” said Cardinal Óscar Rodríguez Maradiaga.

In a recent interview with Famiglia Cristiana, Cardinal Rodriguez said that the current global crisis has not only created more poverty but it is the poor who are paying the highest price.

“The petrol crisis, where prices went through the roof this summer, created 100 million poor people,” said Cardinal Rodríguez.

“To feed one billion malnourished people in the world, you only need US$30 billion per year, less than  5 percent of the White House’s bank bailout plan,” he said.

The Cardinal says financial crimes surely produce more deaths than war, hunger, thirst and disease because of the poverty they cause, and should be punished.

He says the money that disappeared  during the current crisis has actually gone into the pockets of the rich - to the detriment of the poor. He says that change is the only way forward.

“We have to understand that capitalism, the ruler of the world economy for the past 30 years, has failed,” he said. “It doesn’t need to be built up again, it needs to be changed.”

Cardinal Rodríguez warned  that the recession will create more unemployment and there will be knock-on effects from this. He says that remittances from Latin American immigrants in the USA have already started to go down.

The Church has a key role in establishing rules and guaranteeing everyone’s well-being, said the Cardinal.

“What we’re seeing today is above all an ethical crisis, where people don’t limit their wants,” he said. “This goes as much for military spending as it does for the housing boom. The world doesn’t just revolve around money, there are other values.”

The Cardinal said that lack of trust as well as fear have contributed to the current climate.

“Fear rules us,” he said. “Fear of losing our money, fear of other nations, fear of not being able to buy things.

“Post-September 11th terrorism has achieved its aim: it has spread fear across the world and laid fertile ground for racism which produces poverty and closes societies.”

Cardinal Rodríguez said the current crisis is not about to end. On the contrary, it is only just beginning.

Read the full interview in Italian

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To save even one person makes a difference… Combating Human Trafficking in the Americas

November 13, 2008

Martina Liebsch, Caritas Internationalis advocacy coordinator for migration, trafficking and gender.

This was one of the  messages for the participants of the International Conference “Responding to Trafficking in Persons in the Americas” organised by Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA) in Washington, from 02-05 November 2008. 

A rainbow of initiatives and practices throughout the Americas were presented including the initiatives of the government of the United States.

In view of the magnitude of the problem, its interconnectedness with other forms of crime, the lack of political will to combat it, the difficulties for organisations to get funding for their services and the persistent root causes, the story which Kathleen Mitchell, one of the participants and a survivor told us one morning, was a message of hope and of being aware about their own limitations.

A man is on the beach and throws starfish back into the sea. Questioned by another person why he is doing that in view of so many thousands who may lie on all the beaches of the world, he says while throwing another one into the sea: It makes a difference for this one. 

From an advocacy point of view a conclusion was that there is potential to make an impact and plenty of occasions to do so, but it needs communication and coordination by providing comments to the Trafficking in Persons Report prepared by the US Government and recommended to us by Ambassador Mark Lagon, in charge of the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons. This report provides an overview of the situation of more than 150 countries. It has been criticised by many people, but as long as we don’t have anything better in other parts of the world, we should definitely use this instrument.  

It was also emphasised that there is a need for strengthening work with the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM). The participants felt that they are often not aware about the relevant events or advocacy opportunities. So I got back with some homework for the migration team, amongst which the preparation of an international advocacy calendar on Migration and Trafficking, which would be accessible through the Caritas Website and the seeking of cooperation with the ILO during the process of drafting a Convention on domestic workers.

I hope we can make a difference by joining forces on some key issues and I’m grateful to CRS and CCUSA who provided me with the opportunity to get a step closer to this. And maybe we could use the slogan of the new President Elect of the United States: Yes we can!

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World Social Forum

November 12, 2008

Participation of Secours Catholique – Caritas France
WORLD SOCIAL FORUM – BELEM- BRAZIL- JANUARY 2009

Programme:
January, 24th, 12.00 (noon): settling on the “boat-hostel” in Belem
January, 25th: withdrawal of accreditations, free time.
January 26th:
- Field visit
- Science and democracy Forum
January 27th: Opening party – Parade
January 28th: Day for Peoples of Amazon
January 29th, 30th, 31th: self managed activities (seminaries, work shops)
February 1st: Plenary, alliances definitions – Closing.
February 2nd: we leave the boat. For those who wish to stay longer after this date, you will have to find a hosting solution on your own.

Accommodation is planned on a boat, moored on the Guama River:
Boat NM Amazon Star
Bulevard Castilho França s/n°
Armazan 10 – Porto de Belem

SEMINARS PROPOSITIONS OF THE SECOURS CATHOLIQUE

Seven seminars are proposed by the Secours Catholique- Caritas France:
1.Opportunities and threats of a globalized communication in the fight against human trafficking (Europe Desk)
2.Strategic perspectives of civil society organisations in institutional bodies (transparency, fight against poverty° (Africa Desk)
3.Mobilisation of people in poverty situation: citizen participation ( Network coordination Department and Delegations from Paris, Lyon and Chambéry)
4.Building another Amazonia: realities, challenges, perspectives and propositions (Latin America/ Caribbean Desk)
5.Extractive industries (Latin America/ Caribbean Desk)
6.Criminalisation of NGOs (Latin America/ Caribbean Desk)
7.Peace process in Colombia (Latin America/ Caribbean Desk)

For each workshop a Desk is in charge of the organization but partners from other continents may participate.

SEMINAR ON THE FIGHT AGAINST HUMAN TRAFFICKING

We will add the logo of any organisation involved (the list is being finalized)
A tract will then be prepared to be distributed during the WSF (in English, French and Portuguese)

Topic

Opportunities and threats of a globalized communication in the fight against human trafficking.

This meets up with the 6th priority of the 2009 World Social Forum
For the guarantee of economic, social, human, cultural and environmental rights, in particular the right to health care, education, housing, decent work, communication and food.

Content of the interventions

The new means of communication promote contacts from one side to the other of the world.
They are important vectors for the development of human trafficking and must be under particular supervision:
- easiness to organise criminal networks
- pedo pornography on the Internet
- …

But they also facilitate the contacts between all those fighting against human trafficking: NGOs, police, justice, social services… and have to be used:
- Coatnet intranet network making possible a secure network to support the victims;
- Video tools, TV, to raise the awareness of the wide public
- Prevention tools for the at risk public
- Advocacy tools at national, European and international level
- from, which enriches the way of putting the issue.

Languages of the seminar

French- English- Portuguese

Contacts Europe Desk

Geneviève Colas
genevieve-colas@secours-catholique.org
+ 33 (0) 6 71 00 69 90

Claire Corvino
claire-corvino@secours-catholique.org
+ 33 (0) 1 45 49 74 40

PARTICIPATION DU SECOURS CATHOLIQUE – CARITAS FRANCE ET SES PARTENAIRES
AU FORUM SOCIAL MONDIAL - BELEM – BRESIL - JANVIER 2009

Les activités se dérouleront à l’Université Fédérale du Para (UFPA) et à l’Université Fédérale Rurale d’Amazonie (UFRA) .

Précisions sur le programme:

24 janvier, 12h00 : installation sur bateau hôtel à Belém
25 janvier : retrait des accréditations et journée libre
26 janvier : - visite de terrain
- forum science et démocratie
27 janvier : fête d’ouverture – Parade
28 janvier : journée des peuples de l’Amazone
29, 30 et 31 janvier : activités autogérées – (séminaires – ateliers)
1er février : plénières et définition des alliances – clôture)
2 février : nous quittons le bateau hôtel (pour ceux qui resteraient après cette date, solution à trouver sur place)

L’hébergement pour les membres du Secours Catholique-Caritas France est prévu à bord d’un bateau amarré sur le fleuve Guama : Bateau NM Amazon star - Boulevard Castilho França s / n°
Armazan 10 – Porto de Belem

PROPOSITIONS DE SEMINAIRES DU SECOURS CATHOLIQUE

7 séminaires sont proposés par le Secours Catholique :

1 / Opportunités et menaces d’une communication mondialisée pour lutter contre la traite des êtres humains (Département Europe)

2 / Perspectives stratégiques des OSC dans les instances institutionnelles (transparence, lutte contre la pauvreté)(Département Afrique) avec la participation de Tolekan Ismailova, Kirghizstan proposé par le département Europe

3/ La mobilisation des personnes en précarité : participation citoyenne (Délégations de Paris, Lyon et Chambery).

4/ Criminalisation des ONG (Département Amérique Latine / Caraïbes)

5/ Construire une autre Amazonie : réalités défis, perspectives et propositions. (Département Amérique Latine / Caraïbes)

6/ Industries extractives (Département Amérique Latine / Caraïbes)

7/ Processus de paix en Colombie (Département Amérique Latine / Caraïbes)

Pour chaque atelier, un département est chargé de l’organisation mais des partenaires des autres continents peuvent participer.

LE SEMINAIRE SUR LA LUTTE CONTRE LA TRAITE DES ETRES HUMAINS

Un tract sera ensuite préparé pour être diffusé lors du Forum Social Mondial (celui-ci devra être en français, anglais, portugais)

La thématique :

Opportunités et menaces d’une communication mondialisée dans la lutte contre la traite des êtres humains.

Contenu des interventions

Les nouveaux modes de communication favorisent les contacts d’une extrémité à l’autre de la planète.

Ils sont des vecteurs importants pour le développement de la traite des êtres humains et doivent faire l’objet d’une attention particulière :
- facilité d’organisation des réseaux criminels,
- pédo pornographie sur internet,
- …

Mais facilitent aussi les contacts entre tous ceux qui luttent contre la traite des êtres humains : ONG, Justice, police, services sociaux… et il faut savoir s’en servir :
- réseau intranet coatnet permettant une mise en réseau sécurisé pour accompagner les victimes,
- outil vidéo, télévision pour sensibiliser le grand public,
- outils de prévention pour les publics à risque,
- outils de plaidoyer à l’échelle nationale, européenne et internationale,

Langues du séminaire

Français - Anglais - Portugais

Contacts Département Europe :
Geneviève Colas - genevieve-colas@secours-catholique.org - + 33 (0) 6 71 00 69 90
Claire Corvino- Claire-corvino@secours-catholique.org - + 33 (0) 1 45 49 74 40

Caritas Italiana at the 2009 WSF

A delegation from Caritas Italiana will be at the World Social Forum (WSF) in Belem from 26 January to 1 February.

Participants include:

-Paolo Beccegato, head of Caritas Italiana’s International Department
-Some members of the presidency including Bishop Mario Paciello of Altamura-Gravina, Don Carmine Giudici and Marcello Rinaldi
-An expert
-Some journalists

Caritas Italiana has also registered for “Environmental justice: A challenge for the future”. An agenda for Caritas Italiana’s participation in the forum will be available on this blog. There will also be the presentation of the report “Terza ricerca su i conflitti dimenticati”.

Roberta Dragonetti
International Department
Caritas Italiana

Caritas Italiana participará en el Foro Social Mundial 2009

Caritas Italiana participará en esta nueva edición del FSM, con  una delegación compuesta por 8 personas, que viajarán a Belem (Brasil) del 26 de enero al 1 de febrero. Los miembros de la delegación son:

- Paolo Beccegato, Responsable del Departamento Internacional;
- algunos miembros de la Presidencia: Mons. Mario PACIELLO, Obispo de Altamura Gravina, delegado regional de PUGLIA (que ya participó al FSM de Nairobi, en 2007); P. Carmine Giudici, delegado regional de CAMPANIA y Marcello RINALDI, delegado regional de UMBRIA;
- un experto;
- algunos periodistas (“Famiglia Cristiana”, ”Avvenire” e ”SIR”);

Caritas Italiana se ha ocupado de la inscripción de una propuesta de actividad de autogestión, para el 30 de enero. Será un seminario con el título provisional de “La justicia medioambiental: un reto para el futuro”.

Pronto tendrán ustedes a su disposición, en este blog, un borrador del programa, que seguirá las siguientes pautas:

- Introducción general del tema; reflexión sobre las relaciones entre el medio ambiente y la guerra, con la presentación del libro ‘Terza ricerca sui conflitti dimenticati’ (Tercer estudio sobre los conflictos olvidados), la relación y responsabilidad de los medios de información respecto al tema, algunas experiencias territoriales (quizás de Secours Catholique y otros), debate.  

Roberta Dragonetti
Departamento Internacional
Caritas Italiana

Last call for WSF 2009 activities registration.  Deadline: November 21st

Organizations willing to propose activities for the WSF 2009 have some more days to register. Deadline for activities registration has been postponed until next Friday, November 21st (11pm, Belem time/8pm GMT/UTC). Organizations that will send participants to the WSF, but do not want to propose activities can register until December 2008. 

Payment for organizations registered in Brazil has already started and should be made until November 30th. Soon the international payment system will be open.

Visit the registration website: http://inscricoes.fsm2009amazonia.org.br

Registration guide: http://www.fsm2009amazonia.org.br/forum-social-mundial/frequently-asked-questions/about-registrations/registrations-doubts

IMPORTANT: A list of registered activities until last friday (November 14th) is available for download in  http://www.fsm2009amazonia.org.br/forum-social-mundial/inscricoes/atividades/lista-de-atividades-ate-1411/view. The file is sorted in alphabetical order by organization name.

You can also view the list of registered activities in the registration website - http://inscricoes.fsm2009amazonia.org.br/content/index.php?page=consulta_pub . In this page you can browse all the registered activities and organizations and also search for keywords or action goal. This list is updated automatically as new activities are being registered. 

If your activity doesn’t appear in any of the lists cited above, it means that your activity registration was not made or concluded properly. Check as soon as possible if your activity was registered, as the registration period won’t be extended again.

Organisations that just want to bring participants, but not to present activities, can register until December.

According to WSF Charter of Principles, the registration of political parties or governmental departments is not allowed.

The World Social Forum will take place from January 27th to February 1st, in the city of Belem (capital of Para state, in brazilian amazon). More than 750 activities has already been registered by the time this newsletter is being closed.

To register, visit: inscricoes.fsm2009amazonia.org.br

See step-by-step guide to registering:

http://www.fsm2009amazonia.org.br/forum-social-mundial/frequently-asked-questions/about-registrations/registrations-doubts

Avoid registering close to the deadline date, as the registration system tends to be slow due to the high number of access. After registering, you can modify your activity until November 30th.

More about WSF 2009: www.fsm2009amazonia.org.br

a) How to register organisations
1) Visit the site - http://inscricoes.fsm2009amazonia.org.br/

2) Click “New Registration”

3) Fill out the registration form with your organization data (the fields marked with * are required)

4) Enter the security code that appears in the picture at the end of the form and click “Save”

5) On the next screen, confirm your data. You will have access to a menu where you can register your activities, enter or change the names of your organisation’s participants in WSF 2009, and see the your registration fee (variable according to the number of delegates you register)

6) You will receive an email with your registration number and your password. Both numbers are required to access the registration site further. Using this numbers you can return to your registration page, change your organisation data, the number of participants who will be in Belem, add or modify activities and also access the payment system (which will be available soon).

NOTE: About the participants - while filling the form with data of your organization, you’ll be asked how many participants of your organisation will attend to Belem forum. The number of participants will determine the value of your registration fee. After your payment confirmation, you’ll also be able to enter the names of your delegates in the Participants area of the registration site.

b) How to present self-managed activities

Once you sign up your organization (item A), you can register the self-managed activities proposed by your organisation for the WSF 2009 in Belem (after completing your organisation’s form for the first time, you will be automatically taken to the activities registration page).
1) Go to the “self-mananged Activities” and click “Propose Activity.”

2) Carefully read the instructions and fill out the activities form.

3) Click “Save”

If you want to modify your activity information or wish to register it later, you should make your login in the registration site using the number and password provided by email (ITEM A-6).

The activities registered can be modified/edited until November 30th.

WSF Office - Brazil
Address: Rua General Jardim, 660, 7th floor, São Paulo - SP- Brasil, Zip Code: 01223-010
email: escritorio(at)forumsocialmundial.org.br
Website: www.forumsocialmundial.org.br

WSF 2009 Office - Belem
Address: Rua Presidente Pernambuco S/N, Belem - PA - Brasil, Zip Code: 66823-010
email: escritorio(at)fsm2009amazonia.org.br
Phone: +55-91-3222-8530
Website: www.fsm2009amazonia.org.br

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Italy’s chance to give back what it received

November 5, 2008

By Maria Suelzu
Caritas Internationalis Advocacy Officer
Presentation of the Caritas 2008 immigration in Italy report

In the first part of the 20th century, in some parts of Italy a lot of people were desperately poor. People were hungry and even up until the 1950s some poorer Italians lived in improvised shacks on the outskirts of cities like Rome.

As I walked across the Tiber to “Teatro Don Orione” to attend the presentation of the Caritas 2008 immigration report in Italy, I considered how for decades millions of Italians left our country to find hope and a better future elsewhere. They landed on the shores of countries such as the US, Argentina, and many others.

Now we are a wealthier country and people from poorer countries want to come to us - just as we went elsewhere to find prosperity and security. Often they are escaping war, poverty and a bleak future in their home countries.

In Rome, the city where I live, there seems to be a lot of immigrants. They work in bars and restaurants, they clean people’s houses, they help families by looking after their children, their grandparents and the sick.

One of the interesting issues mentioned during the presentation of the immigration report was the fact that immigrants, although often perceived by the local population as competing for social services, only receive 2.4 percent of national social security expenditure.

In fact, they are net contributors to our country’s wealth. In 2006, for example, they paid over 3.1 billion euro in income tax. They also make a substantial contribution to the economies of their countries of origin by sending around 6 billion euro in remittances to their communities and families.

The Italian government has always considered the data on immigrants gathered by Caritas to be the most reliable, and the Italian National Institute for Statistics (ISTAT) collaborates in the preparation of the report, so it presents a fairly accurate picture of the current situation in Italy.

As I left Teatro Don Orione after the presentation of the report, I reflected on how we receive immigrants in Italy. I came to the conclusion that, even though the Italian Government has been in the press a lot recently because of its tightening of immigration laws, there are still lots of Italians who want to learn about and absorb the new cultures brought here by immigrants.

I think it’s now essential that the Italian Government should adapt its rules to this new situation, where Italy has gone from being a country of émigrés to being a country of immigrants.

Read a summary of the report in Italian, English, French, Spanish and some other languages

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