|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 
Kairos Times
|
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
Radical change will not be negotiated by governments; it can only be enforced by people. (Arundhati Roy, opening speech of the World Social Forum, January 16 2004) |
||
 |
 |
 |
Join our 2003-4 campaign, Cultivating Just Peace! Contact us for information:info or toll-free 1 877 403 8933, extension 233. New resources are now available for ordering through orders or our website. You can also leave a message at 1 877 403 8933 x246.
 | Contents | |
 |  |
Take action!
- 1) Advance notice—March 20 Global Day of Action to commemorate the invasion of Iraq
- 2) KAIROS partner in Colombia threatened with arrest
- 3) Mexican human rights advocate assaulted
Updates
- 4) KAIROS welcomes public inquiry into the deportation of Maher Arar
- 5) Update on the Christmas Wal-Mart action
- 6) World Social Forum wraps up in India
- 7) New faces at KAIROS – New Executive; new staff for human rights and networking
- 8) Job postings: KAIROS program coordinator, Canadian Social Development (Poverty) and program coordinator: Corporate Social Responsibility
Resources
|
1) Advance notice—March 20 Global Day of Action to commemorate the invasion of Iraq |
|
 |
|
Almost a year ago the KAIROS community added its voice to a call for Canada to stay out of the war against Iraq’s people. On March 20, Canada will again join in a global call for a peaceful resolution to what is effectively an ongoing war in Iraq—and around the world. Mark your calendars and start planning to bear public witness. If you are already planning an event, please contact KAIROS ( info ) and the Canadian Peace Alliance (cpa ) with the details.
|
2) KAIROS partner in Colombia threatened with arrest |
|
|
|
KAIROS is gravely concerned about the imminent threat to the freedom and human rights of our partner Ricardo Esquivia Ballestas, a church leader, pacifist and social activist well known both in Colombia and here in Canada. We have received information from reliable sources that the Colombian authorities are planning to arrest Ricardo Esquivia on fabricated charges that he is a member of the FARC guerrilla movement, thus keeping him from his work and putting his life in grave danger. We urge you to participate in the following urgent action denouncing these activities, and calling on Colombian authorities to guarantee the liberty and rights of Ricardo Esquivia.
Ricardo Esquivia is known to the churches and the broader NGO community in Canada. He was here in Canada in October 2001 on a KAIROS tour which included meetings with churches, NGOs and the Canadian government. He is profiled in the KAIROS video, The Hidden Story, and spoke at its launch. Ricardo is a partner, a friend and an important social leader in Colombia.
The imminent threat to Ricardo Esquivia’s liberty is symptomatic of what is currently happening in Colombia with the criminalization of dissent and the mass arrests of those opposed to the current government. It is similar to the course of action taken by Colombian authorities against many leaders of social movements, unions and NGOs who are now under arrest, preventing these legitimate organizations from carrying out their work. The threat of Ricardos’ arrest is indicative of how far the Colombian government is prepared to go under the guise of the “war on terror”. These actions completely contradict the commitments that the Colombian government has made to human rights, both nationally and internationally.
Sample letters can be found on the KAIROS website along with the full text of the urgent action: click on Take Action/ Urgent Actions. For more information, contact Rachel Warden, Program Coordinator: Partnerships, Latin America at rwarden or 416 463 5312 x242
|
3) Mexican human rights advocate assaulted |
|
|
|
The Maquila Solidarity Network (MSN), a partner of KAIROS, has brought to KAIROS' attention reports regarding a brutal assault against a Mexican Labour Rights activist with whom MSN has worked. In response, KAIROS has sent a letter to the Governor of the State of Puebla expressing its concern and requesting a full investigation of the attack. KAIROS Executive Director has written a letter, which can be found on the website under Media/ Letters and Statements. For more information, please see the Maquila Solidarity website at www.maquilasolidarity.org. KAIROS’ partnership with the Maquila Solidarity Network connects to our Corporate Social Responsibility program. For more information on this program, contact John Mihevc, Team Leader, Global Justice: jmihevc or 416 463 5312 x228
|
4) KAIROS welcomes public inquiry into the deportation of Maher Arar |
|
|
|
The deportation of Canadian citizen Maher Arar to Syria by US officials, and his subsequent torture, continue to stand out as an alarming consequence of the US-led “War on Terror”. KAIROS had joined many Canadian NGOs and citizens groups, including Amnesty International, in calling on the federal government to hold a public inquiry into Maher Arar’s treatment. KAIROS welcomes the federal government’s announcement that an inquiry will be held, but notes that this was brought about only after months of intense public pressure.
On December 10, International Human Rights Day, KAIROS was honoured to have Dr Monia Mazigh, Maher Arar’s wife, speak at the national launch of the Cultivating Just Peace campaign. She spoke to her courageous efforts to push Canadian officials into securing her husband’s release, and noted that his case was symptomatic of an increasing willingness to target specific communities and to set aside basic human rights in the name of “security”.
We thank the many groups and individuals who pressed for a public inquiry. We and many other groups will follow the progress of the inquiry, and we encourage all Canadians to do the same. The grave injustice suffered by Maher Arar is a warning to all Canadians that buying into a vision of security that is built on fear threatens everyone’s rights.
Further information can be found at http://www.maherarar.com
and at the Amnesty International (Canada) site, www.amnesty.ca See
also an article written by Amnesty’s Secretary General, Alex
Neve: http://www.amnesty.ca/library/canada/Arar_PublicInquiry.htm
|
5) Update on the Christmas Wal-Mart action |
|
|
|
Wal-Mart, the world's largest retailer, received an unexpected gift this holiday season thanks to people concerned with its ongoing refusal to address violations of workers’ rights.
Last month, over 4,700 virtual "lumps of coal" were sent
to Wal-Mart to protest the company's disregard for worker rights
in 2003. This works out to one lump of coal arriving every five
minutes, on average, at Wal-Mart's corporate headquarters. Each
lump of coal was accompanied by a personalized message addressed
to Wal-Mart CEO H. Lee Scott, calling on his
company to change its ways and treat workers with respect in 2004.
People from over 25 different countries took part in this unique on-line action, including Canada, USA, Mexico, El Salvador, Chile, Israel, Turkey, Spain, France, Germany, UK, Norway, Poland, Australia, India, Taiwan, China, the Philippines, and Kenya. The SendCoalToWalmart.com website was sponsored by the Canadian-based Maquila Solidarity Network (MSN), a group with which KAIROS and the churches have worked for many years.
For more information on KAIROS’ corporate social responsibility
work, please contact John Mihevc, team leader for Global Economic
Justice: jmihevc
or or 416 463 5312 x228.
Top
of page
|
6) World Social Forum wraps up in India |
|
|
|
Many Kairos Times readers will remember our 2003 focus on the World Social Forum. Last year’s Forum took place in Porto Alegre, Brazil, and among the tens of thousands of concerned global citizens present were twelve members of the KAIROS network, Board, and staff. Their stories, and complete background on this exciting global gathering, are available on the KAIROS website under Resources/ Online kits. Or click here: http://www.kairoscanada.org/e/resources/wsf/index.asp
This year’s Forum was held in Mumbai, India. You can find detailed information at www.wsfindia.org There was little mainstream media coverage of this large, global event, but independent media and reports from those present can be found all over the worldwide web. And watch for further reports from groups like KAIROS member Development and Peace, which sent a large national delegation. We include below a short report from the KAIROS staff and network members who were in India.
“Namaste! (Greetings) To all our KAIROS family at home.
The World Social Forum is well under way, bringing together the full, rich panoply of cultures, languages, religions, and struggles that believe Another World is Possible.
KAIROS staff Connie Sorio and Joy Kennedy have been joined by other members of the KAIROS clan: Audrey McClelland (Winnipeg), Peter Jordan (Edmonton), Helen Ralston (Halifax), and Richard Renshaw (Montreal), and others that we are gradually discovering as we rove through this jam-packed microcosm of humanity. There are relatively large delegations from Development and Peace, Toronto Social Forum, Edmonton Social Forum and several from Montreal and Vancouver, and others that we don’t yet know. The networks are hard at work and through planned events and workshops we are connecting with many of our partners.
We have been able to meet up with the World Council of Churches, National Council of Churches of India, CASA, Accion Ecologica, Jubilee South, and many others. The conclusion is that if you look around this massive event you will sooner or later meet up with everyone you need or want to contact. Sometimes if you just stay in one place long enough everyone will sooner or later pass by – at the same time there are no guarantees you will ever find each other. But you will definitely encounter new friends if you are patient.
There has been a strong turn out of people from various strands
of the faith communities. Even though it is hard to track each other’s
movements, most of us were able to attend a workshop for Canadians
yesterday morning, sponsored by the Toronto Social Forum, to make
links with the various groups trying to follow up locally with Social
Forum events at home. Our Just Peace – True Security theme
resonates well with a number of issues here – and our materials
seem to be popular.
Dances and the throbbing sounds of drums from the local Indian groups
effectively draws attention to their causes – rights for Dalits,
for women, for children, for Indigenous peoples, and protection
of the planet. These groups are calling for a stop to resource depletion,
water theft, privatization and commodification of water by mega
projects of governments under pressure to sell it all off to the
highest bidder—or even the lowest bidder.
Stories about the impact of World Bank and IMF policies at local and national levels sound very similar across the many nations represented here. The commonalities in impacts on sovereignty, human rights and accelerated resource depletion are echoed constantly. But the harder work going on here is to collectively agree on what we are going to do about it. How do we create potential and real options to change the political directions and address the imbalances of power? How do we mobilize a credible force to pressure the present realities to change? Where are the signs of hope?
Pete Jordan and Audrey McClelland met with Joy and Connie briefly to think about some common issues for KAIROS at the local, regional, national and international levels. We want to encourage KAIROS members to check out what is happening in this regard in their communities – and to make sure they are connected. There is a plan to hold a Quebec-Canada-First Nations Social Forum – maybe in 2005 or 2006. Stay tuned for more information.
The range of alternatives being proposed is starting to come together, and we are starting to see an emerging People’s Agenda and a strengthening global people’s movement that over time may be unstoppable. Making visible and naming the causes of oppression and injustice is the first step. Organizing credible strategies to overcome them and taking dedicated action in a unified movement – at all levels – is where we are at today.
It is messy, sometimes unexpected and chaotic, and always mysterious, but birthing is a powerful experience, taking hard work and an ample supply of skill and Grace.
We believe that the Spirit of Justice, Peace and Love is guiding us as we flow in this amazing river of life. And we are mindful that we bring all of you with us every day.”
|
7) New faces at KAIROS – New Executive; new staff for human rights and networking |
|
|
|
International Human Rights
Nancy Slamet has been appointed to the position of Militarism/“War on Terror” (Asia and the Middle East). Nancy brings to this position over eight years experience in the areas of human rights, refugee settlement, international development, and social activism. She is an experienced facilitator and adult educator and has coordinated numerous projects. Most recently, she has worked as the Coordinator of “WebSight On-Line” at the United Church of Canada, establishing an online community for youth on education and action for justice. She has also been the Acting Secretary for East Asia at the United Church and has worked with Canada-Asia Working Group on human rights briefs for East Timor and Indonesia. She was Program Coordinator with the Afghan Women’s Counselling, Integration and Community Support Organization in a variety of coordinating and facilitating roles. She has coordinated programs for migrant women and refugees in Viet Nam, Kenya, and the Philippines, and worked as a Project Coordinator for the Vietnamese Refugee Sponsorship Committee. Her volunteer activities include her work on gender issues with CUSO in El Salvador, Canadian Action for East Timor, Metro Network for Social Justice, Culture Link, and hosting a Community radio program on Asia.
John Lewis has been appointed to the position of Ending Conflict and Impunity (Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa). John brings a solid academic background and a wealth of experience to this position. He has recently completed a PhD at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education in the areas of Human Rights, Politics, and Democratic Development. His M.A. thesis was entitled “Jesus and the Maya,” and focused on the work of ICCHRLA. He has taught courses in Human Rights and has organized conferences and projects on topics ranging from Peace and Justice in Colombia to the murder of Ken Saro Wiwa in Nigeria. He has been an election monitor with the Carter Center in Guyana and a Youth Coordinator for Youth Challenge International. He has also worked in Mali, producing educational materials for human rights education, and produced a documentary on that country. He has published numerous book reviews and articles in the Globe and mail and other publications.
KAIROS extends a warm welcome to both Nancy and John, and we look forward to the enthusiasm, experience, and deep commitment that they will bring to our International Human Rights program.
Animation/Communication/Education
While Jennifer Henry is enjoying her maternity leave with daughter Isabella, Network Coordinator Sara Stratton has stepped into the position of Team Leader. And, we are very happy to announce that Adele Halliday has been hired to replace Sara as Network Coordinator until June 30. Adele is a deeply committed Presbyterian who brings with her a passion for justice and ecumenism. She has a broad range of teaching experience in Toronto, Belize, and Kenya and is just finishing a 3 year stint as Global Education Resource Coordinator with World Vision Canada, where she was instrumental in creating a youth justice network. She is a board member of the Ontario Council for International Cooperation, writes Sunday School curriculum for Seasons of the Spirit, was a delegate at the UN World Conference Against Racism in Durban, and is a member of the World Council of Churches’ Youth Advisory Group. Adele is a warm person with a terrific skills and a great sense of humour. She is a natural for ACE, for the whole KAIROS staff team, and for the network. She joins us on February 9.
New Executive of the KAIROS Board
KAIROS thanks the following Board members who have stepped forward to offer their time and skills to the Board’s Executive Committee:
Board Chair: Paul Hansen Vice Chair: Joe Gunn Secretary: Andrew Ignatieff Treasurer: Richard Chambers Member-at-Large: Anne O'Brien Past Chair: Jane Orion Smith
|
8) Job posting: program coordinator: Corporate Social Responsibility |
|
|
|
|
9) Sisters in Spirit campaign begins—poster and liturgy available |
|
|
|
On March 22, 2004 the Native Women's Association of Canada (NWAC) will launch a national, year-long campaign to raise awareness about the disappearances and murders of more than 500 Aboriginal women in Canada. The Sisters in Spirit campaign aims to raise public awareness of the violence faced by Aboriginal women, and to establish a federal fund of $10 million to support research and education related to violence against Aboriginal women.
At the October 2003 meeting of the KAIROS Aboriginal Rights Committee, Native Women's Association of Canada President Terri Brown invited the churches and church organizations to participate in this campaign. Groups are encouraged to work with NWAC regional groups in organizing the March 22 launch events, and to add their voices to the call for a federal fund by writing letters and meeting with MPs.
Sisters in Spirit is co-sponsored by the Anglican Church and the
United Church. Further information is available at:
http://generalsynod.anglican.ca/ministries/committees/acip/sistersinspirit
and
http://www.united-church.ca/jpc/aboriginalissues/040106.shtm.
Letter from the moderator can also be found at http://www.united-church.ca/moderator/short/2004/040130.shtm
The Sisters in Spirit poster is co-produced by NWAC and the sponsoring churches, and is available in French and English. Designed for use in your community, it features beautiful artwork on the front, and on the reverse side provides background into the need for research and education, outlines the campaign goals, and suggests how local groups and individuals can become involved. The poster and a liturgical resource are both available at no cost. To order, contact the Anglican Church at sistersinspirit Indicate the number of posters, language preference, and whether or not the posters should include a liturgical insert.
The Native Women's Association web site will soon carry additional information on the campaign at http://www.nwac-hq.org. They can also be reached at 1.800.461.4043 or reception
KAIROS’ Aboriginal rights program and its current campaign, Cultivating Just Peace, share the concerns of the Sisters in Spirit campaign. For more information on the Aboriginal rights program, contact Ed Bianchi, Program Coordinator, Aboriginal Rights, ebianchi or 613 235 9956.
|
10) The latest on our website… |
|
|
|
Some other updates of interest…
Faith-based, secular and French versions of the Agenda for Just Peace action card can be downloaded free of charge from our website as PDF files. If your budget is tight or you’re planning an event at the last minute, just point, click and print.
In our Aboriginal rights section, you’ll find a new analysis on next steps related to the now-defeated First Nations Governance Act (FNGA), a piece of legislation that many members of the Aboriginal, KAIROS and church communities strongly opposed.
If you’re wondering about the fate of the global debts that now burden Iraq, take a look at a new KAIROS analysis under Global Economic Justice/Trade. See also a statement on trade from a tri-national ecumenical gathering held recently in New York State.
We welcome ideas and corrections related to the website: please
contact our web-minders at
info
or 1 877 403 8933 x233.
|
|