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Kairos Times: September 2006 Vol 5, #7
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In this edition:
- A global call for action in Darfur
- More Water Work! KAIROS launches second year of ecumenical water campaign
- Roundtables on resource extraction continue—have your say
- A short summary of the Sixteenth World AIDS Conference: Canadians should be outraged
- Climate Crisis News: Climate Action Network tour coming and youth speak out
- Canada should sign the Declaration on Indigenous Peoples! You can help
- Sisters in Spirit Global Vigil: October 4
- Voices of Victims tour: youth proposals for peace with justice in Colombia
- KAIROS to host faith dialogue on poverty in November
- KAIROS challenges Standing Committee on Finance
to put real values in the budget
1) A global call for action in Darfur
For 10 seconds on September 17th, thousands of voices rang out from the centre of Toronto in a call for action in Darfur.
The scream was part of Global Day for Darfur, an event held in more than 40 countries encouraging people to mobilize and pressure their governments into ending the atrocities in Darfur. “It seems ridiculous to have a moment of silence in a world already silent on the crisis in Sudan,” said Danny Richmond, one of the organizers.
The event in Toronto, organized by KAIROS, STAND Canada, and others,
featured Canadian Senator Roméo Dallaire, former commander
of the UN's peacekeeping mission in Rwanda. More than 40 organizations
endorsed the call for the immediate deployment of UN peacekeepers
to Darfur:
http://www.kairoscanada.org/e/countries/sudan/unityStatement.asp
“12 years ago, I failed to mobilize anyone,” said Dallaire. He worries that Darfur is becoming another Rwanda, in which the world stood by as nearly one million Tutsis were slaughtered.
“There’s just no political capital in simply saving human lives,” he said, explaining the reticence in developed nations’ intervention on behalf of the people of Darfur.
The rally marked a year since the UN endorsed the “Responsibility to Protect” doctrine, which demands that the global community take action if governments fail to prevent genocide, ethnic cleansing, and crimes against humanity. Today, an under-resourced African Union force with a very limited mandate is the only peacekeeping mission in Darfur. Despite the signing of the Darfur Peace Agreement on 5 May 2006, the violence in western Sudan has not ended and in some parts of Darfur, the violence has escalated.
Click here to see The Toronto Star article on the event. To find out more information about the Global Day for Darfur please go to www.dayfordarfur.org To find out more about what KAIROS’ work with Sudanese human rights and church partners, see our Sudan page: http://www.kairoscanada.org/e/countries/sudan/index.asp or contact John Lewis, Program Coordinator for International Human Rights at jlewis or 416-463-5312 ext. 224.
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of page2) More Water Work! KAIROS launches second year of ecumenical water campaign
We believe water is a sacred gift connecting all life. But it’s a gift under threat throughout the world, and so is free and equal access to it. This is where you come in! Last year, thousands of people across Canada called on all levels of government to keep water access public here and around the world, and to safeguard our watersheds here at home. Many people made personal changes to their use of household water or quit buying bottled water.
Now we’re entering the second year of the campaign, where the KAIROS network, church members, students and may others will continue to work with municipalities on questions of privatization and ask people to consider not drinking bottled water. Check out our campaign page for the full story: http://www.kairoscanada.org/e/action/campaign.asp
But we are also moving into an exciting new area. While we continue
to look at what we can do as individuals and what governments, this
year we will also look at the other big players in the global water
crisis: corporations.
Corporations --especially those involved in mining and energy production--
count on water to make a profit. People and the environment count
of water as a source of life.
When corporations use massive amounts of water to extract oil and
minerals, leaving behind a devastating legacy of pollution, people
and the environment lose. We now have a chance to address this problem.
A 2005 report by the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and
International Trade recommended that Canada create legislation holding
Canadian corporations accountable for human rights and environmental
abuses which take place as a result of their activities overseas.
So far, our government has not taken action to implement this all-party
recommendation. We think it's time they do, and we need your help
to convince them.
This year's campaign action, "Counting on Water," is a
call to our government to make corporations pay their water bill.
It's not a bill that can be paid in dollars and cents but instead
with the creation of and adherence to binding legislation.
We have lots of resources to help: a "Counting on Water"
action sheet which includes a groovy map of the global water struggle
and a photocopiable "water bill" action, a 16 page action
booklet called "WaterWorks," which includes case studies,
a workshop outline, and a script to help you present the campaign,
and last year's full Education Book, "Water: A Sacred Gift."
As the KAIROS network wraps up its fall regional meetings, it’s
become clear that people have many creative ideas in store. Join
us! Watch for an upcoming issue of our e-bulletin Streams of Living
Justice for more details on key dates and action opportunities.
(If you don't already receive SLJ, please contact Sara at
sstratton
) For more information on the campaign contact Sara
Stratton, Network and Campaign Coordinator at 1 877 403 8933 x214
or
sstratton
3) Roundtables on resource extraction continue—have your say
KAIROS and its partners have become more and more concerned with the impact of Canadian mining companies working overseas. As metal prices soar, more companies are beginning operations in the global South and Canadian corporations are leading the pack. Their operations can have an enormous impact on communities, human rights, and environmental concerns such as water quality. That’s why the Canadian government has been challenged to put in place legislation to regulate companies operating overseas, and to respect the rights of Aboriginal and indigenous communities who are playing host to mines—sometimes against their will.
Right now we have a moment to act, which is partly why this year’s
water campaign is also focusing on this issue. The previous government
committed to a series of formal roundtables in which both Canadians
and people from the countries hosting Canadian mines could have
their say. Two consultations have already taken place in Vancouver
and Toronto; next up are Calgary and Montreal, where KAIROS’
national body and local groups will be involved. Our member churches
have been weighing in too: see the remarks of the Primate of the
Anglican Church at
http://www.anglican.ca/primate/communications/presentation-2006-09-13.htm
and submissions from the United Church and Development and Peace
at
http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/cip-pic/current_discussions/csr-roundtables-en.asp
KAIROS is closely involved with the roundtables and you are most welcome to add your voice! See our roundtables page at http://www.kairoscanada.org/e/corporate/roundTable.asp for ideas. For more information contact Ian Thomson, Corporate Social Responsibility Program Coordinator, at 1 877 403 8933 x229 or ithomson
4) A short summary of the Sixteenth World AIDS Conference: Canadians should be outraged
There isn’t much more to say than that. In 2006 world leaders had three big chances to make good on promises to fight the HIV/ AIDS pandemic. Canada’s efforts to date have been terrible, despite our hosting of the World AIDS Conference in Toronto this summer. On the other hand, the partners present at the conference, and at the Ecumenical AIDS Pre-Conference, reminded us that there are things Canadians can do to support the heroic efforts of ordinary people who live with this tragedy daily. The many people who took time to write to the Prime Minister about Canada’s commitments are one part of this effort.
We’ll be updating our AIDS advocacy page over the next month.
In the meantime, see KAIROS’ evaluation of Canada’s
commitments (or lack thereof) at
http://www.kairoscanada.org/e/economic/hivaids/summaryAIDSConference.asp
The summer Global Justice Report focused on HIV/AIDS—you can download it at http://www.kairoscanada.org/e/economic/GeJRVol5No2-3AIDS0606.pdf
For more information or to get involved with the long-term effort to hold our government to account for its policies and funding on HIV/AIDS please contact John Dillon, Global Economic Justice Program Coordinator at jdillon or 1 877 403 8933 x231.
5) Climate Crisis News: Climate Action Network tour coming and youth speak out!
Climate change sparked by human actions is happening now and its impact is already being felt from the South Pacific to the Arctic. The government may say that Kyoto targets are impossible to reach (though no Canadian government has ever really tried) but the problem can’t wait. Some citizens are setting out to prove our government wrong, and they’re coming to a workshop near you. Through September and October, the Climate Action Network is on tour across the country, meeting with Canadians to talk about the climate impacts they are already experiencing and what they want to see in the Government's proposed Green Plan. Recommendations will be put together in a "Made By Canadians Climate Change Plan." For further information on the goals, schedules and locations see: http://www.climateactionnetwork.ca/climatetour/
KAIROS has also sent a letter to Prime Minister Harper, critiquing the government for its lack of action on climate change. You can see it at http://www.kairoscanada.org/e/media/letters/ltrHarper060919.asp
Youth across Canada are also continuing their strong leadership
on this crisis. This September youth from across Canada met in Toronto
at a Summit on Climate Change and formed the Canadian Youth Climate
Coalition. A Declaration of their dreams and demands was agreed
upon, and an interim structure created to reach out to groups across
civil society. View it at http://www.kairoscanada.org/f/ecologie/climatique/Youth_ClimateChange_Declaration.pdf
Youth groups from churches are also encouraged to connect and consider
getting involved if they agree with the principles of the coalition.
They have also created a petition and remind us that "you don't have to be youth to sign." See http://www.petitiononline.com/CYCC/petition.html
For more information, see KAIROS’ climate change page at http://www.kairoscanada.org/e/ecology/climateChange/index.asp or contact Joy Kennedy, Ecological Justice Program Coordinator, at jkennedy or 1 877 403 8933 x222.
6) Canada should sign the Declaration on Indigenous Peoples! You can help
In June, KAIROS joined with Indigenous peoples and others to celebrate the historic decision by the United Nations Human Rights Council to back the adoption of the draft UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Unfortunately, Canada decided to vote against it. Around the world, Indigenous Peoples are among the most marginalized and dispossessed sectors of society, the victims of perennial prejudice and discrimination. A strong international human rights instrument is an important step towards addressing this dire situation, yet Canada has been notable in its refusal to back the initiative.
The Declaration now goes before the United Nations General Assembly for adoption later this year. A Global Petition, co-hosted by the Grand Council of Crees and Amnesty International Canada, is being circulated to promote adoption of the Declaration to governments around the world.
It is especially important that Canadians sign this petition to
show that the government’s opposition to the Declaration is
not a position shared by all Canadians.
The petition is posted on the Grand Council of the Crees website
in English, French, Spanish, and Russian:
http://www.gcc.ca/newsarticle.php?id=79
You also can sign the petition by going to Amnesty’s website:
http://www.amnesty.ca/ip_un_petition/UN_indigenous_rights.php
For more information, contact KAIROS’ Aboriginal Rights Program
Coordinator, Ed Bianchi at 613 235 9956 or ebianchi
ebianchi
7) Sisters in Spirit Global Vigil: October 4
On October 4, 2006 the Native Women's Association of Canada (NWAC), with the support of Amnesty International and KAIROS, is hosting the Sisters in Spirit Global Vigil on Parliament Hill to remember and raise awareness of the over 500 missing and murdered Aboriginal women in Canada. The vigil is part of the ongoing Sisters in Spirit campaign, which is supported by a number of churches and ecumenical groups.
NWAC's long-term goal is to have an annual national day of remembrance for the missing and murdered women and their families. More information should be available soon at www.nwac-hq.org
You can learn more about this issue from Amnesty International’s
site:
http://www.amnesty.ca/take_action/actions/canada_stolen_sisters_7ways.php
and http://www.sistersinspirit.ca/enghome.htm
For more information, contact KAIROS’ Aboriginal Rights Program Coordinator, Ed Bianchi at 613 2359956 or ebianchi
8) Voices of Victims tour: youth proposals for peace with justice in Colombia
From October 10-21, KAIROS will be sponsoring a tour of two members
of the Movement of Victims of human rights abuses in Colombia: Lilia
Solano Ramirez, a human rights defender, peace activist, Mennonite
and founder of the movement of victims, and Jose Yimer Huependo
Leon, a youth from a displaced community, himself several times
a victim of human rights abuses.
In Colombia today, the voices of human rights victims are largely
ignored or silenced. The Movement of Victims was formed to advocate
for the rights of victims and bring forward their proposals for
peace with justice. KAIROS supports organizations that belong to
the Movement, as well as the Movement itself. For more information
see our Colombia page at http://kairoscanada.org/e/countries/colombia/index.asp
The tour will be an opportunity to hear testimonies on the human rights situation in Colombia and proposals for peace with justice, particularly from youth, one of the most marginalized voices in Colombia. The program will include meetings and public events in Ottawa (October 10-14), Montreal (October 15-17) and Toronto (October 18-21). Watch the KAIROS website events posting page for details of the public events: http://www.kairoscanada.org/e/events/index.asp
For more information about the tour, contact Rachel Warden, Program Coordinator, Latin America Partnerships, at 1 877 403 8933 x 242 or rwarden or John Lewis, Program Coordinator, Human Rights, x 224, jlewis
9) KAIROS to host faith dialogue on poverty in November
KAIROS is hosting a dialogue in Ottawa entitled From Vision to Action: Building a Faith-Based Movement for a Canada Without Poverty on November 27 and 28. The meeting will bring together fifty members of faith and civil society organizations as well as people living in poverty. The event is being co-sponsored by Citizens for Public Justice, Campaign Against Child Poverty, Canadian Council of Churches, Faith and the Common Good, and the National Roundtable on Poverty and Homelessness (a partnership of the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada).
The goal of the forum is to build and strengthen a national faith-based voice on poverty issues. Space is limited, however. Those interested in attending or being informed of actions arising out of the meeting should contact Michael Polanyi, Program Coordinator, Canadian Social Development, at mpolanyi or 1877 403 8933 x237.
10) KAIROS challenges Standing Committee on Finance to put real values in the budget
KAIROS has made a submission to the Government of Canada’s
Standing Committee on Finance urging it to make its goals for the
2007 Federal Budget explicit. The Committee’s consultation
document, entitled “Canada in a Competitive World”,
focuses on the single goal of increasing economic growth and prosperity
in Canada. KAIROS recognizes that this is an important objective,
but argues in its brief that there are other equally important objectives
for the 2007 Budget, namely opportunity, compassion, fairness, stewardship
of nature and citizen engagement. Based on these objectives KAIROS
names thirteen specific policy recommendations. You can view the
full submission and a summary at
http://www.kairoscanada.org/e/antipoverty/analysis/index.asp
For more information on KAIROS’ anti-poverty program, contact
Michael Polanyi Program Coordinator, Canadian Social Development,
at
mpolanyi
or 1877 403 8933 x237.
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