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Kairos Times: February 2007. Vol. 6, #2
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| Through everyday actions, on everyday issues, we are creating living economies, living democracies, and living cultures. Diversity alliances, cooperation, and persistence are our strengths. Service, support, and solidarity are our means. Justice, human freedom, dignity, and ecological survival are our ends. |
Vandana Shiva, "Earth Democracy: Justice Sustainability, and Peace." |
In this edition:
- Wade In The Water – Take Action On World Water Day, March 22 2007
- KAIROS Job Posting: Team Leader, Finance and Human Resources
- Philippine Delegation And Petition Campaign Against Continued Killings
- The Case of Cerro de San Pedro, Mexico: A KAIROS Prairies North Regional Perspective
- Canadian MPs and Civil Society Call for Truth and
Justice for Kimy Pernia Domicó
Wade In The Water – Take Action On World Water Day, March 22 2007
Once again, KAIROS, Council of Canadians, and CUPE are uniting in an effort to advocate for water justice on World Water Day, March 22. We’re offering a range of activity ideas and want to encourage as much cooperation as possible among KAIROS and church groups, Council chapters, CUPE locals, and other community groups. Last year, we collaborated on more than 60 events and we hope to do even more this year, and draw in even more people from throughout our communities.
KAIROS will focus on two main advocacy points: regulating Canadian corporate activity that damages water supply through overuse, diversion, and pollution; and getting Canada to acknowledge that access to clean water and sanitation is a human right.
For a full range of action options, including a Walk for Water, worship ideas, and plans for a water-themed book club event, visit http://www.kairoscanada.org/e/action/wwd07/index.asp
No matter what you decide to do, keep us posted! We’re coordinating
a list of events across the country, and want to keep you in the
loop! If you can, please let us know by March 1! Contact Campaigns
Coordinator Sara Stratton at 1-877-403-8933 or 416-463-5312, ext
241 or
sstratton
Top
of pageJob Posting: Team Leader, Finance and Human Resources
Please help KAIROS spread the word about this position! http://www.kairoscanada.org/e/support/jobFinanceTL.pdf
The closing date for is Wednesday, February 28th, 2007.
See the detailed job description at the above link. Please send
your application by mail or deliver in person only to: Therese Dineen,
KAIROS: 129 St. Clair Ave West, Toronto, Ontario M4V 1N5.
Philippine Delegation And Petition Campaign Against Continued Killings
Human rights violations continue to escalate in the Philippines. As of January 30, 2007, KARAPATAN (the Alliance for the Advancement of Human Rights in the Philippines) counts 830 victims of extrajudicial killings since 2001. These victims include human rights defenders, lawyers, members of progressive organizations, peasant and trade union leaders, and indigenous peoples. Journalists critical of the present administration for its corrupt practices and human rights violations have not been spared. These killings continue, and the Philippine government not only has failed to conduct effective investigations into these killings, but has in fact been unresponsive to complaints raised by families and victims, churches, and civil society groups.
KAIROS invites you to circulate and sign the petition letter posted in the KAIROS website in solidarity and support to the Stop the Killing Campaign: http://www.kairoscanada.org/e/humanrights/index.asp
KAIROS also welcomes a five-member delegation of Philippines church leaders and human rights advocates, who are traveling with the support of the Anglican and United Churches and Development and Peace. They include:
- Dr. Constancio Claver, a medical doctor serving indigenous communities who survived an assassination attempt that killed his wife in 2006
- Ms. Sharon Rose Joy Ruiz-Duremdes, General Secretary of the National Council of Churches in the Philippines
- Bishop Eliezer Pascua, General Secretary of the United Church of the Philippines
- Marie Hilao-Enriquez, General Secretary of KARAPATAN, the Alliance for the Advancement of Human Rights in the Philippines
- Fr. Joe Dizon, Chair, KAIROS-Philippines and Director, Workers’ Assistance Centre
The delegation will be in Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal from March 4 to 9 to draw attention to the escalation of human rights violations in the Philippines. It is meeting with Members of the Canadian Parliament, Foreign Affairs Canada, churches, NGOs, trade unions and other civil society groups committed to working for peace, justice and human rights to appeal for support in pressuring the Philippine government to stop these political killings.
From Canada, the delegation will proceed to Washington, D.C. to lobby the American Congress and meet with churches and human rights advocates. It is also traveling to Geneva to make a presentation at the United Nations Human Rights Council, and then The Hague to provide testimonies at the Permanent People’s Tribunal (PPT). The PPT is specifically convened to listen to accounts and testimonies on the alarming cases of human rights violations under the presidency of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
For more information, please contact Connie C. Sorio at 1-877-403-8933 or 416-463-5312, ext 240 or csorio or Mahjabeen Chowdhury at 416-924-9199 ext 203 or mchowdhury
The Case of Cerro de San Pedro, Mexico: A KAIROS Prairies-North Regional Perspective
In last month’s KAIROS Times, we told you about recent events in Cerro de San Pedro, Mexico, where the community is struggling to stop a proposed gold mine from setting up shop on its doorstep. On January 11th and 12th, the mine, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Canadian mining company Metallica Resources, began blasting on the village hill, destroying several homes and the electricity grid and leaving residents without water or light.
As it happens, Dick and Helen Peters, members of the KAIROS community
in Grenfell, SK, were in Cerro de San Pedro in January as part of
a winter journey to warmer climes. KAIROS staff had helped to arrange
a solidarity visit between Dick and Helen and community leader/KAIROS
partner Ana Maria Alvarado. It could not have come at a better time
for these two Canadians, who saw the impact of this Canadian corporation
and the importance of international solidarity up close. Read Dick’s
report of his and Helen’s visit:
http://www.kairoscanada.org/e/economic/trade/DickPetersCerroDeSanPedro0701.pdf
To learn more about Cerro de San Pedro, visit http://www.kairoscanada.org/e/action/FortheLove_MexicoStory.pdf
and
http://www.kairoscanada.org/e/economic/trade/delegation.asp
or contact Rusa Jeremic, Program Coordinator for Global Economic
Justice at 1-877-403-8933 or 416-463-5312, ext 225 or
rjeremic
Canadian MPs and Civil Society Call for Truth and Justice for Kimy Pernia Domicó
When Colombian paramilitary leader Salvatore Mancuso recently confirmed that he had participated in the abduction and murder of Indigenous leader Kimy Pernia Domicó, Kimy’s family and community issued a call for real truth and justice.
In response, Amnesty International, Rights and Democracy, York University’s Centre for Research on Latin America and the Caribbean (CERLAC) and KAIROS drafted an open letter to the Colombian government. 61 Canadian MPs (from all political parties) and 40 organizations including churches and congregations, unions, human rights groups and development organizations, have signed on to the letter. This demonstrates clear support among Canadian parliamentarians and civil society for Kimy as a leader and ambassador of his people, the Embera Katio. A final version of the open letter with all the signatures can be found on the KAIROS website: http://www.kairoscanada.org/e/media/letters/ltrKimyGoCol070212.pdf
The letter was sent to the Colombian President Alvaro Uribe and to the Ambassador for Colombia in Canada on February 12. It was also sent to the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs and the Canadian Ambassador to Colombia. On the same day, it was published in two major Colombian newspapers, el Tiempo and El Colombiano.
In Canada, the Ottawa Citizen picked up on the letter in an editorial
about Kimy, published on Feb 15: http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/editorials/story.html?id=ca48f646-a47d-4013-8ecf-bcd6fbbd21b2&k=69022
We want to thank the KAIROS member churches and congregations for
their support of this initiative, for keeping Kimy’s memory
alive, and for continuing to call for truth and justice in Colombia.
The significant Canadian support evident in the open letter is invaluable
to the Embera Katío, who continue to face the threat of paramilitary
violence.
For more information, please contact Rachel Warden, Program Coordinator
for Latin American Partnerships, at (416) 463-5312/1-877-403-8933
ext 242 or
rwarden
You’ve been reading Kairos Times, a monthly e-bulletin from KAIROS, the social justice organization of eleven Canadian churches and church agencies. Sign up for this free bulletin and occasional urgent actions or contact us at info , or toll-free 1 877 403 8933.
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