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... to bring good news to the poor ...Luke: 4,18
World Water Day - Right to Water
22rd March is United Nations World Water Day, and Franciscans International are addressing the issue of peoples' right to water especially people in the developing world who have limited access to clean water. Click here for more information.
Letter from a Friar in Chile after Earthquake
"...
the appalling suffering of so many brothers and sisters from Chile who
mourn their dead, who have lost absolutely everything and now need
water, food and shelter. In some places the neighbors help each other with exemplary solidarity ..." Click here for pictures showing damage to some of the churches. You can just imagine how peoples' houses and other public buildings must have been adversely effected also.
Visiting Friars in Haiti
We thank the Lord whom we encountered alive among the debris of Port-au-Prince ..." He is alive, that is, among the survivors, the sick, and in all the
poor; He is also the life of the deceased. The friars were able to pray at mass
graves and bring there many peoples' prayers as their
affection and solidarity for the living.
- Three fraternities
of friars live in Port-au-Prince, and they live fraternal life with great passion. The churches and friaries have
made room for the sick, the dining-rooms for the hungry, and sleeping-quarters
for the homeless. They walk amid destruction and misery in order to
seek the poor Christ in the poor and help them not lose hope in the God
of life. The strength to survive, in fact, is innate in the Haitian
people who rely much on the help of the Friars.
- The
friars of Santo Domingo prepared truck loads of food and sanitary
supplies to be brought to the neighbouring country of Haiti. To this
effect, they have opened an account in Santo Domingo, so that all the
money collected thus far may be channeled to help the people survive.
In the meantime, let us continue to pray for the people and the friars of Haiti. Click here for more.
Friars Minister to Environmental Refugees
by Br. Miguel Timanà, OFM
I am one of three friars from the Santa Fe Province of Colombia and from Ecuador that have been providing services to Colombian environmental refugees who cross the border into Ecuador. One of the issues we are dealing with is that of human migration for the Church of San Miguel in Sucumbíos, Ecuador. We live amongst the people in a spirit of fraternity. Observing St. Matthew's gospel, “I was a stranger and you welcomed me” (Mt. 25:35), our task is to welcome, listen to, prepare and integrate these refugees into the local community. Between 2000 and 2007 as a member of a monitoring team of the UN High Commission for Refugees, I was able to see the effects of spraying used to eliminate illicit crops on the Colombian side of the border. This situation affected both Colombians and the local communities on the Ecuadorian side of the border.
These refugees are called “environmentally displaced people.” There are currently millions of environmental refugees in the world, and the number will grow in coming years.
Spraying on the Colombia/Ecuador border has affected 33 communities in the parish of General Farfán. However between the San Miguel and Putumayo Rivers around 200 communities (more or less 1500 families) have also lost everything, including their land and cattle. Communities that have come into direct contact with the spraying have experienced an increase in various diseases and deaths. The government of the province where 68% of the environmental refugees of the country reside, will not take responsibility for the situation.
Helping the people as best we can, we friars walk with our brothers and sisters and promote both environmental justice and human rights.
Young Second Generation Immigrants find their Voice
by Markus Heinze OFM, Frankfurt, Germany
When I got my first Identity Card at age 16 I was very proud. We were told to carry it at all times since the police have the right to ask for it at anytime. I found this very exciting, even though my card was never checked. I have had it for more than 30 years now, and not once have I been asked to show it.
Since I live in Frankfurt I know why this is the case. It is because I am white. The experience of my friends is quite different. Because they are black or coloured, every few days they are checked by the police. Coming home from Church or school, or just going to the city for shopping, they are regularly stopped by the police and they consider themselves lucky if they are only asked to show their IDs, because these stops can also include body checks which can be rather humiliating.
Such a police practice makes the integration of second-generation immigrants into society difficult. Although most of them were born in Germany and have German passports, this policy tells them: “you do not seem to be German” and “you are a potential criminal.” It is a form of racism because they are being checked due to the colour of their skin.
In the last 18 years our friary situated where a lot of immigrants live, has developed into an informal meeting point for the young generation of those with a so-called “immigrant background.” They come first of all to do their homework and to prepare for their exams. But later they come to talk together and organize their free time. They have recently created an action plan to make the public aware of police discrimination against them. It is important to change this police policy. But it is equally important that the young people become aware of their situation, show solidarity with one another and overcome the exclusion.
The first step of the “action plan” was to share their police stories with one another. It helped them to see that no one is alone, to become aware of the injustice involved, and to see the need to organize themselves to overcome this practice. They then met with a deputy of the German parliament in Berlin to discuss this situation of discrimination. We also had many meetings with different groups who were interested in listening to their stories. Soon, these young people understood that the police policy of checking their papers is not “normal” and that they should be accepted as Germans. We are now collecting all the different stories in written form to present them to various politicians. We are also trying to meet with the police to talk about the negative effect of this kind of policy.
Whatever else is gained through this programme, we have already attained one positive result: the young people have developed much more self-confidence, and have come to see themselves as active citizens in German society.
Franciscans International for Human Rights
Franciscans work for human rights through Franciscans International (FI), an NGO made up of many different groups of Franciscans including Franciscan friars, Franciscan sisters and brothers, and Secular Franciscans. FI is based at the United Nations whose work it is to address human rights issues raised by Franciscans working among people throughout the world. Click on any of the following areas of work to find out more about our human rights work: Human Trafficking; Migration; Poverty; Women.
Fairtrade as issue of Social Justice
Franciscans support and promote Fairtrade produce (eg Fairtrade tea, coffee, bananas etc) because it carries a guarantee that producers receive a fairer deal for their produce and labour. We hope that by choosing Fairtrade, we are helping to bring about trade justice so that people are no longer being exploited for their labour. Wherever Franciscans are present, we seek to alleviate suffering and empower the poor so that they can live decent lives. It is our calling as Franciscans and our duty as Christians to challenge structures including trading structures that exclude people from fully participating in the decision-making structures that effect their lives or prevent them from enjoying the fruits of their labour. Why not switch to Fairtrade products yourself, and help to bring about a more just world? Click here to learn about Fairtrade.
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