Action Alert

March 2011
Challenging Corporations to Demonstrate Care of Earth

In SCN efforts to Care for Earth and to challenge unjust practices of corporations, the Charity Federation brings us an update on the United Nations' work at stability in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). In July of 2010, in accordance with UN Security Council resolution 1925, MONUSCO (United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo) took over the peacekeeping mission from an earlier UN peacekeeping operation. This new mission has been authorized to use all necessary means to protect civilians, humanitarian personnel and human rights defenders under imminent threat of physical violence and to support the Government of the DRC in its stabilization and peace consolidation efforts.

Conflicts continue to arise as armed groups, including the Congolese national army, battle for control of natural resources and prey on local populations. This ongoing war is exacerbating regional instability, giving rise to some of the most heinous violence and sexual abuse in human history, and displacing hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians.

Congolese mines are often controlled by armed groups and militias. These groups smuggle the minerals out of the country to smelting companies on other continents, which means the origin of the minerals can often be masked even from the company commissioning the product. Last August, Congo’s president announced a ban on all artisanal mining in eastern Congo. The ruling has not been enforced by the country’s national military and has negatively affected the citizens who work in the mines as a main source of income.

The primary minerals extracted from eastern Congo are essential to the electronics devices that individuals use and depend on every day. These minerals are central to the technologies that have allowed cultures to thrive and that drive businesses, communications infrastructure, social engagement and national security. As a consumer of these products, each of us must take note and question what it is that can be done to care for Earth when challenging these unjust practices.

Reflection/Actions:

• Reflect upon the reality presented in this sharing. What do I consider before I make a purchase that includes natural resources extracted from Earth? How often do I think about borrowing or finding a used product? How might I be able to determine if fair labor practices were used to produce the product? How can I determine what parts of this product can be recycled? How will I share this with others who may not know this information?
• The Enough Project has developed a ranking system in an effort to provide consumers with information needed to purchase responsibly and to encourage companies to continue to move forward in good faith.
• According to Raise Hope for Congo, more than 5.4 million people have died from the continuous wars that ravage the Congo. Raise Hope for Congo urges people to tell companies that they want conflict free products. Send a message to the 21 major manufacturers of electronic devices urging them to use minerals in their products that are not mined in conflict.
• Citizens of the United States can urge federal legislators (202.224.3121) to implement regulations to the Congo minerals law that will reduce and end the illegal mineral trade and fund MONUSCO sufficiently and mandate it to provide civilian security.
• Pray with our sisters and brothers in the Democratic Republic of Congo who suffer from armed conflicts, whose natural resources are unjustly taken, and whose daily safety and existence are met with struggles.
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  This year marks the global centenary since the first International Women’s Day event was held. According to the website for International Women's Day, in 1911, more than one million women and men attended rallies. The first international agreement to proclaim gender equality as a basic human right was the Charter of the United Nations signed in San Francisco in 1945. In the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth congregation, one of the recent General Assembly Directives guides attention to that of “becoming a prophetic congregation, living radically, ministering on the margins and addressing the rightful place of women in church and society.”
  
  Reflection/Actions:

• As I reflect upon this directive from the General Assembly, what does it mean for me to empower women to embrace their rightful place in church and society?
• What role does culture have in this empowering?
• How aware am I of the “herstory” in church? In the culture(s) where I live and/or minister?
• What church and social systems have been changed as a result of empowerment?
• Pray together with women, daughters, sisters and friends.
• Integrate gender work into the presentations, storytelling and ministry of which you are part of.
• Get youth involved in support of the Millennium Development Goals especially those that promote gender equality and empower women and girls.
• Visit the United Nations CyberSchoolBus website for International Women’s Day Curriculum."
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The theme for World Water Day is Water for Cities: Responding to the Urban Challenge. In recent years, the majority of the world population has shifted from living in the rural areas to that of becoming urban. According to a United Nations Water and Urbanization media brief, most of this growth is the result of more births, the reclassifying of rural areas to be included as part of the urban ones and migration from rural to urban areas. While each region of the world differs greatly in the number of people living in urban areas, there is much strain that is being put on the need for water and sanitation in addition to many other issues. Without adequate drinking water and sanitation, an abundance of diseases keep the realization of the Millennium Development Goals at a distance. These goals include that of reducing child mortality and that of combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases.

Reflection/ Action: In the SCN corporate stand on water, it states that we “oppose actions and policies that deprive humans and other species access to adequate, safe water essential for life.”

• What specific actions have I taken recently that reduce water consumption and promote water as a common good?
• Where have I observed water being wasted? What have I done or tried to do about it?
• What actions related to urban development have hindered access to water?
• What plan of action do I have for informing those who have power to make honest decisions on behalf of the common good? How does this plan involve collaborating with others?
• How aware am I of any planning between cities and communities with regard to water needs in my geographic region?
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U.S. Continuing Resolution for FY 2011

It appears as though another continuing resolution (other than H.R.1) will be passed by the House and Senate giving negotiators until March 18 to write legislation for the rest of FY 2011. According to the Coalition on Human Needs, H.R.1 reflected the “largest cuts, on an annualized basis, in non-defense discretionary funding in history.” Those harmed most by the bill would include children, low-income people, seniors, disabled individuals, college students, poor households in public housing, households in need of heat and veterans to name a few. Many other programs would be terminated. According to the Coalition on Human Needs, more than $65 billion would be slashed in the next seven months.

The proposed continuing resolution that would expire on March 18 is located here. The "new" bill seeks to cut/terminate programs and earmarks. A complete list is located on the House Appropriations website.

Action: Individuals are invited to pray and persevere in staying informed about the legislation. Individuals are invited to contact their federal Senators urging them to stand strong in protecting low-income Americans and others suffering with the recession by opposing legislation with severe cuts to programs for low-income people.