December
2012 / January 2013
Human Rights Day is December 10
Each year on this
day, individuals celebrate the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights that was adopted in 1948. This year the National Religious Campaign
Against Torture (NRCAT) invites individuals and groups to shine a light during
Christian Advent on where torture exists throughout our world. According to
NRCAT, torture happens throughout the world and most countries want it to stop.
Jails, prisons, mental health facilities, immigration detention centers, youth
detention centers, Guantanamo
and police stations are among the many places not overseen by independent
monitors. Therefore, torture and abuse can occur.
The Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture (OPCAT) was created to
help nations ensure that torture does not take place in detention facilities.
OPCAT sets up oversight bodies and other national mechanisms that prevent
torture and abuse in any place of confinement. However, the U.S. was one of
only four countries to vote against OPCAT in the 2002 UN General Assembly.
Since its passage, the U.S.
has neither signed nor ratified OPCAT. In the U.S., ratification of treaties
first requires the president to sign it and then the U.S. Senate ratifies. To
see if the nation you reside in has signed or ratified OPCAT, click here.
It is imperative
that nations sign the OPCAT. Torture anywhere violates the basic dignity of the
human person and is morally intolerable. It degrades individuals who are
victims, policy makers and the perpetrators. What do any of us say to others
when torture is done in a country’s name or with tax money from citizens?
Additionally, the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee has conducted a three year
investigation into CIA torture. The report is currently being finalized and the
committee is expected to vote to adopt it yet this year.
Reflections/Actions:
- Determine if the country you reside
in has signed and ratified the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against
Torture at the link above. If it has not, contact your Prime
Minister/President/ Head of Country to ask if the process has been started
and to urge them to do so if they have not begun this process.
- U.S. citizens are invited to urge President Obama
to sign the OPCAT document here.
- Make sure that U.S. -
sponsored torture never happens again by writing to President Obama
thanking him for his efforts and to encourage him to make public the full
report on their investigation here or here.
- Show the video Preventing Torture
Everywhere found here.
- A discussion guide for Preventing
Torture Everywhere is located here.
- Video Testimonies of torture
survivors are located here.
- A prayer for Human Rights Day
is located here.
- Integrate Human Rights Day into
Christian Advent with the resources located here.
- More information and actions can be
found here.
Challenging
Governments to Sustainable Development
Despite rhetoric
underscoring the severity of climate change and its impact on Earth’s
ecosystems, and the realization that sustainable development must incorporate
the economic, social and environmental dimensions of development, world leaders
did not make any binding international commitments at the Rio+20 Conference
held in Brazil this past June. Members of Civil Society were disappointed with
the outcome of the Rio+20 conference, but resolved to continue working on
sustainable development issues at local, regional, national, and at the
international level.
Mayors are in the forefront of sustainability issues and a number of them have
shown tremendous initiative in addressing issues at the local level. A key
concern of municipalities in Canada
and the United States
is that their respective federal governments cannot be regarded as sources of
leadership on climate change. The former Mayor of Toronto, David Miller, is one
of several municipal leaders in Canada
to espouse this position: “I feel strongly that since the federal government
has abdicated its responsibility on climate change, it’s up to cities to lead.
If the federal government is not going to act on climate change, it has an
obligation at the very least to enable cities to do so.”
Michael Bloomberg, the Mayor of New York City, offers a similar assessment of
federal leadership in the U.S.A.: “We can't wait for the Federal Government to
take action when it comes to our environment…Cities are leading the way and
making a real difference in cutting greenhouse gas emissions and addressing
climate change.”
Each of us is invited to ask local leaders (face-to-face/letter/letter to
editor in local newspaper) the following questions which are derived from the
areas of sustainability that are used to determine “Greenest Cities”: carbon
dioxide emissions, energy, land use, buildings, transport, water, waste, air
quality, environmental governance.
Questions:
- In the U.S.,
is the Mayor a member of the U.S. Mayors for Climate
Protection?
- In Canada, the Federation of
Canadian Municipalities, in partnership with the International Council for
Local Environmental Initiatives [ICLEI], established the ‘Partners for
Climate Protection’ [PCP] program. The PCP program is a network of
Canadian municipalities committed to reducing greenhouse gases and acting
on climate change. Has your local leader signed this agreement? (For more
information: www.fcm.ca)
- Does the city have a mandatory
recycling program?
- How many buildings in the city are
certified by the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEEDS)?
- What are the criteria for new
building construction?
- What portion of the electricity in
the city is from renewable energy sources?
- What plans does the city have to
reduce dependence on fossil fuels?
- How many miles of bikeways does the
city have?
- How many green roofs do city
buildings have?
- What plan does the city have to
reduce greenhouse gases?
- Does the city have an Office of
Sustainability?
- How efficient is public
transportation or does public transportation exist?
- Does the city have hybrid buses?
- How much green space does the city
have?
- Does the city have a plan with target
dates to reduce energy consumption?
- Does the city ban the use of plastic
bags?
- Does the city have a climate action
plan?
Please let the
NGO office (cjwilliengo@gmail.com) if you take action. The results will be
shared with the members of the Sisters of Charity Federation.
Alternative
Gift Giving
The Sisters of
Charity Federation invites individuals to consider making a gift to victims of Hurricane
Sandy in the United
States. The Sisters of Charity are
ministering in the affected areas of New York
and New Jersey
to help with the damage, destruction and grief. Any contribution made will be
donated to a fund for rebuilding efforts set up by the Federation office this
upcoming holiday season. Sisters Jane Iannucelli of the Sisters of Charity of
New York and Rosemary Monahan of the Sisters of Charity of St. Elizabeth of New
Jersey will take responsibility for distribution of funds to the agencies and
programs most in need. No gift is too small and a card will be sent to the person
in whose name you send the donation. Please include their name and address of
any person to whom you wish a card to be sent.
Action: Make checks payable to the Sisters of Charity Federation and indicate
it is for the alternative gift giving program. Send donations to: The Sisters
of Charity Federation NGO Office, 211
East 43rd Street, Suite 504, New
York, New York 10017
Resources
Two documents entitled, “Nurturing the Global Citizen Within” and "What
Price, A Girl's Life" has recently been published by the Partnership
for Global Justice. These booklets are available from Dierdre Mullan, RSM at Dierdremullanun@aol.com at The
Partnership for Global Justice (211
East 43rd Street #710, New York, NY 10017)
The cost is $3(U.S.)
plus postage.
U.S. Legislative Update
A number of
issues still remain unresolved as U.S. citizens near the end of the
2012. Congress needs to make a deal on spending and taxes before the end of the
year. In solidarity with St. Vincent’s work
with those living in poverty, the desire is a budget that does not hurt people
living in poverty and continue expanding income inequality. Therefore,
safety-net programs must be protected, Pentagon spending should be cut and tax
cuts for the top 2% should not be extended. The needs of people must be placed
over the needs of the Pentagon.
Reflection and Action:
- Read and reflect upon the Faithful
Budget as a model for the federal budget. This document is located here.
- The Violence Against Women Act and
Farm Bill may be incorporated into legislation or delayed until
January 2013. Continue to watch weekly justice highlights or the SCN
Family website under the Global Ministries tab.
- U.S. citizens are invited to contact
their Representative and Senators urging them to create a deal that would
create good jobs; expand the child Tax Credit; Earned Income Tax Credit
benefits and Unemployment Insurance; make significant cuts to the Pentagon
budget; create an alternative minimum tax that would affect only those who
can afford to give a little more; support a financial transaction tax,
also known as the Robin Hood Tax that would place a tax on transactions over
$200,000; protect mandated programs from cuts for those most vulnerable
such as SNAP (food stamps), Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security; and
allow the Bush Tax Cuts (2001 and 2003) for the wealthiest 2% of our
community members to expire. A letter with all of these items is located
at this site.
- Send an edited email to speak of the
needs in your geographic area to your legislators.
