ACT Alliance calls for an end to the political crisis in Peru respecting democracy and human rights
The current crisis in Peru has led to the death of more than 55 people, more than 1,500 people injured and hundreds of people arbitrarily detained. ACT Alliance has issued a statement calling for an end to the crisis.
“ACT Alliance, calls for a peaceful resolution of the crisis, respecting the lives and rights of all people; and expresses its willingness to contribute to efforts to ensure a dignified life for all Peruvians,” the statement reads.
ACT is further calling for the Peruvian authorities to “reaffirm their commitment to democracy through the prompt implementation of fair, free and transparent general elections” and to be “accountable for the violent acts and human rights violations perpetrated in repression of social protest.”
Finally, ACT recognizes the need to address the root causes of the crisis including deep inequalities and vulnerabilities. “We call on the State of Peru and Peruvian society to address the structural causes of this crisis, with special focus on those who have been historically marginalized and most vulnerable.”
Read the full statement in Spanish and English here.
ACT Armenia Forum issues statement on closure of humanitarian Lachin corridor
The ACT Armenia Forum draws attention to the massively deteriorating humanitarian situation in Nagorno-Karabakh, and has issued this statement:
Since December 11, 2022 Azerbaijan has blockaded the region of Artsakh by closing the only humanitarian corridor (the Lachin corridor) and cutting gas supplies to the region. With these actions, Azerbaijan is creating a dramatic humanitarian crisis and emergency situation for 120,000 ethnic Armenian residents, including 30,000 children, 20,000 elderly and 9,000 people with disabilities, who are in critical need of food, medication and all life necessary goods.
1,100 people (of which 270 are minors) are unable to return to their homes, and 350 people are unable to receive medical treatment. This situation is a blatant violation of the tripartite agreement that ended the six-week war of 2020, of international humanitarian and human rights law, and of the most fundamental moral principles.
All parties, without exception, must respect their obligations under international humanitarian law and take constant care to spare civilians and civilian infrastructure so that they are protected, their houses preserved, and essential services remain.
ACT, WCC and WCRC congratulate Colombia on appointment of four women to peace negotiation team
ACT Alliance, the World Council of Churches and the World Communion of Reformed Churches sent a joint letter to President Gustavo Petro Urrego of Colombia and the High Commissioner for Peace, Danilo Rueda Rodriguéz on November 28, 2022, congratulating them on including four women, including Rev. Adelaida Jiménez, a Presbyterian pastor, in the eight person team negotiating a peace agreement with the National Liberation Army (ELN).
“Women’s engagement in peacebuilding, peace mediation and negotiation is fundamental, given that as refugees, internally displaced persons, combatants, heads of households, community leaders, activists and peacebuilders, women and men experience conflict differently,” the letter reads.
“Women make a difference [in peace negotiations],” it continues, “in part because they generally take a more comprehensive approach towards human security and address key social and economic issues that would otherwise be ignored.”
“We reaffirm our commitment to accompany the Colombian people in their search for lasting peace in Colombia and in the region,” the letter concludes. “We pray that you will be granted wisdom and strength to reach that goal.”
Faith leaders urgently call for increased ambition at COP27
ACT, LWF, Christian Aid and other faith groups held a media action at COP27 calling for gender justice to be mainstreamed in climate justice work, recognizing the impacts of climate change on women and girls in all their diversity and demanding their voices be heard and seats at the tables at all levels of climate change decision making. Photo: Simon Chambers/ACT
Faith leaders from around the world are among the thousands of civil society members at COP27, the UN climate conference, taking place in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. They have watched with concern as the negotiations have stalled and not pushed for more ambition to prevent the drastic consequences predicted if global temperature rise goes past 1.5C, to support the most vulnerable communities and nations facing the brunt of climate change’s impacts today, and to ensure that human rights, a gender lens, and indigenous people’s knowledge are enshrined in the structures and work of the UNFCCC and its parties as they confront the climate emergency.
Faith leaders have issued today an urgent call for increased ambition in the final days of COP27.
“While negotiations stall, people are dying and livelihoods are being lost as a result of the impact of climate change,” the statement reads. “Time is running out and it is unacceptable if world leaders do not take clear and decisive action within the few remaining days of COP 27.”
The faith leaders, drawing on the call from the Interfaith Talanoa dialogue at the beginning of COP, the faith leaders are calling on leaders at COP27 to preserve all of God’s Creation by:
Recognizing the urgency of the crisis
Establishing a new funding facility for Loss and Damage
Richer countries meeting their commitment to $100bn annually for adaptation and mitigation
Wealthy countries canceling debt, provide adequate new finance, and a L&D facility
Ensuring gender is not siloed but a clear gender transformative climate action lens be applied in all climate work
ACT Alliance members in Latin America and the Caribbean region (LAC) issued a statement in response to the 52nd General Assembly of the Organization of American States (OAS).
Their statement addressed the disturbing increase in influence by some religious organizations who impede or remove human rights, gender rights, and the elimination of violence against women, girls and boys.
ACT members’ understanding of the role of faith-based organizations is very different. “It is because of our faith that we continue to make visible, fight for, and demand timely and full justice against human rights violations, and we commit ourselves to offer a testimony that is also constructive for democracy, peaceful coexistence in plural societies, and full recognition of the dignity of all people.”
The statement highlighted the need to respect the dignity of all people, including “…particularly children and adolescents, women, indigenous peoples, black and Afro-descendant communities, people with disabilities, migrants, and the LGBTIQ community…”
The LAC members stated, “we reject the way in which religious and faith discourses are exploited and promoted by some sectors to stigmatize other sectors of society, deny them their rights, and increase their vulnerability, putting their lives and dignity at risk.”
They concluded with a commitment to the radical commandment of our Lord Jesus Christ to love without any discrimination.
Read the full statement here (in Spanish and English).
Statement: A world in crisis need bold action from Nordic countries
ACT Alliance Nordic members gathered in Oslo 25 August, and state the following:
In an increasingly fragile world, where billions are facing conflict, increased poverty, food insecurity and climate disaster, we urge the Nordic countries to be champions of joint and bold action for global solidarity and sustainability.
We are deeply concerned about the multiple crises facing us all but hitting the most vulnerable people in the world the hardest. The number of people in need of development and humanitarian aid is the highest since World War 2. Moreover, the increased pressure on human rights, gender equality, and democracy in many countries deteriorates the situation.
Therefore, we urge the Nordic countries to strengthen their cooperation, and unite to champion and protect values such as human rights, democracy, equality, and inclusion, values that are strong in the Nordic region, but are under immense pressure globally. We call for the Nordic countries to be brave and innovative and gather around increased, concrete and joint action to protect these values. The Nordic countries are already deeply committed to human rights, democracy, and sustainability, but increased joint action is needed. A rules-based, international world order, supporting human rights, accountability and multilateral cooperation, is essential to uphold, also for the Nordic countries.
We also urge the Nordic countries to uphold high commitment to development and humanitarian aid, ensuring that official development assistance is of high quality, predictable and with a strong commitment of leaving no-one behind in realisation of the Sustainable Development Goals. Also, we urge the Nordic countries to ensure that global common goods, such as vaccines, domestic refugee costs and climate financing is funded from other and additional sources, and not the aid budgets. Rich countries must be innovative in securing diversity in funding to handle national and global crises, focusing on engaging the private sector. Otherwise, the Global Sustainability Goals will not be met.
ACT Alliance Nordic members that participated in the meeting were Dan Church Aid (DCA), Finn Church Aid (FCA), ACT Church of Sweden, Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) and Icelandic Church Aid (ICA).
Displaced by conflicts, hit by food shortage
Chad currently hosts nearly 400,000 refugees. Recently, over 6,000 people have sought refuge in the country from neighbouring Central African Republic. The refugees often live in dire conditions. Belmi is one of them. Photo: Daouda GUIROU/LWF
Diba, southern Chad – Sitting on bare ground, Belmi Mercy seems worried. In her left hand, she holds a teaspoon. She scratches the surface of the ground with it occasionally. A cooking pot vaguely lies close to her. Normally, at this time of the day, the pot should already be set on fire for cooking. The 22 years old woman is visibly anxious or even traumatised.
Nearly a month ago, she had to flee her native village N‘gaounday, in Central African Republic, due to recurring violence between armed groups.
‘‘I used to flee many times in bush, and come back again a few days later‘‘ she said, ‘‘but this time, they [the armed groups] killed 9 people in my neighborhood. It was panic everywhere. I came very close to death, and I decided to leave.”
Belmi left her village with her two sons to cross the border. ACT Alliance member The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) team accommodated her in the village of Mini in Chad, under the supervision of UNHCR, and CNARR(the national commission in charge of refugees). Belmi received a hot meal. For the first time, since a couple of days, she had enough to eat with her children.
Few days later, Belmi and her kids were transferred to a safer place at Diba. A small village located over 40 km from the border. There, with the support of UNHCR, Belmi found a shelter – a plastic tent. She also received sleeping mats, cooking pots and few other items for her basic needs.
FOOD RATION REDUCED BY HALF
Several thousand refugees, like Belmi, are facing food shortage in Chad. Due to the lack of funding, the monthly food ration provided to refugees, has been reduced by half.
‘‘Its currently lean period [when food stock dries out before the next harvest]. The reduction of food ration could increase level of malnutrition, especially among children and pregnant women.’‘ says Adamou Koumanda, LWF Representative in Chad, ‘‘we urgently need more funding to bring life-saving assistance to refugees‘‘.
In total, LWF is currently providing assistance to over 200,000 refugees and host communities in Chad, thanks to the support of UNHCR, WFP, BPRM (USA) and ACT member Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe (DKH/BMZ).
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Text and photos by Daouda Guirou (LWF)
Displaced by conflicts, hit by food shortage
Chad currently hosts nearly 400,000 refugees. Recently, over 6,000 people have sought refuge in the country from neighbouring Central African Republic. The refugees often live in dire conditions. Belmi is one of them. Photo: Daouda GUIROU/LWF
Diba, southern Chad – Sitting on bare ground, Belmi Mercy seems worried. In her left hand, she holds a teaspoon. She scratches the surface of the ground with it occasionally. A cooking pot vaguely lies close to her. Normally, at this time of the day, the pot should already be set on fire for cooking. The 22 years old woman is visibly anxious or even traumatised.
Nearly a month ago, she had to flee her native village N‘gaounday, in Central African Republic, due to recurring violence between armed groups.
‘‘I used to flee many times in bush, and come back again a few days later‘‘ she said, ‘‘but this time, they [the armed groups] killed 9 people in my neighborhood. It was panic everywhere. I came very close to death, and I decided to leave.”
Belmi left her village with her two sons to cross the border. ACT Alliance member The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) team accommodated her in the village of Mini in Chad, under the supervision of UNHCR, and CNARR(the national commission in charge of refugees). Belmi received a hot meal. For the first time, since a couple of days, she had enough to eat with her children.
Few days later, Belmi and her kids were transferred to a safer place at Diba. A small village located over 40 km from the border. There, with the support of UNHCR, Belmi found a shelter – a plastic tent. She also received sleeping mats, cooking pots and few other items for her basic needs.
FOOD RATION REDUCED BY HALF
Several thousand refugees, like Belmi, are facing food shortage in Chad. Due to the lack of funding, the monthly food ration provided to refugees, has been reduced by half.
‘‘Its currently lean period [when food stock dries out before the next harvest]. The reduction of food ration could increase level of malnutrition, especially among children and pregnant women.’‘ says Adamou Koumanda, LWF Representative in Chad, ‘‘we urgently need more funding to bring life-saving assistance to refugees‘‘.
In total, LWF is currently providing assistance to over 200,000 refugees and host communities in Chad, thanks to the support of UNHCR, WFP, BPRM (USA) and ACT member Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe (DKH/BMZ).
__________
Text and photos by Daouda Guirou (LWF)
Displaced by conflicts, hit by food shortage
Chad currently hosts nearly 400,000 refugees. Recently, over 6,000 people have sought refuge in the country from neighbouring Central African Republic. The refugees often live in dire conditions. Belmi is one of them. Photo: Daouda GUIROU/LWF
Diba, southern Chad – Sitting on bare ground, Belmi Mercy seems worried. In her left hand, she holds a teaspoon. She scratches the surface of the ground with it occasionally. A cooking pot vaguely lies close to her. Normally, at this time of the day, the pot should already be set on fire for cooking. The 22 years old woman is visibly anxious or even traumatised.
Nearly a month ago, she had to flee her native village N‘gaounday, in Central African Republic, due to recurring violence between armed groups.
‘‘I used to flee many times in bush, and come back again a few days later‘‘ she said, ‘‘but this time, they [the armed groups] killed 9 people in my neighborhood. It was panic everywhere. I came very close to death, and I decided to leave.”
Belmi left her village with her two sons to cross the border. ACT Alliance member The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) team accommodated her in the village of Mini in Chad, under the supervision of UNHCR, and CNARR(the national commission in charge of refugees). Belmi received a hot meal. For the first time, since a couple of days, she had enough to eat with her children.
Few days later, Belmi and her kids were transferred to a safer place at Diba. A small village located over 40 km from the border. There, with the support of UNHCR, Belmi found a shelter – a plastic tent. She also received sleeping mats, cooking pots and few other items for her basic needs.
FOOD RATION REDUCED BY HALF
Several thousand refugees, like Belmi, are facing food shortage in Chad. Due to the lack of funding, the monthly food ration provided to refugees, has been reduced by half.
‘‘Its currently lean period [when food stock dries out before the next harvest]. The reduction of food ration could increase level of malnutrition, especially among children and pregnant women.’‘ says Adamou Koumanda, LWF Representative in Chad, ‘‘we urgently need more funding to bring life-saving assistance to refugees‘‘.
In total, LWF is currently providing assistance to over 200,000 refugees and host communities in Chad, thanks to the support of UNHCR, WFP, BPRM (USA) and ACT member Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe (DKH/BMZ).
