Swords into Plowshares

Munyagishari and Mladic arrested for genocide and crimes against humanity

Bernard Munyagishari, a suspect of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, was arrested this week in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), after 17 years on the run.

In Europe, Ratko Mladic, Bosnian Serb war crimes fugitive was also arrested in Serbia after 16 years in hiding.

Both Munyagishari and Mladic will be tried for charges of genocide and crimes against humanity.  To read more detail about Munyagishari and Mladic, click here.

The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has long supported international mechanisms, which seek justice.  For a compilation of Presbyterian policy on genocide, please click here.

We continue to pray that for just and lasting peace throughout the world.

 

Big Tent Registration Extended

The registration deadline for the Peacemaking Pre-conference Gun Violence, Gospel Values:   Mobilizing in Response to God’s Call and Conference Growing Christ’s Peace at the Big Tent is extended to JUNE 15.  Peacemaking registration scholarships funds are still available on a first come, first serve basis through June 15.  Scholarship applicants need to register for the Big Tent while awaiting scholarship approval.  No registration funds will be required, simply select the scholarship option.   Although registration for the children and youth programs is closed, a few spaces are available; parents/guardians can contact the G. A. Meeting Service.   Please register online, or download a registration form to complete and return. Contact the G.A. Meeting Service by email or at (800) 728-7228, 2417 if you have difficulties registering.

The cut–off date for reservations in the Big Tent hotels is JUNE 3.  Rooms may continue to be available after this date, but to ensure access to the conference rates ($99/night at the JW Marriott, $97/night at the Marriott Downtown), reserve lodgings as soon as possible online or by calling (800) 266-9432 and specifying “Presbyterian Church Big Tent” as you speak with a reservations agent.

Statement by chairman of Security Council working group on children in armed conflict

Below is a statement by the chairman of the Security Council:

At its thirtieth meeting on 2 May 2011, the Working Group of the Security Council on Children and Armed Conflict agreed, in connection with the third report of the Secretary-General on children and armed conflict in Chad (document S/2011/64), to address the following message to all parties to the conflict in Chad, through a public statement by the Chairman of the Working Group:

(a) Expressing deep concern regarding the continuing violations and abuses committed against children in Chad by all parties to the conflict, and urging the immediate implementation of the previous conclusions of the Working Group on children and armed conflict in Chad (documents S/AC.51/2007/16 and S/AC.51/2008/15);

(b) Strongly urging all parties to the conflict, including those armed groups not engaged in the peace process, to immediately halt the recruitment and use of children in violation of applicable international law, and to release all children remaining within their ranks, as called for in Security Council resolutions 1539 (2004), 1612 (2005) and 1882 (2009);

(c) Expressing deep concern regarding the killing and maiming of children and other civilians in violation of applicable international law, including as a result of the use of anti-personnel mines, reminding all parties to the conflict of their obligations under international law, and calling upon all non-State armed groups to refrain from using anti-personnel mines, which could cause the killing and maiming of children.

To read what Presbyterians are doing to say no to child soldiers, click here.

 

Security Council meets on civilians in armed conflict

Twice a year, the United Nations Security Council has an open debate around the role of civilians in armed conflict.  Today, the Security Council held this biannual debate, with testimony from Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Valerie Amos, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Alain Le Roy and Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights Ivan Simonovic.

The last time the Council met, as reported by Security Council Report, The Secretary-General called on the Council to:

• take a more consistent and comprehensive approach to addressing humanitarian access constraints and ensure accountability for grave instances of denial of access;
• request that situations where humanitarian operations are deliberately obstructed be brought to its attention;
• take action to enhance compliance with international humanitarian law, including by enforcing cooperation with the International Criminal Court (ICC), requesting investigations of possible violations or mandating commissions of inquiry with a view to imposing targeted measures or refer situations to the ICC. (In this context, the Secretary-General expressed his intention to request the Secretariat to undertake a review of the UN’s experience with commissions of inquiry in order to identify how they might be used on a more consistent and less politically-influenced basis.);  and
• call on states to establish or mandate mechanisms  to receive claims from individuals  alleging to be the victims of violations of international humanitarian law and human rights law. 

During this meeting, the Council heard from experts regarding recent tensions in the Middle East and North Africa, Cote d’Ivoire, Somalia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Bahrain, Lebanon, Syria and Israel-Palestine among others. 

In her testimony, Ms. Amos referred to the IDPs around the world as well as access of humanitarian workers in conflict situations and the use of sexual violence in conflict.  Mr. Le Roy commented on the ongoing dialogue between member states and his office in work to protect civilians.  Mr. Simonovic referenced the denial of human rights as a root cause of war.

The Security Council then heard statements from members of the Security Council and other UN Member states.  The statement made by the United States is available here.

The Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations believes that the protection of civilians and access for humanitarian workers is necessary in areas of conflict.  Let us pray for these protections and peace and security for all God’s people.

 

Northminster Presbyterian Church puts mission into practice

The Northminster Presbyterian Church visited the Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations on Saturday, April 16.

The group had the opportunity to tie mission into advocacy practice.  The group from Northminster had spent days doing mission work close to New York City, including some hands on work like painting.

The use of paint took another form of mission when the group completed participated in making Red Hands for the Red Hand’s Campaign to end the use of child soldiers.

The group also had the opportunity to learn about Presbyterian Mission partners in different countries and educate each other about the work of Presbyterians around the world and far off places.

Later in the day, the group visited the United Nations headquarters and spent some time in the United Nations meditation room. 

Contact the Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations to schedule a seminar.

Your gifts make possible the Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations.

 

Zonta Club New York Talks about Human Trafficking

April is the National Sexual Assault Awareness month.  As part of this year's celebration, I had the opportunity to speak with the New York Chapter of Zonta International.  The goal of Zonta is to improve the lives of women by the following objectives:

• To improve the legal, political, economic, educational, health and professional status of women at the global and local level through service and advocacy.
• To work for the advancement of understanding, goodwill and peace through a world fellowship of executives in business and the professions.
• To promote justice and universal respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.
• To be united internationally to foster high ethical standards, to implement service programs, and to provide mutual support and fellowship for members who serve their communities, their nations, and the world.

The Zonta Chapter of New York invited me to speak to the issue of human trafficking and how the local Zonta Club could become active on the topic.  The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has been involved with campaigns to stop the spread of human trafficking for many years. 

In my presentation, we spoke about the different types of human trafficking, including:

• Forced labor
• Sex trafficking
• Bonded labor
• Debt bondage among migrant laborers
• Involuntary domestic servitude
• Forced child labor
• Child soldiers
• Child sex trafficking

There are many ways that groups and individuals can get involved to stop human trafficking.  You can:

• Support federal legislation like S. 596, the Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking Deterrence and Victims Support Act of 2011 and ask your Senators to co-sponsor the legislation.
• Ask businesses to sign onto “the Code,” an agreement by businesses to increase the protection of children from sex tourism. 
• Individuals can also ask their local grocers to take action to ensure the produce sold in their store is from a just work environment. 
• Support the Red Hands Campaign, a campaign with the Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations, the Child Advocacy Office of the Presbyterian Church (USA) and the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program to eliminate the use of child soldiers around the world. 

If you are interested in finding out how the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is involved in human trafficking, please visit our webpage.

 

Global Day of Action Against Military Spending

Today, we celebrate the Global Day of Action Against Military Spending.  The Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations has joined with ecumenical partners to begin a conversation on the topic of global military spending.

According to Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), military expenditures are estimated to have reached $1.6 trillion in 2010.  The Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations will work with ecumenical partners to discuss this trend and look for next actions at a luncheon today.

Hiro Sakuri (invited, Soka Gakkai Intl), Dennis Frado(accepted, Lutheran Office for World Community) and Alison Pytlak (accepted, Religions for Peace) have been asked to share briefly on the following subject in order to provoke our conversation around the following: “What is civil society’s role at the U.N., in the streets, and in the pew/temple/gurdwara/mosque regarding militarism, militarization and military expenditures?”

The collected group will follow these three diverse perspectives with table conversations regarding questions raised during the presentation and, are organizations interested in taking this issue on?  Why?  Or why not?

 

Red Hands in Fort Wayne

Sent from United Faith Presbyterian Church in Fort Wayne, IN to the Office of Child Advocacy (in August - we are behind but catching up!):

Several weeks ago, our congregation signed "red hands" in support of the "No Child Soldiers" campaign. We are a small, elderly congregation but many members participated. Please forward our red hands to the appropriate organization.

Thanks to the saints at United Faith Presbyterian Church!

Your red hands have been delivered.

What do we do?

We ansered that question on Friday for a group from First Presbyterian Church in Bloomington, Indiana.

At the end of a long day, at the end of a long week, the group arrived at the Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations.

As they enjoyed cookies and pizza, we asked about what they had been doing. Their trip had included worship, visits to churches, learning about and participating in mission projects such as food pantries and soup kitchens, reflecting on the importance of advocacy, and exploring New York.

After a number of questions to the group, the group posed a question of their own: "So what do you do?"

There are two broad answers to that question. We help Presbyterians live as global disciples of Jesus. We engage in advocacy for peace and justice within the UN community, guided by policies of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

Here are some of concrete ways we do that:

We engage in advocacy:

• We set up meetings for Presbyterians and our partners with UN officials and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) working at the UN
• We participate in a working group of NGOs that meets with representatives of the States sitting on the Security Council
• We partner with NGOs to work on issues of food and hunger, human trafficking, and peace and justice in Israel and Palestine, Sudan, and other places
• We offer resources to individuals, congregations and other groups such as those on Libya and Cote d'Ivoire created with our partners at the Commission on the Status of Women

We help Presbyterians live as global disciples:

• We facilitate Presbyterian participation in the Commission on the Status of Women
• We host seminars for Presbyterian groups
• We create and share worship resources for dates related to the UN
• We encourage Presbyterians to Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF

We then offered our new friends from First Presbyterian Church an immediate opportunity and two future invitations to be global disciples.

The opportunity

We described the Red Hand Campaign to address the use of children as soldiers around the world. This campaign seeks to build international consensus and political will to halt the exploitation of children as soldiers by asking States to ratify the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict. The disciples from First Presbyterian Church made Red Hands that will be combined with those made by other Presbyterians (see the photo) and delivered to States that have yet to ratify the protocol.

Invitation one

We asked the group to invite others in their congregation to make Red Hands and return them to us. We encouraged the group to learn more about child soldiers and other ways to protect children from being used as soldiers.

Invitation two

We asked the group to consider supporting the UNICEF Tap Project which raises money to provide clean water to children around the world. One way to support the Tap Project is to visit a participating restaurant and pay for the tap water. Direct contributions can be made. We suggested that the group approach their Session about the possibility of inviting members to make a contribution at an upcoming coffee hour.

It was great fun meeting our brothers and sisters - and to see again the Rev. Rachel Pedersen who had once served as an intern in the Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations and who now is the associate pastor at First Presbyterian. We look forward to hearing about their future steps as global disciples.

Your generous gifts help support the Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations.

Note: providing clean water helps achieve Millennium Development Goal 4: Reduce by two thirds, between 1990 and 2015, the under-five mortality rate.

The photo of the group is by Ryan Smith (apologies to any folks from First Presbyterian that did not get included - we decided to do a picture on the spur of the moment as the group was leaving). The photo of the collection of Red Hands is by Ricky Velez-Negron.

Where did the Red Hands go?

Red Hands were recently sent to a number of missions of member states at the United Nations asking them to ratify the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict - an international treaty through which member states commit not to use children as soldiers. Ratification sets a standard to which the member states can be held.

The most recent group of Presbyterian Red Hands went to the missions of Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Djibouti, Estonia, the Dominican Republic, the Fiji Islands, the Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Iran, Lebanon, Liberia, the Federated State of Micronesia, Nauru, Nigeria, Pakistan, San Marino, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Suriname, and Zambia. Each of these member states has signed the Optional Protocol, but has not taken the step of ratification.

Of the member states that have received Red Hands from Presbyterians, Georgia and Congo have ratified the treaty; Ethiopia has signed the treaty.

The Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations is coordinating the Presbyterian Red Hand Campaign in partnership with the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program and the Child Advocacy Office.

Support the work of the Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations.

Photo of Red Hands being organized for mailing by Ricky Velez-Negron.