Expanding Our Work to Combat Human Trafficking

Incarnate Word Sisters join US Catholic Sisters Against Human Trafficking

Part of the CCVI Congregation's Corporate Stance against human trafficking includes a commitment to connect with other groups and organizations in the countries in which we find ourselves to collaborate in the joint task of ending human trafficking and caring for survivors.  The Congregational JPIC Office of the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word is pleased to report that we have now become members of the national coalition of women religious working on human trafficking: the US Catholic Sisters Against Human Trafficking (USCSAHT).  We encourage you to explore their website as they have excellent resources for education about human trafficking, action items that you can take to help combat human trafficking, and stories of women religious around the world tackling this important issue of our times.  You can also sign up to be on their mailing list and receive stories and updates about the great work happening around the country and around the world. 

We also encourage you to reach out to other sisters and Congregations in your area who are members of this coalition to join them in their efforts to end human trafficking and support survivors.  One example of this is in Jefferson City, MO on January 26^th, a small group of CCVI sisters along with Jennifer Reyes, Assistant Director of the Congregational JPIC Office, will be tabling together with USCSAHT at the Capitol for a day of education and awareness about human trafficking for MO legislators.   The USCSAHT also has working groups in the areas of Educational Resources, Survivor Services, Legislative Advocacy, and Communications.  Anyone is welcome to join any of these working groups.  If you are interested in joining a working group, please e-mail Jennifer Reyes at Jennifer.Reyes@amormeus.org. 

TAKE ACTION:

One action you can take as encouraged by USCSAHT this month is to contact your representatives (house and senate) about HR 3226 and SB1968 the Business Supply Chain Transparency on Trafficking and Slavery Act of 2015, and ask them to co-sponsor and support the Bills.  Summary of the Bill: To amend the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to require certain companies to disclose information describing any measures the company has taken to identify and address conditions of forced labor, slavery, human trafficking, and the worst forms of child labor within the company’s supply chains. You can get more talking points at the USCSAHT website. 

Press Conference:

On February 8^th, the feast of St. Bakhita and the World Day of Prayer for Human Trafficking, the Congregational JPIC Office together with the GLT will be holding a Press Conference in San Antonio, TX.  This will be an opportunity to make public our congregational commitment to end human trafficking and support the victims of human trafficking through our Corporate Stance which was approved last year.  We will be sending out the exact details, press release, and prayer resources for February 8^th in a separate correspondence, so please keep an eye out for that. 

Prayer Resources:

Check out this wonderful prayer resource by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange, with daily prayers leading up to February 8^th, the feast of St. Bahkita and World Day of Prayer and Awareness about Human Trafficking.   

Sr. Margaret Shares Her Reflections from a Delegation to El Salvador

By Sr. Margaret Snyder

From Nov. 28 to Dec. 5, 2015, I was blessed to join a delegation of 117 who traveled to El Salvador for the 35th anniversary of the murder of four U.S. missionaries who were assassinated by the Salvadoran military for their advocacy on behalf of refugees and the poor.  The delegation was sponsored by LCWR and SHARE, an organization that supports human rights, sustainable community development and civic participation in El Salvador.  On our journey we visited several groups of women and youth who have been empowered through SHARE’s programs of leadership development and education.

On Dec. 2 we were at the parish church built on the site of the death of the four church women.  One of the petitions during the Mass captured the sense of accompaniment and hope for the future that marked every step of our journey:  “O God, we lift our voices and we pray for the Salvadoran people, above all for the poor.  May God accompany them in their struggle to form a society based on justice for every person.  We pray for the people of this parish, a place sanctified with the blood of the martyrs, that God continue walking among them sowing seeds of faith and hope.”  As we listened to family members and Salvadorans tell of the lives of the four, I couldn’t help but think of our call to make God’s love visible, which is exactly what these four women did!

The women were considered an obstacle to the “scorched earth” campaign, supported by the US by sending arms and ammunition to eradicate “communists”.  They were protecting the villagers by scurrying them away to safer areas; they were bringing in food, medicine and clothing; and they were systematically tracking the abductions and disappearances for the Catholic Church’s Legal Defense Office.

The Monument to Truth and Memory in San Salvador lists the names of more than 30,000 victims of El Salvador’s civil war, including Archbishop Romero and the four church women. The dedication reads:  “This memorial is a gathering place, so that we never forget them, to honor their memory, to return to them dignity, to not permit the horror to be repeated and to lay the basis for a culture of peace and authentic reconciliation.  A space for hope, to continue dreaming and building a more just, humane and equitable society”.  Several Salvadoran mothers joined us and told about their family members who are among the disappeared.  As I walked along the wall, I noticed surnames that were the same as the Salvadorans I have met in ministry in El Paso and at El Puente.  It was heart wrenching!  I now understand better why the folks I have become acquainted with had to leave El Salvador and why they could never really talk about the atrocities their families experienced.  It also made me think about the women and children being held in our detention centers in Texas.  They, too, have their stories and their reasons for leaving home!

After 35 years, justice continues to be sought for the murders of the four churchwomen and thousands of Salvadorans.  At a press conference, our delegation called for an investigation of General Carlos Eugenio Vides Casanova who led the Salvadoran National Guard (which committed horrific assassinations) but has never been held criminally accountable for his crimes against humanity.  The Prosecutor’s Office for the Defense of Human Rights joined us in calling for the Attorney General of El Salvador to fulfill his obligation to open an investigation and in doing so eliminate any impunity in regards to the case.  Relevant authorities need to be given access to the corresponding files to uncover the truth in these grave violations of human rights as a vital step toward ending the culture of violence and impunity that plagues El Salvador to this day.

We visited CIETTA/CONFRAS, the organic farming research center and nursery cooperative and national center for agrarian reform.  After enjoying a meal that was prepared with organic, sustainable ingredients, the learned of how the cooperative is trying to prevent Monsanto from flooding El Salvador’s market with its chemical-dependent seeds which have to be purchased every year.  Farmers in El Salvador are pushing for the passage of food sovereignty regulations that would protect local producers from being overrun by imported goods and make transparent the origins of products on the market.  They have grave concerns about the fact that 18.9% of children in El Salvador under the age of 5 are malnourished.

Our last day in El Salvador was spent in San Jose Las Flores and San Jose de San Antonio. The residents of these two villages were forced to flee to refugee camps in Honduras during the war years.  After the 1992 Peace Accords, they were able to return home and had to start all over.  They had learned to work together as refugees and now have great pride in the rebuilding they have accomplished as a community.  Each family has been granted a piece of land and the government supplies seed and fertilizers.  As one delegate said, “the smell of hope filters through the dusty streets.”

When we returned to our hotel, I found family members of Salvadorans in Missouri waiting for me. Instead of attending the delegation’s dinner and despedida, I went with this family to enjoy wonderful pupusas with them and to visit in their home.  We took many photos to send back to Antonio and Francisco who for over 15 years have been separated from their families in their effort to fulfill the responsibility of supporting their wives and children.

There is so much more to remember, to think about and to reflect upon!  This trip was the fulfillment of a dream of mine to go to El Salvador.  I’ve had this dream since the assassinations of Archbishop Romero and Maura, Ita, Dorothy and Carla.  I will forever be grateful for this opportunity!

Peru Prepara para Recibir Refugiados Sirios

El Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores del Perú lamentó "la crisis humanitaria" generada en Siria a causa de "la violencia terrorista del Estado Islamico", que obliga a los ciudadanos a emigrar a otros países y pedir refugio.

A través de un comunicado oficial, la Cancillería peruana también anunció que "iniciará coordinaciones con la Oficina del Alto Comisionado de los Refugiados (ACNUR)" para evaluar las condiciones necesarias para "para recibir familias de refugiados sirios a través del procedimiento de reasentamiento".

"Esta crisis humanitaria requiere una respuesta internacional urgente, integrada y coordinada, necesaria para realizar un procedimiento digno, eficiente y responsable de acogida o reasentamiento de los refugiados", reza el primer párrafo del texto.

El escrito oficial también recuerda que el Perú "tiene una antigua y generosa tradición de brindar refugio y protección a quienes lo necesitan" y que "nuestra legislación nacional incluye la definición universal y regional de refugiado, estableciendo las garantías y derechos correspondientes".

"A la fecha el Perú ha reconocido la condición de refugiados a 25 ciudadanos sirios y reafirma su compromiso de protección, asentamiento y sustentabilidad, así como el derecho a solicitar la reunificación familiar", continúa el comunicado.

Finalmente, se anuncia el compromiso del Estado peruano "de flexibilizar y agilizar los procedimientos de reconocimiento de la condición de refugiados para los ciudadanos afectados por la actual crisis humanitaria que lo soliciten al llegar a nuestro país".

Del periodico El Comercio:    http://elcomercio.pe/politica/gobierno/peru-refugiados-sirios-noticia-1840167

Crisis de Refugiados

Desde el comienzo del conflicto armado en Siria, cientos de miles de personas se han visto obligadas a abandonar el país para huir de la violencia. En septiembre de 2015, la cifra de personas refugiadas huidas de Siria que se contabilizan supera los 4 millones. Otros 7,6 millones han escapado a otros lugares dentro del país, convirtiéndose en desplazados internos. En total, más de 11,6 millones de personas –más de la mitad de la población de Siria– han tenido que abandonar sus hogares.

La inmensa mayoría (el 95%) de estas personas refugiadas provenientes de Siria han huido a los cinco países vecinos: Líbano, Jordania, Turquía, Irak y Egipto. El viaje en busca de un lugar seguro es difícil y peligroso: quienes tratan de huir del conflicto hacia otros países, se enfrentan a restricciones fronterizas cada vez más fuertes y al riesgo de ser expulsados del país y ser enviados de vuelta a Siria. En este contexto, las mujeres y las niñas son especialmente vulnerables y están expuestas a sufrir graves abusos: desde la estigmatización y los matrimonios a temprana edad, hasta el acoso y la violencia sexual, especialmente en campos de refugiados. Por otra parte, decenas de miles de niños y niñas malviven sin acceso a la educación ni a una atención sanitaria básica.

La comunidad internacional no está dando la respuesta necesaria a esta crisis de personas refugiadas. La reticencia de los países ricos a asumir una mayor responsabilidad económica respecto a la crisis de refugiados en su conjunto, y las escasas ofertas de reasentamiento son insuficientes. El Alto Comisionado de las Naciones Unidas para los Refugiados (ACNUR) se encuentra limitado debido a la falta de compromisos de financiación. Más allá, los países más prósperos del mundo, entre ellos, los miembros de la Unión Europea (UE) están fallando a los refugiados de Siria de otras maneras. La UE no debe abandonar a su suerte a las personas que buscan refugio y asilo. Es imperativo que los compromisos de reasentamiento y adminisión humanitaria se incrementen y se refuerce la capacidad de búsqueda y salvamento en el Mediterráneo para localizar barcos en peligro y auxiliar a las personas a bordo. También es importante que se garantice que las personas rescatadas reciben un trato digno y tienen acceso al procedimiento de determinación de casos de asilo y que se garantice el fin de las operaciones ilegales de devolución informal.

Reasentamiento internacional

Desde el comienzo de la crisis de Siria se han ofrecido en todo el mundo 104.410 plazas de reasentamiento en total, lo que equivale a sólo el 2,6 por ciento de la población total de refugiados sirios de Líbano, Jordania, Irak, Egipto y Turquía. De los más de 4 millones de personas refugiadas en los cinco principales países de acogida, el 10 por ciento necesitan ser reasentadas, según el ACNUR. Entre las personas más vulnerables y necesitadas de reasentamiento hay supervivientes de tortura y violación y menores enfermos o no acompañados.

Amnistía Internacional pide que al final de 2016 hayan sido reasentados al menos el 10 por ciento de los refugiados más vulnerables de Siria de los principales países de acogida (algo más de 400.000 personas).

Hasta ahora sólo ha sido reasentada una fracción mínima de estas personas.

Articulo de Amnestia Internacional:  https://www.es.amnesty.org/paises/siria/crisis-de-refugiados/ 

ORACIÓN: Dios de la jornada, Dios del viajero, te pedimos por los que dejan sus hogares en busca de nuevos comienzos y posibilidades, que se sientan acompañados. Oramos por quienes tratan de formar su hogar en su nuevo país para que puedan encontrarlo acogedor y dispuesto a ayudar a encontrar un camino hacia la ciudadanía. Oramos para que nuestros legisladores, cuando formulen una legislación de inmigración, puedan encontrar la sabiduría y el coraje para promulgar nuevas políticas que sean justas. Oramos por quienes avivan las llamas del miedo y la discriminación contra los indocumentados para que pueden ser tocados con tu compasión divina. Te lo pedimos en el nombre de Jesús. Amén

Faith and Immigrants’ Rights Leaders Call for End to ICE Raids

Washington, D.C. – Just days before the Christmas holiday, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials announced their plans to begin raids on Central American families, many of whom fled to the United States after facing extreme violence, persecution and poverty. Faith leaders from across the United States immediately responded in a statement on Christmas Day, offering sanctuary to those looking to fight their deportation orders and seek shelter from the raids. Shortly after the new year, ICE raids began in several states, netting 121 individuals and prompting immigrants’ rights groups to increase national know-your-rights campaigns.

Today, faith and immigrants’ rights leaders joined together to call on President Obama and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson to immediately put a halt to the raids. They reiterated the faith community’s offer of sanctuary and shared stories of communities and individuals impacted by the raids.

“Our country is at its best when we are most welcoming. Women and children fleeing unspeakable terror should find the tools they need to live with dignity in the United States,” said Marielena Hincapié, Executive Director of the National Immigration Law Center. “Instead of promoting safety, the Obama administration has punished those who have put their faith in a system that has instead been prioritizing expediting deportations. This goes against our values and heritage as a nation.”

“We people of faith have learned that the laws that govern immigration in the U.S. are not only unjust, but they discourage us from living out our faith imperative to love and help our neighbor with particular concern to those who suffer most,” said Bishop Minerva G. Carcaño, United Methodist Bishop for the Los Angeles Area. “We stand together on this day to oppose ICE raids on Central American families, to offer sanctuary to these families, and to renew our commitment to working for immigration reform in this country.”

Adding to the faith community’s call for an end to the raids, Rev. Alison Harrington, Pastor at Southside Presbyterian Church in Tucson, Arizona said, “The U.S. government is once again violating their own asylum laws and international human rights standards. Human lives are on the line and our faith traditions are very clear that our salvation is dependent on what we do in this moment. In this moment as people are running away from horrific violence, the gift that we as religious leaders and as congregations have to offer is the gift of sanctuary. The movement won’t stop until there is not one more family living in fear of deportation.”

 “The sanctuary movement offers a moral framework and prophetic voice to build inclusive and welcoming communities in the midst of harsh, unjust and immoral immigration enforcement actions that are terrorizing the community,” said the Rev. Noel Andersen, National Grassroots Coordinator at Church World Service. “We are now calling on the White House and DHS to stop the structural sins of raids and deportations. Instead, the administration should focus their resources on providing much needed legal assistance for these asylum seekers and humanitarian aid to address root causes of migration.”

http://cwsglobal.org/call-for-end-to-ice-raids/

TAKE ACTION:  

Contact the White House and Homeland Security and demand an end to the raids.  #Not1More 

1. Call the White House at 1-866-961-4293. You can also call the White House Comment Line directly at 1-888-907-2053.  Here's a sample script:

"I'm from City, State, Congregation/Community and as a person of faith, I urge President Obama to immediately STOP plans to deport Central American children and families.  These individuals are fleeing violence and should have access to legal counsel so that they can apply for asylum and protection in the United States."
 
    2.  If you can’t get through on the phone email is the next best thing. http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact.
 
    3.    If you “tweet”, send the President a message: @POTUS #STOPDeportations of Central American children and families. They are fleeing violence & have a right to seek asylum #Not1More