Category: Justice and Peace Page 1 of 6

125th Anniversary Antislavery Campaign – Bulletin of Justice and Peace, Rome

CfSC Strategic Plan Launch

By Missionaries of Africa - Southern Africa Province (SAP)

On July 6, 2020

In Justice and Peace, Malawi Sector, Missionaries of Africa, Publications

CfSC’s staff and other partners witnessed the launch of its 2020 – 2024 strategic Plan launch. The event took place on 18^th June 2020 at its offices. Below are the highlights of the event.

The Centre for Social Concern

The Centre For Social Concern (CfSC) is a project of the Missionaries of Africa (White Fathers). In line with their vision and mission, the CfSC seeks to promote Justice and Peace and the Integrity of Creation (JPIC) and Interfaith Dialogue in Malawi and beyond. The Centre was started in 2002 and in its short history has been working on issues like:

A monthly review of the cost of living through the Basic Needs Basket survey.
The international debt burden, its causes and debt cancellation.
The linkage between the international trade system and poverty and the rising cost of living in Malawi.
The plight of the tobacco tenants and the promotion of the passing of a bill regulating tobacco tenancy labour.
A survey on how people who have very low salaries cope with the ever-rising cost of living.
Marginalization of religious communities and (the lack of) participation in development.
Dialogue between Islam and the Catholic Church on their social teaching.
Conflict management and mediation, mainly in conflicts involving religion.

Project List

The Centre for Social Concern in its analysis has established that poverty the factor that impacts most on human dignity of Malawians. It has therefore developed the following programs:

The Social Conditions Programme examines the poverty situation with reference to local conditions and causes.

This has as main recurrent activity the Basic Needs Basket (BNB), which is simple way in calculating the cost of living.
It does occasional research coming from the data collected through the BNB survey.
Another activity is Social Protection monitoring.

The Economic Justice Programme looks at the international contributing factors of the persistent poverty in Malawi. It examines the international trade relations and imbalances and how they impact on the cost of living.

It monitors the spending of funds freed through debt cancellation. It promotes tax justice through studying the present tax system and proposing a more equitable way, where the stronger shoulders carry the bigger burden.

The Human and Social Capital Programme works at assisting youth and others to be better prepared through information sharing for their tasks in society.

The library and resource centre assist especially youth and young students through providing study facilities and books.
The Press Review offers information about how the press reported the events month by month and so forms its readers to be critical.
The Awareness Programme on Human Trafficking helps people to understand the evil of this modern form of slavery and combat it.

The Religion as Transformation Programme helps making religion a positive force for change in society.

The furthering of Catholic Social Teaching wants to make this “best kept secret” better known so that it can influence people to contribute better to the transformation of society.
The Interfaith Dialogue project studies how the faith dimension contributes to both the betterment of society as well as to conflict.

Administration assists in the implementation of all activities.

For further information about CfSC Projects please contact The Director

Human trafficking in Ghana!

By mafrsouthernafrica

On October 18, 2017

In Justice and Peace

By Patrick Kalonji Kadima, Stagiaire in Nyankpala, Ghana.

I am Patrick Kalonji Kadima, Congolese born in 1990. I have five sisters and one brother. Of my parents, only my father is still alive. I grew up in Kinshasa but migrated with my family in South Africa and in Lesotho. I did part of my secondary education in DR Congo and then in South Africa. I joined the Missionaries of Africa few years ago. I am currently doing my pastoral apostolic training years in St. Monica Parish, Nyankpala, within the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Tamale in Ghana.

Human trafficking in Ghana!

On Friday 29^th September 2017, the Missionaries of Africa and the Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Africa in Tamale gathered at the provincial house for a talk on human trafficking. The talk was given as part of our ongoing preparations towards the celebration of the 150^th anniversary of our foundation (1868/69 – 2018/19). One will remember that from the 11^th November 2012 to the 8^th September 2013 the two institutes of our Lavigerie family celebrated the 125^th Anniversary of the Anti-Slavery Campaign of our founder Cardinal Lavigerie. This celebration paved the way for the campaign against human trafficking which is one of the forms of modern slavery that our mother land, Africa, faces daily. The fight against human trafficking is part and parcel of our commitment to Justice & Peace and Encounter-Dialogue (JPIC-ED) which the Ghana-Nigeria Link has called us to share upon. It is following that call that I propose the few lines underscoring the talk we had at the provincial house on human trafficking.

Father Clement Wie Tuureh, M.Afr, gave us an introduction for the reason of our gathering. This short introduction allowed the presenter, Mr. Abdulai Danaah, the Executive Director of the Centre for Initiative Against Human Trafficking (CIAHT), to begin his talk under the topic: ‘What is Human Trafficking, the Causes and Effects and Strategies Action Plans to End Human Trafficking in the Northern Region of the Republic of Ghana.’

What Is Human Trafficking?

It was discovered during the talk that most people are unaware or unconscious of such a reality called human trafficking. This is simply due to the lack of knowledge of what is involved in human trafficking.

Accordingly, the speaker gave us this definition: “The United Nations has defined human trafficking as “the recruitment, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons by threat or use of force.” He, furthermore, argued: “Similarly, the U.S. State Department’s Trafficking Victims Protection Act 2000 describes severe forms of trafficking as: (a) sex trafficking in which a commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud, or coercion, or in which the person induced to perform such an act has not attained 18 years of age; or (b) the recruitment, harbouring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for labour or services, through the use of force, fraud, or coercion for the purpose of subjection to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage, or slavery”; similar practices being the removal of organs. With the above, the presenter made us aware on how to confirm if a situation can be called human trafficking, one has to consider all the elements that make the situation to be called “human trafficking”.

Elements of Human Trafficking

The elements of human trafficking are: the act, the means and the purpose. First, concerning the act, the presenter made us understand that it is about ‘what is done’, meaning to say, is it recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons? And when it comes to the means, we have to bear in mind ‘how it is done’, meaning to say, is it a threat or use of force, coercion, abduction, fraud, deception, abuse of power or vulnerability, or making payments or benefits to a person in control of the victim. Then last, concerning the purpose we looked at ‘why it is done’, meaning to say, is it for the purpose of exploitation, which includes exploiting the prostitution of others, sexual exploitation, forced labour, slavery or similar practices and the removal of organs.

Those who were present soon realised that they have encountered situations related to human trafficking where they live here in Ghana.

Human Trafficking in Ghana

In his presentation, the presenter mentioned to us that globally speaking 600 thousand to four million people are being trafficked and the majority in this estimation are women and children.

The presenter informed us that Ghana as a country is faced with the challenges of human trafficking; men, women, and children are subject to trafficking mostly in forced labour and sex trafficking.

It was clear in the speaker’s presentation that most people within the country in Ghana do not have the knowledge of human trafficking; and misunderstand the move of human trafficking to migration of one local area to another. Therefore, Ghanaian girls and young adults who move around in search of work from one rural area to another or from one rural to an urban area or community are easily exposed to traffickers.

Another way, in which Ghana is faced with this evil of human trafficking, is that, Ghana has become to some degree a target point for traffickers. Girls are been sent to Europe, America and some other African countries with the hope to have domestic jobs but later they are being brained-washed deceived into forced labour, some work and receive unfair wages, others are abused or forced into prostitution.

Invitation to Campaign Against Human Trafficking

In his invitation to fight human trafficking, the presenter reminded us to be careful as religious and moral figures on how to proceed to fight this evil in the various communities where we live or do our apostolate. In as much as we may wish to reduce or getting rid of this evil by conducting public awareness and informing the public. The traffickers are studying our movements. They are establishing networks and developing new systems to their favours. Again the presenter informed us that the government of Ghana have not yet enforced the law as such that will bring traffickers to justice in most of the cases and protect the victims. Another obstacle that may come our way as we fight human trafficking is that the victims themselves in most cases are not aware that they are being trafficked.

At the end of this talk, I remembered vividly how in 2014 I took part in a play we produced as students of philosophy in Balaka, Malawi, to bring awareness to the public (in schools, parishes and at a conference) on the issues of slavery and human trafficking. It is my prayer and hope that more of these events be encouraged. I wish to invite all of us to be creative and continue participating in the campaign to fight against all forms of modern slavery. “Let us break the chains!”

SACBC Justice and Peace Commission in South Africa Calls for a More Effective Regulation of Banks.

By Missionaries of Africa - Southern Africa Province (SAP)

On February 22, 2017

In Justice and Peace, News

Bishop Abel Gabuza, the chairperson of SACBC Justice and Peace Commission, has called on the Parliament’s Standing Committee on Finance to consider further regulation of banks if the banks are found guilty of collusion by the competition tribunal.

“If the tribunal confirms commission’s findings, we urge the treasury and the standing committee on finance to institute more effective regulation of banks, in furtherance of the common good, to prevent further market abuse.” Says Bishop Gabuza.

According to Bishop Gabuza, this should include efforts to speed up the finalisation of the Financial Regulation Bill. “We particularly insist on the establishment of the market conduct regulator.”

Bishop Gabuza has commended the standing committee on finance for its efforts to appraise the concentration levels in the banking sector.

“In any sector, when too much power is concentrated in too few hands, the biggest losers are often the poor and low income earners. In so far as it is undertaken in a manner which is consistent with international benchmarks and the interests of the poor, we support government efforts to break the dominance of South Africa’s largest banks and increase access to the economy.”

Bishop has also called for stronger culture of ethics in the banking sector. “The bank collusion is a reminder that we need to strengthen ethical infrastructure in the financial sector. We are often worried that, since the banking sector is important for increased investment and faster economic growth, it is often treated as if it is a sector that should be above ethics and the law. Just like other sectors, the banking sector should be subjected to ethical imperatives and regulatory frameworks that promote the common good. Profit making and greed should not be the only guiding principles.” Added Bishop Gabuza.

SACBC Justice and Peace Commission “shall continue to speak out against corruption in the financial sector, with the same vigour that we use when we condemn corruption in the public sector. Both private sector corruption and public sector corruption arise from the spirit of greed and the worship of money. Both constitute stealing from the poor. Both divert resources necessary to uplift the poor from poverty and destitution. We shall not therefore remain silent in the face of any corruption and fraud.”

Click here to open the PDF file of this document.

For further information, kindly contact:

Bishop Abel Gabuza. Cell number: 0825494324 – Phone number: 053 831 1861 or 053 831 1862. Email: dagabuza@gmail.com

Archbishop William Slattery: Cell: 0834685473

28 ENCONTRO QUINZENAL DE REFLEXÃO

By Missionaries of Africa - Southern Africa Province (SAP)

On May 30, 2016

In Justice and Peace, Mozambique Sector, Publications

Jorge Rebelo desabafa sobre a actual conjuntura
- Defende a responsabilização dos desmandos do Governo de Guebuza
  - “Se a roptura acontecer, que venha”

Jorge Rebelo um dos fundadores da Frelimo, onde foi o temido secretário do Trabalho Ideológico nos tempos de Samora Machel, lamenta o facto de o pais ter sido levado para a sarjeta por um líder consagrado como visionário.

Directora do FMI pronuncia sobre as dívidas ocultas em Moçambique

Há sinais claros de corrupção escondida

José Jaime Macuane é a mais recente vítima

O rapto e consequente baleamento esta segunda-feira, em Maputo, de uma das vozes críticas à governação do dia nos últimos tempos volta a levantar o velho debate sobre a intolerância ao pensamento diferente em Moçambique. José Jaime Macuane, académico e docente universitário, que no domingo último mandou recado ao governo da Frelimo, caiu nas garras dos poderosos poderes ocultos decididos a ditar, de armas em punho, em quê e como os moçambicanos devem expressar-se.

Renamo denuncia ofensivas militares na Gorongosa
- Iminente mega assalto a Satungira?

Tal como no passado, pode estar em marcha um plano das alas radicais da Frelimo visando anular os passos de Nyusi rumo ao diálogo com Dhlakama.

O cenário é admitido pelo Banco de Moçambique

Suspensão de ajuda ao país coloca riscos à economia

Moçambique esta no lixo segundo a Fitch

Moçambique é um devedor de alto risco e caminha para uma situação de incumprimento financeiro, pelo que deve baixar de CCC para CC, equivalente a lixo, considera a agência de notação financeira Fitch na sua mais recente avaliação sobre o país.

CANAL DE MOCAMBIQUE, 25/05/2016

Destaques

O que os doadores disseram a Maleiane e à Frelimo
- Os donos da mola

Em documento de duas páginas enviado ao Governo, os doadores mantem a suspensão da ajuda e informaram que já não há confiança devido à má governação e falta de transparência. Os doadores exigem uma auditoria forense para saber onde está o dinheiro, as contas bancarias, as empresas criadas e os donos dessas empresas. Querem também explicações sobre intolerância política e esclarecimentos sobre os refugiados no Malawi e outras violações de direitos humanos.

Atentado contra Jaime Macuane
- Ordem para deixar coxo

Desconhecidos supostamente dos famigerados esquadrões da morte que estão ao serviço do regime do dia raptaram e balearam o professor Macuane.

Governo entre a espada e a parede
- O preço do dinheiro dos doadores

A dívida pública embaraça governo na explicação no parlamento.

Na região centro do país

Vinte e seis mil alunos abandonam escolas devido aos confrontos militarem. O número vai aumentar, devido ao encerramento de cinco escolas, na semana passada na localidade de Samoa, no distrito de Moatize, na província de Tete.

Após mais uma tentativa de rapto no leito hospitalar

Liga dos Direitos Humanos retira militante da Renamo do Hospital Central de Maputo.

Vítima de um ataque ao machimbombo da “Nagi Investiment”

Uma jovem militar abandonada há quatro meses no Hospital Provincial de Quelimane queixa-se do Governo.

Dhlakama indica Eduardo Namburete, Jose Manteigas e Andre Magibire para a preparação das negociações.
O escândalo da divida publica
- Adriano Maleiane continua a mentir descaradamente

Contrariamente ao que a imprensa internacional escreveu, o ministro da Economia e Finanças diz que o Conselho de Ministros foi ao FMI no quadro da “reunião de primavera” e não para esclarecimentos. Diz também que o Conselho de Ministros contraiu a dívida de forma secreta por razões de segurança.

Renamo acusa Maleiane de tentar ludibriar os moçambicanos

Renamo diz que o Governo deve explicar os pormenores da dívida em sessão plenária da Assembleia da República.

REFLEXAO 28

27 ENCONTRO QUINZENAL DE REFLEXÃO

By Missionaries of Africa - Southern Africa Province (SAP)

On May 30, 2016

In Justice and Peace, Mozambique Sector, Publications

Destaques

Mussumbuluko Guebuza no negócio de armas

Através de Mussumbuluko o Governo comprou armamento a uma empresa isrealista denominada IWI. Mussumbuluko supervisionou o teste das armas e as instruções em Boane e Namaacha.

Três mortos e vários feridos em emboscadas a oito autocarros
- Domingo sangrento

Inocentes continuam sendo vítimas de emboscadas.

Agentes da Justiça clamam por mais segurança

Agentes da justiça moçambicana envolvidos na investigação e julgamento de casos relacionados com crimes organizados sentem-se vulneráveis devido a deficiente protecção das instalações e dos intervenientes processuais, particularmente dos que lidam com matéria criminal.

Violação dos Direitos Humanos em Moçambique

Oitenta e três pessoas foram vítimas de execuções sumárias em Manica, Sofala, Tete e Zambeze

Há 16 pessoas destas províncias em busca de protecção, dos quais cinco casos são do conhecimento da Procuradoria-Geral da República.

Para superar crise político-militar e económico-social

LDH recomenda revisão da Constituição para redução dos poderes discricionários do Presidente da República.

Em Gorongosa

Doze escolas encerram devido a guerra

Nas zonas sul e centro

Seca provoca desnutrição crónica aguda a 1400 crianças.

De 2010 a 2015

Cerca de 10.000 elefantes foram abatidos por caçadores furtivos.

SAVANA, 13/05/2016

Destaques

A Segurança de Estado na ribalta
- O Poder da SISE nas dívidas escondidas

O enredo a volta da misteriosa contratação de uma divida superior a dois mil milhões de dólares por parte do governo de Armando Guebuza tem em comum o facto de estarem envolvidos personagens ligadas ao Serviço de Informação e segurança do Estado (SISE).

Engenheiro dos negócios Ematum e Proindicus
- Do credit Suisse para o universo Iskandar Safa

Um quadro sénior do Credit Suisse, que estruturou os empréstimos concedidos por esta instituição bancaria à Ematum e à Proindicus, deixou o Banco suíço pouco depois para trabalhar directamente para o beneficiário chave dos negócios que ameaçam a credibilidade de Moçambique, o empresário libanês Iskandar Safa.

Moçambique nos Papéis do Panamá
- Pelo menos a filha de Chissano esta metida em paraísos fiscais

Martina Joaquim Chissano aparece como accionista de uma tal empresa de Prima Finance Development Limited e a Autoridade Tributaria de Moçambique escusa-se de falar sobre o assunto considerando-o como sendo muito delicado.

Polícia ordena sepultura dos corpos abandonados em Mocossa sem fazer autopsias
- Medo da verdade?

A Polícia da República (PRM), ao nível da província de Manica, ordenou o enterro dos treze corpos encontrados sem vidas no distrito de Macossa, Armando Mude.

Crise política, económica e social
- Estamos hipotecados

Numa dura entrevista, o Presidente do Parlamento Juvenil destaca que o povo é patrão, como o faz reiteradamente o Presidente Filipe Nyusi, é o cúmulo da hipocrisia.

Deixaram o crime organizado dominar a Administração da Justiça e agora…

Magistrados gritam pelo socorro

Os longos sapatos do Dr. Menet, afirma Rui Baltazar no discurso da tomada de posse do novo Bastonário da Ordem dos Advogados de Moçambique.

27 ENCONTRO QUINZENAL DE REFLEXÃO

MOZAMBIQUE – President Nyusi recognizes the Church’s role in national reconciliation

By Missionaries of Africa - Southern Africa Province (SAP)

On November 15, 2015

In Justice and Peace, Publications

Maputo (Agenzia Fides) – “The Catholic Church has always called on the Mozambican society to appreciate all people, especially those who are most vulnerable and in need”, acknowledged the President of Mozambique, Filipe Jacinto Nyusi, during his speech on the occasion of the Mass celebrated in the Cathedral of Tete on Monday, September 7, the anniversary of national independence from Portugal. According to information sent to Fides, the President expressed appreciation for the role carried out by the Catholic Church in preserving peace and for its efforts for national reconciliation.

On September 7, 1974 the agreement between FRELIMO (National Liberation Front of Mozambique) and Portugal was signed in Lusaka (Zambia), which ended the war for national independence. Soon after, in 1975, the outbreak of the civil war between FRELIMO, and RENAMO (Mozambique National Resistance) exploded. Only in 1992 the civil conflict was solved with the active participation of the Catholic Church in the peace talks.

The celebrations for national independence this year coincided with the 75th anniversary of the Archdiocese of Maputo, the capital of the Country.

President Nyusi was represented by Prime Minister Carlos Agostinho do Rosario. He asked all the faithful, and society in general, to take concrete actions to maintain and consolidate peace. Recalling the slogan of the celebrations of the anniversary of the Archdiocese (“Thank the Lord for the wonders made in recent years”), the Premier stressed that “only true peace can allow Mozambicans to ‘do wonders’ in the future”. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 09/09/2015)

A Malawi CCJP media statement in condemnation of the xenophobic attacks of immigrants in South Africa

By Missionaries of Africa - Southern Africa Province (SAP)

On April 27, 2015

In Justice and Peace, Publications

A CCJP media statement in total condemnation of the resurgence of the xenophobic attacks of immigrants in South Africa.

Preamble

The Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP) of the Episcopal Conference of Malawi is a social justice and advocacy arm of the Catholic Church in Malawi that is committed to bring about the reign of the Kingdom God in which justice and peace, respect for human dignity, upholding the sanctity of human life and human equality prevail.

The Justice and Peace Commission is saddened and shocked by the resurgence of xenophobic attacks in different parts of South Africa aimed at killing foreign nationals from different countries of origins. We categorically state that this is criminal and retrogressive to the civilization that the global village is promising in this era. Those South Africans perpetrating this hatred and the killings must stop these belligerent actions and remember the oneness of humanity enshrined in the Ubuntu philosophy that their own son, Archbishop Desmond Tutu preaches. South Africa, especially her leadership, must remember their history and the original vision and values of their forefathers who fought against the apartheid regime that pitied whites against blacks.