Missionaries of Africa - Southern Africa Province (SAP)

Welcome to Southern Africa Blog

Tag: modern slave trade

JPIC Commission, USG-UISG, Rome, Italy

By

On May 31, 2016

In Uncategorized

JPIC Commission, USG-UISG, Rome, Italy LOGO WebThe JPIC Commission promotes and supports the integration of JUSTICE, PEACE & INTEGRITY OF CREATION (JPIC) in the life and mission of the Union of Superior Generals (USG) and the International Union of Superior Generals (UISG) and their member congregations.  It is responsible for animating men and women religious in justice, peace and integrity of creation according to the vows of the evangelical life, through experience, social analysis, spiritual reflection and action.

Our website offers a wide-range of information and resources on justice, peace and integrity of creation. It also serves as a forum for interaction among JPIC Promoters on issues and concerns regarding their ministry, and features a calendar of JPIC Commission events that you can link to your personal calendar. Bookmark http://www.jpicroma.org on your browser and make it a favorite site to visit. 

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Members of the USG and the UISG

All members of the USG and the UISG are invited to designate a JPIC Promoter for their respective congregation/institute to animate their membership in integrating justice, peace and integrity of creation into their spiritual and ministerial lives as men and women religious. A JPIC Promoter is responsible for helping each person and community to identify his/her own particular way of living and promoting JPIC values. The animation of JPIC consists of four elements: experience, social analysis, theological reflection/scripture/charism and action.

In particular, a JPIC Promoter is charged with the following: Remind congregational membership that evangelization and mission, without a JPIC perspective, cannot be authentic. (Cf. The Synod of Bishops, Justice in the World, 1971); uphold the spirituality of JPIC; animate members in the JPIC values; and develop a framework to help develop the JPIC dimension of Christian spirituality.

JPIC Commission, USG-UISG, Rome, Italy LOGO and data

Together in the eradication of modern slavery – Day of recollection

By

On May 28, 2015

In News

Recollection-25-05-2015-bThe Missionaries of Africa in Lusaka, Sisters, Brothers and Priests, gathered for a day recollection on Monday the 25th May 2015 under the theme: together in the eradication of modern slavery. Prayers, sharing from the Word of God of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10: 30-33) and the inspiring presentation of todays’ slavery in the world given by Jacek Rakowski, gave us the opportunity to remind ourselves that modern slavery is widespread all over the world. This form of abuse is incompatible with our dignity as children of God. The root causes are many; poverty, lack of education, corruption, conflicts, violence and criminality. The global scale of slavery is calling for a global answer whereby governments, business people, international organisations and so on have a crucial role to play in the fight against modern slavery. As Christians, we fight also for our common fraternity.
Traffickhing sheet logoThe recollection took place at Retreat and Renewal Centre of Assisi House situated on the compound of St. Bonaventure University College in Lusaka. This College offers Diploma in Psycho-Spirituality and Religious Studies under the care of the Franciscan Spiritual Family.

Antislavery Campaign in Mozambique

By

On September 21, 2013

In Justice and Peace, Mozambique Sector, News

Os escravos de teatro copieBy Padre Florent S. Sawadogo, M.Afr, Missionarios de Africa, Paroquia de Dombe
Well prepared and discussed during sector meetings in Mozambique, the antislavery campaign finally took place in the absence of the Sector Superior, Timothée Bationo, who went to Burkina Faso for the Plenary Council. On the 29th August 2013, a minibus well decorated with writing about slavery took off from Beira to Dombe with two seminarians and a driver. The next day was the opening day of the campaign.
In Dombe, the thirsty ones for Justice & Peace awareness were ready early morning to embark to Sussundenga led by Florent S. Sawadogo en route to Tete at about 500km from there. Richard Ujwigowa was already in Tete for the ground work.
In the morning of the 31st, people from various parishes in Tete gathered at the Cathedral longing to take part into the inputs of the day. The following parishes were represented: Changara, Boroma, Matundu, Sao Pedro, Sao Jose, Moatize Cathedral and Matema. There were also some representatives from the Catholic university (UCM), other universities, the commission of Justice and Peace of Tete and some individuals like the Bishop, two visiting Brazilians and some authorities from political circles and NGO’s.
Among the Missionaries of Africa, two Fathers, two stagiaires and two seminarians spread the message of our founder Cardinal Charles Lavigerie to 108 people originating from Sofala, Manica and Tete.
The topics for discussion were: the history of slavery, the slavery of yesterday and today, the traffic of human beings and commerce of human organs, medical assistance on these cases, testimony of an elder about slavery in Mozambique and a drama which summarized this issue.
In the morning of the 1st September, Richard and Florent celebrated the closing Mass of the campaign at the outstation of Matema where the Missionaries of Africa are planning to live and work at the parish.
The seed of “the fight against slavery” has grown in Mozambique. May the Holy Spirit strengthen the hearts of men and women of good will to fight against modern slavery!
The Antislavery Trade Campaign in Chimoio
By Maurice Odhiambo, Stagiaire in Dombe Community
The Antislavery Trade Campaign came to Chimoio on the 7th and 8th of September 2013 at the Catholic University of Chimoio. Richard Ujwigowa welcomed the 500 participants present. Other organizers were Florent S. Sawadogo together with the stagiaires Maurice Odhiambo and Serge Kasongo. The conferences focussed on historical and new forms of slave trade, human trafficking and their devastating consequences.
Different dramas, dancing, reciting of poems, drawing and singing took place at the end of the day. It was a very wonderful night. So much so that no one could sleep. It was accompanied by music to keep the atmosphere conducive. At the end, the juries combined all their results and the first three winners in each item presented won different prizes. It was not only for the best performers but there were also rewards for all the participants. The function closed with the Holy Mass on the 9th at the same venue.

Nazaré Social Study Week – No to Slavery

By

On September 18, 2013

In Justice and Peace, Mozambique Sector, News

12-15 September 2013, by Hugh Seenan, M.Afr
The social study week in Nazaré was the climax of the three Provincial Capitals Caravan, Tete (Tete), Chimoio (Manica) and Beira (Sofala), promoting our anti-slavery campaign commemorating the 125th Anniversary of Cardinal Lavigerie, our founder’s campaign.
It was a joint week run by the Missionaries of Africa, the Archdiocese of Beira and SANTAC, the SADC sponsored group against Child Trafficking and Abuse. The participants included local traditional leaders, Catholic Secondary School pupils and their teacher, students and teachers from the Catholic University of Mozambique, local and provincial government agencies involved in this area, members of parish Justice and Peace groups as well as local religious and priests.
With the help of SANTAC we had experts in the areas of law and social policy in this area.  Key themes and presentations of the Missionary of Africa campaign were integrated into this.  There was much interest and lively debate in a friendly atmosphere.
Through SANTAC we had the presence of Fransisco Júnior, the top television investigative journalist in Mozambique and correspondent of VOA. He spoke about a famous case he was involved in, a report on girls trafficked to South Africa. He also made various interviews for VOA Portuguese service (radio and website see
Voz of América
The week was a fitting climax to our year of commemoration and through cooperation with SANTAC we hope to continue the campaign.

Moçambique: Padres católicos debatem tráfico humano

By

On September 18, 2013

In Justice and Peace, Mozambique Sector, News

Beira, 15th September 2013
As I am writing these lines, one of the major events organised at the level of SAP to mark the 125th anniversary of Lavigerie’s Antislavery campaign, has just come to an end. The sector of Mozambique was the only one capable of pulling off something in the line of the bus tour we had envisaged at the initial stage of the campaign. A minibus set off from Beira on 29th August and travelled to Tete, the boom town along the Zambezi River, picking up some people from our parishes of Dombe and Sussundenga. A two day awareness event was organised in Tete and the same happened in Chimoio a week later. Hundreds of people took part. The grand finale took place in Beira, at the centre of Nazaré, from 12th to 15th September. Conferences, debates, radio and television interviews, drama and the 4-day-long continuous and interested involvement of some 80 participants were a considerable achievement by our confreres here.
Claudio Zuccala, M.Afr
Voz of AméricaFrancisco Júnior, Actualizado em: 12.09.2013 18:16
Em Moçambique os padres católicos estão a organizar um encontro para reflectir sobre o problema do tráfico de seres humanos.
O encontro decorre na cidade da Beira, centro de Moçambique. Para além dos religiosos, participam no encontro oficiais da polícia, da procuradoria da república e representantes de diversas organizações da sociedade civil.
”Não à escravatura”, é uma campanha que decorre desde o início do ano, em 22 países africanos onde a congregação católica “Missionários de África”, também conhecida por “Padres Brancos”, está presente.
Em Moçambique, e na zona centro do país, os religiosos já promoveram diversas actividades nas províncias de Tete e Manica, e, de hoje até domingo, vão reunir-se num centro, em Inhamízua, periferia da cidade costeira da Beira. Um encontro de reflexão onde se falará do tráfico de seres humanos.
Com a presente campanha, os Missionários de África pretendem também celebrar os 125 anos da campanha lançada pelo seu fundador, o cardeal Charles Lavengerie, para a abolição da escravatura em África.
Fundada em 1868, a congregação “Missionários de África” estabeleceu-se em Moçambique em 1946 nas províncias centrais de Manica e Sofala onde, para além da sua missão evangélica, tem contribuído para a formação de líderes religiosos sobre a doutrina social da Igreja, justiça e paz, preservação e protecção do meio ambiente, bem como no diálogo inter-religioso.
Não obstante o encontro da Beira marcar o encerramento da campanha “quebremos as correntes”, as acções de prevenção e sensibilização não vão parar tal como referiu à Voz da América, o Padre Hugo Seenan, um dos organizadores do encontro de reflexão sobre o fenómeno de tráfico de seres humanos que iniciou esta quinta-feira e termina domingo, em Inhamízua, arredores da cidade da Beira.

Slaves. They are still among us!

By

On September 18, 2013

In Justice and Peace, News, Zambia Sector

Fenza conference 07-09-13 02 copieFENZA Conference: September 17, 2013
This was the theme of the conference organized by the FENZA team on Saturday 17th against the backdrop of the Antislavery Campaign celebrations and commemorations which are coming to an end this month.
Four inputs were given. Claudio Zuccala, the JPICED Provincial Coordinator,  presented the historical background in which the campaign was launched by cardinal Lavigerie -with specific references to the situation encountered by the first White Fathers when they arrived in Zambia at the end of the 19th century-, and the link with contemporary forms of slavery. Brother Jacek Rakowski, director of the Home of Hope, spoke about the slavery inherent to the life of children living in the streets. Sister Sabina Namfukwe, of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Child Jesus, currently matron at the Zambia Catholic University, shared her experience in the field of fighting Human Trafficking in rural areas in Zambia, especially in villages near border towns. In her presentation she explained the methods used by the traffickers and the main causes and contributing factors that lie behind the problem.
Fenza conference 07-09-13 01 copieFinally, Mr Francis Chivuta, coordinator of the National Freedom Network in Zambia and directly involved in human trafficking awareness raising  and victim support,  illustrated the aim, the goal and the methodology used by the NFN which was launched in South Africa in 2011 but is now operating in different countries.
The conference was made lively by PowerPoint presentations and short video clips on the topic. Some of the participants raised interesting questions and gave their own enriching contribution to the debate.
One of the strongest outcomes of the conference is the necessity to create a network of all the parties interested and committed to fighting modern slavery. That would enable us to pool together our resources and plan for the future. We are all convinced that it’s absolutely necessary to keep high the alert level and to do whatever is within our outreach to try and stop any form of slavery. It’s good to keep that in mind as the FENZA team will draw up a table of contents for the next series of conferences.
N.B. Most of the material used during the conference is readily available. Please contact Romaric Bationo at director@fenza.org or Claudio Zuccala at c_zuccala@hotmail.com

Prosecutors get mannual on human trafficking

By

On September 12, 2013

In News, Publications

The Post Online 12-09-2013By Stuart Lisulo, Thu 12 Sep. 2013, 14:00 CAT
JUSTICE deputy minister Ngosa Simbyakula says there have been very few prosecutions of human trafficking cases in Zambia.
Speaking at the official launch of the first manual for law enforcement officers and prosecutors to combat human trafficking in Zambia, Simbyakula said the training manual provided practical tools to law enforcement officers and prosecutors to understand and effectively apply the provisions of the anti-human trafficking Act of 2008 to ensure the successful prosecution of human trafficking cases.
The manual, which builds on already existing training for law enforcement officers, will equip prosecutors with a clear understanding of what human trafficking is, he said.
Simbyakula said with a focus on the role of prosecutors in the fight against human trafficking, the manual would also sensitise officers on victim identification and assistance as well as witness protection.
Officers included in the training of trainers, which commenced yesterday, include personnel from Zambia Police, the Department of Immigration, National Prosecutions Authority, Drug Enforcement Commission, Zambia Law and Development Commission and the Ministry of Justice.
Simbyakula further said the government’s expectation was to see an increase in the number of successfully prosecuted cases of human trafficking.
And US Embassy chargé d’affaires David Young said the training manual would enable law enforcement officers to bring victims of trafficking “out of the shadows and into the light” where they could find justice and support to rebuild their lives.
They suffer under what President Obama has called the ‘intolerable yoke of modern slavery.’ Last year, roughly 46,000 victims of trafficking were brought to light worldwide, but millions still enslaved. These victims need justice. These victims need our help, said Young.
Chief of Mission at the International Organisation for Migration Andrew Choga who officially handed over the manual to Simbyakula said there was a need to understand what trafficking was and to have a clear picture on when the act had been committed.

Pope Calls for Anti-Human Trafficking Meeting

By

On August 24, 2013

In News, Publications

CISA 25 yearsVatican City, Vatican – CISA N0 074 – August 23, 2013
Vatican experts will gather this coming November with the aim of better tackling the growing human trafficking scourge after a request made by Pope Francis.
“We must be grateful to Pope Francis for having identified one of the most important social dramas of our time and that he has had enough trust in our Catholic institutions to ask us to arrange this working group,” said Bishop Marcelo Sánchez Sorondo, chancellor of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences.
The bishop’s academy along with the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences and the World Federation of Catholic Medical Associations will meet to discuss a Vatican action plan to help combat what is often referred to as the modern slave trade.
“Trafficking in human beings is a terrible offense against human dignity and a grave violation of fundamental human rights,” Bishop Sánchez Sorondo told Vatican Radio on August 22. “In this century, it acts as a catalyst in the creation of criminal assets.”
The group will meet at the Vatican City’s Casina Pio IV, home of both the Pontifical Academy of Science and the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences.
Bishop Sánchez Sorondo observed that the United Nations has begun to be aware of this growing crime “only in 2000,” together with the effects of globalization.
“The alarming increase in the trade in human beings is one of the pressing economic, social and political risks associated with the process of globalization,” he said. “It’s a serious threat to the security of individual nations and a question of international justice.”
According to CNA, a 2012 report from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime on human trafficking says around 20.9 million victims are forced into labour globally. Each year, about two million people are victims of sex trafficking, 60 percent of whom are girls. The practice is not limited to poor and underdeveloped areas, but extends to all world regions.

Powered by WordPress & Theme by Anders Norén