On January 12, 2011, the world will be marking the one-year anniversary of the tragic earthquake in Haiti. This is an important time to take stock of the current situation in Haiti, to assess what has been done to support the Haitian population in recovering from this terrible disaster, and to reflect on the enormous challenges remaining to be met.
We are using this occasion to say thanks, once again, to all who so generously responded to our appeal on behalf of the people of Haiti, with donations of more than $20.5 million, and to acknowledge the tireless and determined work of our partners with whom we are participating in rebuilding this shaken country.
Development and Peace is launching a new special dedicated page on our Website, reporting on the first year of reconstruction activities and projects. We encourage you to visit our page and to share this link as widely as possible: http://support.devp.org/site/PageNavigator/Haiti
Two major Canadian daily newspapers – The Globe and Mail and La Presse – will be featuring a series of profiles of our work in Haiti, from Jan 11-13, featuring a different theme and perspective on the inspiring work of our Haitian partners in leading the recovery efforts. Check it out: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/partners/sif/dp/
Thank you to everyone who has helped in this campaign and for your continued generous support to our reconstruction program in Haiti. I am certain that you will share in the justified pride and inspiration that we all feel in learning of the work of our partners, as we join together in expressing our solidarity with our Haitian sisters and brothers.
It’s time to act. There is a new report released on October 1st, 2010, by the United Nations which documents extensive atrocities committed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) from 1993 to 2003.
Development and Peace and its fellow members of the Table de Concertation de la Région des Grands Lacs have great respect for the report and we want it to be a call to action. It’s time for Canada and the international community to take action to ensure justice for the victims of these abuses.
Throughout our Solidarity Trip I was often asked “Who was your favourite partner we visited with?”
I always had a difficult time answering this question because I could not choose, and did not want to. Our partners share a common thread in that they are involved in creating change and developing a better Philippines. They each approach this through different means (which you have become familiar with throughout our blog), and in doing so, address different struggles that Filipinos are faced with.
From seeing how our partners have been active in the Philippines, I feel proud that I am a part of an organization that supports home-based organizations. Development and Peace has done an excellent job in creating solidarity with partners who can stand on their own, and are building the movement of Asian development so that Filipinos themselves, can stand on their own. That, would be my answer to the question.
I was asked about how my understanding of SOLIDARITY has grown…
This opportunity to “be in solidarity” is allowing me to bridge the gap between Canadians and Filipinos. The kind of knowledge I have gained is intended to be shared, and because it came from people who will continue to act for change after we have returned to Canada, the sharing of it must continue.
That is what we, as Canadians, can do for those we share this world with.
I have enough moments from this solidarity experience to fill two notebooks, but this is one that had a very deep effect on me:
The Hardest Moment…
The first two months of this summer I was taking sociology courses for my program at the University of Victoria. In June we discussed “global stratification” and how social inequality exists in the world – poverty and low income were themes. The opening photo of our chapter was of a boy who lived and worked in one of Manila’s garbage dumps, Smokey Mountain. Even then I struggled with the realization that the kind of society and family you are born into determines much about the life you may end up leading.
If my parents had not immigrated to the Canada and I had been born in the Philippines, how would I be living right now? How do some of my family members in the Phiilippines live in relation to this boy? Does this child know that his image is being studied by Canadian university students?
At the time, I did not know that two months later I would be standing in his home, in his place of work. And when I was, the reality of how different our lives are was so heavy. It was as thick as the Manila air (filled with the humidity and the coal fumes) that I was breathing.
An elderly man was singing “We are the world, we are the children” before we boarded the jeepney to depart. It was a very audible contrast to what I was seeing visually, but it reminded me that: yes, although my world may be very different, this is theirs. And after our time at Smokey Mountain with our partner, Urban Poor Associates, I know that the residents have been able to build a community with whatever they have.
As of September 20, Development and Peace has recieved over 1 million dollars for the victims of flooding in Pakistan.
Through Caritas Philippines a 3 month project has started, bringing aid to 250,000 people in the provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh and Punjab.
Click here for up to date info on Caritas Pakistan, and here for info on the emergency relief projects.
Beginning in late July, heavy monsoon rains in Pakistan have causing the worst flooding the country has ever experienced. The floods have displaced thousands of people, destroyed houses, hospitals and schools, and have washed out roads and bridges.
According to the Government of Pakistan, 13.8 million people have been affected in all five provinces of the country and 1,600 have died.
Flood-ravaged communities are faced with food shortages, undrinkable water, destroyed crops, and lack of shelter. Many people have also suffered injuries or have become ill due to the unsanitary conditions.
Several communities have been cut-off by high waters and collapsed infrastructure, which is hampering the emergency response. Communications are also very difficult as telephone and electrical poles have come down.
“There are so many people who are in grave difficulty. It’s such a traumatic situation for those who have lost everything and who have to rely on others even for a drink of water,” says Anila Gill, national executive secretary of Caritas Pakistan.
As the monsoon season has progressed, the situation has become increasingly critical and could still worsen as rains continue. The full extent of the damage is still unknown, however, the United Nations estimates that billions of dollars will be needed in order to restore livelihoods and rebuild infrastructure in the country.
Much of Filipino history has been dominated by spurts of colonial rule that has had lasting effects on many elements of current Filipino society. Our partners in the Philippines were able to shed light on many of the ways that years of Spanish and American rule continue to impact the country. One of the persisting effects of colonial rule is in land ownership.
On August 18th, we had the opportunity to observe a demonstration in Legazpi City pertaining to the Hacienda Luisita struggle. Close to 6,500 hectares in size, this sprawling piece of land has been used as a tool for oppression since the 1800s under Spanish rule. After being handed over to the Americans for a brief period, when it became a sugar plantation, it was finally purchased in 1957 by Don Pepe Cojuangco. Cojuangco was father-in-law to then rising politician Ninoy Aquino, who later became the opposition leader to the Marcos dictatorship. Current president Benino Aquino and his family remain part owners of the Hacienda.
One of the stipulations upon purchase was that in 10 years time, the Hacienda Luisita land would have to be redistributed to its tenants – the peasants that lived on and worked the land – at terms and costs that were reasonable. But 10 years came and went, and the Cojuangco-Aquino ownership refused to hold up their end of the bargain.
The result has been a decades-long, ongoing struggle to have proprietors redistribute the land to which the tenants are legally entitled. In 2004, during a blockade by plantation workers and union leaders, soldiers and police dispatched by then president Gloria Arroyo fired at least 1000 rounds of ammunition at the blockade, killing 12 and injuring hundreds. The event is known as the Hacienda Luisita Massacre. To date, no one has been charged for this heinous crime. Other attempts to pacify the farmers – rightful owners of the land – have included offering short-term monetary compensation and stock-options, rather than the land itself.
August18th was a National Day of Outrage call-out to stand in solidarity with the farmers against the compromise deal being offered by the current hacienda owners. The Supreme Court was scheduled to hold an oral hearing on the Stock Option Deal. Farmers and allies from all over the country organized different actions in their respective cities to ensure their voices were heard in the court dispute. It was in this action that our group was participating.
The Centre for Environmental Concern, one of Development and Peace’s partners that hosted us during the trip, is part of a multi-sectoral alliance that organized the action. The demo we attended was held outside the Department for Agrarian Reform regional office in Legazpi City. While the issue was new to all of us, it was important for us to get a small taste of the activism and mobilization that is happening around agrarian reform in the Philippines.
To date, there has still been little action on revoking the stock option deal and ensuring that the farmers get the land that they are entitled to and have been struggling to attain for decades. As human rights advocates and as supporters of a just and sustainable world, we all must stand in solidarity with the farmers of the Hacienda Luisita and our brothers and sisters in other parts of the world fighting for their rights.
Wow – It’s so hard to keep track of the days now. The trip has been an amazing experience so far. Today we are with NASSA and in the diocese of Libaman.
Last night we stayed in a GAWAD KALINGA Village – What a moving experience! When we entered the community hall after having shared a beautiful meal with the leaders, the children of the community came running to us and took our hands and touched them to their foreheads. This is a sign of respect in the culture here in the Philippines to do this to people who are older then you. The evening commenced like many others with speeches and warm welcomes, but then the solidarity truly began. There was much music and dance, with people of every age. The cultural numbers they had prepared were out of this world and the talent was like nothing I’ve seen before.
The night ended with all participants going to host families to experience life with the locals. I stayed with a family whose father works with the vegetable garden as a part of his livelihood. The welcoming feeling and hospitality was great, but it wasn’t until the next morning that I got a feeling that I never got before. The father and I went for a walk through the community and he explained it all to me, from the beginning until the point they have currently reached. He introduced me to every neighbor and told me the story of the community being built. He told me about a line of a hundred people that passed the blocks to build the homes. He also could not stop from continuing to thank me for honoring him and visiting his humble abode.
He took me to the gardens where he works and makes his livelihood. He explained that each family has a section of donated land that they each plant stuff in. He was especially proud pointing out his spot – so I made sure to capture the moment and the smile on his face. We walked to where the pigs and chickens are kept. He explained to me about the organic farming they do. He showed me the chickens and explained that they are separated out and taken care of by groups. Specifically divided into 5 groups of which he is in group three and he therefore takes his turn on Thursdays to maintain them.
We walked in silence some of the way, but he kept turning back and smiling at me, sometimes continuing to say thank you so much for coming. It was not long after that we had to prepare to leave the GK Village, but the memories they made for us with their wonderful welcoming hospitality is something that will last a lifetime. The visit may have had to come to an end, but a future partnership of solidarity is sure to be shared for a lifetime!
The Philippines is a deeply religious country. About 80% of the population identifies as Catholic, and the Catholic Church is very influential in all sectors of society. Upon first hearing these facts, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect. I’ve always found the separation of Church and State to be a really important factor in determining government policy and respecting diversity within a country’s population. But in the Philippines, the Church has intentionally taken on a very different identity than that of my typical notions of Church in the Global North.
On our first day, we visited with one of our Manila-based partners – the Urban Poor Associates (UPA). UPA works to organize and empower the poor in urban centres to fight for their land rights, to secure affordable housing and disaster relief support, and to build and strengthen community. Our first introduction to their work was a talk from Denis Murphy, one of the staff at UPA. While the context of the urban poor and the work of UPA were central to his introductory remarks, the role and inclination of the Church was explained first.
What does the Church look like in the Philippines? In 1991, the Church of the Philippines held a council in which it was decided that the Church would strive to become a ChurchOFthe poor. The Council saw poverty and its elimination as central to its work in Philippine society and re-visioned itself as an institution that would seek to serve, fight for, and live among the poor.
Since the council was held 19 years ago, the Church has been one of the poor’s foremost advocates. They’ve issued pastoral letters condemning mining abuses and calling on politicians to deliver on land rights and services for the poor. They’ve supported and led social movements calling for gender justice, sustainable agriculture, child and youth development, and skills training. The Church in the Philippines is truly one of the poor’s closest allies. While they still have a long way to go before achieving the goal of truly becoming the Church OF the poor, most would agree that they’ve made substantial progress.
We witnessed a really stunning example of liberational church in action when we visited the community of St. Bernardine, a rural parish in the Diocese of Libmanan, supported by one of D&P’s partners – NASSA, or Caritas Philippines. In the past couple of years, it has held consultations and discussions with its parishioners, as well as outside clergy and church officials, to develop a model for the intentional development of a liberational church.
It sees the traditional model of church, where the relationship between self and God is central to spiritual life – as an insufficient model for a faith community committed to gospel-inspired justice and service. Through capacity building, child and youth development, community organizing, and institutional shifts, it is working towards becoming a church where God is served in relationship with one another; where sacraments, prayer groups, and other exercises in personal spiritual reflection complement, rather than overshadow, justice work and community development. The model is still under construction, but it seems very much like something that could be replicated in parishes all over the world.
Witnessing the meaning of Church in the Philippines has truly renewed my faith in the institutional Church in Canada and around the world. As Catholics, we are called to be liberators and revolutionaries as Christ was. The Church in the Philippines takes that call to action seriously. That the Global South is leading this revolution in Church life is an exciting and hopeful prospect, and I am so grateful for this opportunity for renewal and spiritual replenishment.
Last Sunday afternoon – amidst thousands of police officers, mob-like media, a fence stretching on for miles, the leaders of the 20 most affluent countries in the world, and a city gone completely awry – hundreds of peace-loving, spirit-sounding, song-singing activists gathered at the corner of King and Bay to speak to God.
I had the privilege of being part of the D&P youth delegation to Huntsville and Toronto for the G8/G20 leaders summits.
This peace vigil, hosted by the Student Christian Movement and Christian Peacemaker Teams, was the last leg of our journey after a long weekend of calling on our leaders to take action on food sovereignty and the rights of small-scale farmers in the Global South.
It was evident to me from attending another protest earlier in the day, and from just walking the streets of Toronto on Sunday, that the city was on edge. The heavy police presence created tension and anxiety, and the violent tactics used by a handful of protesters the previous day had frustrated many.
But for a short time, this prayer vigil was a sanctuary in a broken world.
We marched – singing Kyrie Elision, chanting Alleluia, holding signs and banners with messages of peace and support.
We marched – families, young and old, Christian and Jewish, Catholic and Muslim, men and women, religious and lay people – all committed, prayerfully present and all learning from each other.
We marched – one united, peaceful force, bent on restoring hope and love to a world ravaged by despair and violence.
We sat – faced with no other choice as a line of police blocked our movement towards the fence.
We sat – in solidarity with the oppressed.
We sat – praying for justice for all those that are persecuted.
We sat –in spite of the riot police and their efforts to create fear and seclusion.
We sat – and sang to the music of our brothers’ and sisters’ struggles for justice. ¡Presente!
We sat – and vowed to “keep on marching forward, never turning back”.
And as the tension rose between police and demonstrators, we sang until the fear and hatred had subsided and we could once again recognize and celebrate our common humanity.
The Spirit is alive and it flows through those with a hunger for justice and a thirst for peace.
I am honoured to live among such devoted activists who refuse to surrender to the propagation of fear and the seduction of apathy.
To all those who work for, who play for, who sing for, who long for, who create for, who pray for peace – blessed are you.
May this vigil serve as a lasting reminder of the importance and power of peace in a world that often dismisses it.
by Kaitlyn Duthie-Kannikkatt, Eastern Ontario Youth Rep
On June 24th I was fortunate to be a part of a small group of Development and Peace members that camped out at Arrowhead Provincial Park in Huntsville Ontario.
This year Development and Peace’s campaign revolved around urging our Prime Minister to put Food Sovereignty on the G8 agenda. I have spent much of my time as a volunteer member with D&P, educating youth throughout central Ontario on the injustices surrounding small scale farmers in the global south. For me this was a chance to not just speak about the injustices but to take a stand. As the cliché goes, I was able to practice what I preach.
Participating for my first time as an activist and being a voice for 1.02 billion voiceless who go hungry every day is a feeling that can’t be described. I have always been taught that it is equally unjust to know and do nothing as it is to commit an injustice itself. As citizens in a democratic society we are asking our government to take action and increase support for small scale farming, the poorest profession in the world.
Our plan for the few days we had committed to being present in Huntsville was to find a creative way to get our message across to those who chose to listen.
We also felt it was important to educate as many people as we could on the importance in supporting small scale farmers and the injustices they face on a daily basis.
As a group we created a piece of street theater relating to the world cup. We were filmed by an OPP officer in the public demonstration area who was responsible for having footage sent to the G8 summit. The concept of the world cup match was between small scale farmers and the G8 Industrial Agricultural Machine (IAM).
The small farmers had a tough go of it – they were fouled constantly without benefit of referee intervention. This action was an excellent depiction of reality for many current small scale farmers both in the Global South and even locally here in Canada.
Saturday was a very special day because we were joined by a bus load of Development and Peace members from the Archdiocese of Peterborough.
In the heart of Huntsville we were blessed to participate in mass presided by Fr. Bob Holmes. Incorporating the sacrament of the Eucharist into our peaceful demonstration was an experience I will never forget.
My time in Huntsville has left me with an overwhelming sense of hope that change is possible and will undoubtedly occur as we as Canadian citizens continue to work in solidarity with the oppressed throughout the Global South.
This June 21st to 23rd, Religious Leaders from the G8 countries and from every region of the world came together inWinnipeg to discuss the major issues currently afflicting our world. They created a joint statement addressing extreme poverty, the environment and peace and security which will be presented to the G8/G20 leadership and distributed around the world.
I was a part of the 5 member delegation from Development & Peace who attended the GEN-Y to G-8 Youth Interfaith dinner at the University of Winnipeg on Tuesday, June 22. This supper was held in conjunction with the Religious Leaders’ Summit.
The dinner was a great opportunity to connect with a hundred other young adults of all faith traditions both from Winnipeg and across the country. The evening kicked off with a moving performance by Shy-Anne Hovorka, an Aboriginal singer/songwriter from Northwestern Ontario. The song “Can’t Change the World” urged everyone to hope and act for a better future (watch video below).
Rev. Dr. Andre Karamaga, General Secretary of the All-African Conference of Churches was the keynote speaker. One of the many messages that he brought was that Africans don’t want us to do things for them but rather with them.
We also heard from other religious leaders who were delegates at the G8 religious leaders’ summit and who prepared a statement to be presented at the G8 summit calling the political leaders to take action on poverty, peace, and the environment.
We then had the opportunity to talk about what we as young adults wanted this statement to include. I was at a table discussing the environmental statement with others who were Mennonite, Jewish, United, Muslim, and Lutheran. It didn’t take us long to unite behind the stewardship of creation that is an important part of all our faiths.
We offered suggestions and encouragement to the faith leaders to use strong, direct language and to stress that environmental stewardship is an integral part of all faith traditions. I know that the faith leaders who were gathered in Winnipeg are genuinely committed to working for positive change in the world. I pray that the political leaders will follow their example!
We are using this occasion to say thanks, once again, to all who so generously responded to our appeal on behalf of the people of Haiti, with donations of more than $20.5 million, and to acknowledge the tireless and determined work of our partners with whom we are participating in rebuilding this shaken country.
From seeing how our partners have been active in the Philippines, I feel proud that I am a part of an organization that supports home-based organizations. Development and Peace has done an excellent job in creating solidarity with partners who can stand on their own, and are building the movement of Asian development so that Filipinos themselves, can stand on their own. That, would be my answer to the question.
The first two months of this summer I was taking sociology courses for my program at the University of Victoria. In June we discussed “global stratification” and how social inequality exists in the world – poverty and low income were themes. The opening photo of our chapter was of a boy who lived and worked in one of Manila’s garbage dumps, Smokey Mountain. Even then I struggled with the realization that the kind of society and family you are born into determines much about the life you may end up leading.
At the time, I did not know that two months later I would be standing in his home, in his place of work. And when I was, the reality of how different our lives are was so heavy. It was as thick as the Manila air (filled with the humidity and the coal fumes) that I was breathing.
On August 18th, we had the opportunity to observe a demonstration in Legazpi City pertaining to the Hacienda Luisita struggle. Close to 6,500 hectares in size, this sprawling piece of land has been used as a tool for oppression since the 1800s under Spanish rule. After being handed over to the Americans for a brief period, when it became a sugar plantation, it was finally purchased in 1957 by Don Pepe Cojuangco. Cojuangco was father-in-law to then rising politician Ninoy Aquino, who later became the opposition leader to the Marcos dictatorship. Current president Benino Aquino and his family remain part owners of the Hacienda.
The night ended with all participants going to host families to experience life with the locals. I stayed with a family whose father works with the vegetable garden as a part of his livelihood. The welcoming feeling and hospitality was great, but it wasn’t until the next morning that I got a feeling that I never got before. The father and I went for a walk through the community and he explained it all to me, from the beginning until the point they have currently reached. He introduced me to every neighbor and told me the story of the community being built. He told me about a line of a hundred people that passed the blocks to build the homes. He also could not stop from continuing to thank me for honoring him and visiting his humble abode. 
What does the Church look like in the Philippines? In 1991, the Church of the Philippines held a council in which it was decided that the Church would strive to become a Church OF the poor. The Council saw poverty and its elimination as central to its work in Philippine society and re-visioned itself as an institution that would seek to serve, fight for, and live among the poor.
