VOICES RISING
YEAR III - VOL 3. Nº134
April 8, 2005
CONTENT
1.- GLOBAL ACTION WEEK IN
2.- A CONFLICTING LEGACY IN THE PAPACY?
3.-HOW DOES CHANGE HAPPEN?
4.- INDONESIAN INQUIRY UNEARTHS CONSPIRACY TO MURDER CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST MUNIR
5.- JOBS
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1.- GLOBAL ACTION WEEK IN URUGUAY - APRIL 24-30, 2005
Marcela Hernandez - ICAE
secretariat@icae.org.uy
The Gender and Education Office of the International Council for Adult Education (ICAE) and the Popular Education Network of Women from Latin America and the Caribbean (REPEM) are working intensively in the Global Action Week, linking it to the Global Call for Action Against Poverty because education, especially for girls and women, is the best way to break the cycle of hunger and poverty. During this week, millions of young people, adults and children all over the world will be making cut-out "friends" that symbolize those who have not or do not get an education with the purpose of reminding politicians of their promise to send all of our friends to school.
At this moment, in
Up to this moment we have spread our influence and managed to get:
- Interviews in local radios and a tv spot in a channel from San José - Meetings with representatives from school (state and private), teaching institutes, unions, churches, networks (such as the group of rural women), NGOs, teachers' associations.
- Contacts with education authorities, ministries, municipalities, boards and members of parliament.
- Massive distribution of the material (posters, leaflets, flyers and white bands).
Next Monday, April 11, we will meet in Montevideo with "Ciudades Educadoras" (Educating Cities), an organization that gathers an important group of NGOs where we will coordinate the interviews with national education authorities and government representatives with the purpose of handing in the cut-out "friends" and making them sign the pledges.
The actions carried out, throughout the country, during the Global Action Week, shall end with the presentation of these cut-out "friends" in a closing ceremony that shall be held on April 29, at 10:30 a.m., in Constitución square, in the city of Melo, the capital of Cerro Largo. This place was chosen because it is one of the areas with the lowest development indicators in our country. In said ceremony, we shall go on distributing campaign material as well as colourful bandanas, pens and white bands, and the cut-out friends will be displayed in different strategic points of the square. Different authorities have been invited for the ceremony, such as the President of the Members of Parliament, Melo's city council candidate (for the "Frente Amplio" party), the President of the Secondary School Council, so that they sign the pledges and promise not only to send all our friends to school but also to provide adequate conditions to enable school completion. For visibility purposes, we have coordinated with the Ministry of Education and Culture to simultaneously hold a cultural activity in the square, celebrating the Latin American Year of Reading where different activities shall take place, such as the presence of national and local famous writers, theatre plays and music.
www.icae.org.uy
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2.- A CONFLICTING LEGACY IN THE PAPACY?
Sally Mlidi
smlidi@yahoo.com
By the time this comes to press the Pope would have been buried after almost a week on display for the faithful in the Catholic Church as well as well-wishers. Many have been surprised by the show of emotions, following his sickness and ultimately his death, displayed by young people and women. In this, and in many others respects Pope John Paul the Great marks late twentieth century history.
The late Pope lived a life of contrasts and, perhaps, it is this fact that propelled his papacy into prominence. Few would have expected a Pole, an unlikely candidate to assume the foremost position in the most powerful Christian denomination in the world. But he ascended onto the papacy, creating a deep impression globally such that his popularity obscures those who preceded him.
Some attribute his popularity to his effective use of the media. Pope John Paul II opened the religious establishment to the media not only with regard to the work of the Church but also in his own life. It took much courage to expose his failing health, especially his battle with the crippling Parkinson’s condition. Many wondered why in light of his slurring and physical incapacity he did not retire or delegate. The Pope, we are told, was adamant about serving his term through until such time the Lord decided otherwise. Could this be on account of human arrogance or clinging to power? I think not as it is clear that the Church, in this regard i.e. the Papacy, has in regards to service, clear rules and expectations.
Rather, I think the late Pope had a different understanding of duty. Just as he accepted his condition and its debilitating effect, he refused to be limited by it. Therefore, he continued to perform all his functions since, in fact, he remained acute and able. It is indeed remarkable that he only failed in executing his key functions, such as officiating during Sunday Mass or Easter Mass only at the end of his life, when it was clear he was not only sick but dying.
Undoubtedly, by choosing to act thus, he has not only raised greater awareness about the medical condition but also brought new awareness to our infallibility as human beings. Because we are and remain human, we not only err but also are vulnerable- to disease, age and circumstance. Here was a man who many looked up to for divine inspiration or sought his blessings, or in some cases intervention to seek forgiveness for sins, being rendered helpless such that the faithful, urged on by the Vatican Spokes person, congregated en masse to pray for him!
But why such devotion, especially by women and youth, to a figure who is also seen as controversial? Indeed, it is largely believed that the Catholic Church espoused conservative values during his reign not only with regards to the issue of women’s rights- to be ordained and to sexual and reproductive rights-; homosexuality- on the question of same sex unions as well as the ordination of gay priests-; the use of condoms to curb the spread of HIV/AIDS; and liturgy practices in non European settings such as the case of the Church in Zambia.
Just as this Pope was able to project the role of the Church as a global actor, it is clear that dissent, not only with the congregation but also among the clergy was not only uncommon but in many instances public. Surprisingly, rather than cripple the Church such dissent served to demonstrate that there was an ongoing dialogue, in and outside the Church, on a number of issues, some of which may have in the past have been considered taboo. It is nevertheless important to remember that dissidence exemplified his own activist trajectory as a servant of God. For example we know that during the communist era in
While the Pope’s stance against injustice and war is well documented. He was one of the few global leaders to speak against the war in Iran and Afghanistan; one of the few who have defied the embargo on Cuba; consistently denounced pharmaceuticals for valuing profit over life; and decried the atrocities committed against civilians in Darfur, in the Middle East, particularly Palestine, and Bosnia. The role of the Church has however come under scrutiny following revelations into the genocide in Rwanda and Burundi that priests and nuns directly engaged in, or aided, ethnic cleansing. In a number of instances individuals accused of committing these heinous crimes sought shelter, in Rome, in exile. A number have since been extradited to face punishment for their crimes. Likewise, many have criticized the unwillingness by the Church to address cases of sexual abuse of minors by priests or other religious figures who are entrusted.
Yet, many Catholic women and youths interviewed following the Pope’s demise praised him for giving them hope and direction. Also many respected his sense principle and activism based on moral conviction, a quality missing among many leaders. Importantly, his ability to stabilize the Church and contributions to global, regional and national diplomacy is seen as significant at a time where the influence of the Church is seen to be declining especially in the West. In this regard, the Pope actively recognized and supported the emergence of Catholic communities in Latin America, Africa and Asia such that we can now be talking of a Pope from the “developing” world.
Similarly, the Pope stretched the functions of the Papacy to stretch beyond the spiritual to statesmanship. The Pope has been active in a number of global peace processes and is believed to have personally intervened to arrest that destruction in
Undoubtedly, the Papal legacy with regards to women evidences the contrast in doctrine and practice. During his term the Pope recognized and beatified a significant number of women and minorities, to mixed reactions. Notably he speeded up the beatification of mother Theresa in record time. And while he recognized the role of figures like mother Theresa, he consistently failed to accommodate women in leadership positions in the Church, a position other Church leaders disagree with since they see no theological basis to deny them such role. One Bishop interviewed by the BBC following the Pope’s death argued for the ordination of women. He reasoned that faced with increasing challenges, the Church stands to gain more from the talents of women as effective communicators and alter-leaders.
Additionally, feminists and activists blame the Church for articulating an anti-women agenda particularly in the area of the family and reproductive heath and rights. Since Cairo in 1994, women have had to fight to maintain the gains intended to safeguard their rights, health and reproductive autonomy. Only last year, the Pope issued a widely circulated communiqué that blamed feminists for the “moral decay” in society and families. According to the statement, women’s abandonment of traditional roles is directly responsible for the numerous social ills we experience.
Such an analysis is simplistic and sexist. It not only chooses to take into account the economic and technological advancement that has had a bearing on not only gender but also social relations, processes that are defined mostly by women. Blaming women singly for where humanity finds itself is not only unfair but misplaced. Likewise, it denies the fact that as a phenomenon, feminisms are diverse. While its academic articulation remains western and white, its practical expression is very global and expressed locally. Women in developing countries resist and seek a renegotiation of power not because they have come across feminist treatise but because their lives are influenced by a global economic system which to thrive demands women take on new roles.
Moreover, I find it morally reprehensible that while, on the one hand, a sense of moral purity is imposed and expected of women, men escape such standards. Hence while the Church, or the mosque for the matter, can condemn early pregnancy, single mothers and prostitution, which ultimately vilifies women, it is immoral that it has failed to condemn laws and practices that enforce sexual slavery and violence. For example, it is morally reprehensible to allow young girls to be married off, often forcefully and then fail to speak out against domestic and sexual violence. Equally, it is morally wrong to keep silent about the abuses committed against young defenseless boys and girls by people who cower behind divine influence and use their social and moral privilege to assault unsuspecting souls.
Indeed, the contradictions evidenced above serve to emphasize the human element in all of us, including eminent leaders. I have no qualm that the Church has in many ways contributed to social justice advocacy and in some cases in promoting access to basic health services and education opportunities for girls in poor communities. But this does not belie the fact that there are practices within religious establishments, which are after all manned by people, not angels that often go contrary to the core teachings of a religion. For instance while the Church has been at the forefront of social justice causes like access to land, in many countries it remains one of the biggest land owners/holders. Also, while it is active in global campaigns against poverty and injustice, in some places it demonstrates authoritarian and oppressive labour practices.
I pray that the passing of the Pope will challenge “the Church” (which in development speak is not confined to religious or ethnic representation) to self examine and instead of labouring for easy explanations and answers, seek to engage with present day challenges in the social, political and economic spheres. I pray that the humility attributed to the Pope (and the faithful) in religious/spiritual matters holds true towards the treatment of fellow humans. Just as Jews and
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3.- How does change happen?
AWID's 10th International Forum: October 27th to 30th, 2005
2005 AWID FORUM
Call for Participation
Introduction
In the global struggle to improve the lives of girls and women, our successes and failures are most meaningfully measured by actual, concrete changes in the day-to-day lives of women around the world. When girls go to university, when women no longer feel the constant threat of violence, when women’s voices are heard in policy discussions, or when families have enough food on the table, we know that we have moved forward.
We also know, however, that change brings with it its own threats and fierce resistances. Over the years, we’ve seen how women’s hard-won victories have been met with sustained backlashes against gender equality. Fundamentalist leaders are forcing women back into traditional roles, armed conflicts are increasing in many regions, and formidable economic forces are pushing hard to privatize everything from social programs to water.
The stakes for girls and women in this global push-pull process of change are exceedingly high. As small gains are overtaken by huge global shifts, women’s lives continue to hang in the balance.
AT THE AWID FORUM, we want to unravel these complexities by exploring the many ways in which change happens and is sustained. Through workshops, debates, plenaries and multi-media presentations, we will share lessons on key change processes and candidly evaluate our efforts toward gender equality. We will also look more critically at our theories and histories of change, as we move toward shared visions of the future.
In doing so, we intend to learn more about how to effect the kinds of transformation that result in economic justice, clean environments, an end to armed conflict, and the elimination of discrimination against women.
THIS IS YOUR INVITATION TO JOIN US FOR THIS MILESTONE EVENT.
http://www.awid.org/forum/call_for_participation.htm
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4.- INDONESIAN INQUIRY UNEARTHS CONSPIRACY TO MURDER CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST MUNIR
Papua Merdeka
free_west_papua@yahoo.com.au
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2005/apr2005/muni-a02.shtml
By John Roberts
2 April 2005
Despite its limited character, the official investigation into the murder of Indonesian human rights activist Munir Said Thalib last year has exposed evidence indicating a high-level conspiracy in what has all the hallmarks of a politically-motivated assassination.
Last September 7, Munir died in agony from a massive dose of arsenic on Flight 974 from
A series of unexplained delays and bureaucratic wrangling held up the release of the Dutch autopsy report for two months. Public outrage over the death compelled Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to appoint a 12-man fact-finding commission, including human rights activists, to investigate the murder.
An interim commission report released last month implicated at least five Garuda officials and employees in the crime. Garuda pilot Pollycarpus Budharia Priyanto was charged on March 18 with premeditated murder after five days of interrogation and faces a possible death penalty.
Along with Pollycarpus, the airline s former president director Indra Setiawan, security head Ramelgia Anwar, the secretary to the chief pilot Rohainil Aini and vice president for human resources Daan Ahmad have been named. All deny any involvement.
The commission also found strong indications that two as-yet unnamed members of the State Intelligence Agency (BIN) were involved in the conspiracy.
Police believe that the poison was administered to Munir in his in-flight meal. Despite never having met Munir, Pollycarpus made a number of phone calls to him before both men joined the flight in Jakarta. The Garuda pilot swapped seats with Munir, taking Munir s economy class seat 40G and placing Munir in business class seat 3K, where he was given his deadly meal.
The reasons for Pollycarpus s trip appear to be bogus. At first, Garuda officials claimed that the pilot was being sent to
Garuda head Setiawan issued a letter on August 11, 2004, appointing Pollycarpus as an aviation security officer. Police found that Pollycarpus was not qualified for the position. It was also the first time that the airline s president director had ever been directly involved in such an appointment.
Another letter dated September 4, authorising Pollycarpus s trip, was signed by airline security head Anwar. According to police, however, the document was written on September 15 and signed on September 17 10 days after the murder. On March 23, the fact-finding commission told police that airline vice-president Daan Ahmad had probably drawn up this letter.
The paper trail included a letter by Garuda secretary Aini authorising Pollycarpus s flight arrangements although she had no authority to do so. Under police questioning, she admitted that all three letters were doctored.
What is known about Pollycarpus, who was born in Papua, indicates that at the very least he has been on the fringes of the murky world of Indonesian security forces. Munir s civil rights associates claim that the pilot has connections with BIN and flew missions in Papua and East Timor.
A Sydney Morning Herald report noted that Pollycarpus was in East Timor around the time of the 1999 violence against pro-independence reporters and met notorious pro-Jakarta militia leader Eurico Guterres. Pollycarpus has hired Guterres s lawyer, Suhardi Sumomulyono, to represent him.
An article by
The lack of any direct motive on the part of Pollycarpus or Garuda officials strongly suggests a broader conspiracy. Apart from never having met Munir, the pilot had no other direct connection to him. No one has indicated why top Garuda executives would want Munir dead.
The Indonesian military, on the other hand, had every reason for killing Munir. The activist had been a marked man for some time. As well as threats and attacks on his office, at least one previous attempt had been made to kill him using a bomb. He had a reputation inside
Munir first come to prominence in 1998 for exposing the Suharto regime s abuses and was in the forefront of detailing the military s crimes in East Timor, Papua and Aceh. He founded two civil rights groups, the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) in 1998 and the Indonesian Human Rights Monitor (Imparsial).
At the time of his death, friends believe Munir was preparing a report on corruption in relation to the military s operations and civic programs in Aceh. There is no indication that he was investigating Garuda or any of its operations.
The fact-finding commission has already tentatively pointed the finger at BIN, whose head at the time of Munir s murder was former general Ahmad Hendropriyono. Hendropriyono, an officer in the notorious Kopassus special forces, was a commander in South Sumatra in February 1989 when troops stormed a village in Lampung Province, killing more than 100 men, women and children.
Current BIN director Syamsir Siregar has insisted that there is no legal proof of BIN involvement in the Munir murder. But as Imparsial director Rachland Nashidik, a member of the fact-finding commission, commented to the media: Garuda doesn t have any reason to murder Munir. The question is: who has the power to use Garuda for their own benefit?... Let s hope the investigation doesn t stop with (Pollycarpus s) arrest.
The indications are that the inquiry will be limited. Civil rights activist and friend of Munir, Smita Notosusanto, resigned from the fact-finding team because the terms of reference were too narrow. The commission has no power to interview government officials, including BIN officers.
Munir s widow Suciwati has criticised the Indonesian inquiry. In Geneva on March 23, she appealed to the UN High Commission on Human Rights to put pressure on the Indonesian government for a full and open inquiry. The appeal brought an immediate rebuke from Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda, who declared that the affair was a domestic matter.
Indonesian authorities appear to be dragging their feet in obtaining crucial evidence from the
If BIN or the Indonesian armed forces (TNI) were involved, it is one more indication of a return to the brutal methods of the Suharto junta. While the generals were compelled to take a step back after Suharto s fall from power in 1998, there have been no fundamental changes to the TNI in the past seven years. In fact, helped by the complicity of so-called reformers like Megawati Sukarnoputri, the TNI has been asserting its interests in an increasingly aggressive fashion.
Under Megawati s presidency, for instance, Kopassus carried out the blatant murder of Papuan leader Theys Eluay in November 2001. Local Kopassus soldiers were convicted of the murder but received light sentences and no senior officers were investigated. The TNI is certainly capable of orchestrating the murder of a civil rights activist who had exposed its corrupt and brutal practices.
See Also:
Did the Indonesian military murder human rights activist Munir?
[1 December 2004]
Free West Papua ! Free Aceh !
Papua Merdeka !!! Aceh Merdeka !!!
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5.- JOBS
Resource Net: Jobs, Issue 257
By resource@awid.org, Monday, April 04, 2005
Programme Manager, Empowerment of Migrant Women Workers in Asia / UNDP /
Bangkok, Thailand
Closing date: April 12, 2005.
SUMMARY:
Duration of initial contract: ONE YEAR
Expected duration of assignment: RENEWABLE
Duty station: Bangkok (THAILAND)
Family station
The Regional Programme on Empowering Migrant Women Workers is a cross-regional initiative involving countries such as Bangladesh, Cambodia, Hong Kong (China), Indonesia, Jordan, Laos, Nepal, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. The programme aims to promote the rights of migrant women workers in Asia, both in sending and receiving countries, and address the obligations of governments to protect all human rights, including those of migrants. The programme
started in 2001 and the remaining duration is for three years.
Under the overall supervision of the Chief, Asia-Pacific Section, New York, and in close consultation with the Regional Programme Directors of East and Southeast Asia and the South Asia Regional Office and Arab States Regional Office and routine administrative accountability to the Regional Programme Director of East and Southeast Asia Regional Office, the Programme Manager will manage the Regional Programme on Empowerment of Migrant Women Workers in Asia. S/he will
work closely with the Regional Programme Directors and the country level Project Coordinators from the other sub-regions participating in the Programme to coordinate cross-regional activities, and provide technical support to the activities in their sub-regions.
Main areas of responsibility include:
* Management of the Regional Programme
* Technical Support
* Advocacy and Partnership Development
* Reporting, Knowledge/ Information Development and Dissemination
* Technical Support in Developing an Anti Trafficking Programme in East and Southeast Asia Regional Office
Percentage of travel: 15 %
See complete description at:
http://stone.undp.org/undpweb/ohr/ohrjbview.cfm?jaf_uid_c=1718
QUALIFICATIONS:
* Advanced university degree in international relations, law, human rights, social science and/or women's studies;
* Practical experience in the field of gender and human rights, with particular experience in the field of migrant women's workers and trafficking in women and children;
* A minimum of ten years of professional experience in planning, designing, organizing and implementing gender and development projects, preferably in the UN system and/or the international cooperation level;
* Demonstrated ability to work harmoniously with persons of different nationalities and cultural background; initiative and sound judgment; ability to work under conditions of extreme pressure;
* Proven ability to conceptualize, innovate, plan and execute ideas, as well as transfer knowledge and skills.
* Strong analytical, writing and communication skills.
* Fluency in English. Knowledge of other UN languages an asset.
TO APPLY:
Reference: ALD2005/0424
Please apply ONLINE at:
http://stone.undp.org/undpweb/ohr/ohrjbview.cfm?jaf_uid_c=1718 , or
http://stone.undp.org/undpweb/ohr/ohrjobs.cfm
CLOSING DATE FOR APPLICATIONS: APRIL 12, 2005.
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The International Gender and Education Office (GEO) of ICAE creates
VOICES RISING
Email: voicesrising@icae.org.uy
Web: www.icae.org.uy
Tel/fax: 00 5982 401 00 06
Address: Acevedo Diaz 1600 / 1002.
11200 Montevideo,