I58-Network

The International Ecumenical Peace Convocation (IEPC) in the Jamaican capital Kingston in May 2011 will be a testimony of solidarity for the culture of peace that churches are trying to build on the island, reports Jane Stranz.

The International Ecumenical Peace Convocation (IEPC) in the Jamaican capital Kingston in May 2011 will be a testimony of solidarity for the culture of peace that churches are trying to build on the island, says the Rev Dr Paul Gardner, the president of the Jamaica Council of Churches, one of the event's hosts.

“It will give enthusiasm and momentum to the groups that are working assiduously for peace in the various communities, that's what I think it will do for Jamaica,” said Gardner, who has been president of the Moravian Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands since 2005 and was elected president of the worldwide Moravian Church in 2008.

Gardner was interviewed in Geneva recently where he was taking part in a planning event for the convocation, which is being organized by the World Council of Churches (WCC) and the Caribbean Council of Churches.

“The IEPC will bring a tremendous testimony of solidarity for the culture of peace we are trying to build in Jamaica,” say Gardner.

He spoke about Kingston's “garrison communities” where, because one or another political party can almost guarantee 100 percent support, they often ignore criminality. Earlier in the year security forces tried to move into the Tivoli Gardens district resulting in a state of emergency being declared. Such communities are unique to Kingston, he said.

“Political parties turn a blind eye to criminality in those communities. The country was being held hostage” says Gardner. “Politicians need to dismantle the garrison communities so that people feel free to vote for who they want.”

Churches, he says, needed to be proactive in such situations.

"I think it is important that churches take far more interest in the development of communities, far more interest in what is happening to people in depressed inner city communities," he states. "I don't think we can have the luxury of not being involved or believing that nothing will happen."

Deliverance from evil

In Jamaica, Gardner says, the main role of the churches has been in advocacy for justice, peace and social transformation:

"One of the good things, if there is any good thing that has come out of what has happened, is the formation of a civil society group holding government accountable for the proper development of communities and the implementation of the things that they promise,” he said.

“We are not a political party, we are church people, church leaders and we must be able to speak as we discern what God is saying to the churches at this time,” Gardner says.

In recent years an umbrella group, which includes churches that are not members of the Jamaican Council of Churches, has been created. “We have found a way to bring them together,” says Gardner. However, he says, “The state of emergency almost threatened the existence of that group … because some of us felt that we had to speak out that the government is wrong. But there were church leaders who were not prepared to do that.”

Referring to the passage “deliver us from evil” in the Lord’s prayer, Gardner spoke of the challenges churches face in bearing witness in such tense political circumstances.

“Part of the ‘deliverance from evil’ is not to be caught by a political system because you want to be on the good side of the government," he says. "You have to be independent of the political system so that when you speak you speak clearly and your agenda is different from the political parties.”

Gardner says he looks forward with great enthusiasm to the peace convocation in May next year. “Jamaica is still open for business, it’s still safe to come to Jamaica.” he says with a smile.

The experience of the churches in Jamaica in bearing witness and speaking prophetically in such times, Gardner says, is “a powerful testimony for just peace to Christians and churches around the world”.

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(c) Jane Stranz coordinates the WCC language service. She is a pastor of the Reformed Church of France and of the United Reformed Church in Britain.

More on the International Ecumenical Peace Convocation in Kingston: http://www.overcomingviolence.org/en/peace-convocation.html

The Taliban have carried out the first confirmed executions by stoning to be seen in Afghanistan since the arrival of western troops in autumn 2001.

Amnesty International has condemned the first confirmed Taliban executions by stoning carried out in Afghanistan since 2001.

A couple were stoned to death on Sunday (15 August) for “eloping” in a Taliban-controlled village in Kunduz, northern Afghanistan.

The stoning came two days after Afghanistan’s highest Islamic religious body, the Council of Ulema, called on the government to more strictly enforce physical shariah punishments, known as hudood, as a concession to the Taliban in an attempt to end the war. Under the Taliban, hudood punishments included public stoning, amputations and lashing.

The Taliban believe in an extreme and literalistic application of shariah law. The majority of Muslim scholars insist that such an interpretation misses the point of the basic nature of shariah, which is intended to be related to context and carefully applied.

Amnesty has warned that the Afghan government should not sacrifice human rights, particularly the rights of women and minorities, in the name of reconciliation with the Taliban and other groups. The organisation has recently called on the Afghan government to seek the assistance of the International Criminal Court to investigate war crimes and crimes against humanity by the Taliban and all other parties to the war in Afghanistan.

“The stoning of this couple is a heinous crime,” said Amnesty’s Asia-Pacific Director Sam Zarifi, “The Taliban and other insurgent groups are growing increasingly brutal in their abuses against Afghans”.

Zarifi added, ““The Afghan government and the Council of Ulema must condemn the use of stoning following this sickening Taliban execution. Afghan leaders must stand against stoning and other appalling human rights abuses masquerading as ‘justice’, no matter how much pressure they are under to deal with the Taliban.”

This stoning is the first to be confirmed in Afghanistan since the fall of the Taliban in 2001. It is likely to be seen as a failure of the invading armies’ apparent intention of bringing democracy to the country through force.

Local sources told Amnesty that the couple had eloped to Pakistan, but returned to their village of Mullah Qulli in Archi district of Kunduz after being told that their families had agreed to marry them. Instead, they were stoned to death on 15 August by a Taliban council.

On 9 August, a woman in Badghis province was shot dead in public by the Taliban for alleged adultery. Meanwhile, in 2005 a case of stoning for adultery in Afghanistan was reported, allegedly ordered by local religious leaders, although Amnesty say that they have not independently verified this case.

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Ministers been accused of going “backwards”, by delaying plans to introduce an Environmental Performance Standard (EPS) for power companies.

Environmental groups have accused the government of going “backwards”, after ministers delayed plans to introduce an Environmental Performance Standard (EPS) for power companies.

Both the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats backed the introduction of the EPS while in opposition. But the government has now said that the EPS will not form part of this autumn’s Energy Bill, as had been expected.

By restricting greenhouse gas emissions from power plants, the EPS was intended to encourage power companies to develop more environmental technology. This was expected to prevent the opening of new coal-fired power stations.

The Environment Secretary Chris Huhne, a Liberal Democrat, insisted that the government is “moving as quickly as possible”. He said that a white paper would be introduced to Parliament next year.

"We are shocked that the Government has gone backwards on plans for a tough environmental performance standard that would have stopped more dirty coal-fired power stations being built,” said Mike Childs, Head of Climate at Friends of the Earth.

In response to criticism, Huhne insisted, “The view that this might raise the possibility of new coal-fired power stations ‘slipping through the system’ is ludicrous. We consider planning applications thoroughly and will not allow any new coal power station to be built unless equipped with carbon capture and storage”.

He added, “an EPS on its own is not a magic bullet to decarbonise our economy”.

But Childs suggested that the government decision sent out the wrong message. "If the government fails to make it clear that polluting coal power stations cannot be built in this country, we will go back to the bad old days of being the Dirty Man of Europe,” he said.

Friends of the Earth reminded the government that its own advisory body, the Committee on Climate Change, has repeatedly said that the UK's power generation needs to be virtually carbon-free by the 2020s if the UK is to meet its targets under the Climate Change Act.

“Shifting to renewables would also provide energy security and create tens of thousands of green jobs,” added Childs.

Joss Garman, Energy Campaigner for Greenpeace, accused both Liberal Democrats and Tories of a “U-turn”.

She pointed out, "David Cameron made the introduction of new rules to stop the most polluting power stations one of his flagship green policies, and Nick Clegg helped ensure it was a key part of the coalition agreement”.

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A devastating report from the Indian government says Vendanta has acted 'with total contempt for the law' in planning to mine on Dongria Kondh tribal land.

Plans by Vedanta Resources to mine on Dongria Kondh land in eastern India "threaten the survival" of the tribe, according to an official government investigation whose report has just been released.

In a devastating report, a committee set up by India’s Environment Minister has ruled that Vedanta has acted illegally and with "total contempt for the law"; that local officials have "colluded" in the company’s illegal activity and falsified documents; that "it is established beyond any doubt that the [mining] area is the cultural, religious and economic habitat of the Dongria Kondh"; and that to allow Vedanta’s mine would be "illegal".

India’s Minister of Environment and Forests has already said he will use the report to decide whether to give Vedanta permission to begin mining.

Vedanta’s scheme to mine the land of the Dongria Kondh tribe has become one of the most notorious projects in the world, with investors including Aviva and the Church of England attacking the company. Celebrities including Bianca Jagger, Joanna Lumley and Michael Palin have given their support to the Dongria tribe, who have been peacefully resisting the mine for years.

A previous investigation for the Environment Ministry found that Vedanta’s mine "may lead to the destruction" of the Dongria Kondh as a tribe. The report concluded that mining should not be allowed.

Stephen Corry, Director of Survival International said today, "This report is utterly scathing about Vedanta’s behaviour and confirms what Survival and others have been saying for years. The investigators have discovered that both Vedanta and the local authorities have already broken the law. The findings are unequivocal – mining will destroy the Dongria Kondh and should not be allowed. Let’s hope this is the final nail in the coffin for Vedanta’s plans."

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The World Bank has announced it will loan £574 milion to Pakistan to help it recover from its worst ever flooding. Others are also stepping in.

The international soft loans affiliate, the World Bank has announced it will loan £574 milion to Pakistan to help it recover from its worst ever flooding.

It is now estimated that the devastating floods have affected up to 25 million people and left over 2,000 dead, according to UN and official figures.

The United Nations says that international aid has been slow in coming and that it has raised only a third of the £294 million needed for emergency relief.

Following criticism from relief agencies and from Britain, more countries have pledged money or increased pledges, including France, Germany and Japan among the G7 richest nations.

Meanwhile, UNESCO, which has an office in the capital, Islamabad, is closely monitoring the situation and working with the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) to ensure the most effective and rapid response.

As one of its first assistance measures, UNESCO is preparing to send a scientific mission to Pakistan to help national authorities upgrade their flood management capacity. The mission, which includes experts in geosciences and hydrology, will visit Islamabad and Lahore and meet members of the Federal Flood Commission (FFC), the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), the Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO), as well as the UN and other organisations.

Discussions will cover such topics as the use of satellite images in flood mapping and evacuation plans, state-of-the-art computer models for flood forecasting, and the adaptation of training materials for current local needs.

UNESCO says it will will undertake a technical assessment mission to Moenjodaro as soon as the waters have receded, and also to the Historical Monuments at Makli (Thatta), inscribed on the List since 1981.

The remains of the city, capital of three successive dynasties, are close to the Indus delta in the province of Sind.

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Christian and Muslim groups have forthrightly condemned a planned public burning of the Qur'an by a Florida church on the ninth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.

Christian and Muslim groups have forthrightly condemned a planned public burning of the Qur'an by a Florida church on the ninth anniversary of the 11 September 2001 attacks in the United States - writes Chris Herlinger.

A statement released by the Protestant Churches of Egypt through the US United Church of Christ on 10 August 2010 said it "regrets this destructive thought and declares total rejection of any attack against others' religions and beliefs."

It said Christian teaching encourages cooperation and "respect for others regardless [of] their affiliation or religion," and that every human person should be seen as a sibling.

The statement was in reference to a planned action by the Dove World Outreach Center, a Florida-based institution that calls itself a "New Testament Church".

The centre plans to publicly burn copies of the Qur'an on 11 September in a protest against Islam, which it says "is of the devil." The church also refers to the Qur'an as "a lie."

It says, "Christians are called to live and speak the truth, and to tear down the strongholds of the kingdom of darkness". The protest has spawned an "International Burn a Koran Day" page on the social networking site Facebook.

The Egyptian church said in response it would work with other religious bodies to denounce the planned action.

In a statement to mark the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, the US National Council of Churches and other bodies decried "anti-Muslim actions and plans" such as those of the Dove centre and the "International Burn a Koran Day" initiative.

"Such open acts of hatred are not a witness to Christian faith, but a grave trespass against the ninth commandment, a bearing of false witness against our neighbour," the statement said. "They contradict the ministry of Christ and the witness of the church in the world."

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), a Washington-based group, has said it is responding to the Florida church's planned action by distributing copies of the Qur'an to journalists, public officials, law enforcement authorities and others during Ramadan.

"Islamophobia is being promoted by a vocal minority of individuals and groups that seek to marginalise American Muslims and demonise Islam," CAIR spokesperson Ibrahim Hooper recently told the Cairo-based Daily News Egypt.

"CAIR believes it is important to challenge the rising level of anti-Islam sentiment in American society."

CAIR has said it is increasingly concerned about protests and public sentiments against the construction of mosques and Islamic cultural centres in the United States.

[With acknowledgements to ENI. Ecumenical News International is jointly sponsored by the World Council of Churches, the Lutheran World Federation, the World Alliance of Reformed Churches and the Conference of European Churches.]

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The Government must keep funding for debt advice services to help the thousands of families at risk of arrears and repossession, says Shelter.

The Government must keep funding for debt advice services to help the thousands of families at risk of arrears and repossession, the respected housing charity Shelter has urged.

Responding to new Council of Mortgage Lenders figures out this week, showing there were 9,400 repossessions between April and June 2010, Kay Boycott, Shelter’s director of communications, policy and campaigns declared: "Even though repossessions have dropped slightly over the last year, we must not forget that they are still exceptionally high, with thousands of families going through the nightmare of losing their home."

She continued: "With big threats on the horizon - interest rate rises, public sector unemployment, negative equity as a result of falling house prices – any one of these factors could cause people to fall into a dangerous spiral of debt, arrears and ultimately homelessness."

"While Shelter’s advisers will be here to help whoever’s next, it is vital that the Government plays its part too. With advice being so crucial to keeping people in their homes we urge the Government to keep funding for debt advice services in the upcoming Comprehensive Spending Review," said Boycott.

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More on Shelter in England (http://england.shelter.org.uk/) and in Scotland (http://scotland.shelter.org.uk/).

A programme about Jesus filmed from an Islamic perspective was cancelled by two Shi'ite Muslim television stations in Lebanon last week.

A programme about Jesus filmed from an Islamic perspective was cancelled by two Shi'ite Muslim television stations in Lebanon last week.

The decision was taken on Friday 13 August 2010, after it was agreed that the programme might incite sectarian conflict and unrest in the country.

The 17-episode series, which has been produced in Iran, portrays Jesus as a prophet and a teacher, but not Son of God, according to the Muslim faith.

Lebanon has a grim history of communitarian conflict. The four million strong population is comprised religiously of 18 different groups, including Sunni and Shi'ite Muslims, Christians and Druse.

Al-Manar, a television station run by Lebanon's powerful militant group, Hezbollah, and the National Broadcasting Network, NBN, started airing the series this week at the beginning of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Both clergy and politicians from a Christian background objected, including the Catholic Maronite Archbishop Bechara el-Rai.

Before a news conference from el-Rai, Al-Manar and NBN issued a statement saying that the programme "shows the great personality of God's prophet Jesus, the son of Mary, peace be upon him."

But the stations decided to stop the broadcast "in respect to other Lebanese sects."

Information Minister Tarek Mitri made it clear that he opposes censorship, but he also said that Lebanon's religious diversity needed to be respected, and therefore approved the two stations' decision.

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Three church conferences say foreign delegates' visas were denied by US officials, meaning some nations lacked representation at global assemblies.

When the Baptist World Alliance held its global conference in Hawaii earlier in August, it was missing about 1000 attendees from around the world.

In June, the inaugural meeting of the World Communion of Reformed Churches in Grand Rapids, in the US state of Michigan, was missing 74, and the Seventh-day Adventists' general conference in Atlanta was missing about 200, Religion News Service reports.

The three church groups said foreign delegates' visas were denied by US officials, meaning some nations lacked representation at the global assemblies which occur only once every several years.

The Rev Susan Davies of the United Church of Christ said she was "outraged" at the WCRC visa denials. Organisers of the gathering erected a banner to mark their absence.

''I was deeply saddened" by the visa problems, said the Rev Clifton Kirkpatrick, the former president of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches, which merged with another group in Grand Rapids to form the World Communion of Reformed Churches.

''I don't think you hear of government events or corporate events that have this percentage of people denied visas."

A lot of it had to do with money, he believes, saying "the criteria (for securing visas) are so skewed to the financial status of people involved."

Church officials say they fully complied with State Department rules on international visas for visiting delegates, particularly providing evidence that visitors would return to their country of origin once the meetings ended.

''We registered our session with the US State Department, and they put it on their internal intranet site," said Rosa Banks, associate secretary of the Adventists' General Conference. "And we updated it on a weekly basis when we got into the process."

Like the Reformed gathering, Adventists said they found many of the rejected visas came from poverty-stricken areas of the world.

''The countries where we had the most problems were in West Africa, particularly Nigeria, and districts in India," said Banks. "We have to assure that our delegates are going to return."

Acknowledgements to ENI www.eni.ch

The Disasters Emergency Committee has announced today that their appeal for people affected by the Pakistan floods has raised £15 million.

The Disasters Emergency Committee has announced today that their appeal for people affected by the Pakistan floods has raised £15 million.

The DEC consists of Action Aid, Age UK, British Red Cross, CAFOD, CARE International UK, Christian Aid, Concern Worldwide, Islamic Relief, Merlin, Oxfam, Save the Children, Tearfund and World Vision.

DEC chief executive Brendan Gormley commented: “Funds are continuing to pour in thanks to the generosity of the British public, but with the Pakistani Government’s announcement that 20 million people are now affected, the need is growing."

He continued: "With floodwaters now spreading in the Sindh province, and hundreds more villages being flooded, the situation for millions of people in Pakistan is worsening. We are also very concerned about the report of a cholera case in the Swat Valley."

“DEC member agencies have already reached over 600,000 people on the ground but understandably, given the scale of the disaster, access to some areas remains challenging. We need continuing support to help save lives,” explained Gormley.

The disaster has already claimed the lives of 1,600 people.

The DEC Pakistan Floods Appeal is separate from the pledges being sought by the United Nations which is hoping to secure funds from governments worldwide.

A summary of all other DEC Member Agency efforts can be found at: http://www.dec.org.uk/item/441

To make a donation to the DEC Pakistan Floods Appeal, call the 24 hour hotline on 0370 60 60 900, visit http://www.dec.org.uk or donate over the counter at any post office or high street bank, or send a cheque. You can also donate £5 by texting the word GIVE to 70707 – see details below.

Those wanting to stay up to date with developments in Pakistan, the emergency response and the fundraising efforts can follow the DEC on twitter at http://twitter.com/decappeal or become a fan of ‘Disasters-Emergency-Committee-DEC’ on Facebook.

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Award-winning Anglo-Iranian comedian and actor Omid Djalili has accepted a new role as QuizAid Master for Christian Aid’s first ever Twitter Quiz.

The award-winning Anglo-Iranian comedian and actor, Omid Djalili, has accepted a new role as QuizAid Master for Christian Aid’s first ever Twitter Quiz.

Djalili will host a live online quiz held on his Twitter page (@omid9) on 6 September 2010 at 12.30pm to launch this year’s fundraising competition.

Omid is encouraging as many twitterers as possible to join in the fun and take part in the online quiz which will last for one hour and cover topics including general knowledge, music, sport and geography.

The comedian said: “Twitter is the perfect way to get thousands of people quizzing at the same time, no matter where in the UK they are. The challenge will be to keep the questions under 140 characters. There are no prizes, just the glory of beating your friends, family or work colleagues.”

The Twitter Quiz launches Christian Aid’s annual fundraiser, Quizaid which takes place between 13 and 19 September and aims to raise £230,000 for Christian Aid’s work with communities in 50 of the world’s poorest countries.

Prospective quiz masters can hold their own QuizAid event at home, work, school or in their local pub by simply applying for a free Quizaid pack online at www.christianaid.org.uk/quizaid. The pack includes the quiz questions and answers and everyone who enters a quiz makes a donation.

The money raised will help change the lives of some of the world’s poorest communities. £2 could buy four school books for children in Burundi, £12 could pay for six months of school fees for one child displaced by conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo and £29 could pay for a year’s supply of stationery and uniforms for a child orphaned as a result of HIV in South Africa, says the agency.

Log on to http://twitter.com/omid9 on 6 September at 12.30pm to join Omid or to hold your own QuizAid event, simply visit www.christianaid.org.uk/quizaid to register for the fundraising pack.

Christian Aid works in some of the world's poorest communities in nearly 50 countries. We act where the need is greatest, regardless of religion, helping people build the lives they deserve. Its report, 'Poverty Over', explains what it believe needs to be done – and can be done – to end poverty. Details at http://www.christianaid.org.uk/Images/poverty-over-report.pdf

Christian Aid is also a member of the ACT Alliance, a global coalition of 100 churches and church-related organisations that work together inhumanitarian assistance and development. Further details at http://www.actalliance.org

Omid Djalili is an award-winning British-Iranian actor and comedian. He was voted by the British public as one of the funniest stand up comedians in Channel 4’s "The 100 Greatest Stand-Ups". He has also starred in a number of films including ‘The Mummy’, ‘Gladiator’, ‘Spy Game’, ‘Over The Hedge’, ‘Casanova’, ‘Pirates of the Caribbean III’ and ‘Sex and the City 2’.

On TV he did two seasons of ‘Small Potatoes’ on Channel 4 and in the States co-starred with Whoopi Goldberg in her sitcom, ‘Whoopi’. Djalili’s own series for BBC1, ‘The Omid Djalili Show’, ran for two series. Most recently he starred in the David Baddiel scripted movie ‘The Infidel’.

He has had a string of successful comedy shows starting with ‘Short Fat Kebab Shop Owner’s Son’ in 1995. His most successful show to date, ‘No Agenda’, had record breaking sales at Edinburgh festival, and then transferred to a total sell-out nationwide 40 date tour, including two shows at the London Palladium. He has also appeared as the second Fagin in the new West End production of Oliver! at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, London.

In recent years Omid Djalili has performed in several countries including Australia, Austria, the USA, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Holland, Sweden, Norway, Switzerland, Slovakia and he performed in Qatar for the Emir where he shared a stage with Bill Clinton.

You can follow Christian Aid's newswire on Twitter: http://twitter.com/caid_newswire

You can also buy Christian Aid charity gifts and support present aid online.

Human rights groups have criticised the TV “confession” last Wednesday night of an Iranian woman facing execution for murder.

Human rights groups have criticised the TV 'confession' of an Iranian woman last Wednesday night in which Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, awaiting execution by stoning for adultery, appears to implicate herself in the murder of her husband.

The interview was broadcast on Wednesday 11 August, on the '20:30' program by Seda va Sima, the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting.

Televised 'confessions' have repeatedly been used by the authorities to incriminate individuals in custody. Many have later retracted these 'confessions', stating that they were coerced to make them, sometimes under torture or other ill-treatment.

“This so-called confession forms part of growing catalogue of other forced confessions and self-incriminating statements made by many detainees in the past year.” said Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui.

“Statements made in such televised exchanges should have no bearing on Iran's legal system, or the call to review her case. This latest video shows nothing more than the lack of evidence against Sakineh Ashtiani”, said Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui.

It is understood that last week, Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani’s lawyer, Javid Houtan Kiyan, submitted a 35-page request for a judicial review of her case, a response is expected on or around 15 August.

“It appears that Iran’s authorities have orchestrated this 'confession', following the call for a judicial review and now appear to be inventing new charges of murdering her husband,” said Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui, Deputy Director at Amnesty International’s Middle East and North Africa programme.

Unconfirmed reports that Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani has recently been tortured or ill-treated while in Tabriz Central Prison underscores Amnesty International’s concern.

“Having Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani broadcast in this manner calls into question the independence of the judiciary, at least vis-a-vis the state broadcaster, and its ability to adhere to Iran's own laws. If the judiciary in Iran is to be taken seriously, this 'confession' needs to be disregarded and assurances given that it will not affect the review of her case” said Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui.

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“Money pads the edges of things”. EM Forster puts these words in the mouth of the wealthy Margaret Schlegel in Howards End.

The authorities in Honduras have filed criminal charges against senior officials of Entremares, based on evidence from aid agency CAFOD.

The authorities in Honduras last week filed criminal charges against senior officials of Entremares – a wholly-owned subsidiary of mining giant Goldcorp - based on evidence from the aid agency CAFOD of severe water contamination.

The data gathered at the San Martin gold mine in the Siria Valley area of Honduras revealed dangerously high acidity and metal concentrations in water flowing into a local stream.

The information uncovered by CAFOD (the Catholic Fund for Overseas Development, an agency of the Catholic bishops in England and Wales) was part of an official water monitoring report at the mine but was not disclosed or acted upon by the Honduran Government’s department for mineral resources or by Goldcorp.

CAFOD Policy Analyst Sonya Maldar said: “We welcome the news that action has finally been taken against Goldcorp on the basis of CAFOD’s evidence and local community concerns. Given that Entremares is applying for new mining permits in Honduras, it is essential to get to the bottom of events at San Martin and ensure that the people of Honduras don’t pay the price of pollution in the long term.”

Charges have been filed against two executives from Entremares for contaminating water and damage to the environment. The accusations against Christian Pineda and Renan Santamaria are that their actions contravened Article 181 of the Honduran criminal code, and if convicted, they could face imprisonment of up to six years.

Gustavo Adolfo Torres Garay, a former senior official within DEFOMIN (the Honduran Department for the Administration of Mineral Resources) has been charged with breach of official duties for failing to act on evidence of pollution. This is in contravention of Article 349 of the Honduran criminal code with a punishment of up to three years [imprisonment] and disqualification from office.

Goldcorp is one of the world’s largest gold mining companies and has consistently denied that the San Martin mine has caused environmental damage. On top of the undisclosed water monitoring report, Newcastle University experts also gathered visual evidence of acid mine drainage close to the mine site.

The Newcastle study was carried out in 2009 in response to a request for technical support from the Honduran authorities.

During a visit to Honduras in November 2008, Paul Younger, Professor of Hydrogeochemical Engineering at Newcastle University and a renowned expert on mine water management, noted signs of acidic mine drainage close to the mine site.

Professor Younger commented: “Goldcorp’s denial of pollution at San Martin has done the company no favours. If Goldcorp had been open about the problems, they could have avoided this action by the Honduran Environmental Prosecutor. The effects of acid mine drainage can continue for long after a mine has closed so the company must publicly commit to long term monitoring and maintenance at the site to prevent a recurrence of such pollution in the future.”

During a subsequent visit, Dr Adam Jarvis and Dr Jaime Amezaga, also of Newcastle University, saw unequivocal evidence that highly acidic and metal-rich water had discharged from one part of the mine (the Tajo Palo Alto) to a local stream, on at least one occasion. This evidence was in the form of an analytical report of water samples collected by DEFOMIN (the Honduran Department for the Administration of Mineral Resources), the government body responsible for promoting mining in Honduras, granting concessions and monitoring environmental impact.

Drs Jarvis and Amezaga’s report of their visit, which was released by CAFOD in December 2009, reveals acidity of the water at two sites reached levels of a pH between 2.5 and 3, which is typically very damaging to stream biology. (Distilled water has a pH of seven, vinegar three and lemon juice two). High levels of cadmium, copper and iron were also discovered.

This is consistent with a complaint presented by a local community group, the Siria Valley Environmental Committee, to Honduras’ Environmental Prosecutor about discolouration of the water flowing from streams originating from within the mine’s perimeter on 24 September 2008. Community members reported that the water was a “reddish colour (…) and emanated a strong smell of sulphur”. This indicates that contaminated water from the mine’s perimeter had entered streams used by people in the Siria Valley for domestic and agricultural purposes.

Pedro Landa of the Honduran Centre for Community Promotion and Development said: “The case against Entremares (Goldcorp) finally acknowledges the damage caused by this company which has had such a profound effect on the local population and the whole country. It is disappointing that an international company like Goldcorp refuses to take responsibility for its actions. We will stay vigilant so that the authorities apply the full weight of the law and do not allow Entremares to abandon the mine without taking responsibility for the damage it has caused to the local community and environment.”

San Martin was the largest open cast mine in Central America before it ceased production in 2008. Since then, Canadian mining company Goldcorp has been carrying out the final stages of mine closure, which it is expected to complete by the end of 2010. The mine has caused controversy from the start, with local people claiming they were not fully consulted about the project.

In 2007, the Honduran Secretariat of Natural Resources and Environment (SERNA) fined Goldcorp one million lempiras, equivalent in value to about £26,000 (at the time) for pollution and damage to the environment. The company has consistently disputed these tests and has appealed against the fine.

In the same year, the Latin America Water Tribunal ruled on a complaint filed by members of the Siria Valley communities, finding Goldcorp accountable for damage to the environment and unreasonable use of water in the Siria Valley.

Acid mine drainage is a process whereby sulphides in the rock are exposed to oxygen and water and react to produce sulphuric acid. It can have devastating impacts on the environment, contaminating groundwater with toxic heavy metals and killing plants and animals for years after the mine has closed. Professor Younger’s observations included unequivocal signs of discolouration of streams indicating that metal-rich, and probably acidic, waters have been discharged from the mine perimeter.

Communities in the Siria Valley have also complained of health problems, including respiratory, skin and gastro-intestinal diseases, which they believe are a result of drinking water polluted by the mine.

A study carried out by the Honduran Department for the Environment in 2008, found high levels of heavy metals, such as arsenic, lead and mercury in blood samples taken from villagers living close to the mine. The study has yet to be published by the government. Goldcorp denies that the health problems are a result of their operations.

CAFOD has attempted to raise concerns about pollution at the San Martin mine with Goldcorp on numerous occasions via letter and in person for several years. The Newcastle University report was presented to Goldcorp’s senior management in 2009 but the company has still refused to admit that the site had ever caused water contamination.

The agency says that without open disclosure of how serious the water contamination was, it is difficult for independent specialists to be sure that the remedial measures now proposed by the mine will be sufficient to protect the communities from long term environmental hazards.

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Pope Benedict XVI's visit to Britain in September 2010 is being threatened by low giving from Catholic parishes and rows over ethics and public money.

Pope Benedict XVI's visit to Britain in September 2010 is being threatened by low giving from Catholic parishes and rows over ethics and public money.

The cost of the state visit functions has risen from £12 million to £20 million over the past two months, and there is a £3 million hole in covering the costs of the pastoral and spiritual dimension of the pontiff's visit - which has also been mired in controversy over child abuse scandals and opposition to Vatican teaching against contraception and homosexuality, as well as its rejection of women as priests.

Attempts to raise money to meet the costs of the four-day visit have fallen far short, with church-goers snubbing attempts to have them pay to see the Pope, according to the Herald newspaper in Scotland.

So far, it is thought just £5.1 million has been raised, the vast majority from private and corporate donors, with only £1.1 million coming from local churches.

The millions being used to subsidise the state visit function have also been attacked by those who say that this is an inappropriate use of public money when cuts are being made to provision for the most vulnerable in society.

There are additional concerns among domestic visit organisers that the cost of attending open-air events like the one in Bellahouston Park in Glasgow on 16 September, has been putting parishioners off, with the charges of as much as £25 each to attend proving too much, in spite of assurances from church leaders that no one will be forced to pay if they cannot afford it.

Senior Catholic affairs commentator Clifford Longley says in The Tablet newspaper: "I wouldn't want to say that the reaction has been lukewarm but it certainly hasn't been red hot. I noticed in my own parish that they still have tickets available for the Hyde Park vigil and the Newman beatification. We're not in a situation where people are queuing around the block for tickets."

However, a spokesperson for the Catholic Church in Scotland said it was too early to say how popular the event would be, declaring: "There are more than 500 parishes in Scotland and only 20 per cent have come back to us so far with their figures."

Meanwhile, in London, the first public meeting of a 'Protest the Pope' movement took place over the weekend. It called on the UK government to criticise and distance itself from Pope Benedict's utterances and actions.

However, the coalition is being seen as dominated by non- or anti-religious secularists, and has failed to attract a significant swathe of Catholics and other Christians who are critical of the pontiff, but want to use the visit to promote debate rather than antagonism.

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World Christian leaders are paying tribute to the ecumenical community of Taizé in eastern France, which marks its foundation in 1940.

World Christian leaders are paying tribute to the ecumenical community of Taizé in eastern France, which is marking its foundation in 1940 by Brother Roger Schutz, who died in 2005.

In a message in advance of the 14 August commemoration to Brother Alois, who now heads the community, Pope Benedict XVI described Schutz as a "pioneer in the difficult paths toward unity among the disciples of Christ".

"Seventy years ago, he began a community that continues to see thousands of young adults, searching for meaning in their lives, come to it from around the world, welcoming them in prayer and allowing them to experience a personal relationship with God," Pope Benedict said.

Schutz, then aged 90, died after being attacked with a knife by a woman said by police to be mentally disturbed during evening prayers on 16 August 2005 at Taizé, near Macon in Burgundy.

In the early years of the Second World War, Schutz, a Swiss Protestant, had arrived in the village of Taizé on 20 August 1940 with the idea of founding an ecumenical monastic community.

"With him and the brothers who shared his vision and his tension, Taizé has become a true centre, a focal point and a place of gathering; a place of deepening in prayer, of listening and humility," said Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomeos I, a spiritual leader in eastern Orthodoxy.

From the 1960s onwards, thousands of young people, initially from Europe and then from further afield, made their way to Taizé to experience its ecumenical spirituality.

The General Secretary of the World Council of Churches, the Rev. Olav Fykse Tveit, described the community, "as a model for attending to the spiritual and physical needs of the whole people of God and in particular the needs of young people".

After Schutz's death, Brother Alois, a German Catholic, became prior of the community.

"Today at Taizé a hundred brothers, Catholics and Protestants, live together. And the community is often visited by young believers from the Orthodox churches," stated Patriarch Kirill I of the Russian Orthodox Church.

"The thousands of young people who visit Taizé and take part in the meetings organised each year by the community in various European countries show convincingly that the Gospel message of God’s love can still find a living echo in people’s hearts today," he said.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, the head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, described Schutz as, "one of the few figures who truly change the climate of a religious culture, not by the exercise either of force or of cheap popularity, but by a lifelong practice of Christ-like authority".

During his life, Schutz also became close to the Roman Catholic Church.

Shortly before his death, Schutz attended the funeral of Pope John Paul II in Rome, where he received the Catholic Eucharist from the hands of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, who would become Pope Benedict XVI.

See the messages here: www.taize.fr/en_article11121.html

[With acknowledgements to ENI. Ecumenical News International is jointly sponsored by the World Council of Churches, the Lutheran World Federation, the World Alliance of Reformed Churches and the Conference of European Churches.]

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Christian groups who fear discrimination say they want a "level playing-field" for British Christians. But if we are to take this concept seriously, let's not only support religious liberty for all people but also give up the privileges that are granted to Christians and denied to others. This would be a powerful demonstration of Christian love in action.

Last week I discussed the Duke Amachree case on Premier Christian Radio. I was intrigued by a discussion that developed about a “level playing-field” for British Christians.

Duke Amachree was dismissed from his job after giving allegedly inappropriate religious advice to a client, a decision upheld in court last week. The whole case has no doubt caused considerable distress both for Duke and for the client concerned. I would much rather that the dispute had been resolved by mediation than by dismissal and legal action.

I have not followed the case in detail and am not in a position to form a view on whether the judgment was right or wrong. A clear understanding of the case is hampered by the over-reaction of Christian groups and parts of the media. It has been inaccurately reported that Duke was sacked simply for “mentioning God”. This is not true.

On Premier, I discussed the issue alongside Libby Blaxall, a solicitor with the Christian Legal Centre (CLC), who advised Duke on his case. CLC is closely linked with Christian Concern For Our Nation (CCFON), a lobbying group who argue that Christians as a whole are facing discrimination in Britain.

Some of the cases backed by CLC concern clear abuses of free expression and religious liberty, such as those involving restrictions on Christians' freedom of dress. But at other times, CLC has argued that Christians should themselves be allowed to practise discrimination. A major example is the case of Lilian Ladele, a civil registrar who refused to perform civil partnerships for same-sex couples.

Many of CLC's cases, such as that of Duke Amachree, are very complicated. Forcing them all into a simplistic narrative about anti-Christian discrimination is neither a witness to truth nor an effective way of achieving a just outcome.

Civil liberties have been severely restricted in the UK over the last decade, which anyone who values free expression should find worrying. But we should be worried regardless of whether the people affected are Christians. Jesus has not taught his followers to be concerned only for people who agree with them.

When I raised this on Premier, I was pleased to hear Libby say that CLC supports freedom of religion for every individual. When I asked her why they do not work on the cases of non-Christians whose freedom is abused, she suggested this was not the organisation's purpose, saying half-jokingly, “We'd have to change our name”.

But they wouldn't. They wouldn't have to change their name if their Christian faith motivated them to be concerned for the freedom and dignity of all people. It's worth noting that the gay human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell has defended the right to free speech of anti-gay Christians with whom he strongly disagrees. It is sad if Christians cannot return the compliment of treating all as our neighbours.

Libby insisted that CLC is not asking for privileges for Christians but for a “level playing-field”. I heartily agree that Christians should be equal to people of other religions and of none.

At times, the freedom of individual Christians in Britain is abused and this should be resisted. So should the abuse of other people's freedom. This includes the demonisation and stereotyping of Muslims that is so prevalent in the media and which has become routine on the front pages of the Daily Express and the Daily Star.

Anyone wanting a level playing-field should recognise that the UK is a country in which over 99 per cent of faith schools are Christian and in which bishops get to vote on legislation in Parliament (a situation almost unique in the world). These are the vestiges of Christendom, the situation that prevailed for centuries in which Christianity was closely allied to political and cultural power. The gradual passing of Christendom gives us a great opportunity to look again at the real nature of Jesus' message.

When CLC and CCFON say they support a level-playing field, they might be taken more seriously if they were to stand up and call for the removal of the bishops from the House of Lords and the disestablishment of the Church of England.

As British Christians, we could witness to Jesus' values of love in action and servant leadership by voluntarily giving up the privileges which are denied to non-Christians. What a powerful message of love that would send out to others. Sadly, it is a message that much of the Church seems reluctant to hear.

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© Symon Hill is associate director of Ekklesia. His new book, The No-Nonsense Guide to Religion, which focuses on religion's relationship with society and politics, can be ordered at http://www.newint.org/publications/no-nonsense-guides/religion/.

A UN report says that food security in Zimbabwe has improved signficiantly, but that food assistance will still be vital for around 1.68 million people next year.

A United Nations report has found that food security in Zimbabwe has improved signficiantly, but that agricultural and food assistance will still be vital for around 1.68 million people next year.

The report follows a joint mission to Zimbabwe in June by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the UN World Food Programme (WFP) to assess the national crop and food security situation.

The mission found that food security in the country has improved following government efforts and an international assistance programme which has been providing farmers with subsidised inputs.

They say that the area planted under maize, the main staple, increased by 20 per cent in 2010 to the highest level in 30 years and production rose 7 per cent over 2009.

Compared with the poor 2008 season when less than 500,000 metric tons of maize were harvested, production more than doubled in 2009 and 2010, to 1.27 and 1.35 million tons respectively.

“The generous international support for the 2009/10 input campaign significantly contributed to this year’s relatively good harvest results, even if in some areas of the country rainfall distribution was uneven,” said Cristina Amaral, Chief of FAO’s emergency and rehabilitation operations in Africa.

The findings are likely to be seen as evidence of what can be achieved with international aid.

But it is not all good news. “Despite the improved availability of food, up to 1.68 million people will need food assistance because prices remain comparatively high for families with low incomes and little or no access to US dollars or South African rand,” said the report's co-author, Jan Delbaere of WFP.

Liliana Balbi of FAO added, “Zimbabwe has only 1.66 million tons of cereals available as against a total needs forecast of 2.09 million tons in the marketing year 2010-2011. That leaves a 428,000-ton shortfall”.

Part of this will be covered by commercial imports, projected to total 317,000 tons of cereals, including 200,000 tons of maize.

The mission estimated that 133,000 tons of food assistance will be needed to feed 1.68 million Zimbabweans in 2010/11.

The report's authors say that general poverty and chronic food insecurity had led to reduced diversity of consumption and had also contributed to an increased prevalence of chronic malnutrition among young children. The report indicates that lack of liquidity remains a constraint to accessing inputs and increasing food production.

The 2009/10 input assistance programme proposed a quick impact programme that aimed to substantively boost smallholder staple food production in Zimbabwe. The report states that the international community responded well and FAO received contributions from a number of donors, including the European Union, the USA, the Netherlands, Sweden, Spain and Finland. The EU made the largest financial contribution, €15.4 million.

In total 51,500 tons of fertilizer and 6,500 tons of maize seeds were distributed to 738,000 households. FAO say they also promoted conservation agriculture that helped farmers to improve soil fertility through the use of techniques such as maintaining soil organic cover, reducing tillage and better crop rotation.

The programme also promoted the use of vouchers which farmers could use to get the inputs they needed from local suppliers. The report insisted that, “The agricultural support programmes need to be continued during the next planting season to consolidate the gains achieved so far”.

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The coalition government's cuts to housing benefit could lead to increased debt and homelessness, according to Green Party leader Caroline Lucas MP.

The coalition government's cuts to housing benefit could lead to increased debt and homelessness, according to the Green Party leader, Caroline Lucas MP.

The Green Party insisted that the housing benefit cut is equivalent to a “big increase in income tax for poorer people”.

Lucas was commenting on a recent report published by homelessness charity Crisis. The report highlights the social risks of housing benefit cuts, which will affect 936,960 households across the UK who are currently claiming local housing allowance (LHA). On average, these households will lose over £600 a year.

The report also warns that cuts to housing benefit could have hidden costs in the future due to the social problems resulting from homelessness, including health problems and providing accommodation.

The Green Party cited the example of someone earning £16,000, after tax-free allowance, and receiving housing benefit. If the individual loses £728, this would be the equivalent of paying an income tax rise of over 4.5 per cent.

“These particular Tory-Lib Dem cuts will leave more people struggling to pay the rent, more people falling into serious debt and ultimately more people becoming homeless,” argued Lucas, “This is very unfair, coming at a time when many of these people are facing economic uncertainty or even redundancy”.

She added, “Once again we see the Conservative-Lib Dem coalition’s cuts hitting the poorer people in society. The government could avoid these cuts by properly tackling tax avoidance and tax evasion perpetrated by some of the wealthiest, which could raise billions of pounds a year.”

Lucas, who became the Greens' first MP when she was elected to represent Brighton Pavilion in May, is seeking re-election as as the party's leader at its September conference in Birmingham. No other candidate has been nominated to oppose her.

However, there are two candidates for the deputy leadership - Adrian Ramsey and Derek Wall.

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Activists have handed in thousands of postcards to Business Secretary Vince Cable, urging him to overhaul the controversial Export Credit Guarantee Department.

Activists yesterday (13 August) handed in thousands of postcards to Business Secretary Vince Cable, urging him to overhaul the controversial Export Credit Guarantee Department (ECGD).

The Jubilee Debt Campaign (JDC) pointed out that the ECGD has provided billions of dollars in insurance for the arms and fossil fuel industries, building up large amounts of developing world debt in the process. The ECGD is a unit within the Department for Business, which Cable oversees.

They accuse the ECGD of “providing a taxpayer subsidy to overseas projects which have been linked to corruption, human rights abuses and environmental destruction”.

The JDC say that they are particularly concerned that ECGD is the largest public holder of “Third World Debt” in the UK, with developing countries owing nearly £2 billion to the institution, another £2 billion having been repaid in the last 10 years.

Campaigners insist that this money is draining the coffers of developing countries on the basis of projects which have all too often proved detrimental to the population or environment of the country itself.

“Vince Cable has expressed his strong opposition to the way the ECGD works in the past,” said JDC's Director Nick Dearden, “Now is the time to put words into action”.

The controversial subsidies go back years. They include insurance for arms sales to the brutal Indonesian dictator Suharto, used in repression, which the current Indonesian government is still paying for. Until recently, the ECGD was also insuring the sale of arms by BAE Systems to the Saudi dictatorship.

Examples highlighted by JDC include a vastly overpriced hydro-electric power station in Kenya which produced only a small amount of the power promised to Kenyans. They also mention a dam in Lesotho which resulted in a corruption case involving hundreds of thousands of pounds in one of the poorest countries in the world.

Other striking examples include an Indian power plant involving bankrupt multinational Enron which cost the Indian authorities hundreds of millions of dollars despite being shut down because the local government couldn’t afford to buy electricity from it.

Dearden said, “It is absolutely unconscionable that this part of the British government can go on supporting projects involving human rights abuses, corruption and environmental destruction – and then expect some of the poorest countries in the world to pay for it.”

He added, “The ECGD could be used to help new, green industry, but instead it’s supporting massive corporations develop appalling projects. It’s time the ECGD dropped the debt and ditched the dodgy deals.”

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