Religious groups oppose State Department’s upgrade of Malaysia’s trafficking status
Maryknoll and 13 other religious organizations sent a letter to members of a Congressional conference committee to express deep moral concerns related to H.R. 644, the “Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015” (also referred to as the Customs bill), particularly that the final bill could weaken strong anti-trafficking provision in the trade promotion authority bill signed into law June 29.
Trade: No Fast Track for Human Traffickers
On June 12, at the height of the Fast Track fight on Capitol Hill, the following opinion piece by Maryknoll Sister Helene O’Sullivan in support of the Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) bill’s "No Fast Track for Human Traffickers" amendment was published in The Hill, an influential news source on Capitol Hill.
Resources from the July-August 2015 NewsNotes
All of the resources in the July-August 2015 NewsNotes relate to Laudato Si', the encyclical released on June 18.
Torture survivors hold D.C. conference
June is Torture Awareness Month, and the Torture Abolition and Survivors Support Coalition (TASSC) sought to bring plenty of awareness to the issue with their Survivors’ Week Conference.
Pax Christi International Bethlehem Commitment
Pax Christi International – the Brussels-based secretariat, national sections, and member organizations (which includes Maryknoll) – gathered in Bethlehem in the Occupied Palestinian Territories from May 13-17 to commemorate the 70th anniversary of its founding.
Timeline of recent fight against Fast Track
During the months of May and June, trade was the primary issue on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.
Trade: Human rights violations by TPP nations
Public Citizen released this press release on the occasion of the publication of the State Department's annual human rights report on June 25.
Bolivia: Eco-unfriendly projects move ahead
Bolivia's decision to go ahead with a controversial highway and other projects represents a contradiction within the government of Evo Morales that advocates for a greener economy on the international stage while continuing to depend on environmentally destructive ventures nationally.
Central America: Corruption fuels protests
In Honduras and Guatemala, corrupt and criminal elites have colluded to enrich themselves by stealing hundreds of millions of dollars in the last few years alone from government agencies that provide social services, and revenue for the government.
Japanese bishops: Peace must not depend upon weapons
In commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II, the Catholic bishops of Japan released the following statement.
Myanmar: Rohingya face discrimination, exploitation
The recent surge of 4,000 Rohingya migrants that fled Myanmar and Bangladesh in April and May illustrates a story rooted in discrimination and ostracism based on anti-Muslim bias that permeates the Buddhist-majority nation of Myanmar.
Africa: Challenges of infrastructure development
The essential role of infrastructure is being rediscovered worldwide as a key component of a comprehensive development strategy. However, in order to be sustainable and deliver real benefits to the communities and the environment directly affected, infrastructure projects need good governance, meaningful civil society participation, and real accountability.