May 2012 | Issue # 220 Pax Christi International asbl | Rue du Vieux Marché aux Grains, 21 - 1000 Brussels Belgium | Tel. +32 2 502 55 50 - Fax. +32 2 502 46 26 - www.paxchristi.net - [email protected] AFRICA 3 A Just Jerusalem for All – Petition Exit Strategies; the case for redefining Handed to Downing Street 5 NATO consensus on U.S. TNW 8 DR Congo: A New Report on Security Sector Reform ...... 3 Palestine-Israel Ecumenical Forum 5 Toxic Remnants of War Project Launched .............. 8 Broader Scrutiny of DRC Elections World Week for Peace in Palestine- Confirms Deep Concerns 3 Israel 2012 ............ 5 HUMAN SECURITY AND Pax Christi in Mali Mobilises in Wake Pax Christi International Board meets VIOLENT CONFLICT 8 of Coup ................. 3 in Cairo, Egypt ....... 6 Human Rights, Security and Extractive Evaluation of Ex-combatants Project Syria Alert 7: Making the Annan plan Industries in Colombia 8 Takes Place in May 4 succeed ................. 6 Crisis Action .......... 9 Pax Christi Peace Prize Laureate EUROPE 6 PEACE BUILDING 9 Justine Masika Bihamba Flees the DR Pax Christi International Visit to Congo ................... 4 Pax Christi International Statement on Poland .................. 6 Indigenous Peoples9 AMERICAS & CARIBBEAN 4 At the Threshold of Auschwitz: Come EPLO General Assembly, Belgrade, Pax Christi USA immigration activist and See Pilgrimage 7 Serbia ................... 9 Ruben Garcia recipient of the 2012 DISARMAMENT & Teacher of Peace award 4 Pax Christi International Nominated a DEMILITARISATION 7 Candidate for the 2012 Nobel Peace Ending Racial Profiling in America 4 Prize ..................... 9 Global Day of Action on Military Analysis and Statistics about Violence Spending: Statement of Pax Christi DEVELOPING PEACE in Port-au-Prince, Haiti 4 International ......... 7 SPIRITUALITY AND ASIA & PACIFIC 4 Recommendations to the NPT THEOLOGY 9 Preparatory Committee Meeting 7 Study Own Religion in Pakistan 5 60 Years of the Peace Cross in Bühl, Canadian NGOs on NPT PrepCom 7 Germany .............. 9 The Supreme Court of Pakistan urged to take stand on forced conversions Swallowing the Bullet - An Ethical International Golden Rule Day 2012 ............................. 5 Approach to an Arms Trade Treaty 7 ............................10 Hotline Newsletter Bangladesh 5 Ecumenical Campaign for a Strong and INTERNATIONAL CALENDAR Effective Arms Trade Treaty Meeting Nuclear Issue in Japan 5 10 ............................. 8 MIDDLE EAST 5 Issue #220 Africa Broader Scrutiny of DRC Elections Confirms Deep Concerns DR Congo: A New Report on Security Sector Following widely-disputed elections in The Reform Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in The European Network for Central Africa November 2011, the country now faces increased (EurAc) and other international and Congolese pressure to reform and restructure the civil society groups have released a major report commission that oversees its elections. The final advising that the international community and report of the European Union’s observation Congolese government must urgently agree mission has appealed for broader involvement upon a new deal to reform the Congolese by civil society in the field of civic education and military. The report highlights recent local observation. Pax Christi International is a developments in Eastern Congo and the member of The European Network for Central increased insecurity caused by the actions of Africa and welcomes the conclusions of the EU Bosco Ntaganda. report and offers recommendations for strengthening the appeal. See Ref. 2012-0160-en- The report cautions that the army not only fails af-AC for English and 2012-0160-fr-af-AC for the to provide security but actively preys upon the French version. population, being one of the major perpetrators of human rights violations in the country. It Additionally, les Amis de Nelson Mandela states that the main reason for the failure of (ANMDH) has reported serious human rights army reform in DRC is a lack of political will violations in the course of the DRC electoral from parts of the Congolese government – period. ANMDH is a member of Pax Christi notably those elements which have benefited International and appeals for open dialogue and from endemic corruption. an independent enquiry into the irregularities and allegations of abuse by security forces. See The report contains an analysis on international 2010-0140-fr-af-HR for this report. aid to DRC, indicating that in 5 years, Western countries have invested more than $14 billion Pax Christi in Mali Mobilises in Wake of into the DRC and that aid is now equivalent to Coup nearly half of the DRC’s annual budget. Also in The Initiative Malienne Pax Christi pour le the report - only one per cent of that aid - or Développement is working with other civil $140 million – has been spent on security sector society organisations to help resolve the political reform. crisis in Mali. On March 22nd, Separatist rebels The report appeals to the international staged a military coup d’état in the capital city of community to increase the leverage of its Bamako and now control northern parts of the relationship with Congo by expanding on West African country. Al Qaeda-linked Islamist benchmarks; placing UN sanctions on DRC fighters are among the occupying rebels in Mali. army personnel that block reform and Armand Dembele, coordinator of the Pax Christi establishing a high-level forum on military group, reports that the humanitarian situation reform to promote the necessary political will. in rebel-occupied zones is alarming and could Pax Christi International is member of EurAc. become worse. Despite promises to return the To read the full report, see Ref. 2012-0159-en-af- country to civilian rule, there are troubling HS. 3 reports of opposition leaders being arrested and military control hardening. ‘Mali is living the Page Issue #220 darkest page of its history,’ says Dembele. ‘We the current director of Annunciation House in El count on your prayers.’ Paso, Texas. Read more at www.paxchristiusa.org Evaluation of Ex-combatants Project Takes Place in May Ending Racial Profiling in America Organisers of a project helping to reintegrate Pax Christi USA was invited by Sen. Dick Durbin former fighters in the DR Congo and Burundi (IL) to submit testimony for a hearing on will gather in May to evaluate final project "Ending Racial Profiling in America" for the U.S. results and plan next steps. Since 2010, Pax Senate Committee on the Christi International and Pax Christi Flanders Judiciary, Subcommittee on the Constitution, have collaborated in supporting the formation of Civil Rights, and Human Rights. The hearing Listening Communities to accompany ex- was called to explore the different faces of racial combatants as they transition back into civilian profiling, including discriminatory law life. Over this period, the project has engaged enforcement against African Americans, state more than 100 men and women in 10 locations, immigration laws in Alabama and Arizona that often resulting in the creation of local ex- subject Hispanic Americans to heightened combatant associations and facilitating links to scrutiny, and anti-terrorism efforts that target local community leaders. For more information American Muslims. The hearing also examined on this project, contact [email protected]. proposed solutions to racial profiling, including the End Racial Profiling Act, closing loopholes in Pax Christi Peace Prize Laureate Justine the U.S. Department of Justice's racial profiling Masika Bihamba Flees the DR Congo guidance, and the Justice Department Civil Justine Masika Bihamba has fled the DR Congo. Rights Division's enforcement of federal civil She has gone into hiding after receiving threats rights laws to prevent profiling by state and local to her security for comments made during an law enforcement agencies. Pax Christi USA interview with BBC radio, where she spoke submitted the following testimony. Read at favourably of the ICC guilty verdict of Congolese www.paxchristiusa.org warlord Thomas Lubanga. Analysis and Statistics about Violence in Ms. Masika was awarded the Pax Christi Peace Port-au-Prince, Haiti Prize in 2009 for her work on victims of sexual On 12 April 2012, the Commission Nationale violence in the DR Congo. She is the coordinator Justice et Paix, member organization of Pax of Synergie des Femmes pour les Victimes des Christi International in Haiti, published its 3 Violences Sexuelles and Vice President of the month analysis with figures about the level of Civil Society Association of North Kivu. violence in the metropolitan zone of Port-au- Americas & Caribbean Prince, the capital of Haiti. The report covers the period from January to March 2012 and is the nd Pax Christi USA immigration activist Ruben 42 report in an on-going reporting on this Garcia recipient of the 2012 Teacher of Peace issue. Read the report in French at award 2012-0154-fr-am-HS and the figures in 2012-0155- Pax Christi USA has recognized the life and fr-am-HS. witness of Ruben Garcia, naming him the 2012 4 Asia & Pacific recipient of the Pax Christi USA Teacher of Peace Award. Garcia is one of the founders and Page Issue #220 Study Own Religion in Pakistan The Japan Catholic Council for Justice and Peace In a recent paper, The National Commission for a member organization of Pax Christi Justice and Peace, a member organisation of Pax International has made available new web Christi International in Pakistan recommended articles related to nuclear disarmament and changes to the school curricula so that nuclear energy. To read the articles, visit the minorities can study their own religions instead following-website: of Islamic studies or ethics. Read more at: http://web.mac.com/jccjp/justice_and_peace/hi kkoshi.html http://tribune.com.pk/story/358020/right-to- education-to-each-his-own-religion/ Middle East Please-visit: http://safedafed.org/signatures/registration.php A Just Jerusalem for All – Petition Handed to and join the ‘One Million Signature Campaign’ Downing Street which mandates ‘Free and Compulsory A petition supported by a range of faith Education’ for all the children from 5-16 years.