The Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) convenes annually in New York to discuss and encourage gender equality and the advancement of women worldwide.  This year, from March 1-12, the CSW undertakes a special fifteen-year review of the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, which contained milestone commitments to the world’s women. The review is seen as an important step in overcoming the remaining obstacles and new challenges faced by women, including those related to the Millennium Development Goals.

VIVAT, with the Working Group on Mining, is participating in the CSW by addressing key gender-related issues in the area of mining.  The Working Group organized a parallel event to the Commission that specifically targeted discussion on the struggles of rural and indigenous women negatively affected by mining practices worldwide, through a DVD clip and presentations by two panelists, the event pushing the necessity of “Free, Prior, and Informed Consent”.  The Working Group on Mining hopes to bring to light the egregious negative impacts of mining in relation to women, indigenous peoples, and the environment to the international arena.  With these hopes, VIVAT and the Working Group plans on holding two more parallel events during the remaining Commissions and Forums later this year on indigenous peoples’ rights and on sustainable development.

Biodiversity, the variety of life on Earth, is essential to sustaining the living networks and systems that provide us all with health, wealth, food, fuel and the vital services our lives depend on. Human activity is causing the diversity of life on Earth to be lost at a greatly accelerated rate. Felling or burning of forests, removal of mangroves, intensive farming, pollution stress, overfishing and the impacts of climate change are all destroying biodiversity. These losses are irreversible, impoverish us all and damage the life support systems we rely on every day. But we can prevent them.

Throughout 2010, there will be various events taking place throughout the world to promote conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, to help increase public awareness for the many facets of biodiversity, and to integrate this issue into key political and social processes. To name a few, over 400 environmental advocates attended the UNDP-sponsored North American Launch of the Year of Biodiversity, held at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City on February 10 of this year. One day during the 65^th session of the United Nations General Assembly will be dedicated to the issue of biodiversity, marking the first opportunity for Heads of State and Government from all over the world to meet and discuss how to address the global challenges for biodiversity. Lastly, celebrations and activities will occur worldwide on the annual International Day of Biodiversity, to be held May 22^nd of this year. For more information and to learn how you can participate, please visit http://www.cbd.int/2010/welcome/

Julita Bau, Angelica Chavol, Socorro Rodriquez and Genoveva Maria preparing food for children in Haiti

The earthquake that devastated the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince, and surrounding areas in January 2010 killed more than 200,000 people, injured 300,000 and destroyed hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses.  Haiti, the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere before the earthquake, is struggling to recover.  The Missionary of the Holy Spirit Province in the USA and Caribbean tried to help in several ways.  Julita Bau and three other Sisters from Epworth, Iowa went to St. Anthony Catholic Church in Dubuque to pack food for kids in Haiti.  It was organized by the Kids Against Hunger – Iowa.

In their parish community in St. Kitts, Margaret Hansen and Graciela Castro, had an extra collection for Haiti which raised three times the amount of the normal Sunday collection, the St. Vincent DePaul Society held a bake sale and the children of the Kid’s Club made little “Hearts for Haiti” and sold them to raise money for the people of Haiti.

Dinah Marie Aguirre, a nurse by profession, volunteered with several organizations to be sent to Haiti, but has not been contacted as yet.  As Julita wrote, “May the small things we offer help those in their great need in Haiti.”

Another way the Paraclete Province, USA, helped Haiti was through advocacy.  Working with organizations like Jubilee USA Network, the Sisters wrote letters and sent e-mails to support Haiti’s debt cancellation and provide assistance for relief and reconstruction in the form of grants not loans. Through a conference call and a webcast with various organizations in Haiti, the JPIC Coordinator kept up to date with the situation and sent out updates and prayer services.

Help was given also through donations through organizations that were working on the frontlines in Haiti.  Although the above is true, the main way that all the Sisters helped Haiti and her people was through prayers and petitions for Haiti.  Special prayer services were held in some communities and the people of Haiti were remembered in prayer at Holy Hours in the Techny, Rogers Park and Memphis Community. Margaret Hansen said, “Obviously we have been keeping the People of Haiti in our thoughts and prayers each day.”

By Benigilda Ladia,SSpS

In Ethiopia, women are still considered less important in many aspects of life than their male counterparts.  In addressing this pressing issue, the SSpS of Ethiopia focuses their ministry in promoting the integral development of women.

"The sisters...were able to drill a water source just within the residential area of the village community in order for women and children to have nearer access to water and so that they need not travel on foot for three to four hours a day to obtain water. "

One of the communities of SSpS Region in Ethiopia is engaged in water project.  It is a project making water available within the community to lessen the burden of women who are laboring daily to secure the water supply for the family.  The Sisters, with the help of Ethiopian Catholic Secretariat water unit and some donors, were able to drill a water source just within the residential area of the village community in order for women and children to have nearer access to water and so that they need not travel on foot for three to four hours a day to obtain water. The time saved from fetching water can now be devoted to a time for rest after working on the household chores everyday.  This same time can also now be used for community meetings, socialization and other activities which will enrich the women’s lives.  Such has been the successful experience of the women in the region of the water project.

Many of the SSpS Communities also focus on promoting adolescent girls’ formal education by providing them school materials, reference books for their study, and a place to study afterschool.  Ordinarily, girls have little or no access to places to study get when they go home after school hours. The simple and unfortunate fact is that the girl children are less considered when it comes to formal education.  They are the last priority to be sent for formal education in every family.  Therefore, the Sisters and staff of the project facilitate on-going lobbying and education awareness for girls’ education, beginning first with their parents and their families, whose orientation are deeply rooted in a culture that girls need not bother with an education, for they are destined only to a domestic life of getting married and raising a family.  Included in this activity is the signing of agreement with the parents of the girl child so that the opportunity to go to school and be given time to study at home will be assured.

Almost all of the SSpS communities also provide opportunities for women to have economic activities through the provision of initial capital for petty trading and animal husbandry.  These enable women to have their own money to contribute to the well being of the family and not be solely dependent on their male counterparts.  This is also an opportunity for the women to have business orientation which promotes their economic empowerment.  As experienced by the different groups in the project, women are more effective in doing such trading activities.  This certainly confirms that women have the inner potential to deal effectively in economic sphere through their innate quality of patience and ability to nurture positive relationships with others.

It has been 15 years since Governments from around the world adopted The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action in 1995. Among the 12 critical areas of concern specified in the Platform, much has been achieved. However, many issues such as gender stereotypes, unequal responsibilities and violence against women still stand in the way of full gender equality and global empowerment of women.

In the beginning of this month, the Commission on the Status of Women will undertake a fifteen-year review of the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. Countries both large and small will be able to share their experiences and good practices on the topic of women’s rights. The review is seen as an important step in overcoming the remaining obstacles and new challenges faced by women, including those related to the Millennium Development Goals.

The Platform for Action covered 12 critical areas of concern: poverty, education and training, health, violence against women, armed conflict, the economy, power and decision-making, institutional mechanisms, human rights, media, the environment, and the girl child. All areas will be discussed at the review and a number of issues have been identified which are affecting the progress of the Beijing Platform for Action.

Gender stereotypes

Negative gender stereotypes continue to lie at the heart of many challenges and violations of rights faced by women, including violence against women and lack of access to education. In all countries gender stereotyping remains a major obstacle to gender equality. The prevalence of negative gender stereotypes based on societal beliefs and attitudes affects women and constrains their opportunities and choices.

Stereotypical assumptions about women in the labour market, for example, have lead to occupational segregation and a gender wage gap in many countries.

Combating such stereotypes requires States to adopt a range of strategies, from revising school curricula, to holding training programmes which dispel stereotypes on women’s leadership abilities, to instigating awareness-raising campaigns for the general public on women’s rights.

Unequal responsibilities

It has become increasingly apparent that women are far more likely than men to be living in poverty. Women’s unequal access to economic and financial resources has a negative impact on their well-being and a ripple effect on their families and the economic growth of their communities.

Women continue to be responsible for most domestic and caregiving work in many countries. This unequal sharing of responsibilities has a negative impact on educational and employment choices, and limits women’s involvement in public life.

The role of men and boys

Limited involvement by men and boys in the promotion of women’s rights has continued to restrain gender equality. Building support for social change can only be achieved when men and boys are actively engaged, for instance, in measures to eliminate violence against women and overcome stereotypes.

Furthermore, the provision of positive male role models serves to instill in both men and boys the respect for women’s and girls’ rights and the ability to challenge stereotypical behavior.

Violence against women

Over the last decade, violence against women has become a priority issue at global, national and regional levels. A growing number of States have strengthened and adopted comprehensive legal, policy, and institutional frameworks to end violence against women and girls. Despite these advances, violence against women is arguably a global pandemic. The problem remains universal, with women and girls affected by violence in every region and every country.

Implementation and challenges

Multiple global crises, including the economic and financial crisis, the food and energy crises and the challenge of climate change have had an adverse impact on the achievement of internationally-agreed development goals, including the Millennium Development Goals, and have raised doubts about current approaches to development. It is, therefore, an opportune time to rethink and modify policy approaches, strategies and actions to ensure a more equitable, gender-sensitive and sustainable pattern of growth and development.

Although the link between the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals is increasingly recognized at a policymaking level, further work is needed to translate this awareness into concrete action.

Recent evidence demonstrates that progress for women and girls under the Goals, as well as overall progress in implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action, has been very uneven and has produced inadequate results, including in areas of poverty reduction, provision of full employment and decent work, education, including literacy, and maternal health.
Source: United Nation Desa

The Commission on Social Development (CSocD), one of several commissions for the UN’s Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), convened for its 48^th session from February 3 to February 12, 2010, at the UN Secretariat in New York.  The Commission comprises 46 member states that are elected on a rotating basis, and it serves primarily to address key social development themes and issues, as well as to follow up on implementation of the 1995 Copenhagen Declaration and Programme of Action regarding social development.  While the Commission meets annually to address these issues, this year’s session marked an especially important milestone, as the Commission passed its first-ever resolution on promoting social integration.  The resolution seeks to promote integrative policies as necessary in order to “eradicate poverty, promote full and productive employment, and achieve stable, safe, peaceful, harmonious and just societies for all”.  Throughout the ten-day session, the Commission held meetings, high-level panel discussions, resolution consultations, and side events, all with a focus on social development and social integration.

As with all UN Commissions and forums, NGOs and civil society play a large and informative role.  This year, the Civil Society Forum released an important statement in commemoration of the fifteenth anniversary of the Copenhagen Declaration.  The statement advocates for a “Society for All”, encouraging governments to adopt policies and practices to promote the empowerment of all peoples. The statement goes on to emphasize the need of empowerment in order to eradicate poverty, among other goals of the Commission on Social Development, and concludes urging governments to adopt a new, strengthened human rights framework and address all issues of social exclusion within their states.  The full text of the statement is available online, through the UN CSocD webpage.

While the Civil Society Forum statement is a tangible example of NGOs’ role within the Commission’s annual activities, side-events held during the ten-day session also allow NGOs to bring their on-the-ground experiences to the forefront of UN discussion regarding social development.  During this session, VIVAT actively co-sponsored two successful side-events.  The first, called “Climate Change, Poverty and Social Inclusion: Exploring the Links”, was a presentation that linked the ongoing climate crisis to the issue of poverty and social inclusion, illustrating how climate change relates to the topic.  The second, called “Mining and Social Inclusion: Free, Prior and Informed Consent”, presented a short movie clip and speaker presentation which both addressed the dire circumstances surrounding mining practices, both in the US and internationally, and advocated for the need for social integration practices to help curtail negative effects of mining on the indigenous peoples of the area, the environment, and the governments themselves.  These two side-events allowed VIVAT to link its own work with the work of other NGOs, and focused on the social development side of VIVAT’s work. Upcoming UN Commissions scheduled for later this year, including the Commission on the Status of Women, the Indigenous Peoples Forum, and the Commission on Sustainable Development, will allow VIVAT to hold even more side-events, each linking to the specific area of concern of each respective Commission.  We are looking forward to putting together several informative, thought-provoking, and action-inciting events for these upcoming Commissions.

]]> http://vivatinternational.org/2010/02/24/vivat-participates-in-the-un-commission-on-social-development/feed/ 0 http://vivatinternational.org/2010/02/24/justice-on-the-rails/ http://vivatinternational.org/2010/02/24/justice-on-the-rails/#comments Wed, 24 Feb 2010 16:52:05 +0000 Zelia http://vivatinternational.org/?p=1164 Justice for the land wounded by the Brazilian mining giant Companhia Vale do Rio Doce

By Dário Bossi,MCCJ

“I am tired to handle this mining train that passes in front of my house ten times a day. I am tired of listening to this convoy of 300 wagons taking away the wealth of our land and leaving behind a trace of death and deadly accidents: one person dies every month on the train tracks! I am fed up with the white collars discourse: they guarantee that this is going to bring us progress but, for us here, everything has been stopped for more than 20 years!”

This outburst reflects the situation of several families who live in the areas by the ‘Carajás corridor’ – a 559 mile railway that crosses the state of Pará and Maranhão, in the north of Brazil. Here the giant Vale do Rio Doce (Vale) dominates the economy and controls regional politics by exerting monopoly over the richest and most abundant iron mines in the world and also by controlling a vast transportation system that includes miles of railways and an immense fleet of cargo ships.

Vale is the second largest mining company in the world, operating in 30 countries. The company, originally owned by the state, has grown 19 times since its suspicious privatization, which transferred a national treasure to private interests. Vale disguises itself in green and yellow, achieving sustainability and social responsibility standards through powerful propaganda and influence over political parties. On the opposite side, peoples and communities in various parts of the world witness labor conflicts (3,500 people have been on strike in Canada for more than six months), pollution, chemical leaking, corruption of local administrations and even the use of private militias to guarantee the interests of Vale. This is, therefore, a good example of the arrogance of many mining companies in the world.

That is why, since the end of 2007, a network of movements from the north of Brazil has launched the campaign “Justiça nos Trilhos” (‘Justice on Tracks’ – www.justicanostrilhos.org) in order to accuse the conflicts involving the multinational and to claim for socio-environmental justice. Since then, the participation in the World Social Forum in Belém strengthened the network of alliances and the audacity of the campaign, which in 2010 will confront Vale publicly.

The first international meeting of the people affected by Vale will take place next April. Representatives from Brazil, Peru, Equador, Argentina, Chile, Canada, Mozambique, Italy and – possibly – Indonesia will get together for a three-day ‘popular court’, in which they will exchange information, expose to the media the hidden face of the company and interrogate Vale’s directive  board and stakeholders. The Brazilian Network of Environmental Justice (‘Rede Brasileira de Justiça Ambiental’) together with other big and small entities from Brazil will then deepen an important alliance with the Observatory of Mining Conflicts in Latin America (Observatorio de Conflictos Mineros em America Latina) and with international unionist networks from Canada and the US. Right before the event there will be two regional marches – one in Pará-Maranhão and the other in the state of Minas Gerais. This way a better exchange of experiences and strategies may occur between national and international actors involved in all sorts of territorial conflicts.

A precious documentary-film presented in three languages (Portuguese, English and Italian) about the conflicts in the Carajás region will be launched during the event. It will serve as a privileged instrument of accusation and collective consciousness.

In the name of this network we invite Vivat to support us in whatever is possible: the open veins of Latin America need to resume feeding the anemic body of the poor!

We the members and associate members of VIVAT International, from 8 religious congregations, namely,

1. DIVINE WORD MISSIONARIES (S.V.D)

2. SISTER SERVANTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT (S.Sp.S)

3. THE SPIRITANS (C.S.Sp)

4. COMBONI MISSIONARIES (M.C.C.J)

5. COMBONI MISSIONARY SISTERS (C.M.S)

6. SISTERS OF ADORERS OF BLOOD OF CHRIST (A.S.C)

7. OBLATES OF MARY IMMACULATE (O.M.I)

8. MISSIONARY SISTERS OF THE HOLY ROSARY (M.S.H.R)

Working in Eastern Africa, Egypt and Middle East came together for a workshop at Dimesse Centre, Karen, Nairobi to know and initiate collaboration between the members and Board of Directors and executive teams of VIVAT, based in New York and Geneva.

We were officially welcomed by Fr. Eusebio Manangbao SVD, the congregational leader of the Divine Word Missionaries of Kenya- Tanzania and introduced to the workshop by Sr. Mary John SSpS and Fr. Gervase Taratara CSSp on behalf of the Board of Directors of VIVAT, on 11^th January 2010.

The second day, 12^th January 2010 was set aside to reflect on different experiences and challenges that we face in respective ministries. We went into different groups based on the countries where we work. The focus of discussions was Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation (JPIC) situation in our respective places and our response to those situations. Each group came out with its report, where various challenges like refugees, illiteracy, health issues, tribalism, economic injustice and disparities, legal issues, HIV/AIDS, environmental issues, women’s issues, etc were highlighted.

Fr. Michael McCabe SMA, a missiologist, spoke on the spirituality of JPIC as found in Caritas in Veritate, the recent document on social teaching by Pope Benedict XVI.

In the afternoon session, Srs. Mary John and Marina Cassarino, the JPIC General Coordinators of the Holy Spirit and Comboni sisters presented the tasks and challenges of the JPIC Coordination ministry. They explained on the importance of networking and collaboration.

In the evening we watched the film, ‘AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH’ a moving documentary film produced by Al Gore, former Vice President of USA, highlighting different causes of Global Warming. The sound message that each one of us got from the film is that we are part of the solution to the problem of Global Warming.

The third day, 13^th January 2010 was devoted to a presentation on VIVAT’s history and development by Executive directors, Sr. Zelia Cordeiro SSpS and Fr. Felix Jones SVD. They explained that Vivat comes from Latin word, ‘Vivere’ which means may he/she/it live, i.e. may all live. The presentations enabled us to understand the inner workings of Vivat in relation to advocacy and lobbying at the UN. We realized that the strength and power of VIVAT lies in the members at the grassroots level. This was highlighted through a well illustrated imagery of bow and arrow and networking gains its power / force from the grassroots.

In the evening the youth from Soweto parish, Nairobi, entertained us through a variety of Afro-fusion dances.

On the 4^th day, 14^th January 2010, the morning sessions focused on the themes of Advocacy and Human Rights, which were well presented by Fr, Gervase Taratara C.S.Sp. He also explained the meaning of the term ‘lobbying’, by which one achieves advocacy. He dwelt in length on the topic of Human rights and the functioning of Human rights council in Geneva, where Fr. Edward Flynn, C.S.Sp represents VIVAT. He gave a few vivid examples of how the NGOs could lobby for actions on certain human rights violations committed in some countries. He further mentioned on the limitations faced by like minded NGOs in bringing certain complaints to the attention of the human rights council at UN.  He reminded the participants that our contribution to VIVAT has the power to influence decision making process at our congregational level and so even at UN. We are all part of the solution to the problems around us together with VIVAT and other agencies working for the welfare of the humanity. The presentation was followed by discussion in small groups. We focused our attention on the most burning issues in the countries we work, the steps we take to face these issues in conjunction with VIVAT.

In the afternoon we made a remarkable trip to the UN offices at Nairobi, Kenya where we were received well and taken around the UN complex by an officer attached to the UN information section. We were also shown a documentary on the functioning of the UN at the UN press hall. Every participant appreciated the visit to the UN as it was a unique opportunity to know the UN. On the same evening, the participants gathered together for lively socials and shared lot of fun, snacks and refreshments.

On the fifth and final day, 15^th January 2010, the members were presented with a rough draft of statement and resolutions prepared by the special committee and adopted with some corrections and suggestions.  Then reports were presented on group discussions held on identifying the most burning issues in our respective countries of work, how we are going to pursue them, what kind of help we expect from VIVAT and what concrete steps we are going to take. Then we went on to identify one major issue that could be taken up at VIVAT for follow up. Women Issue and environmental issue emerged as major issues. Later the members proposed the names of four congregational leaders who were present at the workshop as members of the local forum. Then we did a simple evaluation of the entire workshop. Basically all members expressed positive comments over the workshop.

Every day’s session began with a creative morning prayer. The Holy Eucharist, celebrated in the evening enabled us to celebrate our togetherness.

The workshop was largely characterized by presentations, often with Power Point Presentations and also by lot of group work by way of discussions and reporting back. This enabled us to get to know each other, interact, understand issues at stake and thus focus on a unity of purpose.

Recommendations/Resolutions:

1. To identify the pressing JPIC issues in our respective areas and to forward them to our local JPIC contact persons.

2. We request the Congregational leadership of the 8 member and associate member congregations in the East-African, Egypt and Middle East regions to own up and take active initiatives to ensure collaboration among members and VIVAT and at the same time forward the same issues to JPIC Coordinators at the Generalate level.

3. Maintaining regular contact with VIVAT team by submitting reports on our JPIC activities and disseminating information to the members.

4. It is indeed a positive milestone of this workshop that a local forum consisting of the local congregational leaders to work hand in hand with VIVAT has been formed although on a temporary basis. And the members of the local forum are Fr. Eusebio Manangbao SVD, Sr. Helen Mwagwu MSHR, Fr. Alfred Grroleau OMI and Sr. Giovanna Squazza CMS. Fr. Eusebio will be the convener of the local forum. VIVAT is still in its initial stage, needs to be known and networking among the members should begin now.

By: Sr. Ruth, Frs. Samy and Mervin

It is one of VIVAT’s strongest priorities and values to advocate for the rights of indigenous people as upheld by the United Nations. Thus, VIVAT has been actively working on supporting the indigenous Quilombo population of Brazil in their efforts to claim their human rights.

Since 1989, communities in the Ribeira Valley of the Sao Paulo state of Brazil have been actively demanding their rights. The Brazilian Aluminum Company (CBA), of the Votorantim Group, has been attempting to construct dams along the Ribeira de Iguape River to generate hydroelectric power for its operations. The Tijuco Alto Dam, one of four proposed dams, would create massive amounts of energy for the production of aluminum mainly for export. The benefits of this, however, would be enjoyed by this corporation while the brunt of the negative effects would fall on the local population and environment.

Current VIVAT members ministering to the Quilombo communities in the Ribeira Valley are from the Divine Word Society (SVD) and the Holy Rosary Sisters (MHRS). In the recent past, Spiritans (CSSp) and Sister Servants of the Holy Spirit (SSpS) also worked there.

The Ribeira Valley Quilombos  are Afro-Brazilian rural communities, which group together descendents of runaway slaves living today from subsistent farming and whose cultural expressions have a strong link with the past. Having escaped from slavery, their ancestors formed independent settlements in the region and current Quilombo communities actively work for recognition and titles to their land. The Quilombo population has been historically oppressed and marginalized and the dam construction would only further complicate life for them. Many of the Quilombo families have not been granted adequate documentation for their land and are threatened with losing their homes and livelihoods without any compensation for their displacement. Already over 230 families have been evicted from their land without any compensation as a result of the proposed dam construction. The displacement of these communities presents many crucial problems and violations of human rights, as the livelihood of people is completely disrupted and they are often subjected to a lowered standard of living.

The dam construction presents a major threat to the region of the Ribeira Valley, to its rich cultural heritage, to the economy, and to the communities who live there. The dams would result in massive flooding of fertile land, altering all aspects of life in the region and disrupting farming and fishing (and thus the communities’ source of income). Much of the sediment in the river have already been contaminated with lead and other metals, which have been dumped from mining activity into the river for years. Dam construction would provoke water contamination by releasing the sediment and would pose a serious threat to the surrounding communities and environment. Deforestation and erosion as a result of dam development would reduce the rich environment of the Ribeira Valley and its potential for ecotourism and sustainable development. There are many opportunities in the region for the latter that would improve the quality of life for inhabitants that the dam construction jeopardizes.

Articles 215 and 216 of the Brazilian Federal Constitution state that the government has a duty to protect and support the cultural rights, including the expression of Afro-Brazilian cultures. The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples was adopted by the General Assembly in 2007 with the aim of eliminating human rights violations, discrimination, and marginalization of indigenous peoples. The declaration, which Brazil was strongly in favor of, “promotes the full and effective participation in all matters that concern [indigenous peoples] and their right to remain distinct and to pursue their own visions of economic and social development.” With these commitments, the Brazilian government can be held accountable for the negative impacts that the construction of dams poses for the indigenous people of the Ribeira Valley.

The Movement of People Affected by Dams (MOAB) was founded in 1991 to address the issue facing local communities by the proposed construction of dams along the Rio Iguape River. Maria Sueli Berlanga, attorney and activist, has been a strong advocate for the rights of the Quilombolas and a voice against the major problems that the dam construction would mean for their lives. Berlanga, along with other activists Angela Biagloni, Ewerton Liborio, and Ivo Fiuza SVD, have joined with the local communities to protest the construction of the dams. Under the slogan “Land YES! Dams NO!” MOAB has been actively voicing the need for environmental justice and sustainable development for the communities of the Ribeira Valley. Passing the 20-year benchmark of resistance in March of 2009, their effort and persistence in voicing their rights has created a strong movement of communities ensuring that this struggle will continue strong.

VIVAT International has partnered with Berlanga, the local Diocese of Registro (led by Bishop José Luíz Bertanha, SVD), with its clergy, religious and pastoral agents and the well organized NGO groups throughout Brazil in order to stop dam construction.  VIVAT contacted the Mission of Brazil to the United Nations in September of 2008 in order to inform it of plans to present a document to the Human Rights Commission of the United Nations addressing the issue of the proposed Ribeira dam construction. VIVAT presented a written statement to the 12th Session of the Human Rights Council in September of 2009 on Human Rights and Indigenous Communities in the Valley of River Ribeira. With help from contacts in the Ribeira Valley and in Geneva, this statement is now part of the official record of the Human Rights Council and has been circulated to all delegations of the United Nations.

It is the aim and hope of VIVAT to call international attention to the case of the Ribeira Valley as a support for those struggling for their human rights there. We will continue to work with and for the Quilombo Communities and advocate for “Dams No” alongside our VIVAT members and other courageous activists in the Ribeira Valley.

The Valley of the Resistance

The video is the result of a partnership between the MOAB and MAB (Movement of People Affected by Dams) national. Marches, demonstrations and public meetings were recorded, showing the action of the Movement during those 20 years.

For centuries, mining has been a source of economic revenue for those exploiting areas abundant in valuable natural resources. In our modern world, some mining of resources is essential for our lifestyles: cell phones, automobiles, computer technologies, and modern construction of buildings would not be possible without exploiting natural resources. But while the positive effects of mining and the use of the mined resources can easily be seen worldwide, often the most pressing and concerning negative effects including grave health risks to local populations and alarming environ-mental degradation are the effects that go unnoticed and unmentioned.

VIVAT and its members, along with the United Nations Division for Sustainable Development NGO Major Group, NGO Committee on the United Nations International Decade of the World’s Indigenous Peoples Issues and the Mining Working Group, have been working to raise awareness of the negative impacts of mining and to persuade governments and other actors to discourage over-exploitation of lands and protect the rights of indigenous peoples affected by mining.  Negative effects include, but by no means are limited to, violations of the basic human rights of indigenous communities; corruption within local governments and mining corporations leading to unfair distribution of profits, often completely bypassing indigenous communities’ rights to the profits; and grave environmental and health concerns regarding mining and its effects on the surrounding community and environment. These negative effects are largely ignored by local governments and mining companies and the voices of harmed communities are shunted aside and disregarded.

VIVAT members have been working on a number of fronts to combat these injustices and bring to light many of the egregious actions of corrupt governments and mining companies in an effort to promote human rights of indigenous communities and maintenance of a sustainable environment.  The UN Division for Sustainable Development has organized a Review Session to discuss global issues in five thematic issues: transport, chemicals, waste management, mining, and sustainable consumption and production.  VIVAT and its members have taken an active role in participating in the Review Session through the CSD Major Groups Program. Within the program, participating NGOs may contribute to a focus paper discussing the five thematic issues, as well as help compile information and research on the discussed topics for the Secretary General’s report for CSD-18.

FORCAM SIKKA (Forum Cendekia-wan Asal Manggarai), a partner of VIVAT in Maumere, Indonesia, has been an especially active member in dealing with mining issues.  As part of the input to the Secretary General’s report for CSD-18, FORCAM put together an anti-mining letter and petition highlighting several negative effects of mining specifically on Flores Island, Indonesia.  The letter was widely circulated to the local government in Flores, and copies were also sent to the offices of Mr. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, the President of Indonesia, Pope Benedict XVI, several prominent cabinet members of the Indonesian government, and many others.  FORCAM also contributed a case study to the CSD-18 Major Groups Program, which specifically discussed three districts of Manggarai, Flores Island, which have been severely impacted by local mining exploitation and excavation projects.

In order to better consolidate all research and information regarding mining between VIVAT members, an online list-serve group has been set up for VIVAT members to share files, photos, videos, and other information regarding their work on the subject.  While the group is still in the growing stages, it will hopefully become a great mechanism for linking together VIVAT members who are all working for the same goal.

NEGATIVE IMPACTS OF MINING

Environmental and health issues:

• Destruction of natural resources, trees and forests; water sources, rivers and wells dried up, re-directed and/or contaminated;
• Skin diseases and mysterious deaths; contamination and death of livestock;
• Food shortages resulting from contamination and environmental degradation;
• Destruction and waste of land once mining activities have ceased; refusal of mining companies to work towards reclamation of land; large amounts of waste, including toxic waste, generated;
• Fissures/damage in walls of homes.

Violations of basic human rights:

• Lack of informed consent and consultation of Indigenous communities involved and, therefore:
  • violation of ILO 169, which many of the host countries have signed;
  • violation of UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Articles 10, 19, 28, 29, 32;
• Buying Indigenous lands that are traditionally held communally; and violation of land rights.

Economic issues:

• Farmers lose sales: consumers reject crops grown in environments degraded by mining practices;
• Drop in tourism in areas located near mining facilities;

Reliance on mining thwarts efforts to establish sustainable economies because mined resources and many mining practices are not sustainable.