Daily Archives: March 19, 2015

Haiti

A return to dictatorship or a Haitian Spring?

New Internationalist

It remains to be seen how July’s elections will change the political landscape of Haiti, but there is little faith that Martelly will let go of the reins of power in an election that is free or fair.

By Claire Fauset

Haiti's President Martelly is increasingly unpopular. www.GlynLowe.com under a Creative Commons Licence
Haiti’s President Martelly is increasingly unpopular. http://www.GlynLowe.com under a Creative Commons Licence

Haiti’s political system is in turmoil. Years of failure by the Michel Martelly regime to hold elections have left nearly all the seats in the government empty and Martelly essentially ruling by decree. Tens of thousands of people have been taking to the streets in weekly demonstrations since November, facing teargas and rubber bullets from police and UN troops. They are demanding the resignation of the president and the removal of UN forces, which they view as an imperialist occupation. Continue reading A return to dictatorship or a Haitian Spring? →

Brazil

“Transgenic destroy biodiversity”

Latin America Press

Women from the Landless Workers Movement (MST) destroyed thousands of genetically modified eucalyptus sprouts due to environmental hazards.

Hundreds of women from the Landless Workers Movement (MST), armed with sticks and knives, entered on Mar. 5 a pulp mill belonging to the company Suzano/FuturaGene in the state of São Paulo and destroyed thousands of sprouts of transgenic eucalyptus trees cultivated in a greenhouse. Continue reading “Transgenic destroy biodiversity” →

Peru

“Exploiting oil only serves for the development of large cities”

Latin America Press

Cecilia Remón

Indigenous communities impacted by petroleum exploitation demand that the state assume responsibility.

The protests on Feb. 10 against the presence of the Argentinian oil company, Pluspetrol, in the town of Pichanaki in the central jungle, that left one person dead and dozens wounded from gunshots, took its toll upon the government of President Ollanta Humala, which was forced to ask for the resignation of four government ministers, three of whom where directly involved in the conflict. Continue reading “Exploiting oil only serves for the development of large cities” →

Peace

Syria: Patriarch rejects external military interventions to defend Christians

Independent Catholic News

Patriarch Gregory III
Patriarch Gregory III

The Greek Melkite Patriarch of Antioch, His Beatitude Gregory III has strongly rejected military intervention as a solution to the crisis in the region. He called for foreign agencies to stop supplying weapons that are fueling the conflict, and appealed for prayers.
Continue reading Syria: Patriarch rejects external military interventions to defend Christians →

Nigeria

Pope Francis writes to Bishops of Nigeria

Independent Catholic News

Francis has sent a letter to the Bishops of Nigeria expressing his closeness to all those suffering in the country. While acknowledging the progress the nation of 160 million has made in recent years, Pope Francis laments the ‘new and violent forms of extremism and fundamentalism’ which are affecting the country on ethnic, social and religious grounds, which has led to murders, kidnappings, and forced many people to leave their homes.

“Every day I remember you in my prayers and I repeat here, for your encouragement and comfort, the consoling words of the Lord Jesus, which must always resound in our hearts: ‘Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you,'” Pope Francis writes.

“Peace – as you know so well – is not only the absence of conflict or the result of political compromise or fatalistic resignation,” the Pope continues. “Peace is for us a gift which comes from on high; it is Jesus Christ himself, the Prince of Peace.” Continue reading Pope Francis writes to Bishops of Nigeria →