*** NJPN Action of the Week *** Citizens UK: Theresa May – Do not abandon the Dubs scheme for Refugee Children
An urgent appeal from Lord Dubs
Theresa May has decided to shut down the Dubs Scheme – a promise by the Government to bring the most vulnerable refugee children to safety in the UK.
Our country has a proud tradition of welcoming those most in need. We stepped up to rescue 10,000 Jewish children from Nazi persecution.
I myself arrived in the UK by the Kindertransport.
Now more than ever we must stand by our values.
Thousands of children we promised to help are still in danger.
Britain is better than this.
Click here to keep the Dubs Scheme alive:
Yours,
Lord Alf Dubs
More information here
WCC NEWS: Patriarch Matthias: “Peace is the message of every day”
‘The WCC’s work is more vital now than ever’
Patriarch Abune Matthias of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church offered a special greeting at the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva on 10 February, commending the success of global ecumenical work while acknowledging the grave crises tearing the world apart.
Patriarch Matthias is in the midst of a four-day visit to Geneva, during which he spoke with students and staff at the Bossey Ecumenical Institute, met with World Council of Churches (WCC) senior leadership, and toured the Orthodox Centre in Switzerland.
In his remarks, he brought greetings on behalf of more than 50 million members of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church. He also commended the WCC for remaining dedicated to its founding principle of forging unity between and among the worldwide Christian community.
The WCC’s work is more vital now than ever, said Patriarch Matthias. “Compared to that historic time of the creation of the WCC, today Christianity is under assault, challenge and confrontation throughout the world,” he said.
“Let it be clear, therefore, that the principle and objectives articulated when the WCC was established have relevance and meaning today more than ever.”
Much has been achieved to date, yet much more remains to be done, he said. “And may I stress that in all the activities and successes of the past, you, the staff of the organization and your predecessors, have played key roles – and must in the future continue to do so—not only by carrying out the normal functions expected of you, but also by devising creative and innovative ways of meeting the intricate challenges of each member church worldwide.”
He cited the injustice, war, strife, poverty, and narrow nationalism tearing the world apart or tearing it down.
“Hence the WCC has been calling not only member churches and ecumenical councils but also governments, world leaders, and social movements to stand together in the fight against devastation – responding to manmade and natural disasters, ensuring peace, justice and dignity of all, and making our earth a safer place to live.”
No human philosophy, high technology or weapons can bring peace and reconciliation better than the word of God, he continued. The WCC’s pilgrimage of justice and peace continues to guide people in their mission of teaching and mobilizing churches and individuals to stand for peace and justice.
“In our church, peace is the message of every day,” he said. “We have faithfully followed the call of the WCC for interreligious dialogue to be integrated as an important part of our ecumenical responsibility.”
The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, established in the first century, now has more than 50 million members; 35,000 parish churches; 1,500 ancient monasteries (including those in Jerusalem); 50 archbishops and bishops; 400,000 ordained clergy, and 20,000 classical and ecclesiastical schools.
Read full text by Patriarch Matthias:
European Parliament News – Strasbourg Plenary Session
Download the latest European Parliament News – Strasbourg Plenary Session here: Europe newsletter
Global Justice Now: Send Valentine’s message to Labour MEPs
On 15 February members of the European parliament (MEPs) will be voting yes or no to the implementation of CETA, the toxic trade deal between Canada and the EU.
CETA will allow corporations to sue our government for making decisions that might harm their problem. It will also threaten environmental protection and worker’s rights.
On Valentine’s Day, the Labour MEPs are meeting to decide how they will vote the following day. With your help we can convince the undecided MEPs to take a stand against CETA.
CETA is an undemocratic deal from start to finish. While trade unions, civil society organisations and even our MPs and MEPs have been largely excluded from negotiations on CETA, big business has enjoyed significant influence throughout the process.
If CETA passes in the European parliament, it will be ‘provisionally implemented’, which means that even if the UK parliament votes against CETA, we’d still be part of the deal for at least 2 years. If the deal is fully approved, however, leaving the deal could take up to 20 years.
Last year more than three million people from all over the EU signed a petition to stop TTIP and CETA. It’s clear that that people do not want deals like TTIP and CETA. And if we work together, we can stop CETA.
Send a tweet to Labour MEPs
Not on Twitter? No problem:
take action by emailing your MEPs
Secret CETA vote – a cut in the dark that won’t stop bleeding
The Government has ushered in the controversial EU-Canada free trade agreement the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement CETA under the cloak of darkness amidst serious concerns on human rights, public health and rule of law.
Despite the Secretary of State for International Trade Liam Fox’s promise of Parliamentary debate and full scrutiny it was voted in by a small group of MPs in a committee room – buried in a Fox hole beneath the Brexit storm. Next Wednesday the European Parliament will vote on CETA and the UK Parliament has been calling for a full Parliamentary debate since Liam Fox signed the Provisional Agreement without parliamentary consent three and a half months ago.
But it was only last Wednesday, amidst the mad rush to table amendments to the Government’s Brexit Bill, crammed into three days of debates, that I received an email requiring that I sit on the ‘European B Committee’ to represent the European Scrutiny Committee on Monday. It emerged that during the Brexit amendment debates in Parliament the secretive ‘European B Committee’ was to decide on whether the UK should ratify CETA.
CETA opens the door for Investor Court Systems which would allow transnational companies to sue governments for laws they pass to protect public health, the environment and rights at work which undermine future profits. Such powers have been used by Phillip Morris against plain cigarette packaging in Australia, by fizzy drinks manufacturers to fine Mexico against a sugar tax to reduce diabetes, against Egypt for introducing minimum wages and by fracking company Lone Pine to sue Canada for a fracking moratorium in Quebec.
In October I’d grilled Liam Fox, the Secretary of State for International Trade, on the European Scrutiny Committee, about CETA. On that day he promised MPs that a full Parliamentary debate on the floor of the House would be held before the UK ratifies the treaty.
Instead, Wednesday’s email made clear that this important debate was to be confined to a committee room and silenced by the noise and fury of the Brexit debate in the main Chamber. The Government had effectively hidden the CETA debate away from the public eye at a time when MPs and the media are focused on Brexit.
So now we risk sleep-walking into CETA’s Investor Court System which empowers corporate interests to fine and intimidate Governments for introducing public policies which protect the environment, food safety, public health and social rights. This threatens to undermine the rule of law, human rights and democracy as well as our public services.
ICS is not only dangerous but simply unnecessary as investors are already protected by three levels of courts in both the EU and Canada. The EU has national law courts, European law and the European Court of Human Rights and Canada provides Provincial Courts, Appeals Courts and the Canadian Supreme Court which protect investors in both directions without giving them special powers.
So I moved an amendment, supported by the Labour front-bench, the SNP and Green Party MPs that the ratification of CETA should be decided by Parliament following a full debate in the Chamber. It was voted down, thanks to Government whips, which means we’re to sign up to what will be a 20 year deal binding futures U.K. Governments even after Brexit. So much for taking control; this is a case of losing control of our sovereignty and trading our democracy and liberty into the pockets of transnational companies.
Correctly framed CETA could be a blue-print for fair trade that supports our Paris environmental commitments and protects our public services, health and human rights. Instead, by rail-roading democracy behind closed doors, the Tories are putting our fundamental values at risk. Tragically it will turn out to be a cut in the dark that won’t stop bleeding.
Geraint Davies MP Swansea West
European Scrutiny Committee
Council of Europe
Photo: Mirko Milovanovic / Flickr
NJPN Annual Conference 2017: Booking forms now available
A Sabbath for the Earth and the Poor:
The challenge of Pope Francis
Friday 21 – Sunday 23 July 2017
The Hayes Conference Centre, Swanwick, Derbyshire.
More information here
Comment from NJPN on the possible use of torture by Donald Trump
NJPN comment for the Catholic Universe, 3.1.17
NJPN finds the suggestion that Donald Trump would not be concerned by the use of waterboarding as a means of interrogation completely unacceptable. It is further disturbed by the view expressed by Tory MP Bob Stewart that, whilst not condoning waterboarding, suggested that sometimes other forms of torture might be justified as methods of interrogation.
In the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, we read that: “No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment” (Article 5) and further “Everyone has the right to recognition everywhere as a person before the law” (Article 6)
The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that “torture which uses physical or moral violence to extract confessions, punish the guilty, frighten opponents, or satisfy hatred is contrary to respect for the person and for human dignity”(para: 2297)
Anne Peacey 30.1.17
NJPN Action of the Week – CAAT: Stop Arming Saudi
For nearly two years the government has refused to stop its immoral and illegal arms sales to Saudi Arabia – despite overwhelming evidence that UK weapons are being used in violations of International Humanitarian Law in Yemen.
Given the evidence we have heard and the volume of UK-manufactured arms exported to Saudi Arabia, it seems inevitable that any violations of international humanitarian and human rights law by the coalition have involved arms supplied from the UK. This constitutes a breach of our own export licensing criteria.
Now we have a challenge it cannot ignore.
Take action here:
NJPN Newsletter – Spring 2017
The Spring edition of the NJPN newsletter leads with a reflection on the ‘Truer meaning of Sabbath’, written by John Bell of the Iona Community. We are reminded of the message of Pope Francis in LaudatoSi’ that
‘the present parlous state of the planet’s ecology indicates that a Sabbath for the earth is equally significant for the survival of rich and poor’
The NJPN Swanwick conference in July will seek to develop this notion of BEAUTY and SABBATH as fundamental to the way we relate to God, ourselves, each other, creation, our life in society.
Niall Cooper, Director of Church Action on Poverty, offers a personal reflection on his 20 years in the post. He speaks of dignity and truth and the intrinsic worth of all people.
‘Working Together for Justice and Peace’ celebrates the ecumenical working of East Grinstead Justice & Peace Group.
Download newsletter spring-2017
Global Justice Now: Take action to stop ‘hard’ Brexit’
This week the UK Supreme Court confirmed that parliament must have a role in the triggering of article 50, which will start the official negotiations to exit the European Union.
This ruling is our chance to make sure that the people and their representatives play the fullest possible role in mapping out how Brexit will happen and what it will look like.
‘Hard’ Brexit is being aggressively pushed as the only way forward, but there are many possible paths we can take, and we need a full and democratic discussion about them. Until we get one, we think MPs should to vote to halt article 50. We can’t rush through the most far-reaching constitutional changes in a generation without proper scrutiny.
We don’t pretend that the EU referendum never happened, but the government’s proposals are neither good for Britain nor for the rest of the world. The Leave vote is being used to justify the most far-reaching constitutional changes we have seen in over a generation. It requires proper democratic debate and scrutiny.
The government is using ‘hard’ Brexit to impose a particular vision on the UK. They have already threatened to create a deregulated, offshore financial haven, with a closed door policy to people from around the world. This has left three million EU citizens in the UK living in huge uncertainty. It would be a disaster for workers, farmers, businesses and public services like the NHS.
It will also have a huge impact on how we treat countries outside Europe – particularly the sort of trade deals we sign.
While ‘hard’ Brexit is being aggressively pushed as the only way forward, we think that MPs should halt article 50 until we can have a proper debate on what sort of country we want to build.
Take action to stop ‘hard’ Brexit: email your MP
Click here
Thank you for your support,
Nick Dearden,
Director of Global Justice Now
