Save the Refugees in the Eastern Congo

Fr. Shay Cullen

A stronger, better-armed UN force is urgently needed to protect the hundreds of thousands of innocent women and children in the Eastern Congo. Five million people have died in that region over the past several years. If the people of the Eastern Congo are not killed by machetes, bullets and bombs, then they die of starvation and disease. In these recent weeks thousands of people caught in the crossfire are fleeing from one temporary refugee camp to another.

Charities have appealed for donations to ease the plight of refugees in and around Goma, the capital of the Eastern Congo. There are 17,000 UN peace keepers in the Eastern Congo, the biggest in the world, yet there is no peace — only continual fighting by rival forces.The situation is complex as the Congolese government troops and their allied militia called the Mai-Mai battle with the rebel group led by a Rwandan Tutsi leader General Laurent Nkunda. Also fighting him are the Hutu militia who fled Rwanda after the genocide was stopped by the returning force of Tutsi exiles. There are persistent reports that all groups are recruiting child soldiers.

Government troops have also clashed with the Mai-Mai militia who are supposedly their allies. Government troops have set up their own lucrative mining business profiting from selling tin ore, diamonds and gold and other precious minerals that end up in the laptops and cell phones of consumers around the world. Laurent Nkunda (supported by President Kagame of Rwanda) claims that his goal is to protect the thousands Rwandan Tutsis living in the Eastern Congo who fled there during the genocide unleashed against them by the Hutus in 1994. His enemies say he is aiming to seize power and the mineral wealth of the region. He is the key player in solving the conflict and peace talks have to be pursued with him. President Kagame is also playing a role as he sent troop across the border into the Eastern Congo a few weeks ago.

The world community cannot allow more killing and massacres in the Eastern Congo. They turned away from the Rwandan genocide. Will they do it again? The French foreign minister said the UN force is in disarray and can't protect the people. The French and Spanish commanders have resigned in frustration. How many times are we all to say “never again” to genocide, mass murder and a "catastrophic" situation?

Fr. Shay's columns are published in The Manila Times,in publications in Ireland, the UK, Hong Kong, and on-line.Visit www.preda.org for more related articles.Contact Fr. Shay Cullen at the Preda Center, Upper Kalaklan, Olongapo City, the Philippines. e-mail: preda@info.com.ph

Columban Fathers recognized as founding members of NCDC

During the 40th anniversary National Catholic Development Conference in September 2008, the Missionary Society of St. Columban was recognized as a founding member. In 1968, Columban Father Richard Steinhilber, who was at that time the U.S. Regional Director, and Columban Fr. Charles Coulter, who was at that time head of development and promotion for the society, were instrumental in the launch of the NCDC. Today, the NCDC is the largest single organization dedicated to Catholic philanthropy. The NCDC leads the Catholic development community toward excellence in the ministry of ethical fundraising through education, resources, networking and advocacy.

In the photo, Jeff Norton, Director of Operations for the U.S. region, accepts the plaque honoring the Columban Fathers from NCDC board chairperson Fr. Robert Colaresi.

The Real Cost of Debt

Fr. Sean McDonagh, SSC

During the past few weeks I have been writing about the current financial turmoil and calling attention to the fact that this is not the first time in recent decades that banks have impoverished people and destroyed the environment through their irresponsible lending policies. Previously, I focused on the horrible consequences of reckless lending to countries in the third world in the 1970s. Servicing these loans has caused pain, suffering and death to many people during the past 30 years. It also devastated the environment in crucial ecosystems across the world.

Third World debt repayment benefitted the first world countries in two ways. Firstly, the economist Susan George estimated that, in the period from 1982 until 1990, US$418 billion was transferred from poor countries to rich countries to service the foreign debt. This money ought to have been spent on education, health care, social services for the vulnerable in poor countries and on building up a diversified, local economy. Instead it subsidized the economies of rich countries and increased consumption. Secondly, most poor countries had very little manufacturing activity and were almost exclusively commodity-producing countries. Between 1974 and 1988, the price of a basket of 28 basic commodities, including lead, tin, zinc, sugar, coffee and teach, fell by a staggering 48%. The Economist magazine estimated that the first world saved US$65 billion in 1985 alone. This, of course, kept inflation low in developed countries during the 1980s and 1990s.

There were two reasons for the drop in commodity prices. The first had to do with the recession in the rich countries, caused by the hike in oil prices in 1973 and again in 1979. The second reason was a direct result of the economic policies forced on third world countries by multilateral financial agencies such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. These policies dictated that poor counties reshape their agriculture programs away from subsistence agriculture, geared to feeding the local population, to planting export-oriented crops. For example, many more poor countries were encouraged to plant coffee. This led to a glut in the market and the subsequent collapse in the price of coffee on the world market in the mid-1980s.
Low inflation in the first world during the 1990s and the early part of this decade was not due to shrewd economic policies designed by politicians and central bankers as they would like us to believe. It was as a result of an ever larger variety of cheap goods being imported from China. As a consequence, China began to run up huge financial surpluses, particularly with the United States. Some of this saving went into US government bonds, but the bulk was invested in various assets, often property, in various parts of the world. These assets began to increase in value driving up property prices around the globe.

In response to these trends central bankers around the world were faced with a dilemma. They could either target consumer inflation, even though cheap Chinese consumer goods was keeping inflation low anyway, or they could address the asset inflation side of the equation.

Unfortunately, the Federal Reserve in the United States, under the chairmanship of Alan Greenspan, decided not to interfere in the market and thus curb the explosive growth of risky and often fraudulent mortgage lending. On October 4th 2008, he told a Congressional hearing that the largely unregulated business of spreading financial risk widely through the use of exotic financial instruments called derivatives, had gotten out of control and had added to the havoc of today’s crisis. As far back as 1994 he had resolutely opposed tougher regulation on derivatives. His status as an economic guru in the eyes of both Republicans and Democrats blocked any effective regulation.

As the property market collapsed many banks had too much debt and too little capital to provide sufficient credit to keep the economy moving. Some of the banks have tried to meet their debts by selling assets. Because confidence in the financial system has evaporated, the value of these assets has fallen through the floor, reducing banks’ capital even further. Governments have tried to step in with a number of schemes, some to guarantee depositors, others to buy bank shares, reduce interest rates and/or recapitalize the banks.

Thus far the financial markets have not responded as confidence in the system is at a very low ebb, probably the lowest it has been since the Great Depression.

Fr. Arturo Aguilar on YouTube

Fr. Arturo Aguilar recently spoke at the U. S. Catholic Mission Association. His remarks are available on youtube at the following address:

http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=CatholicMissions&view=videos

The Bible, Church Teaching and Debt

Fr. Sean McDonagh, SSC

At a time of chaos on the financial markets, which is now beginning to hit the real economy, and threatens the well-being of millions of people, the first reading on Sunday, October 26th 2008, was appropriate. It warned about usury. It read, “if you lend money to any of my people, to any poor man among you, you must not play the usurer with him/her: you must not demand interest from him/her.” (Ex.22: 24). Israel was a community shaped by its belief that God had rescued them from slavery in Egypt and had obliged them to develop genuine bonds of mutual support within their community. There could be no genuine community if a small proportion of the population owned most of the land and wealth and exploited the poor, starving masses at every opportunity.

Because Israel had experienced Yahweh’s compassion, it is understandable that the laws governing lending would be sensitive to the plight of debtors. Exodus 22: 25,”If you take another’s cloak as a pledge, you must give it back to him before sunset. It is all the covering he has; it is the cloak he wraps his body in; what else would be sleep in? If he cries to me, I will listen, for I am full of pity” was also read on the October 26th 2008. It warns creditors that they must not impoverish the poor. Charging interest was seen as a way of impaling the poor on the treadmill of debt that might deprive them of the necessities of life.

Chapter 24 of the Book of Deuteronomy goes even further and forbids a creditor from acting in a high-handed and haughty way towards a debtor, by entering a debtor’s house to recover a pledge. The creditor is expected to wait outside the house until the debtor carries out the pledge himself. In the biblical perspective, if the creditor entered the house of the debtor without permission it would be seen as an insult to the dignity of the debtor. The same chapter also forbids (Deut. 24: 26) confiscating the means of livelihood of a person as collateral on a debt. This was very understandable in an agricultural society where most people lived from hand to mouth. Where a creditor to take a mill stone as a pledge, this would literally deprive the debtor and his family of a basic life-supporting instrument. The author of Deuteronomy would consider this intolerable, as I am sure he would condemn banks that are foreclosing on loans which they should not have made, and throwing people out of their houses.

Jesus was well aware of the damage which debt does to individuals and society as a whole. The harsh socio-economic realities that obtained in Roman-occupied Palestine at the time of Jesus were marked by indebtedness, heavy taxes, widespread begging and slavery. Many poor country people had to hire out their labor just to get food for themselves and their families. This was the context of Jesus’ preaching which was meant to be good news for the poor. The second petition in the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew’s Gospel asks God to forgive us our debts as we have forgiven those who are in debt to us (Mt. 6: 12). Jesus was well aware that cancelling debt freed poor people from a culture of dependency and gave people hope and real freedom of choice.

The teaching of the early Church, especially from the fourth and fifth century, is full of denunciations of those who prey on the poor though usurious practices. Condemnations of usury continued into the Middle Ages. The Third Council of Lateran (1179) and the Second Council of Lyons (1274) condemned usurers.

The teaching on usury in the Christian Churches began to change in the wake of the Reformation in the 16th century. While Luther, Melanchthon and Zwingli condemned taking interest on a loan, Calvin permitted it, especially if the loan was made to rich people. According to Professor Thomas Neill of St. Louis University in his book, The Makers of the Modern Mind, it is difficult to overestimate the influence of Calvinism in the formation of the modern business conscience. [1]
Gradually even in the Catholic tradition interest on a loan became morally acceptable as long as it was not considered excessive. Maybe in the light of the suffering, hunger, death and political turmoil which this debt-induced crisis is wreaking on the poor of the world, it might be a timely moment for the Churches to revisit the whole question of usury and how debt has been used to drive economic growth.


[1] Thom Neill, 1947, Makers of the Modern Mind, “An the Good Shall Prosper”, Bruce Publishing Company, Milwaukee . (Paperback 2007).

URGENT ACTION: Support the people of Lomas de Poleo

Columban Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation Office

Dear Friends,

We have received an urgent request for action from Fr. Bill Morton, Columban missionary in El Paso, Texas. As many of you know, Fr. Bill and the entire Columban community have accompanied the families of Lomas de Poleo for many years and the violence continues with increasing intensity.

We are asking that you email a personalized version of the following letter to the Governor of Chihuahua, Sr. Jose Reyes Baeza, asking for his immediate intervention to bring peace and justice to the Lomas de Poleo community and hold the Pedro Zaragoza family accountable for their illegal actions.

Please circulate this action request widely.

Many thanks for your solidarity.
Amy Woolam Echeverria
Columban Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation Office

Background:
In the last two weeks four more homes have been demolished, two elderly residents have been kidnapped and tortured by the Mexican military, and the residents’ access to water and electricity continues to be denied. A deep ditch has been dug around the elementary school house making it difficult for the students and their families to gain entry. The teachers are frequently absent, now, due to escalating violence and attempts by Zaragoza surrogates to close the school and force the families to go to another school in the relocation area.

On Saturday, October 18, 2008, a small group of the Lomas del Poleo Alliance of Las Cruces met with New Mexico Governor, Bill Richardson, who indicated he would be willing to intervene since the disputed land, literally, borders on his state of New Mexico. Lomas del Poleo is also in the path of a proposed multi-billion dollar, bi-national development plan involving major business figures from both sides of the border, as well as government officials from New Mexico and Chihuahua.
For a more detailed history of the situation visit: Paso Del Sur at http://www.pasodelsur.com/

Action Requested:
Please use the sample English or Spanish version of the letter below, and sign with your name, city/state and send via email, to the email addresses noted below. Please personalize the letter. Don't just forward this email. Please invite anyone in your network of friends, families, civic groups, church and other groups to do the same.

Send letters to:
webmaster@chihuahua.gob.mx
marcagob@chihuahua.gob.mx

Sample Letter – English

Honorable Jose Reyes Baeza
Governor of the State of Chihuahua
Republic of Mexico

Owing to the escalation of violence in recent weeks against the inhabitants of the Colonia of Lomas del Poleo by the employees of the brothers, Jorge and Pedro Zaragoza, we are asking your immediate intervention so that the appropriate authorities might guarantee the security of the residents in this Colonia. Also we urge that you order the State Attorney General's office to immediately investigate the crimes committed in this area which have already been presented to the Attorney General.

As you well know the lands in Lomas del Poleo are the subject of a legal dispute in the Agrarian Court Number Five in Chihuahua so we are also asking you to oblige the Zaragozas to respect the law and immediately stop the campaign of oppression and harassment against the inhabitants of Lomas del Poleo. It is obvious that these two businessmen are trying to get the inhabitants to abandon their lands before the courts make their decision.

In short, Mr. Governor we only ask that the law be followed and restored.

Sincerely:
(Your name, title, city, state, country)

Sample Letter: Spanish Version

Sr. José Reyes Baeza
Gobernador del Estado de Chihuahua, México.

Presente

Debido a la escalada de violencia desatada en las últimas semanas en contra de los habitantes de la parte alta de la colonia Granjas Lomas del Poleo, por parte de trabajadores al servicio de Pedro y Jorge Zaragoza Fuentes, le solicitamos su inmediata intervención para que las autoridades correspondientes garanticen la seguridad de los vecinos de esa colonia. Asimismo, le urgimos ordene a la Procuraduría de Justicia del Estado la inmediata investigación de los delitos cometidos en esa zona, los cuales han sido oportunamente denunciados ante esa representación.

Como debe ser de su amplio conocimiento, las tierras de la Colonia Granjas Lomas del Poleo están sujetas a una disputa legal que se dirime -- a través de distintas demandas en el Tribunal Unitario Agrario Número Cinco--, por lo que le solicitamos, también, obligue a los empresarios Zaragoza Fuentes respeten los tiempos de la ley y detengan inmediatamente la campaña de presión y hostigamiento que han levantado en contra de los vecinos en Lomas del Poleo. Es obvio que lo que pretenden estos dos empresarios es obligar a los colonos a que abandonen sus tierras, antes de que los tribunales competentes rindan su fallo final.

En suma, Sr Gobernador, lo único que le pedimos es que haga cumplir la ley y restaure el Estado de derecho en la colonia Lomas del Poleo.

Atentamente:
(Your name, title, city, state)

Perseverance Through Faith: A Priest's Prison Story

The Missionary Society of St. Columban is pleased to announce the publication of Perseverance Through Faith: A Priest’s Prison Story by Father W. Aedan McGrath, edited by Theresa Marie Moreau.

In Perseverance Through Faith: A Priest’s Prison Story, the reader learns about Communism through the eyes of one Irishman caught up in the devastating political hurricane in China. Father W. Aedan McGrath took on a regime that knew no limit to its hatred and vengeance. Now, almost sixty years later, people in the West are looking with different eyes toward Communist China and its booming economy. The memoirs of Father W. Aedan McGrath are important. The China before us here and now is the China, still, in part, rooted in the drama of Father McGrath.

Father McGrath’s book is available in both paperback and hardback at www.xlibris.com/PerseveranceThroughFaith.html. Or, you may place an order via telephone through the Xlibris Book Ordering Department at 1.888.795.4274.