July-August 2015 NewsNotes

Vol. 40, No. 4
PDF posted below

Timeline of recent fight against Fast Track -- During the months of May and June, trade was the primary issue on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. This article lays out many of the details of the Congressional battle over "trade promotion authority" (TPA), better known as Fast Track.

Trade: "No Fast Track for Human Traffickers" -- Sr. Helene O'Sullivan, a Maryknoll sister who works in Cambodia, explains why it is critical that U.S. trade pacts include protections for trafficking victims.

Trade: Human rights violations by TPP nations -- Public Citizen released this press release on the occasion of the publication of the State Department's annual human rights report on June 25.

Sudan: Bashir evades International Criminal Court -- Despite indictments by the International Criminal Court in 2009 and 2010, Sudan's President Bashir remains in power and has not been brought to justice, and the killing and displacement of Sudanese by their own government is again on the upswing. 

Africa: Responses to economic crisis -- According to the IMF’s April 2015 report "Regional Economic Outlook: Sub-Saharan Africa Navigating Headwinds," Africa’s economies are predicted to grow at about 4.5 percent during 2015, yet African economies face enormous uncertainties and risks.

Africa: Challenges of infrastructure development -- The essential role of infrastructure is being rediscovered worldwide as a key component of a comprehensive development strategy. However, in order to be sustainable and deliver real benefits to the communities and the environment directly affected, infrastructure projects need good governance, meaningful civil society participation, and real accountability.

Myanmar: Rohingya face discrimination, exploitation -- The recent surge of 4,000 Rohingya migrants that fled Myanmar and Bangladesh in April and May illustrates a story rooted in discrimination and ostracism based on anti-Muslim bias that permeates the Buddhist-majority nation of Myanmar.

Japan’s bishops: “Peace must not depend upon weapons” -- In commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II, the Catholic bishops of Japan released the following statement. 

Central America: Corruption fuels protests -- In Honduras and Guatemala, corrupt and criminal elites have colluded to enrich themselves by stealing hundreds of millions of dollars in the last few years alone from government agencies that provide social services, and revenue for the government.

Bolivia: Eco-unfriendly projects move ahead -- Bolivia's decision to go ahead with a controversial highway and other projects represents a contradiction within the government of Evo Morales that advocates for a greener economy on the international stage while continuing to depend on environmentally destructive ventures nationally.

Laudato Si': A cause for celebration -- The Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns released this statement on the publication of Pope Francis' encyclical.

Pax Christi International’s Bethlehem Commitment -- Pax Christi International (PXI) national sections and members gathered in Bethlehem in the Occupied Palestinian Territories from May 13-17 to commemorate the 70th anniversary of PXI's founding. Printed here is the "Bethlehem Commitment," a declaration affirming Pax Christi's vision for its future.

Torture survivors hold D.C. conference -- June is Torture Awareness Month, and the Torture Abolition and Survivors Support Coalition (TASSC) sought to bring plenty of awareness to the issue with their Survivors’ Week Conference.

Resources -- All of the resources in this issue of NewsNotes relates to the recently released encyclical, Laudato Si'.