Facebook Post Friday, October 2, 2009 at 1:05am
This is not just for Pittsburghers. Everyone, please call!
Please call and get answers from our elected officials, and the University of Pittsburgh chancellor. My main ministry this past week has been to listen, to help people process, and to validate and support victims' experiences. You can help! Just ask questions and listen. The Pitt & CMU student appeal is below.
"The mayor, county executive, Pittsburgh police, and the University of Pittsburgh need to make clear the policies and command structure they had in place that led to the mass arrests (primarily of Pitt & CMU students) on Thursday and Friday nights. Specifically, they need to address the following questions :
1. What were the people in Schenley Plaza, on each of those nights, doing that was illegal?
2. Why were there so many security forces present?
3. Who was in charge, what were the orders, and were they followed?
4. Given that most people have injuries on their backs, were police firing indiscriminately, or were they purposefully firing on people attempting to disperse?
5. Why the violently enforced curfew?
Chancellor Mark Nordenberg : 412-624-4200
Mayor Luke Ravenstahl : 412-255-2626
County Executive Dan Onorato : 412-350-6500 (just announced he wants to be PA governor)
City Police Chief Nate Harper : 412-323-7800
Capitol Switchboard (for your rep. or senator) : 202-224-3121
White House Comment Line : 202-456-1111
White House Switchboard : 202-456-1414"
Monday, July 26, 2010
My Personal Venting
Facebook Post Thursday, October 1, 2009 at 11:54am
I am wondering why the entire country is not rising up in outrage at what happened in Pittsburgh Friday night. I can only assume it is because of the lack of mainstream news coverage, although there is plenty on the web about what happened. If a single crazy person had attacked students, it would have been front-page news everywhere, but a large force of police officers attacking students and others gets almost no press at all. When one public official sexually harasses an employee, women's organizations all over get in an uproar, but when multiple young women felt threatened with rape while under arrest, no one says anything. Does someone have to die in order to get any attention? Friends, this is VERY SERIOUS!! Please spread the word! Ask your elected officials why this happened. Ask what pressure is being put on Pittsburgh for accountability of innocent people hurt and wrongfully arrested. Your town may be next!
I know from my own personal experience of sexual harassment that validation of an experience is crucial in beginning to heal. It is important to hear from others that this is serious and important and that others care.
I am wondering why the entire country is not rising up in outrage at what happened in Pittsburgh Friday night. I can only assume it is because of the lack of mainstream news coverage, although there is plenty on the web about what happened. If a single crazy person had attacked students, it would have been front-page news everywhere, but a large force of police officers attacking students and others gets almost no press at all. When one public official sexually harasses an employee, women's organizations all over get in an uproar, but when multiple young women felt threatened with rape while under arrest, no one says anything. Does someone have to die in order to get any attention? Friends, this is VERY SERIOUS!! Please spread the word! Ask your elected officials why this happened. Ask what pressure is being put on Pittsburgh for accountability of innocent people hurt and wrongfully arrested. Your town may be next!
I know from my own personal experience of sexual harassment that validation of an experience is crucial in beginning to heal. It is important to hear from others that this is serious and important and that others care.
How To Be An Anarchist In The Government's Eyes
Facebook Post Tuesday, September 29, 2009 at 10:11am
The note below was written by someone else in Pittsburgh. However, there is much truth in the satire and it sums up many experiences last week, so I pass it along here.
-- S.L.B.
"DISCLAIMER: although this is a somewhat sarcastic comedic piece, I want to note that this is REALISTIC in the sense that this IS how we were classified and arrested by the police, and it IS how we were classified in the news in the days to follow.
"Our wonderful Police force has teamed up with our news stations to throw out those good old Merriam-Webster definitions and to create a new, modern, description of what constitutes as an anarchist in our democratic and free country.
"an ANARCHIST is, but is not limited to, anybody who:
1. Rides, or is in possession, of a bike.
2. Talks through a megaphone. Offenses include telling people to be peaceful, not resist, and follow orders.
3. Tries to exercise the right or free speech without inducing or suggesting harm or violence to any individual or establishment.
4. Tries to talk to the police. Common offenses include, but are not limited to:
'Why are you doing this to us?'
'How can I peacefully leave?'
5. Takes video, pictures, or is in possession of a camera that might document the truth.
6. Tries to help/care for those who are in immediate danger or harm.
(e.g. see Iraq medical war veteran, and helpful towers residing pitt student)
7. Is in possession of any object that will protect them from tear gas.
8. Buys a lighter on a Friday
9. Follows police orders by walking, rather than running.
"One will be happy to discover that in order to become a PROTESTER, you no longer need to have anything to protest!
"a PROTESTER is:
1. anybody who leaves their residence on a Thursday, Friday, or Saturday night.
2. anybody who stays in their residence, but looks out their window or stands on their porch.
3. anybody who dares to hang out in the lobby of their own residence hall.
"So as you can see, these wonderful new classifications let ALL Americans be anarchists and protesters in their own right! What a wonderful democratic society where we can include and not discriminate against anybody!
"Any additions to add?"
The note below was written by someone else in Pittsburgh. However, there is much truth in the satire and it sums up many experiences last week, so I pass it along here.
-- S.L.B.
"DISCLAIMER: although this is a somewhat sarcastic comedic piece, I want to note that this is REALISTIC in the sense that this IS how we were classified and arrested by the police, and it IS how we were classified in the news in the days to follow.
"Our wonderful Police force has teamed up with our news stations to throw out those good old Merriam-Webster definitions and to create a new, modern, description of what constitutes as an anarchist in our democratic and free country.
"an ANARCHIST is, but is not limited to, anybody who:
1. Rides, or is in possession, of a bike.
2. Talks through a megaphone. Offenses include telling people to be peaceful, not resist, and follow orders.
3. Tries to exercise the right or free speech without inducing or suggesting harm or violence to any individual or establishment.
4. Tries to talk to the police. Common offenses include, but are not limited to:
'Why are you doing this to us?'
'How can I peacefully leave?'
5. Takes video, pictures, or is in possession of a camera that might document the truth.
6. Tries to help/care for those who are in immediate danger or harm.
(e.g. see Iraq medical war veteran, and helpful towers residing pitt student)
7. Is in possession of any object that will protect them from tear gas.
8. Buys a lighter on a Friday
9. Follows police orders by walking, rather than running.
"One will be happy to discover that in order to become a PROTESTER, you no longer need to have anything to protest!
"a PROTESTER is:
1. anybody who leaves their residence on a Thursday, Friday, or Saturday night.
2. anybody who stays in their residence, but looks out their window or stands on their porch.
3. anybody who dares to hang out in the lobby of their own residence hall.
"So as you can see, these wonderful new classifications let ALL Americans be anarchists and protesters in their own right! What a wonderful democratic society where we can include and not discriminate against anybody!
"Any additions to add?"
Police Brutality In Pittsburgh
Facebook Post Monday, September 28, 2009 at 12:25pm
This is what I have heard from eyewitnesses and victims, through the screen of my own views and commentary.
I wanted to believe that some police had simply given in to the stress of the week and went nuts Friday night. In fact, what happened was a well-coordinated attack on innocent students and Pittsburgh residents. This was not a few police officers venting, this was organized oppression. Let me be clear. The little bit of news coverage I have heard and seen has referred to police action against "protesters." Chief of police Nate Harper referred to "the anarchists." The majority of people hurt and arrested were NOT protesters. They were people going about life in Pittsburgh.
Setting the scene : Pittsburgh has been militarized for hosting the G-20. Some of the official G-20 events were at Phipps Conservatory in Schenley Park, just over the bridge from Schenley Plaza in the heart of university territory. The main branch of the Carnegie Library, the concert hall, the museum complex, the Stephen Foster building w/theatres, the University of Pittsburgh's Cathedral of Learning, and more buildings overlook Schenley Plaza. The plaza has food vendors, benches, a grassy area, etc. -- lots of space to hang out. All over Pittsburgh the national guard in camouflage and the police in riot gear have been something of a tourist attraction, a curiosity drawing many cameras and onlookers. Some Pitt & CMU students were not happy at the militarization of their campus. Thursday night some students got too close to the line of police, the police rushed them to push them back, and an impromptu demonstration developed to reclaim the space. Teargas and arrests followed. So a few students said they would have a demonstration Friday night to protest Thursday night's police actions.
Who was actually on Schenley Plaza : I think from what I have heard that there were a few protesters, angry about Thursday night's events. Otherwise, life started getting back to normal. Some people came out to see what was happening. The big activity was a bunch of people playing a large game of Duck,Duck, Goose. Bypassers were invited to join in. Some friends of mine were on their way to a concert to unwind. Someone went to return library materials in the book slot outside the library. A professor was going home. Some students were hanging out chatting. Some people were simply walking from one place to another, with the plaza in between. It was a typical Friday night scene.
What happened : The police completely surrounded everyone and issued a warning to disperse since this was an unlawful assembly. (Since when has Duck, Duck, Goose been against the law?! Watch out, kindergartners!) The city parks close at 11 p.m., but this was before 11, and the attack happened before 11. People knew they were in trouble when they saw the tear-gas canisters coming out and weapons being aimed. People tried to get away and were not permitted to do so. Students and others were severely beaten, shot multiple times with rubber bullets, tear-gassed, and more. Innocent people were arrested with hands bound very tightly in plastic (for some bruising and numbing their hands), bussed to a holding area, and kept all night on the busses. Many were verbally abused. Sexual harassment and sexual abuse has been reported. On one bus the captors reviewed the young women and singled out the "hot ones." People who spoke to others and tried to comfort or tried to organize were silenced, being told they would not be released if they did not keep quiet. People in the buildings were not allowed to come out, so stood and witnessed this atrocious attack.
Please note that all of this happened AFTER the G-20 leaders left, most of the out-of-town protesters left, and the most of the out-of-town media left. During the legal march Friday afternoon when we march along streets lined with officers, hundreds of cameras were documenting the well-behaved police. Once the cameras switched off, late at night, someone (I do not know who) seemed to think it was now safe to order a vicious attack on unarmed students and Pittsburgh citizens.
Some people here are suddenly realizing firsthand what people in occupied countries are experiencing on a regular basis, connecting what happened here with what is happening in Honduras and Palestine and Iraq and Colombia and Afghanistan and elsewhere. This was not an isolated incident. We got a small taste of the harassment and brutality which people around the world face daily when trying to survive within government systems who fear their own people. "Preemptive strikes" before someone can hurt us seems to be the only motive I can come up with for Friday's attack. Let's beat up and terrorize people before they even think of becoming protesters. Let's make sure they never want to be part of a public demonstration against the powers that be.
I think this should be national news. I think this should be international news. I've been having flashbacks to when I was 9 years old one evening in May, with my sister off at college not far from Kent State, and my mother in a hysterical panic that she didn't send her daughter off to college to get shot. It is the only time I can ever remember my mother in a hysterical panic. It seemed to me later that the crime of students at Kent and Jackson State was being young and being students. So, now the weapons have changed. For this first time this week, a sonic noise weapon was used against civilians in the U.S.A. Rubber bullets were used, so people just got injured instead of killed. Some new type of gas is being used instead of the old teargas. However, it's still apparently a crime to be young, or to be anywhere near young students.
Please send me news reports you hear about this beyond Pittsburgh. I would like to know what (if anything) is actually being said.
I am really upset about what is happening in Honduras. I am aware that this attack in Pittsburgh is small compared to the suffering people are enduring elsewhere, but I do believe it is tied in and we need to speak out every opportunity we get.
This is what I have heard from eyewitnesses and victims, through the screen of my own views and commentary.
I wanted to believe that some police had simply given in to the stress of the week and went nuts Friday night. In fact, what happened was a well-coordinated attack on innocent students and Pittsburgh residents. This was not a few police officers venting, this was organized oppression. Let me be clear. The little bit of news coverage I have heard and seen has referred to police action against "protesters." Chief of police Nate Harper referred to "the anarchists." The majority of people hurt and arrested were NOT protesters. They were people going about life in Pittsburgh.
Setting the scene : Pittsburgh has been militarized for hosting the G-20. Some of the official G-20 events were at Phipps Conservatory in Schenley Park, just over the bridge from Schenley Plaza in the heart of university territory. The main branch of the Carnegie Library, the concert hall, the museum complex, the Stephen Foster building w/theatres, the University of Pittsburgh's Cathedral of Learning, and more buildings overlook Schenley Plaza. The plaza has food vendors, benches, a grassy area, etc. -- lots of space to hang out. All over Pittsburgh the national guard in camouflage and the police in riot gear have been something of a tourist attraction, a curiosity drawing many cameras and onlookers. Some Pitt & CMU students were not happy at the militarization of their campus. Thursday night some students got too close to the line of police, the police rushed them to push them back, and an impromptu demonstration developed to reclaim the space. Teargas and arrests followed. So a few students said they would have a demonstration Friday night to protest Thursday night's police actions.
Who was actually on Schenley Plaza : I think from what I have heard that there were a few protesters, angry about Thursday night's events. Otherwise, life started getting back to normal. Some people came out to see what was happening. The big activity was a bunch of people playing a large game of Duck,Duck, Goose. Bypassers were invited to join in. Some friends of mine were on their way to a concert to unwind. Someone went to return library materials in the book slot outside the library. A professor was going home. Some students were hanging out chatting. Some people were simply walking from one place to another, with the plaza in between. It was a typical Friday night scene.
What happened : The police completely surrounded everyone and issued a warning to disperse since this was an unlawful assembly. (Since when has Duck, Duck, Goose been against the law?! Watch out, kindergartners!) The city parks close at 11 p.m., but this was before 11, and the attack happened before 11. People knew they were in trouble when they saw the tear-gas canisters coming out and weapons being aimed. People tried to get away and were not permitted to do so. Students and others were severely beaten, shot multiple times with rubber bullets, tear-gassed, and more. Innocent people were arrested with hands bound very tightly in plastic (for some bruising and numbing their hands), bussed to a holding area, and kept all night on the busses. Many were verbally abused. Sexual harassment and sexual abuse has been reported. On one bus the captors reviewed the young women and singled out the "hot ones." People who spoke to others and tried to comfort or tried to organize were silenced, being told they would not be released if they did not keep quiet. People in the buildings were not allowed to come out, so stood and witnessed this atrocious attack.
Please note that all of this happened AFTER the G-20 leaders left, most of the out-of-town protesters left, and the most of the out-of-town media left. During the legal march Friday afternoon when we march along streets lined with officers, hundreds of cameras were documenting the well-behaved police. Once the cameras switched off, late at night, someone (I do not know who) seemed to think it was now safe to order a vicious attack on unarmed students and Pittsburgh citizens.
Some people here are suddenly realizing firsthand what people in occupied countries are experiencing on a regular basis, connecting what happened here with what is happening in Honduras and Palestine and Iraq and Colombia and Afghanistan and elsewhere. This was not an isolated incident. We got a small taste of the harassment and brutality which people around the world face daily when trying to survive within government systems who fear their own people. "Preemptive strikes" before someone can hurt us seems to be the only motive I can come up with for Friday's attack. Let's beat up and terrorize people before they even think of becoming protesters. Let's make sure they never want to be part of a public demonstration against the powers that be.
I think this should be national news. I think this should be international news. I've been having flashbacks to when I was 9 years old one evening in May, with my sister off at college not far from Kent State, and my mother in a hysterical panic that she didn't send her daughter off to college to get shot. It is the only time I can ever remember my mother in a hysterical panic. It seemed to me later that the crime of students at Kent and Jackson State was being young and being students. So, now the weapons have changed. For this first time this week, a sonic noise weapon was used against civilians in the U.S.A. Rubber bullets were used, so people just got injured instead of killed. Some new type of gas is being used instead of the old teargas. However, it's still apparently a crime to be young, or to be anywhere near young students.
Please send me news reports you hear about this beyond Pittsburgh. I would like to know what (if anything) is actually being said.
I am really upset about what is happening in Honduras. I am aware that this attack in Pittsburgh is small compared to the suffering people are enduring elsewhere, but I do believe it is tied in and we need to speak out every opportunity we get.
Police Restraint Disappeared
Facebook Post Saturday, September 26, 2009 at 2:22pm
Well, after stressful days for our law enforcers, once the G-20 leaders and most out-of-town G-20 protestors were gone the police seem to have lost patience and gone WAY overboard! Last night a large crowd of students in Schenley Plaza (outside the main library and museum complex between the Pitt and CMU campusses) were told that it was an unlawful gathering, and the result was that students were gassed, shot with rubber bullets, and arrested. Students trying to get away could not do so fast enough to avoid the onslaught. Many were held on busses all night at SCI (the old Western Penitentiary) and are now either being arraigned and released there or most are being taken from there to ACJ to be processed/arraigned and hopefully released. There are likely many students from Pitt (University of Pittsburgh) in this bunch who probably have never been arrested in anything like this before, were not intending to get arrested, and will need support.
If you are reading this in Pittsburgh and would like to help with food, warmth, listening ears, help filling out forms, etc. please call the PGRP Legal Hotline.
Well, after stressful days for our law enforcers, once the G-20 leaders and most out-of-town G-20 protestors were gone the police seem to have lost patience and gone WAY overboard! Last night a large crowd of students in Schenley Plaza (outside the main library and museum complex between the Pitt and CMU campusses) were told that it was an unlawful gathering, and the result was that students were gassed, shot with rubber bullets, and arrested. Students trying to get away could not do so fast enough to avoid the onslaught. Many were held on busses all night at SCI (the old Western Penitentiary) and are now either being arraigned and released there or most are being taken from there to ACJ to be processed/arraigned and hopefully released. There are likely many students from Pitt (University of Pittsburgh) in this bunch who probably have never been arrested in anything like this before, were not intending to get arrested, and will need support.
If you are reading this in Pittsburgh and would like to help with food, warmth, listening ears, help filling out forms, etc. please call the PGRP Legal Hotline.
Personal Challenges And Thoughts
Facebook Post Friday, September 25, 2009 at 2:17am
So here is some of what I've been dealing with personally :
Discernment can be hard in the midst of activity and stress! I was interested in presenting an idea a few weeks ago, watching excitement grow, watching it morph into two other ideas instead, watching one of those ideas of a nightly listening project develop and fade (partly due to my energy level), then grow, then fade, then grow... I tried to lay down the project, and it wouldn't die. Just when I told volunteers it would not happen, someone else told me they needed us, but then it didn't go anywhere because we could not get back in touch with the clinic who supposedly wanted us. When everything fits together easily I figure I'm headed in the right direction. When everything fails, I figure that's a message to re-examine my priorities and pay attention. When things go back and forth like this, I have no idea what I'm supposed to be doing! I am much more comfortable with clear directions!
There have been numerous alternative summits, educational events, and collaborative meetings between activists on many issues, economists, union leaders from several countries, scientists, and more. I missed many of the events this week since I was both working at my job and working on plans for other events this week. I did attend the final session of the People's Summit on Tuesday night. (If you Google "People's Summit" you'll find both the website listing speakers and several news stories about the panels.) I generally agreed with much of what the speakers said, but did not appreciate the tone. During questions, one audience member commented on the stereotypes and anger and asked how we could win over our opponents rather than demonize them, to truly build the peaceful world we are envisioning. Every one of the speakers said one of the following (paraphrased) : they do not have time to convince people, it is dangerous to take time for that, some people are so evil they can't be changed and are beyond redemption, and evil is evil! Adding to that was the day's update on events in Tegucugalpa, so I left in tears, feeling quite depressed. So much pain and violence in Honduras, and then we waste our privilege here with hatred against each other. This kind of division is not what I'm working for. To me, nonviolence includes rather than excludes people. The system we live in tries to divide us. We are giving in if we let that happen. I walked home thinking about stories of radical transformation I've heard from the African Great Lakes Region, from former combatants I met in Colombia, from Friends I met in El Salvador. I believe we should all be angry at the many deaths caused by our current economic system. We should all be angry at the life-and-death decisions made by a few for the entire world. However, to say that opponents themselves are evil rather than their actions, to say that anyone is impossible to change, and to say that people are not worth our time, is to say that someone is no longer human. I will not say that something is beyond God's ability, and I keep on seeing and hearing proof of God's ability to transform impossible situations and people who have committed truly evil acts. In our nonviolence workshops, we've been talking about the two parts of active nonviolence, resistance and constructive change. One involves saying "Stop!" while the other, taking most of our time and energy, involves reaching out to those we are resisting. Many people here are great at saying "Stop!" but don't seem to share my vision of building a community which includes the people I don't like. Where is the love in their vision?
Yesterday afternoon I listened to a couple of "People's Voices" panels. This panel was more what I needed to hear. Among several good speakers, Leo Gerard, president of the International Steel Workers Union, gave a more unifying speech. John Welch, a friend of mine and president of the Pittsburgh Interfaith Impact Network (among many other titles), gave a wonderfully challenging, faith-filled speech on the responsibility of each of us in the room. I've heard Leo Gerard speak before, but this time he filled me with hope. He was the first person I had heard from a podium this week who focussed on the evil of the system rather than stereotyping groups. He spoke of the "teabaggers" (who have been mentioned numerous times this week) as people who have a right to be angry, who have good reason to be scared, and who have simply been misdirected in the cause of their troubles. He spoke of China trying to capture the world market on new green technology sales by setting prices lower than production costs to undercut the U.S.A. market, and that our enemies are not the Chinese workers, but the global system we have set up which creates strategies harmful to workers on all sides. I kept hearing him talk about who is NOT the enemy, instead of who is, and the need to get beyond that to focus on changing the system in which we live. Yea!!
I have been saddened by divisions this week among the "peacemakers" of Pittsburgh. A couple of friends of mine have been hurt (emotionally). We have different attitudes about what is involved in working for justice, different definitions of nonviolence, and different goals in being involved in activities around the G20 summit. It is much easier to focus on a perceived enemy than it is to do the hard work of getting along with our friends. Some see the "us/them" division between protestors and police as unifying for the protestors. I see "us/them" scenarios making it much easier for more and more "us/them" divisions, so that it's easier to divide and conquer. No one ever said that working for justice would be easy! Why are we willing to do the very hard, exhausting work of planning a large march, but we are unwilling to the the very hard, exhausting, but exhilerating and rewarding and joyful work of strengthening alliances, figuring out common ground, and learning to work with people we don't always agree with?
Some organizers for the march tomorrow have a stated attitude of respect for differing methods. Rather than say that others are wrong for different approaches, they merely state that for this particular march, we have set expectations for behavior and other approaches are for other times. The specific nonviolent guidelines (written by a Pittsburgh Friend) have been posted online and are being distributed to the crowd. There are also stated principles about not speaking against various other groups of demonstrators. For me, I think there can be a balance between objecting to an action without objecting to a group, but the fact that they are trying to focus on the march rather than on who has done what so far, is one reason I feel I can be part of this march. My goal is not to argue about which justice issue is most important. My goal is not to demand that the police respect my right to march. My goal is not to blame someone for "giving in" to a police demand, nor to blame someone for standing up for the truth as they understand it. My personal goal is to offer my voice for the many in our world who are not being given a voice at the G20 summit.
The nonviolence training went well today. It was a very small group, but engaged, with lots of great experience and wisdom the participants brought into plans for Friday's march. (One participant is a young adult Friend from my own yearly meeting. It was nice to have a familiar face!) My planned co-facilitator needed to step back, and after initial panic (thank you Daniel and Celia for helping me think this through and convincing me that I could do this), I did find another co-facilitator. We did not take time to coordinate well, so I made some goofs, but I felt fairly calm and collected before, during, and after the training. (Having "calm yourself" as part of the training is a helpful reminder to me!)
I am planning to be a "peace guide" for the march. There will be three teams working in various parts of the march to keep us moving, watch for signs of possible trouble, and help de-escalate tension. Roles will vary depending on what section we're assigned to. I've been holding back on plans, but the media came to our peace guides meeting this evening, so it's now public who the team leaders of each section will be. A Pittsburgh Friend, Scilla, will coordinate the front team of peace guides, up front in the march, and has asked other Friends to be part of her team.
I have been feeling the results of all of the love coming my way from around the country and around the globe! Wow! In the past two days I have calmed down significantly, started taking better care of myself, taken more time for thinking and centering, listened more, found more that I respect and admire in some people with whom I've been very frustrated, and have found myself facing new challenges with a sense of God's presence in the midst. Do I still feel unprepared? You bet! I'll have people around me I trust, and more grounding than I've felt in a while to help me through whatever comes. If everyone else can be similarly transformed in two days, we'll have an absolutely amazing, earth-shaking march tomorrow! :)
So here is some of what I've been dealing with personally :
Discernment can be hard in the midst of activity and stress! I was interested in presenting an idea a few weeks ago, watching excitement grow, watching it morph into two other ideas instead, watching one of those ideas of a nightly listening project develop and fade (partly due to my energy level), then grow, then fade, then grow... I tried to lay down the project, and it wouldn't die. Just when I told volunteers it would not happen, someone else told me they needed us, but then it didn't go anywhere because we could not get back in touch with the clinic who supposedly wanted us. When everything fits together easily I figure I'm headed in the right direction. When everything fails, I figure that's a message to re-examine my priorities and pay attention. When things go back and forth like this, I have no idea what I'm supposed to be doing! I am much more comfortable with clear directions!
There have been numerous alternative summits, educational events, and collaborative meetings between activists on many issues, economists, union leaders from several countries, scientists, and more. I missed many of the events this week since I was both working at my job and working on plans for other events this week. I did attend the final session of the People's Summit on Tuesday night. (If you Google "People's Summit" you'll find both the website listing speakers and several news stories about the panels.) I generally agreed with much of what the speakers said, but did not appreciate the tone. During questions, one audience member commented on the stereotypes and anger and asked how we could win over our opponents rather than demonize them, to truly build the peaceful world we are envisioning. Every one of the speakers said one of the following (paraphrased) : they do not have time to convince people, it is dangerous to take time for that, some people are so evil they can't be changed and are beyond redemption, and evil is evil! Adding to that was the day's update on events in Tegucugalpa, so I left in tears, feeling quite depressed. So much pain and violence in Honduras, and then we waste our privilege here with hatred against each other. This kind of division is not what I'm working for. To me, nonviolence includes rather than excludes people. The system we live in tries to divide us. We are giving in if we let that happen. I walked home thinking about stories of radical transformation I've heard from the African Great Lakes Region, from former combatants I met in Colombia, from Friends I met in El Salvador. I believe we should all be angry at the many deaths caused by our current economic system. We should all be angry at the life-and-death decisions made by a few for the entire world. However, to say that opponents themselves are evil rather than their actions, to say that anyone is impossible to change, and to say that people are not worth our time, is to say that someone is no longer human. I will not say that something is beyond God's ability, and I keep on seeing and hearing proof of God's ability to transform impossible situations and people who have committed truly evil acts. In our nonviolence workshops, we've been talking about the two parts of active nonviolence, resistance and constructive change. One involves saying "Stop!" while the other, taking most of our time and energy, involves reaching out to those we are resisting. Many people here are great at saying "Stop!" but don't seem to share my vision of building a community which includes the people I don't like. Where is the love in their vision?
Yesterday afternoon I listened to a couple of "People's Voices" panels. This panel was more what I needed to hear. Among several good speakers, Leo Gerard, president of the International Steel Workers Union, gave a more unifying speech. John Welch, a friend of mine and president of the Pittsburgh Interfaith Impact Network (among many other titles), gave a wonderfully challenging, faith-filled speech on the responsibility of each of us in the room. I've heard Leo Gerard speak before, but this time he filled me with hope. He was the first person I had heard from a podium this week who focussed on the evil of the system rather than stereotyping groups. He spoke of the "teabaggers" (who have been mentioned numerous times this week) as people who have a right to be angry, who have good reason to be scared, and who have simply been misdirected in the cause of their troubles. He spoke of China trying to capture the world market on new green technology sales by setting prices lower than production costs to undercut the U.S.A. market, and that our enemies are not the Chinese workers, but the global system we have set up which creates strategies harmful to workers on all sides. I kept hearing him talk about who is NOT the enemy, instead of who is, and the need to get beyond that to focus on changing the system in which we live. Yea!!
I have been saddened by divisions this week among the "peacemakers" of Pittsburgh. A couple of friends of mine have been hurt (emotionally). We have different attitudes about what is involved in working for justice, different definitions of nonviolence, and different goals in being involved in activities around the G20 summit. It is much easier to focus on a perceived enemy than it is to do the hard work of getting along with our friends. Some see the "us/them" division between protestors and police as unifying for the protestors. I see "us/them" scenarios making it much easier for more and more "us/them" divisions, so that it's easier to divide and conquer. No one ever said that working for justice would be easy! Why are we willing to do the very hard, exhausting work of planning a large march, but we are unwilling to the the very hard, exhausting, but exhilerating and rewarding and joyful work of strengthening alliances, figuring out common ground, and learning to work with people we don't always agree with?
Some organizers for the march tomorrow have a stated attitude of respect for differing methods. Rather than say that others are wrong for different approaches, they merely state that for this particular march, we have set expectations for behavior and other approaches are for other times. The specific nonviolent guidelines (written by a Pittsburgh Friend) have been posted online and are being distributed to the crowd. There are also stated principles about not speaking against various other groups of demonstrators. For me, I think there can be a balance between objecting to an action without objecting to a group, but the fact that they are trying to focus on the march rather than on who has done what so far, is one reason I feel I can be part of this march. My goal is not to argue about which justice issue is most important. My goal is not to demand that the police respect my right to march. My goal is not to blame someone for "giving in" to a police demand, nor to blame someone for standing up for the truth as they understand it. My personal goal is to offer my voice for the many in our world who are not being given a voice at the G20 summit.
The nonviolence training went well today. It was a very small group, but engaged, with lots of great experience and wisdom the participants brought into plans for Friday's march. (One participant is a young adult Friend from my own yearly meeting. It was nice to have a familiar face!) My planned co-facilitator needed to step back, and after initial panic (thank you Daniel and Celia for helping me think this through and convincing me that I could do this), I did find another co-facilitator. We did not take time to coordinate well, so I made some goofs, but I felt fairly calm and collected before, during, and after the training. (Having "calm yourself" as part of the training is a helpful reminder to me!)
I am planning to be a "peace guide" for the march. There will be three teams working in various parts of the march to keep us moving, watch for signs of possible trouble, and help de-escalate tension. Roles will vary depending on what section we're assigned to. I've been holding back on plans, but the media came to our peace guides meeting this evening, so it's now public who the team leaders of each section will be. A Pittsburgh Friend, Scilla, will coordinate the front team of peace guides, up front in the march, and has asked other Friends to be part of her team.
I have been feeling the results of all of the love coming my way from around the country and around the globe! Wow! In the past two days I have calmed down significantly, started taking better care of myself, taken more time for thinking and centering, listened more, found more that I respect and admire in some people with whom I've been very frustrated, and have found myself facing new challenges with a sense of God's presence in the midst. Do I still feel unprepared? You bet! I'll have people around me I trust, and more grounding than I've felt in a while to help me through whatever comes. If everyone else can be similarly transformed in two days, we'll have an absolutely amazing, earth-shaking march tomorrow! :)
Protest Actions
Facebook Post Friday, September 25, 2009 at 12:26am
It has been an emotional week so far with ups and downs. I can't report on it all. Here is a sampling, whatever comes to mind at the moment. This is long. The more tired I am, the wordier I get!
I am not a media junkie, so have not taken time to check out news websites or listen to more than a few brief public radio reports. Much of what I tell you is hearsay from others, and my perceptions of what I've heard, as well as my own interactions with others. Please be aware that there are many perceptions and many different reactions here, so mine alone can't give you a full picture.
I'll start with some challenges with "law enforcement," keeping in mind that in general I am feeling rather positive about overall police behavior so far. I credit Pittsburgh police influence for much restraint in security officials, and see harassment and arrests as lowkey compared to what many (including myself) have feared.
On Monday I mentioned the harassment of the Seeds Of Peace and Everybody's Kitchen volunteers who came to provide food and medical aid. The harassment continued and increased, but these amazingly organized and caring people have been preparing food on the run. I've talked with some very tired volunteers who keep searching for yet another place to park. The police have chased them out of private church lots, harassed neighbors so much that the neighbors asked them to leave, etc., and they keep on managing to come up with food. Their good-natured perseverence seems to have impressed the media. At first, I had conversations in a number of different contexts in which people were receiving misleading and sometimes very inaccurate information. Then the local paper printed a nice article, harrassment of other groups and individuals stepped up, and suddenly the public seems to be realizing one does not have to be doing something wrong and can actually try to jump through all of the correct legal hoops (like apply for permits way in advance, follow police directions, etc.) and still have trouble. You can read the Pittsburgh article : http://postgazette.com/pg/09266/1000175-482.stm
This evening at a meeting I attended, a man came in from the neighborhood to report on an incident in his neighborhood during the day. A group of people were arrested. He said there was no real warning or chance for people to comply with the police wishes, and people who tried to leave were arrested anyway. He watched one man go two blocks away to get away from the area and avoid arrest, and was still arrested. What I heard was an observer siding with the people being arrested. I heard other reports of Thursday's events which indicated an increasing level of support from Pittsburghers for the protestors.
In terms of actions, Thursday was the day scheduled for the G-20 Resistance Project, an action happening without a permit. Some called it illegal, some simply non-permitted. The plan was to gather in the neighborhood where I live, and take their message to the G-20 downtown. This was what many, many people in Pittsburgh have been scared about, and what people have been talking about for months. Some buildings downtown such as a large bank boarded up their buildings in fear of what would happen today.
The group was about twice the size expected. From organizers, I heard an estimate of about 1,000. I heard that both the media and the police were surprised. The marchers actually got much further than they expected, and went through several neighborhoods. One theory is that the police had to alter plans and figure out a different strategy since they weren't expecting that many. In general, the march was peaceful, nonviolent, respectful of Pittsburghers, and got quite a bit of support from people they passed by. They heard more complaints from bystanders about the excess reaction of the security, than about the marchers. The vocal support, cheering them on, may not get reported, but it was felt and appreciated by some in the march. Eventually, the police managed to divide the mass of people into small groups and disperse the crowd. One person reported that the demonstrators and police played "a cat and mouse" game for several more hours.
There was use of tear gas. I have not heard of any injuries. There were some windows broken, at a restaurant a few blocks from my house, at a bank downtown, and I think somewhere else. These were not group-coordinated actions, but individual acts. They might get the media attention. (Well, them and the Greenpeace folks who bungeejumped off a bridge over the Ohio River to hold a banner on climate change, or something like that.) I am told the destructive acts were isolated incidents and that just because a few people did something stupid does not mean the bulk of people were involved. Some demonstrators who might have supported a coordinated, symbolic group act of destruction were quite clear in their opposition to these attacks on local property. People are protesting the G20 policies, not Pittsburgh. My impression is that most demonstrators are clear about this distinction.
Over the past few months, I've heard news reports and rumors about questions of responsibility and authority regarding G20 security, G20 funding, and G20 planning. Recently, the radio reported good cooperation between federal officials and the local police. Today I heard that local police won out on who the national guard answers to. The national guard are under the jurisdiction of the local police. They were deployed today withOUT weapons. This is really good news!
As I said, the general report I heard this evening from three different sources is that all of the security officers showed great restraint. One person credited it to the fact that they don't want the world to see them beating up on peaceful protestors, with so many reporters present. One person credited it to the influence of local police who are generally good people. One person credited it to the positive power of the demonstrators. Whatever the reason, I thank God! I credit the many prayers for all of the players involved in this drama.
Some expect a small demonstration tomorrow. Some expect that the intense fear of many leading up to the G-20 summit will keep people away from the large legal (permitted) march tomorrow (Friday). I expect it to be large. It will be an international march. I've heard of contingents from Tibet, Ethiopia, Canada, and China, and I'm guessing there will be more countries' peoples involved. Several organizations are bussing in groups in the morning. The United Steelworkers will have a contingent, and I assume other unions will also be involved. (Unions have been very vocal this week in opposing many economic and labor policies of the 19 countries and the European Union meeting here.) Then there are the groups feeding into the rally and march from various points. The fact that things went comparatively well today (much calmer than anticipated) will, I think, increase the amount of local/regional involvement.
We'll see who's right tomorrow.
It has been an emotional week so far with ups and downs. I can't report on it all. Here is a sampling, whatever comes to mind at the moment. This is long. The more tired I am, the wordier I get!
I am not a media junkie, so have not taken time to check out news websites or listen to more than a few brief public radio reports. Much of what I tell you is hearsay from others, and my perceptions of what I've heard, as well as my own interactions with others. Please be aware that there are many perceptions and many different reactions here, so mine alone can't give you a full picture.
I'll start with some challenges with "law enforcement," keeping in mind that in general I am feeling rather positive about overall police behavior so far. I credit Pittsburgh police influence for much restraint in security officials, and see harassment and arrests as lowkey compared to what many (including myself) have feared.
On Monday I mentioned the harassment of the Seeds Of Peace and Everybody's Kitchen volunteers who came to provide food and medical aid. The harassment continued and increased, but these amazingly organized and caring people have been preparing food on the run. I've talked with some very tired volunteers who keep searching for yet another place to park. The police have chased them out of private church lots, harassed neighbors so much that the neighbors asked them to leave, etc., and they keep on managing to come up with food. Their good-natured perseverence seems to have impressed the media. At first, I had conversations in a number of different contexts in which people were receiving misleading and sometimes very inaccurate information. Then the local paper printed a nice article, harrassment of other groups and individuals stepped up, and suddenly the public seems to be realizing one does not have to be doing something wrong and can actually try to jump through all of the correct legal hoops (like apply for permits way in advance, follow police directions, etc.) and still have trouble. You can read the Pittsburgh article : http://postgazette.com/pg/09266/1000175-482.stm
This evening at a meeting I attended, a man came in from the neighborhood to report on an incident in his neighborhood during the day. A group of people were arrested. He said there was no real warning or chance for people to comply with the police wishes, and people who tried to leave were arrested anyway. He watched one man go two blocks away to get away from the area and avoid arrest, and was still arrested. What I heard was an observer siding with the people being arrested. I heard other reports of Thursday's events which indicated an increasing level of support from Pittsburghers for the protestors.
In terms of actions, Thursday was the day scheduled for the G-20 Resistance Project, an action happening without a permit. Some called it illegal, some simply non-permitted. The plan was to gather in the neighborhood where I live, and take their message to the G-20 downtown. This was what many, many people in Pittsburgh have been scared about, and what people have been talking about for months. Some buildings downtown such as a large bank boarded up their buildings in fear of what would happen today.
The group was about twice the size expected. From organizers, I heard an estimate of about 1,000. I heard that both the media and the police were surprised. The marchers actually got much further than they expected, and went through several neighborhoods. One theory is that the police had to alter plans and figure out a different strategy since they weren't expecting that many. In general, the march was peaceful, nonviolent, respectful of Pittsburghers, and got quite a bit of support from people they passed by. They heard more complaints from bystanders about the excess reaction of the security, than about the marchers. The vocal support, cheering them on, may not get reported, but it was felt and appreciated by some in the march. Eventually, the police managed to divide the mass of people into small groups and disperse the crowd. One person reported that the demonstrators and police played "a cat and mouse" game for several more hours.
There was use of tear gas. I have not heard of any injuries. There were some windows broken, at a restaurant a few blocks from my house, at a bank downtown, and I think somewhere else. These were not group-coordinated actions, but individual acts. They might get the media attention. (Well, them and the Greenpeace folks who bungeejumped off a bridge over the Ohio River to hold a banner on climate change, or something like that.) I am told the destructive acts were isolated incidents and that just because a few people did something stupid does not mean the bulk of people were involved. Some demonstrators who might have supported a coordinated, symbolic group act of destruction were quite clear in their opposition to these attacks on local property. People are protesting the G20 policies, not Pittsburgh. My impression is that most demonstrators are clear about this distinction.
Over the past few months, I've heard news reports and rumors about questions of responsibility and authority regarding G20 security, G20 funding, and G20 planning. Recently, the radio reported good cooperation between federal officials and the local police. Today I heard that local police won out on who the national guard answers to. The national guard are under the jurisdiction of the local police. They were deployed today withOUT weapons. This is really good news!
As I said, the general report I heard this evening from three different sources is that all of the security officers showed great restraint. One person credited it to the fact that they don't want the world to see them beating up on peaceful protestors, with so many reporters present. One person credited it to the influence of local police who are generally good people. One person credited it to the positive power of the demonstrators. Whatever the reason, I thank God! I credit the many prayers for all of the players involved in this drama.
Some expect a small demonstration tomorrow. Some expect that the intense fear of many leading up to the G-20 summit will keep people away from the large legal (permitted) march tomorrow (Friday). I expect it to be large. It will be an international march. I've heard of contingents from Tibet, Ethiopia, Canada, and China, and I'm guessing there will be more countries' peoples involved. Several organizations are bussing in groups in the morning. The United Steelworkers will have a contingent, and I assume other unions will also be involved. (Unions have been very vocal this week in opposing many economic and labor policies of the 19 countries and the European Union meeting here.) Then there are the groups feeding into the rally and march from various points. The fact that things went comparatively well today (much calmer than anticipated) will, I think, increase the amount of local/regional involvement.
We'll see who's right tomorrow.
Signs Of Fear, Signs Of Hope
Facebook Post Sunday, September 20, 2009 at 10:41pm
These are my personal thoughts on my day, not to be quoted as an authority on anything except my own perceptions. (And even those change!)
The first unjust arrest was made this weekend. From what I hear (all fourth hand), the Seeds Of Peace Collective's kitchen bus was legally parked, but empty when the police decided to check it out. When the volunteers returned from delivering food, they could not produce proof of ownership, so the bus was towed away w/a large fine. The volunteers were asked to produce identification. One woman unthinkingly gave her nickname, the name she goes by, instead of the name on her identification, so she was arrested and held. As of this morning, it was unclear where she was in the system. The ACLU is trying to help. There may be more to this story. This is all I heard. Seeds of Peace and Everybody's Kitchen are here to feed the masses. This kind of harrassment seems an indication to me of how jumpy police are, suspecting everyone. Seeds of Peace were part of the permit application denied, to be able to park their two busses in a city park to prepare food. Instead, they park legally elsewhere and still get in trouble!
A large downtown bank looks quite ugly. Their usual glass windows are entirely boarded up. The only part of their downstairs not boarded up is the door to get in. Pure fear.
Today's G 6 Billion event went well, glitch included. There was a nice variety of speakers. The flags all looked quite beautiful! The convention center is built over a street, so the street runs through it like a tunnel. Our plan was to walk through on this street, carrying all of the flags of the world, bringing the voices of the world to the convention center. We had flags from 192 countries plus the UN flag, the Vatican flag, a rainbow flag, and several church flags.
We walked from a downtown church with all of these beautiful flags and diverse faiths, singing about justice and freedom. When we got near the convention center, police came out to meet us and formed a line blocking our way. We stopped, and stood there calmly holding our flags and singing, while two G 6 Billion coordinators negotiated w/the police (such as showing them our permit). The media had cameras running and clicking the whole time. Our permit did not seem to matter. We ended up agreeing to an alternate route around the convention center to our rallying point on the other side of the building. We calmly proceeded.
Then, the police official in charge asked to speak with one of the ministers in our group, and asked her to convey his apology to the group. He admitted that he had not taken the time to read our permit, and he had given in to a request from the convention center instead of carefully investigating our rights. He felt he was in the wrong, and apologized. He realized that we had followed the proper channels to walk on the street they blocked off.
I find this whole scenario very hopeful! Our exhausted coordinators were able to talk things over. The crowd was able to wait patiently, receive directions from the coordinators, and change plans. I am hoping that the police learned that 1) they need to take the time to read permits presented to them! and 2) chanting people waving flags are not the enemy, and can be respectful and cooperative people. I hope that this experience will help allay some of their fears, and set a good tone for the coming week.
After the walk, I heard that a number of people who participated have never been part of a public witness before, and that the process of putting this event together and doing it has created some new activists in several faith communities.
This evening I attended a meeting for peace guides for the People's March coming up on Friday (a legal march). I was inspired by all of these wonderful people I do not yet know. Really good, concerned people doing a great deal of work on plans. Good insights, good questions... I am looking forward to getting to know more of them in the coming week. We hope to have about 70 peace guides on Friday.
I am convinced that the positive energy coming from so many people praying for Pittsburgh is already having an effect. Please keep it up!
These are my personal thoughts on my day, not to be quoted as an authority on anything except my own perceptions. (And even those change!)
The first unjust arrest was made this weekend. From what I hear (all fourth hand), the Seeds Of Peace Collective's kitchen bus was legally parked, but empty when the police decided to check it out. When the volunteers returned from delivering food, they could not produce proof of ownership, so the bus was towed away w/a large fine. The volunteers were asked to produce identification. One woman unthinkingly gave her nickname, the name she goes by, instead of the name on her identification, so she was arrested and held. As of this morning, it was unclear where she was in the system. The ACLU is trying to help. There may be more to this story. This is all I heard. Seeds of Peace and Everybody's Kitchen are here to feed the masses. This kind of harrassment seems an indication to me of how jumpy police are, suspecting everyone. Seeds of Peace were part of the permit application denied, to be able to park their two busses in a city park to prepare food. Instead, they park legally elsewhere and still get in trouble!
A large downtown bank looks quite ugly. Their usual glass windows are entirely boarded up. The only part of their downstairs not boarded up is the door to get in. Pure fear.
Today's G 6 Billion event went well, glitch included. There was a nice variety of speakers. The flags all looked quite beautiful! The convention center is built over a street, so the street runs through it like a tunnel. Our plan was to walk through on this street, carrying all of the flags of the world, bringing the voices of the world to the convention center. We had flags from 192 countries plus the UN flag, the Vatican flag, a rainbow flag, and several church flags.
We walked from a downtown church with all of these beautiful flags and diverse faiths, singing about justice and freedom. When we got near the convention center, police came out to meet us and formed a line blocking our way. We stopped, and stood there calmly holding our flags and singing, while two G 6 Billion coordinators negotiated w/the police (such as showing them our permit). The media had cameras running and clicking the whole time. Our permit did not seem to matter. We ended up agreeing to an alternate route around the convention center to our rallying point on the other side of the building. We calmly proceeded.
Then, the police official in charge asked to speak with one of the ministers in our group, and asked her to convey his apology to the group. He admitted that he had not taken the time to read our permit, and he had given in to a request from the convention center instead of carefully investigating our rights. He felt he was in the wrong, and apologized. He realized that we had followed the proper channels to walk on the street they blocked off.
I find this whole scenario very hopeful! Our exhausted coordinators were able to talk things over. The crowd was able to wait patiently, receive directions from the coordinators, and change plans. I am hoping that the police learned that 1) they need to take the time to read permits presented to them! and 2) chanting people waving flags are not the enemy, and can be respectful and cooperative people. I hope that this experience will help allay some of their fears, and set a good tone for the coming week.
After the walk, I heard that a number of people who participated have never been part of a public witness before, and that the process of putting this event together and doing it has created some new activists in several faith communities.
This evening I attended a meeting for peace guides for the People's March coming up on Friday (a legal march). I was inspired by all of these wonderful people I do not yet know. Really good, concerned people doing a great deal of work on plans. Good insights, good questions... I am looking forward to getting to know more of them in the coming week. We hope to have about 70 peace guides on Friday.
I am convinced that the positive energy coming from so many people praying for Pittsburgh is already having an effect. Please keep it up!
Oneness Prayer
Facebook Post Friday, September 11, 2009 at 8:18am
From the G 6 Billion Network
Studies have shown that meditation and prayer can have an impact on reducing violence and promoting peace. You are invited to participate in a "ONENESS Prayer and Meditation” in support of global unity from September 11th through the 25th, prior to and during the G-20 Summit in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. This prayer and meditation invitation is being distributed to faith communities and individuals in Pittsburgh, and throughout the United States of America and the world. Suggested times for two or more to gather are 1:00, 3:00 and/or 7:00, either a.m. or p.m., in your local time zone. A suggested text of prayer meditation follows, and is also available at www.peaceburgh.com [with an ‘H’ at the end]. If you prefer to choose other words for the meditation, or simply to embrace thoughts of a peaceful G-20 Summit from September 11th through the 25th, your participation is welcomed. Thoughts do make a difference.
A list of supporters of this project will be posted on the web site www.peaceburgh.com.
THE G-20 ONENESS PRAYER AND MEDITATION
We now open our hearts to the unity and interconnectedness of all people. This unity transcends belief systems and political polarities. We affirm the inherent divinity within every individual. We Are All One – one planet, one world, one body of humanity, one Spirit. We support and encourage peaceful, creative collaboration at the G-20 Summit in Pittsburgh and in all interactions large and small everywhere. We hold the vision that everyone is heard and no one is hurt.
With conscious intention in prayer and meditation, we connect with love and embrace all people in heart, mind and spirit, creating a wave of uplifting energy that radiates across the planet. We envision citizens and leaders from all countries opening to their innate wisdom and awakening new pathways for global peace, prosperity and sustainability. In deep gratitude, love, and peace, we honor the truth of our divinity. And so it is.
From the G 6 Billion Network
Studies have shown that meditation and prayer can have an impact on reducing violence and promoting peace. You are invited to participate in a "ONENESS Prayer and Meditation” in support of global unity from September 11th through the 25th, prior to and during the G-20 Summit in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. This prayer and meditation invitation is being distributed to faith communities and individuals in Pittsburgh, and throughout the United States of America and the world. Suggested times for two or more to gather are 1:00, 3:00 and/or 7:00, either a.m. or p.m., in your local time zone. A suggested text of prayer meditation follows, and is also available at www.peaceburgh.com [with an ‘H’ at the end]. If you prefer to choose other words for the meditation, or simply to embrace thoughts of a peaceful G-20 Summit from September 11th through the 25th, your participation is welcomed. Thoughts do make a difference.
A list of supporters of this project will be posted on the web site www.peaceburgh.com.
THE G-20 ONENESS PRAYER AND MEDITATION
We now open our hearts to the unity and interconnectedness of all people. This unity transcends belief systems and political polarities. We affirm the inherent divinity within every individual. We Are All One – one planet, one world, one body of humanity, one Spirit. We support and encourage peaceful, creative collaboration at the G-20 Summit in Pittsburgh and in all interactions large and small everywhere. We hold the vision that everyone is heard and no one is hurt.
With conscious intention in prayer and meditation, we connect with love and embrace all people in heart, mind and spirit, creating a wave of uplifting energy that radiates across the planet. We envision citizens and leaders from all countries opening to their innate wisdom and awakening new pathways for global peace, prosperity and sustainability. In deep gratitude, love, and peace, we honor the truth of our divinity. And so it is.
The G 6 Billion
Facebook Post Wednesday, September 9, 2009 at 11:50pm
From Our G 6 Billion Network
Dear faithful friends and advocates,
We, members of the interreligious community, united by spiritual integrity, offer a vision for our world. This vision is based on shared common good values across traditions, a vision of justice and peace for all persons.
Citizens of Pittsburgh have a rich history of acting with moral responsibility. This legacy has led us to assume a significant role in reshaping policies and social structures for the common good.
The organizing work of the G-6 billion (a group of individuals from the interreligious community in Pittsburgh) is to utilize this unique opportunity for prayer and education leading up to the G-20 meeting.
We recognize a global and local interreligious movement and welcome the challenge to present our common good values on critical issues facing the world and our communities.
Love: Love of neighbor is the bedrock of our conscience and beliefs, as are acts of compassion and a commitment to work for the common good.
Respect for GodÃs Creation: Respect for the entire web of life. All human beings, all created species, and the Earth and its flora and fauna are required for survival. Biodiversity and interspecies ethics have taught the need to recognize and legitimate the essential rights of all of Earth’s life forms.
Human dignity: All persons have inherent value and deserve to live in dignity, free from discrimination based on race, gender, class and age.
Truth: Truth-telling is essential for understanding and reconciliation. It is vital in discerning , debating, and enacting public policies that serve the common good.
Social Justice: With fairness and equality, we must ensure human and civil rights for all to be able to live lives of dignity. We must ensure that all people are provided protection from violence and aggression. We must work to protect the Earth, so that we may pass on a sustainable natural environment to future generations.
Peace: We must make a spiritual commitment to non-violent means of resolving conflict and to reducing all forms of violence and war.
Freedom: Ensuring freedom means we must work for reciprocal bonds among people. This includes freedom to dissent and refuse what is morally wrong and to work for change. Freedom also encompasses the freedom from fear and the freedom to hope.
We also recognize a global and local interreligious responsibility to actively address the issues of, and speak for those who are without power and without voice.
The cry of the earth and the cry of the poor are one. Poverty is the measure of the crisis. Poverty is the measure of the solution.
We invite you to join us on Sunday afternoon, September 20th , as we journey from the Smithfield United Church of Christ to the Convention Center. We will give witness to the financial crisis that has spread globally, imperiling the very survival, not only of developing countries, but also those in the developed world. We will hear from religious leaders as well as faithful Pittsburgh advocates.
We must seek peace.
We invite you to join us on Monday evening, September 21st, when we will remember the United Nations International Day of Peace. This day is a global 24 hour cease fire holiday and respite from the fear and insecurity that plague so many places, individuals, communities, nations and governments.
It highlights the efforts that are being made to end conflict and promote peace. The International Day of Peace can provide hope for citizens who must endure war and conflict. A cessation of hostilities would enable relief workers to reach civilians in need with food, water and medical supplies. It proves that worldwide peace is possible. This will be a time to ponder the high price we all pay because of conflict.
As members of the G 6 Billion, we recognize the shared values among the interreligious communities and the shared responsibility to act upon these values. We invite you to join us in taking on this responsibility and stand in solidarity with those without power and without voice. Let us mirror the peace the world so desperately needs.
Facebook Post Thursday, September 10, 2009 at 9:44 p.m.
Who is the G 6 Billion Group?
The G 6 Billion is an interreligious coalition called together to respond to the Pittsburgh meeting of the Group of 20 including the American Friends Service Committee, Pittsburgh Interfaith Impact Network, Pittsburgh Pax Christi, Association of Pittsburgh Priests, the Sayed Farooq Hussaini Islamic Interfaith Network, Peoples’ Summit, People’s Choices, Roots of Promise, Peoples March, Women’s Tent City, Thomas Merton Center.
We seek to include voices from the 6 billion+ who are not represented at the G-20 summit.
Please write to us at g6billion@gmail.com.
From Our G 6 Billion Network
Dear faithful friends and advocates,
We, members of the interreligious community, united by spiritual integrity, offer a vision for our world. This vision is based on shared common good values across traditions, a vision of justice and peace for all persons.
Citizens of Pittsburgh have a rich history of acting with moral responsibility. This legacy has led us to assume a significant role in reshaping policies and social structures for the common good.
The organizing work of the G-6 billion (a group of individuals from the interreligious community in Pittsburgh) is to utilize this unique opportunity for prayer and education leading up to the G-20 meeting.
We recognize a global and local interreligious movement and welcome the challenge to present our common good values on critical issues facing the world and our communities.
Love: Love of neighbor is the bedrock of our conscience and beliefs, as are acts of compassion and a commitment to work for the common good.
Respect for GodÃs Creation: Respect for the entire web of life. All human beings, all created species, and the Earth and its flora and fauna are required for survival. Biodiversity and interspecies ethics have taught the need to recognize and legitimate the essential rights of all of Earth’s life forms.
Human dignity: All persons have inherent value and deserve to live in dignity, free from discrimination based on race, gender, class and age.
Truth: Truth-telling is essential for understanding and reconciliation. It is vital in discerning , debating, and enacting public policies that serve the common good.
Social Justice: With fairness and equality, we must ensure human and civil rights for all to be able to live lives of dignity. We must ensure that all people are provided protection from violence and aggression. We must work to protect the Earth, so that we may pass on a sustainable natural environment to future generations.
Peace: We must make a spiritual commitment to non-violent means of resolving conflict and to reducing all forms of violence and war.
Freedom: Ensuring freedom means we must work for reciprocal bonds among people. This includes freedom to dissent and refuse what is morally wrong and to work for change. Freedom also encompasses the freedom from fear and the freedom to hope.
We also recognize a global and local interreligious responsibility to actively address the issues of, and speak for those who are without power and without voice.
The cry of the earth and the cry of the poor are one. Poverty is the measure of the crisis. Poverty is the measure of the solution.
We invite you to join us on Sunday afternoon, September 20th , as we journey from the Smithfield United Church of Christ to the Convention Center. We will give witness to the financial crisis that has spread globally, imperiling the very survival, not only of developing countries, but also those in the developed world. We will hear from religious leaders as well as faithful Pittsburgh advocates.
We must seek peace.
We invite you to join us on Monday evening, September 21st, when we will remember the United Nations International Day of Peace. This day is a global 24 hour cease fire holiday and respite from the fear and insecurity that plague so many places, individuals, communities, nations and governments.
It highlights the efforts that are being made to end conflict and promote peace. The International Day of Peace can provide hope for citizens who must endure war and conflict. A cessation of hostilities would enable relief workers to reach civilians in need with food, water and medical supplies. It proves that worldwide peace is possible. This will be a time to ponder the high price we all pay because of conflict.
As members of the G 6 Billion, we recognize the shared values among the interreligious communities and the shared responsibility to act upon these values. We invite you to join us in taking on this responsibility and stand in solidarity with those without power and without voice. Let us mirror the peace the world so desperately needs.
Facebook Post Thursday, September 10, 2009 at 9:44 p.m.
Who is the G 6 Billion Group?
The G 6 Billion is an interreligious coalition called together to respond to the Pittsburgh meeting of the Group of 20 including the American Friends Service Committee, Pittsburgh Interfaith Impact Network, Pittsburgh Pax Christi, Association of Pittsburgh Priests, the Sayed Farooq Hussaini Islamic Interfaith Network, Peoples’ Summit, People’s Choices, Roots of Promise, Peoples March, Women’s Tent City, Thomas Merton Center.
We seek to include voices from the 6 billion+ who are not represented at the G-20 summit.
Please write to us at g6billion@gmail.com.
Home Again, Home Again, Jiggedy Jig!
Listserve Post Wednesday, January 30, 2008 05:18 PM
I'm writing from the Richmond, Indiana library right now. Early Monday morning our team flew back to Bogota, and after lunch we divided up to visit 2 embassies. I went to the U.S.A. embassy to meet with their one and ONLY human rights officer in Colombia. It was an interesting conversation. Too short, but we had to leave to get to another meeting w/a human rights organization. We all thought that final meeting was quite helpful in drawing things together and helping us begin thinking about how to present our experiences to our elected officials and others. I still have much to sort out, but it was a nice way to end.
We had an absolutely wonderful, healthy, delicious farewell dinner and spent the evening just having fun together, dancing to drummers in a park, and laughing. 6 of us said good-bye to the others Tuesday morning and headed back to Atlanta. We got
separated in customs, but searched each other out again for our final farewells. Sad to leave them (and very sad to leave the mountains), but nice to get home to people I love!
The temperature was in the 50's in Indianapolis when I arrived yesterday evening to be met by Friends. In downtown Indi. we heard a tornado siren. We got to a contradance hall just before the sheets of rain and high winds arrived. When we left later, the temperature had dropped way down and the high winds were bitter. A bit of a shock for my system!
The contradance was a nice way to come home, with friendly people and nice music to
listen to. My body decided it wasn't ready for spinning around, so I sat down the hall and journaled and listened -- just what I needed! It was a much gentler way to ease back into the U.S.A. than some of my past homecomings.
Today I was back to a minimum of 3 layers on every part of my body for our weekly Wednesday prayer vigil for peace, w/wind-chill factor of 15 below at times, but it's been a very sunny, beautiful day and this afternoon the wind slowed down quite a bit. I appreciated another chance to publicly witness for peace and remind Richmondites that our current reality is not the only possibility.
Thank you SO much for all of your thoughts and prayers and phone calls before I left and e-mail notes to welcome me home! Since I haven't slept much for two weeks, I decided it must be lots of love keeping me going! :) Praise God!
Now, time to go home and cuddle with my dog and cat. :)
I'm writing from the Richmond, Indiana library right now. Early Monday morning our team flew back to Bogota, and after lunch we divided up to visit 2 embassies. I went to the U.S.A. embassy to meet with their one and ONLY human rights officer in Colombia. It was an interesting conversation. Too short, but we had to leave to get to another meeting w/a human rights organization. We all thought that final meeting was quite helpful in drawing things together and helping us begin thinking about how to present our experiences to our elected officials and others. I still have much to sort out, but it was a nice way to end.
We had an absolutely wonderful, healthy, delicious farewell dinner and spent the evening just having fun together, dancing to drummers in a park, and laughing. 6 of us said good-bye to the others Tuesday morning and headed back to Atlanta. We got
separated in customs, but searched each other out again for our final farewells. Sad to leave them (and very sad to leave the mountains), but nice to get home to people I love!
The temperature was in the 50's in Indianapolis when I arrived yesterday evening to be met by Friends. In downtown Indi. we heard a tornado siren. We got to a contradance hall just before the sheets of rain and high winds arrived. When we left later, the temperature had dropped way down and the high winds were bitter. A bit of a shock for my system!
The contradance was a nice way to come home, with friendly people and nice music to
listen to. My body decided it wasn't ready for spinning around, so I sat down the hall and journaled and listened -- just what I needed! It was a much gentler way to ease back into the U.S.A. than some of my past homecomings.
Today I was back to a minimum of 3 layers on every part of my body for our weekly Wednesday prayer vigil for peace, w/wind-chill factor of 15 below at times, but it's been a very sunny, beautiful day and this afternoon the wind slowed down quite a bit. I appreciated another chance to publicly witness for peace and remind Richmondites that our current reality is not the only possibility.
Thank you SO much for all of your thoughts and prayers and phone calls before I left and e-mail notes to welcome me home! Since I haven't slept much for two weeks, I decided it must be lots of love keeping me going! :) Praise God!
Now, time to go home and cuddle with my dog and cat. :)
Third News Post From Colombia
Listerve Post Saturday, January 26, 2008 09:43 PM
We´re back in hot Barrancabermeja. We had our public action this afternoon, focussing on women´s rights and specifically trying to be as visible as possible showing international support for the OFP (Popular Women´s Organization), CPT´s partners here in Barrancabermeja. I can´t say much here... It went well, and I had some good conversations with onlookers.
Our trip to Micoahumado (¨Smoked Monkey¨ -- there´s a story behind the name of the
town) was wonderful!!! Spectacularly beautiful mountain scenery and butterflies, and the community there is amazing and wonderful and welcomed us in with open arms. We took a day trip (over 40 of us) in the back of a truck to a swimming hole in a mountain stream, while several people prepared a traditional lunch for us. I purposely ignored most of the lunch preparation since it included converting the numerous live chickens who traveled in the truck with us into sancocho, a traditional stew. They had an absolutely delicious salad and of course rice for me. We spent the day swimming and talking and eating, and of course riding home in the truck. It may not sound fun to crowd over 40 people plus a motorcycle plus all of the pots and utensils and food plus a bunch of chickens into the back of a truck for a 2-hour ride over what they call roads and what some in our country might call a dirt track (BUMPY), along cliff drop-offs (I´m told, but I was too scrunched to see them), but with this group it was extremely fun. I had a ball! We yelled and laughed together, and have a number of stories which set us all laughing over awkward
situations the bumps got us into.
Our delegation has commented over and over again how people at home think we´re being noble and suffering for the sake of others, while we´re all enjoying ourselves. It is sobering at times when we hear comments like, ¨We´re alive because you´re sitting here.¨
However, accompanying people means living life with people, and the people we´re
accompanying really know how to live! :)
The only down part of the Micoahumado trip was the mosquitoes and ticks. No one else got any. I told my group that my contribution to the team was to be so delectable that the bugs would avoid anyone around me and just choose me. I guess the DEET helped since I wasn´t completely covered in bites, just partially covered. To those of you who convinced me to take malaria med., thanks! It did put me more at ease. Its down side is that I am having trouble sleeping. I have had trouble for the entire time, so am quite sleep deprived now. The mountains and swimming and singing and fun community were wonderful, but signs of little sleep and its effects on my blood sugar are showing in my relations with other team members. Prayers for me to make it through the delegation without becoming completely obnoxious would be appreciated... I was able to take time this morning for prayer, and that helped, plus another Friend led the morning devotion time which included 10 minutes of silence -- much needed and quite helpful! I did warn team members about hypoglycemia at the beginning, and one person has helped remind me to eat more often.
Team members are great! I´ll tell you about some as I have time, and save the rest for later. One married couple brought a guitar with them. They perform music
together and they and I have had lots of fun swapping songs and singing together, plus leading others in song such as the imp round. It´s lots of fun (3-part round). Another on our team is the mother of one of the long-term team members here in Barrancabermeja. She came on a delegation last year, and there was so much information to absorb that she decided to come again. It´s been nice having another team member who knows the area a bit. Her specialty seems to be scouting out good ice cream places. Last night when a few of us went to the park downtown to plot
out our public action, she spotted all of the ice cream places and picked out which ones had the best flavors. A very useful teammate! :) I´ve indulged a couple of times in the two weeks I´ve been here. Not good for blood sugar control but still good for the soul!
The two women I mentioned know almost know Spanish, and the man knew none at the start of the trip, but all three jump right in and converse as best they can. It´s inspiring to watch them interact with the people around us. Quite a few of my teammates have been active in trying to close the School of the Americas, and one woman went to jail for it. One of our partner organizations here gave her an ovation when they heard this, and talked about how she inspired them. She is quiet and gentle and I think the team member I most look up to, someone I want to be like. She radiates kindness. The youngest person in our group is in his early 20´s. He´s from Winnipeg but recently moved to Montreal, so was just starting to learn French and is now speaking French with a Spanish accent (he doesn´t know Spanish). He´s another person who jumps in and acts. He was quiet for a while, but today we appointed him as our ¨choreographer¨-director for our action, and he did a splendid job! He seems to have opened up while here and done new things like leading worship and directing a bunch of older adults and introducing himself in Spanish like a pro. That is all for now. I am running out of time at this internet cafe (closing soon). Monday we fly back to Bogota to meet with embassy officials. On the way we´ll be working out our presentations at the embassies.
[To my monthly meeting, our team prayer time before we headed downtown for our action was the psalm for beginning work, a psalm which you gave me. They very much appreciated it, wanted copies, and asked me to thank you.]
We´re back in hot Barrancabermeja. We had our public action this afternoon, focussing on women´s rights and specifically trying to be as visible as possible showing international support for the OFP (Popular Women´s Organization), CPT´s partners here in Barrancabermeja. I can´t say much here... It went well, and I had some good conversations with onlookers.
Our trip to Micoahumado (¨Smoked Monkey¨ -- there´s a story behind the name of the
town) was wonderful!!! Spectacularly beautiful mountain scenery and butterflies, and the community there is amazing and wonderful and welcomed us in with open arms. We took a day trip (over 40 of us) in the back of a truck to a swimming hole in a mountain stream, while several people prepared a traditional lunch for us. I purposely ignored most of the lunch preparation since it included converting the numerous live chickens who traveled in the truck with us into sancocho, a traditional stew. They had an absolutely delicious salad and of course rice for me. We spent the day swimming and talking and eating, and of course riding home in the truck. It may not sound fun to crowd over 40 people plus a motorcycle plus all of the pots and utensils and food plus a bunch of chickens into the back of a truck for a 2-hour ride over what they call roads and what some in our country might call a dirt track (BUMPY), along cliff drop-offs (I´m told, but I was too scrunched to see them), but with this group it was extremely fun. I had a ball! We yelled and laughed together, and have a number of stories which set us all laughing over awkward
situations the bumps got us into.
Our delegation has commented over and over again how people at home think we´re being noble and suffering for the sake of others, while we´re all enjoying ourselves. It is sobering at times when we hear comments like, ¨We´re alive because you´re sitting here.¨
However, accompanying people means living life with people, and the people we´re
accompanying really know how to live! :)
The only down part of the Micoahumado trip was the mosquitoes and ticks. No one else got any. I told my group that my contribution to the team was to be so delectable that the bugs would avoid anyone around me and just choose me. I guess the DEET helped since I wasn´t completely covered in bites, just partially covered. To those of you who convinced me to take malaria med., thanks! It did put me more at ease. Its down side is that I am having trouble sleeping. I have had trouble for the entire time, so am quite sleep deprived now. The mountains and swimming and singing and fun community were wonderful, but signs of little sleep and its effects on my blood sugar are showing in my relations with other team members. Prayers for me to make it through the delegation without becoming completely obnoxious would be appreciated... I was able to take time this morning for prayer, and that helped, plus another Friend led the morning devotion time which included 10 minutes of silence -- much needed and quite helpful! I did warn team members about hypoglycemia at the beginning, and one person has helped remind me to eat more often.
Team members are great! I´ll tell you about some as I have time, and save the rest for later. One married couple brought a guitar with them. They perform music
together and they and I have had lots of fun swapping songs and singing together, plus leading others in song such as the imp round. It´s lots of fun (3-part round). Another on our team is the mother of one of the long-term team members here in Barrancabermeja. She came on a delegation last year, and there was so much information to absorb that she decided to come again. It´s been nice having another team member who knows the area a bit. Her specialty seems to be scouting out good ice cream places. Last night when a few of us went to the park downtown to plot
out our public action, she spotted all of the ice cream places and picked out which ones had the best flavors. A very useful teammate! :) I´ve indulged a couple of times in the two weeks I´ve been here. Not good for blood sugar control but still good for the soul!
The two women I mentioned know almost know Spanish, and the man knew none at the start of the trip, but all three jump right in and converse as best they can. It´s inspiring to watch them interact with the people around us. Quite a few of my teammates have been active in trying to close the School of the Americas, and one woman went to jail for it. One of our partner organizations here gave her an ovation when they heard this, and talked about how she inspired them. She is quiet and gentle and I think the team member I most look up to, someone I want to be like. She radiates kindness. The youngest person in our group is in his early 20´s. He´s from Winnipeg but recently moved to Montreal, so was just starting to learn French and is now speaking French with a Spanish accent (he doesn´t know Spanish). He´s another person who jumps in and acts. He was quiet for a while, but today we appointed him as our ¨choreographer¨-director for our action, and he did a splendid job! He seems to have opened up while here and done new things like leading worship and directing a bunch of older adults and introducing himself in Spanish like a pro. That is all for now. I am running out of time at this internet cafe (closing soon). Monday we fly back to Bogota to meet with embassy officials. On the way we´ll be working out our presentations at the embassies.
[To my monthly meeting, our team prayer time before we headed downtown for our action was the psalm for beginning work, a psalm which you gave me. They very much appreciated it, wanted copies, and asked me to thank you.]
CPT Update On CPT Colombia Delegation
Listserve Post From CPT Friday, January 25, 2008 10:58 AM
After two days in Micoahumado, a region made up of nine rural communnities in the south of Bolivar province, the Christian Peacemaker Teams delegation is returning today to the city of Barrancabermeja. Micoahumado has been threatened by both guerillas and paramilitaries over the years, but is currently engaged in a peace process declaring themselves free politically, economically, and socially from all
armed groups...
Christian Peacemaker Teams is an initiative of the historic peace churches (Mennonites, Church of the Brethren, and Quakers) with support and membership from a range of Catholic and Protestant denominations. CPT has had a continuing presence in Colombia since May 2001.
______________
Christian Peacemaker Teams
PO Box 6508
Chicago, IL 60680-6508
Phone: 773-277-0253, Fax: 773-277-0291
Website: www.cpt.org
After two days in Micoahumado, a region made up of nine rural communnities in the south of Bolivar province, the Christian Peacemaker Teams delegation is returning today to the city of Barrancabermeja. Micoahumado has been threatened by both guerillas and paramilitaries over the years, but is currently engaged in a peace process declaring themselves free politically, economically, and socially from all
armed groups...
Christian Peacemaker Teams is an initiative of the historic peace churches (Mennonites, Church of the Brethren, and Quakers) with support and membership from a range of Catholic and Protestant denominations. CPT has had a continuing presence in Colombia since May 2001.
______________
Christian Peacemaker Teams
PO Box 6508
Chicago, IL 60680-6508
Phone: 773-277-0253, Fax: 773-277-0291
Website: www.cpt.org
Second News Post From Colombia
Listserve Post Monday, January 21, 2008 06:21 PM
I´m getting used to internet cafes now. We´re in Barrancabermeja
(arrived yesterday), the major oil city of Colombia and a very important city in many respects. One indication of its strategic importance is that after miles of land with no signs of ¨civilization¨ Barrancabermeja has power lines, oil pipelines to the coast, railroad lines, highways, the river which is a major transportation highway, and more.
I have to say, I love Colombia! I had forgotten how much. I had some bad memories from my time here as a student (28 years ago), and used to refer to my time here as a ¨growing experience.¨I had forgotten all of the things I enjoyed and loved. It´s a beautiful country! I commented calmly last night to a teammate that I´m enjoying the country, and she said it shows, that I look like I´ve found home.
One experience of coming home wherever I travel is meeting Friends (Religious Society of Friends). Saturday night, our last night in Bogota, I went to meet the clerk of Bogota Monthly Meeting and her husband. Most of our team ended up going to a party at our leader´s home, where his girlfriend´s family performed Colombian folk music and dancing. I was very sorry to have missed that, and at the same time I know that visiting the local Friends was what I needed. It was coming home. That´s one thing I love so much about the Religious Society of Friends, that I can meet Friends I´ve never met before and feel relaxed and calmed and treated like family.
As expected, Barrancabermeja is HOT! Actually, our leader told us it´s not as hot as usual, that January is usually referred to as hell and it´s much cooler this week. I´m grateful. I guess it must only be in the 90´s. So far I´m coping. I see this as a test as to whether I could live here for more than a few days. I´m managing to enjoy myself, but looking forward to getting back up into the mountains.
For those of you holding our team and local partners in prayer, here are some activities to be aware of :
Soon we will travel to Micoahumado (in the south of Bolivar province, for those of you who like to look at maps). Today we got to see an example of the type of motorized canoe we´ll travel in. It´s hopefully only about a 6-hour trip, 3 by boat and 3 by truck. I´m responsible for leading worship for the team on Wednesday, as we bump along in the back of a truck. :)
On Saturday our team will do our public action. We have chosen women´s rights as our
theme. Prayers for our partners who plan to join us are encouraged.
On Monday we´ll head back to Bogota, and in the afternoon we´ll divide into two groups to visit the U.S. and Canadian embassies.
I told some of you that I expected to lose weight on this trip. Silly me! Despite lots of walking, we are being fed royally. One of my favorites I remember from my student days are the fried platanos. I also love a common type of red beans (called red balls because of their size). Every time we visit someone, they want to feed us. We´re definitely eating well!
We did get a couple of hours in Bogota to do some sightseeing last week, and took a
cablecar up Monserrate, a hill which looks over Bogota and has a church on the top, plus the stations of the cross on a path along the hillside. I hiked up the hill as a student years ago, but was grateful to take the quick way up and down this time around.
This afternoon we took a couple of hours for a tour around Barrancabermeja with an
university professor... He is extremely knowledgeable about the history (geological, cultural, and political) of the region, and I could have listened to him and talked with him for hours more. Really interesting tour!
One of the things we stopped to see is the Christ of the oil, a HUGE figure of Christ erected by oil workers, made out of oilpipes of course. An indication of how oil is thought of around here!
Oh, another thing I´m enjoying is all of the flowers! Gorgeous!! Some very different than those I saw in Central America, but lots of bright colors and variety. Today I saw some gorgeous colorful birds as well as a very graceful white egret (large) over a lake. As I said, it´s a beautiful country! The oil refinery is not so beautiful, and I´m amazed that quite a diversity of wildlife has managed to survive (including several types of alligators, birds, fish, and mammals).
One of the things we´ve been hearing lots about is the extreme wealth of natural
resources in Colombia. Minerals, biological diversity, and more. The people, of course, are quite a wonderful resource as well. One can see why multinationals are so interested in being here.
That´s about all I can say now. I really am enjoying myself, despite the heat and the serious nature of our mission. I´m so eager to share lots about the trip when I get home!
[To my monthly meeting, your letter of greeting was much appreciated, and partners were pleased and grateful to hear that I represent others who are praying for them.]
"Nonviolence means avoiding not only external physical violence but also internal
violence of spirit. You not only refuse to shoot a man, but you refuse to hate him."
-- Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929-1968) USA
I´m getting used to internet cafes now. We´re in Barrancabermeja
(arrived yesterday), the major oil city of Colombia and a very important city in many respects. One indication of its strategic importance is that after miles of land with no signs of ¨civilization¨ Barrancabermeja has power lines, oil pipelines to the coast, railroad lines, highways, the river which is a major transportation highway, and more.
I have to say, I love Colombia! I had forgotten how much. I had some bad memories from my time here as a student (28 years ago), and used to refer to my time here as a ¨growing experience.¨I had forgotten all of the things I enjoyed and loved. It´s a beautiful country! I commented calmly last night to a teammate that I´m enjoying the country, and she said it shows, that I look like I´ve found home.
One experience of coming home wherever I travel is meeting Friends (Religious Society of Friends). Saturday night, our last night in Bogota, I went to meet the clerk of Bogota Monthly Meeting and her husband. Most of our team ended up going to a party at our leader´s home, where his girlfriend´s family performed Colombian folk music and dancing. I was very sorry to have missed that, and at the same time I know that visiting the local Friends was what I needed. It was coming home. That´s one thing I love so much about the Religious Society of Friends, that I can meet Friends I´ve never met before and feel relaxed and calmed and treated like family.
As expected, Barrancabermeja is HOT! Actually, our leader told us it´s not as hot as usual, that January is usually referred to as hell and it´s much cooler this week. I´m grateful. I guess it must only be in the 90´s. So far I´m coping. I see this as a test as to whether I could live here for more than a few days. I´m managing to enjoy myself, but looking forward to getting back up into the mountains.
For those of you holding our team and local partners in prayer, here are some activities to be aware of :
Soon we will travel to Micoahumado (in the south of Bolivar province, for those of you who like to look at maps). Today we got to see an example of the type of motorized canoe we´ll travel in. It´s hopefully only about a 6-hour trip, 3 by boat and 3 by truck. I´m responsible for leading worship for the team on Wednesday, as we bump along in the back of a truck. :)
On Saturday our team will do our public action. We have chosen women´s rights as our
theme. Prayers for our partners who plan to join us are encouraged.
On Monday we´ll head back to Bogota, and in the afternoon we´ll divide into two groups to visit the U.S. and Canadian embassies.
I told some of you that I expected to lose weight on this trip. Silly me! Despite lots of walking, we are being fed royally. One of my favorites I remember from my student days are the fried platanos. I also love a common type of red beans (called red balls because of their size). Every time we visit someone, they want to feed us. We´re definitely eating well!
We did get a couple of hours in Bogota to do some sightseeing last week, and took a
cablecar up Monserrate, a hill which looks over Bogota and has a church on the top, plus the stations of the cross on a path along the hillside. I hiked up the hill as a student years ago, but was grateful to take the quick way up and down this time around.
This afternoon we took a couple of hours for a tour around Barrancabermeja with an
university professor... He is extremely knowledgeable about the history (geological, cultural, and political) of the region, and I could have listened to him and talked with him for hours more. Really interesting tour!
One of the things we stopped to see is the Christ of the oil, a HUGE figure of Christ erected by oil workers, made out of oilpipes of course. An indication of how oil is thought of around here!
Oh, another thing I´m enjoying is all of the flowers! Gorgeous!! Some very different than those I saw in Central America, but lots of bright colors and variety. Today I saw some gorgeous colorful birds as well as a very graceful white egret (large) over a lake. As I said, it´s a beautiful country! The oil refinery is not so beautiful, and I´m amazed that quite a diversity of wildlife has managed to survive (including several types of alligators, birds, fish, and mammals).
One of the things we´ve been hearing lots about is the extreme wealth of natural
resources in Colombia. Minerals, biological diversity, and more. The people, of course, are quite a wonderful resource as well. One can see why multinationals are so interested in being here.
That´s about all I can say now. I really am enjoying myself, despite the heat and the serious nature of our mission. I´m so eager to share lots about the trip when I get home!
[To my monthly meeting, your letter of greeting was much appreciated, and partners were pleased and grateful to hear that I represent others who are praying for them.]
"Nonviolence means avoiding not only external physical violence but also internal
violence of spirit. You not only refuse to shoot a man, but you refuse to hate him."
-- Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929-1968) USA
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
First News Post From Colombia
Listserve Post Jan 19 2008, 4:42 pm
Hi everyone! This is my very first time using an internet cafe. One more step into the technological world. I´ll type as long as I have time for, not much.
CPT was correct in saying that our time would be intense, and we´re still in Bogota. We´ve spoken with a variety of peace & human rights workers, adults, children, long-time pacifists and former FARC, ELN, & paras (meaning the guerrilla groups and the paramilitaries), an NGO to ban landmine use (and care for victims), and more. Having read up on this before I came, much of the information I´m getting is not new, yet the impact is. I am also learning a great deal. Reading about torture, and break-ins and robberies of peace & justice offices, and kidnappings, and e-mail threats, is very different than sitting in front of the people directly involved and hearing about it from their mouths, and the effects on the community. Last night I was feeling very convicted that I cared less from reading than from knowing people. Not that I didn´t care in the U.S.A. -- that´s why I´m here. But the fact that unless I have met the people I was not as affected emotionally is not something I´m proud of.
I keep asking people what I should tell people back home. Here are the responses (my paraphrasing) in order of frequency : 1) Colombia is a wonderful place with wonderful people. We are not all about violence and drugs. We want peace and actively work for peace. We are happy, we love jokes, we laugh a lot, we enjoy life. WE HAVE HOPE! It´s a beautiful country. We are rich in resources, not just natural resources of the earth but in Colombia´s people. There is an active peace movement in Colombia. 2) The Free Trade Agreement is horrible for Colombia, very harmful to the peace process, and only rewards the people most responsible for human rights violations and crimes against the people. 3) Issues which are not talked about in the international media, such as the fact that Colombia is the only country in this hemisphere where new landmines are laid daily, and an average of 3 people per day die from landmines (doesn´t count wounded, and those not reported). Currently Colombia is the country with the highest number of landmine injuries in the world. Other issues : Privitization of mines and many other resources. HUGE number of displaced people. Multinational corporation´s influence and responsibility for many problems in the country. 4) People want peace.
There´s more, but I´m short on time. Part of my challenge when I get home will be trying to condense much of what I´ve heard into segments to go with our country´s soundbite mentality. I feel an obligation to give these people voices in our country, and that´s hard to do in 5 to 10 minute talks.
People are extremely generous! The fact is, too, that people are taking great risks and teaching us much. You all, my friends and family, think of me as taking a risk. Others on my team have commented on the same thing. People think we´re the brave ones, yet the really brave ones are the people here, living out peace and living in hope and refusing to give up. CPT´ers would know nothing without our local partners teaching us, telling us what´s useful, what to be cautious of, etc. They´re amazing!
Running short on time. The team is great! Two other Friends (Religious Society of Friends), both from Minnesota, and a variety of others. 1 Colombian, 1 Brit, 1 Canadian, and 6 from U.S.A. 9 in all including Rachel, our liaison with the CPT team in Barrancabermeja.
Please pray for our partners here in Colombia. I have many stories to tell. Thank you all SO much for your support! I carry your support with me.
Tonight (late) I´ll visit Bogota Friends.
"Nonviolence means avoiding not only external physical violence but also internal violence of spirit. You not only refuse to shoot a man, but you refuse to hate him."
-- Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929-1968) USA
Hi everyone! This is my very first time using an internet cafe. One more step into the technological world. I´ll type as long as I have time for, not much.
CPT was correct in saying that our time would be intense, and we´re still in Bogota. We´ve spoken with a variety of peace & human rights workers, adults, children, long-time pacifists and former FARC, ELN, & paras (meaning the guerrilla groups and the paramilitaries), an NGO to ban landmine use (and care for victims), and more. Having read up on this before I came, much of the information I´m getting is not new, yet the impact is. I am also learning a great deal. Reading about torture, and break-ins and robberies of peace & justice offices, and kidnappings, and e-mail threats, is very different than sitting in front of the people directly involved and hearing about it from their mouths, and the effects on the community. Last night I was feeling very convicted that I cared less from reading than from knowing people. Not that I didn´t care in the U.S.A. -- that´s why I´m here. But the fact that unless I have met the people I was not as affected emotionally is not something I´m proud of.
I keep asking people what I should tell people back home. Here are the responses (my paraphrasing) in order of frequency : 1) Colombia is a wonderful place with wonderful people. We are not all about violence and drugs. We want peace and actively work for peace. We are happy, we love jokes, we laugh a lot, we enjoy life. WE HAVE HOPE! It´s a beautiful country. We are rich in resources, not just natural resources of the earth but in Colombia´s people. There is an active peace movement in Colombia. 2) The Free Trade Agreement is horrible for Colombia, very harmful to the peace process, and only rewards the people most responsible for human rights violations and crimes against the people. 3) Issues which are not talked about in the international media, such as the fact that Colombia is the only country in this hemisphere where new landmines are laid daily, and an average of 3 people per day die from landmines (doesn´t count wounded, and those not reported). Currently Colombia is the country with the highest number of landmine injuries in the world. Other issues : Privitization of mines and many other resources. HUGE number of displaced people. Multinational corporation´s influence and responsibility for many problems in the country. 4) People want peace.
There´s more, but I´m short on time. Part of my challenge when I get home will be trying to condense much of what I´ve heard into segments to go with our country´s soundbite mentality. I feel an obligation to give these people voices in our country, and that´s hard to do in 5 to 10 minute talks.
People are extremely generous! The fact is, too, that people are taking great risks and teaching us much. You all, my friends and family, think of me as taking a risk. Others on my team have commented on the same thing. People think we´re the brave ones, yet the really brave ones are the people here, living out peace and living in hope and refusing to give up. CPT´ers would know nothing without our local partners teaching us, telling us what´s useful, what to be cautious of, etc. They´re amazing!
Running short on time. The team is great! Two other Friends (Religious Society of Friends), both from Minnesota, and a variety of others. 1 Colombian, 1 Brit, 1 Canadian, and 6 from U.S.A. 9 in all including Rachel, our liaison with the CPT team in Barrancabermeja.
Please pray for our partners here in Colombia. I have many stories to tell. Thank you all SO much for your support! I carry your support with me.
Tonight (late) I´ll visit Bogota Friends.
"Nonviolence means avoiding not only external physical violence but also internal violence of spirit. You not only refuse to shoot a man, but you refuse to hate him."
-- Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929-1968) USA
Colombia Churches Statement
Here is some background information for our CPT Delegation.
Listserve Post Sent By Delegation Coordinator : Tuesday, January 15, 2008 3:00 PM
SANCTUARIES OF PEACE - A MESSAGE FROM THE CHURCHES IN COLOMBIA WHERE THE VISION COMES FROM
Historically, Colombia has been one of the world's most violent nations.
This violence, in its multiple manifestations, has affected all sectors of
local, regional, and national life. Today, countless Colombian families
endure the pain of violent conflict without seeing any clear direction to
hope and peace.
Yet in the midst of the complexity, the tears, the misery, the hunger, and
the injustice, many communities have felt the call to solidarity.
Individuals, churches and institutions have been engaging in gatherings for
discernment around this call to solidarity. It is the call of Jesus Christ
to his people to respond to the pain, to the cry of a suffering people, and
to the need for a message and for action which offer alternatives of hope.
In this context the vision of Sanctuaries of Peace emerges from and for the
Church as a proposal for reflection and action.
WHY THIS VISION?
Jesus Christ has shown the world his Gospel of peace, and we have understood it as a Christian alternative to violence. We have understood that we are called "not to the heroic life of strong men and women, but to a community of brothers and sisters in which men and women give testimony to the Lord whose Spirit lives in their midst through life together, through forgiveness and mutual reconciliation, through fraternal admonishment, and through the joyful willingness to share the other person's burdens. It is a community which defines itself in terms of those who give their lives one for the other (I John 3:16)." This call to be a seedbed for a Christian alternative to the violence in our country implies presenting Jesus as the mediator of a new pact among Colombian men and women, and from there to develop and offer as a service the gifts, talents and ministries that we have inherited from our forebears in the faith.
WHAT IS A SANCTUARY OF PEACE
In the Old Testament, the Temple and selected cities were designated as
refuge where people being persecuted could be protected from death, places
where they could receive consolation and encouragement. In the history of
Christianity, there are examples in which this idea has been put into
practice. Here we share what a Sanctuary of Peace could be in Colombia:
It is a people, filled with the Spirit and using their gifts, talents and
ministries, who receive persons affected by the material and spiritual war
in our country, affirming them in the Gospel of peace of our Lord Jesus
Christ, and seeking their personal, family, spiritual and social recovery,
and their holistic redemption in God.
It is a message of nonviolence that discerns the times from the perspective of the Gospel and calls to the repentance of the Kingdom. It fosters the formation of people for a peaceful and reconciled life, and for the nonviolent transformation of conflicts. It promotes conscientious objection to military training and practice. And on the basis of these initiatives it rebuilds the social fabric of our country.
It is a physical space or a territory of peace that proclaims itself publicly so and expects to be respected from all violation by force. It makes possible face-to-face encounters among opponents, debates and public discussions, and times of prayer and reflection where all those who wish can feel safe and protected. It is a refuge for people persecuted for their convictions or affected by violence and injustice. It is a place of protection under the care of the community of faith.
WHAT TO DO AS CHURCHES
As churches in Colombia we are considering what needs to be done. We also want to build to build on the worldwide presence of churches and their institutions, and together discern before God and as a church what it means to be a Sanctuary of Peace. Here we offer some possible lines of action for sisters and brothers outside Colombia: Dedicate a Sunday service to Colombian sisters and brothers, and have
periods of prayer and fasting. Collect special offerings and mobilize resources for nonviolent peace efforts being carried out by churches and church institutions in Colombia (II Cor. 8:8).
Sponsor and promote exchanges and links of solidarity among persons from your country and Colombia as a way of broadening the relationships at local church levels (Acts 16:9).
Organize groups of friends of the Colombian peace process and initiate a reflection in the church congregation or other church settings to consider sister relationships among congregations, among young people, among women, among refugees affected by war in different countries, and with other groups which support peace processes in Colombia (Prov. 17:17; II Timothy 1:16-17).
Hold meetings to identify the different dimensions of the social conflict in Colombia and the possible relation to the policies and the social and economic situation of your country.
Support actions that call attention to injustice; gather signatures, inform the public, pressure your government.
Plan opportunities for reflection and action on topics of justice, human rights, forgiveness and reconciliation.
Offer your church facilities to host encounters for recognition, reparation and reconciliation among victims and offenders in your own communities (Rom 5:11, II Cor. 5:18-20).
Offer care and refuge to persons persecuted in violation of their human rights (Num. 35:11-12, Ex. 21:13).
Carry out actions of solidarity to support those Colombians, young and old, who seek nonviolent alternatives to military recruitment for serving their country (Mt 5:38-47).
Obtain up-to-date information and proposals for action from organizations documenting legislation in your country that is pertinent to Colombia. Support your denominational office that witnesses to your government, and seek its orientation for action.
Collaborate with other groups in your country that support the peace process in Colombia (Mt 5:9).
Share this vision with others, church-related and secular.
Send us your ideas for action so that we can share then wilh other churches.
For information:
Centro Cristiano para Justicia, Paz y Acción Noviolenta,
JUSTAPAZ
Avenida (Calle) 32 No. 14-42
Santa Fe de Bogotá. Colombia
e-mail: justa...@colnodo.apc.org
"SANCTUARIES OF PEACE"
A VISION FOR A MESSAGE OF PEACE AND ACTION FOR THE PEOPLE OF GOD
--a proposal being jointly developed by Colombian churches and their institutions under the guidance of the Spirit to be lived out today and in the new millenium.
AN INVITATION AND A PROMISE
We live in times of danger, and as Christians we are not exempt (Jeremiah 45:1-5, John 16:33). This is an invitation to recognize that God has placed us in Colombia in these times to help, to bring the message and action for salvation (Esther 4:12-13). Our Lord Jesus Christ goes before us, and he invites us to follow him (Hebrews 12:1-3). The promise is that the Lord is with us. The Lord has overcome the world
(John 16:33). The promise is that "in days to come the mountain of the Lord's house will be established.nation shall not lift up sword against nation.and no one shall make them afraid.." (Micah 4).
______________
Christian Peacemaker Teams
PO Box 6508
Chicago, IL 60680-6508
Phone: 773-277-0253, Fax: 773-277-0291
Website: www.cpt.org
Listserve Post Sent By Delegation Coordinator : Tuesday, January 15, 2008 3:00 PM
SANCTUARIES OF PEACE - A MESSAGE FROM THE CHURCHES IN COLOMBIA WHERE THE VISION COMES FROM
Historically, Colombia has been one of the world's most violent nations.
This violence, in its multiple manifestations, has affected all sectors of
local, regional, and national life. Today, countless Colombian families
endure the pain of violent conflict without seeing any clear direction to
hope and peace.
Yet in the midst of the complexity, the tears, the misery, the hunger, and
the injustice, many communities have felt the call to solidarity.
Individuals, churches and institutions have been engaging in gatherings for
discernment around this call to solidarity. It is the call of Jesus Christ
to his people to respond to the pain, to the cry of a suffering people, and
to the need for a message and for action which offer alternatives of hope.
In this context the vision of Sanctuaries of Peace emerges from and for the
Church as a proposal for reflection and action.
WHY THIS VISION?
Jesus Christ has shown the world his Gospel of peace, and we have understood it as a Christian alternative to violence. We have understood that we are called "not to the heroic life of strong men and women, but to a community of brothers and sisters in which men and women give testimony to the Lord whose Spirit lives in their midst through life together, through forgiveness and mutual reconciliation, through fraternal admonishment, and through the joyful willingness to share the other person's burdens. It is a community which defines itself in terms of those who give their lives one for the other (I John 3:16)." This call to be a seedbed for a Christian alternative to the violence in our country implies presenting Jesus as the mediator of a new pact among Colombian men and women, and from there to develop and offer as a service the gifts, talents and ministries that we have inherited from our forebears in the faith.
WHAT IS A SANCTUARY OF PEACE
In the Old Testament, the Temple and selected cities were designated as
refuge where people being persecuted could be protected from death, places
where they could receive consolation and encouragement. In the history of
Christianity, there are examples in which this idea has been put into
practice. Here we share what a Sanctuary of Peace could be in Colombia:
It is a people, filled with the Spirit and using their gifts, talents and
ministries, who receive persons affected by the material and spiritual war
in our country, affirming them in the Gospel of peace of our Lord Jesus
Christ, and seeking their personal, family, spiritual and social recovery,
and their holistic redemption in God.
It is a message of nonviolence that discerns the times from the perspective of the Gospel and calls to the repentance of the Kingdom. It fosters the formation of people for a peaceful and reconciled life, and for the nonviolent transformation of conflicts. It promotes conscientious objection to military training and practice. And on the basis of these initiatives it rebuilds the social fabric of our country.
It is a physical space or a territory of peace that proclaims itself publicly so and expects to be respected from all violation by force. It makes possible face-to-face encounters among opponents, debates and public discussions, and times of prayer and reflection where all those who wish can feel safe and protected. It is a refuge for people persecuted for their convictions or affected by violence and injustice. It is a place of protection under the care of the community of faith.
WHAT TO DO AS CHURCHES
As churches in Colombia we are considering what needs to be done. We also want to build to build on the worldwide presence of churches and their institutions, and together discern before God and as a church what it means to be a Sanctuary of Peace. Here we offer some possible lines of action for sisters and brothers outside Colombia: Dedicate a Sunday service to Colombian sisters and brothers, and have
periods of prayer and fasting. Collect special offerings and mobilize resources for nonviolent peace efforts being carried out by churches and church institutions in Colombia (II Cor. 8:8).
Sponsor and promote exchanges and links of solidarity among persons from your country and Colombia as a way of broadening the relationships at local church levels (Acts 16:9).
Organize groups of friends of the Colombian peace process and initiate a reflection in the church congregation or other church settings to consider sister relationships among congregations, among young people, among women, among refugees affected by war in different countries, and with other groups which support peace processes in Colombia (Prov. 17:17; II Timothy 1:16-17).
Hold meetings to identify the different dimensions of the social conflict in Colombia and the possible relation to the policies and the social and economic situation of your country.
Support actions that call attention to injustice; gather signatures, inform the public, pressure your government.
Plan opportunities for reflection and action on topics of justice, human rights, forgiveness and reconciliation.
Offer your church facilities to host encounters for recognition, reparation and reconciliation among victims and offenders in your own communities (Rom 5:11, II Cor. 5:18-20).
Offer care and refuge to persons persecuted in violation of their human rights (Num. 35:11-12, Ex. 21:13).
Carry out actions of solidarity to support those Colombians, young and old, who seek nonviolent alternatives to military recruitment for serving their country (Mt 5:38-47).
Obtain up-to-date information and proposals for action from organizations documenting legislation in your country that is pertinent to Colombia. Support your denominational office that witnesses to your government, and seek its orientation for action.
Collaborate with other groups in your country that support the peace process in Colombia (Mt 5:9).
Share this vision with others, church-related and secular.
Send us your ideas for action so that we can share then wilh other churches.
For information:
Centro Cristiano para Justicia, Paz y Acción Noviolenta,
JUSTAPAZ
Avenida (Calle) 32 No. 14-42
Santa Fe de Bogotá. Colombia
e-mail: justa...@colnodo.apc.org
"SANCTUARIES OF PEACE"
A VISION FOR A MESSAGE OF PEACE AND ACTION FOR THE PEOPLE OF GOD
--a proposal being jointly developed by Colombian churches and their institutions under the guidance of the Spirit to be lived out today and in the new millenium.
AN INVITATION AND A PROMISE
We live in times of danger, and as Christians we are not exempt (Jeremiah 45:1-5, John 16:33). This is an invitation to recognize that God has placed us in Colombia in these times to help, to bring the message and action for salvation (Esther 4:12-13). Our Lord Jesus Christ goes before us, and he invites us to follow him (Hebrews 12:1-3). The promise is that the Lord is with us. The Lord has overcome the world
(John 16:33). The promise is that "in days to come the mountain of the Lord's house will be established.nation shall not lift up sword against nation.and no one shall make them afraid.." (Micah 4).
______________
Christian Peacemaker Teams
PO Box 6508
Chicago, IL 60680-6508
Phone: 773-277-0253, Fax: 773-277-0291
Website: www.cpt.org
Peacemaker Delegation Arrives in Bogota
Listerve Post From CPT Delegation Coordinator : Thursday, January 17, 2008 10:15 AM
Peacemaker Delegation Arrives in Bogota
Nine members of a delegation sponsored by Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) arrived in Bogota, Colombia yesterday evening. Over the next few days, the delegation will meet with church leaders and people displaced by Colombia's decades-long insurgency-counterinsurgency war, as well as with representatives of human rights organizations. Then the delegates will travel to the industrial city Barrancabermeja and the southern region of Bolivar province, where communities are threatened by the presence of several armed groups.
Members of CPT's January 16-29 Colombia delegation are Susan Lee Barton (Richmond, Indiana), Martin Bates (Salina, Kansas), Mary Benson (Brainerd, Minnesota), Doris Braley (New Brighton, Minnesota), Tyler Braun (Montreal, Quebec), Rachel Cloud (Eudora, Kansas), Paul Mukerji (Birmingham, England), Janie Stein (Salina, Kansas) and Jonathan Stucky (Bogota, Colombia).
Christian Peacemaker Teams is an initiative of the historic peace churches (Mennonites, Church of the Brethren, and Quakers) with support and membership from a range of Catholic and Protestant denominations. CPT has had a continuing presence in Colombia since May 2001.
______________
Christian Peacemaker Teams
PO Box 6508
Chicago, IL 60680-6508
Phone: 773-277-0253, Fax: 773-277-0291
Website: www.cpt.org
Peacemaker Delegation Arrives in Bogota
Nine members of a delegation sponsored by Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) arrived in Bogota, Colombia yesterday evening. Over the next few days, the delegation will meet with church leaders and people displaced by Colombia's decades-long insurgency-counterinsurgency war, as well as with representatives of human rights organizations. Then the delegates will travel to the industrial city Barrancabermeja and the southern region of Bolivar province, where communities are threatened by the presence of several armed groups.
Members of CPT's January 16-29 Colombia delegation are Susan Lee Barton (Richmond, Indiana), Martin Bates (Salina, Kansas), Mary Benson (Brainerd, Minnesota), Doris Braley (New Brighton, Minnesota), Tyler Braun (Montreal, Quebec), Rachel Cloud (Eudora, Kansas), Paul Mukerji (Birmingham, England), Janie Stein (Salina, Kansas) and Jonathan Stucky (Bogota, Colombia).
Christian Peacemaker Teams is an initiative of the historic peace churches (Mennonites, Church of the Brethren, and Quakers) with support and membership from a range of Catholic and Protestant denominations. CPT has had a continuing presence in Colombia since May 2001.
______________
Christian Peacemaker Teams
PO Box 6508
Chicago, IL 60680-6508
Phone: 773-277-0253, Fax: 773-277-0291
Website: www.cpt.org
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