Obama Victory: What does it mean for Latin America?

November 26, 2008

The historic win of Barack Obama as the next president of the United States is celebrated around the world. President-elect Obama ran a campaign that promised big changes in our approach to foreign policy. 

What do the results of the elections mean for our closest neighbors to the South? Rebecca Bartel, MCC’s Latin America policy analyst, writes on the implications for future U.S. policy towards Latin America.

Read Rebecca’s analysis and send a personalized letter to Obama congratulating him on his historic win and calling for needed change for Latin America.

Leave a Comment » | Latin America/Caribbean | Tagged: , , | Permalink
Posted by Theo Sitther

“Election Reflections”

November 21, 2008
President-Elect Barack Obama. Photo taken by the Center for American Progress Action Fund.

President-Elect Barack Obama. Photo taken by the Center for American Progress Action Fund.

Rachelle Lyndaker Schlabach writes in PeaceSigns about the significance of President-Elect Barack Obama’s win on efforts to combat racism in the United States:

Whether one agrees with Obama’s politics or not, no one can doubt the uniqueness of this election. For the first time a majority white country has elected a non-white president. As so many commentators have pointed out–and as the wave of inauguration ticket-seekers reveals–the significance for our country is huge.

Paradoxically, Obama’s election also has the potential to disguise the racism that is still so present in our society. Some will no doubt argue that racism no longer exists if an African-American can be elected to the highest office in the land. This is clearly not the case.

A few statistics provide a stark reminder of just how deeply racism is embedded in the structures of our society. The average total net worth of African-American families is about one-tenth that of white families. In 2006, about 8 percent of whites lived in poverty, compared to about 21 percent of Latinos and 24 percent of African-Americans. Read the rest of this entry »

Leave a Comment » | Articles, Civil Rights | Permalink
Posted by Rachelle Lyndaker Schlabach

Waging Peace in Sudan

November 21, 2008

Sudan Web Campaign

Five years ago, the crisis in the region of Darfur erupted. The conflict has killed 300,000 and forced another two million to flee their homes.  In 2005, the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) was signed by the conflicting groups.  Last year, African Union and United Nations peacekeeping troops (UNAMID) arrived in Sudan. Despite the signing of the CPA and UNAMID’s presence, the Sudanese people still live in danger and insecurity.

The International Criminal Court’s warrant for arrest of current President Omar al-Bashir is a step forward in achieving justice for Sudan.  The court accused him of war crimes including genocide, crimes against humanity, and murder.  These accusations show how directly the Sudanese government is involved in the conflict and how the people are unable to protect themselves.  The government of Sudan continues to claim innocence despite the ongoing humanitarian crisis that has cost thousands of lives.  Further, international bodies are far from stopping it.

UNAMID is unable to gain control and influence the crisis because of the small number of troops and disagreements about their responsibilities.  A recent IRIN article discussed some of UNAMID’s tasks, including the responsibility

“to engage in high risk assignments and the protection of people in imminent danger, preventing attacks and threats against civilians, and in monitoring and providing security and protection in IDP camps, threatened villages, and migration routes.”

These assignments are simply not enough to effectively protect the people of Sudan, as civilians continue to die and government attacks persist.  As a result, the citizens of Sudan remain unsafe and unprotected.

The international community needs to pressure the government of Sudan to fully implement the CPA and stop militant attacks against its citizens.  Until peace is attained, refugees cannot return to their homes and the country will not rebuild.

Visit mcc.org/sudanaction to learn more about the situation in Sudan and how you can advocate for peace and justice.

By Fithe Heramo

Leave a Comment » | Africa, News Stories, Sudan Web Campaign | Permalink
Posted by Mary Stata

Event Alert: Natives of the Americas Appreciation Celebration

November 5, 2008

Last week I passed along an invitation to those of you in the DC area about an event next week at the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian.

I want to pass along another event opportunity, this time for folks in the Lancaster area:

Millersville University is hosting a Natives of the Americas Appreciation Celebration on Saturday, November 15, 12:00-7:00 p.m. in the SMC Building. The celebration includes speakers and musical guests, food, dance, art, games, crafts and displays. Suggested donation for adults, $8.00, students, $5.00, children under 12 are free.

For more information, visit: http://circlelegacycenter.org/celebration.html

MCC’s Return to the Earth Project, which seeks to respectfully bury the more than 100,000 unidentified Native remains scattered in museums in universities around the country, will have a display at the event.

Leave a Comment » | Events, Native American | Permalink
Posted by Rachelle Lyndaker Schlabach

For the Next President: Change Course in Colombia

November 4, 2008

A Compass for Colombia Policy

It’s election day, finally. Citizens are out in force voting for the next president. Whoever gets elected will face enormous challenges; but there are also opportunities for reform and change. 

Colombia was never a central theme in the presidential campaigns, however the issue surfaced a few times. In the final presidential debate, during a contentious exchange on free trade, Senators John McCain and Barack Obama expressed markedly different opinions on U.S. policy in Colombia. Yet the next U.S. president won’t just be debating policy, he will be making it–and in the case of Colombia, a new approach, not simply changes along the margins, is critical.

A Compass for Colombia Policy, a new report written by some of Washington’s top Colombia experts, makes a detailed case for a new U.S. approach that uses tough, smart diplomacy to achieve our goals and strengthen the rule of law in Colombia.

The new administration should use its first one hundred days in office to communicate, at the highest levels, that the United States will:

Support and protect human rights defenders and victims. The U.S. must stand by and empower the truly courageous individuals “human rights advocates, victims, judges, prosecutors, trade leaders, and countless others” who are the driving forces for a more just and peaceful Colombia.

Demand an end to the military’s human rights violations. Despite assurances that the Colombian army’s human rights record would improve with U.S. training, in recent years the army has committed hundreds of extrajudicial killings of unarmed civilians. The State Department should apply the human rights conditions already in law to ensure these abuses are investigated and ended.

Read the rest of this entry »

1 Comment | Latin America/Caribbean, Resources | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Theo Sitther

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