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Refugees Internally Displaced and Ethnic Minorities
Some preliminary results of the survey carried out by the JPIC office on the priority of the Order related to refugees, displaced people and ethnic minorities were evaluated. To date 52 entities of the Order have replied. The investigative work continues. The replies do not enlighten as to how we might be able to respond to the 1997 General Chapter’s resolution (8,4): "Concerned that the situation of so many people who are forced to abandon their lands, particularly the migrant workers, the refugees, the ethnic minorities solicit the General Definitorium, through the Office of JPIC, in collaboration with all the Conferences and Provinces, to create a network of personnel and resources to intervene in the plight of the refugees" The former Minister General, Bro. John Vaughan, in an open letter to the Order in 1979 called on the brothers to examine ways of helping refugees. It was so inspirational that the Jesuits were prompted to set up the Jesuit Refugee Service. The challenge for all of us is to pursue the Chapter’s mandate doing something concrete and realistic for refugees and internally displaced etc. How can we support brothers already engaged in work related to this priority and how can we encourage our Provinces to co-ordinate their efforts with existing initiatives?
Both Peter Schorr OFM and Gearóid Francisco Ó Conaire on separate occasions visited Montenegro, Albania, Macedonian and Kosho to assess the situation and to look for concrete ways of supporting the people through Franciscan initiatives. We published reports on the visits (c.f. Curia web-page) which along with an appeal made by the Minister General raised approx. US $500,000. Friars in Albania worked in close co-ordination with the diocese and other religious congregations. Through the JPIC office we were able to highlight the plight of the Central American people affected by Hurricane Mitch, those in Colombia affected by the Earthquake, as well as East Timor.
The JPIC conference coordinators at their second meeting in Sarajevo (Oct. ’99), decided to facilitate a sharing by friars involved in refugee work; first at the conference level, and then with representatives of each conference in Spain before August 2000. It is hoped some concrete proposals will emerge: to support existing initiatives as well as encourage a greater involvement by all European provinces with this group of excluded, estimated to be around two million.
The Washington office for Latin America: a service for Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation was inaugurated on December 9, 1999. A full time director will liase with JPIC coordinators from Latin America and deal with four principal issues: Migrant workers, Landless and the Land, Arms Exportation and Detained Disappeared. This initiative is a practical response to tackle the underlying causes of exclusion by directly influencing from Gospel and Franciscan principles the organisations deciding policies who continue to be influenced by special interest groups.
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