OUR WORK >> BY CONTINENT >> AMERICAS and CARIBBEAN

Latin America and the Caribbean is a region with enormous vitality and the commitment of many organisations working in human rights, reconciliation and peace related issues.

Throughout the years, Pax Christi International has gathered and divulgated information about Latin America (the situation of the refugees in Central America, the plight of indigenous people, the disappearances in Guatemala, and the land conflicts in Brazil, to cite a few examples).

It has also carried out some important fact finding missions and done advocacy work, in particular concerning the violations of Human Rights in several countries in the region.

Pax Christi International has facilitated exchanges between delegates from countries that had experienced similar processes so that they would learn from one another. Examples of this type of intervention are the meetings between people who had experienced the Truth Commission in South Africa with people from El Salvador and Haiti.

Building the American and Caribbean Network

The work of Pax Christi in the Americas and the Caribbean began in earnest in the late 1970s. At that time, the wars and human rights abuses in Central America strongly demanded international action.

In the early eighties, Pax Christi International and its member organisations sent the first of several delegations and fact-finding missions to El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. The consequent reports were published, and advocacy was carried out at the human rights bodies of the United Nations and other organisations.

Pax Christi's work in the region in the 1980s focussed its attention on the situation in Brazil and Haiti. Several international fact-finding missions and visits, especially to Brazil, Haiti and Mexico, were organised. The main aim of these visits was to uncover and report on violence and human rights violations against the population.

Since then, Pax Christi International has been able to build a network of member organisations in Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Guatemala, El Salvador, Puerto Rico, Haiti, United States and Canada. At the same time, good working relationships with NGOs in other Latin American countries have been established as well.

Colombia

Pax Christi International has developed a strong commitment to better understand and contribute to a possible peace process in Colombia. Several member organisations, especially in the Netherlands, Germany, USA and France, have developed projects and contacts with partners, both in Colombia as well as in their own countries, or have been organising solidarity visits to the country.

Delegates of Pax Christi International have visited Colombia several times, and an official international fact-finding visit took place in 2004 in conjunction with Pastoral Social (Caritas Colombia).

As a result of this, a good working relationship has been developed with Pastoral Social and REDEPAZ, which became a member organisation with Pax Christi International.

Haiti

Once again, Haiti has become a focus of Pax Christi attentions in the region. The situation and tensions in this country are being monitored by Pax Christi with the help of our contacts and partners on the ground, especially the National Commission for Justice and Peace.

Along with monitoring the situation in Haiti, Pax Christi advocates on an international level for the respect of human rights in the country. Pax Christi USA organised several delegations and visits to the country and has been able to develop a good working relationship with members of Pax Christi in Haiti.

Regional Consultation

The first Latin American and Caribbean Consultation of Pax Christi International took place in Chaclacayo, Peru in August 2007. The theme of the consultation was “Peace Building through Human Security in Latin America and the Caribbean.” Delegates from more than 30 organisations attended.

HIGHLIGHTS

The report titled “Seeking Peace in Colombia” of the fact-finding visit of a Pax Christi International delegation is available in English and Spanish. The report has been distributed in Colombia as well as in the USA, the European Union and the United Nations.

Several fact-finding visits to Brazil have been organised by Pax Christi International, in conjunction with its member organisation the Pastoral Land Commission, CPT. As a result, submissions have been made to the human rights institutions both in Brazil as well as on the international level.

The 2008 Pax Christi International Peace Award was given to Franciscan Dom Luiz Flávio Cappio, bishop of Barra in the state of Bahia, Brazil, for his nonviolent action in favour of the fisher folk and river inhabitants endangered by the Sâo Francisco river transposition project, as well as to the local community itself that was so active in the movement against the river transposition project.