Latest News
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AFJN Event: Seeking Peace and Forgiveness
Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation in Africa What is “restorative justice”, and how is it different from punitive (criminal) justice? How are these methods used in Africa to heal communities after conflict, and how can faith communities in the U.S. integrate these ideas into their communities? Come see the amazing story of Sierra Leone’s “Fambul Tok” documentary Organized…
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CTFA Resource Guide to Bishops’ Letter on Africa
Walking with the Peoples of Africa A CTFA Resource Guide to Accompany the U.S. Catholic Conference of Bishops Statement “A Call to Solidarity with Africa“ The Catholic Task Force on Africa (CTFA) is pleased to offer a resource packet, entitled “Walking with the Peoples of Africa,” which provides information and action suggestions on issues of major…
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Catholic Task Force on Africa: Mission
The Catholic Task Force on Africa (CTFA) was founded almost a decade ago as a coalition of Catholic religious communities and organizations seeking to analyze and influence U.S. policy toward Africa based on principles of Catholic social teaching. It represents a collaborative effort to win Africa higher policy priority among U.S. government policymakers. It is…
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Catholic Task Force on Africa Prepares for Synod
The Catholic Task Force on Africa (CTFA) has announced that it will continue its work of making the US Catholic Bishops’ letter, “A Call to Solidarity with Africa,” better known in dioceses and parishes. The CTFA has already produced a resource guide for Catholics interested in using the Bishops’ letter. The resource guide can be dowloaded…
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Washington Must Reexamine its Relations with Kigali
Congressman Ed Royce, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued a press release today (March 12, 2014) to bring attention to the “Killings of Rwandan Regime Critics Abroad”. In a letter to Secretary of State John Kerry, he writes: “Allowing President Kagame’s violent rhetoric and the slaying of dissidents abroad to go unchecked will…
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US aid to DR Congo: No more free rides for corrupt government officials!
Did you know your tax dollars are subsidizing corrupt bureaucrats in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)? Instead of subsidizing millions of dollars in theft, fraud and unpaid taxes, the US should support civil society which is demanding transparency and good governance. Pouring US tax dollars down the drain doesn’t help us, and it doesn’t help…
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In Memoriam, Scott and Jean Adams
The crisis off the coast of Somalia has become personal for the Africa Faith and Justice Network. On February 18th, 2011 Scott and Jean Adams, members of St. Monica’s Parish in California, were captured by Somali pirates and were killed on February 22, 2011. St. Monica’s Parish is an institutional member of the Africa Faith…
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The U.S must stop subsidizing corruption and impunity in DRC Congo, the case of 3.7 billion in fraud
As the country’s chief financial officer warns Congress that the U-S Treasury will shortly run out of money to pay the nation’s bills, the United States Treasury is preparing to send millions to the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), a nation with billions of dollars from the US, the World Bank,…
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Land Grabs: 19 organizations call on the UN to investigate Herakles Farms’ retaliation against activists in Cameroon
Herakles Farms, a US-based agribusiness, filed a defamation lawsuit against Mr. Nasako Besingi, a Cameroonian activist, in month/year for peacefully protesting against Herakles Farms’ grab of his ancestral land in Southwest Cameroon. If convicted he faces a maximum penalty of 6 months imprisonment and $4,000 in fines, simply for exercising his constitutional right to free…
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Land Grabs: 19 organizations call on the UN to investigate Herakles Farms’ retaliation against activists in Cameroon
Herakles Farms, a US-based agribusiness, filed a defamation lawsuit against Mr. Nasako Besingi, a Cameroonian activist, in month/year for peacefully protesting against Herakles Farms’ grab of his ancestral land in Southwest Cameroon. If convicted he faces a maximum penalty of 6 months imprisonment and $4,000 in fines, simply for exercising his constitutional right to free…
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Land Grabs: Letter to US Company Herakles Farms
We are aware of the signing on November 25, 2013 of the Cameroonian presidential decrees no. 2013/418, no. 2013/417 and no. 2013/416 which finally reduced the size and legalized Herakles Farms land leases under different terms and conditions. Without going in details about the shortcomings of these new leases, to us they stand as confirmation…
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Herakles Farms must stop Unjust Lawsuits Against a Cameroonian Activists
We urge you to cancel the lawsuit Herakles Farms filed against Mr. Nasako Besingi, Managing Director of Struggle to Economize Future Environment (SEFE). Mr. Nasako, who you accuse of bad publicity for speaking out against Herakles’ large-scale palm oil plantation project on his ancestral land, is innocent. He undertook the fundamental and noble duty of…
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The US must hold DRC neighbors accountable says Students, Families and Faculty of Foothills School
On December 4th, 2013, families, teachers and students of Fooothills School of Sciences and Arts sent a letter to President Barak Obama. They urged him to personally call presidents Yoweri Museveni of Uganda and Paul Kagame of Rwanda and encourage them to be partners in building peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)….
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Update on the Empower Africa Project
From the end of September to early October 2013, I was in Accra, Ghana for a series of meetings at the continental headquarters of the Catholic Bishops in Africa and with Archbishop Charles Palmer-Buckle of Accra. The meeting highlighted the importance of taking practical steps to empower African communities to harness their resources to build…
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The Central African Republic: President has resigned
Thousands in the Central African Republic’s capital Bangui are celebrating the resignation of the country’s interim president, although widespread suffering continues. On Thursday January 10, President Michel Djotodia was forced to step down at a meeting of regional leaders in Chad in a move aimed at ending the violence between Muslims and Christians that has…
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Cameroon: President Approves Land Grab Deal with Herakles Farms
Land grabbing is a global issue involving large-scale leasing or buying of land in developing countries by trans- and multinational corporations, often without Proper Free, Prior and Informed Consent (PFPIC) of landowners, and through dealings with corrupt governments. Bahati Jacques, AFJN policy analyst, visited Cameroon in July 2013, to investigate Herakles Farms’ land deals there…
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Fate of Africa’s youngest state lies with U.S. and its allies
Barthelemy Bazemo The memories of the two-decade long civil war leading to the independence of South Sudan in July 2011 are still vivid and fresh in the minds of most South Sudanese and people in the Horn of Africa. At the critical moment in the peace process between the North’s Bashir and the South’s John…
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Remembering Fr. Gerard G. Furlan, sx, Misionary to Sierra Leone West Africa (1980 – 2000)
“Come good and faithful servant; enter into the joy of your Lord.” (Mt 25:21). On December 11th, 2013 in the early hours of the morning, Fr. Gerard G. Furlan, a member of the Xaverian Missionaries, passed away. The previous day, while walking on the grounds of Fatima Shrine, Holliston MA, he fell backwards and hit…
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Young Africa Leadership Initiative: A call for Application
Africa is endowed with abundant natural and human resources and yet it is the poorest continent on the planet. Various factors may account for this state of affairs but the analysis of most experts on Africa seem to point to one major common denominator: the lack of conscientious and visionary leadership. Since the early days…
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Madiba Nelson Mandela: Africa’s Most Distinguished Elder Statesman
Africa’s greatest political icon, former South African President Madiba Nelson Mandela has joined the ranks of Africa’s ancestors. Madiba Mandela was by all accounts one who believed in the goodness of people and had a strong faith in the goodness of human nature. He preached and practiced forgiveness. He was keenly aware of the role…
