Latest News
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“Former Teen Soldier Asks U.S. to Help Work for Peace in Uganda”
“Former Teen Soldier Asks U.S. to Help Work for Peace in Uganda” Catholic News Service article about AFJN-sponsored Northern Uganda Lobby Day
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Bush Announces Special Envoy to Sudan
One day after tens of thousands of activists gathered in New York City to demand the immediate deployment of UN peacekeepers to Darfur, President Bush named Andrew Natsios as Special Envoy to Sudan. This promising development, however, takes place against the backdrop of a rapidly deteriorating situation in Darfur. Earlier this week, the Government of…
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U.S. House to Vote on DRC Bill on October 20th
After passing unanimously in the Senate and being approved by the Committee on International Relations in the U.S. House of Representatives,Senate Bill 2125—the Democratic Republic of the Congo Relief, Security, and Democracy Promotion Act of 2006—will move to the floor of the House where it will be voted on this Wednesday, October 20th. The Act…
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Runoff Elections to Take Place between Presidental Rivals
No clear winner emerged in the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s (DRC) historic Presidential elections last July as both candidates fell short of gaining 50% of the votes. Interim President Joseph Kabila of the Party of People for Reconstruction and Democracy (PPRD) and opposition candidate Jean-Pierre Bemba of the Movement for the Liberation of the Congo…
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Darfur Genocide Continues Two Years After U.S. Acknowledgement
The world continues to watch the horror unfold in Darfur two years after the Bush Administration declared that the atrocities committed in the region amounted to genocide. On the anniversary of that declaration, hundreds of activists congregated with Africa Action in Lafayette Park on Saturday, September 9th to demand immediate deployment of a UN peacekeeping force. The rally…
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African Health Capacity Investment Act of 2006
While the U.S. has made historic investments in the fight against global AIDS, the critical shortage of health care workers and weak health systems remain key bottlenecks to scaling up access to AIDS treatment in resource poor settings. Sustained commitment and creative action are necessary to develop and support the health workforce needed to secure the…
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U.S. Senate to Debate Somalia Resolution
The U.S. Senate is set to debate a resolution calling on the U.S. government to increase its support for “peace, democracy and development in Somalia.” Senate Resolution 460 calls on the President, with the State Department, to develop an “interagency stabilization and reconstruction strategy” for U.S. activity toward Somalia. It further urges the President to…
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Rising Sexual Violence Indication of Darfur Breakdown
Humanitarian organization International Rescue Committee reported this week that more than 200 women have been sexually assaulted in the last five weeks alone around Darfur’s largest displaced camp, Kalma. This alarming trend is yet another sign of the region’s plummeting security situation. 300 women who live in the camp convened a meeting recently to plead for more help…
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Sudanese Bishops Release Statement on the Comprehensive Peace Agreement
The Sudanese Catholic Bishops released a statement on July 25 calling for a more rigorous implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, as well as more concerted efforts for peace throughout Sudan. The statement was openly critical of the widespread corruption within Sudan and the “minimal efforts being exerted by the Government to enforce law and…
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Victim-Activated Landmine Abolition Act of 2006
Landmines and other weapons that do not distinguish between combatants and innocent civilians have been declared inhumane by the international community for nearly 15 years. Since the 1990s, the United States has not exported, produced or used victim-activated weapons. However, the United States remains one of only 13 countries that have yet to enact a…
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Democratic Republic of the Congo Relief, Security, and Democracy Promotion Act
Legislation that would improve U.S. assistance to people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has passed the Senate, and now awaits introduction in the House. Call or write your Representatives in the House and ask that they introduce and expedite passage of the bill! The Democratic Republic of the Congo Relief, Security, and Democracy…
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Congo Awaits Results of Groundbreaking Democratic Elections
The first multiparty elections in 46 years were held in the Democratic Republic of the Congo on Sunday, July 31. At more than fifty thousand voting locations, approximately twenty-five million voters cast ballots after waiting in long but relatively peaceful lines. Overall, the elections took place with few incidents of violence, thanks in large part…
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Catholic Church Considering Change to Stance on Contraceptives
The Catholic Church may be reconsidering its ban on condom use in all circumstances, recognizing the moral predicament faced by HIV-positive spouses, especially in Africa. At the end of April, Cardinal Javier Lozano Barragan, a senior Vatican official, announced that Pope Benedict XVI had requested a report on the possibility of condom use being acceptable…
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Free Trade vs. Fair Trade
So often we hear the phrases “free trade” and “fair trade” intermingled with economic reform and world trade talks. Which is better and why? What do these terms mean for Africa? Our consumerism makes a very big impact on developing nations, whether we realize it or not. Read on to learn more about the kind…
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Darfur Peace Agreement Failing as Security Deteriorates
The hope generated by the signing of the May 5 Darfur Peace Agreement has been shattered, replaced by an ever-growing sense of despair about the prospects for gaining peace. Only one of the rebel groups, a faction of the Sudan Liberation Army led by Minni Minnawi, has signed on. The other two major rebel armies…
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Darfur Peace and Accountability Act of 2006
The violence in Darfur has received significant attention from humanitarian and advocacy groups around the world. Unfortunately, the United States government has stayed largely removed from the conflict, allowing genocide to continue without immediate and urgent action. The Darfur Peace and Accountability Act is one move toward ending the conflict in Sudan, though it needs…
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How Do Your Representatives Vote on African Issues?
One of the most important parts of advocacy work is having the capability and confidence to communicate with our government representatives. As citizens, we have the right to address our representatives with the issues we feel passionate about. As representatives, they have the duty to listen. So how do you know whether your congressmen have…
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Ethiopia Freedom, Democracy, and Human Rights Advancement Act of 2006
On June 27th, the International Relations Committee approved a bill “to encourage and facilitate the consolidation of security, human rights, democracy, and economic freedom in Ethiopia.” For several decades, Ethiopia has been prey to abusive governments that have denied the rights of its people. From the repressive Mengistu Haile Mariam regime to the deterioration of…
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Congolese Bishops Call for Peaceful Political Transition
The Catholic Church spoke with one voice making seven suggestions in a message of hope to the Congolese people. The Cardinal, Archbishops and Bishops, Standing Committee members of the national Episcopal Conference of Congo, (CENCO in French) issued their message following a four-day meeting of the group. Read their suggestions below. The suggestions were: A…
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How You Can Help Advocate for a Peaceful Congo
The best way to receive timely updates and alerts about how to be most effective in advocating for a better future for the people of the Congo is to sign up for our eNetwork at the right of the page. But here are some other ideas: Write an editorial to your local newspaper, visit your member…
