c. 2000 Religion News Service

Humanitarian Groups Tackle Global Relief Challenges

(RNS) Recent natural disasters, the African AIDS crisis and a burgeoning refugee population have stretched resources and complicated assistance efforts, representatives of global relief agencies said at a Washington conference.

More than 160 U.S.-based international humanitarian organizations met in Washington this week (April 17-19) under the banner of InterAction, the American Council for Voluntary International Action.

Conferees lamented the daunting global issues facing relief agencies, and learned about innovations in technology that will either help those in need or further marginalize them.

It has been a difficult year for the group, which includes most of the front-line relief and development voluntary groups such as CARE, the Red Cross, Catholic Relief Services and World Vision. A record number of natural disasters have conspired with man-made catastrophes to keep them busier than ever and tax their resources.

The group also tackled some of the world’s toughest ongoing problems, including the AIDS pandemic in Africa, the growing international refugee population and the struggle over water rights.

But the group also heard about information systems designed to bring developing countries somewhat in line with the global electronic explosion and the “information affluence” that continues to divide the haves and have-nots of the world.

“We are building the country roads that feed into the information superhighway,” said Noah Samara, CEO of World Space Corp., a company aimed at finding ways to bring information to nations lacking basic communication technology.

Other sessions focused on helping member agencies partner with business, government and other groups as well as improving efficiency in delivering emergency supplies to remote regions.

Representatives of Vice President Al Gore and Texas Gov. George W. Bush addressed the gathering, laying out different visions for tackling humanitarian crises in the next administration.

Leon Fuerth, Gore’s national security adviser, acknowledged problems with European partners over peacekeeping efforts in Kosovo, pledged more funds to help deal with the AIDS crisis in Africa, and defended the U.S. refusal to sign the international war crimes provision, saying it does not adequately protect the U.S. military.

Former Ambassador Richard Armitage, speaking for Bush, laid out principles that would guide foreign policy in a Bush administration, including reorganization of government structures, specifically the Agency for International Development. Armitage also said Bush would declare war on all diseases, not just AIDS, and would not favor a limitation on arms exports to African nations but would deal with the “root causes of unrest.”

Vermont Senate Approves Gay Union Legislation

(RNS) Vermont’s Senate approved the nation’s most sweeping same-sex union legislation Wednesday, moving the state closer to granting the most comprehensive “marriage” benefits to gays and lesbians and angering religious conservatives.

In a 19-11 vote, the Senate passed a House bill that grants marriage benefits for gays and lesbians under “civil unions” but reserves traditional marriage for heterosexual couples, press reports said.

The vote makes Vermont the first state to give gays and lesbians a legal rights structure parallel to marriage. Under the bill, homosexuals would be granted rights in medical decision-making, tax benefits and inheritances, among other things.

After some minor language changes are worked out between the Senate and the House, the bill will go to Democratic Gov. Howard Dean, who has said he will sign it.

The state’s Supreme Court ruled last year that homosexual couples could not be denied marriage benefits that heterosexual couples enjoy. The court directed the state to address the situation through legislation, and the House passed the controversial measure in March.

Supporters say the legislation is a bittersweet victory. While the state has gone further than any other state in granting homosexuals marriage benefits, they say they wanted legislation that would make them virtually the same as married couples.

Because the civil unions will not be recognized as marriages _ in either Vermont or any other state _ couples will not have access to certain federal benefits, such as sharing Social Security benefits, immigration status and some tax benefits.

“I have difficulty with separate but equal,” said one supporter, Sandi Cote, who plans to enter into a civil union with her partner of 33 years. “I fought for civil rights down in Alabama in the ’60s. And that’s what this state is letting happen, second-class citizens in the year 2000.”

Religious conservatives blasted the Senate vote, saying that when the gay marriage issue is put to voters _ like in last month’s California referendum that said marriage is reserved for heterosexuals _ people overwhelming reject the concept of equal marriage rights for gays and lesbians.

“The homosexual lobby has sought to achieve in the courts what it cannot accomplish through the open democratic process,” said former Republican presidential candidate Gary Bauer. “Granting same-sex unions the same moral and legal standing as marriage, against the will of the American people, will destroy our most important institution.”

Pax Christi Issues Good Friday Appeal to End Death Penalty

(RNS) A national Catholic peace movement has issued a Good Friday appeal to end the death penalty, going further than a growing chorus of other voices pleading for a moratorium on capital punishment.

Pax Christi USA, a lay-led pacifist organization, said the example of Jesus during Holy Week was one of nonviolence and mercy, not death as punishment and retribution.

“We hope to move the national conversation from punishment of criminals to the restoration of relationships,” said Tom Cordaro, chair of the group’s national council.

An increasing number of religious leaders, led by bishops within the Catholic Church, are calling for a moratorium on the death penalty while federal officials determine if capital punishment discriminates against the poor and minorities.

The moratorium movement was started by Illinois Gov. George Ryan earlier this year. More death penalty convictions in Illinois have been overturned than carried out. Opponents are pleading with President Clinton to issue a federal moratorium, but he has refused to do so.

Religious broadcaster Pat Robertson has entered the debate, saying he favors a moratorium even though he supports the principle of the death penalty. The Rev. Jerry Falwell, usually a Robertson ally, said the only change he supports is shortening the amount of time between convictions and executions.

Pax Christi leaders said sentencing criminals to death only serves to perpetuate the cycle of violence and that the death penalty has never been proven to be an effective deterrent to crime.

“We cannot teach that killing is wrong by killing,” Cordaro said, quoting from a pastoral letter by the nation’s Catholic bishops against the death penalty. “Violence is not the solution; it is the most clear sign of our failures.”

Tired-Looking Pope Asks Priests to Pray for Him

(RNS) A tired-looking Pope John Paul II, opening the three most holy days in the Roman Catholic calendar, appealed to his fellow priests Thursday (April 20) to pray that he may be able to carry out his apostolic mission.

John Paul, who will turn 80 next month, made the appeal after leading more than 1,000 cardinals, archbishops, bishops and priests in renewing their priestly vows during the Holy Thursday Chrism Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica.

“And pray for me, that I may be faithful to the apostolic service entrusted to my humble person,” the pontiff said. “We pray for our Pope John Paul,” the priests responded.

The Chrism Mass on the morning of Holy Thursday and the Mass of the Last Supper in the evening commemorate the institution of holy orders and the eucharist and open the three-day period called the triduum in which Catholics recall the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus.

At the Chrism Mass, John Paul blessed the oils and the mixture of olive oil and balsam called chrism, which will be used in the rites of baptism, ordination and the anointing of the sick and dying.

For the second straight year, the Vatican scheduled the Mass of the Last Supper for St. Peter’s Basilica so John Paul would not have to drive across the Tiber River to the Basilica of St. John Lateran, the cathedral church of Rome, where it traditionally was held.

The pope suffers from a neurological ailment believed to be Parkinson’s disease, which makes it difficult for him to walk and speak clearly.

The Mass of the Last Supper re-enacts Jesus’ final meal with the apostles in the Upper Room in Jerusalem before his betrayal and crucifixion.

Speaking of his Jubilee pilgrimage to the Holy Land last month, the pope said that this year he felt “particular emotion because fresh in my mind and heart is the image of the Upper Room where I had the joy of celebrating the eucharist during my recent jubilee pilgrimage to the Holy Land.

“This emotion is still stronger because this year is the year of the Jubilee, of the 2,000th anniversary of the incarnation,” he said. “Seen in this light, our celebration this evening takes on an especially profound meaning.”

On Good Friday, the day of the crucifixion, the pope will hear confessions and lead a prayer service in St. Peter’s Basilica, then drive to Rome’s ancient Colosseum to walk through the Stations of the Cross from the condemnation of Jesus to his death on the cross and the laying of his body in the tomb.

Some 130,000 people are expected to gather around the amphitheater where early Christians were thrown to the lions. The torch-lit ceremony will end with a papal blessing.

John Paul will celebrate the resurrection with a midnight Mass on Saturday, held for the first time in St. Peter’s Square. After an Easter morning Mass in the flower-banked square, he will deliver his Easter message and greetings to the city of Rome and the world in a televised ceremony.

China Offers to Examine Its Human Rights Record

(RNS) Two days after successfully blocking a U.S. attempt to censure the country in the United Nations because of its human rights record, China announced on Thursday (April 20) that it would be willing to renew human rights talks if Washington first took “concrete actions” to do so.

The announcement came from Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Sun Yuxi, who did not elaborate on the statement, according to the Associated Press. He said human rights talks with Washington had faced “setbacks” within the past year, but cited China’s re-entry to the World Trade Organization as evidence that relations had improved.

Sun said “China-U.S. relations can be improved and developed” if the United States adhered to previous agreements regarding Taiwan.

Meanwhile, a human rights group reported Thursday (April 20) that three Falun Gong practitioners died of beatings or hunger strikes while in custody of Chinese police during the months of March and April.

That increases to 15 the number of Falun Gong followers who have died in police custody since the group was banned last summer, the Information Center for Human Rights and Democracy reported.

One of the three who died may have been cremated while still alive, the Hong Kong-based group reported. Chinese officials dispute some of the group’s claims, contending the deaths of Falun Gong followers were not caused by prison guards, but by natural causes or suicide.

Quote of the Day: Paul Thompson of Project Concern International

(RNS) “Why is the media and the government so consumed with one little boy named Elian while today 11 million children in Africa are orphans because AIDS has killed their parents?”

_ Paul Thompson, president, Project Concern International, speaking at the InterAction Conference in Washington, D.C., on April 19.

KRE END RNS