SYRIA SANCTIONS PLEA 

In a joint letter to US President Joe Biden, the World Council of Churches (WCC) and ACT Alliance urged that he find ways in which the intended purposes of sanctions can be pursued without harm being inflicted on ordinary Syrians.

“As the ecumenical movement, we are providing humanitarian and spiritual support to Syrians in facing these challenges,” reads the letter. “But we are seeing a continuing outflow of young people migrating to look for a better future abroad, a tide that improved conditions in the country could help turn around.”

Churches and ACT members in Syria have developed institutions that specialise in humanitarian relief and development, and that serve all people without discrimination. “In addition to schools, medical and health facilities, and community centres, psycho-social services are provided, and small businesses supported,” reads the letter.

“However, the humanitarian relief and development efforts are insufficient to counterbalance the widespread suffering caused by international sanctions.”

Though intended to target those in power, such sanctions are in fact having an adverse effect on the basic livelihoods and humanitarian situation of the Syrian population as a whole, especially the poorest and most vulnerable, the letter notes.

“We understand that international sanctions are political and economic instruments against states, organisations and individuals in order to promote respect for international law and human rights, and to respond to threats to international peace and security,” reads the letter. “However, based on the testimonies we have heard and our own observations, we have not seen evidence of the current sanctions achieving these purposes, but rather of them doing harm to the Syrian people.” (WCC)

US PRESBYTERIANS URGED TO SUPPORT ASYLUM SEEKERS

Presbyterian Disaster Assistance took part in an online teach-in in July as part of an effort to get the United States to end policies that make it difficult for asylum seekers at the country’s southern border to find safe haven.

PDA’s Susan Krehbiel spoke during the virtual event by the Interfaith Immigration Coalition, a partnership of faith-based organisations committed to enacting fair and humane immigration reform. The Presbyterian Church (USA) is part of the coalition and the Welcome with Dignity campaign, which also took part in the event.

In addition to first-person testimonials by immigrants, the teach-in provided updates on policies that serve as obstacles to asylum seekers, and attendees were urged to reach out to members of Congress from July 18-29 — “Heal Not Harm” Weeks of Action — to demand the restoration of “life-affirming” asylum policies and the end of Title 42.

“As a person of faith, I come to this webinar feeling sorrow and anger about how much pain exclusionary government policies, such as Title 42, have caused asylum seekers, and yet, I also come with the conviction of my faith teaching to be an agent of healing and hope,” said Krehbiel, Associate for Refugees and Asylum for PDA.

The Trump administration began implementing the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Title 42 policy in 2020, allowing migrants to be expelled without being screened for asylum. The need to protect US citizens from the spread of Covid was cited as a reason.

However, Melina Roche of the Welcome with Dignity campaign told teach-in attendees that “Title 42 uses the pandemic as a guise to expel people back to Mexico or their home country of origin” while “Remain in Mexico forces asylum seekers to wait in Mexico in dangerous conditions” while awaiting a hearing.

“Both of these are unprecedented policies that undermine… our moral and legal obligations to welcome refugees and asylum seekers and combined have essentially closed the border to all seeking safety,” she said. (Darla Carter, Presbyterian News Service)

UK HOSTS FREEDOM OF RELIGION CONFERENCE

A delegation of the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) and representatives of its constituency from the United Kingdom, Kenya and Sri Lanka participated in the recent International Ministerial Conference on Freedom of Religion or Belief 2022. The human rights conference hosted by the UK government in London brought together governments, parliamentarians, faith and belief representatives, and civil society from more than 100 countries to urge increased global action on freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) for everyone.

“We are grateful to the UK government for hosting this Ministerial to highlight persecution of people simply on the basis of their faith. For many years, the WEA has advocated for the rights of everyone to freely practice their faith. We continue to urge governments to ensure that everyone can believe, worship, and live in accordance with their religious beliefs,” said Bishop Dr Thomas Schirrmacher, Secretary General of the WEA. (WEA)