Theo Sitther writes for PeaceSigns about his recent trip to Haiti: In August, I visited Haiti as part of a delegation of Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) staff. The purpose of this trip was to meet with MCC’s staff in Haiti, connect with partner organizations and to gain a firsthand look at the situation on the…
Mary Stata writes for Third Way Cafe about the ongoing advocacy effort of religious leaders in central Africa to urge a negotiated resolution to the Lord’s Resistance Army conflict. Last May, Congress passed the Lord’s Resistance Army Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act. This bill signals increased US commitment to supporting long term reconstruction for…
Rachelle Lyndaker Schlabach reflects for Third Way Cafe on the words of Amos in light of the relaunch of peace negotiations between Palestine and Israel: Three years ago I stood on a rooftop in the Deheisheh refugee camp in Bethlehem. On a hillside a few miles away I could see the distinctive red roofs of…
What role should a church play in helping youth think through the questions that surround military enlistment? While the military may provide a path toward more education and a stable income for some, it may leave others struggling with life-long physical and emotional scars that stem from the combat environment. Whether you are from a…
25,000 civilians in Southern Sudan’s Western Equatoria state have fled due to fear of the Lord’s Resistance Army. IRIN reports that the LRA are: blamed for some 200 deaths in the state in 2009. Two of the state’s administrative districts or payams – Sangua and Basukangbi – had no inhabitants at all when UN agencies…
Read more Fear of LRA Causes Thousands to Flee in Southern Sudan
Mary Stata writes for PeaceSigns about steps the U.S. can take to prevent violent conflict around the world: “‘An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,’ the old saying goes. Adages about the merits of prevention abound, urging action before a dilemma or problem develops. Despite the prevalence of these truisms, our government…
Uganda’s past elections have been marred by reports of fraud, intimidation, and politically motivated prosecutions of opposition candidates, causing international outcry…the government continues to restrict opposition parties’ freedom of movement and assembly and to impose restrictions on local media… Divisions and upheaval surrounding this February’s elections could undermine the country’s unity and potentially its stability.…
MCC Washington Memo 