We share the grief of the Norwegian people for the lost lives, most of them young people, in the calibrated bombing and shoot-out in a youth camp in Utoya islands last Friday in Norway. We are one with the international call for justice for all the victims, along with their families, friends and the people of Norway.
The twin attacks in Norway, reportedly by a single individual whose prime motivation which is slowly coming to light, is alarmingly slanted towards hatred on the Muslims and immigrants in Norway. We are alarmed that these are aimed at encouraging more extreme rightist Christian ideology, xenophobia, islamophobia, racism and animosity against people of color in Europe. Recently we have just witnessed the attacks on Roma camps and expulsion of the Roma people. [read on]
The WSCF’s Advocacy and Solidarity Committee (ASC) is challenging SCMs across the Federation to take part in our first global campaign on Water Justice. Inspired by students’ global engagement with the WSCF’s 2010 advocacy theme of climate justice, the ASC along with the WSCF Executive Committee is launching the Water Justice Campaign.
As stewards of Creation, water reminds us to connect to most basic elemental level. We recognize that water is a real, universal need and that connects all of God’s world. As Christians, we know that water is a powerful symbol of our thirst for justice, of the power of the Holy Spirit, and of the Wellspring of life in Jesus. [read on]
WSCF Executive Committee
Signed in Beirut, Lebanon in November 2010We, the participants at the WSCF Inter-regional Leadership Training Program on Climate and Eco-justice met in Beirut, Lebanon in conjunction with the Executive Committee Meeting, from October 28 to November 6, 2010. The objective of the Training Conference was to engage the Federation’s leadership to reflect on issues of Climate and eco-justice, the WSCF’s theme for 2010. The conference started with the Universal Day of Prayer for Students, followed by regional presentations about the activities that have taken place in the six regions of the Federation. The sharing of these experiences was the starting point of the work of the conference. [read on]
Orissa is the poorest state in India with official estimate of 39.9 per cent of people living below the poverty line, yet in regard to proposed investment stood at second position after Gujarat. According to Assocham Investment Meter, recorded investment proposals in Orissa reached Rs. 2,00,846 crore (roughly 40 billion USD) in 2009. [read on]
The WSCF calls for an immediate release
The World Student Christian Federation expresses shock and dismay at the arrest and torture of 43 doctors, nurses and community health practitioners by the Armed Forces in the Philippines and the Philippines National Police. Among the arrested Dr. Alexis Montes is a relative of our colleague, World Student Christian Federation Asia Paciϐic Regional Secretary Necta Montes. Dr. Montes, is a devoted doctor who has tirelessly served the poor and marginalized people as the longtime head of the healing and health ministry of the United Church of Christ of the Philippines (UCCP) and the Community Medical Foundation (COMMED), an NGO that provides medical services to community health workers and volunteers working in depressed communities in the Philippines. [read on]
WSCF Asia-Pacific
October 9-15, 2010, Hong KongWe, the participants from Bangladesh, Cambodia, East Timor, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Korea [South], Myanmar, Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Taiwan participated in the World Student Christian Federation Asia-Pacific Region Human Rights, Justice and Peace (HRJP) Workshop held at the YMCA Youth village located at Wu Kai Sha, Hong Kong from 9th to 15th of October 2010, we have thoroughly discussed the human rights violations growing in the region. [read on]
We, the young people of Asia and the Pacific, representing an overwhelming majority in our respective countries, guided by our diverse faiths, confronted by common issues of poverty, wealth, and ecology, have gathered to exchange stories and experiences. Our region is endowed with tremendous beauty and abundance with the capacity to sustain its people for generations to come. Several of our economies are held up as “Asian tigers,” examples of the right path to development. [read on]
We, Anakbayan, League of Filipino Students, Student Christian Movement of the Philippines, National Union of Students of the Philippines and College Editors Guild of the Philippines condemn in the strongest terms the violent dispersal and mass arrests of the youth rally at the Malacañang gates by elements of the Presidential Security Group (PSG) and the Manila Police District - Philippine National Police yesterday, August 19. [read on]
May 2 to 10, 2009, Toronto, Canada
Solidarity Greetings from the WSCF Asia-Pacific region! It is with great happiness and excitement that I convey this message of solidarity to all of you participating in the SHINE Gathering and General Conference of SCM Canada! We stand in solidarity and offer our support to all of you as you affirm your commitment to inclusion and liberation to the LGBTQIA people and all oppressed people in Canada. [read on]
We, concerned individuals and organizations in Hong Kong, declare our support for the struggle for human rights and genuine democracy in Burma. In the last quarter of the previous year, the world has witnessed a resurgence of the democratic movement in Burma. Hundreds of thousands of people untiringly poured out onto the streets in various parts of the country to demand their economic, political, social and cultural rights that have long been neglected and suppressed. [read on]
Daw Sann Sann Tin: Arrested for helping activists to hide and assisting democracy movement since 1988; Ma Sandar Minn: Active since 1988 and being arrested several times because she would not stop demanding democracy and human rights; Ma Nilar Thein: Wanted & listed as “Terrorist!” by the regime. On 21st November she calls for greater security of women’s human rights defender; Mie Mie: Imprisoned previously for her peaceful activism for human rights and democracy. [read on]
Hong Kong Coalition for a Free Burma organized an Interfaith Candlelight Vigil on 9 March, Sunday at Star Ferry area, Kowloon in observance of the Global Day of Prayer for Burma.
The theme of the Vigil was “Justice and freedom for women in Burma,” in view of the International Women’s Day on March 8. [read on]
Hundreds and thousands of women domestic workers in Hong Kong marched to the Central Government Office on 9th March to protest against the injustices against women in low-paying jobs and those considered “unskilled” such as the domestic workers and others in the service sector are subjected to policies that are exploited by employers [read on]
What Israel is doing is not democracy. It is genocide. It is terrorism. This we say as we condemn in the strongest possible terms the Israeli Zionist government for intensifying its military onslaught on the Gaza Strip. It continues to hurl bombs through aerial attacks, fire artillery shelling through naval vessels as its tanks and troops invading Palestinian territory have been strifing at civilians, homes and even medical personnel. [read on]
The WSCF community expresses its solidarity to our brothers and sisters in the Student Christian Movement (SCM) India and the whole Christian community in India. We are deeply concerned about the communal violence in Orissa which has caused the indiscriminate killings of 20 lives, displacement of 50,000 people and the burnings of more than 4,000 homes and churches. [read on]
We the 30 participantsof the WSCF AP Human Rights Workshop on the theme, ‘Youth, Migration and Human Trafficking’ held from 2-10 of June 2008 in Bogor, Jawa Barat, Indonesia, gathered together to learn and share about the social, cultural, gendered, political, religious and economic problems concerning ‘forced’ migration and human trafficking. [read on]
We, the participants of the WSCF Inter-Regional Programme “Migration, Movements and Justice” recognise that migration is an age-old global phenomenon. We recognise that migration is a complex issue and that the reasons motivating migration vary in different contexts. We note that migration has various forms, some positive and some negative. [read on]
In September 2007, WSCF AP together with Human Rights Groups, Civil Society Organizations and Churches in Hong Kong launched a regional campaign for Human Rights in Burma. Candlelight prayer vigils, pickets, forums were held to support the people's protest movement for Peace and Democracy in Burma. [read on]
AAt first I thank all of you for your prayers and solidarity for peace in Pakistan. I am e-mailing to inform you that Mr. Amir Naveed Jeeva, Vice Chairman of SCM Pakistan was arrested for last three days during the protest against the emergency even at present he is vulnerable for further arrests. I would like to request all of you to continue praying for SCM Pakistan and are able leadership of our chairman Mr. Sohail Akhtar. [read on]
We, grassroots organizations, unions, alliances, and federations of foreign migrant domestic workers, nannies, caretakers, caregivers, household service helpers in various countries worldwide, join hands and express in this declaration that:
WE are living witnesses to the grave impacts of neoliberal globalization on our homeland. [read on]
We, the participants of the International Youth Solidarity Mission (IYSM), representing 15 Asia-Pacific countries, held a human rights workshop and subsequently conducted fact-finding missions in the regions of Central Luzon and Bicol from 23-26 June 2007. [read on]
The Singapore government will soon be reviewing its Penal Code which has not been reviewed in 20 years. One of proposed amendments to the Penal Code is on Section 377A which outlaws sex acts between men will not be repealed but laws that criminalise anal and oral sex between opposite-sex couples will be repealed. [read on]
by Melva Sihombing
I’ve read and heard stories about human rights violations in the Philippines but it did not make my “brain bleed” in shock and disbelief until I actually arrived Manila on the 3rd of December, 2006. As a Human Rights intern from WSCF AP, I joined an exposure program with human rights organizations called KARAPATAN. [read on]
Gerakan Mahasiswa Kristen Indonesia - WSCF
September 9, 2006, Parapat, IndonesiaWe, the Student Christian Movements representing the World Student Christian Federation of the Asia-Pacific region, including Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Myanmar, Philippines, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, South Korea, Hong Kong and Taiwan, gathered in Parapat, North Sumatera, from the 3rd to 10th of September 2006, have discussed and addressed neoliberalism and its impact and relation to the burning human rights issues in the Asia-Pacific region. [read on]
World Student Christian Federation - Europe Region
July 28, 2006, BudapestOn the 12th of July, Hisbollah killed eight and kidnapped two Israeli soldiers. Since Israel withdrew from South-Lebanon in 2000, after 18 years of occupation, Hisbollah has fired further rockets into Israel, but this is the first time that Israel has responded in this way.
As of today there have been two weeks of war. Hundreds of Lebanese have been killed, thousands are injured and 750.000 people are refugees. People are dying in Israel as well, thousands of people have taken refuge or are staying in bunkers. [read on]
WSCF Asia-Pacific
Approved and adopted at the
17th WSCF AP Regional Committee Meeting
in session, July 7, 2006, Dhaka, BangladeshWe, Christian youth and students representing the Student Christian Movements from different parts of the world and the World Student Christian Federation, express our deep concern with regards to the alarming human rights situation in the Philippines. [read on]
People of Baranggay Guinsaugon ran as far as their feet could bring them in the morning of 17 February 2006 as tons of mud and rock cascaded down from Mt. Canabag. Very few luckily survived the mudslide that buried the entire village. "I still could not believe that they are gone. The houses are gone. They have been wiped out" narrated Christopher Lipato, a survivor of the tragedy. [read on]
March 8 International Women's Day fell on a Wednesday this year and was celebrated by many women and men around the world. Various activities such as rallies, forums, seminars, film screenings organised by groups actively involved in ensuring the rights of women to be constantly highlighted and for justice to be meted out for those who are oppressed and marginalised because of their gender. [read on]
WSCF AP hosted and participated in the different events of the People's Action Week on WTO from December 8 to 18, 2005 in Hong Kong. Nine students from the SCMs were selected to participate in these events.
They were, Ma. Christina Guevarra from Philippines, Sayun Chen from Taiwan, Julianna Lim from Singapore, Pitiphan Areeyat from Thailand, Sreekanth James from India, Edward Franks from Aotearoa. Lukas Trebula from Slovakia, representing WSCF Europe, and the WSCF AP staff, Necta, Yock Leng and Bayani. [read on]
There is a far-reaching call to critically view the World Trade Organization as a trade regime benefiting only the major economic and political blocks of the world. There is also a profound need for sustaining such formidable resistance of the world’s people against the unequal treaties under the WTO, which led, for example, to the collapse of the Cancun Ministerial Conference in 2003.
WTO is not just emblematic of the oppressive Globalization but the very mechanism of coercion for the liberalization, privatization and deregulation policies to weaker and poorer countries, to the great detriment of majority poor people of the world.[read on]
We from the International Students and Youth Network Opposed to WTO (I SAY NO TO WTO), shall gather together this December in solidarity to represent the voice of the youth and students as we define our role in the sphere of globalization and WTO. [read on]
WSCF AP is currently engaged in the preparation for three WTO-related events which will all take place in December in Hong Kong. These events are; the Ecumenical Conference on Globalising Economic Justice and Social Sustainability (8-12 December); Ecumenical Women’s Forum in Life-Promoting Trade (12-14 December.); and the International Student and Youth Network Forum on Higher Education (14-17 December). All these events are organised by several organizations, in which WSCF is just one among a consortium of groups that have signified to co-host these events. [read on]
We, the representatives of democratically run student organisations assembled in Paris for the Ninth Collective Consultation on Higher Education of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), support the work and importance of NGO consultations within UNESCO Fora. In particular we reconfirm the conclusions of the 9th Collective Consultation on Higher Education of UNESCO. [read on]
A collective of women’s rights groups who have conducted a series of fact-finding missions in the tsunami-affected areas over the past week wishes to bring to public attention serious issues concerning the safety and wellbeing of women which have not been addressed so far in relief efforts. We appreciate the many public initiatives to collect and deliver relief and assist those affected by the tsunami in whatever ways are possible. [read on]
Mr. Joel Baclao, a senior friend of the SCM Philippines and a National Council member of the Promotion of Church People’s Response (PCPR), was gunned down on 10 November 2004 by two unidentified gunmen believed to be members of the military. According to Wilma Baclao, Joel’s wife, at around 8:00 pm Joel went out of his house in Lacag, Daraga, Albay to check on what their dogs are barking at. After a few seconds, his wife saw a burst of fire and a loud shot and saw Joel lying down. [read on]
by Jerome De Porres
Sri Lanka, once called Paradise on Earth and the Pearl of the Indian Ocean, now is more often called the Island of Death. Nearly twenty years of tragic conflict between the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Ealam (LTTE) have claimed more than 60,000 lives and displaced some 800,000 innocent Sri Lankans. War has become the life of the island. [read on]
by Doim Bang Joo, KSCF
I started my internship with the Burma Issues in Bangkok on 16 May 2003. At first, I was very nervous because I knew little about the Burma. I just knew that there were rampant and serious human rights violations in that country. And of course my English was not so good, moreover, it was my first trip to Thailand. However, the staff of the Burma Issues welcomed me in very friendly ways and gave me a very detailed introduction on their work as well as my job. [read on]
by Jerome De Porres
Sri Lanka, once called Paradise on Earth and the Pearl of the Indian Ocean, now is more often called the Island of Death. Nearly twenty years of tragic conflict between the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Ealam (LTTE) have claimed more than 60,000 lives and displaced some 800,000 innocent Sri Lankans. War has become the life of the island. [read on]
by Mak Chung Lai, SCM Hong Kong
When I was staying in Manila for my internship programme, I had an engaging conversation with my friends over lunch one day. One of them, Ms. Fides Bagasao, the Executive Director of Community Organisers Multiversity (COM) told me that she would go to Davao City for a conference. “If you want, you can go with me. It will be a good experience,” she said. [read on]
We are a group of international and regional non-governmental organisations (NGOs) based in Hong Kong. We have been deeply concerned about the legislation related to Article 23 of the Basic Law since the consultation on the government’s proposals last year. At that time, we called for the publication of a White Bill to allow more time for public consultation on this law, the most controversial law since the reversion of Hong Kong’s sovereignty to China. [read on]
by Pangernungba
SCM India, WSCF AP Human Rights and Peace InternWe live in a world where order and stability ‘rests on’ or is ‘born of’ violence. Peace has become an animated ‘political word’ it is used as the most effective weapon of power and domination. Violence can flourish only under the ‘name’ and ‘shadow’ of peace. [read on]
On May 28, 2002, suspected elements from the 204th Infantry Brigade headed by Col. Jovito Palparan Jr., shot dead SCMP senior friend Edilberto Napoles Jr, popularly known as Choy. Together with him was Ruel Landicho, a peasant organizer, who faked death to survive with one gunshot wound. [read on]
Last year, it was for a 20% wage cut. Now, it is a levy. Since 1998, various measures by the Hong Kong government to force migrants to “share the burden” of the worldwide economic crisis were proposed and implemented. For the past three years, the annual wage reviews have increasingly become a dreaded event for the Foreign Domestic Helpers for it has always been about seeking ways to cut our wages and never for an increase. [read on]
Last month, we organised the 3rd National Coordinator’s Meeting of the WSCF AP in Thailand. The Coordinators of 13 national Student Christian Movements (SCM) were present together with officers and staffs. We discussed several critical issues both on the regional and global level, and we reached a common understanding that “the US-led war situation is the most urgent agenda for the SCMs to voice out”. [read on]
by Natalia Bachelor
of SCM Aotearoa and WSCF AP Human Rights Intern in Burma IssuesFollowing the turnover of Burma from England to the people of Burma in 1948 the planned democracy did not last long. A military junta took power in 1962 during a military coup and has ruled the land with fear since. Burma is a country torn by ethnic differences; all 16 ethnic groups have a different idea of the perfect Burma. The Burman people are the largest ethnic group. They dominate in population and are the group of people who lead the military. [read on]
by Leni Valeriano, SCM Philippines
The September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, was undeniably a gross violation of human dignity that senselessly took toll on thousands of lives. Those were acts of desperateness out of a deep-running rage of the perpetrators that targeted the very symbols of U.S. military and economic might. We grieved over the lost lives of innocents but we too opposed the retaliatory attacks of U.S. in Afghanistan that displaced millions of Afghans and killed civilians. [read on]
For Women: God of strength, we pray for the women in Iraq who will be subjected to a lot of pain and suffering when the war breaks out.
For Children: God of love and care, surround the children of Iraq with your loving embrace and healing touch. We pray that Iraqi children also be given the right to dream about a future, the right to nourishments, the right to experience security, and the right to experience peace. [read on]
We, the student leaders of the Student Christian Movements in the Asia-Pacific Region who gathered at the Students Empowerment for Transformation 2002 from June 16-30, 2002 in the University of the Philippines, Los Baños Laguna, Philippines, are united in vehemently opposing “globalisation” as an economic order imposed by global capitalism and its instruments. [read on]
by Rev. R. W. Timm, CSC
One of the main phenomena we have observed in the past several years is the rise of fundamentalism, accompanied by gross violations of human rights, in several countries of Asia. The term religious fundamentalism originally was applied to Christians who interpreted the Bible literally, e.g., who believed that God created everything in six days and that Jonah actually spent three days in the belly of a great fish. [read on]
Nationalism, which attempts to justify past war atrocities and colonialist rule, is on the rise in Japan. The influence aims to make Japan into a nation which can go to war. Those who are deeply concerned about this grave situation as well as concerned about the history and civics textbooks published for this purpose, by the Society for New History Textbook (Tsukurukai), held “The Asian Solidarity Conference on Textbook Issues in Japan.—No! to the Distorted History Textbook.” [read on]
by Michael C. Davis
This essay aims to consider various claims about “Asian values” made in relation to the East Asian human rights debate. I divide this discussion into two parts: In the first part I consider and challenge the claims for exception from important international human right standards made in the name of “Asian values”. I believe these claims fail to capture the full richness of Asian values discourse, are tautological and are excessively deterministic. [read on]
This site is under a Creative Commons 3.0 License unless specified otherwise.Website design by Designworkers Creative Services
