Kato trains at Modeltrainprocom

Debt activists have said that they fear the aid to Pakistan will be dwarfed by its debt repayments and issued a warning over new loansDebt activists have said that they fear the aid to Pakistan will be dwarfed by its debt repayments and issued a warning over new loansAnti-poverty campaigners yesterday called on governments and international institutions to effect an immediate freeze on Pakistan's debt repayments, expressing fears that Pakistan's annual $3 billion repayments would dwarf current levels of emergency aid. In addition they urged a debt audit followed by a cancellation of some of the country's debts.They also expressed concern that international institutions like the World Bank had promised nearly $3 billion in new loans to Pakistan to withstand the disaster, rather than giving grant-aid. Jubilee Debt Campaign says this will only add to Pakistan's enormous and unsustainable $49 billion debt.Pakistan's debt repayments already amount to three times what the government spends on healthcare - in a country where 38% of under 5-year-olds are underweight, only 54% of people are literate, and 60% live below the poverty line. The United Nations says it has only raised 70% of the $460 million called for in emergency aid by the institution. But even this amount will be dwarfed by debt repayments unless serious relief is instituted.Longer term, the World Bank and Asian Development Bank recently announced loans of $900 million and $2 billion respectively. Campaigners say grants, rather than loans, are essential if countries like Pakistan are ever to develop the means to withstand such disasters in future.Pakistan's debt rose rapidly under the military regime of General Musharraf (2001-8) from $32 to nearly $50 billion. Campaigners point out that the vast majority of Pakistan's loans were run up under military governments, many offering little benefit to ordinary people.Pakistani groups like CADTM-Pakistan have long called for an audit of the debts, saying it is unjust for the poor of Pakistan to repay reckless loans that borrowers should never have lent. The group is currently calling on their government to repudiate its debts on the basis of a'state of necessity'.Nick Dearden, Director of Jubilee Debt Campaign said:"It is nothing short of criminal that a country as poor as Pakistan is bled of resources every year to repay borrowers who extended unjust loans to that country over decades. It is vital that desperately needed emergency aid is not effectively swallowed up in debt repayments and a freeze on such payments must be called immediately."But the international community also needs to accept responsibility for the poverty of Pakistan. If Pakistan is to build up the infrastructure to withstand such appalling disasters in future it must be freed from its debt trap. A debt audit is needed - and those debts found to be unjust and unbeneficial must be cancelled immediately to give the country a fresh start. Most certainly supposedly anti-poverty institutions like the World Bank should not be making Pakistan’s debts even worse."[Ekk/2]

The Church of England has praised the religious programming offered by some of the BBC’s radio stations, while calling for a Religion Editor.The Church of England has praised the religious programming offered by some of the BBC’s radio stations, while calling for a Religion Editor to work across the corporation’s news and current affairs output"to strengthen further its role in boosting religious literacy as a key tool for understanding today’s world."In a response to a consultation being held by the BBC Trust as part of its review of Radio 3, Radio 4 and Radio 7, the Rt Rev Nigel McCulloch, Bishop of Manchester and the Church of England’s lead spokesman on communications, says that Radio 4 transmits more than the required number of hours of religious programming, and warmly welcomes the Corporation’s commitment to high quality radio that explores ethical and religious themes.“The BBC stations under review broadcast an unparalleled range and depth of religious programming which deserves grateful acknowledgement by all those concerned with increasing mutual understanding between people of all faiths and none,” argues the submission.Programmes such as Daily Service, Choral Evensong, Sunday, Moral Maze and Something Understood, and award-winning one-off documentaries like Twin Sisters, Two Faiths are all highlighted as helping present “an authentic portrayal of Christian worship [alongside] in-depth discussions and explorations of religious and ethical themes”.To build on this through the breadth of the stations’ output and beyond, the response calls for the creation of the post of BBC Religion Editor to cover radio, TV and online news output, arguing that there is “no logical distinction between the genre of arts, science and business and that of religion, the landscape of which likewise demands a ‘trusted guide’ for both internal and external stakeholders”.The response continues: “We urge the Trust and Executive to give serious consideration to this proposal; one that is intended as much for the benefit of people of no particular faith as for those of faith.”The Church’s submission also suggests that the future for a rebranded BBC Radio 7 relies on a clear identity as an enhancement of Radio 4’s output: “We could envisage, and we would welcome, a station that included extended interviews with key public figures, and that had more freedom to experiment with the opportunities for interaction with audiences afforded by new media. Religious content would form a natural ingredient in a fresh station devoted to ‘going deeper’ into the nation’s psyche.”The response reflects the tone of ‘critical friendship’ towards mainstream broadcasters set by the General Synod’s debate on the subject of religious broadcasting in February this year. Following its debate, the Synod resolved to “express its deep concern about the overall reduction in religious broadcasting across British television in recent years, and call upon mainstream broadcasters to nurture and develop the expertise to create and commission high quality religious content across the full range of their output, particularly material that imaginatively marks major festivals and portrays acts of worship”.The Church of England’s full submission to the BBC Trust review of BBC Radio 3, 4 and 7 can be found here:http://www.cofe.anglican.org/info/papers/bbctrustradio.rtf[Ekk/3]

A UN human rights team has confirmed that two armed groups in the volatile east of the Democratic Republic of Congo raped more than 150 women.A United Nations human rights team has confirmed that members of two armed groups in the volatile east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) raped more than 150 women during an attack on a village in North Kivu province last month, a UN spokesperson said today.Victims of the attack, which occurred on 30 July 2010 in the village of Bunangiri, which is situated in the Banamukira area of North Kivu, are receiving medical treatment and have also been provided with psycho-social care, the spokesperson of the UN Secretary-General told reporters in New York.Perpetrators of the attack are said to be insurgents loyal to the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), a group of ethnic Hutu fighters linked to the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, and their accomplices, believed to be members of a local militia known as the Mai-Mai Cheka.The UN mission in the DRC, MONUSCO, has a military company based at Kibua, some 30 kilometres east of the scene of the attack, but the assailants blocked the road and prevented villagers from reaching the nearest communication point at the time the crimes were committed.According to the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), more than 8,000 women were raped by warring factions last year in the provinces of North Kivu and South Kivu.Although members of the FDLR, which who have been active in eastern DRC since 1994, are thought to be responsible for most of the rapes, soldiers serving in the national army have also been implicated in sexual abuse in North and South Kivu provinces, according to UN experts.In many cases, women are raped when they leave their villages or camps to collect firewood, water and other essentials, reports the UN News Service.[Ekk/3]

Young Christians from around the world are invited to apply to the World Council of Churches stewards programme for one of two hands-on learning experiences at major ecumenical meetings in 2011, the W

Concerns have been expressed that proposed reforms to China’s application of the death penalty may not result in significantly fewer executions.Concerns have been expressed by opponents of capital punishment that proposed reforms of China’s application of the death penalty may not result in significantly fewer executions.The Chinese government news agency, Xinhua, reported today that proposed amendments to China’s criminal code may see the death penalty removed from 13 out of 68 crimes that currently carry the punishment.The draft amendments are working their way through numerous readings in China’s legislative chamber.“Although we would welcome any reform that would in practice decrease executions in China, we are not yet convinced that these legal revisions will have a significant impact” said Catherine Baber, Amnesty International’s Deputy-Director for the Asia-Pacific.As part of its campaigning against the death penalty, the respected international NGO has called on China to reduce the number of capital crimes.“We are still waiting for the Chinese government to release the data that shows these proposed revisions are more than just legal housekeeping, removing crimes which have seldom been punished with the death penalty in recent years” said Catherine Baber.The draft amendment to China’s criminal code would, if passed, reportedly remove the death penalty as a punishment for white collar crimes such as tax fraud, and for smuggling valuables and cultural relics. It would also remove the death penalty as a punishment for those over 75 years of age.The ultimate impact of any reforms to China's use of the death penalty cannot be publicly known and evaluated due to classification of execution figures as state secrets.Amnesty (http://www.amnesty.org/) is calling on the Chinese government to make the draft legislation and the national execution figures public, so that there can be transparent analysis and debate on the death penalty.In a challenge to China’s lack of transparency, Amnesty also declined to publish its own minimum figures for Chinese executions and death sentences in its worldwide annual report this year on the death penalty. China is estimated to be the world’s biggest executor.[Ekk/3]

The Disasters Emergency Committee says that for the first time in 45 years it has seen donations rise during the second week of an appeal.The Disasters Emergency Committee says that for the first time in 45 years, it has seen donations rise rather than fall during the second week of an appeal.DEC officials and member agencies have been telling the media today that the generosity of the British public, who have so far contributed £30 million to the Pakistan Floods Appeal, further shames governments and the international community, who have been tardy in their response to a catastrophic emergency with massive long-term implications.The unprecedented pattern of giving, long after the Pakistan appeal broadcasts on 5 August 2010, was a reflection of growing public awareness of the full scale of the tragedy, the DEC said.Even the extraordinary giving to the DEC Haiti Appeal saw huge initial donations decline steeply in week two.The continuing high level of donations is critically important, says the Disasters Emergency Committee, because 20 million people in Pakistan are now affected and there is a serious threat to survivors from water-borne diseases.DEC member agencies and their partners have so far helped over 800,000 people. The Committee consists of Action Aid, Age UK, British Red Cross, CAFOD, CARE International UK, Christian Aid, Concern Worldwide, Islamic Relief, Merlin, Oxfam, Save the Children, Tearfund, and World Vision.Disasters Emergency Committee Chief Executive Brendan Gormley commented: “It is sometimes harder to fully appreciate the impact of disasters such as floods that take longer to develop. However, the response of UK public to the floods in Pakistan has been extraordinary. We have never seen anything like it in our 45 year history."He continued: “This is a tragedy unfolding in slow motion with new areas still being flooded and the threat of deadly water borne disasters stalking millions of survivors."“The full impact of the disaster will only be revealed when flood waters finally recede and the extent [of the] devastation is uncovered,"said Gormley.By comparison with the Pakistan Appeal, donations to the Haiti Earthquake Appeal declined by 28 per cent in the second week of the appeal; Indonesia, Philippines and Vietnam Appeal donations by 62 per cent; Myanmar donations by 54 per cent and Tsunami donations by 24 per cent.Donations to the Pakistan Floods Appeal increased by 18 per cent in the second week and have yet to begin dropping.The disaster has already claimed the lives of 1,600 people and is estimated to have affected 20-25 million people, according to the United Nations and international NGOs.The DEC Pakistan Floods Appeal is separate from the pledges being sought by the UN, which is hoping to secure funds from governments worldwide.A summary of all other DEC Member Agency efforts can be found at:http://www.dec.org.uk/item/442To make a donation to the DEC Pakistan Floods Appeal, call the 24 hour hotline on 0370 60 60 900, visithttp://www.dec.org.ukor donate over the counter at any post office or high street bank, or send a cheque. You can also donate £5 by texting the word GIVE to 70707[Ekk/3]

The Scottish government was right to release the Libyan man convicted of the 1988 Lockerbie bombing, an official of the Church of Scotland says.The Scottish government was right to release the Libyan man convicted of the 1988 Lockerbie bombing on compassionate grounds, an official of the Church of Scotland says."The principle behind the release of Abdul Baset Ali al-Megrahi a year ago was right, compassion, and my views haven't changed since I welcomed his release on 20 August last year,"the Rev Ian Galloway, convener of the Presbyterian denomination's church and society council, has told ENInews.The spiritual leader of Roman Catholics in Scotland has taken a similar stance, criticising the furore in the United States over the decision.Cardinal Keith O'Brien said Scotland had a culture of care, while too many in the US were fixed on vengeance.The case has been complicated by claims that BP lobbied the UK and Scottish governments over the case, in relation to Libyan oil deals. But no substantial evidence has been offered for this allegation.Similarly, some politicians say that the release was related to attempts to cover up the failings of the UK and Scottish governments in handling the issue.The Scottish Justice Secretary, Kenny MacAskill, released Megrahi, who has prostate cancer, after being told that three months was a"reasonable estimate"of his life expectancy.He has now lived for much longer and subsequent medical opinion suggests that, with alleviative tretament, he may survive for up to two years.But the Scottish Government is adamant that it made the right decision at the time.Relatives of those killed in the Lockerbie bombing are divided on the issue, with most in the US opposing Megrahi's release, while many in Britain doubt his guilt on the evidence considered, and are much more upset that the major enquiry they have called for seems destined not to go ahead now.Cardinal O'Brien declared:"An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth - that is not our culture in Scotland and I would like to think that the US government, and these states that do still have capital punishment, would learn something from us."He appealed to Americans to"direct their gaze inwards"instead of attacking the Scottish justice system, and said the use of the death penalty meant the USA kept"invidious company"with countries like Saudi Arabia and Iran."In some states it's month by month now that they are killing people who have a right to live, whatever they've done wrong,"he said.The Catholic leader also backed the Scottish government's decision not to give evidence to American senators investigating Megrahi's release.The similar opinions of a leading Church of Scotland figure reflect an overwhelming preference for mercy over vengeance among churches in Scotland, a commentator told Ekklesia.[Ekk/3]

The chief executive of the Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement is"delighted"that the Charity Commission has ruled against Catholic Care over gay adoptions.The Rev Sharon Ferguson, chief executive of the Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement (LGCM), says she is"delighted"that the Charity Commission has ruled against Catholic Care in its appeal to discriminate against gay and lesbian couples who wish to provide homes for hard-to-place children.Ferguson declared that the Commission"had sided with common sense and in support of human rights", and said that the families concerned would provide"loving and caring homes".On Thursday 19 August 2010, the Charity Commission announced its decision to not give consent to the charity Catholic Care to amend its charitable objects to restrict its adoption services to heterosexual prospective parents only.The independent regulator of charities in England and Wales has considered the evidence and the relevant law and concluded that it would not be justified in the circumstances for the charity to discriminate in this way.Ms Ferguson said: “For too long public opinion has been influenced by the notion that lesbians and gay men cannot be good parents and that they would influence the child’s sexual orientation. This unfounded belief is homophobia, pure and simple, and therefore LGCM congratulates the Charities Commission in its ruling."She added: “It is sad and regrettable that Christian adoption agencies have to be forced to enter the twenty-first century. Agencies like Catholic Care should be more concerned to place children in loving, stable, and committed homes, than with hanging on to homophobic ideas.”[Ekk/3]

New report from the Pew Research Centre shows more than 50 per cent of Americans support same sex civil unions.According to new national research, Americans have become more accepting of homosexuality during the past 16 years, with over half of those polled saying they support civil unions.The Pew Research Centre's new report, released last Friday (19 Aug) and compiled from a selction of public studies done over the last 20 years, said support for same-sex civil unions had risen from 45 per cent in 2003 to 57 per cent in 2009. The increase in support for same-sex marriage was more modest, but still showed a rise in support from 30 per cent in 2003 to 38 per cent in 2010.Among religious respondents to the recent polls, Latino Catholics showed more movement toward supporting gay marriage (at 57 per cent) than Latino Protestants (at 22 per cent).National polls by the Pew Centre have apparently found that younger Americans are much more accepting of LGBT people, and researchers reportedly say that the generational divide over the issue will eventually bring about a collision.Daniel Cox, director of research for Public Religion Research Institute and co-author of the report said,"The clergy risk alienating a significant number of young folks if they take a real hard line approach on same-sex marriage".Despite such encouraging statistics, in the Proposition 8 issue, 52 per cent of Californians voted for the constitutional amendment which bars gay men and lesbians from marrying. When District Judge Vaughn Walker recently ruled that the ban was unconstitutional, it was expected that same-sex couples would be able to resume wedding plans last week, but opponents were successful in their plea that the ban should remain in place until they have appealed.The ruling is currently being challenged in federal court, and the ban will remain until December when further proceedings against its lifting are to take place.Experts believe it wil be another two years before the case comes before the Supreme Court.[Ekk/4]

Six hundred delegates from more than 80 countries flocked toMontreal Aug. 20-23 for the CIVICUS World Assembly in searchof innovative ways to approach global challenges like povertyand climate change.

During every year that ends in an even number, the month of August is a special occasion for young men in Kenya's Western Province. During this month thousands of boys aged between 10 and 18 undergo male circumcision–something that is seen as an important rite of passage into manhood among their communities. But it is also a time were nearly half the young men circumcised will have to fight for their lives.

A bicentennial celebration for ordinary people, envisioned as the start of a process of social reflection, is being prepared by over 100 organisations and public personalities in Chile as a response to the official commemoration of the 200th anniversary of independence from Spain.

Three scenarios were laid before the delegates here attendingthe CIVICUS World Assembly, a venue that attracts civilsociety, donors, government and business leaders from everyregion of the world.

People opposed to Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) investments in oil tar sands have super-glued themselves to a branch in Edinburgh as part of a day of protest.People opposed to Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) investments in oil tar sands have super-glued themselves to its Nicholson Street branch in the heart of Edinburgh. They have been joined by performers angry about RBS’ sponsorship of the Edinburgh Fringe.Campaigners point out that taxpayers now own a majority stake in RBS, but the bank is still investing heavily in activities that contribute to climate change.Nonviolent protests are taking place around Edinburgh today (23 August) under the umbrella of the Camp for Climate Action, which has been camped opposite RBS’ global headquarters in Gogarburn for the last week.“Climate change kills 400,000 people every year,” said one participant, Jenny South, “RBS invests in oil from Canadian tar sands – the most climate-busting fuel on the planet, and one which is devastating local indigenous communities”.She added, “We are standing together with those communities to resist this 21st century atrocity, to make a passionate call for climate justice, and to hasten a much-needed fossil fuel-free future”.At 8.00am, other activists targeted the headquarters of Forth Energy in Leith in response to the company’s plans for four new power stations in Scotland which campaigners describe as “environmentally destructive”. Two climbed onto the roof and displayed banners, while others chained themselves to railings or entered the building. It is not yet clear whether they have been removed.Campaigners have also spread fake oil outside the offices of Cairn Energy, causing an'oil spill'in protest against the company’s recent drilling off the coast of Greenland. It was revealed yesterday that the project was helped by loans of £117 million which Cairn Energy received from RBS last year.“Risky drilling in the Arctic by Cairn Energy has only been made possible by financial involvement by RBS,” said activist Alex Wilson, “This is an outrageous use of over a hundred million pounds of public money given the economic and climate crises that we are facing”.Lesley Clark of Lothian and Borders Police said that she supported the right to lawful protest but accused the direct activists of not respecting the city. She said there is now likely to be a “more robust response” from the police.The protests are particularly embarrassing for RBS, coming at a time when the city is full of visitors to the Edinburgh Fringe, which they have sponsored.“RBS doesn't just sponsor the Edinburgh Fringe, it sponsors the oil companies who destroy the lives of hundreds of millions of people around the world through oil spills, war, drought and floods,” said Wilson.[Ekk/1]