Chicago Religious Leadership Network on Latin America

For decades we have pushed for our right to travel to Cuba, the only country in the world that the U.S. bars its citizens from visiting.  Now we have the best shot to date to bury this absurd travel ban.  Congressional representatives have unveiled a new bill, HR 4645, that would reinstate our freedom to travel to Cuba.  Introduced by Rep. Peterson (D-MN) and Rep. Moran (R-KS), HR 4645 builds on the momentum of last year's widely-supported bill to end the travel ban, which netted 177 co-sponsoring representatives thanks to your advocacy.  With HR 4645, we now hope to boost that number to the 218 votes needed to make travel to Cuba a reality. 

Please call your representative today to help end the travel ban and jumpstart a more sensible chapter of U.S.-Cuba relations. Upon calling, simply ask that the representative co-sponsor HR 4645.  If your representative has already sponsored the bill, call and thank them. See below for how to contact your representative. So far, Representatives Tim Johnson and Bobby Rush are the only co-sponsors from IL. Click Read More!

Calls for Peaceful Resolution of Colombian Conflict 

The World Council of Churches (WCC) has requested its member churches to advocate for a peaceful resolution of the conflict in Colombia, the full respect of human rights and the cessation of the so called Plan Colombia.  "The violent conflict in Colombia can be overcome only through dialogue and political negotiations", the WCC executive committee said in a minute approved at the end of its 23-26 February meeting in Bossey, near Geneva, Switzerland. The WCC minute calls on the churches in the United States of America "to press their government for an immediate cessation" of Plan Colombia, a US financial and military aid program aimed at curbing drug production and training Colombia's army to battle rebel groups.  The WCC executive committee requests that foreign assistance to Colombia "be redirected from military to humanitarian purposes and for a renewed emphasis on strengthening respect for human rights in the country". The WCC minute "urges religious leaders in Colombia to continue their efforts in promoting a peaceful resolution of the conflict, the disarming of the paramilitary and the restoration of the rule of law".

To read the full text, go to http://www.oikoumene.org/en/resources/documents/executive-committee/bossey-february-2010/minute-on-violence-on-colombia.html

Face the Displaced

Colombia: Our Hemisphere's Hidden Humanitarian Crisis

With over four million Colombians forcibly displaced from their homes by a debilitating war, Colombia is now the second worst internal displacement crisis in the world.  We would like to invite you, to help CRLN and people across the country do something about it.  On April 16-19, tens of thousands across the U.S. and Colombia will participate in this year's Days of Prayer and Action for Colombia to call for a much-needed shift in U.S. policies toward the war-torn country.  Please join us.  Find out what you can do to by clicking "Read More."

Dancing for Justice

CRLN is celebrating twenty years of responding to God's call - engaging in awareness, advocacy, accompaniment and action!  This spring, we are planning a special evening - join us for music, dance lessons, food, drink, a silent auction and a night of celebration!  Saturday April 10th, 7 - 11 pm at Cristo Rey in Pilsen (22nd Place & Wolcott). 

March 19-22

Register Now!

Join CRLN and people of faith from across the country in this year's Ecumenical Advocacy Days. The theme this year is "A Place Called Home: Immigrants, Refugees, and Displaced Peoples," and is an exciting fit with the work CRLN is doing in regards to Mexico, Colombia, and the Chicago New Sanctuary Coalition! Please join us in learning more about immigration and displaced peoples and advocating for those who have no voice on Capitol Hill.

Read below for more details.

WILL YOU RIDE THE BUS?

On March 21st, 100,000 marchers will descend on Washington, DC to make history and demand COMPREHENSIVE IMMIGRATION REFORM...STOP THE SEPERATION OF FAMILIES NOW!

CRLN and people of faith from across the country will gather in Washington DC for Ecumenical Advocacy Days: "A Place Called Home: Immigrants, Refugees, and Displaced Peoples"  March 19-22.

This year, in conjunction with Ecumenical Advocacy Days, thousands of people from across the country will convene for a mass march calling for Comprehensive Immigration Reform on Sunday March 21^st.  Illinois will send 200 buses - that's 10,000 riders - to deliver our message to President Obama and Sen. Durbin: "Friends Keep Promises"...

Nominations Sought 

On April 10th, at its Twentieth Anniversary Fiesta, CRLN will recognize people and organizations who have shown remarkable dedication to the cause of peace, justice and human rights in this hemisphere.  If you would like to nominate someone for this award, you may: 1) download the attached form and return it to CRLN, Suite 429, 4750 N. Sheridan Road, Chicago, Illinois, 60640; or 2) send an email with your name and contact information, the name of the person or organization you are nominating, and a few brief paragraphs on why you think your nominee is a champion for human rights - send your email to jvondracek@crln.org  Nominations are due by March 1, 2010.

Progress on Human Rights!

by Melissa Johansen, CRLN intern, Loyola University graduate student 

About 97% of crimes in Guatemala have not been investigated and in the cases that are investigated very few people are held responsible for their crimes. This impunity has ruled Guatemala for most of its history permitting an increase and intensification of violence.  However, events in the past few years indicate that this tradition of impunity may be ending.

National Police archives from the Guatemalan civil war era (1960-1996) were discovered in 2005 and have since been analyzed for information about crimes committed during the armed conflict.  These documents open up the possibility for members of the National Police to be prosecuted for some of the 200,000 deaths and 40,000 disappearances during the civil war. 

Pentagon's New Monroe Doctrine

The cover article of the February 8 2010 issue of The Nation was on the Pentagon's new Monroe Doctrine towards Latin America.  Insightful, clear and engaging, the article can be found at http://www.thenation.com/doc/20100208/grandin