Physicians for social responsibility
http://www.psr.org/site/PageServer?pagename=HomePSR ASSERTS A STRONG MEDICAL VOICE...
... for the prevention of nuclear war, against the development and use of nuclear weapons, and for a reduction in the role of armed force in US foreign and security policy.
... to slow, stop and reverse global warming and toxic degradation of the environment.
Lawyers for human rights
http://www.lhr.org.za/Lawyers for Human Rights is a non-governmental organisation that strives to promote, uphold and strengthen human rights. The organisation has had a proud history since its inception in 1979 of fighting oppression and the abuse of human rights in South Africa.
http://www.claihr.org/Canadian Lawyers for International Human Rights (CLAIHR) is a non-profit, non-governmental organization, established to promote human rights globally through legal education, advocacy and law reform.
Journalists for Human Rights
http://www.jhr.ca/Journalists for Human Rights (JHR) is Canada's largest international media development organization. By building the capacity of the media to report effectively on human rights issues, JHR's work pressures abusers to stop and empowers victims to fight back.
Journalists for Human Rights (JHR) is expanding their programs into the United States. Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, JHR USA has spent the last several months getting off the ground with the launch of the U.S. School Chapter Program.
I took a wild google, and sure enough:
Centre for Architecture and Human Rights
http://www.architecture-humanrights.org/A rights-based approach to development + design
“Equitable distribution of resources cannot be effected unless there is democratic space, which respects the rule of law and human rights. Such democratic space gives citizens an enabling environment to be creative and productive.”
Some people don't like these things.
http://www.moha.gov.zw/violencereport2.pdfIn our Volume 1 of the document Opposition forces in Zimbabwe, “A trail of violence”, the Zimbabwe Republic Police mentioned a plethora of civic organisations that form the Zimbabwe Broad Alliance, which is the reincarnation of both the main and fringe allies of the Movement for Democratic Change. It is not a secret that the emergence of the MDC was a result of local civic organizations coming together to form a western sponsored political front against the Government being led by the liberation movement that ushered independence in the country in 1980.
... The branding of professions in Zimbabwe as “Lawyers for Human Rights”, “Doctors for Human Rights” etc, is mischievous, and nefarious. We are only waiting for another opportunity to see the MDC opening other fronts as
Engineers for Human Rights;
Teachers for Human Rights;
Pilots for Human Rights;
Nurses for Human Rights;
Bishops for Human rights;
Lecture<r>s for Human Rights, etc.
Hey, one can hope.
NCAN - National Coalition of American Nuns
http://www.ncan.us/
Since 1969, NCAN has been working, studying and speaking out on justice issues in Church and Society.Nobody's forced to recognize nuns as authoritative on matters of conscience any more than anyone is forced to recognize doctors, lawyers, journalists, architects ... or engineers. Because there are people who do recognize all of them as worth listening to, at least, good on them for saying the right things.
I'm just gonna throw this in while I'm here. The elected head of my former church is in the list of signatories.
Canadian church leaders' letter to the Prime Minister, February 28, 2003http://www.ploughshares.ca/libraries/Statements/ChurchLeadersFeb2803.htmThe Right Honourable Jean Chrétien
Prime Minister of Canada
House of Commons
Ottawa, Canada K1A 0A2
28 February, 2003
Dear Prime Minister Chrétien:
We write as Christian leaders in many communities in Canada to encourage you in the pursuit of peace in relation to the crisis over Iraq. We pray with people around the world for the human community, that God will make us all instruments of peace. We pray with the psalmist for God’s promise, that leaders will emerge in whose days justice shall flourish, and peace, till the moon fails (Psalm 72:7).
We share the concern of millions at the relentless efforts to mobilize the world for another war in the vain hope that it will bring peace and security. We fear that the combination of the Iraqi government’s intransigence and the war preparations of the American and British governments will inflict deadly consequences on the people of Iraq. We implore you to redouble Canada’s efforts to prevent this war.
We are aware that the regime of Saddam Hussein has led Iraq on paths of violence and defiance of international standards that protect human rights and that prohibit the acquisition and use of weapons of mass destruction. This must be condemned, as must the readiness of Washington and London to resort to violence. Neither are means to sustainable disarmament and peace.
Despite the gravity of this situation, we see hope as people the world over express grave concern about a potential war and its devastation. We are encouraged by the tens of thousands of Canadians who have endorsed
“Prepare for Peace in Iraq”, the Canadian churches’ statement that declares, “war is not the answer!” Your office has received weekly deliveries of the names of people who have signed this statement.
We are grateful that you and your government continue to seek and support alternatives to war and to insist that decision making in this crisis must be collective, not unilateral, through the United Nations. Still, we must impress upon you at this time
our firm belief that war on Iraq, even with explicit Security Council authorization, would be the worst option.
In our letter of September 25, 2002, we strongly urged attention to alternatives, especially a renewal of the inspections process. We are therefore enormously heartened that, through the United Nations, the inspections process has been renewed. It represents an important part of a credible strategy and alternative to war. It appears to be making a significant impact.
We understand and respect the concern about Iraq’s possible possession of weapons of mass destruction and whether it has, or might acquire, the means to use them against its own people and its neighbours. However, as long as inspectors are active in Iraq it will not be possible for the regime to undertake such activities without being detected.
In as much as there is a continuing danger that chemical and biological weapons which are not accounted for could be diverted to non-state terrorist organizations, it must be recognized that such a danger would increase, not decrease, in the context of the unanticipated consequences of war.
While the inspections process is not perfect, it is now fulfilling the most urgent requirement: providing credible assurance to the international community that there is not an imminent threat of Iraqi use of weapons of mass destruction.
In light of this, there is no justification for choosing war when an alternative to the use of military force is already working to provide verification and containment.The need now is to continue with the inspections and to set up the “Ongoing Monitoring and Verification” process as mandated by the UN Security Council. This must remain in place until all weapons of mass destruction have been accounted for and destroyed, until the Government of Iraq permanently disavows such weapons, and until the world community is confident that its disavowal is credible.
We ask you to remind the international community to remember first the safety and well-being of the people of Iraq. They have suffered much under the present regime. The rest of the world, as the churches’ joint statement puts it, must support them with new vigour in their struggle to free themselves from an oppressive regime, “not with more bombs and missiles, but with sustained moral, political and material support” toward the achievement of human rights, peace and security.
Therefore, we again appeal to you and the UN Security Council to say an unambiguous “no” to war on Iraq, and a clear “yes” to building on the current process. To sweep aside hard won achievements in favour of war would be a travesty of justice and a tragedy of frightening proportions.
We recognize that this is a time of immense pressure and reflection for you and your colleagues. Please be assured of our continuing prayers and support.
Sincerely,
Archbishop Michael Peers
Primate
The Anglican Church of Canada
Archbishop Hovnan Derderian
Primate
Armenian Holy Apostolic Church, Canadian Diocese
The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Bellous
Executive Minister
Baptist Convention of Ontario and Quebec
The Right Rev. Maurice Hicks
General Superintendent
British Methodist Episcopal Church
Bishop Jacques Berthelet, C.S.V.
Bishop of Saint-Jean-Longueuil
President
Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops
John Calder
Clerk
Canadian Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)
The Rev. Fr. Messale Engeda
Presiding Priest
Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church in the Western Hemisphere
The Rev. Raymond Schultz
National Bishop
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada
Don Peters
Executive Director
Mennonite Central Committee Canada
Henry Krause
Moderator
Mennonite Church Canada
The Right Rev. Seraphim
Bishop of Ottawa and Canada
Orthodox Church in America
The Very Rev. Anthony Nikolic
Polish National Catholic Church of Canada
The Rev. J. Mark Lewis
Moderator, 128th General Assembly
The Presbyterian Church in Canada
The Rev. Siebrand Wilts
Stated Clerk
Regional Synod of Canada
Reformed Church in America
Metropolitan Archbishop Wasyly (Fedak)
Primate
Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada
The Right Rev. Dr. Marion Pardy
Moderator
United Church of Canada
The Rev. William F. Veenstra
Canadian Ministries Director
Christian Reformed Church in North America
The Rev. F. Thomas Rutherford
Regional Minister
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Canada
Ecumenical agencies:
Jane Orion Smith
Chair, Board of Directors
KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives
Moira Hutchinson
Chair, Board of Directors
Project Ploughshares
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