Latin American Council of Churches (CLAI) Proposed Action Plan in Solidarity with the Sister Churches of Honduras

by Global Ministries | published on Oct 10, 2014

The Latin American Council of Churches (CLAI) convened representatives of the denominational families of Latin America for a pastoral visit in Honduras, from September 28 to October 2, specifically in Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula, to listen, reflect and establish proposals for accompanying the churches in the critical situation the country is going through.

Taking part were Noemi Espinoza, Rocio Morales, Gloria Dubón, Santiago Flores, Patricia Matamorros Edgardo, Freddy Murillo, Betsabel, Agrario and Marcela Franco (Presbyterian and Reformed), Bernardo Erni (Swiss Reformed), Esteban Deal, Renate Gierus, Antonio da Luz, Rosane Pletsch, Nilton Giese, Cecilia Alfaro (Lutherans), Alfredo Soriano (Assemblies of God), Roger Cabezas (Faith and Holiness Pentecostal Mission), Manuel Torres (Catholic), Julio Murray (Episcopal).

PROPOSED ACTION PLAN IN SOLIDARITY

WITH THE SISTER CHURCHES OF HONDURAS

OBJECTIVES

1. Develop a permanent process of accompaniment of the Honduran churches in their witness and mission.

2. Assure that the ecumenical community responds to the needs of the Honduran churches, in a manner appropriate to the emergency the country is experiencing.

3. Maintain a prophetic and pastoral voice in this situation of crisis, vigilant of the respect of human rights.

4. Facilitate processes of training to the churches, for the strengthening of their leadership and the achieving of a greater incidence in the seeking for new social conditions.

5. Strengthen the flow of communications between the national churches and the international community, so as to make known in an alternative manner the Honduran situation.

AXIS OF THE PLAN OF ACTION

a. Training: the following activities or events are proposed

1. Conflict resolution:

– Take advantage of the Mennonite Church proposal and the CLAI Peace Culture program.
– Workshop on conflict resolution with youth.

2. Faith, Economy and Society:
– Christian witness and social responsibility.

– Regional consultation on the fragility of democracy and the Protestant contribution in polarized societies. San Salvador, October 29-31, 2009.

b. Unity, Mission and Evangelization

1. Gathering with the leadership of the churches for the presentation of the proposed Action Plan.

2. Articulating with Evangelical and Pentecostal churches to broaden the CLAI Nacional Table.

3. Increase the collaboration and cooperation between churches, ACT (Action by Churches Together) and NGOs present in the country.

c. Support for Human Rights from CLAI – CLAI Commission for the Verifying of Human Rights

1. Objective

– Establish an observatory made up of a commission of CLAI and national justice operators that can document evidence and inform of the violations of human rights resulting from the political crisis of the country.

2. Activities

– Establish a permanent commission for the verifying of human rights

– Compile indexes on the violation of human rights in collaboration with human rights organizations in Honduras

– National and international informing to the CLAI commission of summaries of cases

– Evaluate or value by December what is pertinent and continuity

3. Structure – Form a CLAI COMMISSION FOR THE VERIFYING OF HUMAN RIGHTS.

– A commission of 3 persons knowledgeable with regard to Honduran and Latin American context that will meet each month and that can carry out specific visits during 4 months to the national human rights organisms in Honduras, prisons, jails and hospitals.

– Set up a small office in Honduras with a person who has information as to contacts and is knowledgeable about the context.

– The office in Honduras will, on behalf of the CLAI Commission, publish the cases at the national and international levels.

4. Infrastructure – Office in Honduras located in the facilities of a member organization of ACT or CLAI.

– Office staff.

– Full-time lawyer.

– Medical advisor.

– Communications advisor articulating with www.alcnoticias.org.

5. Project Time Frame

– Proposed 3 month duration (October to December, 2009)

– Implementation date: October 10

6. Coordination organizations: CEJIL, COFADEH, CODEH, FIDH, CIPRODE, Internacional Coordination Agencies (ACI, Spanish acronym) and others.

d. Other activities

– Ecumenical presence roundabout November 29.
– International support for the projects by churches of emergency attention to the people (equipping and making available existing health clinics, with human resources, equipment and medicines, foodstuffs, ..)