Ten Commandments for Solidarity

by Global Ministries | published on Oct 10, 2014

By Peter R. Monkres

Go on a delegation to the Philippines, immerse yourself in Filipino reality, work and walk with the people.
Develop mission partnerships that allow member of your faith community to work mutually with the Filipino people on critical peace and justice issues such as defending human rights, challenging development aggression that damages the environment or critiquing militarization in the Philippines.
Study and analyze in order to understand the connections between the war against terrorism, globalization and the current crisis in human rights in the Philippines.
Write your legislators and ask that the presence of U.S. Special Forces in the Philippines end.
Call for abrogation of the Visiting Forces Agreement, which has never been ratified by the U.S. government.
Ask your legislators to publicly defend human rights in the Philippines and call for an end to assassinations of progressive social leaders.
Develop an appreciation for the integrity of Bangsamoro communities in the Philippines and participate in building bridges of peace between Muslims and Christians both in Mindanao and in the U.S.
Ask your legislators to reduce military aid to Philippines and fund small-scale, non-violent development programs that improve the lives of the Filipino people. Particularly needed are: land redistribution for peasants, protection of indigenous lands and ways of life, education and health care initiatives and environmental restoration.
Pray for peace and justice to come to the Philippines and for the United States to offer a non-violent, people power preswence in the Two Thirds World.
Speak truth to power in order to insist that U.S. foreign policy be consistent with democratic values and traditional spiritual teachings.

Peter R. Monkres is an United Church of Christ pastor, writer and teacher. He currently serves as the Pastor of First Congregational United Church of Christ, a Just Peace Church, and ministers internationally in Chiapas, Mexico and the Philippines.