eNewsletter

Content of E-Newsletter 2013 Governance & Movement Building Global WSCF Programme & events Regional Women's Programme (RWP) Human Right Justice and Peace Programme (HRJP) Asia Pacific Student & Youth Gathering (ASYG) Ecumenical Networking Statements, appeal Prayers and Liturgies Announcement Upcoming Programmes Contact us: WSCF Asia Pacific Unit 1-2, 18/F, 280 Portland Street, Commercial Building, Mongkok, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR Te. 852-23852550 Email: wscfap@netvigator.com Website: www.wscfap@netvigator.org -----------------------------------------------------------------------Peace greetings from the World Student Christian Federation Asia Pacific Region!

We genuinely seek and urge for peace especially during this time as the escalating tension between North Korea, the United States and South Korea is a threat looming large over thousands of life on the earth in the wake of a nuclear warfare. We expect that the conflict would resolve through genuine dialogue to sustain peace in the Korean peninsula and our sincere prayer to God that the time is now to fulfil the prophesy of Isaiah that “they will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks, and nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore.” May we awaken by this prophesy to advocate peace with justice on this earth!

We would like to share with you the WSCF AP activities and connect with you through the WSCF AP e News Letter.

Please feel free to send us news to publish in our news letter.

Shalom!

Sunita Suna Regional Secretary – WSCF AP -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------WSCF AP Leadership met during the 21st Standing Committee (SC) Meeting in Hong Kong

The Standing committee members of WSCF Asia Pacific met in Hong Kong for the 1st time after they were elected by the 20th Regional Committee in October 2012. The 21st SC was held during March 20th to 25th, 2013 at the WSCF AP regional office, Hong Kong. The six members were elected for the Standing Committee to lead the WSCF AP region with their collective leadership. Rev. David Anirudha Das (SCM Bangladesh) Chairperson, Ms. Chung Hiu Fan (SCM Hong Kong) – female members at large, Mr. Neil Ballantyne (SCM Aotearoa (New Zealand), - male members at large, Ms. Leni Valeriano (SCM Philippines) – female Global ExCo member, Mr. Immanuel Kitnan ( SCM Sri Lanka) - male Global ExCo member, two regional staff - Ms. Sunita Suna (SCM India) Regional Secretary, Ms. Nina Nayoan (SCM Indonesia) - Regional Women’s Coordinator, and Ms. Bronwyn Crowe (SCM Australia) - WSCF Global

Vice Chair (Invitee). Ms. Phan Dara (SCM Cambodia) – Vice Chair, was unable to attend the said meeting due to ill health condition.

The roles of the Standing Committee are to : review the progress and facilitate the implementations of decisions made by the Regional Committee; make interim decisions on behalf of the Region; appoint temporary replacements for any vacancy in the Committee; provide pastoral and collegial support to the Regional Secretary and other staff directly involved in the program implementation; and make recommendations for action to the Regional Committee; Staff and Ex Co members shared the ongoing programmes/activities of WSCF AP and of the federation as a whole. They reviewed the proposal, recommendations and decisions made by the 20th Regional Committee to come up with concrete strategies for implementation. There were many positive outcomes to celebrate but at the same time there are challenges like addressing the issue of strengthening the national movements, financial necessitate etc., which needs the region’s urgent attention. The committee discussed and processed thoroughly especially on the challenges and came up with concrete strategy. Plenty of creative ideas and thoughts were shared to address these challenges and attain our objectives with the collective leadership. After a deep discussion and deliberations the committee came up with some of the following major decision: Ø Movement Building: After a critical analysis of each national movement the members identified specific movements and came up with strategies in movement building more creatively and constructively. In addition a five members working group is formed to specifically focus in this area to work on movement building, Ø Addressing the financial challenges: The committee came up with some practical ideas and suggestions to raise funds and approved the recommendation by the 20th RCM to form a fund raising committee with some guidelines for Resource Mobilization to strengthen the movements and the programmes and activities of the AP region and global WSCF. The SC will also play an active role in nurturing the newly formed SCMs of AP region. After the strategic planning for the financial resources the committee approved the 2013-2014 budget. Ø Human Rights Justice and Peace (HRJP) Coordinator: The committee approved the recommendation of the HRJP committee and appointed Mr. Einstein Recedes from SCM Philippines to be the Human Rights coordinator of the WSCF AP to strengthen the HRJP programs in the region. Ø Programme Priorities for 2013-2014: 1. Capacity Building Training will be held for the General Secretaries/National Coordinators of SCMs in June 2013 in Hong Kong 2. Asian Students and Youth Gathering (ASYG) : will be held in Bukal Ng Tipan, Metro Manila, Philippines from 30th of August to 5th of September 2013 3. WSCF at the WCC Assembly: The AP region will work with the global WSCF to actively participate during the WCC assembly in Busan, Korea.

4. School for Ecumenical Leadership Formation (SELF) will be held in the 1st quarter of 2014 on the theme : Identity Diversity and Dialogue 5. 21st Regional Committee Meeting (RCM) will be held in July 2014 in Hong Kong 6. General Assembly of WSCF: will be hosted by Latin America Region in July 2014. The delegates of the RCM will directly go after the RCM to attend the GA. The SC also approved the programme proposals by the HRJP Committee and RW Committee of the HR programmes and Women’s programmes for the year 2013-2014. The SC also discerned the significance of bringing the collective leadership in all the activities of the region and shared the responsibilities to implement all the proposed plan of action together. Each SC member is assigned to work with the regional staff to implement the action plans.

Apart from the business session, the SC also spent time on worship and Bible studies to meditate and develop theological perspectives on issues the federation is advocating. The Bible studies were focused on two thematic areas of the federation i.e Identity Diversity and Dialogue (IDD), and Eco Justice. Dr. Hope S. Antone, Programme officer of United Board for Christian Higher Education in Asia and Mr. Chan Beng Seng, a senior friend of WSCF, facilitated these two Bible Studies.

This was also a time for the AP leadership to meet with SCM students, senior friends, ecumenical leaders

from the partner organizations the AP region is working with them in Hong Kong.

Photo

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------WSCF Staff and Officers Meeting and Visits to SCM and Churches in Cairo, Egypt

The leadership of the World Student Christian Federation (WSCF) held its annual Staff and Officers Meeting in Cairo, Egypt from 13 to 20 February 2013. It was a conscious choice to hold the meeting in Egypt to express our support and solidarity to the SCMs, Christian communities and the WSCF Middle East Region as a whole during a challenging time the whole Arab world and specially the people in Egypt are going through in the wake of the political revolution for democracy in the country.

The staff meeting was conjoined with the capacity building and strategizing of WSCF’s Ecumenical Assistance Programme. Humberto Shikiya and Caterina Bain of CREAS were invited to facilitate the whole process. The group re visited the EAP projects and did a critical analysis and evaluation within the framework of the Planning Monitoring and Evaluation. The staff also focused on the upcoming General Assembly of WSCF in 2014 in Latin America region and explored fund raising initiatives.

Apart from the above mentioned activities the WSCF leaders participated in the Week of Christian Unity service organized by different Church denominations, and met with Church leaders, and SCMers in Cairo.

It was a productive time with the SCMers to initiate an intense conversation on the present situation of the political instability which has generated violence in the country as well as sectarian violence against the Christian minority. The young people are restless to bring peace and democracy in the country and challenged the WSCF to intervene and actively participate to address this difficult time and assist the students and youth to see and experience a better future in the country.

Read a statement from Global WSCF visit to Egypt ... ( at attached PDF below) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2 years Regional Women Program planned at 21st RWC meeting in Hong Kong

The RWC of WSCF Asia Pacific met from March 17th to 20th, 2013 at the WSCF AP Regional Office, Hong Kong. The six members of RWC approved by the Regional Committee Meeting of AP are :Ms. Heidi Boulter (SCM Aotearoa (New Zealand)) - Pacific, Ms. Masophy Kengoo (SCM India, ) – South Asia, Ms. Pan Mo Mo Chit(SCM Myanmar) – South East Asia, Ms. Leni Valeriano (SCM Philippines) – Global ExCo, Ms. Chung Hiu Fan (SCM Hong Kong)- Member at large of Standing Committee and Ms. Nina Nayoan (SCM Indonesia) – Regional Women’s Coordinator. The meeting was attended by five members of RWC and Ms. Bronwyn Crowe (SCM Australia) - invitee as WSCF Global Vice chair and former member of RWC. The roles of the RWC are to make plans for the Regional Women’s Program (RWP) for the next quadrennium, to evaluate the program and the work being done from the last two years, to coordinate development on women’s work from the regional to the national movements and drawing up specific plans for program implementation.

During the RWC the members discussed on the women’s issues, challenges concerned by national movement, SWOT analysis on the regional women’s program, and some recommendations and strategies for upcoming Regional Women’s Program. Dr. Hope Antone, an Asian Feminist theologian, currently working with the United Board for Christian Higher Education in Asia also facilitated a session on developing tool and framework for re-reading the Bible from feminist perspective. After a review and evaluation of the ongoing women’s program and women’s concern in national and regional level, the committee have come up with the following recommendations to the national movements: Appoint national women’s officer /coordinators in every national movements and consciously create budget for women’s programmes to strengthen women’s program for women empowerment; Encourage senior friends to support the women’s program, and create space for sharing women’s stories, experiences and their unheard voices; Support women to prepare, write and present reports on women’s concern based on their national context and personal struggles.

Following are the highlights of the Action plans for the year 2013-2014 1. Women Doing Theology & Writing Workshop : This writing workshop is aimed for developing a module/guide book on women doing theology to enable and guide the SCM women leaders to organize women doing theology in their SCMs. This workshop will take place by end of July 2013.

2. Joint Women’s Program (JWP): The JWP intended to strengthen the national women’s programme in SCMs is planned to focus on women’s issue in national context. The proposed SCMs to have the JWP are SCM East Timor and SCM Nepal in 2013.

3. 16 Day Activism Campaign on Violence against Women : Resource material on women’s rights and violence free society will be prepared by RWC for national movement to engage in this campaign.

4. Sub regional women’s programs in 2014 : Two sub regional women’s programs will be held in SCM Myanmar for South East Asia and Aotearoa (New Zealand) for Pacific. These programs are planned to address the specific women’s issue of each sub-regional context.

Asian Feminist move forward ...... A message from Co-ordinating Team Meeting of Asian Women Resource Center (AWRC CTM) The CTM was held in Yogyakarta, Indonesia from February 24th through March 4th 2013. Around 9 women members coming from Malaysia, Philippines, South Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, India and four local staff from Indonesia attended the meeting.

The Coordinating Team is the policy making body of the AWRC, and is responsible for coordinating, oversight of the affairs of the organization, planning and appointing necessary committees. WSCF Asia Pacific is affiliated and co-opted member of this body, since the inception of AWRC in 1988, embracing its aims to articulate Asian Women Feminist Theology and forming an international community of young Asian women to engage in feminist theology. The regional women’s coordinator of the WSCF AP is the official member of the CT, and Ms. Nina Nayoan attended this CT meeting.

Some highlights of the decisions made during this CTM were way forward on the Development of Asian Feminist Theology (DAFT) project, membership review (which included the issue of ownership, types of membership, increasing fee of membership); organizational review ranging from reformulating its vision, mission, organizational life & direction to prioritize programmatic areas.

WSCF Asia Pacific through the Regional Women Program (RWP) has been continuously engaging in empowering women particularly young women to theologically reflect their experiences and critically analyse the surrounding realities that are oppressive which is enabling the women to find ways of transformation towards liberation. While doing this we acknowledge the mutual accompaniments by AWRC members network by being agents of knowledge and empowerment to one another.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Human Rights Justice and Peace Committee (HRJPC)

The members of the HRJP Committee met during March 17-20, 2013 at the Kowloon Union Church, Jordan, Hong Kong. The following members attended the meeting who were selected during the Regional Committee Meeting of WSCF AP to represent the sub region of WSCF Asia Pacific in the HRJP Committee.

Ms. Woo Jung (KSCF) – North East Asia, Mr. Jimmi Tampubolon(SCM Indonesia), Mr. Einstein Recedes (SCM Philippines) – South East Asia, Mr. Inbaraj Jeyakumar (SCM India) , Mr. Nicholas Haslam (SCM Aotearoa (New Zealand) – Pacific, Ms. Leni Valeriano (SCM Philippines) – Outgoing Coordinator, Ms. Sunita Suna (Regional Secretary – WSCF AP)

The HRJP Committee functions for two years until the next RCM. The committee is responsible to asses and evaluate Human Rights Programs and Human Rights actions taken in the regional and national levels; Draw specific themes, plans and recommendations for the Human Rights Work and Program; Fundraising and linking with other HR and Justice and Peace groups. Serve as a campaign centre for HR, Justice and Peace issues locally and internationally; Develop future Human Rights and Peace Advocates ;To build solidarity on peace and justice issues; Encourage and support national movements on their HR, Justice and Peace issues.

Apart from the above mentioned tasks, the committee also had opportunity to listen and encounter with resource persons on Human Rights issues. Moreover the time was also used to develop theological perspectives related to HR issues during the Bible study facilitated by Rev. Phyllis Wong, Senior Minister of Kowloon Union Church. Mr. Ramon Bultron, Managing Director for Asia Pacific Mission for Migrants shared about the HR issues particularly in the Philippines. Mr. Wong Kai Shing, senior friend of SCM Hong Kong and the former director of the Asian Human Rights Commission facilitated a session on “Advocacy and Campaign on HR, Justice and Peace issues locally and internationally". There were also stories and HR issues shared by the committee members and one of the heart breaking stories was about Kristel Tejada. Kristel a fresher student in the University of the Philippines, Manila, committed suicide last March 15, as she was forced by the University authorities to file for a Leave of Absence because she couldn’t pay her tuition fees! Kristel took her own life a way to protest against the monopoly and commercialisation of education which is depriving many students like Kristel of their very right to quality education.

After sharing, listening and analysing the HR issues in AP region, The HRJPC came up with the following action plans with concrete strategies to achieve the set objectives for the year 2013-2014.

Action plan 1 : The HRJP Workshop 2013 will be on the theme : EDUCATION RIGHTS. The workshop will be hosted by the SCM Philippines during August 24-30, 2013.

Action Plan 2 : Campaigns and Advocacy on the issues : EDUCATION RIGHTS, ECO-JUSTICE focusing on LAND AND MINING in Asia Pacific region.

Action Plan 3 : Continuing the Sri Lanka solidarity of the Human rights situation in Sri Lanka Action Plan 4 : Columbia Solidarity – Raise awareness on the human rights situation in Columbia and Promote the Ecumenical Accompaniment Project to Columbia .

Action Plan 5 : HRJP Coordinator: Einstein Recedes was proposed as the new HRJP Coordinator for 2013 – 2014. And Leni Valeriano was coopted member of HRJP committee, being the representative of Asia Pacific to the Global Advocacy and Solidarity Committee (GASC)

HRJP Commmittee members

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Justice and Peace Now! God of Life: Lead us to Justice and Peace ASYG 2013 preparation began at the EASY Net Annual Core Team Meeting at NCCP, Manila, Philippines The members of the EASY Net Core Team Mr. Andy Predicala (ICYW), Mr. Ralph Balan Langet (IYCS), Ms. Eloisa Dukha Boreo (APAY), Ms. Aom Pattamawan (IYCS), Ms. Sunita Suna (EASY Net Moderator/WSCF-AP), Ms. Felicia Dian Ravenska Perera (IMCS), Ms. Somin Han (IMCS), Ms. Johanna May Dela Cruz (Invitee NCCP/ Philippines Easy Net Coordinator), and Mr. Kasta Dip (EASY Net – Regional Coordinator) met at the Bishop La Verne D. Mercado Ecumenical Center, National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP) from January 27th to 31st 2013. The committee discussed and planned the activities for the year 2013-2014 and kicks off the preparation of the Asia Pacific Students and Youth Gathering (ASYG), scheduled to be held in the Philippines from August 30- September 5, 2013.

The ASYG is one of the biggest gathering of students, church youth/leaders across Asia Pacific, creates platform to celebrate, dialogue in diversity and solidarity. This also strengthen revive/revitalize Asian youth ecumenical networking and promote youth involvement in prophetic ministry of justice, Peace and various contemporary issues of Human Rights. Moreover, this space will enable the young people to reflect on the realities of Asian Youth through their own contexts/ understanding and to challenge the youth and students to participate in promoting a culture of peace and justice in pluralistic perspectives to promote grassroots ecumenism. The ASYG 2013 is significant as this is planned to hold as the pre youth assembly in Asia before the WCC assembly in Busan on the theme:: God of Justice: Lead us to Justice and Peace.

This will be the time and space to articulate Justice and Peace from the youth’s perspectives which will also enable the young people to bring collective voices from Asian youth to the Busan assembly. The fact is that 50% of the young people of global population live in Asia, hence, it is significant to create space and hear and uphold the voices of young people in Asia. This ASYG is expecting around 200 young people to attend this event and this initiatives was welcomed by many ecumenical partners and members of WCC- Youth ECHOS. Easy Net continuously seek support, prayers and wisdom for the forthcoming ASYG! Before the ASYG there will be NSYG(National Students and Youth Gathering) in local lever for the preparation.

The ACT Meeting was also a time to meet with some of our ecumenical leaders in the Philippines. Mr. Lesley Capus led a Bible study during the meeting and inspired to engage in grassroots ecumenism. Dr. Romel Linatoc explained youth’s participation during the WCC assembly and encouraged to promote more young people to engage on the justice and peace issue. Ms. Corazon Tabing –Reyes paid a visit and also shared her wisdom during the discussion.

Week of Prayer for Christian Unity The Churches and Ecumenical organizations in Hong Kong observed the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity on January 23rd 2013, at the Rosary Church in Hong Kong. WSCF Asia Pacific, participated in this celebration with other groups. Rev. Catherine Graham, Chaplain, St. John’s Cathedral gave reflective sermon on the theme “What does God require of us?” (Micah 6:6-8). She highlighted the issue of justice and peace in various contexts starting with the unjust practices of casteism in Indian context, and the struggle for justice and peace in larger communities including communities in Hong Kong.

This event brought together different denominations and faith based groups to celebrate and worship together in a common space.

We are happy and thankful to Student Christian Movement of India (SCMI) for preparing the liturgy and the resources for the week of prayer for Christian unity in coordination with the All India Catholic University Federation (AICUF). The week of prayer is traditionally celebrated from 18 to 25 January.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------April 20, 2013 We, the World Student Christian Federation- WSCF (AP) join the justice and peace-loving people of the world in prayer and in aspiring for a peaceful reconciliation and reunification of the South and North Korea.

As faithful Christian students and youth journeying towards peace and justice with the people of the Korean peninsula, it pains and disturbs us to see that for more than six decades, peace and reunification with the assertion for selfdetermination, is still far from being achieved.

We resonance the demands of Christian churches in Korea, and call on the governments of South and North Korea to go back to formal peace negotiations to end the current political impasse. We call on both parties to renew trustbuilding actions such as continued an uninterrupted operationalization of the Kaesong Industrial Complex, which is serving as a cooperative economic project of the two Koreas that encompass a symbolic mutual conciliation.

We support the call for negotiations towards a Peace Treaty and corollary agreements grounded on mutual respect and cooperation.

We are alarmed and call on the North Korean government to stop the un-constructive statements tantamount to an 'eye for an eye' nuclear war rhetoric, which will only hamper any room for dialogue. This destructive gesture from North Korea would only lead to damage the peace process and create hindrances to resolve the conflicting issues through peaceful, constructive and genuine dialogue. A nuclear war eruption will not only be catastrophic for the Korean people but also on the whole of creation.

We likewise echo the call to immediately stop the month-long US and South Korea simulated nuclear-powered war games being held along the South-North borders, which make use of high-tech stealth missiles and nuclear-carriers.

These provocative military war games only inflame feelings of insecurity of the North and bolster the feelings of being threatened with invasion.

The DPRK has been reeling too on decades of economic blockade by the United States and US-sponsored sanctions through the Security Council. We call on the stop of the economic blockades in the North which has also pushed it to develop nuclear power for electricity and thereby the technology for nuclear threat detterence.

We lament that actions of provocations from the global nuclear-power, the United States, more than any of the rhetorical stance essentially for self-defence of North Korea, had brought to the brink the already precarious situation in the Korean peninsula.

We should be reminded that millions were killed during the 1950-1953 Korean War with US as one of the main actors.

But the outcome was an Armistice Agreement which was so favorable to the US. While it was expected that the Russia

and US would withdraw from the peninsula, the US stayed and imposed its military presence in the peninsula through an alliance with sucessive South Korean governments and over the years US is maintaining around 25, 000 to 35, 000 US troops in South Korea and more than a dozen US bases.

While we are so concerned that the current critical situation will ease out and dialogue be restarted, it is important that we see this in the historical context and current march of the US to strategically pivot to Asia Pacific and contain the growing economic rival which is China.

Last year the Obama government announced the new stretegic military doctrine of ‘Pivot to Asia Pacific’ from being embroiled in war in Middle-East, which is closely linked to its American Pacific Century design and hegemonic interest in the region.

Thus it is imperative that we also call on the justice and peace-loving people of the world to stop the march of heightened militarization of Asia Pacific, the aggressive push of the US to make South Korea, Philippines, Australia, and Japan as its military outposts and further threatening peace not just in the East but the whole of Asia Pacific.

We reiterate the call on both South and North Korean governments to pave the way for genuine dialogue and give a chance for hope of peace, justice and progress in the peninsula. We bond our hands with the people of the South and North Korea who have long-dreamed of a reunited nation where peaceful co-existence with mutual respect reign.

Lastly, we call for the end of all nuclear weapons in the world by all nations and, moreover, the demobilization of all armies in the world.

PREPARED BY THE WORLD STUDENT CHRISTIAN FEDERATION ASIA PACIFIC – WSCF AP (HUMAN RIGHTS, JUSTICE AND PEACE COMMITTEE).

Anti POSCO Appeal URGENT APPEAL FOR SOLIDARITY TITLE: Support the just cause of villagers in Odisha, India against POSCO steel project SUMMARY The peoples’ struggle in Odisha, India against the Korean Steel giant, the Pohang Steel Company (POSCO) is entering a new face of protest.

On February 3rd 2013,State Police and POSCO goons attacked villagers who have been struggling for the past seven years to protect their land and livelihood. The attack happened at around 4AM on Feb. 3rd. As reported, twelve platoons of police forcefully entered the villages of Dhinkia and Govindpur to take over forest land. These villages have been at the centre of a seven year long resistance movement against POSCO which seeks to build a port and a steel plant in Jagatsinghpur District. On entering the village, police targeted women and children first. At least 6 women, children and elderly people were seriously injured; 50 people were arbitrarily detained and one arrested.

Furthermore, from the 5th February onwards, police and Indian government officials have initiated forcible land acquisition procedures in the villages opposed to the proposed project.

On the March 2, 2013, at around 6 .30 PM, the POSCO company and state-sponsored goons threw bombs on villagers at Patna village, Dhinkia , Jagatsinghpur. It has been reported that Manas Jena died on the spot due to the bombings. Two more, namely Nabanu Mandal – 35 and Narahari Sahoo – 52 died after half an hour waiting for ambulance, while another one, Mr. Laxman Paramanik is critically injured.

Background Information Since 2005, when POSCO started its project in India (so far the largest Foreign Direct Investment in India) the question of human rights violations and forest rights raised by the people have not yet been addressed by the federal and the state governments. The proposed steel plant is expected to affect seven villages in three Gram panchayats, namely Dhinkia, Nuagaon & Gadakujang, and will allow POSCO to

extract 600 million tons of iron ore over the next 30 years. Census reports issued by the Government and

by POSCO claim that about 400 families will be displaced by the project.

According to figures from 2001, the three panchayats (villages) have 3,350 households, which adds up to 22,000 people who will be displaced. This discrepancy is partly due to anomalies in Government records which recognize only 438 acres out of 4000 acres as being privately owned, whilst in reality, most of the land has been under betel, cashew and other cultivation by adivasi (indigenous) communities for several generations. This is fertile land, and an average family involved in cashew farming earns about Rs. 20,000 ($500) per season. About 50% of the families are also involved in pisciculture (mostly prawns), for which the daily earnings per family can range between Rs. 100-5000 ($2.50-$100). In addition, there are many landless families that depend on ancillary employment like making baskets for packing betel leaves grown in the area.

Around 4000 families who will be affected by the project do not want their home and livelihood sources to be ceded for construction of the integrated steel plant. The Gram Sabhas – the assembly of elders in the village/Panchayat – of the concerned villages have time and again reiterated their opposition to any acquisition of their land as the people will lose forest land, water bodies and rice-paddies in the area, which are important sources of livelihood.

There is evidence of the land acquisition being unconstitutional as it violates the Forest Rights Act 2006 which states that no forest land can be diverted without the informed consent of the gram sabha (village council).

Even the National Green Tribunal has suspended the environmental clearance given to the project. The actions of the government of Odisha with the support of the police and POSCO clearly violate several international human rights treaties, which have been ratified by India.

Six years ago, 52 families who were forcefully evicted from Dhinkia Village now live in make shift shelters built by POSCO. What was meant to be a transit camp is now their permanent residence. Some of them are given a dole of Rs.20/- per day, which is not enough to meet even basic needs.

SAMPLE LETTER (Please Address separately the different agencies and government officials listed below.)

Shri. Naveen Patnaik Chief Minister, Orissa At- Naveen Nivas, Aerodrome Road, P.O.-Bhubaneswar Dist.-Khurda, Pin-751001 (Orissa) Dear Sri Naveen Patnaik, Greetings!

We write to express our utmost concern and condemnation of the violence unleashed by the police together with POSCO private security on February 3, 2013 against the villagers who were conducting a peaceful protest over the land-grabbing of POSCO for its industrial plants construction. Moreover, most of those hurt were women, children and elderly and most men villagers were threatened and arrested. We condemn the attack on villagers on March 2, 2013 killing 3 villagers.

We call on the government to hold accountable the police forces and private security who were involved in violence during the human-chain protest of the villagers on February 3. We further call to stop the indiscriminate bombings against the villagers by POSCO private army and conduct investigation for the prosecution of those involved.

It should be noted that time and again the villagers stood for their right to livelihood, land and homes in those areas being forcibly acquired by the POSCO management thru its private goons and state police.

The multi-million POSCO project planned on the vastness of 4, 004 acres of land will displace at least 4000 families in around seven villages in Jagatsinghpur District, Odisha.

The recent October 2012 Assembly of Villagers once again united to vote against the POSCO project. This cemented the defiant struggle of the farmers and adivasis against the forcible displacement and possible exploitation of the people’s resources and resonates the peoples call for the cancellation of the POSCO project.

We support the united and peaceful struggle of the villagers in defense of their land, livelihood and life.

We further call on the state government under Shri. Naveen Patnaik and the central government of India to stop the violent attacks on the villagers and heed the just demand for the cancellation of the POSCO project.

We hope that the Odisha and Indian central governments will adhere to international human rights norms, laws and conventions to which it is a signatory.

We greatly appreciate your attention to this letter.

Sincerely, _______________________

PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO 1.

Shri. Naveen Patnaik Chief Minister, Orissa At- Naveen Nivas, Aerodrome Road, P.O.-Bhubaneswar Dist.-Khurda, Pin-751001 (Orissa) Fax: +91-67-4253-5100 E Mail: cmo@ori.nic.in 2.

Debadutta Singh

Superintendent of Police Email: dmjsp@ori.nic.in (no fax number available) 3.

Chairperson

National Human Rights Commission of India Faridkot House, Copernicus Marg, New Delhi 110 001 Fax: +91-11-2334-0016 Email: chairnhrc@nic.in 4.

Dr Manmohan Singh

Prime Minister of India South Block, Raisana Hill New Delhi 110011 INDIA

Fax: +91-11-2301-9454 /6857/5603 Email: pmosb@pmo.nic.in; manmohan@sansad.in 5.

S.K. Mallick

District Collector, Jagatsinghpur Fax: +91-67-2422-0299

6.

Mrs. Margaret Sekaggya United Nations Special Rapporteur on Situation of Human Rights Defenders Email: urgent-action@ohchr.org FAX: +41(0) 22.917.90.06

7.

Mr. Maina Kiai UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association Palais des Nations CH-1211 Geneva 10 Switzerland Fax : + 41 22 917 9006 Email : freeassembly@ohchr.org REQUESTED ACTIONS/SOLIDARITY 1. Demand the end of harassment, bombings and militarization both by private and government forces on those areas where struggle agaonst the POSCO plantations are happening; call for prosecution of those involved in these human rights violations through issuing public statements, sending letters to the abovementioned government agencies and the United Nations.

2. Lobby to the Indian government embassies or consulates in your countries, states or cities.

3. Conduct signature campaigns, solidarity forum or other awareness-raising campaign and solidarity actions deemed fit regarding the issue.

PREPARED BY THE WORLD STUDENT CHRISTIAN FEDERATION ASIA PACIFIC (HUMAN RIGHTS, JUSTICE AND PEACE COMMITTEE).

PLEASE SEND A COPY OF YOUR LETTER TO US at wscfap@netvigator.net -----------------------------------------------------

International Women’s Day Liturgy

Call to Worship O God of Life Because you love, you inspire Because you create, you motivate On this International Women’s Day, you call us to be the change makers and to respond with greater commitment and affirmation for women’s emancipation.

You have instilled new life, new hopes, and new vision in us Today we celebrate your creation of our bodies Help us to see them as beautiful, sacred and inviolable temples of your Holy Spirit Aid us as we resist any attempt to make us less than what you created us to be Amen.

Bible Reading – Psalm 139 For it was you who formed my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; that I know very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes beheld my unformed substance.

God saw everything that he had made: And it was very good.

Bible Reading – from the Song of Songs You are beautiful as Tirzah, my love, comely as Jerusalem, awe-inspiring as an army with banners. Turn away your eyes from me, for they overwhelm me! Your hair is like a flock of goats, moving down the slopes of Gilead. Your lips are like a crimson thread, and your mouth is lovely. Your cheeks are like halves of a pomegranate behind your veil. Your neck is like the tower of David, built in courses; on it hang a thousand bucklers, all of them shields of warriors. Your two breasts are like two fawns, twins of a gazelle, that feed among the lilies. Your rounded thighs are like jewels, the work of a master hand. You are altogether beautiful, my love; there is no flaw in you.

The maidens saw her and called her happy; the queens and concubines also, and they praised her. "Who is this that looks forth like the dawn, fair as the moon, bright as the sun, awe-inspiring as an army with banners?"

God saw everything that he had made: And it was very good.

Women’s Stories and Intercessions Let us now hear the voices of those of us whose bodies and selves have not been given the respect they deserve as creations in the image of God our mother and father. We stand in solidarity with them and hold their struggles before God in prayer.

A story of Zhang Chunli from China ………

I am Zhang Chunli, from China. I am 20 years old. I had never stepped out from my small village Zhongjiang until I met Chen, a good looking doctor from Mongolia. When he offered me to take his home town for a weekend trip I was delighted to accept the offer and went with him. Soon I realized something was not right and demanded to be taken back. Before I could understand everything I was sold for 3,600 yuan to an old man. I tried to escape but again I was caught, beaten and raped. Now I have escaped but I can never erase that experience.

God, we uphold in our prayer Zhang Chunli and the millions of women and girls who are trapped in the organised crime of human trafficking and coerced into forced prostitution and other inhuman jobs.

Strengthen those women and men who devote their lives to extending your love and healing to these women.

God of peace and justice, open our eyes to see, our ears to listen, our mouth to speak out for justice.

My name is Julie Michael. I have always been thin but no matter how thin I get, I still feel fat. I have hated my body since I was about ten years old. My family’s critical comments about my body made everything worse. My mother was obsessed with dieting and I quickly followed suit. I began to live on almost nothing and exercised constantly. My parents were proud of how active I was. When I was hospitalised for depression and diagnosed with anorexia at the age of 16, my parents would not accept the diagnosis. I was wasting away. I married at the age of 17 and my loving husband and children have helped me overcome my anorexia but it is still a constant threat in the background.

God, we uphold in our prayer Julie Michael and the millions of women caught up in false images of their own bodies, who starve in a land of abundance. We pray for those who are mocked and criticised because their bodies do not conform to a narrow ideal of beauty. Free us from insecurity and help us to affirm the beauty you created in all beings.

God of peace and justice, open our eyes to see, our ears to listen, our mouth to speak out for justice.

My name is Makelesi. I am from Tonga. I fell in love with a man and married him when I was 22. At first things were okay but things became hard after we had our first child. We didn’t have enough money. My husband started to feel like he wasn’t a real man anymore because he couldn’t provide. As he became more and more stressed and insecure he began to take out his frustration on me. He started to hit me but I didn’t tell anyone; I was scared of what people would say, and also I still loved him. After a long time I decided I couldn’t take it anymore and I left him. Many people from both our families were very disappointed in me; but my mother understood and accepted my decision.

God, we uphold in our prayer all those around the world who suffer from family violence. We pray for healthy and loving relationships in which no one feels powerless or fearful. May the love of boyfriends, girlfriends, husbands and wives be a mirror of your love for us, the bride of Christ. And empower us to escape from oppressive situations when we have to.

God of peace and justice, open our eyes to see, our ears to listen, our mouth to speak out for justice.

Reflection Affirmation of Faith We believe in our God Who created woman and man in God’s own image and likeness To live in communion and harmony With people, nature and God. We believe in Jesus Christ, The liberator of this world Who broke the culture of silence And affirmed and advocated for the status of the marginalised in society; Who called us to follow His footsteps To resist all the exploitative and oppressive systems And to build a human community.

We believe in the Holy Spirit Who empowers us to stand firm; Who renews and restores the integrity of the creation, Helping all people to grow together towards wholeness of life Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer Kua akona nei tatou e to tatou Ariki, ka inoi tatou E to matou Matua i te rangi, kia tapu tou Ingoa Kia tae mai tou rangatiratanga Kia meatia tau e pai ai ki runga ki te whenua, kia rite ano ki to te rangi Homai ki a matou aianei he taro ma matou mo tenei ra Murua o matou hara, me matou hoki e muru nei i o te hunga e hara ana ki a matou Aua hoki matou e kawea kia whakawaia Engari whakaorangia matou i te kino Nou hoki te rangatiratanga, te kaha me te kororia, Ake ake ake. Amine.

Benediction: May the Blessings of God the Mother Creator, the blessings of the Son born of Mary, and the blessings of the Holy Spirit who sanctifies our bodies, rain down upon the women and men of the world, now and for ever more. Amen -------------------------------------------{This liturgy was prepared by Heidi Boulter, WSCF AP Regional Women’s Committee member (SCM Aotearoa New Zealand)

Announcement Nominations are invited from the affiliated SCMs of WSCF AP region for the position of WSCF Global Proxy (female). Please download the application form on below .

--------------------------------------------------

Up coming programmes of WSCF AP for 2013

Capacity Building Training of Trainers June, Hong Kong This Training will be attended by the SCM Coordinators and General Secretaries, or those that are actively engaged in SCM work at the national level. Following the recommendation of RCM 2012, this year’s meeting will include a five-day training program on various skills necessary in movement work and managing an organization.. The objectives of the programs are as follows:

Objectives : 1. Know the status and life of the national movements, identify the common trend, challenges, weaknesses and concerns; 2. Strategize for “Movement Building and Strengthening in the next 2 years; 3. Identify the current issues and concerns of the Ecumenical Movement, Youth and Student situation in the national/regional/global context; 4. Coordinate programs and activities between national movements and the region; 5. Establish camaraderie and closer links between the leaders of the SCMs and the Federation; 6. Provide training to the leaders of the SCM on movement building, organizational development and management, advocacy, fund raising, etc.

WSCF AP Regional Women Doing Theology (WDT) July, Thailand/Malaysia The Women Doing Theology is a regular effective women’s programme for the young women from the national movements. This year the WDT will be organized in the regional level. The expected participants are around 20 young women representing the National Student Christian Movement.

Objectives:  To create a space where human relationships are nurtured and develop each other’s spiritual formation.  To develop tools for critical feminist analysis, which is more wholistic to think beyond gender analysis to break the structures of domination and subordination;  To empower women to recognize their rights and wisdom to seek self-liberation and transformation;  To conscientize women about power relations in SCMs, Church, WSCF and Society at large to build an inclusive non-violent community  To develop and do theology in the context of women in sufferings by re-reading the Bible together from the feminist perspectives  To continue the formation and development of women leaders and ensure women leadership and participation in all levels and aspects of SCM work: from analysis generation and conceptualization, to decision-making, implementation & evaluation.  To envision for a just society, and contribute to the development and promotion of theology and culture from the experience and perspective of women.

Human Rights Justice and Peace (HRJP) Workshop August - Philippines

The Human Rights Defenders Training Workshop for Students aims to provide students with the skills for human rights advocacy work, develop a Human Rights campaign strategy, provide them with human rights framework of analysis by looking at the varied aspects of human rights issues from different perspective.

At the end of the workshop, the participants would have become equipped with basic knowledge and skills as Human Rights Defenders and Advocates. Specifically, the HRD Training aims to: Better understand the rights of HRDs and mechanisms to protect HRDs at national and international levels; Work for human rights in Asia Pacific countries and gather support in campaigning these issues in the SCMs and churches in the Asia-Pacific region; Acquire and develop skills in the human rights and peace works from the SCMs, church groups, Non Government Organization(NGO) and Peace Organization(PO) in the Asia Pacific region; Strengthen Human Rights Support Group human rights desk in the SCMs. 20 to 25 young SCM members from the AP region will attend the said workshop.

4rd Asian Student and Youth Gathering (ASYG) September- Philippines The 4th ASYG will be a gathering of 150 young people from the seven member organization of EASYNET, namely: APAY YMCA, YWCA, CCA, WSCF AP, IMCS, IYSC and IYCW. With the theme, Justice and Peace Now! The Gathering aims to achieve the following objectives:  To create space / common platform for youth Church leaders/ students from Asia and the Pacific to celebrate, dialogue in diversity and solidarity  To strengthen revive/revitalize Asian youth ecumenical networking and promote youth involvement in prophetic ministry of justice, Peace and various contemporary issues of Human Rights.  To reflect on the realities of Asian Youth through youth eye’s and to challenge the youth and students to participate in promoting a culture of peace and justice in pluralistic perspectives  To bring a prophetic voice and develop theological understanding to uphold and affirm life in its fullness in the context of an unjust society (Asia/world) to establish peace.  To enhance the National Ecumenical teams participation in cultivating culture of peace and justice at the grassroots level.

For further information, please get in touch with the EASYNET Coordinator, Kasta Dip at kasta@easynetmail.info

EASYNET Youth Week Celebration 3rd week of October Every year, the EASYNET member organization commits itself to celebrating the “Youth Week” which aims to bring the young people of EASY Net member movement and partner organizations to come together to reflect on issues affecting the lives of young people and to discern its Christian praxis. It is also a time to collectively celebrate our youthful journey, blessings and solidarity. In recent decades, EASY Net Week is more popularly known as Asia Youth Week (AYW) Celebration among CCA Youth (NCC Youth).However after ASYG 2000,CCA felt that AYW should be more “ ecumenically” celebrated thus in 2001, the CCA and NCC youth have actively enjoined partner movements to join in the AYW celebration. In 2002 ,CCA officially turned over to EASY Net the initiatives of celebrating the Youth Week. In the last 5 years, EASY Net week is known as Asia Pacific Students and Youth Week (APSYW). This year we are launching the EASY Net Week this in the context of actively promoting the network among its member movement from the national leadership to its grassroots membership. The EASY Net Week can also be a venue for localized/grasroot celebration of “National Students and Youth Gathering.”

WSCF workshop, Executive Committee Meeting and WCC Assembly October 23-November 8, Busan, South Korea The WCC is developing the 2013 Busan Assembly with the concept of an “expanded ecumenical space”, inviting ecumenical organizations to hold their own leadership meetings/ events before or after the Assembly and to use this Assembly space to think creatively together about the future of ecumenism. The WSCF ExCo decided to participate and advocate fully in the WCC Assembly, apart from holding our workshop, events, ExCo meeting before the Assembly .

This will be an opportunity for SCM Korea(KSCF) to participate, contribute, and inspire and challenge its own students to a strong vision for its future and its collaboration with other partners in the ecumenical movement. This event will be attended and participated by the WSCF global executive staff, ExCo members, students from KSCF and senior friends. WSCF will participate in the WCC Youth Pre-Assembly and will have access to many of the Assembly components and meetings. During the assembly WSCF will have a “booth” to talk with people about WSCF. Madang- WSCF will lead a workshop on Eco-Justice and will hold an exhibition. UDPS will be observed with the students and senior friends gathered in the assembly.

WSCF Senior Friends Gathering / Network of Student Christian Movement Senior Friends in the Asia Pacific Region (NESCAP) October, South Korea This will be a follow up of the NESCAP launched in 2010 during the CCA assembly in Kualalumpur. In anticipation of the participation of SCM senior friends and student members in the up-coming WCC Assembly in Busan, a WSCF global senior friends gathering is being planned. The Gathering aims to gather SCM Senior Friends. This is a proposed platform for the SCM Senior Friends who are actively supporting the work of the SCMs and WSCF. The Gathering aims to make national SCMs more aware of the importance and potential of the senior friends and to reconnect with them for the life and mission of the SCMs; to encourage national SCMs to locate and identify senior friends and to bring them together from time to time for sharing issues and concerns; to create a network of national SCM senior friends; and to encourage national SCMs to have programs for senior friends on a regular basis.

Joint Women’s Program proposed by Regional Women’s Committee Possible venue and date: November / December 1.

RWP-JWP with SCM Timor Leste.

2.

RWP-JWP with Nepal Contact Movement

Objectives:  To identify potential women leaders in local/national SCM and to encourage their participation in movement building of SCM  To ensure commitment to the lives and issues pertaining to women in local/national context through a process of learning and reflect critically the women’s issue in their own socio political and cultural context  To provide space of learning the methodology of women doing theology as a way for encouragement and empowerment towards liberation and transformation

The 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence

November 25 – December 10, Regional and Global This is an international campaign starting on November 25, International Day against Violence against Women and will close on December 10, International Human Rights Day, in order to symbolically link violence against women and human rights and to emphasize that such violence is a violation of human rights. This 16-day period also highlights other significant dates including November 29, International Women Human Rights Defenders Day, December 1, World AIDS Day, and December 6, which marks the Anniversary of the Montreal Massacre. The RWC members will come up with a guide line for different activities to observe these significant days with the national movements.

“PRAXIS,” WSCF AP’s Official Publication April, August, December PRAXIS is a communication tool for the WSCF and the SCM to express their views, reflections on issues and topics concerning their context. It is also a space to know about the work of the SCMs and WSCF and stay in touch with global Ecumenical Movement. Once again, we encourage the SCMs to contribute articles, news, photos, essays, poems, artwork to PRAXIS as we reach to you with more information. We hope to receive your contribution for PRAXIS.