wfn.org | ALC Noticias May 15 2005 Brazil, Argentina, Peru, Spain, Greece

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

ALC NEWS SERVICE
E-mail: director@alcnoticias.org

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CONTENT

GREECE: Christians of the world in Aghios Andreas: Not everyone welcomes them
BRAZIL: According to the ILO, 12.3 million people in the world are the
victims of forced labour

ARGENTINA: Protestant Churches support campaign on reproductive health
SPAIN: Evangelicals obtained permission to hold Festimadrid 2005
PERU: More than 10,000 pray for the country

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GREECE
Christians of the world in Aghios Andreas: Not everyone welcomes them

By Manuel Quintero
Special for ALC

ATHENS, May 12 (ALC). A group of Greek Orthodox Christians protested the
presence of close to 700 Christians from a variety of confessions and more
than 100 countries here for the 13th World Conference on Mission and
Evangelization.

The group demonstrated in front of the Aghios Andreas centre (where the
conference is being held) and distributed pamphlets containing strident
slogans.

Those repudiating the conference are the same people who nearly four years
ago were opposed to Pope John Paul II's visit to Greece.

Pope John Paul II visited Athens in early May 2001, the first Roman
Catholic pope to visit the country in 1,291 years, invited by the
government of Costis Stephanopoulos and not by the Church of Greece.

At that time, as well as expressing their rejection in the streets with
signs that called the Pope the Anti-Christ and "persona non grata" several
Monasteries flew black flags and some Churches rang out their bells in protest.

Many Orthodox faithful, including a significant sector of the clergy, blame
the Catholic papacy for the major schism of 1054 and the Fourth Crusade,
which sacked Constantinople in 1204.

Manifestations of these "conservative" Orthodox faithful in a country that
many analysts already consider conservative due to its strict compliance
with traditions and customs was a picturesque note in a meeting that took
place without major problems despite the broad diversity of Christians
experiences and confessions participating in the event.

"No to the Masonic invitation of the World Council of Churches in Orthodox
Greece" and "Heretics of the World Council of Churches return to Orthodoxy,
which is the only truth", stated the flyers that did not make it into the
centre, heavily guarded by the military, but fell onto the stony ground
that leads to a nearby restaurant, frequented by journalists covering the
conference.

Greece is one of the most religious societies in Europe and the massive
participation in festivities on the Christian calendar, as well as the high
number of religious baptisms and funerals, demonstrate the importance of
grassroots religion in this Mediterranean nation.

Of all Europeans, the Greeks hold the most religious marriages, nearly 90
percent compared to an average 74 percent on other countries on the continent.

Those protesting at Aghios Andreas, who after two days of peaceful and
silent demonstrations abandoned the area, firmly believe that they are
protecting, with their acts and declarations, the purity of Orthodoxy from
heretic innovations in practice and doctrine.

A purity that for sectarian and fundamentalist Orthodox is being threatened
by statements from Patriarch Christodoulus, head of the church of Greece,
who during the conference affirmed the need for ecumenical encounters and
dialogue, as well as a new articulation of the identity and Christian
mission to confront contemporary challenges.

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BRAZIL
According to the ILO, 12.3 million people in the world are the victims of
forced labour

BRASILIA, May 12 (alc). Latin America has the second highest number of
victims of forced labour according to the International Labour Organization
(ILO). With 1.320 million people it is only surpassed by the Asian -
Pacific region with 9.5 million people working under these conditions.

The information is contained in the report "A Global Alliance Against
Forced Labour," published Wednesday by the ILO simultaneously in Geneva,
Switzerland and Brasilia.

Brazil, where there are 25,000 victims of forced labour, is mentioned as a
reference in the report due to the efforts it has undertaken to overcome
the problem.

The ILO report indicates the exploitation of trafficked men, women and
children generates a profit of $32 billion a year around the world. The
United States and Europe are responsible for $15 billion, with more than
270,000 victims of human trafficking.

According to the ILO, 43 percent of the victims of human trafficking are
exploited in the sex trade and 32 percent in the economic field.

It is the first time that the ILO has published a report that estimates the
total number of trafficked people in the world. "What most concerns the
ILO, in a general manner, is to verify that in the 21st Century there are
still human beings submitted to these conditions," said the coordinator of
the Program to Combat Forced Labour, Patricia Audi, in a note published by
the Agencia Brazil.

Of the 12.3 million victims of forced labour in the world, 9.8 million are
exploited by private agents and 2.5 million are forced to work for the
State or for rebel military groups, according to the report.

The ILO sustains that the slave trade cannot be justified by poverty
"although this is a factor of vulnerability of all these workers. Impunity
appears as the principal factor for the existence of forced labour," said Audi.

In Brazil, the highest number of these cases are in the states of Para and
Mato Grosso. The loss of liberty, that characterizes force labour, takes
place in the country due to four factors: debt bondage geographic isolation
of the haciendas where the workers are taken, presence of armed guards and
retention of documents.

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ARGENTINA
Protestant Churches support campaign on reproductive health

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina, May 13, 2005. The Communion of Reformed Churches
of the River Plate expressed its support for a campaign being spearheaded
by the Health Ministry in a bid to respond to early pregnancies and
sexually transmitted diseases, among which the HIV/AIDs pandemic stands out.

The "National Sexual Health and Responsible Procreation Campaign" is being
carried out under the slogan "Inform yourself, consult, decide: it is the
law, it is your right"

As Christian Churches, said the statement, inspired in a theology that
defends life in all its fullness, we salute this initiative that seeks to
deal with the current situation that so many young people, and women in
particular, face in the country.

This is particularly true, according to the Churches, because it attempts
to respond, while partially, to problems that will only find a full
response when there is a sexual education law together with adequate
regulations to impart it in classrooms in schools and colleges.

"Only an effort with these characteristics will make it possible to revert
the current situation. and will render unnecessary the campaigns that we
are currently concerned about."

It notes that it is the responsibility of organized groups in civil society
to support those actions which seek to promote human dignity and contribute
so that they are not threatened by attitudes, no matter how well
intentioned, that seek to impose a particular, if not unique vision on
society as a whole that are up to the conscience of each individual.

The statement is signed by Pastor President Federico H. Schäfer, of the
Evangelical Church of the River Plate, (IERP); Pastor President Alan Andrés
Eldrid, Evangelical Lutheran United Church (IELU); pastor Hugo Armand
Pilón, Evangelical Waldensian Church of the River Plate (IEVRP) and Pastor
President Roberto H. Jordan, of the Reformed Churches of Argentina (IRA).

On the other hand, the Health Ministry will distribute and instruction
manual for all the hospitals in the country to improve attention for women
who have incomplete abortions. Along with better treatment, the procedure
will include advice in responsible procreation. Abortion is currently the
leading cause of maternal death. It is estimated that between 450,000 and
500,000 abortions are practiced in the country each year.

In the case of incomplete abortions, they propose using manual vacuum
aspiration (MVA). The "MVA is little known and is not used in public
hospitals in the country, although it is applied in other countries like
Brazil, Mexico and Guatemala among others," said Mariana Romero of CEDES
(State and Society Studies Centre).

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SPAIN
Evangelicals obtained permission to hold Festimadrid 2005

MADRID, May 9 (alc). Evangelicals from Madrid held a well-attended meeting
and finally obtained official permission to hold the Festimadrid 2005 on
June 24 - 25.

Festimadrid is an open, joyful religious event. Is the first time it will
be held in Spain. Evangelical singers such as Juan Luis Guerra, Jose Luis
Rodriguez "El Puma," Yuri and others have participated in similar events
recently held in Argentina, Chile, Peru and other Latin American nations,
bringing together hundreds of thousands of people. Some of these singers
have already committed to participating in Madrid.

Pastor Luis Palau, an Argentine Evangelical leader, son of Spaniards, who
enjoys broad recognition and prestige in Evangelical Churches around the
world, has been invited by Evangelical Churches in Madrid.

After several months of attempts to obtain a public place for the
Festimadrid, on Monday Evangelical Churches from Madrid held a
manifestation in the Villa de Madrid Square, to lobby for permission to
hold the Festimadrid June 24 - 25, 2005. More than 600 people attended.

Participants clearly stated that the demonstration was not against the
Mayor of Madrid or the authorities but rather "in favor" of the
Festimadrid. The goal was to lobby authorities to respond to their request,
made in January, for an emblematic place in the city to celebrate the
Festimadrid.

During the event, a commission from the Festimadrid Executive Board
delivered a letter for Mayor Ruiz-Gallardon.
Ana Roman, head of the Mayor's cabinet received them, stating that the
mayor was not present. She said that was not aware of the request and
committed herself to responding within two hours.

Before the two hours were up, Ana Roman called to inform them that as soon
as he read the letter the Mayor carried out the necessary action and the La
Plaza de Ventas was available for the Festimadrid.  Moreover, she said the
mayor would write a letter in response to the Evangelicals.

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PERU
More than 10,000 pray for the country

By Fernando Oshige

LIMA,  May 9 (alc). More than 10,000 people congregated in the national
stadium last Friday (May 6) to pray for an end to violence, poverty, for
family unity and understanding among the peoples of Peru.

The event, convened for the 16th anniversary of the National Prayer
Movement, was attended by the head of Congress Antero Flores Araoz,
politicians from different groups, Church leaders and international
preacher Paul Finkenbinder, better known as Brother Pablo.

The head of Congress called on religious leaders to work in a united
fashion, to create a climate of harmony and to build a better world.

"We thought that in the globalized world there wouldn't be any more wars,
however, these and ethnic conflicts continue in different parts of the
world and therefore it is important that leaders from different religious
contribute to creating a climate of peace, solidarity and friendship among
peoples," he said.

He thanked Brother Pablo for his work in restoring moral and spiritual
values around the world and called on those attending to commit themselves
to service in society. "He who does not live to serve, does not serve to
live," he concluded.

While not as heavily attended as it was two years ago, when the national
stadium was filled to its 45,000 person capacity, the event had very
exciting moments. Dozens of people, in particular lay people, prayed with
emotion and intensity asking for divine intervention in the country so that
there be development and peace and so that corruption does not prevail in Peru.
Evangelical singers and children know as the "prayer warriors" also
participated, asking for more love and understanding for children and so
that problems of violence and harassment do not continue.

Brother Pablo, age 84, called for repentance and a commitment for permanent
intercession for the country. God works when people open their hearts to
provoke divine action, he said.

We are called to sustain prayer and to ask for supernatural action in the
life of society and he concluded that with God's grace, it will be possible
to see changes in people's lives and in society.
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Latin American and Caribbean Communication Agency (ALC)
P.O. box 14-225 Lima 14 Peru
E-mail: director@alcnoticias.org
http://www.alcpress.org