International Law, as the cornerstone of our globally interconnected society, establishes a vital framework guiding nations’ behaviour and facilitating collaboration on a worldwide scale, rooted in principles such as shared responsibility, mutual respect, and the pursuit of peace.
Thinking about human rights in the light of the Gospel, what comes to my mind is Jesus’ encounter with the adulterous woman, narrated in John 8:1-11. Jesus did not judge or condemn her. Instead, he confronted customary systems that were blind to the male misdeeds, but harsh to female shortcomings.
“Homo homini lupus est” is a Latin proverb that means “man is a wolf to man”. In the past, human beings behaved like wolves towards their fellow creatures, and this behaviour continues to this day. The violence and insecurity that are spreading around the world are a case in point.
Mali is going through a deep crisis because of insecurity due to conflicts that are leading to violence such as inter- and intra-community tensions in the country. Acts of violence against the civilian population continue to increase in different regions of Mali and civilians continue to pay the heaviest price for conflicts, violence and attacks by armed groups that are causing great loss of lives and properties.
When, in 2021, my appointment to South Sudan became known, I received a couple of messages ranging from inspiring prayerful wishes to nerve-wrecking comments on South Sudan. Someone said “there is so much violence in that country, I wish you wouldn’t have to go there”. Another regrettably asked “why are you always appointed to war-torn countries?
Violence and Insecurity: The Petit Echo asked me to write on the theme of Violence and Insecurity! I have to say that these are two realities that also affect me deeply on a personal level and the level of “my life in general” because, since 2011, the violence and insecurity that used to be in the North of Mali has spread to almost the entire Malian territory and then to Burkina Faso in 2013.
Human trafficking is a criminal activity within which victims are recruited, harboured, transported, bought, or kidnapped to serve an exploitative purpose, such as sexual slavery and forced labour. Due to social, economic and political vulnerabilities, men, women and children are trafficked across international borders. Despite legal and immigration measures taken to curb this man-made disaster, the number of victims keeps on increasing.
Caring for the whole of creation does not exclude the question of peace and social fairness. They are the two sides of the same coin. Through prayer, meditation, and fraternal sharing, we resolutely chose to be active tributaries that build up a mighty river of fairness (cfr. Amos 5:24).
They asked us if we had been hired by the municipal authorities. It was time to explain to them that we were doing the work on voluntary basis.
We cannot offer what we do not have. Thus, cultivating a sense of justice within oneself remains fundamental.
This video belongs to the Missionaries of Africa (White Fathers), Ghana-Nigeria Province, St. Martin of Tours Formation House, Ejisu, Ghana (West Africa). Following a request
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