Farewell to 'fearless fighter' Irene Fernandez

Former Malaysian YCW fulltime worker and IYCW International Team member, Irene Fernandez, a well-known labour and human rights activist has died following a heart attack.

Her sister Josie told Malaysiakini that Irene died at 10.58am on 31 March 2014 at the Coronary Care Unit at Serdang Hospital south of Kuala Lumpur.

"Her organs were all fine but her heart stopped. The doctors tried their best to resuscitate her.

"Irene was very brave and courageous and as I speak to you now, I can see that her face is so serene, so calm," she told Malaysiakini.

"We are celebrating Irene's beautiful and powerful life... People of all faiths and from all communities are welcome for the prayers and for the funeral service."

The funeral will take place at Divine Mercy Catholic Church in Shah Alam, Selangor, on 3 April at 3.00pm.

Irene was the daughter of the Indian migrants. She witnessed the poor condition of Malaysian workers employed in the rubber plantation sector. Her parents were part of the workforce.

After initially working as a school teacher, Irene became a fulltime worker for the Malaysian YCW from 1970. She later became a member of the IYCW Asian Extension Team and a member of the IYCW International Team elected in 1975.

In 1991, she founded the women workers' organisation Tenaganita. After exposing the treatment of detained Bangladeshi migrant workers in Malaysia, she was charged with "maliciously publishing false news" and found guilty after a seven year trial. The conviction was finally set aside on appeal in 2008.

Former Malaysian YCW leader now Federal parliamentarian, Charles Santiago, described her as "a fearless fighter, who stood for people who had no one to stand for them."

"I have worked closely with her on human rights issues, and taken part in international conferences to champion the rights of the ordinary person.

"Malaysia and the international community has lost a great person who advocated for justice and human rights.

"Condolences to members of her family, Joe, Aegile, Josie, her children and those who have been privileged to meet her," Santiago said in a statement.

"You always testified that ‘it was the YCW which formed you and it was Cardijn who motivated you to commit yourself to the service of the suffering masses’," CCI Secretary General MJ Ruben said in a tribute. "Thank you Irene for being a role model to us! "

"When we bid farewell to you Irene, we assured you that we shall continue to promote the vision, spirituality and methodology of Cardijn – who formed you and many of us.

"Thank you Irene for all your dreams and accomplishments! Rest in peace," Ruben wrote.

"We mourn the passing of one of the greatest leaders formed by the Cardijn movement," CCI convenor Stefan Gigacz added. "We grieve with and express our condolences to all her family and loved ones."

This article will be updated as information comes to hand.

Read the full CCI Tribute to Irene:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vIWfrD6hF-i9BdCy4BvI5_FvBiE0MNCImwFF6LZKxZA/edit 

CCI Pioneers page:

http://pioneers.josephcardijn.com/irene-fernandez

Tribute by CCI International Team adviser Charles Santiago

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/sideviews/article/my-tribute-to-irene-fernandez-charles-santiago

FUNERAL

http://www.fz.com/video/grand-sendoff-migrants-heroine-irene-fernandez 

http://www.fz.com/content/farewell-fighter-irene-fernandezs-funeral

http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/well-wishers-says-last-goodbye-to-irene-fernandez

http://www.therakyatpost.com/news/2014/04/02/irene-fernandez-the-voice-of-the-voiceless/

NEWS SOURCES

http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2014/04/04/Hundreds-pay-last-respects-to-passionate-activist-Fernandez/

http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2014/04/02/Fernandez-proud-to-be-daughter-of-migrant-worker/

http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2014/03/31/Malaysians-pay-tribute-to-Irene-Fernandez/

http://www.malaysiandigest.com/news/495157-irene-fernandez-was-a-fearless-fighter.html

http://www.thesundaily.my/news/1002028

http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/258659

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/tenaganitas-irene-fernandez-dies-of-heart-failure

http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/international/2014-04-01/tributes-flow-after-malaysian-rights-activist-irene-fernandez-dies-aged-67/1288562

https://www.facebook.com/charlessantiago?fref=ts

CCI News

http://www.cardijn.info/2012/08/slavery-days-coming-back-warns-irene.html

http://archives.cardijn.info/cci-news/convictionandsentenceagainstirenefernandezsetaside

TRIBUTES

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/opinion/abdar-rahman-koya/article/irene-fernandezs-legacy-to-malaysian-muslims

http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/259038

http://globalvoicesonline.org/2014/04/03/tribute-to-malaysian-activist-irene-fernandez/

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/02/world/asia/irene-fernandez-champion-of-oppressed-dies-at-67.html?_r=0

http://www.malaysia-chronicle.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=254202:ignored-persecuted-by-the-bn-govt-but-irene-fernandez-died-not-in-vain-msia-loses-one-of-its-greatest-daughters&Itemid=2#axzz2xckeLrNj

http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/opinion/2014/04/01/a-life-dedicated-to-peoples-struggle/

http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v7/ge/newsgeneral.php?id=1026929

http://www.dw.de/the-voice-of-malaysian-migrants-is-no-more/g-17532712

http://aliran.com/civil-society-voices/2014-civil-society-voices/irene-fernandez-life-full-meaning-dedicated-peoples-struggle/

http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/258722

http://www.themalaymailonline.com/what-you-think/article/irene-fernandez-activist-friend-and-a-great-daughter-of-malaysia-bersih-2.0

http://www.malaysiandigest.com/news/495157-irene-fernandez-was-a-fearless-fighter.html 

http://www.hrw.org/node/12431 

http://www.nst.com.my/latest/irene-fernandez-s-passion-and-dedication-for-human-rights-will-be-missed-us-ambassador-1.544171

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Maryknoll labour priest Tom Danaher has gone

Just weeks after celebrating the 50th anniversary of his ordination, former Hong Kong YCW chaplain Fr Tom Danaher MM has died in the US.

"I discovered hope within the people struggling against repression and torture..such hope could only [come] from God, " Fr Tom said in a quote published on the Maryknoll Twitter Feed last month.

Ordained on June 9, 1962, Father Danaher's foreign mission assignments included:

1963-1965: Parish priest at Our Lady of Nativity Parish, Tung Tau Tsuen, Kowloon.

1965-1969: St. Peter in Chains Parish, Kowloontsai, Kowloon. He served as chaplain for the Young Christian Workers in that parish.

1966-1969: Along with other Maryknoll priests and non-clergy, formed a labor advisory team to address industrial labor disputes.

1973-1980: Served as chaplain of the Young Christian Workers National Team. He worked to obtain better living and working conditions for the people. He lived and ministered at a workers' center in Pui Man Village in Kowloon City.

1976-1981: Maryknoll magazine's Asian correspondent.

1984-1986: Pastoral duties at a parish in Santiago, Chile.

1997-2009: Asia - Hong Kong – Assistant Pastor at St. Matthew the Apostle Parish, Tuen Mun and ministered at Tai Lam Women's Prison.

"Former YCW will have a Memorial Mass for Tom on 29 August, at 7:30pm in St Stephen Parish, Kowloon," said Mary Ho Fung Bing, former Hong Kong and IYCW Asia-Pacific YCW leader.

Update:

Father Tom died very peacefully Monday morning August 13th at a hospital in Sleepy Hollow, New York (near Maryknoll headquarters), a family member informed us.

"He had been in a care unit at Maryknoll since June. Last week, he developed pneumonia and was taken to the hospital. He was in no pain, and was given the best care possible." 

His funeral will be held on Monday 21 August.

LINK

Tom Danaher MM (Cardijn Priests)

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25 years since Singapore arrests

Singapore YCW fulltime worker, Tang Lay Lee, was among 22 Singaporeans arrested in May 1987 as part of an alleged "communist network".

Twenty five years, Edgar D'Souza, a former Catholic priest, recalls the events of that time in an interview with Elaine Fe of www.publichouse.sg.

I was utterly shocked. I knew some of those detained personally, as they were workers in church ministries.
Vincent Cheng had studied in the seminary with me and I knew him well. I could not believe he was anything but an ardent Christian who only wanted to follow the way of Jesus Christ. He cared for the poor and marginalised and wanted justice for all—especially for the voiceless and down trodden. At that time he worked with Fr Joseph Ho of the Justice and Peace Commission. Vincent was executive secretary.

I knew Ng Bee Leng, a social worker, who worked with Fr Guillaume Arotcarena, director of the Geylang Catholic Centre, assisting foreign maids who had issues with their employers. The centre offered refuge to foreign domestic workers and had lawyers acting pro bono for them. Teo Soh Lung was one of these lawyers

I knew lawyer Tang Lay Lee and her work with the Young Christian Workers group in Jurong with Fr Patrick Goh.

And I knew Kevin de Souza (not related), who worked with students from Singapore Polytechnic. Through him I offered spiritual support (offered masses and gave talks particularly on the church’s social teachings) to a students’ group.

All these people were working with the Catholic Church and following her teachings in the light of Vatican Council II, which saw the role of the church to realise Jesus’ views and teachings in a modern world.

Read the full article here:

"I have always loved the Catholic Church" (publichouse.sg)

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IYCW marks centenary of first group

Needleworkers Union at Laeken 1912

This Easter marks the centenary of Cardijn's arrival in the parish of Our Lady of Laeken, near Brussels in Belgium. Cardijn always dated the founding of the first YCW group to 1912 making this year also the centenary of the beginnings of the YCW.

The International YCW and the Cardijn Community International are both marking this important anniversary.

IYCW International president Geethani Peries has announced a special commemoration at Cardijn's tomb that will take place at Our Lady's Church, Laeken on Sunday 26 April from 3.00 -5.00 pm.

Read the IYCW Laeken celebration invitation here.

CCI has also issued a statement to mark the centenary calling on those formed in the Cardijn tradition to renew their commitment to Cardijn's spirituality and methodology.

"The Cardijn Community International (CCI) therefore wishes to take this opportunity to express its solidarity with the YCW and all others who base their work on Cardijn's principles," the CCI statement says.

"We call for a fresh commitment to Cardijn's cause so that a new generation of young people may be able to discover their mission to transform the world together with all those working to build 'another world'.

"On this historic occasion, we also renew our commitment to promoting Cardijn’s spirituality, vision and See-Judge-Act methodology."

Read the full CCI statement here: Cardijn launched first YCW group in 1912: A Centenary Tribute

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Cardijn launched first YCW group in 1912: A Centenary Tribute

A century ago this Easter, young Fr Joseph Cardijn arrived in the parish of Our Lady at Laeken near Brussels to take up a post as curate with particular responsibility for women's projects.

A few months later, with a group of teenage girl apprentices, he launched a study circle that he came to regard as the first ever Young Christian Workers (YCW) team. Working with Madeleine De Roo, Victoire Cappe and others young women leaders, Cardijn rapidly laid the foundations for what would become a worldwide movement of young workers. Later in 1912, he would also meet 18 year-old Fernand Tonnet, who would join him later in founding the YCW movement for young men before eventually dying in a Nazi concentration camp during World War II.

“The most fundamental characteristic of the beginnings of the YCW (before the First World War) was the call to an apostolate, a total and complete apostolate for several young women workers who would train and raise up the others,” Cardijn wrote much later.

“It was a time of great apostolic demands and great apostolic commitments,” he continued. These included:

leaving a 'good job' for a workshop, a factory, a dirty, repugnant, sub-human job;
accepting to share meals with women workers in the workshops of factories making rabbit fur, rubber, artificial silk; or
going to live in an attic in Rue Haute [High Street] in the midst of an environment of prostitution.

Instilling what he described as a “very active” spirituality based on meditation, prayer, sacraments and study, Cardijn inspired an amazing sense of commitment in the young women workers of Laeken.

“The story of this 'golden legend' has never been written down,” Cardijn noted. “However, it is the only explanation for the extraordinary power of the YCW, the YCW mystique.

“I believe that it is the essential condition of the true worker revolution. Without it, we are doomed to bourgeoisification,” he warned.

Although the world of 2012 is very different from that of 1912, some things have not changed. In 1912, Europe was in the throes of its industrial revolution. Today, the whole Global South is in the midst of its own vast industrial revolution.

Whereas Cardijn once spoke of “millions and millions of young workers”, today the reality is that there are billions of young workers throughout the world, particularly in the developing countries. The needs and problems that moved Cardijn to act are greater than ever.

'Globalization' has permeated into all spheres of life and is projected as the 'new religion'. Consumer culture promotes 'consumption' as a key to people's own identity.

The Cardijn Community International (CCI) therefore wishes to take this opportunity to express its solidarity with the YCW and all others who base their work on Cardijn's principles.

We call for a fresh commitment to Cardijn's cause so that a new generation of young people may be able to discover their mission to transform the world together with all those working to build 'another world'.

On this historic occasion, we also renew our commitment to promoting Cardijn’s spirituality, vision and See-Judge-Act methodology.

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CCI launched in Hyderabad India

Cardijn Community International (CCI) was formally launched in Hyderabad, the capital of Andhra Pradesh in India on 19 February 2012.

Hyderabad is the fourth most populous city in India with an area of 650 sq k.ms (250 sq miles). Hyderabad is also a major global centre for IT and bio-pharmaceutical industries.

Around 50 former leaders of YCS, YCW and CWM participated in the one day launch program which started with a mass by Fr. Thumma Arla, a former animator of YCS and the Director of the Diocesan Pastoral Centre. The Diocesan President of CWM and the Diocesan Youth Director, Fr. Fatima Reddy also attended.

Ms Elizabeth Martin, a former YCW welcomed the gathering and introduced the CCI National Leaders and the International Secretary General.

CCI was formally launched by lighting the lamp by Fr. Thumma Arla and other CCI leaders present.
James Sylvester, a former YCS leader and currently member of the CCI-India Volunteer Team steered the day’s program.

Fr. Thumma Arla assured his support in the efforts to promote Cardijn. He emphasized on the need to ‘See-Judge-Act’ in the light of the Gospel values. Fr. Thumma appealed to the CCI to help him re-activate the Pastoral Centre and put it to proper use and expressed that CCI is always welcome to make use of the Centre.

Xavier Anthony, CCI National President extended the greetings on behalf of the National Team.
Ms Glynis Joseph, National Secretary stressed on the need for clear financial perspectives and self-financing.

Clifford Bastian, Member of the CCI-India National Team, who is also a former YCW of Hyderabad recalled his days in the YCW here and wished the Hyderabad CCI all the best.

M. J. Ruben, CCI Secretary General congratulated the Hyderabad Chapter for the launch. In his brief intervention he covered on the origin and objective of CCI and gave a general view of the functioning of the movement at the international level.

All the former leaders were very excited to meet each other after 20 to 30 years and they were very jubilant that such an opportunity was created by CCI.

There was a feeling of emotion clubbed with gratitude to the Cardijn movements which formed them. In their personal testimony, all those who spoke acknowledged that ‘they are what they are today only because of the formation they received through the Cardijn movements’.

The forenoon session ended with lunch.

Thirty-five members enthusiastically attended the post lunch planning session in which the members continued their testimonies.

Two factors emerged very clearly from the testimonies, i.e. i) Cardijn is the binding factor among all of them; and ii) through the formation in Cardijn movements, they have a ‘special identity’ which is opposed to the ‘identity’ imposed by the consumer culture promoted by globalisation.

All of them felt that there is a need to continue to work to restore human dignity and that they should function as a group. All of them wanted to be part of the CCI.

At the concluding session, James Sylvester proposed formation of an ad-hoc team to work out modalities for regular meetings, activities, etc. and it was agreed.

After consultation in small groups, a seven member team was nominated as the Coordinating Team of CCI-Hyderabad with Ms Elizabeth Martin as the Coordinator; the members of the team are: James Sylvester, I. Prakasham, Martin Michael, Patrick Fernandez, Manasa Janaki and John.

An appeal was made to those who would like to be part of the team to contact the Coordinator and to take part in the next meeting.

The grand launch program followed hectic preparations and contact work done by James Sylvester, Martin Michael and Ms Elizabeth Martin.

The National leaders of CCI-India and the CCI Secretary-General appreciate and congratulate the efforts of the organising team in bringing Hyderabad into CCI fold.

Report: MJ Ruben, CCI Secretary-General

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More flowers for Teresa

Fifteen-year-old Catholic Regional College St Albans student Teresa Ho was killed on Monday at Ginifer station in Melbourne's north-west when she strayed into the path of a full-tilt V-Line train.

Now, I know the Ginifer railway station very well having worked for two years at Holy Eucharist parish which is located just a few hundred metres away.

Passing several times daily through the same flimsy pedestrian boom gate where Teresa died, I witnessed many instances in which people would race across in a bid to catch the train that had just gone through.

I still shudder to recall one young Sudanese boy who leaped across totally oblivious to the possibility of another train coming from the opposite direction. Unlike Teresa, the boy fortunately stayed safe on that occasion.

But I was so upset that I started asking among local community leaders to see what could be done about the crossing which has been rated as the fifth most dangerous in Melbourne. The inevitable response was a resigned kind of look that simply said yes, we have been complaining about it for years.

So I decided to write a letter. But to whom? The local MP? Connex (the previous operator)? Metlink Melbourne? And so it didn't take long for inertia to set in and I never did do it before I finished work in the parish in 2008.

I don't delude myself that it would have made any difference. After all, many locals have indeed been trying for decades to get action on both the Ginifer and St Albans crossings.

Thirty years ago, Tom Rigg, a now retired former station master, even came up with a plan to finance construction by developing the St Albans station into a commercial centre. To no avail.

Even though Ginifer station was somewhat ironically named after a well-regarded state Labor MP Jack Ginifer, many locals claim that the former Labor state government ignored their demands because it was one of the party's safest seats.

Nor has the current Liberal government shown the least interest in the problem, evidently preferring to favour its own seats.

What to do in the face of such naked political indifference?

I thought hard about that as I looked at a photo of Teresa's mum Tien Nguyen and her distressed school mates praying at the site of the terrible accident.

And it reminded of another incident in the late 1960s when a young YCW leader was killed in a car accident in Melbourne's suburbs, possibly at another level crossing.

I never knew the name of the guy but I do know the impact that his death had on his fellow YCW leaders who brought up the issue in one of their local meetings and decided that they had to act.

It was the start of a YCW Road Safety Campaign in the early 1970s that contributed significantly to the introduction of compulsory seat belts and the 0.05 alcohol limit in Victoria.

Could we launch a similar campaign today? Well, to quote a famous Catholic activist, Cesar Chavez, yes, we can! (Did anyone think Obama invented the line?)

True, the Melbourne YCW, which during the 1960s was the largest YCW movement that ever existed in any city in the world, was able to make it happen because it was organised and structured to do so.

Sadly, the sociological foundations of that YCW evaporated soon after sending the movement into a decline that lasted many years. Happily, the movement did not disappear and indeed the Melbourne YCW has just celebrated its 70^th anniversary with a promising resurgence.

Moreover, the method that made it successful – Cardijn's famous See Judge Act method – has now passed into official Catholic social teaching. This year in fact also marks the 50^th anniversary of Pope John XXIII's encyclical Mater et Magistra, which formally recognised the method (Para 236).

What's more the baby boomers who made the Melbourne YCW successful in the 1960s are mostly still around, albeit somewhat greyer. A few even still go to Mass on Sundays!

So what's to stop some of those well trained boomers from getting together with a few of their peers to begin to address the issues that afflict local communities today? Actually, some have already started to do so, e.g. a Cardijn Community team led by Kevin Vaughan is now tackling the issue of single fathers.

Moreover, what's to stop many other parishes and schools from taking the initiative to bring together new groups of young people to act on the issues that concern them?

The required tools are easily accessible. Each Friday, CathNews Perspectives publishes the Sunday Gospel that could be the basis of a weekly Gospel enquiry. Many easy guides to the See Judge Act are available on the web.

Seeing the flowers that mark the spot where Teresa Ho died, I was also reminded that Pope Pius XI once named St Theresa of Lisieux as the patron of the YCW.

Let every parish plant the seeds for many more flowers to grow. Yes, we can. We owe it to Teresa and her family.

- Stefan Gigacz

SOURCE

CathBlog - More flowers for Teresa (CathNews)

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Somyot becomes librarian of Bangkok Remand Prison

Former Thailand YCW fulltimer and labor leader Somyot Pruksakasemsuk is now working as the librarian of Bangkok Remand Prison following his arrest on charges of lese majeste.

He is just one of a number of activists who find themselves in prison for their democratic activities in the run up to the Thai elections in July, his supporters say.

They believe that the charges have been used to prevent opposition groups in Thailand from participating fairly.  For a good summary of recent campaigns click here or search the Asian Correspondent site.

The Thai National Human Rights Committee, and Amnesty International have taken up Somyot’s case, and many friends and colleagues have sent letters to the Thai prime minister requesting his release, The Librarian of Bangkok Prison website reports.

He is now asking people to donate publications or creative products for the prison library.

This could be a book or piece of written work, some art or photography or anything that you think would offer some distraction for the people of Bangkok remand prison.

Please send something to Somyot by email to thelibrarianofbangkokprison@yahoo.co.uk, his friends ask.

Alternatively, you may write to the following postal address:

The Librarian, Somyot Pruksakasemsuk, Bangkok Remand Prison, 33 Ngamvongvan Road, Ladyao, Jatujak, Bangkok 10900, Thailand.

CCI also requests its members and friends to show their support for Somyot and to work for his release.

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The insights of the YCW and the See Judge Act

Father Charles Rue recalls the formative influence of the YCW and the See Judge Act method in this article from the Australian Columban magazine.

06.06.2011


I am grateful to the YCW for the insights it has given me and the courageous example of people systematically applying faith to their real life situations.

My first memory of the YCW (Young Christian Workers) was in the 1950s when the curate in our rural parish proposed to us young men who had just left school to establish a local branch. The YCW and the YCS (Students) was the alive Catholic action of the day that applied faith to life. We discussed the idea but decided that we would rather join the local Junior Farmers. That group was seen as Protestant (later proved to be wrong), but we saw it as more related to our lives as budding farmers.

My next encounter was a YCW information camp for seminarians run by Fr Frank Marriott in the 1960s. A vivid memory was hearing the story of a young worker who could not read well. Rather than give him some spiritual book, he was first given a ‘western’. We were informed that there had to be some immediate interest in reading for him. I thought this was a very practical approach.

In South Korea in the 1970’s I was assigned to be chaplain to a YCW group of girls working in a cloth factory. At each meeting they described their life as workers in the factory, reflected on it in the light of faith and then decided on an action to try. They reported back on the action at the next meeting.

See-Judge-Act Method

This is the tried and tested YCW method: See-Judge-Act. They described the lack of heaters in the factory leading to fights among the workers. Their action in ‘turning the other cheek’ was to stand back from the heaters. They reported that they were too cold; the fights continued.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE

The strong influence of YCW (Australian Columbans)

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French YCW rethinks its worker character

Two hundred leaders of the French YCW are meeting this weekend for an extraordinary general meeting to reflect on the worker character of the movement.

With French society having undergone deep sociological changes over the last few decades, the YCW is seeking to redefine its worker dimension in a bid to respond better to the concerns of young people from traditionally working class areas, La Croix reports.

Issues on the agenda include: "Who are the young workers of today? Who are the invisible young people who are absent from the social instititutions of the nation?"

A media release from the French YCW emphasises that "it is vital today to give a voice and an existence to these young people". Hence the need to rediscover the vocation of the movement, says La Croix.

The issue was raised during a national meeting last October, says national president Stephane Haar. "Job insecurity, individualism and isolation have spread to the extent that people no longer believe in the collective or community aspect and so we have become isolated," he said.

"For the last 80 years, society has continued to evolve and this has made it difficult to determine the target group of the YCW. Worker consciousness has also become more difficult to identify," Stephane Haar said.

"Based on this questioning of the concepts of "worker" and "working class", the YCW now wishes to reach a renewed understanding of what it means to be a young worker and to define his or her position in French society. Today we have millions of young people who are invisible and excluded," he concluded.

SOURCE

La JOC souhaite redéfinir la dimension ouvrière du mouvement (La Croix)

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Thai labor leader arrested

Thai labor leader Somyot Pruksakasemsuk, a former YCW fulltimer in the Rangsit region, has been arrested on charges of lèse majesté, or the crime of insulting the king.

This accusation can lead to a maximum of 15 years in prison and is criticised for being used to silence political opponents and human-rights activists, notes the Clean Clothes Campaign in which Somyot was involved.

"The Clean Clothes Campaign signals that charges of lèse majesté have over the last two years increasingly been used to silence labour-rights activists," a CCC statement says.

"Last year Somyot was arrested and detained for three weeks for holding a news conference where he and others called for the resignation of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva following the bloody repression of red-shirt protesters in 2010. Clean Clothes Campaign supporters worldwide sent protest letters against his arrest to the Thai government. Soon afterwards, he was released.

"We understand that this time the launch on April 28 of a campaign to collect 10,000 signatures to remove the lese majeste article from the Thai criminal code was the immediate cause of his arrest, although the arrest warrant against Somyot apparently dates from February this year. He denies the charges of lese majeste, and was never informed about an arrest warrant issued against him, let alone that he tried to flee the country in an effort to escape his arrest, as was claimed by the authorities. Still, he has been refused bail, and the Criminal Court agreed with the Department of Special Investigation to extend the detention of Somyot until May 13.

"Somyot is founder of the Center for Labour and International Solidarity Thailand (CLIST) and worked with the CCC on numerous campaigns and Urgent Appeals, including the landmark Eden case in the mid-nineties and the MSP case in 2006.

He worked as a project coordinator for the International Chemical, Engineering and Mining Union Federation (ICEM) before devoting his time more exclusively to journalism and human-rights activism.

"The CCC joins the Asia Floor Wage campaign, Asia Pacific Worker Solidarity Links, AMRC and labour unions in Asia in calling for his immediate release," the statement continues.

The day before his arrest on 30 April Somyot and other members of the Democracy Net network had submitted 10,000 signatures to call for abolish of Lese Majeste law, the TrinleyChodron blog adds.

"I would not be the last victim as long as we are still trapped in the rule which is essentially a dictatorship, but is falsely portrayed as a democracy to the world. I shall fight for freedom until my last breath. I may agree to shed my freedom, but not my humanity," Somyot said in a statement from a holding cell, at the Crime Suppression Division, Bangkok on 8.30 am, May 2, 2011.

SOURCE

Without freedom, humans are not human (Trinleychodron)

Thai human rights activist imprisoned for second time (Clean Clothes Campaign)

VIDEOS

Interview with Somyot Pruksakasemsuk (Ratchaprasong News/YouTube)

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The story of Fr Henk Schram and the Sri Lanka YCW

Dutch historian Jo Schoormans has published a new article on the history of the Sri Lankan YCW and the role of Dutch-born YCW chaplain Father Henk Schram.

"From far Ceylon five former Young Christian Workers, now Sisters of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, come and show you [by way of letter] their gratitude and sympathy." Belgian nuns wrote these words in 1947 to Joseph Cardijn, who was reputed as the great man of the YCW, writes Jo Schoormans.

"Some of the Sisters of Ragama, who payed a tribute to Joseph Cardijn, owed their religious vocation to the YCW. At the time, they were too busy caring for tubercular patients, unabling them to build up a youth movement. The sisters yearned for the opportunity of sacrificing themselves.0

"'Ceylon's sun is not too hot. The deaf and blind who have been entrusted to us, are not too exacting. Our beloved ones are not too far away, if one has good intentions and knows for whom one is working', a sister wrote. In 1948, sisters could already inform YCW international headquarters of a movement of Catholic young workers in Colombo, led by fathers Oblates of Mary Immaculate.

Read the rest of Jo Schoorman's article here:

Henk Schram (1919 - 84), Father of the workers

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Liberation theologian Fr Jose Comblin dies at 88

Belgian-born liberation theologian and former YCW chaplain Jose Comblin has died in Brazil at the age of 88.

Born in Brussels in 1923, Comblin died Sunday at a hospital in the city of Salvador, Canadian Press reports.

He was ordained in 1947 and came to Brazil for the first time in 1958 in response to a request from Pope Pius XII for European priests to act as voluntary missionaries in regions that lacked priests, Iglesia Descalza reports.

He initially settled in Campinas, in the interior of the state of Sao Paulo where he served as a professor and got close to the Juventud Obrera Católica (Young Catholic Workers), for whom he worked as an adviser.

In Sao Paulo, where he stayed until 1962 before traveling to Chile, he was professor in the Dominican School of Theology to friars who distinguished themselves later as liberation theologians and in the resistance to the Brazilian dictatorship, including Frei Betto and Frei Tito.

He later worked in Chile, teaching at or leading seminaries there.

He was expelled from both Brazil and Chile for his views.

Father Comblin, who had heart problems and used a pacemaker, was found dead in the room where he was staying by other religious who were waiting for him for morning prayers and were surprised at his delay, reports Claudio Carvalhes citing Brazilian sources.

He is to be buried in a small town in the impoverished Brazilian state of Paraíba according to his wishes, said spokespersons for the Archdiocese of Barra, which is also in the state of Bahía where he lived.

Comblin was one of the followers and main advisers to the Brazilian bishop Hélder Cámara, the defender of human rights and the Church’s option for the poor, who came to be known as the “Red bishop” during the Brazilian dictatorship.

SOURCE

Jose Comblin, Catholic priest and renowned liberation theologist, dies in Brazil (Canadian Press)

In Memoriam: Fr. José Comblin (Iglesia Descalza)

In Memoriam: Fr. José Comblin (Claudio Carvalhes)

PHOTO

LuisCarlos Diaz (Flickr/CC 2.0)

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