August | 2014 | CEDAR Fund

Closely Monitor the Crisis in Iraq

Posted on 2014/08/152018/01/04 by 施達基金會

Updates on Iraq Crisis

Following heavy fighting in Sinjar (Ninewa), nearly 200,000 people have been forced from their homes and are in urgent need of life-saving assistance.
According to most recent report, thousands of families are still trapped on Sinjar Mountain without access to food or water, despite limited airdrops on 8 August.
Between January to July 2014, an estimation of 1.2 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) were seeking shelter in Northern Iraq. In addition to the current IDP crisis, the government of Kurdistan is also hosting 230,000 refugees from Syria.
The refugees are now suffering from significant secondary displacement due to the fierce fightings near IDP locations in Ninewa and Dahuk Provinces.

Background on the crisis

Since this January, a large part of Anbar has been under ISIS control. This has led to approximately 560,000 Iraqi people fleeing to the northern part of Iraq. Following the fall of Mousal in June, an estimate of another 650,000 persons have fled to Kurdistan Region as well.

[Source: OCHA]

May Love and Peace with Iraq

Posted on 2014/08/142018/01/04 by 施達基金會

Samira Said, 27, fled Tikrit with her 20-day old baby for an agricultural shelter area next to the Baharka camp 5km north of Erbil, the capital of the northern semi-autonomous Kurdish region of Iraq, after the militant group ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant) took control of Iraq’s second largest city, Mosul.

Our hearts are breaking at the atrocities taking place in Iraq. In the last two months a staggering 850,000 people have fled their homes in terror as Islamic State (IS) fighters have swept across the north of the country. An estimated 10,000 people have lost their lives, most of whom are civilians.

Religious and ethnic minority groups, such as Yazidis (a Kurdish-speaking ethno-religious group), Christians and Turkmen, have been particularly targeted, and many have been subjected to unspeakable brutalities. It’s estimated that one-fourth of Iraq’s Christians have now fled, threatened by IS at best with fines, at worst with forced conversion or death.

Thousands of Iraqis, mainly from the Yazidi community, are currently trapped on Mount Sinjar in northern Iraq by IS fighters after facing similar threats. They are in desperate need of food, water and medical care, and symbolise the plight of so many more Iraqis who are the innocent victims of this crisis.

Between January to July 2014, an estimation of 1.2 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) were seeking shelter in Northern Iraq. They are now suffering from significant secondary displacement due to fierce fightings near IDP locations in Ninewa and Dahuk Provinces. In addition to the current IDP crisis, the government of Kurdistan is also hosting 230,000 refugees from Syria.

Since 2012, Integral Alliance (IA), a global alliance comprising of 19 Christian relief and development agencies, has been providing relief materials, food parcel, medical care and psychosocial care to Syrian refugees. CEDAR is one of the member agencies of Integral Alliance. A member agency of IA is now forming a working team, going to Northern Iraq to assess the situation particularly the need of the suffered communities.

We know that God is a God of love, compassion, power and justice, who is ‘mighty to save’ (Isaiah 63:1). As we struggle to find words to respond in the face of such horror, remember Paul’s words in Romans: ‘We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.’ (Romans 8:26). [Tearfund, Integral Alliance]

Pray for the suffering Iraq people:

Ask God to stop the hand of those set on violence, bloodshed and intimidation in Iraq. Pray for the establishment of a lasting peace that all people groups will be accepted and protected.
Pray for all those who have fled their homes and are living in fear and uncertainty.
Ask God to keep them safe, provide for their needs and pour out his comfort and healing on all who are grieving.
Thank God that thousands of Yazidis were able to escape from Mount Sinjar during last weekend, aided by Kurdish forces, and pray for protection, provision and a rapid rescue for those who remain.
Lift up leaders in Iraq and around the world, praying that God will give them wisdom as they seek a solution to the crisis.

Mainland Churches Actively Respond to Zhaotong Quake Relief

Posted on 2014/08/122018/01/04 by 施達基金會

[Update on Zhaotong Quake]

After the 6.5-magnitude earthquake hit Ludian County in Zhaotong, churches in Mainland China have swiftly responded to the need. Sichuan Luzhou Gospel Hospital and Zhaotong City Christian Council have dispatched their teams to Yinchang Village in Huodehong township, Ludian, delivering mineral water, instant noodles, quilts, rice and single sized shelters to the victims.

There are 924 households totalled 3,872 people in Yinchang Village. The quake damaged or collapsed over 90% of the houses. Bodies of water created by the blocked River Niulan submerged two blocks of households. Shelters, quilts, folding-beds, rice and cooking oil are most needed in the quake area.

“A village head from Yiliang, whose village was one of the beneficiaries of CEDAR’s emergency food supply after Yiliang Quake in 2012, led over 30 villagers to take part in the relief work in Ludian County. In spite of the danger of aftershocks, the group bravely went to the epicenter area and assisted by rescuing the injured and digging out the bodies. Their action is arisen from empathy as they have experienced the same trauma before. I am deeply moved by their active and unselfish response. Our former beneficiaries are now giving their helping hands to others in need!” said Lorraine, CEDAR’s staff in Yunnan.

‘When one party suffers, thousands come and help.’ Praise the Lord! Churches in Zhejiang province have already raised RMB 250,000 to support the Zhaotong City Christian Council in carrying out their relief work. CEDAR’s staff are now on their way to the quake affected region and will assess the needs and collaborate with the local churches, in formulating a working plan of quake relief, community rehabilitation and disaster management work.

Emergency and Relief Donation

Please make cheque payable to ‘CEDAR FUND’

Cheque payable to ‘CEDAR FUND’
Deposit to HSBC A/C No. 600-385678-001, enclosing with the Pay-in slip
Visa/ Master Card (Download donation form)
Online donation

(Please mark “Yunnan Zhaotong Earthquake Relief”)

[1] CEDAR is an approved charitable institutions and trusts of a public character under section 88 of the Inland Revenue Ordinance. Please click Inland Revenue Department website to check for details.
[2] Donations over $100 are tax deductible in Hong Kong with our receipts.
[3] Please DO NOT fax any donation information.

Contact Method

Tel>23819627
Fax>23922777
Email>sharing@cedarfund.org
Add>G.P.O. Box 3212 Hong Kong

CEDAR’s Relief and Rehabilitation Work in Past: http://eng.cedarfund.org/relief/
CEDAR Approach on Relief and Rehabilitation: http://eng.cedarfund.org/relief-approach/

Does Climate Change Lead to Conflict? – Critical reflection of climate conflict

Posted on 2014/08/072018/01/04 by 施達基金會

Climate conflict is a popular international development issue in recent years. Different researches over the relation of climate change and conflict arrive at different conclusions. Some say climate change will lead to fight over scarce and valuable resources like water. On the other hand some believe that their link is weak and do not think it’s worth a discussion at all.

Recent researches show that the relationship between climate change and the conflict causing by it is more complex than expected. A deeper understanding of the connection between climate change and conflict requires a careful examination of the drivers of violence and the role of the environment in individuals’ livelihoods. Some scholars point out that the relationship between climate and conflict is closely linked to the economic development of the region that it affects. Climate conflict is most likely seen in rural and non-industrialised regions where a large portion of the population is still dependent on the natural environment for their income and sustenance. In most sub-Saharan African countries, more than two-thirds of the population is employed in agriculture. A change in climate conditions could have negative impacts on the country’s stability.

However, researchers would emphasise that one should not always assume that there is a causal relationship between climate change and conflict. Many other factors such as political exclusion of persecuted minority groups, economic inequalities, and weak central government institutions may play a more important role in conflicts. When scholars enter into an in-depth examination of the causes of conflict, they find that land distribution and rights of access to resources are the most pressing issues that the communities of the conflict regions are facing. The problems are almost entirely determined by local and national government policies. Therefore, governance and resource distribution policies are often the real source of conflict, but their impact is obscured by the climate conflict debate. Leaders of certain African countries blame climate change and drought as reasons of famines and conflict, instead of their corrupt land reallocation policies or political violence against their people.

Scholar thinks that climate conflict debate can easily mislead people into the trap of environmental determinism, i.e. climatic factors define human behaviour and culture. One such supposition is that a society’s cultural norms depend if it is located in a tropical or temperate region. Scholar reminds us not to ascribe too much causal weight to one particular factor but ignore the importance of political and socio-economic conditions and the motive and agency of actors. Many people just believe that in developing countries, violence is one of their first natural reactions to societal change, where collaboration among societies indeed happens more often. [IPS]

Meditation on Scriptures:

This is what I have observed to be good: that it is appropriate for a person to eat, to drink and to find satisfaction in their toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given them—for this is their lot. Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot and be happy in their toil—this is a gift of God. (Ecclesiastes 5:18,19)

Pray for those places affected by climate change and related conflicts:

Carbon emission of rich countries is the major cause of climate change. However, the disastrous effect is borne by the poor and disadvantaged groups. Let us change our consumption behavior and abstain from unnecessary use of materials that consume environmental resources.
Climate change triggers more extreme weather events, causing home loss, migration and human casualty. The impact on developing countries is especially great. May those countries have better plans and advanced capacity to combat the increasing disaster risk.
Social inequality and power abuse are the breeding ground of conflict. Pray that the countries can improve the social system and protect human rights, in order to reduce the latent factors of conflict.

CEDAR Closely Monitor the Updated Situation of Zhaotong Quake, Yunnan

Posted on 2014/08/042018/01/04 by 施達基金會

On 3 August, 6.5-magnitude earthquake hit Ludian County in Zhaotong, resulting in over 380 death and 1,800 injured. It is the highest scale of earthquake hitting Yunnan in the past 18 years. Tens of hundreds of houses collapsed, included several schools.

CEDAR’s Yunnan office contacted Yunnan Christian Council (YNCC) and Zhaotong City Christian Council (ZTCCC) immediately after the quake to find out the updated situation. Staff from Zhaotong Church told us that the quake affected areas are still restricted from access. A heavy rain in the first night after the quake caused serious landslide. Relief materials such as shelters, quilts, dried food, drinking water and medicines are the most needed. In the coming week, CEDAR’s staff will head to the quake affected region to assess the situation and map out a concrete relief and rehabilitation response plan.

There are many ethnic minority groups, such as Huis (the Muslim) and Miao, living in Zhaotong, Yunnan. Most of them live by farming under desperate condition. In 2012, CEDAR worked with Yunnan Christian Council to deliver one-month food supply to 6,000 families in Yiliang County, Zhaotong, (a 5.7-magnitude quake hit this area on 7 September 2012).

Please earnestly pray for the situation in Zhaotong, Yunnan:

Pray that the trapped victims will be rescued very soon;
Pray that God will heal the injured and comfort those who lost their beloved one;
Pray for the safety of relief workers and for smooth operation of the first stage of rescue and relief work;
Pray for God’s guidance on the communication and cooperation between CEDAR, YNCC and ZTCCC. Also pray that those churches located near the affected areas will take part in the coming relief response.