On February 15-16, 2016, US President Obama hosted 10 government leaders from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) for a summit in California.
For decades, the US has continued to forge closer ties with ASEAN. However, most of ASEAN’s members have extraordinarily poor human rights records. Problems include lack of basic freedoms of expression, association, and peaceful assembly, failures on women’s rights, the political use of courts, high-level corruption, lack of protection of refugees and asylum seekers, and human trafficking.
The coming of the monsoons signals a relief from the deadly scorching heat wave that was seen in the region of South Asia earlier on in May and June. However, the monsoon together with the cyclone “Komen” this year has brought widespread devastation in India, Myanmar, Pakistan and Vietnam leaving more than 300 people dead in the region.
[ePrayer – Pray for the labour strike in Cambodia]
The Cambodia government recently announced to increase the minimum wage of garment industry to USD 95. However, this amount is way lower than the amount of USD 160 insisted by workers and thus sparked off the current labour strike. There are over 500 garment factories in Cambodia. About 300,000 garment workers go on strike, seriously affecting the local garment industry.
In the past, labour strikes usually ended peacefully in Cambodia. This time however, is in a very huge scale and seems to become more and more intense. Many factories go into a stall. Police is called to quiet the demonstrators using armed force, resulting in bloody conflicts leading to at least 4 dead.
The manufacturers of many multinational garment corporations are involved in this strike. According to the study of “Labour Behind the Label” and the news report of “The Independent” last September, these multinationals offer about a GBP50 monthly salary to their workers in Cambodia. One quarter of their workers however are found to be seriously malnutrition. It is reported that if a worker need to acquire energy of 3,000 Kcal per day as suggested by doctor, he/she will have to spend GBP47 monthly in food, which is almost their whole monthly salary!
Cambodia ended its civil war in 1997 and since then, many industries have embarked into recovery phase. Due to the huge labour force from the young adults, many foreign-invested enterprises came and set up factories in Cambodia. One third of them are from China. In recent years, the production cost in China is escalating quickly due to high salaries and complex labour benefits and welfare legal regulations. Investors in China have determined that it’s no longer cost effective to produce in China. Consequently many of them move to other countries with lower labour cost, such as Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam and Myanmar. [The Independent, BBC, HK Daily News, the House News]
Meditate on Scripture:
‘For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. …The workers who were hired first grumble against the landowner. “These who were hired last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.” But the landowner answered one of them, “I am not being unfair to you, friend. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you. 15 Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?”’ Matthew 20:1-16
At that time, a denarius was the daily wage of a laborer, and was enough to buy one-day food supply for a household. In those days, the landowner considered what is the amount that a worker’s family would need to survive and paid him what we say today the ‘Family Wage’. It is indeed a challenge to balance the different benefits and wants from foreign investors, factory owners, government and labourers. However, as Christians, it is worth to reflect on such practical issue, which is under the globalized world today that is largely dominated by capitalism, how one can fairly allocate the profits and resources among different social stratum practising the teaching of Christian faith on justice and mercy.
Pray for the labour strike in Cambodia:
The Cambodian government will soon meet with GMAC to discuss about the minimum wage for the garment industry. Pray for good communications between the two parties and a consensus reached to all satisfaction;
Pray for an effective and secured platform/ channel for workers to express their opinions without facing any threats;
Pray for a fair wage to workers which can meet their daily needs.
Super Typhoon Haiyan, struck Philippines on 8 Nov., killed more than 5,200 people, 13 million affected and almost 4.3 million displaced. Victims are in dire needs, and some of them lost their homes and even saw their beloved ones swept to their deaths in the storm surge.
Houses were destroyed as storm-surge waves hit Basey, Samar
Women wash clothes by the roadside
CEDAR is responding the dire need of the victims through the local partner PHILRADS, by delivering food packs to affected families in Leyte and Samar provinces. Shelters and emotional support during disaster recovery will be provided. Besides, CEDAR together with other Integral Alliance members are establishing an Integral team on the ground to strengthen our joint response, both operationally and through the work of our local church based partners.
Relief items arrived in a town in south Samar which was completely destroyed
As Philippines was severely devastated, CEDAR has submitted a relief proposal to HKSAR Disaster Relief Fund Advisory Committee to support the relief work by our partners in Samar and Northern Iloilo. One of our partners Food for the Hungry is going to provide at least 4,000 affected families in two municipalities in western Samar province with items like food, kitchen sets and hygiene kits for children.
Pray for victims and relief work in Philippines:
‘Heavenly Father, we trust in you as our comfort, strength and hope.
In this time of disaster and crisis in the Philippines would you help every agency in their aid effort.
By your Spirit we pray you would lift up the broken, give comfort and strength to those who mourn the loss of loved ones.
And help us as we respond to aid the work of rescue and rebuilding.
Put hope in the hearts of all your children Lord.
Through Jesus our Saviour. Amen’ (source: Tearfund UK)
Emergency and Relief Donation
Please make cheque payable to ‘CEDAR FUND’
Deposit to HSBC A/C No. 600-385678-001, enclosing with the Pay-in slip
[1] CEDAR is an approved charitable institution and trust 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 3212Hong Kong
CEDAR Fund’s local partners are responding to the desperate need of the 9.5 million people affected by Super Typhoon Haiyan since 7 Nov in Philippines. Reportedly, the worst natural catastrophe in Philippines, Typhoon Haiyan is estimated to have killed more than 10,000 people and the death toll is expected to rise.
According to CEDAR’s local partner PHILRADS, at least six provinces are severely damaged, including Leyte, Samar and Cebu provinces. In this very first stage of emergency operations, PHILRADS works with local churches to deliver food packs to 7,000 affected families in Leyte and Samar provinces. Depending on available resources, PHILRADS would like to reach out to other badly hit provinces.
As a member agency of Integral Alliance*, CEDAR has also been working very closely with Integral Alliance members on the disaster relief work for Super Typhoon Haiyan. Another local partner is now providing basic necessities such as food, water, medicine and shelter to all those affected by the disaster.
Pray for the Typhoon victims and the relief development work
Pray for God’s healing and protection to the victims; and for His comfort to those who have lost their beloved ones and homes.
Pray for smooth emergency operations and for the safety of all types of frontline aid workers.
Pray for good planning and coordination from the Philippine government on disaster relief and rehabilitation.
Pray for God’s protection for the people in China, Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia as Typhoon Haiyan moves toward their direction.
Emergency and Relief Donation
Please make cheque payable to ‘CEDAR FUND’
Deposit to HSBC A/C No. 600-385678-001, enclosing with the Pay-in slip
[1] CEDAR is an approved charitable institution and trust 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 3212Hong Kong
* Integral Alliance is a global alliance of 19 Christian relief and development agencies, working together to present a more effective response to poverty worldwide. CEDAR is one of the member agencies.
This project has been carried out as part of an Integral Response.
Increased poaching and loss of habitats are threatening the survival of African elephant populations. The UN estimates that over 17,000 elephants were illegally killed in monitored sites in 2011 alone. Last year, in Bouba N’Djida National Park, northern Cameroon, up to 450 elephants were killed by rebel groups from Chad and Sudan. According to UNEP, the extent of the killings now far exceeds the natural population growth rates, putting elephants at risk of extinction, especially in Central and Western Africa. The illegal wildlife trade is threatening not only the survival of species such as elephants and rhinos but also the livelihoods and often the very lives of people across Africa and the developing world. UNEP calls ‘let’s stop the criminals and score some big wins for elephants, rhinos and threatened species everywhere’. Côte d’Ivoire national football team star and captain of Manchester City FC, Yaya Toure and footballers at a World Cup qualifier match made a strong statement against the illegal killings of elephants in Africa. Besides, some celebrities filmed an ad, mainly for China and Vietnam, to call for protection to the endangered species of animals and ban to ivory and rhino horns. [UNEP, WildAid]
Pray for illegal killing of animals:
Pray that the international societies will be united to prevent from illegal killing of animals and protect the species diversity.
Pray that especially the Asian consumers will have more awareness of wildlife protection, stop purchasing shark fins, rhino horns and ivories and put an end to illegal trade of wild animals.
