E NEWS 9TH AUGUST 2024
What a difference a day makes! I’m not at liberty to say much but I can tell you that my office has recently become the haven for exploited migrant workers who come here to file reports against their employer and seek MEPV which is a Migrant Exploitation Protection Visa. The wheels are in motion for 3 women who have managed to come here on their day off with our church (me) as the point of contact. This is Social Justice in Action.
The wheels are also in motion to form a faith based leaders forum around the Crown Report to Abuse in Care and Faith Based Organisations. The only problem I have is that I know of some colleagues who are themselves perpetrators and hiding behind the cloth. I will not participate if they are involved.
This Sunday we are commemorating Peace Day and the Day Hiroshima and Nagasaki were bombed on August 6th, 1945. Our reflection theme is “Peace at what cost and for whom?”
The following reflection which I shared last year on Peace Sunday around French Nuclear testing in the Pacific has the same consequences for those bombed in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. There are no degrees of severity when it comes to calamity and harm, violence is violence no matter how big or small whether on the ocean or on the land.
“The greatest concerns for people in the Pacific include the self-determination and human dignity of West Papua, Maohi Nui and Kanaky. The Pacific are also focused on climate justice and the impacts of the sea level rise on the lowline atolls. French Polynesia viz Tahiti and Papaeete are seeking compensation from the French State for the victims of the 193 nuclear tests done in Moruroa and Fagataufa. And they are gravely concerned about the project of big international companies for seabed mining in the Pacific that will destroy their main source of life.
For years, the French Defence Ministry insisted that the tests caused no environmental damage and that the health of workers was not put at risk. But Richard Tuheiava, a member of the French Polynesian Assembly, said the effects were clear.
“The fact is since the nuclear testing, most of the diseases are cancer and leukaemia. Most of the diseases are a result of the nuclear testing,” he said. Scientific studies have backed this claim, suggesting heightened rates of cancer in those exposed to radiation.
The environmental impact, too, appears to have been worse than previously conceded by France. The soil around the atoll remains highly radioactive, and there are fears that the atolls have been weakened by the blasts and could collapse, triggering a tidal wave.
Despite the mounting evidence, the French government denied all suggestion that the nuclear tests were harmful to health until 2009, when it introduced a programme to give compensation to victims of radiation exposure. Of more than 1,000 claims, only 19 people have ever received compensation.
50 years after the first nuclear test on Mururoa, French Polynesians are still fighting for recognition of the effects of nuclear testing. On Tahiti, the anniversary was marked by protest marches and ceremonies to commemorate the anniversary. In Papeete, an exhibition was opened to tell the story of what the programme was, and the atomic aura it has left over the territory.”
Just a reminder to our “Y Group” we are meeting on Sunday 18th August upstairs in Conference room 1 or 2 and for everyone to please bring a plate for a shared lunch.
A small group of us went to lunch at Sipriana yesterday to catch up with dear Heather McKenzie (Margaret Pannett’s carer). She sends her love to everyone at SAOTT.
On a personal note OMG my fixed mortgage interest rate expired on Monday and I now have a new rate which is much higher the choices I now have to make are not dire but will be a process of elimination around wants and needs I am living a privileged life. All around us people are struggling financially and things are getting worse, there are many in our church and community who fall into this category. The least we can do is be there for each other even though we may choose not to share our struggle.
A heads up: Next month is Season of Creation Month our Sundays have been allocated as 1st Sunday Humanity, 2nd Mauga, 3rd Animal/creatures, 4th Moana 5th Planet.
On Animal Sunday 15th September you are welcome to bring your pets along to church, dog, cat, rabbit, fish, lamb as in Ross’ case and we will have a blessing the animal’s service. Please note each pet owner is responsible for your pets’ accidents. Let your neighbours, friends know that this will be happening.
On another note thinking way ahead to November. We are commemorating Transgender Memorial on Sunday 24th November and I have invited Fuimaono Dr Karl Pulotu Endemann to speak. Karl is Australasia and the Pacific’s most famous faafafine literally means “in the manner of a woman) (look it up) Karl was Samoa’s first Psychiatric Nurse to graduate in New Zealand and work. He created the Falefono Mental Health model which has gone global you can google this too if you want to know more. He recently received an honorary doctorate from Massey University. So, it is a real privilege and honour that Karl has made himself available to speak on this special Sunday (mind you I did book him a year ago). We will be having a special shared lunch on that Sunday.
Well, I’m off home now to contemplate on our Sunday reflection. Take care and keep warm. Manuia le aso. Fei
You can read the full E-news here: https://mailchi.mp/0a32d6562587/this-weeks-newsletter-from-st-andrews-on-the-terrace-9468544
