Silent Voices: International Dominican Commission for Justice and Peace Annual Assembly
From September 23 to 27, International Dominican Commission for Justice and Peace (IDCJP) gathered for its annual meeting to discuss the theme “Silent Voices” and reflect on where Dominican voices need to be heard and how; what does it mean to let light shine before people for Dominican family in the XXI century; and how to speak up and defend the rights of the poor and needy.
Sr. Durstyne Farnan, UN Representative, shared: “Each year I look forward to meeting with my brothers and sisters from around the world as part of the International Dominican Justice and Peace Commission. It is an opportunity to hear from one another as to how they and their people are doing.”
During the meeting, each continental area provided updates from their reality and tried to identify the main threats to justice and peace in their regions. “I was happy to hear reports from different continents regarding issues of Justice and Peace. My greatest surprise was that almost all the entities reported issues relating to bad governance, climate change and gender based violence” stated Fr. Frederick Obanaya, OP, Justice and Peace Promoter for the African Region. “The reports from different regions showed that the humanity faces similar problems everywhere.”
During the week, Assembly participants had also a short meeting with the Master of the Order of Preachers, Fr. Gerard Timoner III, who expressed his gratitude to the work and assistance the Justice and Peace Promoters provide to the Dominican Family globally.
Sr. Toni Harris, OP, the first Sister to serve as the North American Co-Promoter of Justice and Peace and a former President of the Us-based Dominican Leadership Conference, gave a keynote address.
“In her concluding remarks sr. Toni offered us a challenge: “Am I truly using my voice to break the silence about injustice, oppression, lying, and greed in our own countries, as well as in other places – especially where we have members of our Dominican Family?” – says sr. Dusty Farnan. “She reminded us that those of us with greater freedoms have a greater obligation to speak the truth as if we had a thousand voices. After all, it is silence that kills the world.”
Mairee Baldo, L.OP. was particularly struck by the current situation in Haiti, whose inhabitants have been forcibly displaced from their homes due to the violence of armed groups controlling the capital, Port-au-Prince: “As a lay Dominican and promoter of Justice and Peace of the Order of Preachers, I feel committed to denounce through social networks the reality that overwhelms the people of Haiti. In the same way, in the “Dominican Month for Peace in Haiti”, to support them economically from my possibilities, in their projects so that the situation of some concrete people can change.”
She concluded: “Silencing the voices of those who are experiencing suffering and injustice is a fact that has become normalized today. For this reason, we Dominicans are called to denounce the realities faced by our brothers and sisters throughout the world.”