Churches Witnessing With Migrants
Unity Statement
November 6, 2010
CIRM
AMORES 1318,
Colonia del Valle
03100, México D.F.
We are representatives of churches, church-related institutions and migrant organizations from different continents. We gathered in the space provided for by the (CIRM) in
As Christians, we believe that human dignity is a gift from God. It is an affirmation that we are created in His image. It can never be taken away.
But today, we have listened to the stories of migrant workers, of how rich and powerful countries and governments in poor and underdeveloped countries, have distorted this gift of dignity by stripping migrant workers of their basic human rights through forced migration. With forced migration, human beings are now commodities, merely cogs in a machinery to gain profits for rich and powerful countries, squeezing their humanity dry by intensifying exploitation and promoting xenophobia and racism. We have seen concrete proof how this system of oppression and exploitation is being enhanced through the Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD). The GFMD, a state-led initiative, aims to intensify labor export to extract more profit from migrant workers while paying lip service to the protection of their rights.
We reject this reality. We believe that migration is a right but forced migration is an abomination. All of us long for a better future. But we do not speak of a passive longing that merely waits. but of a hope that should be of the present. We believe in a hope that must spur us into action; transform our longing to a struggle to reclaim back our rights as human beings.
At different levels, through many different means, many of our churches have always been ready to live up to this task. Churches of various faiths have provided sanctuary, basic needs, such as food and clothing, and ministry to migrant workers. In fact, some churches already have programs in place that provide direct services to migrants.
However, in the face of such humongous challenges as capitalist countries continue to extract super profit from migrant workers and
We need to reflect deeper in order to discern those who are accountable for the miseries suffered by the migrant workers. The churches need to be prophets that do not serve the god of the empire. The churches need to realize that the migrant workers are prophets, too, and thus must listen more closely to what they are truly fighting for.
Thus, in our journey together with marginalized migrant workers, there is a need to unite all our efforts, continue our acts of mercy as we transform ourselves into committing more acts of justice.
As co-sojourners, we resolve to take the following steps to help in creating communities of joy and justice for a new heaven and a new earth:
- Raise awareness on migrants’ rights by providing spaces for discussion and reflection inside our churches as some of us still need to start at doing acts of mercy.
- Share experiences to enhance each others’ capacities in moving towards acts of justice.
- Assist in the organizing of migrants workers.
- Become active voices and co-sojourners, walking side by side with our migrant sisters and brothers in their campaigns in defense and advancement of their rights and welfare.
- Engage in various venues, whether it be within or outside the framework of government instrumentalities to further promote and protect the rights of migrants.
- Widen our solidarity and echo these kinds of dialogues in the national and regional levels, and still in the international level to deepen and strengthen our unities in understanding and action.
- Form a continuing committee from the participating organizations as an organizing body for a broader and larger international ecumenical church-migrants conference.