July/August 2007

Dear Friends,

All of us have seen the ways that the terrorist attacks of 2001 have been used by the Bush Administration (and other governments around the world) to undermine human rights in the name of national security. The result has been a sharp rise in policies that spread war and misery; deny people access to food, water, and health care; and violate hard-won economic, reproductive, civil, and political rights at home and abroad. Yet, there are real alternatives to the violence and greed that have come to characterize US conduct in the world. Together with our sister organizations, MADRE is committed to building those alternatives and to defending human rights as a critical tool in our work for social justice. MADRE is proud to be working alongside so many as part of social movements that demand justice for all people.

Last month, Yifat Susskind, our Communications Director, traveled to Atlanta to participate in the US Social Forum. The gathering was a rich exchange among thousands of activists, organizations, and social justice advocates and an opportunity to put forward MADRE’s vision for a better world.

In this summer’s issue of the MADRE Speaks Online newsletter we have updates from our sisters in Colombia and Mexico, who are working toward that same vision and share with us their recent successes; and we explore the complications of supporting that vision in Palestine, where solidarity with the Palestinian people is the bottom line.

Sincerely,

Vivian Stromberg
Executive Director

MADRE'S LATEST

Palestine in the Age of Hamas: The Challenge of Progressive Solidarity
MADRE addresses the question of how (and why) we must support the people of Palestine without endorsing the long-term social vision of the Hamas leadership.

Neoliberal Jihadist at the World Bank
MADRE responds to the recent appointment of a new World Bank president and reveals the bank’s history of violating the mission for which it was created by consistently pursuing policies that worsen poverty.

MADRE Book Club: Let’s Read Breath, Eyes, Memory
Written by longtime MADRE member Edwidge Danticat, this poignant novel reveals the effects of rape, violence, and political instability in Haiti on twelve-year-old Sophie Caco and the women in her family

PROGRAM UPDATES

Abortion Decriminalized in Mexico City
Our sister organization in Mexico, ELIGE, explains the new legislation that decriminalizes abortion in the first twelve weeks of pregnancy in the capital, and the work of youth organizations to achieve this goal.

Shaping Leaders In Colombia
LIMPAL, one of our sister organizations in Colombia, reports on the progress of an initiative with women and youth that is developing grassroots strategies for combating gender-based violence while living in war.

MADRE IN THE NEWS

WBAI Evening News
Communications Director Yifat Susskind spoke to Pacifica radio on July 13th about the current situation in Palestine. The interview begins approximately 24 minutes into the news segment.

UPCOMING EVENTS

You are Invited to a House Party and Concert for Iraqi Women
Two MADRE members from Somerset, New Jersey will be hosting an evening with music, guest speaker Yifat Susskind, and a potluck dinner on July 28. Members in the area are invited to attend.