During the first semester of this year, Br. José Caro, OFM, of San Francisco Fraternity in Caballo Cocha – Amazon Project – has been appointed Director of the Human Rights Pastoral of the Vicariate San José del Amazonas: – “… in March this year, in the context of the Assembly of the Vicariate, the Bishop offered me to take charge of the Direction of the Human Rights Pastoral, and I immediately told him that it depended on the consultation with the Fraternity
After consulting with his fraternity, Fr. José gave a positive response to the Bishop’s request. As he remarks, there is a favorable atmosphere to accept such a commitment. In addition, the issue of Human Rights challenges the fraternity that lives and accompanies the communities along the Amazon River in Peruvian territory, very close to the border with Colombia and Brazil: – “All of us in the Fraternity and myself feel that there is trust from the Bishop’s side when one is entrusted with this task, and the missionaries of the Vicariate, for the most part, also say so; so far, there is a good atmosphere around the subject, subject that is of highly political content and is, therefore, controversial, challenging and full of different conceptions in their understanding and in the interests behind everything.
Have you felt supported by the Vicariate missionaries?
I have been welcomed and well accepted into the service. So, immediately, when the Vicariate Assembly was about to finish (with nearly all the missionaries and some laypersons from the different sites of mission), I got ready to assume the task once the Bishop mainstreamed the issue in the Assembly, and right away I delivered a written survey to each of the participantes inquiring what and how they wanted the Human Rights Pastoral.
We know that the human rights issue is not a recent concern for the Fraternity, since a proposal was being developed jointly with the communities. Would you give us a comment on the steps of the proposal?
[Yes; our proposal suggests] getting to have in every mission site a work team with a plan on what they call “Human Rights Promoters” (a team of at least three laypersons and one missionary). [Likewise] sectorizing the Vicariate in these immensely large regions: one sector in Putumayo, one at the Triple Frontier, another in the center of the Vicariate nearer Iquitos, and another one in Napo. Each defined sector would comprise the nearby mission sites or the ones that converge in such a space. [Also, we have thought that] each sector will set the meeting dates, and share plans or whatever they have done in their respective mission sites, heard in their communities and, grounded on this, they will develop a plan for the Human Rights sector. [Finally] in the context of the 2020 Vicariate Assembly (March or April), each sector will be submitting their working plans, requirements, etc., from which the Vicariate’s Human Rights plan or project will be designed.
On August 7, this work proposal on Human Rights for the Vicariate of San José del Amazonas was approved, and the proposal begins to be processed in order to make it operational. The purpose is to qualify and empower the leaders or the people who are initiating this work by giving them the necessary tools so that they know how to do their job in defending their territory, and for this to be assumed by the communities since it is they who are risking their survival in the Amazon region.
How is the process going today?
All parish/mission sites have already chosen their “promoters”, and they, together with a missionary, are developing their work plan in consultation with their communities and within the context they are in their small territories issuing their proposals. During the meeting we had in the Vicariate, a work manual was delivered with orientation to do practice, and we gathered in sectors according to the accepted proposal. Each sector appointed a coordinator for itself, and some even adopted a name, and set dates to meet as a sector providing time until each mission site completes its plan. So, in the first sectorial meeting, every attendant’s plans will be shared, and one only plan will come out, which will have to be considered to support, accompany and qualify in issues and requirements indicated by each sector. In the end, there will be four work plans that will be shared in the 2020 first semester Vicariate Assembly, which will result in the Vicariate Human rights Project.
Br. Jaime Campos F., OFM
JPIC Office
General Curia