Shelahani - Perú

We live in Peru and in Latin America in a situation of increasing deterioration in the daily life of the poor, the economic and social differences become increasingly abysmal, for some moments we feel that the hope of a people dies also. In our Continent there exists great indexes of exclusion, violence and injustice; there coexist different ways of applying justice for the rich and the poor; and, in Peru, this is present with greater incidence in women and poor children of rural zones.

The Carmelite Missionaries are located in Quellouno's district, in the south east of the Capital of the Province, Department of Cuzco. The population is constituted by three marked cultures; the Quechua - Andean, Crossbreeds and the native culture of the Machiguengas; nowadays, it is considered in extreme poverty, due to its high index of infantile malnutrition and unmet basic needs. In this rural context, there are no institutions involved in the solution of these problems.

In the middle of this complex reality, the Carmelite Missionaries, implementing the proposals of our Provincial and General Chapters, assume the need to “revitalize our commitment to justice by working preferably in favour of women, so as to respond evangelically to the challenges of the reality.” Preceded by discernment and seeing real possibilities of pastoral response, we decided in the creation of the Office of Parish Defence of Human Rights, the same that was opened in our parish "Virgen del Carmen" under the direction of the Carmelite Missionaries in the year 2001.

To promote a culture of life, defending and respecting “human life as God's gift and human task" from conception, using the existing legal means in our Peruvian and universal laws.

To defend and to protect women legally in cases of abandonment, physical maltreatment, psychological violations and others. To protect every person who is a victim and suffers violation against his dignity and rights.

To defend and to protect the child and teenager, abandoned morally and materially because of the familiar violence or any type of mistreatment.

To foment and to promote in the whole population, knowledge, respect, defence and practice of human rights.

To work in coordination with persons and Institutions with similar ends at the national level.

The experience of work during these eight years of uninterrupted labour, has given some fruits of justice, thanks to the determination of the diverse professionals in LAW that have contributed not only their knowledge but also their testimony of Christian commitment for the cause of the most disadvantaged; thus:

Cases of familiar violence, offending the woman and minor children
Abandonment of minors morally and materially.
Food processes, followed by abandonment of the home generally by men.
Processes of sexual violation, offending the minors in many cases.
Cases of usurpation of lands, to the detriment of the poorest peasants especially the illiterate or undocumented.
Processes of violation of sexual freedom,
Untimely registration of birth certificate of old and young.
Less cases of homicides and physical and psychological aggressions inside the home.

These "cases" actually reveal dramatic situations, which involve the whole context of oblivion, marginalization and exclusion of the poor. They also discover the presence of a God who cries for justice and solidarity in concrete faces. We feel that the Good News of the Kingdom is attained in the measure that the persons are finding support and solution to the conflicts that torment them, in the measure that they discover bringers of dignity, protection and love. Definitively only love restructures the persons from inside, opening them to horizons of value, responsibility and commitment. For us to live and to remain close to the poor in an evangelical way of life, presupposes developing the mysticism of "staying" (even when some of them abandon or do not want to go, to remain against all hope), it refers to the Christian form of making oneself poor with the poor, affirming life and human dignity as sacred and inviolable.

Also we possess an extension area of service at the level of talks and formation in Human Rights, particularly in coordination with the State College "Jose Olaya," where a sister works and is a member

of the Commission of the Defence of the Teenager; it is qualifying the teenagers in the defence and promotion of his duties and rights, with the purpose of which they can be "Leaders - watchtowers of human rights" in their classrooms. Likewise we have the Promoters of the Human Rights, who are peasants who in their communities are trained and they promote their rights; their labour is a permanent voluntary work that redounds to the good of their rural communities.

It is our desire to give one more step in this way of progressive identity with Jesus and his project of the Kingdom in the historical concrete context in which we are.

"My name is Delfina; for some years I have the great joy of forming part of the Pastoral team of my Parish, occupying several charges; at present I am getting out as Promoter of Human Rights of my zone at Chirumbia's Valley. What I am going to share is on my work experience in this pleasing task for the defence of human rights, in the rural area of my Quellouno's Parish.
For several years I am taking part actively in the pastoral work of the Parish as a committed lay. I come from a very poor rural peasant community with serious problems, as Chahuares. At present I am in the community of banana plantation of Chirumbia's Valley; I have my family established in this zone: my husband and my two children of school age. Thanks to the closeness and work testimony of the Carmelite Missionaries, my advisers. I felt this vocation of service to my community, first as Coordinator, preparing those to receive the sacraments and at present as Promoter of Human Rights.
In a world where manequism is strongly and deeply rooted, it is not easy at all to take this mission forward; still we are few women in this area of pastoral work, but we do it with valour and decision. We have the great support of the Parish at all times; and, certainly, of the Parish Defence. This office is being attended to, since its foundation, by the Carmelite Missionaries and a professional lawyer who attends to all the cases in Quellouno. All the assistance are totally free. During the year we realize several courses - workshop training in everything relating to Human rights and to the laws that have direct implication with the denouncements that we do. In our communities we are recognized as authorities to respect and to fulfill the fundamental rights of every person and his dignity as a child of God. There are many abuses to the poorest and the humble, as well as the mistreatment of women and children, as always the weak is affected and is a victim of all injustice.
As promoters, we have made numberless denouncements; some persons responsible of abuses, at this moment are being purged in at the Quillabamba's jail. We do all denouncements to the Priest and he channels it to the Defence and his contacts with the judicial power. We have managed to discover crimes that the police could not investigate, or simply they did not want to execute, such as crimes where the author walked contentedly, threatening to kill those who meddle with him, for the fact that the victim was a very poor person and without relatives. We have had to denounce many mistreatments against women, primarily to make the battered women aware of their dignity and the need to denounce without fear. Also the abuses of authority, be they policemen, Judges, governing lieutenants, teachers, etc.
When we have meetings in the community we give conferences on the respect of human rights. At the beginning there was a strong resistance on the part of the men, but now, little by little, they are accepting that women also are sufficiently qualified to take this mission forward. We have the great support of our family; for example my husband accompanies me on all the meetings and conferences. The work is nice and gratifying if one realizes it with faith and will. I am grateful to our advisers who have entrusted to me this evangelizing task, more so, they do not isolate the women for anything, and I am learning very much.
Thus, our laymen's missionary commitment, is to work in the Vineyard of the Lord, as workers and brave women, for the fulfillment of God's Kingdom today; being effective protagonists in the transformation of this world, that is to say, fighting for liberation, salvation to construct among all a new world of Justice, Truth, Peace, Love; where there is bread, education, health and freedom for all; where there exists only one race: "the human race"; where there is no discrimination for colour of the skin, for social condition, for sex; where there is no more poverty caused by corruption structured at all levels.
Christ Jesus is the first who suffered all kinds of marginalization and exclusion, for wanting to engrave in the heart of every man and woman the law of love; thus it is He who walks with us, in defence of his brothers and sisters who do not find justice.
I must demonstrate to them, in honour of the truth, that many poor people who were not given justice, nor listened to by the authorities, now already find justice, had made their voices heard; for all this, the people are extremely grateful to the Parish, especially to the Carmelite Missionaries who, with patience, accompany them before the judicial court. The poor already have someone who makes them feel respected; they come with confidence to the Parish because they know that there is “a hand that is going to help them.”
Mrs. Delfina Álvarez Illanes.
(Promoter of Human Rights of the Office of the Parish Defence – Human Rights)
Community "El Vedrá ," Quellouno- Cusco, Peru