|
An initiative of the Catholic Church and implemented in 1964,
the 2004 Fraternity Campaign is about water, “an asset of all living things, not only humankind. No other use of water, no political, market or power interest, can be more important than the basic laws of life,” says the Basic Text created by the Brazilian National Bishops Conference (CNBB, Conferência Nacional dos Bispos do Brasil). In the 2004 campaign, the theme is Fraternity and Water, and the motto is Water, Source of Life. The first concrete result was the creation, in March, of the Water Defender’s Office in Brasilia, with the support of the Federal Department of Justice and the participation of non-governmental organizations and the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro.
The Basic Text was published as a book, with 70,000 copies printed. The demand was so high that it will have a new edition, this time without attachments (questionnaires, songs, etc.), for the general public. One hundred thousand educational posters on water contamination were distributed all over Brazil. Regarding the initiative’s power of mobilization, the executive secretary of the Fraternity Campaign, canon José Carlos Dias Toffoli, says CNBB is divided into 17 regional chapters that include 267 dioceses, with more than 9,000 parishes and more than 100,000 communities. At all levels, agents for spreading the campaign were prepared. The Basic Text is divided into three parts, entitled Seeing, Judging, and Acting, and one of its attachments is a questionnaire on water, containing information about cities (population, extension, annual rainfall rate, etc.) and their hydric resources, such as rivers and wells, identified and qualified by volume and water conditions (excellent, good, regular, bad, or very bad.) Information about water treatment was collected and population percentages with access to water supply and sewer collection and treatment were also gathered. The canon adds that the Ministries of Environment and Health showed great interest in the incredible amount of data to be obtained with the questionnaire.
CNBB hasn’t forgotten either that we need to have the means for implementing what was planned. The campaign included the collection of money, which was sent to the National Solidarity Fund (40% of the total amount collected) and to the Diocesan Solidarity Funds (60%.) The resources are preferably destined to the following projects: water supply and treatment for human consumption and small family crops; participative hydric resource management; basic sanitation; and environmental education focused on appropriate water management.
Although it’s necessary to impregnate the Basic Text with religious content, it’s also based on comprehensive specialized literature and contains useful information for all those interested in this subject. The introductory text, underwritten by CNBB’s general secretary, D. Odilo Pedro Scherer, and by canon José Carlos Dias Toffoli, shows how the Church, without overlooking its prime objectives, shares concerns with other sectors of organized society. Here’s an interesting passage: “CNBB’s purpose with this campaign is to warn everyone about how vital water is for all living beings, showing its social significance and pointing out that the population needs to participate in water management in Brazil. We also want to question the trading concept of water, showing that, more than a resource, it’s an asset needed by humankind and all living beings; it actually contains a vast set of values regarding various dimensions of life including economic, sacred, symbolic and leisurely perspectives, among others.”
It’s explained in the introduction: “The theme and the motto were chosen mainly because of the huge problems faced not only by Brazil, but by all humankind regarding this issue.”
Also in the introduction, CNBB says what its goal is:
“The overall purpose of the 2004FC is to make society aware of the fact that water is the source of life, a need of all living beings and a right of human beings; we want to encourage people to act so that the right to quality water is a reality for present and future generations.
“In order to attain its overall purpose, the FC proposes the following specific objectives:
“Getting to know Brazil’s hydric reality starting from local realities.
“Developing an ecological mystique that redeems the value of water in its deepest basis.
“Supporting and valuing existing initiatives related to water care, water preservation, capturing rainfall, and recovering degraded springs.
“Causing and fostering solidarity between those who have water and those who don’t.
“Defending the participation of people in the creation of a hydric policy so that water actually becomes a public dominion and is managed by public power, with the participation of civil society and the local community.”
In the section titled Seeing, we find a table of the world’s waters, partly reproduced below::
 |
The following information is provided:
“A fundamental point should be made here: the volume of fresh water available on the planet has remained unchanged for over millions and millions of years. This water volume – both fresh and salt water – has always been sufficient for meeting the demand of all forms of life.
The volume of fresh water in lakes and rivers totals 200,000 cubic kilometers, and these are the sources of water most accessible to humankind. If this volume wasn’t restored by the hydrological cycle, about five to six billion inhabitants would exhaust these waters within 30 to 40 years, based on a minimum demand per inhabitant/year of 1,000 cubic meters, according to UNO’s standards.
“However, the hydrological cycle restores to the rivers a discharge of 41,000 cubic kilometers per year. This means that in 2000, each Earth inhabitant had available in the rivers between six and seven thousand cubic meters per year, that is, five or six times as much as the minimum demand per person. Therefore, there’s no such thing as water scarcity at the global level.
“If the water volume is growing progressively scarce, it’s because of the depredation caused by man. According to a UNO document: ‘The water issue is more about management than scarcity.’ We need to approach the issue of good or bad water management, not water scarcity.”
Later, comes a warning:
“The water issue at the worldwide level reveals the increased exclusion of poor people. In addition to scarcity caused by human action and large demographic concentrations, it’s possible to perceive the risk of water concentration in the hands of some private companies. This is one of the most serious challenges of all times faced by humankind. If the market rationale is imposed as a solution, it will assure water for the rich, but not for the poor.”
Regarding the Brazilian scenario, the text says:
“More than being polluted, rivers are being eliminated. In the west of the state of Bahia, more than 30 springs and small affluents of the São Francisco River have disappeared. The São Francisco is an agonizing river, and some believe it will become extinct in 2060. Similar examples can be found everywhere in our country.
“The fundamental cause for the elimination of several sources, which later impact the central flume of a basin, is mainly deforestation or the careless suction of underground deposits. (...)
“(...) We don’t have a national policy for capturing rainfall water, although such policies are used by several other countries, especially those with little surface and underground water available.
“The lack of a competent policy for rainfall water usage reveals itself especially in the semi-arid region. Considering the semi-arid region with the planet’s highest rainfall rate, a policy for capturing rainfall water is essential for making a decent, dignified life in the region possible (...)”
Under the title Judging, the theme “water” is approached from a religious and ethical perspective, but objectivity is maintained, as seen in this passage:
“Assuring the availability of quality water for preserving life on Earth is becoming increasingly more difficult, especially because of the destruction of ecosystems and the pollution of rivers and springs. The 1979 Fraternity Campaign already raised this issue by prophetically affirming:
“The global reserve of water on Earth remains unchanged; the growing demand for water, a result of the growth of the world’s population that is more alarming each day, will create problems over the long term. One of the challengesfor the survival of humankind will certainly be, in the not to distant future, the scarcity of fresh water on Earth. Of all waters existing on the planet, only a minimum percentage is made up of fresh water. Without a rational savings related to its utilization, soon there won’t be enough water for humankind.”
Later, several biblical passages illustrate water-related conflicts. Here’s one of them:
“The control of springs and wells will cause countless conflicts. Somehow, the conflict between Isaac and the Canaanite king Abimelech (cf. Ge, 15-33) for controlling the wells is a paradigm of a situation that affected the entire land of Canaan. Little by little, the fertile lands were concentrated in the hands of a few lords and ‘kings’, and the small agriculturists had to abandon their lands, pay taxes, or work for such lords and kings.”
Regarding ethical requirements, the principles of care, solidarity and co-responsibility are listed. We quote:
“The ethical principles are always valid, but their practical application must be in the correct context in order to be effective. The drinking water crisis is so acute that a revolution is required for us to conserve water, recover the wasted water, and regenerate the polluted water. Since the crisis affects the entire planet, it requires a short-term solution encompassing the entire planet as well. Such fact questions today’s world leaders, who haven’t reached a consensus on the common destiny of humankind and the planet, nor have they accumulated enough awareness regarding the urgency of this vital issue.”
The title Acting encompasses several effective measures to be performed by the followers. We would like to quote the following:
“Promoting local knowledge is promoting self-knowledge. We encourage each community, each municipality, and each region to understand in more detail the status of their waters. Where does the water consumed by the community come from? What treatment process does it go through? Who is the company in charge of supply and sanitation? What’s the status of the populations in neighbor districts? And what are the water-related issues in the rural area?
“For a better understanding of the national reality, we could start by getting to know the local reality. Thus, communities need to respond to the Water Questionnaire, Attachment 1 to the Basic Text. Please send your answers to the Executive Secretariat of the Fraternity Campaign.
“We need to develop a new water mystique, within the context of a new ecological mystique. The water mystique is basically life-related. This new mystique requires a true personal conversion, a new perspective on water and nature. It affects our daily habits, the way we open a faucet, brush our teeth, shower, wash the dishes, wash the car and so on.
“Communities need to understand their water springs to value the water they have. It’s important to visit the location, the springs. There are several springs that may and should be visited:
“Natural springs: sources; streams; rivers; wells and dry wells;
“Artificial springs: artesian wells; treatment stations; capturing springs; polluted waters; privatized, forbidden and fenced waters, etc.
(...)
“Water has always been used intensely in the liturgical environment. However, it can be more clearly and intensely evident with water blessings, purification rites, baptisms, etc. In all of these ceremonies, it should be stressed that water is essential for life.
“We need to know, spread, and, if necessary, create new, more economical water management techniques that respect nature. Often such technologies will need to be invented. Water reuse (the reutilization of water previously used in some activities and that might be used in other activities), the capturing of rainfall, more economical sanitary flushing mechanisms, more sustainable irrigation techniques, etc. are issues that need to be present in the daily lives of our population. There are bold initiatives all over Brazil, and the creativity of our people may fly with all wings.”•
Church concerned with the environment
by Dom Dimas Lara Barbosa
The assistant bishop of Rio de Janeiro, Dom Dimas Lara Barbosa, said in an interview conducted through email that the 2004 Fraternity Campaign wasn’t the first to approach a theme related to the environment. He explains: “For example, the 1979 Fraternity Campaign was based on the theme For a more human world, and its motto was Preserve what belongs to all. This campaign was unprecedented in terms of the democratization of debates on ecology in Brazil.” Dom Dimas adds: “However, it’s important to point out that the environment issue isn’t contemplated by the Fraternity Campaign only. The current Overall Guidelines of the Evangelist Initiative of the Church in Brazil also include concrete proposals for valuing the environment and overcoming the serious problems that affect it.”
Brazil Forever – Does choosing water as a theme for the 2004 FC mean that the Church has included sustainable development among its concerns?
Dom Dimas Lara Barbosa – The water issue involves values such as social, political, economic, cultural, aesthetic, leisure, health, and support among others. Every creation is a manifestation, a revelation of the love and greatness of the Creator. “The world isn’t the product of a random need, blind destiny, or chance. We believe the world is the result of the free will of God, who wanted the creatures to participate in His being, wisdom, and kindness.” (Catholic Church Catechism, number 295.) In this project of love, the human being has a very special place. Created in the image and likeness of God, the human being is also a creator of the creation that was entrusted to him, at the same time, as a gift and as a task. Thus, the responsibility he has towards the world God entrusted to him for building a dignified home. Man and woman are called upon to participate in the Divine Providence regarding other creatures. God also wants them to be in communion – with the Creator, with themselves, with their fellow human beings, and with the entire universe created. Considering this project of God, the concept of sustainable development often appears as an ideological reductionism that privileges economic issues, without considering the centrality of the human person: of each person and of the person as a whole. This kind of development generates new inequalities, and considers nature as another element in the social exclusion process.
BF – From now on, should we expect other environmental themes to be approached by Church campaigns?
Dom Dimas – The Fraternity Campaign about water isn’t the first initiative of the Church regarding environmental issues. For example, the 1979 Fraternity Campaign was based on the theme For a more human world, and its motto was Preserve what belongs to all. This campaign was unprecedented in terms of the democratization of debates on ecology in Brazil. After the 1979 Campaign, many initiatives and several projects valuing nature started being developed by the Church in Brazil. And this process will certainly go on. However, the process for choosing the themes of the Fraternity Campaign is very participative, so CNBB’s Regional Chapters present their proposals based on their realities. The various proposals are taken to CNBB’s top administration for the final decision. However, we should observe that the environmental issue isn’t contemplated in the Fraternity Campaign only. The current Overall Guidelines of the Evangelist Initiative of the Church in Brazil also include concrete proposals for valuing the environment and overcoming the serious problems that affect it.
BF – CNBB, together with the Federal Department of Justice, has created the Water Defender’s Office. Is this new agency permanent? Will CNBB continue to act to protect hydric resources even after the end of the 2004 FC?
Dom Dimas – The Water Defender’s Office is here to stay. It’s very important for guaranteeing the right to quality water for present and future generations. However, it’s important to repeat that this issue isn’t only about hydric resources, especially if they are seen from an essentially economic point of view. That said, of course the Church will continue promoting the awareness that water is a valuable asset to mankind and, as such, should be preserved and enjoyed by all people, according to God’s project. •
 |
 |
|
