Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06MASERU578
2006-11-21 07:19:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Maseru
Cable title:
CARDINAL MCCARRICK VISITS LESOTHO: GRANTS CRS GROWING
how-toVZCZCXRO4745 RR RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHJO RUEHRN DE RUEHMR #0578 3250719 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 210719Z NOV 06 FM AMEMBASSY MASERU TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2436 INFO RUEHROV/AMEMBASSY VATICAN 0001 RUCNSAD/SADC COLLECTIVE RUEHMR/AMEMBASSY MASERU 2772
UNCLAS MASERU 000578
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
FOR AF/S
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KHIV EAID PREL OVIP ASEC VT LT
SUBJECT: CARDINAL MCCARRICK VISITS LESOTHO: GRANTS CRS GROWING
AUTONOMY
UNCLAS MASERU 000578
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
FOR AF/S
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KHIV EAID PREL OVIP ASEC VT LT
SUBJECT: CARDINAL MCCARRICK VISITS LESOTHO: GRANTS CRS GROWING
AUTONOMY
1. SUMMARY. During a November 9 call on Ambassador June Carter
Perry, Washington-based Cardinal Theodore McCarrick thanked the
U.S. Embassy for its work fighting HIV/AIDS and poverty.
Cardinal McCarrick, on a week-long visit to Lesotho in
connection with Catholic Relief Services (CRS) Lesotho's
promotion from a satellite office of CRS South Africa into a
more independent organization, emphasized CRS's efforts on
gender equality, food security, and HIV/AIDS awareness as well
as the high-level attention which the Catholic Church's
hierarchy places on the Mountain Kingdom. END SUMMARY.
--------------
Concerns and Increased Involvement in Lesotho
--------------
2. On November 9, during a week-long visit to Lesotho,
Washington-based Cardinal Theodore McCarrick called on
Ambassador June Carter Perry. Cardinal McCarrick, former
Archbishop of Washington, was elevated to the College of
Cardinals by Pope John Paul II in 2001. Also attending the
meeting were Archbishop of Lesotho Bernard Mohlalisi, Bishop
Evaristus Thatho Bitsoane, CRS Lesotho's Country Representative
John Shumlansky, CRS Regional Director Michele Broemmelsiek, and
Poloff. Prior to the meeting, the delegation shared their great
concern with Emboffs over the recent robbing and shooting of two
members of Lesotho's Roman Catholic clergy, one fatally, in
Mazenod, a small town close to Maseru's airport.
3. Ambassador Perry held a brief one-on-one session with
Cardinal McCarrick. When the Ambassador and Cardinal were
joined by the larger group, the Cardinal thanked Ambassador
Perry for the Embassy's efforts fighting HIV/AIDS and poverty.
The Cardinal mentioned that the Papal Nuncio to South Africa,
American James Patrick Green, may visit Lesotho in the near
term. The Cardinal, a member of the Board of Directors for
Catholic Relief Services (CRS),also stated that his current
trip was in connection with the transformation of CRS Lesotho's
operations from a subsidiary unit of CRS's South Africa office
to an autonomous organization. He offered that this move was
due to the quantity and importance of the work that CRS conducts
in Lesotho. The Ambassador asked the group if they had heard of
difficulties in obtaining anti-retroviral medications by the
poor, as she had recently learned in the Maseru District. The
CRS delegation confirmed that rural populations had reported
similar shortfalls.
--------------
Briefing on CRS's Activities
--------------
4. John Shumlansky, CRS Lesotho's Country Representative,
briefed the gathering on three of CRS Lesotho's current
initiatives. In the first initiative, aimed at mitigating
discrimination against women in Lesotho, Catholic Relief
Services will work with local partners to implement the
"Generating New Directions for Empowerment and Rights" (GENDER)
project in Qacha's Nek and Maseru over the coming 18 months.
The GENDER Project seeks to promote an environment where women's
rights are recognized and protected at the national and local
level. Mr. Shumlansky then addressed the "Consortium for the
Southern Africa Food Security Emergency" (C-SAFE) initiative, in
which CRS works with World Vision and CARE to implement a
one-year food emergency response program targeting 13,126
vulnerable households in six of Lesotho's districts. CRS's
third initiative is to provide Catholic priests, nuns, and
church leaders in Lesotho with relevant information about
HIV/AIDS to share with their communities and congregations.
5. COMMENT: Cardinal McCarrick's visit to Lesotho is a pat on
the back for the team at CRS Lesotho, who have steadily ramped
up CRS activities here in the Mountain Kingdom. The autonomy
which CRS will now enjoy should help the organization to more
effectively adapt its programs to local conditions, in
particular the organization's work on mitigating the effects of
the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Post will follow up on the problem of
medicine/service delivery to various areas of the country. Lack
of human resources and transportation are likely reasons for
this life-threatening shortfall. Combined public/private
entities are attempting to expedite supply distribution
in-country. END COMMENT.
PERRY
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
FOR AF/S
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KHIV EAID PREL OVIP ASEC VT LT
SUBJECT: CARDINAL MCCARRICK VISITS LESOTHO: GRANTS CRS GROWING
AUTONOMY
1. SUMMARY. During a November 9 call on Ambassador June Carter
Perry, Washington-based Cardinal Theodore McCarrick thanked the
U.S. Embassy for its work fighting HIV/AIDS and poverty.
Cardinal McCarrick, on a week-long visit to Lesotho in
connection with Catholic Relief Services (CRS) Lesotho's
promotion from a satellite office of CRS South Africa into a
more independent organization, emphasized CRS's efforts on
gender equality, food security, and HIV/AIDS awareness as well
as the high-level attention which the Catholic Church's
hierarchy places on the Mountain Kingdom. END SUMMARY.
--------------
Concerns and Increased Involvement in Lesotho
--------------
2. On November 9, during a week-long visit to Lesotho,
Washington-based Cardinal Theodore McCarrick called on
Ambassador June Carter Perry. Cardinal McCarrick, former
Archbishop of Washington, was elevated to the College of
Cardinals by Pope John Paul II in 2001. Also attending the
meeting were Archbishop of Lesotho Bernard Mohlalisi, Bishop
Evaristus Thatho Bitsoane, CRS Lesotho's Country Representative
John Shumlansky, CRS Regional Director Michele Broemmelsiek, and
Poloff. Prior to the meeting, the delegation shared their great
concern with Emboffs over the recent robbing and shooting of two
members of Lesotho's Roman Catholic clergy, one fatally, in
Mazenod, a small town close to Maseru's airport.
3. Ambassador Perry held a brief one-on-one session with
Cardinal McCarrick. When the Ambassador and Cardinal were
joined by the larger group, the Cardinal thanked Ambassador
Perry for the Embassy's efforts fighting HIV/AIDS and poverty.
The Cardinal mentioned that the Papal Nuncio to South Africa,
American James Patrick Green, may visit Lesotho in the near
term. The Cardinal, a member of the Board of Directors for
Catholic Relief Services (CRS),also stated that his current
trip was in connection with the transformation of CRS Lesotho's
operations from a subsidiary unit of CRS's South Africa office
to an autonomous organization. He offered that this move was
due to the quantity and importance of the work that CRS conducts
in Lesotho. The Ambassador asked the group if they had heard of
difficulties in obtaining anti-retroviral medications by the
poor, as she had recently learned in the Maseru District. The
CRS delegation confirmed that rural populations had reported
similar shortfalls.
--------------
Briefing on CRS's Activities
--------------
4. John Shumlansky, CRS Lesotho's Country Representative,
briefed the gathering on three of CRS Lesotho's current
initiatives. In the first initiative, aimed at mitigating
discrimination against women in Lesotho, Catholic Relief
Services will work with local partners to implement the
"Generating New Directions for Empowerment and Rights" (GENDER)
project in Qacha's Nek and Maseru over the coming 18 months.
The GENDER Project seeks to promote an environment where women's
rights are recognized and protected at the national and local
level. Mr. Shumlansky then addressed the "Consortium for the
Southern Africa Food Security Emergency" (C-SAFE) initiative, in
which CRS works with World Vision and CARE to implement a
one-year food emergency response program targeting 13,126
vulnerable households in six of Lesotho's districts. CRS's
third initiative is to provide Catholic priests, nuns, and
church leaders in Lesotho with relevant information about
HIV/AIDS to share with their communities and congregations.
5. COMMENT: Cardinal McCarrick's visit to Lesotho is a pat on
the back for the team at CRS Lesotho, who have steadily ramped
up CRS activities here in the Mountain Kingdom. The autonomy
which CRS will now enjoy should help the organization to more
effectively adapt its programs to local conditions, in
particular the organization's work on mitigating the effects of
the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Post will follow up on the problem of
medicine/service delivery to various areas of the country. Lack
of human resources and transportation are likely reasons for
this life-threatening shortfall. Combined public/private
entities are attempting to expedite supply distribution
in-country. END COMMENT.
PERRY