Unmasking the Evil of Colonialism

Watch UMKR and MFSA’s February 10th webinar that brought together four speakers to address the past destruction and very present dangers of colonialism as it impacts their peoples.

Around the world, colonialism destroys lives, shatters communities, and obliterates the human rights of indigenous peoples through subjugation and enslavement, land theft, the plunder of natural resources, and the erasure of native culture and language. How can we meaningfully reject the sin of settler colonialism and support these indigenous peoples' liberation struggles?

Turtle Island: Native Americans have been subjected to centuries of ethnic cleansing and genocide and their struggle against the loss of land and heritage continues today throughout the North American continent.

Philippines: In a country steeped in the legacy of Spanish, American, and Japanese colonialism, indigenous Filipinos are courageously endeavoring to protect their land, their communities, and their human rights.

Africa: Millions of Africans were enslaved by colonialists who also conquered their homelands and stripped their natural resources; many of the same Western powers continue their interference and exploitation today.

Palestine: Settler colonialists have seized more and more of historic Palestine since the early 20th century; today they control the lives of millions of Palestinians with a brutal apartheid military regime while making millions of others into second-class citizens.

Our speakers were:
Rev. Alvin Deer - Retired Clergy in Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference, UMC
Rev. Lloyd T. Nyarota – Clergy in the Zimbabwe East Conference, UMC
Rev. Armando Arellano - Filipino Clergy in the East Ohio Conference, UMC
Ata Manasra - Director of the Wadi Foquin-Narjes Community Development Project, former Mayor of Wadi Foquin, West Bank, Palestine
Moderator - Michelle Dromgold-Sermen, former UMKR Intern, PhD candidate in sociology, University of North Carolina

Resources Shared on the Call:

• Rev. Alvin Deer’s presentation, “Historical Trauma and Community Approaches to Healing”

• Ata Manasra’s presentation

• United Methodist Resolutions related to Native Americans and Globalization

  • 3321 Native People and the United Methodist Church

  • 3324 Trail of Repentance and Healing

  • 3327 Oppose Names Demeaning to Native Americans

  • 3328 United Methodist Responses to the Sand Creek Massacre

  • 3331 Doctrine of Discovery

  • 3333 Native American Religious Freedom Act

  • 3334 Regarding Native American Culture and Tradition as Sacred

  • 3346 Support for the Indian Child Welfare Act: Education, Health Care, and Welfare

  • 6025 Globalization and Its Impacts on Human Dignity and Human Rights

• United Methodist Resolution 6081: African Growth and Development

• Palestine GBCS Faith and Fact Card on Occupied Palestinian Territories

• United Methodist Resolutions #6111 Opposition to Israeli Settlements in Palestinian Land

• #6112 United Nations Resolutions on the Israel-Palestine Conflict Wadi Foquin Petition 60843 to General Conference 2016 was approved. To track legislation click here and enter 60843 or go to p.892 here

• https://www.friendsofwadifoquin.com/

• The Doctrine of Discovery