VZCZCXRO4745
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 
 
 
¶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