Nonviolence
News
- Nonviolence and Campaigning
News from Belfast -
Number 60: 5th June 1998
Nonviolent
Action - The Irish Experience quiz |
News Items
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Yes! Yes!
Yes! No! This was almost the proportion of people voting 'yes' and 'no' in the 22nd May referendum in the North on the Good Friday/Belfast agreement with 71% of those who voted saying 'yes' - in the Republic the proportion was 94%. In the Republic the simultaneous referendum on the Amsterdam Treaty was backed by 62% of voters. The agreement on Northern Ireland may be the first time that 'the people' of Ireland, North and South, have voted for cooperation and compromise rather than static positions and implicitly violent confrontation. But the road is a long one and 25th June, with elections to the new NI Assembly, will show further whether there is the prospect of change or a slide backwards to stalemate. A more detailed analysis is enclosed.
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Corrymeela
Open New 'House' Corrymeela's Ballycastle site saw the opening on 2nd June of their new, purpose-built, main house to replace the 1930s timber building which Corrymeela inherited when it started in 1965. With 50 beds, this brings total accommodation on site to 120. The new building cost 1.5 million Stg., a small proportion of which has still to be raised. Beautifully situated on a small cliff top overlooking Rathlin island, the new building will see significant reconciliation work and meeting of many different kinds of people for many years to come. The opening included Corrymeela founder Ray Davey referring back to the opening of the original building in the mid-sixties, and he spoke about forgiveness, hope for the future and a new beginning. To keep in touch with what is happening at Corrymeela you can become a 'Friend' (minimum subscription 15Stg.). Corrymeela, 8 Upper Crescent, Belfast BT7 1NT, phone 01232 - 325008. |
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| Pax Christi Pax Christi Ireland (PCI) held their AGM in Dublin on 24th May with almost fifty people present. Bishop Dermot O'Mahony, who retired after 21 years as president of PCI, gave the address in which he paid tribute to the perseverance of the members in pursuit of peace and justice over the years (Pax Christi has now had a presence for 40 years in Ireland). He expressed his admiration and appreciation of the various people from Pax Christi who "kept on building bridges - however fragile at times - between the two communities, you helped to keep hope alive". "Reconciliation. Healing, Trust. These three words, I believe, encapsulate the task which the Lord is calling the members of Pax Christi to undertake in the years to come", he said. During the AGM there was a farewell to Bishop O'Mahony and a welcome to his successor, Bishop Raymond Field. New executive committee members who were elected were Fr Donal McKeown, Mairead McKeown, and Valerie O'Donoghue; Peadar O'Neill was elected chairperson and thanks were expressed to Sr Margaret Ivers, the outgoing chair. The 'big business' for PCI this year is of course the International Route taking place from 1st - 9th August which they are keen to get more people from Ireland participating in, a great opportunity on our doorstep (about the Route contact Richard Sheehy at 01-608 1260, E-mail sheehyr@tcd.ie ) Subscriptions to PCI are 15 Irish Punts a year, unwaged 5 Irish Punts. PCI, 52 Lower Rathmines Road, Dublin 6. Phone 01 - 496 5293. |
Youth for
Peace The Outreach youth work department currently manages 11 groups - apart from four, all of these have their own leader, who are currently undertaking a course in Youth for Peace training. These groups meet on different days at the different locations;
Members in the groups have their own committees and each have elected their own chairperson, secretary and treasurer. Activities range from meetings and workshops on Identity, Prejudice, Culture, Human rights, Religion, Justice, and Non-violence. Mixed within these workshops are social events to places of mutual interest. More information regarding the groups and their activities can be obtained by calling Paul McAlinden at 01232 - 663465 or 0411 727587, or any member of the Peace People Youth Department,. Address; 224 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 6AZ. E-mail peacepeople@gn.apc.org Web site; http://www.globalgateway.com.peacepeople |
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| Working Together in a
Divided World-VMM For youth, church and community leaders and groups Conflict and justice: What can we learn from Third World countries? Jubilee 2000 campaign: |
CAJ
Observers Required Among the many facets of work engaged in by the Committee on the Administration of Justice (CAJ) is monitoring of policing during the marching season all around Northern Ireland. The CAJ operates a pool of independent observers; if you would be able to help as an observer, or in the office, mainly over weekends and evenings, that would be very welcome. Observers need to be members of CAJ (5 Stg. unwaged, 17 Stg. waged). If interested please get in touch a.s.a.p. with Maggie Beirne at the CAJ Office, 01232 - 232394, 45-47 Donegall Street, Belfast BT1 2FG. |
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| Maranatha
Maranatha is a prayer, "Come, Lord Jesus". We pray for him to come into our land, into our lives. The Maranatha community is deeply involved in reconciliation work in N. Ireland and over the UK. God is calling us to break down barriers and divisions which separate Christians - we are drawn from all denominations. A team from England will be visiting in July, joining in united prayer over the country. If you'd like details, please write or phone; Margaret Walker, 116 Hazelwood Avenue, Dunmurry BT17 0SZ. Phone 01232 - 600225. |
Beyond
the Tyranny of the Majority This is the title of a new book from Peter Emerson of the de Borda Institute, subtitled "Voting methodologies in decision-making and electoral systems". It covers different possibilities for decision-making, electoral systems and a comparison of systems, along with a glossary, bibliography and index. 128 pp, A5, 7.50 Stg. (post 50p extra). The de Borda Institute, 36 Ballysillan Road, Belfast BT14 7QQ. Just the thing for prospective members of the NI Assembly - or indeed the Dail - to be reading, and for introducing this area more generally. |
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| Kade
Workshop Development education, literacy and community development Wednesday 10th June from 2.30 - 5.00 pm sees a workshop on 'The benefits of a development education dimension to literacy and community development initiatives' with Caroline Maxwell of Action Aid Ireland. She will also introduce the Action Aid publication, The Reflect Mother Manual (REFLECT stands for 'Regenerated Freirian Literacy through Empowering Community Techniques'. KADE - Kerry Action for Development Education, c/o Education Centre, Collis-Sandes House, Oakpark, Tralee. Phone 066 - 28155, fax 23150. |
Peace
Brigades International (PBI) PBI is an international non governmental organisation working for the non-violent transformation of conflicts; its work is based on the principles of non-violence, non-partisanship and a belief that a lasting end to violent conflict cannot be imposed from outside but must be based on the capacity and will of local people. Since 1981 PBI has worked on projects in Colombia, Sri Lanka (which PBI has just recently been forced to stop working in when the government demanded the right to censor reports), Central America, Haiti and North America, and participated in joint projects in the Balkans and Chiapas region of Mexico. The 1997 annual report gives further details of the work done and of PBI Country Groups in 11 different countries. PBI International Office; 5 Caledonian Road, London N1 9DX. Phone +44 (0) 171 - 713 0392, fax 837 2290, E-mail pbiio@gn.apc.org |
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| Learning
to ride a nonviolent cycle is an INNATE workshop in Belfast, 13th
and 14th June on nonviolent responses to violent situations, cycles and patterns of
violence, and methods and approaches within nonviolence; still a few places left on this
workshop....get in touch a.s.a.p. Glencree's new publication 'Imprisoned within structures? The role of believing communities in building peace in Ireland', is available at 5.99 Irish punts from some bookshops or direct from Glencree Centre for Reconciliation, 19/23 Exchequer Street, Dublin 2 (price includes postage). This is a 200-page A4 publication considering the contribution of Christian churches to the peace process. |
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Nonviolent News is produced
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