ICCL: 25th Anniversary
The Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) celebrates its twenty-fifth anniversary in April and May 2001 (perhaps I can be civil and take the liberty of saying - many happy returns - Ed). On Friday 20th April it will host the first Annual ICCL Lecture in the Thomas Davis Lecture Theatre, TCD, Dublin. The lecture will be given by the South African Minister for Education and the first chairperson of ICCL, Kader Asmal, and the title is "Taking Liberties: Human Rights, People Power and the Constitution". Following the lecture there will be a celebration and reception to honour all past officers of the organisation.

On Wednesday 16th May ICCL hosts its 25th birthday gig in the Temple Bar Music Centre, Dublin. The event, being called LIBERTY 25, will be advertised extensively in the coming weeks and will feature well-known musicians, artists, comedians, poets and others. For further information please contact Imelda or Donncha at ICCL, 41 Lower Dominick Street, Dublin 1. Tel: 01 - 878 3136. E-mail iccl@iol.ie ICCL's website, at http://www.iccl.ie includes information of the ICCL itself, and news and issues in relation to minorities and equality, criminal justice, women's rights, constitutional issues etc. Subs to ICCL are currently £15 for individuals, £22 double, £5 unwaged, enquire about organisational rates.

‘Creating Community’ resource
A new resource is available entitled 'Creating Community', a six-week experiential learning course designed for church and community groups in Northern Ireland; each group is encouraged to create within the group the type of community they would like to experience. Topics for each two-hour session include meeting and fears, sharing and risk, conflict and politeness, my flag your flag, belonging and sectarianism, and celebrating community. It is recommended that an experienced facilitator guide the course. The Facilitator's Pack (£30) includes a manual, video resources and 2 copies of the Participants' Journal (additional copies of the latter are £3) (post and packing 15% extra). The material is produced by the Corrymeela Community in partnership with the Mediation Network for Northern Ireland, the Irish School of Ecumenics and Future Ways Programme. Orders and enquiries to; Corrymeela Community, 8 Upper Crescent, Belfast BT7 1NT, Tel: 028 - 9050 8080, fax 9050 8070, e-mail enquiries@corrymeela.org Website www.corrymeela.org

Chernobyl Children’s Project
Irish based charity, the Chernobyl Children's Project, have been chosen by the United Nations to mark the 15th anniversary of Chernobyl on behalf of the world. The exhibition, 'Black Wind/White Land - Living with Chernobyl', is a selection of photos, sculptures, paintings and film that tell the stories of people living in the world's most radioactive environment in the period of the 15 years since the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. It will take place in the UN General Assembly Visitors' Lobby from 26th April - 27th May; UN Secretary General Kofi Annan will open the exhibition and Liz O'Donnell TD, Foreign Affairs Minister of State, will represent the Irish Government.

The Chernobyl Children's Project (CCP) works to alleviate the suffering caused by the Chernobyl catastrophe. Adi Roche of CCP points out that the final closure of the plant on 15th December 200 was not the end but the beginning; "only 3% of the original material was expelled in 1986, leaving 216 tons of uranium and plutonium still buried inside..." CCP runs 14 different programmes aimed at helping victims in Belarus, Western Russia and Northern Ukraine. To date the Project has brought 8,500 children to Ireland to provide medical treatment and remove them from the poisoned environment, and has sent over IR£16.5 million worth of aid to the Chernobyl region. Contact; Chernobyl Children's Project, 2 Camden Place, Camden Quay, Cork. Tel: 021 - 4506411, fax 4551544, e-mail adiroche@adiccp.org or visit the website www.chernobyl-ireland.com Donations, no matter how small, are welcome to Chernobyl Children's Project Ltd, TSB Bank, 1 Lapps Quay, Cork, A/c No 990701 36410021, or to PO Box 211, Cork.

Belfast can be very disarming
INNATE's end of March seminar on local involvement in the international arms trade is being followed up with a meeting for people in the greater Belfast area to discuss ethical investment and in particular Shorts Missiles Systems/Thales Air Defence; this meeting is at 8pm on Monday 14th May in Quaker House, 7 University Avenue, Belfast. Details from INNATE.

Leave your computer screen, become a monitor
The Mediation Network for Northern Ireland are seeking to recruit a team of monitors to observe and monitor at parades and public processions across Northern Ireland and to submit their observations to the Parades Commission, as a contribution to building community relations. They will work on a voluntary basis but be paid expenses and a call out fee; they will take part in an induction and selection process; they'll work in pairs and need to be able to travel round Northern Ireland. To find out more, get an information pack and application form, contact; the Mediation Network for Northern Ireland, 10 Upper Crescent, Belfast BT7 1NT, Tel: 028 - 90 43 86 14, e-mail info@mediation-network.org.uk Closing date is 1pm on 20th April.

VOICE of Irish concern for the environment
Coillte's application for Forest Stewardship Council certification has been refused (an eco-label for good forestry practices), VOICE had been campaigning against its certification but will support Coillte (the Irish Forestry Board) moving towards more sustainable forestry management (e.g. public forests are still only 10% broadleaf rather than 50/50 broadleaf/conifer, and clear-felling rather than selective felling is on the increase). As well as forestry - where it provides an information and advisory service for community groups and individuals working to protect local woodland - VOICE is continuing to work on a variety of other issues including fluoridation, waste etc. Their River Catchment Awareness Roadshow will be in Sligo throughout April; a supporting leaflet 'Water and the Environment: Your questions answered' is available from VOICE. Membership is £25 a year, £15 unwaged, or take out a standing order for e.g. £3 a month. VOICE, 7 Upper Camden Street, Dublin 2, Tel: 01 - 661 8123, fax 661 8114, e-mail avoice@iol.ie website www.voice.buz.org

Amnesty International NI
Amnesty International NI's Conference 2001 takes place at the Malone Lodge Hotel, Belfast on the evening of Friday 20th, and all day Saturday 21st April. Themes include refugees and asylum seekers, the Stamp out Torture campaign, NI Bill of Rights, and successful campaigning; speakers include Chris Nielson, Brice Dickson, Colin Harvey, Sean Roberts, Aine Morrison, Edel Teague, Philippa Stonebridge, Patrick Corrigan and Mark Chavanduka. The conference is open to AI members and others interested in human rights; the fee is £10 for members, £15 non-members including Saturday lunch, etc. Amnesty International, 80a Stranmillis Road, Belfast BT9 5AD. Tel: 028 9066 6216, e-mail enquiriesni@amnesty.org.uk

No Incineration Alliance
The No Incineration Alliance has been formed in the North East of the Republic (Meath & Louth area) to oppose the Belgian company Indaver's proposed municipal waste incinerator (burning 150,000 tonnes of waste a year) at Carranstown, Co Meath, just 2 miles from Drogheda. According to the WHO/World Health Organisation, municipal waste incinerators are the greatest source of dioxins - which are known carcinogens. The remaining ash, some of it toxic, still has to be dealt with after incineration; the process makes waste more dangerous by generating emissions and toxic ash. The Alliance will be promoting recycling of waste. Contact: No Incineration Alliance, PO Box 2001, Drogheda, Co Louth. E-mail info@noincineration.com and website http://www.noincineration.com

[Source; Community Exchange http://www.pcc.ie/ce/now.html]

Sanctions on Iraq - The Silent Genocide
Sanctions, initially imposed in 1990, have accounted for the deaths of over 1.2 million people (UN FAO 1996), half a million were children under the age of five who died from curable and preventable diseases. "In marked contrast to the prevailing situation prior to the events of 1990-1991, the infant mortality rates in Iraq today are amongst the highest in the world, low infant birth weight effects at least 23% of all births, chronic malnutrition effects every fourth child under five years of age, only 41% of the population have regular access to clean water, 83% of all schools need substantial repairs" (UNICEF Report, 1999). UNICEF estimates 4,000 - 6,000 children under the age of five are dying every month as a direct result of sanctions; "We are in the process of destroying an entire nation." (Denis Halliday, former UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq). What you can do; Lobby TDs/politicians and get them to ask questions in the Dail on Ireland's stance on sanctions; contact Minister Brian Cowen and Taoiseach Bertie Ahern; the Campaign to End Iraq Sanctions needs donations of medical journals on CD-Rom, or financial donations to the Campaign to End Iraq Sanctions, Bank of Ireland, Camden Street, Dublin, a/c No. 11925623, sort code 90 01 13; download the petition from http://flag.blackened.net/revolt/iraq.html and get it signed; come to the Bank of Ireland, Dublin every Saturday 11 am - 12 noon; subscribe to discussion list, send a blank e-mail to no-sanctions-subscribe@egroups.com The Campaign supports the rights of the Iraqi people and does not support the Iraqi government. Address; 125 Winter Garden, Pearse Street, Dublin 2.

Northern Ireland Schools Pack
Copies of 'Northern Ireland: Roots of Conflict, Routes to Peace', a secondary schools pack produced in 1999 by the National Peace Council in Britain - which is now defunct - are available at £9.99 + £1.50 post and packing from the PPU/Peace Pledge Union, 41b Brecknock Road, London N7 0BT, Tel: 020 7424 9444, e-mail enquiry@ppu.org.uk website: www.ppu.org.uk This pack was previously mentioned in Nonviolent News 75.

Kerry Diocesan Justice Committee
People from a Christian background interested in justice may like to check out the Kerry Diocesan Justice Committee website at www.dioceseofkerry.ie/justice.htm where they will find a justice calendar (also printed in leaflet form), a monthly justice reflection, and information from the Refugee Solidarity Group (including '10 misconceptions about asylum seekers and refugees').

Economies of militarism
The latest (March-May 2001) issue of the international English-language publication 'Peace News' is on Economies of Militarism; as well as global issues/globalisation and militarism (and a useful list of websites) it has pieces on Angola, Bolivia, South Africa (what are its priorities?), Mexico, Croatia, nuclear weapons, militarised prostitution, plus the usual news, letters, etc. (e.g. analyses of Bush and Sharon). Single copies are priced at UK£2.50. Subscriptions are £10 for one year of 4 issues in the UK, and the equivalent of UK£15 elsewhere. Peace News, 5 Caledonian Road, London N1 9DY. Phone 020 7278 3344, e-mail peacenews@gn.apc.org website http://ww.gn.apc.org/peacenews

Sectarianism in College
The student movement NUS-USI is making a bursary available of £1,000 to research issues of relevance to student community relations work in further and higher education in Norn Iron, as part of a taught Masters or PhD by research. It is part of NUS-USI's community relations programme. Closing date is 31st May. Info from NUS-USI, 29 Bedford Street, Belfast BT2 7EJ, Tel: 028 9024 4641, e-mail info@nistudents.com

Gernika Gogoratuz - Peace Research Center
This Peace Research and Conflict Transformation Centre was founded in 1987; its mission is to enrich the symbol of Gernika by remembering and honouring the past and to contribute to emancipatory, just and reconciliatory peace both in the Basque Country and world-wide. Gernika Gogoratuz understands reconciliation as the most vital aspect of peace. In 1997 it founded the 'Gernika Network' to encourage and support the construction of peace guided by a Horizon of Reconciliation. The Documentation Centre presents an Information Service focused on reconciliation with a whole variety of subject areas. Contact; Gernika Gogoratuz, Artekale, 1-1', E-48300 Gernika-Lumo, Biskaia, Spain. e-mail gernikadok@gernikagororatuz.org Website http://www.gernikagogoratuz.org English is one of their working languages.

Peace Brigades International/PBI gets awarded
PBI/Peace Brigades International , which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, has been presented with the Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders at the end of March. Francisco Campo of the Regional Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CREDHOS) in Colombia stated; "The death sentences against each and every one of us have not been carried out because we are not alone, we have the accompaniment of Peace Brigades International." Contact; PBI British Section, 1a Waterlow Road, London N19 5NJ, Phone/fax 020 - 7281 5370, e-mail pbibritain@gn.apc.org Website www.peacebrigades.org