Pulling the rug from under the Afghan war
While the war in Afghanistan has stayed bogged down at the bombing stage and uncertainty over what US and British military and political aims are - and whether and at what cost they can achieve them - the forces against the war have continued to build. And public opinion internationally has been shifting, particularly on the humanitarian plight of Afghanis. While some bigger anti-war events are still happening, some groups are also going for sustainability - e.g. weekly vigils or other events which can be kept going indefinitely. Below are some of the contact points and/or events around the country:

The Anti-War Movement meets in Queens Students Union at 7.30pm on Wednesdays and has organised public meetings and demonstrations, e.g. from the Arts College to City Hall. Contact; 0776 – 2363147, e-mail nowar_belfast@hotmail.com or Stop-the-war@yahoogroups.com

The Justice Not Terror Coalition has a weekly vigil on Mondays from 5 - 6 pm at the City Hall, Belfast. Tel: 028 - 9064 7106 / 0771 - 511 0517. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/justice-not-terror

The Irish Anti-War Movement has the backing of individuals and a number of left and other groups, including the Socialist Party and SWP and have held a variety of demonstrations and meetings. Contact them at info@irishantiwar.org or their website at http://www.irishantiwar.org lists 5 contact people and 18 local groups in Dublin, and a few others. They can also be contacted c/o the Socialist Party office at 01 - 6772592

Mullingar
An Anti-War Group has started recently and meets Tuesday evenings. Contact Diana Tickergill at 044 – 22306 or Marty Mulligan at 087 – 2914304, e-mail peopleforpeacemullingar@hotmail.com

Shannon
The NGO Peace Alliance and PANA/Peace and Neutrality Alliance are sponsoring a protest at Shannon on Saturday 24th November at 3 pm regarding the use of Irish airspace and airport facilities for US forces engaged in the Afghan war. Meet at the entrance to the airport. Contact Peace Alliance at 01-4968595 or PANA at 01 - 2894315 or 087 - 6645923

Sligo
Sligo has a candlelit vigil on Thursday at the main PO from 7.30 - 8.00. Contact jessamineoc@yahoo.com

Healing Through Remembering
The aim of the newly launched Healing Through Remembering (HTR) project is to ask the people for their opinions on dealing with the past conflict in Northern Ireland, and whether remembering the events of the past can contribute to healing. The project asks for practical suggestions on initiatives that would be helpful (e.g. local story-telling, public commissions, truth commission etc). All interested are invited to contribute, and events and discussions will happen in different places. For information or submission form see www.healingthroughremembering.org or contact HTR at Unit 4 River's Edge, 15 Ravenhill Road, Belfast BT6 8DN, Tel: 028 - 9073 9601, fax 9073 9602, e-mail info@healingthroughremembering.org

Friends of the Earth – NI
Friends of the Earth (FOE) continue to fight environmental problems on a variety of fronts in Northern Ireland. Current campaigns include opposing plans for the £55m expansion of the M1/Westlink - money that would be better spent on public transport and reducing road traffic, working hard on climate change issues, and proposing alternatives to food and farming policy plans set out by the Dept of Agriculture and Rural Development. Currently, eight local groups play an important role in organising campaigns on issues; one group, in Craigavon, was featured on BBC's Spotlight programme on illegal waste dumping, which cast doubts on the effectiveness of government regulatory bodies. FOE is the UK's most influential pressure group [and depends on supporters for 95% of its income; become a member (£21/£10 concession), make a donation of join or form a local group. Local groups are; Bannside (meets Coleraine), Belfast, Craigavon, Downpatrick, Fermanagh , Larne, Lisburn and Omagh. Further details from the NI office at 028 - 9066 4311 or website http://www.foe.co.uk/northern_ireland

Corrymeela – Discovery
Corrymeela's recently published 'Discovery' Programme of events open to everyone through to next summer includes 'discovering ourselves/our faith/our spirituality/each other', a wide variety of workshops and events through the artistic, reflective and spiritual. Available on request [copy enclosed for most people receiving a paper copy of this newssheet in NI]. Corrymeela defines itself as a dispersed community of people of all ages and Christian traditions who, individually and together, are committed to the healing of social, religious and political divisions in Northern Ireland and throughout the world. Meanwhile Corrymeela continues to produce its well presented and informative 'Connections' magazine 3 times a year (free to 'Friends'). Friends subs are £24 waged, £12 unwaged (US $40/$20). Corrymeela, 8 Upper Crescent, Belfast BT7 1NT, Tel: 028 - 9050 8080, e-mail belfast@corrymeela.org and website www.corrymeela.org

MII; Working with the Conflict in the Room
The Mediators Institute Ireland annual conference takes place at the Landmark Hotel, Carrick-on-Shannon, Co Leitrim from Friday 23rd - Sunday 25th November with the above title. Those providing input include Bernard Mayer, Marian Liebmann, Barbara Daté, Eileen Doyle and Fodhla McGrane. The programme begins with sector meetings during the day on Friday (family mediation, business/workplace, restorative justice, and community mediation) followed by MII's AGM and dinner. The programme runs through Saturday until after lunch on Sunday, with a variety of workshops and a keynote address by Bernard Mayer. Fees are £65 members non-residential, £85 members; residential options from £178. Programme information from; Geoffrey Corry, 95 Stillorgan Wood, Stillorgan, Co Dublin, Tel: 01 - 288 4190, fax 278 3453, mobile 087 - 235 1792, e-mail corry@indigo.ie Booking forms go to a different address (72 Beechpark Rd, Foxrock, Dublin 18).

Moving Beyond Sectarianism - the book
"Moving Beyond sectarianism - Religion, Conflict and Reconciliation in Northern Ireland" is the recently published blockbuster written by Joe Liechty and Ceceilia Clegg marking the end of the Irish School of Ecumenics programme of the same name. The book is 378 pages and represents the learning from their six-year research project and includes origins, definitions, models and reflections, redeeming identity and moving beyond. Given that sectarianism is usually something which we ascribe to other people, and the terminology comes from the religious arena, this is a comprehensive attempt to get to grips with the subject and in particular its relationship to the religious world. The study materials - for adults and for young adults -based on the book have already been published (see NN 92). The book is published by Columba Press (ISBN 1-85607-318-1) and sells at UK£12.99 and IR14.99. Irish School of Ecumenics, 48 Elmwood Avenue, Belfast BT9 6AZ, Tel: 028 - 90 38 27 50 and Bea House, Milltown Park, Dublin 6, phone 01 - 260 1144, website www.tcd.ie/ise

PANA AGM
PANA, the Peace And Neutrality Alliance, holds its AGM in the Mansion House, Dublin on 1^st December from 2 – 5 pm. The Frank Aiken Memorial Lecture will be given by Ali Halimeh, Delegate General of Palestine on PLO perspectives on the Middle East peace process. PANA is co-sponsoring the demonstration at Shannon on 24^th November (see earlier this issue). PANA is also involved in the Forum on Europe (set up following the rejection of the Nice treaty) and coordinating some of the ‘civic pillar’ groups in this. PANA, 113 Springhill Avenue, Blackrock, Co Dublin, Tel: 01 – 289 4315 or 087 – 664 5923.

Anti-racism concert at the Point
Dublin's Point Depot sees a big anti-racism concert on Friday 7th December organised by Amnesty International and Le Chéile, Artists in Ireland Against Racism - 'the concert will focus on the positive side of living in a multi-ethnic society'. Line up includes Christy Moore, Sinéad O'Connor, Cora Venus Lunny, Afro-Celt Sound System, Juliet Turner, Frances Black, Luka Bloom, Máire Brennan, Kíla and Métisse. Tickets are £35.50 inc. Booking from www.ticketmaster.ie or 1 890 825 130. Contact; Amnesty International, 48 Fleet Street, Dublin 2, Tel: 01 - 6776361, website http://www.amnesty.ie

Nobel Laureates oppose military action in Afghanistan
Local Nobel Laureate Mairead Corrigan Maguire was one of just eight Nobel Laureates to call on the UN General Assembly to ensure an immediate ceasefire and establish a political and legal framework through which a peaceful solution to the conflict in Afghanistan can be found; the others are the Dalai Lama, Bishop Desmond Tutu, Adolfo Perez Esquival, Rigoberta Menchu Tum, Betty Williams, JoseTel: Rotblat and Jody Williams. More recently Mairead Corrigan Maguire has asked why the Pope and many other of the world’s spiritual leaders have been silent on the "immorality, injustice and cruelty, of the war against Afghanistan."

Peace People, 224 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 6GE, Tel: 028 – 90 66 34 65, website www.peacepeople.com