'A day in the life of a western nonviolence
trainer' skit
Iraq/Shannon: Jail for
anti-war activist, blockade
Fintan Lane (PRO of the Irish Anti-War Movement) began a 60-day
prison sentence on 26th November for his refusal to pay a
€750 fine for protesting at Shannon Airport in a peaceful
mass trespass in October 2002. He is in Limerick Prison and
is in good form. Letters can be sent to him at Limerick Prison,
Mulgrave Street, Limerick. For support etc contact Cork Anti-War
Campaign; phone 087 1258325 or e-mail clonakiltyagainstthewar@eircom.net
While others have been in prison on remand, Fintan Lane is
the first anti-war activist to go to jail over the Iraq war
and/or the role of Shannon airport in keeping US forces supplied
with soldiers and equipment. Various other cases are pending
in the Republic and the North. Pit Stop Ploughshares (5 were
involved in a February 2003 Action) point out that "92,000
U.S. troops, weapons, & cruise missile components have
passed through the civilian Shannon airport this year. Aer
Rianta have made 11 million Euro in blood money, the Pit Stop
Ploughshares have been charged with 2 million Euro 'criminal
damage.'" www.geocities.com/pwdyson/pitnews
Meanwhile the Irish Anti-War Movement peaceful
mass blockade planned for the airport will assemble at 2pm
in Shannon town centre on Saturday, 6th December; it aims
to disrupt normal business at the airport in protest at the
refuelling of US warplanes. See www.irishantiwar.org which
includes non-violence guidelines for the event. General phone
contacts for the IAWM are 087-7955013, 087-6329511, 01-8746012
and 085-7380789.
Changes at Glencree
After ten years at the helm as CEO of Glencree during which
time Glencree has developed enormously, Ian White is moving
on to private consultancy although he will retain an involvement
in Glencree programmes. His successor will be Peter Humphreys
who has most recently been director of research with the Institute
of Public Administration. The Centre is run by minimum staff
and maximum volunteers and these hale from around the Globe
including Canada, USA, Poland, South Africa, Germany, Sweden
and Israel and two new volunteers, one from Palestine and
one from Israel are expected in January.
It has been a busy year for the various programmes
of which the following is only a partial summary:
In 2003 the Glencree Women's Programme ran a
number of successful training programmes with participants
from North and South. The aim of these programmes are to help
community groups develop strategies for resolving conflict
on a local or national scale by exploring the special role
which women might play.
Participants in the Schools Peace Studies Programme
come from all parts of the country, including Donegal, Monaghan,
Cavan, Kilkenny, Dublin, Kildare, Wicklow, Louth, Wexford,
Carlow, Westmeath, Meath, Laois, Cork, Waterford, Limerick,
Mayo, Galway, Leitrim, Sligo, Antrim and Down. In 2002 over
1500 participants took part in the Programme and in 2003,
it looks if those figures will be surpassed. The Peace Education
resource pack is currently under redevelopment and will take
a more international perspective and link into established
curricular areas more readily.
LIVE (Let's Involve the Victims' Experience),
in addition to 5 weekend meetings held at Glencree, held 2
weekend meetings in Belfast and a LIVE Convention, 'After
the Conflict ~ Opportunities in Diversity'. The Format for
this year's Convention consisted of a variety of panel discussions
on topics ranging from Youth Issues, The Churches and Diversity
and Political Responses to Diversity.
The Ex-Combatants Programme has been going
strong this year but experienced some difficulties due to
the withdrawal of Loyalist groupings from Cross-Community
work but involvement is now restarting. · Changes in
physical structure include the OPW (Office of Public Works)
being on site at the moment creating six new twin bedded rooms
en suite in the Bridge Building. It is hoped that the Centre
Building will be transformed into office space over the coming
months for all the staff and volunteers to work together.
The Bridge Visitor Centre Gallery and Coffee
Shop continues to thrive and is open 11 - 6 Tuesday - Sunday
(open Public Holiday Mondays); the current exhibition, to
5th January, is 'I belong to the Border' by Constance Short.
Those who want to support Glencree's work can
become a Friend: the subscription is €40/UK£25/US$40
(unwaged 50% reduction); further details are available about
Glencree at www.glencree-cfr.ie Glencree Centre for Reconciliation,
Glencree, Co Wicklow, ph 01 - 282 9711, e-mail info@glencree-cfr.ie
Peace and Reconciliation
Group, Derry/Londonderry
The Peace and Reconciliation Group (PRG) was set up over 25
years ago to address practical ways to work towards understanding
and reconciliation in the context of the conflict in Northern
Ireland. Throughout its history, PRG has used a variety of
diverse programmes to allow people to build bridges between
communities that have been polarised. The PRG offers a range
of quality training programmes to all segments of the community,
public and private; this is tailored to meet the needs of
individual client groups, and training packages are offered
both on an off-site. Please contact the office for specific
dates or if you would be interested in PRG staff bringing
training to your group or organisation.
Upcoming courses include:
Introduction to Conflict Resolution
& Mediation Skills; OCN level: 2, Credits: 1, 7 evening
sessions, 7.30pm - 9.30pm, no start date yet set.
Citizenship - Social, Civic & Political
Educational Workshop, OCN level: 2, Credits: 2, 5 x 6-hour
sessions or 10 x 3-hour sessions, No Start Date Available
Exploring Diversity - Facilitating Community
Relations Work, OCN level: 3, credits: 4, 10 sessions, 10.00am
- 4.30pm, Start Date: Monday 19th January. Contact; PRG,
18/20 Bishop Street, Derry BT48 6PW, phone 028-7136 9206,
e-mail info@peaceprg.co.uk or or see the website at www.peaceprg.co.uk
Friends of the Earth
NI
The European Commission is investigating following FOE-NI's
complaint made in May over 22 sewage treatment works not meeting
the requirements of the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive;
these are right around Northern Ireland. FOE-NI is campaigning
for a fully independent Environmental Protection Agency. Another
current campaign is on leaky and illegal land fill sites.
FOE has also cooperated with the Ulster Farmers' Union on
'Gate to Plate' awards aimed at cutting 'food miles' and encouraging
quality local food. FOE-NI has local groups in Bannside (meeting
Coleraine), Omagh, Craigavon, Lisburn, Downpatrick, Belfast,
Fermanagh and Larne. Further details from; FOE, 7 Donegall
Street Place, Belfast BT1 2FN. Phone 028 - 90 23 34 88 or
e-mail for-ni@foe.co.uk or web www.foe.co.uk/northern_ireland
Organic Centre, Rossinver,
Co Leitrim
Located at Rossinver, 8 miles from Manorhamilton, and established
in 1995, the Organic Centre aims to provide training, information
and demonstrations of organic gardening, growing, farming
and sustainable living. It has a wide variety of different
kinds of garden, a wetland sewage disposal system, and a shop
with seasonal plants, vegetables, tools and seeds. The Centre
is open from 1st April - 30th September daily from 11 a.m.
- 4.00 p.m. (closes Friday 3pm); admission is €5 adults,
children free, €3 concessions (the Centre is only open
during October to April by appointment). As well as courses
on growing and soil fertility and rotation, it runs ones on
ecological housing, sustainable energy, relearning lost skills,
and a conscientious/sustainable lifestyle. Some courses are
run in Dublin (Dundrum) for people who find it difficult to
get to Leitrim. There is also a Co. Clare special this coming
year. Course fees in Leitrim are typically €70 for a
day. Educational tours for different purposes are arranged
on request. An informative 52 page booklet is produced on
'Courses and Activities 2004' which is available free on request;
or you can visit their well-designed website at www.theorganiccentre.ie
which includes an order form which can be downloaded. You
can support the work by becoming a friend, annual individual
membership €30. The Organic Centre, Rossinver, Co Leitrim,
phone 071 - 98 54338, fax 071 - 98 54343, and e-mail organiccentre@eircom.net
West Papua Exhibition
Take a break from that frantic consumerism or activism (or
both!) if you're in Dublin and visit West Papua: Land of the
Morning Star Photo Display at the ILAC Library, ILAC Centre,
Henry Street, Dublin 1 until 23rd December. West Papua is
the western half of the island of New Guinea; it is remarkable
in its linguistic and cultural diversity, with some 240 tribes
and languages. However, these peoples and their lands are
under threat. West Papua Action works for West Papua self-determination
and human rights; membership, including a quarterly newsletter,
is just €10 (€5 concession) to 134 Phibsborough
Road, Dublin 7. Phone 01 - 860 3431 or e-mail wpaction@iol.ie
Scottish Centre for
Nonviolence
There are different models for promoting nonviolence and Scotland
has had a Centre for Nonviolence for some years now. Its work
includes providing mediators, university level courses, training
workshops (the 5 core ones are an introduction to nonviolence,
dealing creatively with conflict, nonviolence for activists,
prejudice and cultural awareness, and training for trainers),
tailor-made training, and work on building a culture of peace,
international civilian peace teams, alternative defence, and
sectarianism and racism (i.e. conflict within Scotland). Further
information about particular areas on request and/or visit
the website at www.nonviolence-scotland.org.uk Membership
£5 - 25 individuals, other rates available. The Scottish
Centre for Nonviolence, The Annexe, Kirk Street, Dunblane
FK15 0AJ. Ph 01786 - 824730 and e-mail nonviolence@callnetuk.com
Peace and Justice e-mails
to Bethlehem
For the fourth consecutive year Christmas celebrations will
take place in a climate of fear for all peoples in the Holy
Land. This climate of fear results from the continuing violence
- occupation, suicide bombings and military operations - violence
which causes great suffering for the local population and
greatly reduces any prospects for a just and peaceful solution
of the conflict. The building of a fence or wall of separation
is deepening further the climate of hatred.
Pax Christi International, the International
Fellowship of Reconciliation (IFOR), Church and Peace and
the Presidency of the Conference of European Justice and Peace
Commissions are supporting an initiative of partners in Bethlehem
-- the Arab Educational Institute (AEI), the Centre for Conflict
Resolution and Reconciliation (CCRR) and Wi'am Center - inviting
all its members to e-mail wishes and prayers for peace.
All individual members and all member
organisations and partners are invited to e-mail Christmas
wishes and prayers for peace to the partners in Bethlehem.
Please do this before 25 December. English is the preferred
language, however non-native English speakers may also send
wishes and prayers in their mother tongue. All messages should
be sent to christmas-message@paxchristi.net Some of these
messages will go directly to Bethlehem and at the same time
be put on the website of Pax Christi International www.paxchristi.net
It might be that a student of the AEI will respond to your
message by sending his or her own wish and prayer.
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