Second Northern minister fracks fracking
The decision by the Minister for Enterprise in Northern Ireland, Arlene Foster, not to extend Tamboran’s exploration licence for fracking in Co Fermanagh is very significant not least because it comes from the economic development minister whose party, the DUP, is normally pro-business. While the decision has been couched in strictly procedural terms – and is subject to judicial review which will be initiated by Tamboran – there are other sub-texts. It looks possible at this stage that strong local opposition to fracking has helped persuade the minister, who is from Fermanagh, that proceeding with fracking could be political suicide. Most local people have not been persuaded that the chimera of short-term fracking jobs outweighs the clear and definite threat to the environment, farming and tourism. However Tamboran will not give up lightly and fracking will remain a very real threat.
There are two new A4 size posters on fracking available from INNATE – see the website or attached with e-mail edition of Nonviolent News.
Corrymeela Belfast move
No.8 Upper Crescent has been Corrymeela’s Belfast home since 1971. At the end of September this year the Belfast office moved to 129 Ormeau Road (close to the bottom of University Street), Belfast BT7 1SH, but the phone number 028 9050 8080 stays the same, as does the e-mail belfast@corrymeela.org No 129 will be Corrymeela’s Belfast base for the foreseeable future. As always, Corrymeela invites you to drop in and have a look around. www.corrymeela.org
MII Conference: Growing as a Community of Mediators
The 16th annual conference of the Mediators’ Institute of Ireland takes place on Friday, 14th November 2014 (8.30 am to 6.30pm when it is followed by the MII AGM) at the Irish Management Institute, Sandyford, Dublin 18 with the theme “Growing as a Community of Mediators - Harnessing our skills as professionals and uniting our profession”. This year it is a one day non-residential event. The keynote address is by Kenneth Cloke (director of the Center for Dispute Resolution) on ‘Conflict Revolution: Designing Systemic Global Solutions for Chronic Social, Economic and Political Conflicts’.
Other speakers include Sergeant Andy Tuite from An Garda Síochána, Restorative Justice within Diversion Programme for Youth Offenders, and there are a variety of workshops. The latter feature ones on a variety of mediation practice (including TIDES, EU practice, Irish and French practice, and shuttle mediation in violent situations) and theory (the language of conflict, conflict dynamics profile, ethics). The non-member fee after the expiration of the early bird offer is €175 but there are member reductions and concessions. See www.themii.ie MII is at Pavilion House, 31/32 Fitzwilliam Square South, Dublin 2, ph 01 6099190 and e-mail info@themii.ie
- The MII Achievement in Community Mediation Awards nominations date has been extended to 13th October, see www.themii.ie
PeaceTechLab
INCORE, in association with a variety of other groups including the Nerve Centre in Derry, is involved in a new initiative to explore how technology and new media can be used to enhance peacebuilding practice, particularly in relation to societies emerging from conflict. See short animated video at The INCORE website and e-mail incore@ulster.ac.uk
Peacebuilder’s Handbook
This new workbook (152 pages, A4) by Michael Doherty, director of the Peace and Reconciliation Group in Derry/Londonderry is ‘to help facilitators in the field of peacebuilding to deliver training programmes/workshops specific to addressing issues related to particular situations”, particularly in divided societies. It includes games and a wide variety of exercises on prejudice, conflict, reconciliation etc. This workbook is priced at £6 or £9.99 including postage, UK postal area, from Peace and Reconciliation Group, 8-14 Bishop Street, Derry/Londonderry, BT48 6PW, ph 028 7136 9206, web www.peaceprg.co.uk Note relatively new PRG postal address.
It’s diary time again
Housmans Peace Diary is a remarkable publication and aid to movements working for peace, social justice and the environment. The directory lists over 1500 national and international human rights organisations as well as diary features such as a week to a view, notable dates and anniversaries etc. This is the 62nd annual edition. The feature this year is on WILPF, the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, which was founded in 1915. One copy of the diary is £8.95, postage is £1.50 extra per diary for 1-4 copies in UK postage area, £3 per diary elsewhere. Discounts for more copies. Housmans, 5 Caledonian Road, London N1 9DX, ph 020 7837 4473, e-mail orders@housmans.com or to order online visit www.housmans.com
INNATE will have a limited number of Housmans Peace Diaries for sale.
The World Peace Directory is also available online at www.housmans.info in a fuller version. It is worth reading the background information on the website to get the best use out of it.
Afri: New chair and other news
Nessa Ní Chasaide has been appointed as new chair of Afri at the recent AGM, in succession to Andy Storey who has held the role in two terms over more than a dozen years. Also at the AGM a presentation was made to Brendan Malone who provided the remarkable service of auditing Afri’s accounts for 38 years for free. Afri’s autumn Hedge School will take place on Tuesday 11th November, further details in next issue. Meanwhile Afri’s new strategic plan for 2014-16 is available on request. www.afri.ie
MNI: Mediation Theory and Practice
Mediation Northern Ireland has its basic mediation training course, Mediation Theory and Practice, starting on 7th October and running for 8 Tuesdays in total. The course introduces a basic mediation process for use in a two party dispute or in constructive relationship building. The fee is £600 for individuals or voluntary groups. See www.mediationnorthernireland.org and contact info@mediationnorthernireland.org or phone 028 – 90439614.
Pax Christi Peace Mass
Pax Christi’s Annual Peace Mass will be celebrated by the President of Pax Christi, Bishop John Kirby, at the 6pm folk mass on Sunday 5th October at Rathmines Parish Church, Rathmines Road, Dublin. Pax Christi, 52 Lower Rathmines Road, Dublin 6, ph 01 4965293, www.paxchristi.ie
WRI hiring programme workers
Based in London, the War Resisters’ International (WRI, with which INNATE is associated) is hiring staff for the positions of Nonviolence Programme Worker and Countering the Militarisation of Youth Programme Worker. Information for both positions can be found on the website at www.wri-irg.org and the closing date is 2nd November.
Just a second! Exploring global issues
Just A Second! Exploring Global Issues Through Drama and Theatre is a development education resource offering school groups an accessible guide to exploring global issues through drama and theatre. The book opens with coverage of Afri's 2013-2014 'Just A Second!' project which focused on the theme of militarisation. This is followed by the full texts of five mini-plays that were devised with young people taking part in Afri initiated development education projects in primary and secondary schools during the years 2005-2011. These plays can be read or acted out and are designed to act as a stimulus for further drama exploration, discussion and debate. There are multiple suggestions for follow-up activities, linking across the curriculum. The book is written by Pete Mullineaux who is an arts facilitator currently working on Afri's 'Just A Second!' schools programme in secondary schools in Galway. 94 pages A5, price €10, postage extra. Contact the Afri office: ph 01 8827563 or admin@afri.ie
Borrowers Choosers - Forging Debt Resistance, Galway
‘Borrowers can be choosers – Forging debt resistant communities’ is a public event and day for dialogue, inspiration, ideas and energy for forging and strengthening creative campaigns within communities against unjust debt in Ireland and all around the world. It takes place on Saturday 18th October in Galway Harbour Hotel, Galway City from 10.30am – 5pm. Co-hosted by Galway One World Centre galwayowc.org and Debt and Development Coalition www.debtireland.org
Debt and Development Coalition Ireland (DDCI) have applauded the landslide UN vote on 9th September in favour of the creation of new global sovereign debt restructuring rules, but expressed strong disappointment that Ireland voted against the resolution, one of only 11 countries to do so. See here.
Demand for proper funding for public participation
The Environmental Pillar (a national social partner, comprising 28 environmental organisations in the Republic) has demanded proper funding to make the new Public Participation Networks (PPN) work and they state “The new Public Participation Networks (PPNs) have the potential to be a potent force in creating cohesive rural and urban communities, but they need to be resourced properly.” It has urged a commitment of around €4 million per annum (85 cent a head) to enable communities to come together to create and deliver on their "vision for the well-being of their community for this and future generations". See environmentalpillar.ie
INNATE display materials available
Following the ‘Brushstrokes for Peace’ exhibition at the Verbal Arts Centre in Derry during September, INNATE has display materials available including “Forty years of peace journalism’ (‘Dawn’ magazine covers, dating from 1974, and ‘Nonviolent News’) and a display of INNATE’s Flickr poster set, though the selection can be changed to suit the environment. Contact INNATE innate@ntlworld.com
Scotland the (slightly) brave, referendum
The director of the de Borda institute, Peter Emerson, points out that in the Scottish referendum on independence “the winner was… devo-max. This must be one of the very rare instances of a referendum, the winning option of which wasn’t even on the ballot paper. Of such are the disadvantages of holding a two-option ballot on a three-option topic.” He goes on to say “Another example relates to the 2013 Irish referendum on either abolish the Seanad or maintain it. The motion lost by 51.7% to 48.3%, but the status quo has been forgotten, and the Seanad is now being reformed. Evidence suggests this ‘third option’ may well have been “the will of the people” - see www.civiq.eu” See www.deborda.org
Nay to NATO
Nobel Peace laureate Máiread Maguire has called for people and their governments, around the world, to take a clear stand for peace and against violence and war, no matter where it comes from. She states that, concerning NATO’s decisions in Wales in September, “NATO’s latest proposals of 4,000 soldiers, and a separate force of 10,000 strong British-led joint expeditionary force also proposed, is a highly aggressive move and totally irresponsible by US/UK/NATO forces. It is breaking the 1997 agreement with Moscow under which NATO pledged not to base substantial numbers of soldiers in Eastern Europe on a permanent basis.” See www.peacepeople.com
Climate Bill prioritisation
Friends of the Earth has welcomed the inclusion of the Climate Action Bill on the A-list in the Government's legislative programme for the new Dáil session. This is the first time climate legislation has made the A-list and copper-fastens the Taoiseach's stated desire to see the Bill become law before the end of the year.
Commenting, Friends of the Earth Director, Oisin Coghlan said "This is a significant milestone on the road to rational policy-making on climate change in Ireland. The Climate Bill has the potential to drive timely, evidence-based and accountable decision-making on how best we cut our emissions and make the most of the opportunities presented by the transition to a low-carbon economy. We very much welcome the fact that the new Minister for the Environment and the Government have prioritized it like never before.”
"We look forward to working with TDs and Senators to ensure that the final Bill that is passed is as robust as possible. The consultation process run by the Michael McCarthy's Oireachtas environment committee last year was a model of deliberative and inclusive analysis. We remain hopeful that more of that Committee's recommendations can be incorporated into the final law." Friends of the Earth, 9 Upper Mount Street, Dublin 2, ph 01 6394652, and website www.foe.ie
Hearing Voices project
Hearing Voices Project has a new website aimed at ordinary people in conflict-affected places trying to build peace out of war. They point out that the voices of 'everyday peacemakers' seem to be lost in the noise of Western peacebuilding. It hopes people building indigenous peace their own way will share their experiences on the website, anonymously or otherwise, so others can learn from them: www.hearingvoicesproject.org The project, which is based at Loughborough University in England, asks for help in publicising the site.
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