Ken Mayers and Tarak Kauff can go home...
US military veterans Ken Mayers (aged 82) and Tarak Kauff (aged 77) can now return home to the USA after the High Court in Dublin decided to permit them to do so on 26th November, pending their trial in Ireland; they have been handed back their passports. They had been stuck in exile in Ireland for over eight months following their walk on at Shannon Airport to inspect US war planes there last St Patrick’s Day. However they utilised their time well in Ireland including their ‘Boots on the Ground for Freedom’ walks. There are a number of trials pending for actions at Shannon and there is no indication how soon their trial might actually take place. Since they were enthusiastic about attending their trial they were no ‘flight risk’ and the decision to deny them the possibility of returning home was illogical and imposing an unreasonable penalty on them. See video interview tinyurl.com/tr9nubl and Shannonwatch
Chernobyl Children International
Chernobyl Children International (CCI) was formally established by Adi Roche in 1991 to give support and hope to children living in the aftermath of the 1986 Chernobyl Nuclear disaster though she had begun support work immediately after the disaster and she still remains as voluntary CEO of CCI. In the years since its foundation, CCI has delivered over €105 million worth of direct and indirect aid, and has been important in keeping the aftermath of the disaster before the public. CCI programmes include work on de-institutionalisation, rest and recuperation (children continue to come to Ireland), building and reconstruction, and medical care. CCI’s reconstruction programmes include Vesnova Children’s Mental Asylum, Independent Living Units, ‘Homes of Hope’, maintenance and refurbishment of housing stock, Soltanovka Adult Mental Asylum, Kharkiv Centre of Cardiac Surgery and Community Day Care Centres across Belarus. CCI has its main office in Cork and also one in the USA. For further details see www.chernobyl-international.com which includes the option of donating (online, by bank transfer or cheque). CCI, 1A The Stables, Alfred Street, Cork, ph 021 455 8774.
Afri solar lights, Féile Bríde
You can donate the gift of light to a Kenyan family through Afri’s solar light campaign https://www.afri.ie/donate/ €15 buys a solar light for a family, saving them money and avoiding use of kerosene, and helping the family to be able to work or study after dark; a further €15 buys one for a midwife. Afri’s goals in general are to inform debate and influence policy and practice in Ireland and internationally on human rights, peace, global justice, and sustainability issues. Meanwhile Afri's Annual Féile Bríde event takes place in Kildare, as usual, on Saturday, 7th February 2020; see the Afri website for further details in due course and Nonviolent News will also carry details. Afri’s submission to the Oireachtas Committee on Justice and Equality on Direct Provision is also available on the website. www.afri.ie Afri, 8 New Cabra Road, Phibsborough Dublin 7, D07 T1W2, ph 01 8384204 admin@afri.ie
Embracing Human Rights: Conflict Textiles’ Journey
This exhibition at Roe Valley Arts and Cultural Centre, Limavady, Co Derry, beginning in January, marks 12 years of Conflict Textiles exhibitions and associated activities in a variety of local and international venues. Conflict and human rights abuses, explored through the tactile medium of textiles have remained a central theme in all of these events. The exhibition incorporates textiles from a variety of jurisdictions, created in different decades, which connect to the (1948) Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The exhibition spans a three-month period, beginning with a small selection of textiles and memorabilia in the Ritter Gallery, 9th January, 2020. The full exhibition, occupying all the RVACC exhibition galleries, commences with the official launch at 2pm on Saturday 7th March, and extends to 11th April 2020. Throughout the entire exhibition period there will be a range of associated activities, which will allow participants to engage with the central exhibition questions. Further details at cain.ulster.ac.uk
MNI Mediation Theory and Practice
The next Mediation Theory and Practice course run by Mediation Northern Ireland in Belfast starts on 4th February and runs weekly until 7th April. This is MNI’s main training course for those looking to train as a mediator. It runs over nine days and is accredited with the Open College Network (Level 3 with 9 Credits). During the course trainees will learn a basic mediation process for use in a two party dispute or in constructive relationship building and is open access (MNI can also run it for groups). More details at mediationnorthernireland.org/
MII accredited courses
The Mediators’ Institute of Ireland (MII) has information on a wide range of accredited training courses and course providers available on its website www.themii.ie/ including those run by mediation bodies (some by MII itself) and others by academic institutions. There is a very short video available on the mediation process. There is also a ‘find a mediator’ facility allowing for choice within fourteen different specialist categories. Since its foundation in 1992, MII has established an organisational structure suitable for the regulation of mediators, a system of accreditation and development of training courses, a code of ethics, practice standards, quality assurance and a significant membership. Continuing professional development (CPD) is mandatory for members.
Opposition continues to Dalradian gold mine plans for Sperrins
Opposition continues to Dalradian’s plans for gold mining in the Sperrins, at Greencastle near Omagh, with the announcement in August that cyanide would not be used locally regarded as a ploy to defuse protests (the cyanide could be used on the ore elsewhere). Meanwhile in November the firm withdrew sponsorship from a local business awards event after Mid Ulster District Council wrote to organisers to “highlight the widespread concern and community opposition to gold mining in the Sperrins and asked that reflection should be placed on this when accepting sponsorship of awards categories and sponsorship generally for the Business Awards”. (Source: Irish News 21/11/19). See also NN 272 with an article by Miriam Turley which has further reading/contacts.
Opposing fracking – everywhere
In welcoming the UK ban on fracking, to add to the one in Ireland (the Republic), Keep Ireland Fracking Free urged “the Irish Government to deny permission for the building of Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) terminals on Irish shores. It's utterly hypocritical to ban fracking at home but then import fracked gas from other places.” This refers to proposed imports of fracked gas from the USA to be stored in a terminal in the Shannon estuary. kiff.ireland@gmail.com See also NN 274 and stopshannonlng.ie
NI Human Rights Festival
The Northern Ireland Human Rights Festival takes place from 8th -14th December with a wide variety of events catering for every taste (though mainly in Belfast), the theme being ‘Threaded though society’. Included are; a session on PUL (Protestant Unionist Loyalist) attitudes to, and engagement with, human rights; the launch of the Natali Márquez Foundation to support young girls in Northern Ireland and Colombia to use their creative skills in peace building; the launch of an Equality Coalition report on tackling institutional sectarianism; a Tools for Solidarity workshop; and various discussions and cultural events. See www.nihrf.com for more details.
Imprisoning humanitarians
Amnesty International has launched a campaign for an Irishman and others who have been involved in humanitarian action but face prison as a result. Seán Binder, 25 years old, was arrested and charged with ‘people smuggling’ in August 2018, because of his volunteering as a trained rescue worker for refugees in Lesvos, Greece. He was detained for three months in pre-trial detention, and a year later, is still facing up to 25 years in prison. This is part of Amnesty International’s ‘Write for rights’ campaign each December which takes up issues in many parts of the world. For further details see https://www.amnesty.ie/
Prisoners for Peace Day
While this has strictly speaking already taken place, on 1st December, it is never too late to express solidarity with imprisoned peacemakers and conscientious objectors. The current list compiled by the War Resisters’ International (WRI) covers Ambazonia (South Cameroon), Eritrea, Turkmenistan, Israel, Singapore, South Korea, and the USA. It includes guidelines and suggestions for sending solidarity greetings. The WRI website has a variety of other material on the website about countering militarisation and its particular programmes, plus a list of over 90 affiliates in 40 different countries (which includes INNATE).
The media and deeply divided societies
A comprehensive and well illustrated account is available of the two day international conference in November on “The Media in Deeply Divided Societies – Its Role and responsibilities” which was organised by the Social Change Initiative, based in Belfast, along with a programme from the University of Edinburgh and Conciliation Resources. The report, is written by Allan Leonard and is also on the Slugger O’Toole website. The Social Change Initiative (SCI) is at www.thesocialchangeinitiative.org
Peace and Nonviolence Ireland: INNATE photo site
INNATE’s photo site www.flickr.com which is also linked to the main website at www.innatenonviolence.org (just click open one of the three images on the right centre of the home page) now has well over 1800 images covering a wide variety of organisations and topics over a number of deacdes, grouped in 30 different albums. Material added this year includes additional photos of Glencree and photos of the World Beyond War conference in Limerick.
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