AVP – Alternatives
to Violence Project
AVP (Alternatives to Violence Project) continues to progress
in Ireland. Based on demand, workshops in 2002 took place
in Wheatfield, the Midlands, and Mountjoy prisons, Coolemine
and Kilcranny House (community courses). Forthcoming workshops
for 2003 are being planned for Limerick, Wheatfield, Castlerea,
Mountjoy and Kilcranny House (Coleraine). While each workshop
is based on a series of seven sessions which include gatherings,
exercises and games (‘light & livelies’),
no workshop is the same because of the shared experiences
and insights. Everyone, including the facilitators, volunteer
to participate in a Basic workshop which explores violence
and non-violence and introduces Transforming Power.
Lots of communications skills are learnt, such
as how to truly listen, express feelings and seek to resolve
conflicts non-violently. Those who choose to go on to a Second
Level Workshop choose the main topic and then delve more deeply
into issues that block or get in the way of living a full
and dignified life. Monthly meetings of facilitators take
place to deal with the practical issues of planning workshops.
Most recently, a Code of Ethics has been prepared. Robert
Campbell continues as Coordinator. Should you wish to participate
in a workshop or to learn more about AVP, please contact Robert¹s
email robert.campbell@oceanfree.net or phone 01 – 455
0352. The newly appointed Chairperson is Grainne Carty, Treasurer
is Eileen Diver and Secretary is Elma McMahon.
lAVP hopes to be more visible in Northern Ireland
in the near future with new apprentice facilitators coming
on stream and plans shortly to be drawn up. You can contact
AVP in Belfast at 028 – 90 24 92 93 or e-mail avpbelfast@hotmail.com
Monitor the situation
Over the past year Mediation Northern Ireland (formerly Mediation
Network) have been using volunteer monitors in an attempt
to ease conflict at one of the Belfast interfaces on days
and nights of heightened tension. They now want to expand
the pool of volunteers (who will receive full training). An
information and recruitment evening for those interested in
volunteering will be held on 21st May 2003. To register your
interest for this event, please contact Maire Patton on 90
438614 or email maire@mediationnorthernireland.org Mediation
Northern Ireland, 10 Upper Crescent, Belfast BT7 1NT, ph 028
– 9043 8614, e-mail info@mediationnorthernireland.org
and web www.mediationnorthernireland.org
International Volunteer
Projects 2003
The International Volunteer Projects 2003 booklet is now available
from IVS/International Voluntary Service in the North and
VSI/Voluntary Service International in the Republic (the respective
sections of SCI/Service Civil International). This details
short term opportunities (varies but typically a fortnight)
in almost fifty countries, with very varied kinds of work
(including anti-racist, third world solidarity, peace, working
with people with disabilities, work with children, ecological
work, women’s/gender projects, socially disadvantaged,
arts and culture, or ideology and spirituality). Volunteers
must be over 18 and bring enthusiasm and flexibility; certain
projects may have language specifications. The respective
editions of the booklet are available from;
lVSI, 30 Mountjoy Square, Dublin 1, phone 01
– 8551011, e-mail vsi@iol.ie
web http://homepages.iol.ie/~vsi
priced at €4 including postage.
lIVS has moved (almost) across the road from
its former address and is now at 34 Shaftesbury Square, Belfast
BT2 7DB, ph 028 – 90 23 81 47 (phone the same), e-mail
placements@ivsni.co.uk and they suggest sending a large s.a.e
with 54p postage for a copy.
The war on Iraq
Various court cases are still pending, and groups still working,
on issues arising from the Iraq war. Six people are due in
court in Belfast on 15th May arising from arrests made during
the ‘Jam War, Make Peace’ action at the die-in
beside the City Hall, Belfast, on Tuesday 8th April. Two further
Catholic Worker activists were involved in an action at Shannon
Airport on Good Friday, 18th April; Jenny Hannon of Dublin
and Martin McGowan of Sligo were detained by airport security
and police after making their way into the airfield; they
had constructed a shrine to the Iraqis slain in the recent
U.S. military assault, conducted the Catholic Office of the
Dead and began to plant a bed of potatoes. Financial support
for Catholic Worker actions & activists can be made out
to ‘Peace and Reconciliation’, c/o Ploughshares,
134 Phibsborough Road, Dublin 7. The Foyle Ethical Investment
Campaign continued to do its energetic thing including transforming
various Derry symbols on 7th/8th April. Ann Patterson and
Mairead Maguire have received what might be considered conditional
discharges for the action they were involved with at the UN
in New York (see NN108) but Mairead Maguire faces another
charge.
INCORE: Evaluation of
Conflict Resolution Interventions
The second part of “The Evaluation of Conflict Resolution
Interventions” – “Emerging Practice and
Theory”, written by Cheyanne Church and Julie Shouldice,
has been published by INCORE. This explores both the challenges
that have been encountered by those undertaking conflict resolution
evaluation (CRE), and some emerging considerations for improving
practice and theoretical approaches. This report is available
on-line
For paper copies of the report (A5, 54 pages), please contact
incore@incore.ulst.ac.uk INCORE, University of Ulster, Magee
Campus, Derry/Londonderry BT48 7JA ph 028 7137 5500 fax 028
7137 5510. http://www.incore.ulst.ac.uk
Globalisation &
Genocide in West Papua
The Human Right Symposium - Thursday 22nd May 19.30 –
22.00, Main Hall, Cultivate, Temple Bar, 15-19 Essex Street
West, Dublin 8 as part of the Annual Convergence Festival,
co-hosted by Amnesty International, Frontline, Trócaire,
West Papua Action, and Sustainable Ireland Cooperative. In
the "information age", few people know about West
Papua, where gold, copper and gas are being extracted, the
rainforest is being cut down and the people are facing a genocide
at the hands of the Indonesian military, the same military
who brutally suppressed the people of East Timor. What are
the roles of corporations, governments, the corporate media,
human rights defenders, and 'ordinary people' in situations
such as West Papua? Speakers are: George Monbiot (Chair),
Guardian columnist and author, John Rumbiak, West Papua's
leading human rights defender, and Carmel Budiardjo, Founder
of Tapol, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign.Booking: 01
8603431 / 674 6415 or wpaction@iol.ie - €5.00. West Papua
Action, 134 Phibsborough Road, Dublin 7. ph (direct) 01 860
3431 Mobile 087 2969742 Fax. 01 882 7576. Email wpaction@iol.ie
http://westpapuaaction.buz.org
Convergence/Sustainable
Living Festival, Dublin,
16th – 25th May
An amazingly wide variety of exciting events, political, cultural
and other, take place during the 4th Annual Convergence Festival,
organised by the Sustainable Ireland Cooperative based at
Cultivate: the Sustainable Living Centre, St Michael and St
John’s, 15 – 19 Essex Street West, Old City Temple
Bar, Dublin 8. Details can be found at www.sustainable.ie
and ph 01 – 674 6415 for booking information.
War is Terror is War
– Afri Famine Walk/Peace Walk
The (ten mile) Famine Walk/Peace Walk organised by Afri (Action
from Ireland) takes place from Doolough to Louisburgh, Co
Mayo this year on Saturday 31st May beginning at 2pm (shuttle
buses from Louisburgh from 1pm). Organised in association
with Louisburgh Community Project (ph. 098 66218). Walk leaders
are Brendan Forde ofm who has worked for 30 years in Latin
America, Kathy Kelly of Voices in the Wilderness, Nuria Mustafa,
an Iraqi exile living in Ireland, and Pat O’Brien, priest,
poet and anti-war activist. There will also be contributions
from local musicians and school children. On Friday 30th May
at 8pm there is the opening of an exhibition of photographs
depicting the effect of the famine on the area; in the Granuaile
Centre, Louisburgh. On Saturday evening there is a céili
in the Derrylahan, Louisburgh from 9 – 11.30 pm. Contact;
Afri, 134 Phibsborough Road, Phibsborough, Dublin 7, ph 01
– 882 7581 / 882 7563, e-mail afri@iol.ie and website
www.afri.buz.org
Meeting on US Peace
Movement, Belfast
It has been hard to tell where the US peace movement has been
since 9/11, partly because censorship in the USA itself has
meant news in the mainstream media has been scarce. Monday
12th May at 7.30 pm in Belfast sees an opportunity to get
up to date as long time activist Joanne Sheehan reflects on
the USA peace movement now, US foreign policy and opposition
to it since September 11th, and growing US global dominance.
She works with War Resisters League in New England where she
is an organizer and nonviolence trainer; she has been involved
with War Resisters International for 20 years and is presently
Chair. The meeting is open, sponsored by INNATE, and takes
place at 7 University Avenue, Belfast (opposite Christian
Science church at back of Queen’s); queries to INNATE
at 028 - 90 64 71 06.
Training: Nonviolence
in the Context of War & Armed Conflict
The Kurve Wustrow 2003 International English-language Training
on "Nonviolence in the context of War and Armed Conflict"
takes place from 18th October to 2nd November, in Germany.
Peace and human rights activists, people working with refugees
or war affected populations all over the world, bear witness
that it is possible to work on armed conflicts and against
large-scale human rights violations with nonviolent means.
They also experience that only long-term commitment can heal
wounds, bring about reconciliation or even settle the dispute.
Good will and commitment are indispensable for this work,
but in themselves not sufficient. The training covers principles
of nonviolence, nonviolent direct action and nonviolent conflict
intervention, understanding and transforming conflicts, political
analysis, strategy, reconciliation work in war torn societies,
observing/reporting human rights violations, human rights
organizing, dealing with stress, fear and traumatic experience.
The fee is €700 but talk to them if lack of money is
a problem. The trainers are Jill Sternberg, Stella Tamang
and Hagen Berndt, and the course is endorsed by IFOR/International
Fellowship of Reconciliation. Applications need to be made
not later than 15th June. Further details from; KURVE Wustrow,
Kirchstr. 14, D-29462 Wustrow, Germany, +49 - (0) 5843 - 9871-37
e-mail: info@kurvewustrow.org
Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine
and Israel (EAPPI)
This ecumenical programme, managed by Quakers in partnership
with Churches Together in Britain and Ireland, aims to accompany
Palestinians and Israelis in their nonviolent actions and
concerted advocacy efforts to end the occupation. EAPPI is
appealing for financial help and can also use volunteers.
Address; QPSW (Quaker Peace and Social Witness), Friends House,
173 Euston Road, London NW1 2BJ. Appeal queries to +44 (0)20
7663 1047, e-mail lizc@quaker.org.uk
Next INNATE Belfast Networking Meeting; Monday
19th May at 7 University Avenue – anyone interested
welcome.
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