Dublin ‘disarmament festival’
to Put the war on trial
It is not billed as such, but events associated
with the Monday 7th March start of the Pitstop Ploughshares
trial make it effectively into a disarmament festival. On
Monday March 7th. the "Pit Stop Ploughshares" -
Deirdre Clancy, Nuin Dunlop, Karen Fallon, Damien Moran &
Ciaron O'Reilly - go to trial at Dublin's Four Courts. The
criminal damage charges of US$2.5 million & €100
arise out of their nonviolent disarmament of a U.S. Navy war
plane at Shannon Airport on 3rd February 2003. Charges carry
a maximum penalty of 10 years imprisonment if convicted. For
full details see their new website www.WarOnTrial.Com
Solidarity actions and vigils will take place
in various locations, nationally and internationally, on 7th
March; Dublin events that day include - Gather at The Spire,
9am; Peace Walk to Court, 9.30am; ‘Remembering The War
Dead', Four Courts, from 10.30am-1pm; Lunch at 1pm (Food Not
Bombs Picnic); `Remembering The War Dead' Vigil, 2pm-5pm;
Trial Reflection, Food & Drinks 5.30pm – 6.30pm
at Augustinian Hall, Meath Street [the rest of the week to
Friday follows the same pattern and times except the morning
walk to court from the Spire is at 10 am.] There are also
evening meetings;
- Monday 7th March; "American voices against
the war”, Speakers - U.S. Bishop T.J. Gumbleton, Kathy
Kelly (Voices in the Wilderness), Peter DeMott (Vietnam Vet/Plowshares
Activist), Carmen Trotta (NYCW), happening at Davis Theatre,
Trinity College at 7.30pm.
- Thursday 10th March; ‘Assessing the
damage: Iraq War & Nonviolent Disarmament at Shannon',
Public Lecture, Walton Theatre, Trinity College, 7.30pm. Speakers
include: Dennis Halliday & Mairead Corrigan Maguire.
Friday 11th March, ‘Give peace a dance’,
Cuban, Italian & Irish Music - Entrance by donation, 8pm
- Midnight, St. Nicholas Of Myra Parish Hall (Corner of Carmon
Hall & Francis Street.)
- Saturday March 12th, Trial Support Meeting,
10 am-12 noon 11 Talbot Street(blue door beside O'Neill's
shoe shop) and Workers Solidarity Movement Dayschool on the
Iraq War, (Irish Activists reflect on Experiences. What strategies
are needed to continue effective anti-war activism?) at Teachers
Club, 36 Parnell Square West, Dublin from 12 noon-6pm.
Donations can be made by cheque to "Ploughshares
Defence Fund", 134 Phibsborough Rd., Phibsborough,
Dublin 7 or donate at any Bank of Ireland, Current A/C 80965573,
Sort Code 900551, Electronic Transfer IBAN IE18BOFI90055118972983,
Bic No./Switch Code BOFIIE2D. If you need to get in touch,
contact ploughsharesireland@yahoo.ie
or phone/text 087 918 4552.
Mediation NI move around
corner
Mediation Northern Ireland (MNI) have moved around a few corners
to premises which have been developed to provide a range of
accessible meeting and training services. The premises at
83 University Street, Belfast BT7 1HP have been developed
with the support of the Big Lottery, Peace 2, ECLOF &
UCIT. The new office is open from 7th March. Other contact
details remain the same; phone 028 9043 8614, e-mail info@mediationnorthernireland.org
and web htttp://www.mediationnorthernireland.org
Wolf and Water theatre and arts group are running an open
Creative Responses to Conflict training event on 10th and
11th March, cost £30, phone Witney at MNI for further
details.
GG for D – Grassroots
Gathering 9, in Dublin
This takes place from Friday 1st of April to Sunday 3rd of
April at St Nicholas of Myra Community Centre, Carmens Hall,
off Francis Street, Dublin 8 on the theme of The death of
partnership - What now for grassroots activism? This Gathering
aims to bring activists from different sectors together to
compare our experiences as well as a wide range of workshops,
video showings and social events. See http://www.grassroots-network.org
for details or check on www.indymedia.ie
under the listing for Events, 1st April.
Meath Peace Group -
“Where Do We Go From Here?”
Public meeting, all welcome, on Monday, 7th March 2005 in
St. Columban’s College, Dalgan Park, Navan, Co. Meath
at 8pm with speakers: Paul Bew (Professor of Irish Politics,
Q.U.B.), Sean Farren, M.L.A. (SDLP Assembly Member), and Jim
Wells, M.L.A. (DUP Assembly Member) chaired by Michael Reade
(Presenter, LMFM Radio). St. Columban’s College, Dalgan
Park, is situated on the N3 (Dublin to Navan road), c. 3 miles
south of Navan (bus route 109). The previous meeting in late
February included Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dermot Ahern
TD, discussing the future of the Good Friday Agreement. Meath
Peace Group was founded in early 1993 with the aims of promoting
understanding through dialogue. Apart from a number of other
initiatives including a schools transition year programme,
the group has held 53 public talks on the peace process and
North-South issues. Contact meathpeace@hotmail.com
or phone Julitta Clancy at 01 8259438.
Vanunu fun(d)raiser,
Belfast
There will be a fundraising social and supper in Peace House,
224 Lisburn Road, Belfast on Friday 11th March at 8.00 p.m.
to support nuclear whistleblower Mordechai Vanunu’s
campaign for full freedom and for nuclear abolition. A Peace
People delegation will join the UK Free Vanunu international
delegation to Israel from 18th-22nd April when it is hoped
that he will be given his unconditional freedom and allowed
to leave Israel. If interested, contact Peace People, 224
Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 6GE, phone 028 90663465, mobile
0773 6147713, e-mail info@peacepeople.com
For more information on Vanunu contact: http://www.Vanunu.freeserve.co.uk
Making theatre on peace
issues at Kilcranny
11th – 13th May sees an exciting peace theatre residency
at Kilcranny House, Coleraine, run by Sole Purpose Productions
in an intensive experiential training workshop which will
make theatre on peace issues, offer skill training, rehearse
and prepare small performance pieces and celebrate them with
an invited audience. The cost is a nominal £25 [best
offer this year – Ed]. It runs from 6pm on 11th
to 2pm on 15th. Sole Purpose productions was formed in 1997
by Dave Duggan and Patricia Byrne and exists to bring the
discourse of theatre and imagination to bear on social and
public issues. No experience of theatre is required, but participants,
aged 18 and over, need to be prepared to participate fully
in an intensive event, involving some performance. To apply,
please send a letter expressing your interest in and commitment
to peace and reconciliation, and explain why you would like
to participate in the production of a peace drama to: Lyn
Moffett, Kilcranny House, 21 Cranagh Road, Coleraine, BT51
3NN. Tel: 028 7032 1816. Email: info@kilcrannyhouse.org
Closing date for applications is 1 May 2005.
Peace Brigades needs
observers
Peace Brigades International is a human rights organisation
which aims to help create a breathing space in conflict zones
so that the civilian population may organise to defend its
rights without fear of reprisals and violence. We are recruiting
international observers to work in Colombia, Guatemala, Mexico
and Indonesia to protect organisations and individuals who
have requested our involvement. You must be over 25 and fluent
in the language of the country you attend to be an international
observer and be able to make the minimum time commitment of
12-18 months. PBI is holding an orientation weekend for potential
volunteers from Thursday 5th to Sunday 8th of May at Jordans
Youth Hostel, Beaconsfield, England. The Orientation Weekend
is the first step in the preparation and training of potential
PBI volunteers and provides an opportunity for those interested
to explore the possibility of joining a volunteer team. The
weekend runs from Thursday evening until Sunday afternoon
and has a cost of £60 waged, £50 low-waged and
£40 un-waged. If you are interested, please send us
an email and we will send you an application form. Peace Brigades
International (PBI)UK Section, 1b Waterlow Road, London N19
5NJ, phone/fax 020 7 281 5370, e-mail: pbiuk@gn.apc.org
and web: http://www.peacebrigades.org
Man the research at
INCORE
The recently-established Centre for Young Men's Studies is
the latest research/practice institute to form an association
with INCORE. The Centre will establish a body of knowledge
that will increase our understanding of the place, position
and behaviour of young men in Northern Ireland. Whilst the
overall focus of the Centre will address issues affecting
young men such as crime, education and mental health, the
initial phase will concentrate on young men and violence in
the context of a society emerging from a period of prolonged
conflict. The Centre for Young Men's Studies is co-directed
by Dr. Ken Harland and Sam McCready of the Community and Youth
Work Department at the University of Ulster. See http://www.incore.ulster.ac.uk/about/specialist/cyms/
for more details. Simon Roughneen, UNU/INCORE Promotions Officer,
Aberfoyle House, Magee Campus, University of Ulster, Londonderry
BT48 7JA, phone 028 71375504, web http://www.incore.ulster.ac.uk
Iraq occupation protests,
March 19th / IAWM Forum Against War…
Look out for protests near you on Saturday 19th March as part
of global protests against the ongoing occupation of Iraq.
The Irish Anti-War Movement will be organizing a demonstration
at 2pm at Parnell Square, Dublin. It is also more immediately
organising a Forum Against War Occupation and Empire in Central
Dublin with various events on
4th, 5th & 6th March, see the website
at or e-mail or
phone 01 8727912, 01 8727913, 01 87 6329511.
Community Relations
Week, Living Life Without Barriers
7th – 13th March sees the third Community Relations
Week put together by the Community Relations Council in Northern
Ireland, with events run by groups and organisations all over
the place.. The full programme is available in printed form
or on the (well presented) website
and click on CR Week 2005 on the right. The monthly Information
Bulletin and more occasional CRC News are also available there
(you can sign up to their e-mail list). Community Relations
Council, 6 Murray Street, Belfast, BT1 6DN, phone 028 9022
7500.
Afghan war still in
the courts….
A judicial review of Ireland's participation in the US war
in Afghanistan was heard in the Irish High Court from 8th
February; the case was initiated over two years ago by Eoin
Dubsky who joined with many others to protest against the
US military overflights and refueling in Ireland. Unlike the
Iraq war, the Irish government never sought the assent of
the Dáil to allow Ireland's airspace and airports be
used for American military flights relevant to the Afghanistan
war. The result of the case is expected sometime in March;
watch this space (who knows, general media might even carry
it...).
Up to date from Friends
of the Irish Environment
The Irish Papers Today (TITP) is a service offered by Friends
of the Irish Environment. FoIE is a network created by conservationists
in Ireland in order to monitor the full implementation of
European environmental law, to work for changes in the Irish
planning laws, and to pursue concerns and cases in both the
built and the natural environment.
The Irish Papers Today is a selection of published news articles
about the Irish environment available as a daily
email sent to you each morning. [Source: Sustainable Ireland
Network Bulletin update@sustainable.ie
]
Canadian seal cull protest,
Dublin
On March 15th the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society will take
their boats to the gulf of Newfoundland to peacefully try
and stop the slaughter of over 1 million baby seals. On March
15th there will be demonstrations all over the world outside
of Canadian Embassies and the one in Dublin will be at Canadian
Embassy, Corner of St Stephens Green (over Bank of Scotland)
from 12pm - 2pm (Please attend anytime between these hours.
Contact: John Carmody, Animal Rights Action Network (ARAN),
PO Box 722, Kildare, phone 087 627 5579, and e-mail: arancampaigns@eircom.net
Belfast networking group of INNATE
meets the following dates; Mondays 14th March, 18th April,
16th May, 20th June, at 7.30 pm in 7 University Avenue, Belfast.
Anyone interested welcome, come and plan the future, queries
to 90 64 71 06
Nonviolent
News is usually produced 10 times a year (on
paper) and extended e-mail and web editions
Subscriptions for the printed edition
are; UK£5 or €8 minimum
(£3 or €5 unwaged or you
can have Nonviolent News e-mailed (suggested donation
£2 or €3 minimum).
Additional donations welcome and vital
to keep INNATE afloat. Submissions are welcome - the
deadline for the next issue is noted on the left.
You can browse through previous issues
from the menu on the left.
