Number 272: September 2019

World Beyond War conference, Limerick, and Shannon rally
World Beyond War’s fourth annual global conference on the abolition of war will be held on Saturday and Sunday, 5th and 6th October in Limerick. There are a wide variety of Irish and international speakers (see NN 270), participatory workshops and discussions. Further information, including info and videos on past conferences, and booking available at worldbeyondwar.org/nowar2019 Topics covered include nonviolence, Irish neutrality, Shannon, human and environmental rights, and demilitarisating security, with a choice of workshops including divestment, youth activism, celebrating peace, Afghanistan, closing bases, and using music in movement building.

On the nights of the 5th and 6th there will be a peace camp in the Peace Park right by Shannon Airport that people can stay at free. There will be a rally and tour at Shannon Airport from 3:00pm - 5:00pm on Sunday 6th, where U.S. military forces routinely pass through in violation of Irish neutrality and of laws against war. This will be followed by an open-mic session and networking at the peace camp that evening. See website for details.

A Renaissance of the Peace Process? Belfast conference
“A Renaissance of the Peace Process? What kind of society do we need?” is the title of a working conference organised by CAJ (Committee on the Administration of Justice) in collaboration with the Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL), QUB Human Rights Centre, and the Senator George J. Mitchell Institute for Global Peace, Security and Justice taking place 9.30am to 4.30pm on Friday 27th September in the Canada Room, Queen’s University Belfast. There will be three main panels during the conference, on ‘Implementing the peace agreements’ - looking at the Bill and Charter of Rights, a rights based return to power sharing, policing, and dealing with the past;

‘A rights based society after Brexit’ - examining immigration, citizenship, rights across the island, and the prospect of a broad based equality campaign; and ‘Rights and constitutional change’, dealing with the Good Friday Agreement and rights in a constitutional debate, the necessary development of rights protection in the South, and prospective guarantees for Unionists in a United Ireland. There will be a variety of well known speakers. For further information and booking see https://caj.org.uk Similar information appeared in the August news supplement.

Boots on the Ground for Freedom
On Saturday 7th September at 10 am in front of Limerick Prison, where they were incarcerated, Ken Mayers and Tarak Kauff, both U.S. military veterans will begin Boots on the Ground for Freedom, a series of walks through Ireland to promote peace and, as Kauff has written, “freedom to return home to our families, freedom from war, and the freedom to respect and affirm a strong and peaceful Irish neutrality.” The two veterans were arrested at Shannon Airport on St. Patrick’s Day for attempting to inspect an Omni International aircraft they believed was carrying U.S. troops and weapons in direct violation of international law. The plane was on its way to Kuwait. Mayers, 82, a former Marine Major, and Kauff, 77, a former U.S.Army paratrooper, were remanded to Limerick Prison where they spent 12 days before being released on €2500 bail each and surrender of their passports.

The first section of the walk will go from Limerick Prison to the steps of the Ennis Court House, arriving on Tuesday 10th September. They will then walk from Ennis to Eyre Square in Galway, arriving there on Monday 16th September. From Galway they will be driven to Manorhamilton on 18th September to speak at 8 pm at the Caife Bia Slainte. They will then walk to Sligo, a distance of 24km, arriving there on Friday, 20th September. From Sligo they will be driven to Letterkenny and from there will walk to Bridgend, arriving on Monday 23rd September. The final section of the September walk will be from Buncara to Malin Head, where the two freedom walkers will arrive on Friday 27th September. Malin Head in Donegal is particularly significant to the two veterans because of the WWII Eire neutrality sign that has been restored there. For more information contact: John Lannon, Shannonwatch 087 8225087 or contact shannonwatch@gmail.com More details at /www.shannonwatch.org

Shadow World arms trade film showing in Belfast
On Wednesday 9th October at 7pm in the Canada Room, Lanyon Building, Queen’s University Belfast there will be a screening of ‘Shadow World’ which is a documentary that reveals the shocking realities of the global arms trade - the only business that counts its profits in billions and its losses in human lives. The session is introduced by its screenwriter (and author of the book it is based on) Andrew Feinstein and followed by questions and answers with him. All interested welcome.There will also be an opportunity for those interested to follow up the film by looking at Belfast/Northern Ireland/university connections with the arms trade. Organised by INNATE in cooperation with a variety of other groups and people. @ShadowWorldFilm https://www.facebook.com/INNATE.nonviolence innate@ntlworld.com Please note date change to info which appeared in the August news supplement.

Fire on US Military contracted plane at Shannon Airport
Shannonwatch have called for an immediate review of the safety standards applied to US military and military contracted planes at Shannon Airport. A fire on an Omni Air International troop carrier brought the airport to a standstill on Thursday 15th August. The troop carrier, which was reported to be carrying approximately 150 troops, was on its way to the Middle East. It had arrived earlier from Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma USA. “We know that it’s standard practice for the troops on these planes to have their weapons with them,” said John Lannon of Shannonwatch. “But what we don’t know, because the Irish government refuses to conduct proper inspections of US military planes at Shannon, is whether or not there were munitions on board.” The plane has travelled to the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, via Kuwait; as well as being a US base, Al Udeid also houses the Qatari Air Force that has been part of the Saudi-led military offensive in Yemen. This has left millions of people facing famine since 2016. According to an RTÉ TG4 Exit Poll after the May elections, 82% of those polled said Ireland should remain a neutral country in all aspects. See www.shannonwatch.org

Escaping Divisive Legacies: CCADD conference, Belfast
The Council on Christian Approaches to Defence and Disarmament (CCADD) 2019 International Conference takes place from Friday 6th to Tuesday 10th September at Stranmillis University College Campus, Belfast with the subtitle “Comprehending the complexities of the past to build and strengthen conflict-free futures for Northern Ireland and elsewhere”. Most of the programme relates to Northern Ireland but there is also a focus on disarmament and on North Korea. Facilitation and chairing is by Doug Baker and Laurie Randall and there are various local inputs. It is run in partnership with the Mitchell Institute, QUB. Queries to cate@healingthroughremembering.org

White poppies for peace
The ‘Remembrance season’ in Britain and Ireland is getting close and, for those who wish, the opportunity to remember those who died in wars and make a statement for peace at the same time by wearing a white poppy. The Peace Pledge Union in Britain sells white poppies (profits support their work) at 5 for £5.00, 10 for £10.00 or 25 for £20.00, plus £3 post and packing for orders under £20 (UK postal area prices). https://peace-pledge-union.myshopify.com/ Other resources on war and peace are available, including a “Remembering war – searching for peace” set of documents which looks critically at the whole area of remembrance. PPU, 1 Peace Passage, London N7 0BT, ph 020 7424 9444. www.ppu.org.uk

Public Services Card gets red card
The Irish State has been told to delete most of the information it has on over three million people which was gathered as part of introducing the Public Services Card. This is due to a ruling by the Data Protection Commission. The card may still be needed for interaction with the Department for Social Protection however. ICCL (which had strenuously campaigned against the roll out of the card) and others have welcomed this decision. Elizabeth Farries, Information Rights programme manager at ICCL said; “We support the immediacy of the DPC’s enforcement measures. They are appropriate given that the card lacks a legal basis, is unnecessary, and presents serious risks to the highly sensitive personal data it collects. The DPC findings are a disaster of the government’s own making.” See /www.iccl.ie

WRI after Bogota
The War Resisters’ International recently held its Assembly in Bogota. The new Executive Committee consists of Koldobi Velasco (Spain), Hulya Ucpinar (Turkey), Subhash Chandra Kattel (Nepal), Igor Seke (Serbia/Mexico) and Estefania Gomez (Colombia - Section representative of Cuerpo Consiente), with an even wider geographical distribution on its Council. A number of new affiliates were accepted at the Assembly: Pasifika (West Papua); Otra Escuela (www.otraescuela.org Colombia); Ambazonia prisoners of conscience support networking (www.ambazoniapocs.net Ambazonia/International); Cuerpo Consciente (www.facebook.com/CuerpoConSienteCo Colombia); InterReligious Task Force on Central America and Colombia (www.irtfcleveland.org ); Central Africa Human Rights Defenders Network (www.redhac.info - Central Africa region). For more information see www.wri-irg.org

Good Relations Week
Good Relations Week, a showcase for community relations work, takes place in Northern Ireland from 16th to 22nd September with many different events. See www.goodrelationsweek.com

Death of Ciaran McKeown
We very much regret to record the death of Ciaran McKeown on 1st September. He was a major figure in the formation and development of the Peace People in 1976, a peace activist as well as professionally being a prominent journalist and sub-editor. We will reflect further on his life in the October e-mail and web editions of Nonviolent News. May he rest in peace.

Season of Creation resources
Resources and links for the Christian ‘Season of Creation’ (1st September to 4th October) are available on the Eco-Congregation Ireland (ECI) website at ecocongregationireland.com These were prepared by the Laudato Si' Working Group. As always there is buckets of eco news from churches around the country in the ECI newsletter, available on the website at ecocongregationireland.com This item also appeared in the August news supplement.

Church and Peace on nuclear weapons
On the 74th anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki on 6 and 9 August 1945, the European peace church network Church and Peace appealed to synods and church governing bodies in Europe to address their own governments on the issue of nuclear weapons and to adopt a strong stance in favour of the Nuclear Weapon Ban. “The historic Nuclear Weapon Ban Treaty needs continuing and unequivocal public support from worldwide ecumenism and as many churches and denominations as possible.” See https://www.church-and-peace.org for further details.

Pounds wise, Pence foolish: Disco at the Dáil
Amnesty International, along with other NGOs and activist groups, are holding a ‘Disco outside the Dáil’ to celebrate all those who are being targeted by the Trump/Pence administration’s policies, marking US Vice President Mike Pence’s visit to Ireland. It’s from 1 – 3pm on Tuesday 3rd September outside the Dáil in Kildare treet, Dublin. “Trump and Pence have spear-headed policies that target refugees and migrants, women, LGBTI people, amongst so many others, as well as pushing climate change denial and dangerous rhetoric against journalists and anyone who opposes them.” See www.facebook.com

Europe warming faster than predicted
See /www.ecowatch.com Thanks to Climate Change Ireland ireland.climate.change@gmail.com for the link.

Solidarity with West Papua
West Papua has long been the subject of Indonesian aggression and repression. A new affiliate of the War Resisters’ International, Pasifika, reports that “West Papuans are currently engaged in a full-scale, nationwide, nonviolent insurrection. They are calling for all Indonesian troops to be withdrawn and for the internet to be switched on. “This follows a violent crackdown by the Indonesian military in August. Further details and suggestions for solidarity actions at /www.wri-irg.org

Jai Jagat
Jai Jagat is a global campaign towards justice and peace for the millions of people witnessing poverty, inequality and marginalization. Jai Jagat (in Hindi) means 'victory to an inclusive and peaceful world' a message of Mahatma Gandhi which inspire many mass movements globally. Its focus is to link Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th year anniversary with the United Nations message “No one left behind”. A campaign of this size is crucial in order to upscale nonviolence and achieve a planetary peace, free of war and a climate crisis in the next generation.

The Jai Jagat is a long march in Gandhian style that begins on 2nd October 2019 from Delhi and arrives in Geneva one year later. The march will cover about 14 countries and approximately 10,000 kilometers. Enroute there will be dozens of meetings to see people’s aspirations and to explore what messages need to be brought to Geneva. As the long march arrives in Switzerland, there will be other marches from different quarters of Europe and North Africa that plan to converge in Geneva on the last week of September 2020. For eight days, there are many programs planned in Geneva to ensure that global financial trade and UN leaders have heard the voices of the grassroots and the marginalized people. There will also be a virtual march going on simultaneously, for more details see www.jaijagat2020.org

The campaign is looking for financial support, to be paid to Ekta Foundation Trust, Axis Bank, MP. Nagar, Bhopal, A/C: 044010100175708, IFSC Code: UTIB0000044.

19 Days of activism ....
...for prevention of violence against children and youth, 1-19 November. The detailed 2019 ‘kit’ or handbook can be found at https://19days.woman.ch (PDF file) The event is coordinated by the Women’s World Summit Foundation in Switzerland.

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