Neutrality in the Constitution?

The issue of getting neutrality enshrined in the Irish constitution has been around for some time and been debated without firm conclusions, however Galway Quakers and Friends have an initiative on the issue proposing that:

“A referendum for the Irish people be held as an imperative in order to amend the Constitution to reaffirm that we are a militarily neutral country and will not support the supply of arms or armaments or military personnel to any conflict or country for combat purposes. A) Ireland’s Defence Forces will only be used to protect and defend its people from harm and its sovereignty – air, land, and sea – from challenges, within the remit of international law. B) Ireland will not join any military alliances and will remain militarily non-aligned and will not cooperate in any belligerent conflicts. C) Ireland will continue to cooperate in United Nations approved Peace Keeping Missions. Ireland as a country will actively encourage the greater use of international mediation processes for the resolution of disputes and conflicts. D) Ireland will continue to cooperate in United Nations approved Peace Keeping Missions. Ireland as a country will actively encourage the greater use of international mediation processes for the resolution of disputes and conflicts. E) Ireland will provide food, shelter and medical assistance to refugee and displaced persons from and within war-torn countries. F) Ireland will decline to join NATO or a European army or become involved militarily in other countries conflicts. G) Ireland will cease the present arrangements which permit other nations to transit military troops, prisoners and equipment through Irish airports, with the exception of United Nations approved missions.”

https://quakers-in-ireland.ie/quakermeetings/munster-connaught/galway/

CAJ: New director, Immigration Project

Daniel Holder, former deputy director of CAJ/Committee on the Administration of Justice has been appointed as the new director following the retirement of Brian Gormally. Daniel has been deputy director since 2011 and previous work includes being in the policy team of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission (NIHRC) for five years, and leading a migrant worker equality project. Meanwhile five year funding from the Paul Hamlyn Foundation will allow CAJ move its Immigration Project into its core work programme. https://caj.org.uk/

Russian roulette at Zaporizhzhia

Adi Roche of Chernobyl Children International (CCI) issued a statement on 10^th March: “The World’s most vulnerable nuclear power plant is in an urgently deteriorating state, as countless bombs
and explosions wreak havoc on the facility in Ukraine. On Thursday, Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant
withstood over 20 explosions and sustaining severe damage to its vital safety system, further heightening
the possibility of the vulnerable plant becoming a weapon of mass-destruction in the war……The plant, which was the second to be occupied after Chernobyl, has machine-guns placed on the roof of one of the reactors and hundreds of Russian soldiers stationed there. This is the first time in the history of the atomic age that a nuclear power facility has been weaponised.” In response to this increasingly precarious situation and heightened nuclear threat, Adi Roche has called for the Irish Government to act as a leader in lobbying the United Nations to take more direct action. Since the beginning of the war, CCI have been advocating for all nuclear facilities to be deemed a ‘No War Zone’
and for world leaders to invoke the Hague Convention which defines any attack on a nuclear facility to be an‘war crime’. See https://tinyurl.com/4adj2rwn    Meanwhile CCI work in the region continues unabated.

Belfast Anti War Group; Conference, Biden time in Belfast

A mini-conference with three topics – the war in Ukraine (speaker Grace Cowan), Julian Assange and the freedom of the press, and ‘Are we headed for a nuclear future?’ (speaker Prof John Barry) takes place from 12.30 – 4.30 pm on Saturday 22^nd April. The venue is Room 02/026 in the Peter Froggatt Centre, Queen’s University. Contact Belfastantiwargroup@mail.com or visit https://www.facebook.com/BelfastAntiWar

l Meanwhile Belfast Anti War Group has organised a Zoom meeting to discuss coordination between different people opposed to USA warmongering regarding President Biden’s visit to Belfast on 11^th April; this meeting takes place at 7pm on 3^rd April (as Nonviolent News is coming out); contact them for details/plans.

Corrymeela: GFA recommitment to reconciliation

Corrymeela are organising a service/event at Clonard Monastery, Belfast on Sunday, 16th April from 3pm – 4pm marking the 25^th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement; they say “This is a chance to acknowledge the courage of those who helped create a moment of hope 25 years ago, and an opportunity to rededicate ourselves today to a just and lasting peace.” There are other related conference/discussion events being organised in Ballycastle and Belfast: see the website at https://www.corrymeela.org/events/227/peace-matters-25-years-since

De Borda on Good Friday Agreement referendums

The either/or, binary nature of decision making on the constitutional future of Northern Ireland gets a good going over, with alternatives, in a new document (one among a number) on the de Borda Institute website at http://www.deborda.org/home/2023/3/13/2023-7-peace-preferendums-and-the-gfa.html It starts off with a quote from the Dalai Lama that ” I have noticed an inclination for [western] people to think in terms of ‘black’ and ‘white’ and ‘either, or’. They [tend] to lose sight of the grey areas which inevitably exist between two points of view.”

Front Line Defenders: new strategic plan

The Front Line Defenders annual lectures (Belfast, Dublin and Galway) have just taken place with Iranian feminist activist Parvin Ardalan. However you can read about their work and who they support, along with their strategic plan for the period to 2027, on their website at https://www.frontlinedefenders.org/en FLD is based in Blackrock, Co Dublin.

PANA support for UN peacekeeping

Roger Cole, chair of PANA/Peace And Neutrality Alliance, has criticised the decision of Minister for Defence, Micheál Martin to withdraw Irish troops from the UN peacekeeping mission on the Golan Heights in order as he suggests to have the capacity to fulfil his commitment to EU Battlegroups 2024/2025: ‘Will the Minister now explain if he has now abandoned the UN peacekeeping strategy to support EU militarisation, with their ever-expanding weapons industries, and their increasing warmongering strategy.’ The United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) was established following the agreed disengagement of the Israeli and Syrian forces on the Golan Heights in May 1974, helping to maintain a separation and peace here. 88 members of the Irish Defence Forces have been killed while serving on overseas missions since 1960. www.pana.ie and don’t miss the March 2023 issue of ‘Irish Foreign Affairs’ online there which looks at non-alignment and Ireland.

Soil, soul, and society at Síolta Chroí

Síolta Chroí in Co Monaghan have an 8 day European training course exploring soil and the interconnectedness with society and inner work from 21^st – 28^th April; it will include participants from Poland and Romania as well as Ireland. The cost is just €50 – 100 but participants must commit to the whole programme. Expressions of interest to https://tinyurl.com/2hwx5mnc and you can contact Síolta Chroí at sioltachroi@gmail.com

Call for urgent action on hate crime

The Coalition Against Hate Crime, which has 23 civil society organisational members, has called on the Government to be ready to implement Hate Crime Legislation – and comprehensive actions to tackle the root causes of hate, in light of a spike in Garda recorded hate crime and incidents with a 29% increase in An Garda Síochána figures of recorded hate crimes and hate-related (non-crime) incidents in 2022. “The Coalition knows that the true number of hate crimes and hate-related incidents in Ireland is far higher as under-reporting is a significant issue.” The Incitement to Violence or Hatred and Hate Offences Bill is currently progressing through the Oireachtas. https://www.iccl.ie/news/hate-crime-coalition-calls-on-government-to-be-ready-to-implement-hate-crime-legislation/

Tools for Solidarity: 4093 hand tools, 283 sewing machines…

….This was part of a shipment of tools which has arrived with TfS’s partners in the Njombe Region of Tanzania. There is more information and news in the March edition of their newsletter. Meanwhile, with Brexit, TfS involvement with the European Solidarity Corps has had to end but a new partnership has opened up with the French Service Civique, and ongoing partnership with Eirene, and Fachstelle Internationale Freiwilligendienste. Full details about the work of Tools for Solidarity, whose main base is in Belfast, at https://www.toolsforsolidarity.com/

Amnesty welcomes review of PSNI strip searching children

Amnesty International has welcomed a Policing Board review of the practice of strip searching children by PSNI; between 2021 and 2022, 53 strip searches were carried out on children. Patrick Corrigan of Amnesty International (AI) said “The use of strip searches on children is a serious violation of their human rights and dignity”. AI has previously called for the practice to be banned. https://www.amnesty.org.uk/issues/Northern-Ireland

Afri on Russia-Ukraine war

Afri issued a statement in mid-March, “This cannot go on” about the war in Ukraine: “The lesson of the Good Friday agreement is that talking succeeds where war fails…..” See https://www.afri.ie/category/this-cannot-go-on/

Troubles in London at Imperial War Museum

The Imperial War Museum in London is organising its first exhibition on the Northern Ireland Troubles which will run from 26^th May until January 2024; entitled Northern Ireland: Living with the Troubles, it will be theme-based rather than chronological. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-65094116                                                                                                                                                                                               NI Good Relations Awards

The Awards presentations to the following people and one group were part of the T:BUC Engagement Forum: Angila Chada – Community Relations Council Exceptional Achievement Award (peace building); Adekanmi Abayomi – Good Relations Volunteer of the Year Award; Aaron Smith – Good Relations Youth Award (Under 25); Nicole Sloan – Good Relations Community Champion Award; Dennett Valley Healthy Network – Good Relations Connecting Communities Project of the Year Award. https://www.community-relations.org.uk/news-centre/good-relations-awards-2023-winners-announced

Israel and Palestine: AI petition, PCI report

On 20^th March, Amnesty International offices around the world, including Ireland,  delivered petitions to Israeli authorities, calling on them to put an end to the demolition of Palestinian homes as a first step towards dismantling apartheid.  Amnesty International’s petition, ”Demolish Apartheid, Not Palestinian Homes”, is addressed to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and has been signed by people in at least 174 countries.   https://www.amnesty.ie/ also has their 2022/3 annual report with its round up on the global state of human rights.

lMeanwhile a report has been published by Pax Christi International, A Testimony of Witness from members of a Pax Christi delegation from six different countries who recently returned from a 10-day peace pilgrimage to the Holy Land. It is available at https://paxchristi.net/2023/03/15/pax-christi-international-publishes-a-testimony-of-witness/

StoP: ‘War is a racket’ leaflet

StoP/Swords to Plougshares Ireland has produced a short leaflet on the war in Ukraine and the contrast with talking which led to the Good Friday Agreement. The ‘War is a racket’ leaflet is available for download at https://innatenonviolence.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Ukraine-leaflet-War-is-a-Racket.pdf with the two sides of the A5 leaflet side by side on A4 to enable back-to-back printing. https://www.swordstoploughshares-ireland.com/

Irish Neutrality League launch

The launch has taken place in Dublin of the Irish Neutrality League (INL), a body with the same name as that set up in 1914. The INL is a civil society campaign to bring pressure on the Irish Government to assert Ireland’s neutrality positively on the world stage, to be a voice for peace and human rights and to oppose wars and militarisation. It has a background with the Irish Anti-War Movement/IAWM but is backed by a wide variety of people and groups including PANA/Peace And Neutrality Alliance and a number of TDs and senators. The INL’s founding statement – which can be seen at https://irishantiwar.org/node/2953 – defines Irish neutrality as non-participation in wars and military alliances, as set out in the 1907 Hague Convention V, and as the positive engagement in the peaceful, non-military resolution of political conflicts (the last in particular being in accord with Article 29 of the Irish Constitution).

The first gathering organised by INL is on ‘How to defend Ireland’s Neutrality?’ and takes place on Saturday 15^th October, 2-5pm, at the Teachers’ Club, 36 Parnell Square, Dublin 1, including workshops and a rally, with a broad range of speakers. Contact via IAWM info@irishantiwar.org or see forthcoming website www.neutrality.ie

Neutrality debate, Dun Laoghaire

The Eblana Club in 3 Eblana Avenue, Dun Laoghaire is holding a debate on; “It’s time we grew up and abandoned Irish neutrality” a quote from the Political Correspondent of the Irish Examiner. Thursday 6^th of October at 7.30pm where Senator Gerald Craughwell and Roger Cole of PANA will debate Irish Neutrality. Info and booking via https://eblanaforum.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Eblana-Winter-Programme-2022-1.pdf For PANA see www.pana.ie

Cork Neutrality League

The war in Ukraine and the consequent erosion of Irish neutrality prompted the founding of the Cork Neutrality League (CNL) in March of this year. The group’s orientation is defined by the maxim “Oppose War, Resist Militarism, Defend Neutrality”. The CNL considers the war in Ukraine to be a proxy war between Russia and NATO and, on that basis, calls for an immediate end to the war and is opposed to the provision of weapons and ammunition to Ukraine by NATO and the EU. The CNL has affiliated to the Peace and Neutrality Alliance and is actively involved in the new Irish Neutrality League. It is anticipated that the government will move to ditch neutrality, possibly by way of a referendum. The CNL, with other groups, is committed to the defence of neutrality and is opposed to the increased militarisation of the Irish government. The CNL can be contacted by email at corkneutralityleague@gmail.com

Military ‘Ecosystem’ arms fair event at Aviva, Dublin

For the second year running, this time as a face-to-face event, there is an arms event taking place at the Aviva Stadium (Lansdowne Road), Dublin on Thursday 6^th October, entitled (incredibly) “Building the Ecosystem: Identifying connections for collaboration in security, defence and dual-use technologies”; Minister for Defence, and Foreign Affairs, Simon Coveney is a keynote speaker. Various peace groups including Afri, StoP and INNATE are organising a picket of the event from 12.30 – 2pm on Thursday 6^th October. Contact Afri for further details, admin@afri.ie or phone 01 8384204.

Herstory: Peace heroines

Herstory, along with the National Museums NI and the Republic’s Department of Foreign Affairs Reconciliation Fund, have created the Peace Heroines education programme, featuring a touring exhibition with portraits of women who have worked for peace in the Northern Ireland context, and youth workshops exploring power. Launched at Stormont, the exhibition is at Glencree Centre, Co Wicklow, to the end of October https://glencree.ie/events/herstory-exhibition/ and a number of locations next year including Derry, Enniskillen and Belfast. See https://www.herstory.ie/peaceheroines and https://sluggerotoole.com/2022/09/29/peace-heroines-spotlight-on-stormont/

Nonviolent struggle in the global South

Taking place on Monday 10^th October in Belfast from 7-9pm as part of the One World Festival, this INNATE workshop will explore nonviolence and nonviolent struggle in the Global South. It will have some input before sharing on nonviolent campaigns in ‘the South’ and possibly looking to see whether characteristics are the same as in ‘the North’. Further information, including about booking, at https://oneworldfestivalni.com/events/nonviolent-struggle-in-the-global-south/ and the full festival programme is at https://oneworldfestivalni.com/ including online events.

The Punter’s Guide to Democracy

“The Punter’s Guide to Democracy – What it is, sadly, and what it could be, gladly” is the latest book to emanate from Peter Emerson of the de Borda Institute http://www.deborda.org/ UnIike so many books on politics, many of which taIk about eIectoraI systems, this one looks at the whole panoply of decision-making voting systems and focuses on inclusive and effective preferentiaI decision-making. The book is aimed at the general public, of all descriptions. 120 pages, Springer, paper back, €28/ £25, also available as an ebook. It will be launched in various places including Dublin on 12^th October and Belfast on 26^th October, see website.

Remembrance: New design white poppies

The Peace Pledge Union in Britain, who produce white poppies as a symbol of remembrance of all those killed in war, opposition to militarism, and a commitment to peace, have a new eco-design. They are fully recyclable though you may want to reuse the safety pin, and produced by a workers’ coop. Usually worn in the period coming up to British Remembrance Day on 11^th November, the white poppy is a peaceful alternative to the red one. Go to https://www.ppu.org.uk/remembrance-white-poppies for more information and orders, including other materials on remembrance. These white poppies are on sale in Derry (Little Acorns Bookshop) and Dublin (Winding Stair Bookshop) and can be ordered by post from PPU via the website; 5 for £5 (plus £3 delivery in UK postal area) or £20 for £25 (plus £3 delivery UK), see website for full details.

VSI/SCI volunteering opportunities, at home and abroad

Voluntary Service International/VSI, the Irish section of SCI/Service Civil International, has a wide variety of volunteering opportunities throughout the year. They have a mainly online Youth for Climate Justice project starting in November for 18 – 25 year olds, apply by 23^rd October. https://www.vsi.ie/ Most short term volunteer projects in Europe take place in the summer but there are others on occasion including year round online projects, and VSI acts as a host/sending agency for the European Solidarity Corps for 18-30 year olds to volunteer at home or abroad for up to a year. See website, address above, for more information.

Poetry for peace and against war

Smashing Times http://www.smashingtimes.ie/ have followed up their call for poetry on peace and anti-war themes with an online hosting of a collection of anti-war poetry in written and video form – and you can still add to the collection. See https://smashingtimes.ie/anti-war-poetry-collection/

FOE Ireland; Energy poverty, ban fossil fuel ads

Friends of the Earth in Ireland has a revamped website at https://www.foe.ie/ where there is much information on their work and campaigns, including work on energy poverty. FOE has welcomed the news that long-awaited planning regulations for solar panels have now been approved by the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing which previously greatly restricted installation in/on schools and homes.They have also been backing an EU-wide campaign to ban fossil fuel related ads https://banfossilfuelads.org/

Challenging the dominant economic paradigm?

This is a new research report, written by Harm-Jan Fricke, from the Centre for Global Education and Financial Justice Ireland looking to determine the extent to which the international development and development education sectors in the island of Ireland are engaging with the dominant economic system, i.e. neoliberalism, and its influence on poverty, inequality and injustice. https://www.centreforglobaleducation.com/ and https://www.financialjustice.ie/ and report available directly at https://tinyurl.com/4rdxm94s

ICCL: Budget disappointment, State of the rule of law

ICCL/Irish Council for Civil Liberties has expressed disappointment that the government has chosen not to invest in areas they identified that would help protect and guarantee human rights in its Budget 2023. While welcoming some developments, Doireann Ansbro of ICCL said they had sought “a modest investment package of €8.6 million covering a range of human rights issues for 2023 and beyond” with e.g. no additional funding for the proposed expansion of the Inspectorate of Places of Detention. Meanwhile, ICCL has a panel discussion on the European Commission’s 2022 Rule of Law Report for Ireland including access to justice, democratic oversight, press freedom and minority rights; it takes place in Dublin on 13^th October from 10am. https://www.iccl.ie/

Feasta events: Emotional support, Phasing out fossil fuels

Upcoming Feasta events include an online event on 6^th October, 7-8.30pm, which will present a proposal by Feasta’s Climate Group for phasing out the extraction of fossil fuels globally while providing significant climate finance to the Global South. On 7^th October from 7-8pm there is an online event on managing the emotional challenge of climate change. And Feasta is involved with a raft of other organisations in an event at Cloughjordan on 11^th October on ‘Democratic, inclusive and creative neighbourhoods’, in person 11am – 5pm with a live podcast 4-5pm. See https://www.feasta.org/ and http://www.cultivate.ie/community-resilience/1337-creat-neighbouthood-22

Mediators’ Institute Ireland: 30^th anniversary conference

The annual conference of MII/Mediators Institute of Ireland takes place at the Clayton Hotel, Cardiff Lane, Dublin 2 on Friday 14^th October. It runs from 9am registration through to an 8pm close after a ‘Happy Birthday MII’ wine reception. The theme is ‘Celebrating professionalism in mediation’ and speakers include Pay Hynes, Mary Connaughton, Judy Beranger, and Judge Rosemary Horgan. The fee is €135 including lunch and evening reception. More details at https://www.themii.ie/ and go to ‘Events’.

Chernobyl Children International work in Ukraine

CCI’s Cardiac Missions have traditionally been based in Kharkiv, however the teams have been chased by war from East to West and have needed to relocate to Lviv, which is the only safe place left where CCI can operate on the children. CCI will be sending another cardiac mission in December this year, in time for Christmas, as well as provide humanitarian aid to families and communities in the Ivankiv region north of Kyiv, and within the Chernobyl zone. https://www.chernobyl-international.com/

Preventing abuse and violence against children and youth
While the Women’s World Summit Foundation – WWSF – resource on this topic is written in a world rather than a local context, these is a large amount of information and ideas in their resource kit for their 19 Days of Activism (1-19 November) on this huge area of concern. https://woman.us18.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2771949988f4f7f4fd1e99847&id=229bdf74c1&e=8bfbb29425 and https://www.woman.ch/

Conflict Textiles exhibitions

Current or close events and exhibitions Conflict Textiles are involved in include State of the Art: Transformative Memories in Political Violence: Interrogating the role of the Arts in Conflict hosted by Smashing Times International Centre for The Arts and Equality in Dublin in October, and Threads for Corporate Justice, the launch of a new banner facilitated by Conflict Textiles as part of programme which was initiated by Trócaire to raise awareness of their corporate accountability campaign with a launch in Belfast on 11^th October. See https://cain.ulster.ac.uk/conflicttextiles/ for full details.