Latest FoR Email News
FoR Email News September 2007
1) Support Nonviolence in Burma
2) Transforming Conflict - Peace by Peace: FoR Youth Conference
3) Peace Runner Completes Half-Marathon
4) Peace Walk on 6th Anniversary of Afghanistan War
……. and finally!
1) Support Nonviolence in Burma
Over the last week we have seen an extraordinary series of marches and vigils in Burma (Myanmar) led by Buddhist monks, who are esteemed within the deeply religious country. The monks are protesting a series of recent economic changes being implemented by the powerful and authoritarian military government, but their efforts have much broader political ramifications as witnessed by the marchers visiting the home of Aung San Suu Kyi.
In response to a discreet invitation, an FOR member from the US travelled to Burma this month to lead covert nonviolence workshops. In a message to FOR yesterday, the individual reflected, "My invitation came from Burmese who believe that their country may be at a critical, hopeful, historic moment. They want to study nonviolence and learn about the nonviolent movements of the past century." To some, the examples of other such movements of the past quarter-century, such as the Philippines, Poland, and South Africa, provide inspiration at this significant time.
The Buddhist Peace Fellowship have created a special Burma section on their website which has two suggestions for action:
1) Sign the global petition to garner support for the Holy Sangha. Please go to the petition and follow the instructions given. This page also includes address information for the Myanmar (Burmese) Embassy in a number of countries.
2) Light a candle and place it in your window every night this week, along with this sign in support of the nonviolent protest. And please spread the word.
And of course we need to continue to pray for the people of Burma that their brave stand for peace and freedom will prevail.
Please also note that there is a Amnesty Internaional organisted demonstration outside the Burmese Embassy in London every day from 12-1pm
Embassy of the Union of Myanmar
19 a Charles Street
London W1J 5DX
Nearest tube Green Park
2) Transforming Conflict - Peace by Peace: FoR Youth Conference
FoR's youth conference this autumn will explore conflict transformation in a personal and international context. The residential weekend conference will provide expert speakers, in-depth workshops and training. Confirmed speakers included Revd Ray Gaston from Bradford and Jacinta de Paor from the Glencree Centre for Peace and Reconciliation. The conference is for 18 to 30 (ish) year olds who want to be challenged, gain practical skills and meet others who share their concern for peace and conflict issues. The conference is being held in Derbyshire over the weekend of 26th to 28th October. For more details and to download a flier and booking form see the FoR Youth Conference page.
3) Peace Runner Completes Half-Marathon
Peace runner Virginia Moffatt, wife of FoR Director Chris Cole, completed the New Forest half-marathon this month raising several hundred pounds for FoR's International Peacemakers Fund which supports grassroots peacemaking in areas of conflict. There is still time to make a donation via our website (see http://www.for.org.uk/peacerunner) or simply send a cheque to the FoR Office.
4) Peace Walk on 6th Anniversary of Afghanistan War
Several organisations including Christian Peacemaker Teams, the London Catholic Worker, the Oxford Catholic Worker and Voices UK are organising a peace walk on the sixth anniversary of the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan, Sunday 7th October. The peace walk starts from Saint Ethelburga's Centre for Reconciliation and Peace, 78 Bishopsgate, EC2N 4AG (tubes: Bank, Liverpool St) at 10.00am and participants are requested to wear black or white if possible. The walk, with leaflets and sandwich boards, will take in a number of locations connected with the war in Afghanistan
According to the UN mission in Afghanistan, more Afghan civilians have died at the hands of US/NATO forces in the first six months of this year than were killed by the Taliban. In one single incident this June, 25 civilians - including nine women and three young children - were killed by a bombing raid called in by British forces, one of just hundreds of such airstrikes in recent months
For more details contact 0845 458 2564 or see www.voicesuk.org.
……. and finally!
War Prevention works - Now available online! About five years ago the Oxford Research Group (ORG) published a wonderful book of 50 short accounts from around the world of what ordinary people are doing to stop war - armed only with integrity, stamina and courage. From community level violence to inter-state wars and from 1946 to the present day, the stories highlight the tools and techniques used by ordinary people, NGOs, church groups and many others to help resolve conflicts around the world. Each story includes maps, facts and figures relating to the conflict. The good news is that ORG have now made the book available online - highly recommended! http://www.oxfordresearchgroup.org.uk/publications/books/wpw.php
FoR Email News – April 2007
1) Coming Events
2) Daily Telegraph Poll Reveals Public Appetite for Peace
3) FoR International Peacemakers Fund Awards New Grants
4) Speaking Truth to Power: BAE System AGM
…. and finally!
1) Coming Events
FoR Annual Council
FoR’s Annual Council will take place this year on Saturday 28th April at St Ethelburga's Peace and Reconciliation Centre in central London from 11am – 4pm (tea & coffee available from 10.30am). We are delighted that Jan Schaake the newly elected President of International FoR will be our keynote speaker. For more details and directions to St Ethelburga’s please see www.for.org.uk/council
Building Bridges-Breaking Boundaries Youth Conference
FoR and Action Reconciliation Service for Peace (ARSP) are holding a joint weekend seminar for young people (18-30ish) from 18th to 20th May. Offering an opportunity to join an international community of young peacemakers, the weekend seminar will explore the different ways we can learn about, understand and help build relationships between different cultures and communities. Sessions on interfaith dialogue, mediation skills, and creative workshops are planned. The seminar will be in Northampton and will cost £40. More information is available here or contact Martha Beale on Martha@for.org.uk or 01865 748796.
Called to Be Peacemakers – Who Us?
FoR along with Pax Christi are supporting the 29th National Justice and Peace Conference which is taking place over the weekend of 20th – 22nd July 2007. The conference, attended each year by around 350 adults and some 50 children, is held at the Hayes Conference Centre in Derbyshire and is this year exploring the Christian vocation to peacemaking. Keynote speakers are US activist and author, Fr John Dear SJ and Palestinian peacemaker Zoughbi Zoughbi. For more details and a booking from see Called to be Peacemakers Conference our website.
2) Daily Telegraph Poll Reveals Public Appetite for Peace
A poll undertaken by YouGov for the Daily Telegraph reveals a surprisingly anti-military and pro-peace position by the British public. Asked ‘What do you think Britain’s military role in the world should be’ only a tiny 7% thought that we should try to expand our influence if necessary by increasing military spending’ whilst 65% thought ‘we should reduce our commitments, spend less and not seek to have as much military influence in the world’.
Asked about military interventions overseas, over 70% of respondents thought that the UK should be reluctant to become involved in any foreign conflicts unless it is absolutely clear that it is in Britain’s interests to do so. Perhaps most surprisingly there is a clear majority in favour of bringing British troops home ‘more or less immediately’ from Iraq and Afghanistan.
Amongst several other interesting questions the poll asks if it would be good for young people if National Service were reintroduced. Whilst 52% thought this was a good idea, asked if they would like their own son or daughter to go into the armed forces 69% were against the idea of a son going into the armed forces and 75% were against the idea of a daughter going into the armed forces.
To see Daily Telegraph article click here
To see the full poll results click Telegraph YouGov poll: click to open PDF
3) FoR International Peacemakers Fund Awards Grants for work in Sudan and Palestine
FoR’s International Peacemaker Fund provides essential financial support to small local groups working in areas or regions of conflict who are trying to build peace and reconciliation. Often local people are already working very hard to build peace in their community and they simply need our support. This month FoR has made grants to two projects, one in Southern Sudan and one in Palestine.
In Sudan the money will be used for a trauma healing and conflict transformation project in the Yei District. The grant to Wi’am in Palestine will train young people in nonviolent communication and conflict transformation skills.
If you would like to make a donation to FoR’s International Peacemakers Fund please see our website www.for.org.uk/ipf. Remember, because all the administration costs of the IPF are covered by a grant, every penny you donate to the IPF will go directly to peace groups working in areas of conflict.
4) Speaking Truth to Power: BAE Systems AGM
Europe’s largest arms company, BAE Systems has again been caught spying on peace campaigners (see BAE Paid Agency To Spy on Peace Group). BAE has previously been caught spying on CAAT and other peace groups. In 2003 it was revealed that BAE sent a spy to an FoR youth Conference in the 1990s.
FoR is one of a number of NGO’s that has called on the Prime Minister to reverse his decision to drop the Serious Fraud Office corruption enquiry into a BAE Systems arms deal with Saudi Arabia. BAE Systems are holding their Annual General Meeting on Wednesday 9th May in central London. Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT) and others will be attending the AGM to call BAE to account for its arms dealing, corruption and spying. For more details see CAAT’s Control BAE website
.........And finally!
Civilians without protection – The ever-worsening crisis in Iraq
A new report from The International Committee of the Red Cross shows that the situation for ordinary Iraqis is getting steadily worse and that the conflict is causing “immense sufferingâ€. Whilst it is hard for us all to face up to the reality of violence around the world, we do need to be reminded of the cost of war and militarism and I can recommend this short report. The Red Cross make clear that humanitarian aid is not enough to address the disaster in Iraq. FoR continues to call for the withdrawal of British and American forces from Iraq. To read the report click here
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FoR Email News – March 2007
1) All-Faiths Vigil against replacement of Trident
2) 10,000 Call for Closure of DESO
3) Norman Kember Book to be published
4) FoR Supports Peaceschool
And finally…..
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1) All-Faiths Vigil against the replacement of Trident
On Wednesday 14th March an all-faiths prayer silent prayer vigil is being held to protest against the governments plans to replace Trident. The vigil will take place in Parliament Square opposite Westminster Abbey (NOT in Westminster Abbey as previously advertised) from 5pm -6pm. The vigil is supported by the Anglican Pacifist Fellowship; Christian CND, Fellowship of Reconciliation, Pax Christi and Quaker Peace and Social Witness. Please bring banners and placards. The vigil will be followed by a rally organised by CND in Parliament Square. For details of events on Trident Vote day see: www.tridentvoteday.org.uk.
2) 10,000 Call for the Closure of DESO
As part of FoR’s ‘Living by the Sword’ campaign, FoR and CAAT handed in a petition calling for the closure of DESO signed by over 10,000 people to The Treasury on March 7th. Earlier about 40 people from the two organisations vigiled outside DESO’s annual ‘symposium’ held at the Queen Elisabeth II Centre in central London before marching to the Treasury. The petition is being sent to Stephen Timms, Chief Secretary to the Treasury as he is overseeing the Comprehensive Spending Review. The future of DESO is being examined this spring as part of the Comprehensive Spending Review. For more details, photos and reports of the event please click here.
3) ‘Hostage in Iraq’ to be published
FoR Trustee, Norman Kember, who was held hostage in Iraq for four months as part of a Christina Peacemkaer Teams (CPT) delegation is to publish a book about the experience. Hostage in Iraq will be published by DLT in mid-March and Norman will be speaking at the Oxford Literary Festival as well as other events as part of a publicity tour. An interview with Norman and Pat appeared in The Guardian this weekend.
To order Norman Kember's book through Ekklesisa click here .
On 23rd March, a year to the day after the release of Norman Kember and his two fellow captives we will return to our vigiling point in the Trafalgar Square (opposite St Martin-in the Fields, outside the National Gallery) to remember Tom Fox and pray for the thousands who are held captive in Iraq. From Noon - 1.30pm. For more details contact FoR on 01865 748796
4) FoR Supports Peaceschool
For the second year running, FoR has made a grant to Peace School to enable it to develop its innovate work. Peace School is a year long programme exploring what it means to be a peacemaker in every area of life; local and global.
Peace School runs over a year, and is designed for people to participate in alongside their everyday lives. The community of learning meets for an initial nine day summer school followed by three residential weekends throughout the year. The community of learning continues throughout the year through web-based activities and individual exercises. For more details see www.peaceschool.org.uk
….. and finally
A delegation from the US branch of FoR is currently in Iran. The interfaith peacemaking delegation is seeking nonviolent resolution to the growing political conflict between the U.S. and Iran. Just a few days before the delegation left, nine Iranian women Iranian scholars, researchers, journalists, and foreign ministry staff were denied U.S. visas to join thousands of other international women at the 51st U.N. Commission on the Status of Women conference in Manhattan. Leila Zand, said in her first report said "We are very grateful that the Iranian government did not rescind our visas, despite this unfortunate decision by the U.S. government," Zand said. "We have been warmly welcomed by both ordinary Iranians as well as governmental and non-governmental leaders."
To read the report and find out other information about the delegation, plese click here.
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FoR Email News: January 2007
1) FoR launches new website
2) Free Build Peace poster!
3) FoR Annual Council
4) 2009: The International Year of Reconciliation
.... and finally!
1) FoR Website Revamped
FoR’s website (www.for.org.uk) has had a complete overhaul and as you will see is now not only much clearer and accessible but is also bursting with resources and information! New sections include Ten Top Ways to Work for Peace Today; Peacemaking Questions and Answers (send in your questions now!) and the Young Peacemakers Network. The website also has details of our current campaigns; forthcoming events and the work of the International Peacemakers Fund. Visit now, visit often!
2) Free Build Peace poster
FoR in conjunction with QPSW have produced a new poster based on our Build Peace project. The poster, which can which be viewed here, encourages people to think about what we can all do to build peace in our world. Why not put it up in your church, school, office etc. We are offering a free copy of the poster to everyone our Email News list. If you would like a copy simply email us (office@for.org.uk) your name and address with ‘Build Peace poster in subject line.
3) FoR Annual Council
FoR’s Annual Council will take place this year on Saturday 28th April. Although this is some time away we wanted to let people know in order to get the date in your diaries. The Annual Council will take place at St Ethelburga’s Peace and Reconciliation Centre in central London and we are delighted that Jan Schaake the newly elected President of International FoR will be our keynote speaker. More details will be available in the future. See www.for.org.uk/council
4) 2009: The International Year of Reconciliation
The United Nations has recently agreed that 2009 will be the international Year of Reconciliation. Nicaragua introduced the resolution (A/61/L.22) saying that the Year was a vehicle for creating a fraternal human society, based on values such as truth and justice. The representative from Nicaragua went on to say that “there was no true human culture as long as war was considered an acceptable way of dealing with problems†and that “reconciliation between those estranged by conflicts was the only way to confront today’s challenges and the process and practice of reconciliation must be promoted by States; between men and women, nature and humanity, and wherever fraternity and justice were absent from human relations. The resolution was accepted and FoR will be developing work around the International Year of Reconciliation as we build towards 2009.
….and finally
How Many Deaths In Iraq Before US Churches Say Enough? As reports suggest that President Bush could order up to 20,000 more troops to Iraq, a passionate editorial from American Baptist leader Robert Parnham argues that The war in Iraq is the pre-eminent moral issue of our time.
FoR Email News – November 2006
1) Job Vacancy at FoR
2) DESO Campaign Update
3) Successful FoR Youth Conference
4) Norman Kember Lecture in Oxford
and finally.....
1) Job Vacancy at FoR: International Projects Officer
FoR is currently seeking to recruit a part-time International Projects Officer as part of our Peace by Peace project which is based in our new offices in Oxford. The International Projects Officer is responsible for the development, co-ordination and implementation of fundraising for FoR’s International Fund which is used to support innovative and effective projects to build peace and reconciliation in countries and regions affected by conflict. Further details can be found at www.for.org.uk/jobs. The closing date for applications is Monday 20th November.
2) ‘Living by the Sword’ Campaign Update
As part of our Living by the Sword campaign, FoR co-ordinated a joint statement by thirty UK Church leaders calling for the closure of the Defence Export Services Organisation (DESO). Two Presidents, fourteen Bishops and a Nobel Prize winner are among the leading church figures from the Anglican, Methodist, Baptist, Roman Catholic and United Reformed Church who have joined the Fellowship of Reconciliation’s ‘Stop Living by the Sword’ Campaign. A letter to the national press was published in The Guardian.
FoR also co-sponsored a very successful DESO Day of Action of action along with CAAT, Pax Christi and other groups. The day began with prayers outside DESO’s offices, followed by a rally at Bloomsbury Baptist Church. Lunchtime saw over 250 people encircle the DESO building in a human chain, with Mark Thomas and Norman Kember speaking to the assembly. Later many people took part in a street poll asking members of public questions about DESO which was followed by a lobby of Parliament on the issue in the afternoon.
FoR are continuing to collect signatures on a petition to close DESO which should be returned by the end of the year. For more details see www.for.org.uk
3) FoR Youth Conference Fully Booked
FoR’s second ‘Call to be Peacemakers’ Youth conference took place over the past weekend and was extremely successful. The conference, which was fully booked, looked at the role of religion in contemporary conflicts and asked whether it was a ‘catalyst or cure’? A full report on the conference will be available soon on our website.
4) Norman Kember Speaking in Oxford
Peace campaigner and ex-Iraqi hostage Professor Norman Kember will be speaking at the Oxford Centre for Christianity and Culture in a lecture jointly sponsored by the Fellowship of Reconciliation. The lecture will take place on Tuesday 14th November at 5pm at Regents Park College, Pusey Street, oxford, OX1 2LB. For more details see www.rpc.ox.ac.uk/ccc/lectures-mt06.htm
and finally....
A couple of years ago a US Department of Defence report entitled 'Vision 2020' setting out the Pentagon's military strategy for the next 20 years raised eyebrows and led to masses of column inches of commentary and discussion. Last month the European equivalent was published to almost total silence. The report, approved by European Defence Ministers, and entitled 'An Initial Long-Term Vision for European Defence Capability and Capacity Needs' suggests that a 'cautious' public will be less likely to support 'interventionary expeditions' and that "military operations will be subject to ever-increasing scrutiny by elected officials, media and populations." It goes on to say that partly because of this scepticism and partly due to economic reasons the pool of people willing to join the military will shrink and there will be a need to "outsource" (i.e mercenaries) and use technology ("robots").
For more details see Robots and media scrutiny to shape EU military future
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Please do feel free to pass this message on to anyone you think might find it of interest.
FoR Email News is sent out about once a month.
To receive FoR Email news, please sign up on our website: www.for.org.uk
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