May Meeting - Coventry Green Party

Our next meeting is this Tuesday, the 12th of May, at 730pm, at the Cheylesmore Community Centre. Our guest speaker is Ann Farr, who is a member of Pax Christi, and she recently returned from a post-Gaza-war trip to Palestine. The Cheylesmore Community Centre is at the corner of Portsea Close, Arundel Road and Poiters Road in Cheylesmore.

"After The Gaza War - Is Peace Possible"

This is on Thursday night (refreshments from 630pm, event from 7pm to 915pm) at the Methodist Central Hall here in Coventry. It will be a talk and discussion by the co-directors of Jerusalem Peacemakers ... on the impact of the Gaza war on the region, renewed efforts for peace building, and what we can do to help.

Eliyahu McLean (Jewish) and Sheikh Abdul Aziz Bukhari (Sufi Muslim) are dedicated to building bridges at grassroots level, and do vital work bringing together people from all faiths and communities within Israel and Palestine to promote dialogue, understanding and reconciliation. They both live in Jerusalem, and Sheikh Bukhari has extensive family and community connections in Gaza.

If you have any queries about the event, you can contact the local organiser: Barbara Payman, on 07866 159675, on email at coventryforpeace@hotmail.co.uk.

Bits And Bobs

- The Refugee Council, the TUC, STAR (Student Action for Refugees), and other organisations are calling for the government to allow asylum seekers to work. This would help intergration, reskill refugees to offer a better future, and combat destitution. As well, the Coventry Refugee Centre is thinking of bringing this project to Coventry. Currently, the only overnight housing for destitute refugees and asylum seekers is at the Peace House's night shelter.

- A street in Birmingham (Green Lane in Great Barr) has cut its energy consumption by 20% (an average of £200 in bills per household). Caroline Handley told BRMB radio: "It was a bit difficult because a lot of it is behavioural changes and then suddenly you're thinking I can leave this on, I can't leave that on. But over the 12 months gradually you just do things without thinking now."

- Gordon Brown giving a speech to a joint session of Congress ... bless. Enjoy it whilst it lasts, Gordon, since the centre of power in the world economy is moving to India, Korea, China, Japan, Singapore, and Indonesia. Steve Bell is skeptical about the UK closing its own tax havens, but when you're redrawing the rules, it's "the perfect time to build important [arms control] nonproliferation goals into the world’s banking system."

A few other things to read:

- Saudi Arabia's oil production peaked in 2005.
- Libby Brookes on the 100th anniversary of the war on drugs
- A fifth anniversary next week
- PeaceJam is this weekend in Bradford
- A victory for Tesco over competition and market share
- The TUC has a new pamphlet out: Unlocking Green Enterprise

Photos From "Candles For Peace"

Candles For Peace - Sat 14th February

Saturday 14th February is Palestinian Friendship Day.

People in Coventry, Palestine, Israel and worldwide will be lighting candles for peace in their homes, and in larger gatherings. This collective action is inspired by a Palestinian woman living in Coventry, Manal Timraz, who lost 15 relatives (11 of them children) in the recent air-strikes on Gaza. In response, Manal launched her One Million Candles campaign for peace, security and freedom for all humanity.

In 2009, the 14th February is a day for all peoples to join in friendship and solidarity as one voice, lighting candles for peace in our world.

People will gather to light candles from 530 to 630pm on the Coventry Council House steps.

Bring a "Peace Placard" with the name of your family or group (no war / atrocities banners today thanks!) or just come! Candles provided!

For more information, conctact Barbara Payman, bponemillioncandles@hotmail.co.uk, 07866 159675.

US Research At Aldermaston

The US Congress stops funding of the "Reliable Replacement Warhead" ... so what does the Pentagon do? Conduct the research in Britain.

It's the natural result of the Atomic Weapons Establishment being managed by three private companies, two of which (Lockheed Martin, Jacobs Engineering) are American. As well, this kind of British-US joint research into nuclear warheads has been going on for years.

Kate Hudson, of CND: "Any work preparing the way for new warheads cuts right across the UK's commitment to disarm, which it signed up to in the nuclear non-proliferation treaty. That this work may be contributing to both future US and British warheads is nothing short of scandalous."

Also read: The Future of the UK’s Strategic Nuclear Deterrent: the Strategic Context (House of Commons Defence Committee, 2005/6)

Coventry And Dresden ... Over Twitter

The Green group on Dresden City Council started to "follow" me on Twitter yesterday. I answered back: "Freundliche Grüße zu meinen Kollegen in Dresden!" They responded saying that "it's fine to get in contact to the Greens of a city with such fateful relationship to Dresden." I've twittered back about peace groups in Coventry. This is what "web 2.0" is about ... 15 years ago, I just wouldn't have thought one day, hey, I'll pick up the phone and call the Dresden Green Party. If you're interested, you can find their Twitter account here, and their local website here. My German is horribly rusty, but I think their last two press releases are on tenants threatened by urban redevelopment, and 13 old chestnut trees being cut down beside the State Chancellery building.

Roy Magee - 1930-2009

I've read on BBC news that Roy Magee has died. He was a Presbyterian minister in Belfast who helped to broker the 1994 ceasefire of Northern Ireland's loyalist paramilitaries. Magee said that he first made "loose" friendships and contacts in the early 1970s with people who became key figures in the Combined Loyalist Military Command. Money goes into war-making or short-term efforts at peacekeeping. Instead, we need to invest more in long-term peace building. If we want (domestically) stronger communities and less gangs, or if we want (externally) defused tensions in the Middle East, Africa, Pakistan, and Kashmir, it's not an overnight process.

How Can BBC And Sky Sleep At Night?

Tony Benn Vs The BBC - The DEC Appeal

DIME Weapons Used In Gaza?

At a time when the BBC is refusing to air a Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) appeal for aid to go to Gaza, Al-Jazeera is reporting on the possible use of DIME weapons by Israel.

DIME stands for Dense Inert Metal Explosives. DIME munitions were developed by the U.S. Naval Surface Warfare Center in Dahlgren, Virginia. DIME weapons were tested at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida. There were reports that Israel was using them against the Palestinians in the summer of 2006.

When detonated, DIME devices use tungsten dust. It burns and destroys everything within a four-metre radius. Abdominal injuries that seem minor degenerate within hours. Victims have multi-organ failture. Pressure waves from DIME weapons move from the ground upwards, causing huge injuries to the lower part of the body and abdomen.

Dr. Erik Fosse, a physician with the Norwegian Aid Committee who worked in Gaza hospitals during the conflict, told the Independent that he saw a number of patients in Gaza with unusual lower-body injuries:

"It was as if they had stepped on a mine, but there was no shrapnel in the wounds," he said. "Some had lost their legs. It looked as though they had been sliced off. I have been to war zones for 30 years, but I have never seen such injuries before."

Just like depleted uranium and cluster bombs, there will be a long term cost to the use of DIME.

A 2005 study (in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives) showed that tungsten alloy presents a serious cancer risk for anyone exposed to it in the form of embedded shrapnel.

Rats implanted with tungsten alloy developed extremely aggressive tumors within 4-5 months after implantation. The rats also started producing too many red blood cells, as early as a month after implantation. Even the low-dose rats had a 100% tumour rate.

Palestinian civilians aren't rats, but they are being used as test subjects for new forms of anti-insurgency weaponry.

Where White Phosphorous Shells Get Made

Local Events On Gaza

There are a number of local events taking place on the continuing situation in Gaza.

- The Coventry Stop the War Coalition will hold a public meeting tonight, at 730pm, in Studio One, Coventry Sports Centre, Fairfax Street (on the 2nd floor). Speakers include: Lindsey German (National Convenor, Stop the War Coalition), Caroline Johnson (Birmingham Ramallah Twinning Initiative), Amre Bone (Coventry City Circle), Mary Simpson (Coventry Trades Council), and Manal Timraz (Habibi Restaurant, who has lost 15 members of her family to the Israeli bombs).

- This Saturday, there will be a Stand up to Hatred walk, starting at 1pm at the Belgrade Theatre, marching to the Cathedral ruins. Coventry Stop the War supporters are planning to take part in this walk wearing T-shirts highlighting the killing of innocent women and children in Gaza.

- Also on Saturday, there will be a humanitarian event organised by United Muslims of Coventry. This will take place at the Muslim Resource Centre, Red Lane, from 1.30-5.30. There will be food, auctions, stalls, speakers and much more. It aims to raise money for humanitarian relief for the survivors of the assault on Gaza.

In addition to the local events, there will be another national demonstration on Saturday, marching from the BBC at Portland Place (just north of Oxford Circus) to Trafalgar Square. Coaches will leave from Coventry at 1030am, from the Pool Meadow baths on Fairfax Street. The cost is £10 (£5 unwaged), and you can contact Andy, from Stop the War, if you want seats, 07732 030231.

Also watch: Children speak out on the Middle East (BBC Newsround)

A Peace Stimulus For Gaza

Daniel Noah Moses and Aaron Shneyer, Christian Science Monitor:

"Israelis and Palestinians have a choice. They can continue business as usual: violence, separation, hatred, and fear. Or they can recognize that they must look for mutually beneficial ways to share their small corner of the world. People-to-people diplomacy works on the assumption that if Israelis and Palestinians connect at a human level, they will build compassion and trust. They will change public opinion. Painfully, slowly, they will create cross-border movements to transform the cultural and political reality on the ground."

"Leading up to the Good Friday agreements in Northern Ireland in 1998, at least $650 million in mostly government funds was spent over five years to bring Catholics and Protestants together. This people-to-people diplomacy touched at least one-sixth of the population (250,000 people). There are nearly 12 million people within the borders of Israel and the Palestinian territories. To reach roughly the same proportion of people there as in Northern Ireland, let's assume we need to spend at least the same amount per capita. This would be about $5 billion over the course of five years – $1 billion a year."

"This is pocket change. The war in Iraq has cost the American government almost $600 billion so far. The United States gives more than $2 billion annually to Israel for military aid. Why not invest close to that amount in peace – $2 billion a year over the course of five years, just $10 billion for the first phase of a peace-building initiative worth its salt."

Martti Ahtisaari's Nobel Peace Prize Lecture

Given in Oslo, this past Wednesday, from Nobelprize.org:

"Wars and conflicts are not inevitable. They are caused by human beings. There are always interests that are furthered by war. Therefore those who have power and influence can also stop them."

"All conflicts can be settled, and there are no excuses for allowing them to become eternal. It is simply intolerable that violent conflicts defy resolution for decades causing immeasurable human suffering, and preventing economic and social development"

"In a conflict, one party can always claim victory, but building peace must involve everybody: the weak and the powerful, the victors and the vanquished, men and women, young and old. However, peace negotiations are often conducted by a small elite. In the future, we must be better able to achieve a broader participation in peace processes. Particularly, there is a need to ensure the engagement of women in all stages of a peace process."

US Weapons At War 2008

This is an annual report, co-authored by William Hartung and Frida Berrigan, of the New America Foundation.

Hartung and Berrigan are calling on Barack Obama, and the next US Congress, to endorse/ratify treaties on landmines and cluster munititions, and to develop a new arms transfer policy that includes human rights and nonproliferation objectives.

Some choice facts:

- The United States accounts for 45% of all weapons transferred globally in 2007.

- During 2006 and 2007, the United States provided weapons and military training to over 174 states and territories, up from 123 states and territories in 2001.

- Of the 27 major conflicts under way during 2006/07, 20 involved one or more parties that had received arms and training from the United States.

The Oslo Treaty On Cluster Bombs

Over 100 countries are signing an international treaty today to ban cluster bombs. Progress, slow but sure.

Attacks In Mumbai

I find it astonishing that the BBC News (Radio 4) didn't have the Mumbai terror attacks as their lead story at 730am today. Especially when it's still going on.

What's also depressing is that there has been a series of explosions (64 killed a month ago in Assam, 22 small bombs killed 49 in Ahmedabad in July; 63 killed in bombs in Jaipur in May), but it only gains world attention when terrorists single out Americans and British people in Mumbai.

Norway Tops For Gender Equality

Norway is #1 this year, but Norway, Sweden and Finland are the only countries who have been in the top 3 for 3 years running.

The UK has gone from 9th (2006) to 11th (2007) to 13th (2008).

The US has been 23rd, 31st and 26th over the three years. When you look at women and "political empowerment," the US was only in 56th place. Norway is also rated as the most peaceful nation in the world, unlike the US, which remains the only country to use nuclear weapons in warfare.

The Crisis In The DR Congo