PRC-UTE
8th September 2004, 05:34
The Plough
Volume 2, Number 3
5 September 2004
E-Mail Newsletter of the Irish Republican Socialist Party
1. Editorial: Murder Attempt on Ardoyne Catholics
2. Human Rights for Palestinian Prisoners
3. Loyalist Attack on 32º North Public Bar
4. What's On
*******
EDITORIAL: MURDER ATTEMPT ON ARDOYNE CATHOLICS
An attempt to massacre the customers in the 32 Degrees North Pub, on
the front of the Crumlin Road, at Ardoyne, Belfast took place in the
early hours of Friday morning September the 3rd. A digger was taken
from a building site on Twaddell Avenue, on the loyalist side of the
Crumlin Road and driven straight into the pub causing damage and
starting a fire. The UDA took the forklift from a site where shall we
say the UDA have "influence." They managed to pull steel sheets off
the front of the forklift to get access to the cab.
Windows were smashed and some structural damage was caused to the
building when the telescopic forklift hit the pub. The loyalist
attackers, supporters and members of the UDA, then threw four petrol
bombs into the pub. Fortunately no one inside the pub was injured.
That this was a well organised plan to cause as much death and damage
as possibly can be seen by the immediate gathering of a large
loyalist crowd in Twaddell Avenue who began to attack the bar with
stones and missiles.
When the RUC/PSNI came along and surveyed the damage their only
quotable comment was "A motive for the attack is not clear."
Yes indeed the more things change the more they are the same. The
refusal by both the RUC/PSNI and the Housing Executive to recognise
sectarian attacks for what they are is astounding. Attacks on
Catholic residents in Torrens by loyalist thugs was put down as
community violence thereby depriving the Catholics involved of the
opportunity of compensation for sectarian harassment. Yet the Housing
Executive were able to re-house 12 Protestant families last week
from the Torrens estate immediately because of alleged attacks from
republican elements. Indeed this was the justification used by the
Red Hand Commandos, a cover name for the UDA, for the attack on the
bar. After the attack Nelson McCausland, a sectarian bigot and member
of the DUP and councillor for the area called not for the prosecution
of the attackers but for the demolition of the pub. And Sinn Fein
wants to go into government with the DUP?
In recent weeks there have been a series of attacks by the UDA in the
greater Belfast area. Members and supporters of the Republican
Socialist Movement have received death threats. The UVF magazine
Combat has published pictures of our members in Ardoyne with their
faces circled as if a target. The same UVF also openly carried guns
on the Shankill in June as their own paper confirms. Loyalists have
attacked Catholic homes in Craigavon.
The Republican Socialist Movement has come under a lot of pressure to
respond to these events. Naturally the IRSP has urged caution. Over
the past number of months we have been working along with others to
ensure that interface areas did not explode in a orgy of violence. We
have taken risks in reaching out. As socialists we wish for the unity
of all sections of the working class but as republicans and as
revolutionaries we can not just sit by while a low level war of
attrition continues against our fellow workers. Patience is a virtue
but is not inexhaustible.
*******
HUMAN RIGHTS FOR PALESTINIAN PRISONERS
I want you to take a minute and put your mind on the latest
occurrences in Israeli prisons. On Sunday, August 15th, 3,500
Palestinian prisoners in 4 different Israeli facilities launched an
open-ended hunger strike in protest of the inhumane conditions they
are being held in. Until today (August 23rd) they managed to endure
the hunger strike although facing severe punishment and torture by
the Israeli prison personnel. The number of prisoners denying their
food rose to 7500 yet and more are to join the strike accompanied by
demonstrations in various Palestinian cities.
All the prisoners' demands are quite easy to be met and are
exclusively demands to improve inhumane conditions, apply human
rights and to stop methods of humiliation and torture by the prison
staff like severe or arbitrary beating. The prisoners also demand to
allow relatives to visit; installation of a public phone in the
prisons, to stop forced stripping, surprise midnight searches,
extended solitary confinements and harassment of visitors. They also
consider the medical negligence and the unsanitary surroundings
intolerable.
The claims of Israeli officials that the hunger strike threatens
their security are ridiculous and misleading. All the prisoners ask
for is to improve the conditions in the prisons, but the Israelis
remain unwilling to give in to the demands. The Israeli Public
Security Minister Tzachi Hanegbi was cited he would rather "let them
starve to death."
All the striking prisoners imposed the asceticism on themselves to
live only on fluids and salt. Israel applied draconian punishments in
reaction to the hunger strike. The water supply was cut and all the
salt was taken away. For the prisoners there is no possibility to
wash and there is drinking water only once in 3 days, which is now
the only thing they have left to live on. Also radios, pens,
newspapers, cigarettes and even personal items were confiscated. The
incidents of torture (like indiscriminate beating) increased since
the launch of the strike. All the family visits were banned and in
some prisons the prisoners' clothes were taken away.
You can contribute to the cause of human rights for Palestinian
prisoners just by forwarding this message to everybody you know to
help spread the word about some of the uncountable crimes committed
on the Palestinian people. Forwarding this message will actually make
a contribution because way too few people, especially outside of
Palestine, know about the torture Palestinian prisoners go through
every day.
Palestinian Centre for Human Rights
*******
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
3 September 2004
Irish Republican Socialist Party
Loyalist Attack on 32º North Public Bar
The IRSP wish to place on record their disgust at the recent attack
carried out by loyalists on the 32º North bar in the early hours
of Friday, 3 September 2004.
IRSP spokesperson for the area, Charlie Clarke, stated: "It is with
sheer and utter revulsion that I witness this attack carried out by
the hands of loyalists. The very fact that there were people from
this area still in the premises when this diabolical act of lunacy
was carried out clearly shows the utter contempt and ingrown
sectarianism that these disciples of evil have for the decent people
of this community.
"The people of Ardoyne have suffered for thirty years at the hands of
these death squads, who were facilitated and aided by the state and
their security forces. I seriously call into question the
accountability of the PSNI, thirty years on, when a mob of fifty or
so loyalist thugs can launch a calculated attack upon an unsuspecting
community under the very noses of those put in place to protect. The
intimidating presence of the colossal cameras located in this very
place were unable to prevent this from happening, and further brings
into question the purpose of these 'Big Brother' contrivances.
"The IRSP would take this opportunity to warn the people of Ardoyne
and North Belfast to remain vigilant over the coming weeks. We would
advise those who use transport to gain entry and to exit the area, to
always use the taxi depots within the community. We believe there
remains a very real threat to the people of Ardoyne."
STATEMENT ENDS
*******
WHAT'S ON
*
Monday, 6 September, 7.30pm
Robinson's (downstairs in BT1)
Opposite Europa Hotel
Launch of "Ché Guevara and the Cuban Revolution" by author Mike
Gonzales
The famous picture of Ché Guevara has become an icon of
today's anti-imperialist movement. Mike Gonzales, senior lecturer in
Hispanic Studies at the University of Glasgow, will be launching his
new book, "Ché Guevara and the Cuban Revolution" in Robinson's
(opposite Europa Hotel) on Monday, 6 September at 7.30pm.
Mike Gonzales has helped produce Spanish language courses for the BBC
and is editor of the Collins Concise Spanish Dictionary. He recently
co-edited the "Encyclopaedia of Twentieth-Century Latin American and
Caribbean Literature, 1900-2002" published by Routledge. He has also
published a book on Nicaragua.
In his talk, Gonzales will look at how Ché Guevara's contact with
poverty and oppression in Latin America inspired him to become a
revolutionary. This led him to become involved in building a
guerrilla army in the Cuban mountains in the 1950's, alongside Fidel
Castro. In January 1959 the corrupt Batista regime in Cuba collapsed
and columns of revolutionary guerrillas marched from the mountains
and entered Havana.
Ché was to become dissatisfied with the limits of the Cuban
Revolution and in 1965 left for the Congo where he believed that he
could lead a revolution. But after four months they had to flee. He
spent the last few months of his life in Bolivia. He attempted to
create a guerrilla army there but was captured by government forces.
He was murdered in the village of Camiri.
While recognising Ché Guevara's heroism and dedication to fighting
imperialism, Gonzales will also take a look at some of the weaknesses
in Ché Guevara's political philosophy, and at the limits of the
Cuban revolution. The Socialist Workers Party hosts this event.
Admission is free and everyone is welcome.
*
Tuesday, 7 September, between 4.30pm-5.30pm
White line picket on the Falls Road, near Broadway, Belfast in
support of the Palestinian hunger strikers.
All welcome to participate especially all republican ex-prisoners and
former hunger strikers.
More than 4000 Palestinian political prisoners out of 7,500 in
Israeli jails have been on hunger strike since August 15th. They have
been demanding improved conditions, the rights to visits from their
families, the right to access to education while in jail. The
Committee for the Families of Palestinian Political Prisoners is
calling for solidarity from the international community to put
pressure on Israel to respect human rights.
You can help by:
1. Demonstrating: white line picket 4.30pm-5.30pm, Tuesday, 7
September, Falls Road, outside Culturlann. Organised by the Ireland-
Palestine Solidarity Campaign
2. Contacting the Israeli Embassy in Dublin and demand that Israel
respects international law. Let them know that you will refuse to buy
any Israeli produce until such as time as Israel agrees to justice
for the Palestinians.
The Embassy can be contacted by:
phone: 01 2309400
fax: 01 2309446
email: [email protected]
post: Carrisbrook House, 122 Pembroke Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4
3. Contacting the Department of Foreign Affairs and demanding that
the Irish government calls for a suspension of the Euro-Mediterranean
Association Agreement (whereby Israel receives preferential trade
terms with EU states) until Israel abides by international law.
Tel: 01 4780822
email:[email protected]
4. Boycotting all Israeli produce. Unlike Apartheid South Africa,
when many Irish businesses refused to stock apartheid goods, Irish
supermarkets sell a large amount of fresh fruits, vegetables and
herbs produced by Israel (often produced in illegal settlements in
the Occupied Palestinian Territories). Use your consumer power and
refuse to buy goods from countries which ignore international law.
5. Writing a letter of support to Palestinian prisoners. Email
[email protected] or fax to 00 353 1 928 752 8355. These will be
forwarded to the prisoners' families.
6. Joining the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign and help us
build solidarity for the Palestinians.
Contact us via [email protected] or visit our website
http://www.ipsc.ie/
*
Notes on meeting of South Belfast Anti Racism Network, 1 September
2004
There was agreement that we want and need to be a very visible
opposition to the racist attacks in South Belfast.
A decision was taken to have an event at Shaftesbury Square on Friday
10th September at 4.30 (as many as possible to be there earlier if
possible to set things up). The time was chosen as it is when most
people are returning back to the area or passing through it after
work on Friday and so it should be seen by plenty of people. The
event will be called "Standing Together Against Racism". Individuals
will line the road holding letters that spell out an anti-racist
message. Paper will be available for people to write their own anti-
racist message so that people passing can join in. We will be asking
people to bring instruments so that it is lively and fun. We
particularly want to have people there who can play instruments that
symbolise the multi-culturalism of music. We will be asking people to
sign petitions and get involved.
We are producing flyers and posters that we will distribute to groups
and workers in the local hospital etc to help build the event. These
flyers will be available on both Sunday 5th September at the African
Cultural Event at the Crescent Arts Centre (1.30pm-6pm admission
£10) and on Monday evening when we will meet at 4.30pm outside
Botanic Station to hand out leaflets.
We have also organised someone to do the publicity. It should get
good coverage as it will be the first public event of the group.
We are meeting next Wednesday at One Work Centre to finalise
organisation for event.
We are also arranging to get a mobile which will be available in 1-2
days that will be publicised on all the leaflets as the number for
the South Belfast Group. This number will be the first contact in the
phone tree and the person responsible for it will be rotated. It is
intended to be used to mobilise help and support to the victims of
racist abuse and also to organise opposition. Dick Baptist has agreed
to work with Grainne on organising the phone tree.
Mick Scott volunteered to set up a website if needed but in the
meantime to organise a yahoo group so that information can be passed
between everyone.
REMINDER FOR WHAT'S COMING UP
Sunday 5 September: African Cultural Event (music food and fashion
from Africa) Crescent Arts Centre 1.30pm-6pm (Adm £10)
Monday 6 September: Leafleting Botanic Avenue -- Meet 4.30pm outside
the station
Wednesday 8 September: South Belfast Anti Racism Network Meeting OWC
at 7.30 pm
Friday 10 September: Stand Together Against Racism -- 4.30pm
Shaftesbury Square
PLEASE COME TO THESE IMPORTANT EVENTS AND PASS THE INFORMATION ON TO
OTHERS
*
20th BIRTHDAY
Tools For Solidarity Public Debate
"Aid is effective in alleviating poverty in Africa"
Argue for or against
7.00 pm Thursday 9 September 2004
In The Indian Community Centre, Clifton St, Belfast
Speakers for the evening:
1. Mr. Explo Nani-Kofi, of the African Liberation Support Campaign,
editor of the Kilombo Panafricanist journal and a campaigner against
the IMF and the World Bank's fraudulent debt in Africa and Africa's
forgotten wars.
2. Cllr Carmel Hanna SDLP MLA for South Belfast, Chair of the All
Party Group on International Development and former NI Assembly
Minster for Further and Higher Education.
3. Mr. John Barry, Co-chair of the Northern Irish Green Party and
deputy director, Institute of Governance, Queens University Belfast.
4. Mr. Paul Braithwaite, International Programmes Officer of
Trocaire, MA in Development Studies.
Our chair for the evening is Roisin McLaughlin, Lecturer
(International Exchanges), and UNESCO Centre at the University of
Ulster.
Tools for Solidarity is a non-profit making development organisation
which collects, repairs and ships out hand tools and sewing machines
to skilled trades people in Africa
*
Saturday September 25th 1-6pm
What sort of anti-racism do we need?
A day of talks and discussion, organised by the WSM, with speakers
from anti-racist and immigrant groups Saturday September 25th 1-6pm
Teachers Club, 36 Parnell Square, Dublin
*
30 September 2004
Senate Room, Queen's University Belfast
Queen's University Belfast, The School of Politics and International
Studies, The Centre for the Study of Ethnic Conflict, in conjunction
with the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), present a one
day conference: "Interpreting Ongoing Crises in the Northern Ireland
Peace Process: Civil Society Dimensions."
Speakers include: Professor Rupert Taylor (University of the
Witwatersrand), Dr Feargal Cochrane (Lancaster University), Robin
Wilson (Democratic Dialogue), Dr Christopher Farrington (QUB), Dr
Cathal McCall (QUB), Michael Potter (Training for Women Network),
Roisin McGlone (SICDP), Debbie Watters (Shankill Alternatives), Cllr
Mark Langhammer (Labour Party).
Places will be strictly limited. If interested please contact
Christopher Farrington, School of Politics and International Studies,
Queen’s University Belfast, [email protected], 028 9097
3231.
*
Saturday, 9 October 2004
Young Women Talk Participation and Power
Call for Participants and Facilitators To a Young Women's Political
Dialogue
10.30am-3.30pm
St Columb's Park House, 4 Limavady Road, Derry/Londonderry, Northern
Ireland
What it is about:
The event will provide the space for you...
To meet and share your experiences of being a young woman interested
in local and global issues.
To discuss the barriers that prevent you from participating in public
and political activities.
To explore the different methods employed by organizations and
political parties throughout the world to promote the inclusion of
women.
To identify and develop strategies to achieve the full participation
of young women.
To put forward practical proposals to decision makers to achieve this
aim.
Who will be there?
Participants...
Will be aged between 16 and 30.
Will come from minority ethnic communities and the majority
communities.
Will be lesbian, bisexual, transgender, or heterosexual.
Will have a disability or not.
Will have children or not.
Will share an interest or an involvement in political activism,
community work, NGOs, local and global issues.
Female elected representatives who share, listen and want to support
younger women into leadership and decision-making.
What does it cost?
NOTHING -- the event is free of charge and includes lunch. We will
subsidise travel expenses and childcare/care allowance. There is a
bus going from Belfast to Derry/L'Derry.
Are you interested in volunteering your skills to facilitate small
group discussions in the afternoon?
We invite young women who enjoy facilitating discussions and who have
some experience in this to please tick the appropriate box in the
attached registration form. We will get in contact with you for
further information.
Interested in participating?
Please return attached registration form to St Columb's Park House or
contact Charlotte, Tel: 028 7134 3080, Email: [email protected], or
Carola, Tel: 028 9024 3363, Email: [email protected]
Programme
10.30am: Registration, Tea and Coffee
11.00am: Welcome by Carola Speth, Women into Politics
11.15am: 'Women in Decision-Making: An Overview of the Situation in
Europe,' Cecile Greboval, European Women's Lobby
11.25am: 'Quotas & Votas: Engender's Role in the 50/50 Campaign,'
Lorna Ahlquist, Engender Scotland
11.35am: 'If you can't see a space for yourself, build one of your
own,' Barbary Cook, Queer Activist
11.45am: Question & Answer Session
12.00 noon: WORKSHOPS
1.15pm: Lunch
2.00pm: Feedback from workshop groups
2.25pm: Discussion and Dialogue, Chair: Susan McReynolds, Presenter
on BBC Radio Foyle
3.25pm: Evaluation and Action Points
3.55pm: Closure by Charlotte Cox, St Columb's Park House
Who we are.
Women into Politics (WiP) is a cross-community project which actively
encourages the full participation of women in public and political
life by providing and promoting dialogue, advocacy and training. WiP
is independent of all political parties and works with women in all
their diversities. The project is based on feminist principles and
grounded in a community development ethos.
St Columb's Park House runs a number of projects promoting peace-
building, political dialogue, active citizenship, political literacy
and human rights. The Political Youth Forums programme brings
together members of political parties and youth wings aged 18-30
from across the UK and the island of Ireland to discuss policy issues
of common concern.
Funded by the Big Lottery Fund, the Community Relations Council NI
via Peace II and Atlantic Philanthropies.
*******
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*
Support the IRSP
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Volume 2, Number 3
5 September 2004
E-Mail Newsletter of the Irish Republican Socialist Party
1. Editorial: Murder Attempt on Ardoyne Catholics
2. Human Rights for Palestinian Prisoners
3. Loyalist Attack on 32º North Public Bar
4. What's On
*******
EDITORIAL: MURDER ATTEMPT ON ARDOYNE CATHOLICS
An attempt to massacre the customers in the 32 Degrees North Pub, on
the front of the Crumlin Road, at Ardoyne, Belfast took place in the
early hours of Friday morning September the 3rd. A digger was taken
from a building site on Twaddell Avenue, on the loyalist side of the
Crumlin Road and driven straight into the pub causing damage and
starting a fire. The UDA took the forklift from a site where shall we
say the UDA have "influence." They managed to pull steel sheets off
the front of the forklift to get access to the cab.
Windows were smashed and some structural damage was caused to the
building when the telescopic forklift hit the pub. The loyalist
attackers, supporters and members of the UDA, then threw four petrol
bombs into the pub. Fortunately no one inside the pub was injured.
That this was a well organised plan to cause as much death and damage
as possibly can be seen by the immediate gathering of a large
loyalist crowd in Twaddell Avenue who began to attack the bar with
stones and missiles.
When the RUC/PSNI came along and surveyed the damage their only
quotable comment was "A motive for the attack is not clear."
Yes indeed the more things change the more they are the same. The
refusal by both the RUC/PSNI and the Housing Executive to recognise
sectarian attacks for what they are is astounding. Attacks on
Catholic residents in Torrens by loyalist thugs was put down as
community violence thereby depriving the Catholics involved of the
opportunity of compensation for sectarian harassment. Yet the Housing
Executive were able to re-house 12 Protestant families last week
from the Torrens estate immediately because of alleged attacks from
republican elements. Indeed this was the justification used by the
Red Hand Commandos, a cover name for the UDA, for the attack on the
bar. After the attack Nelson McCausland, a sectarian bigot and member
of the DUP and councillor for the area called not for the prosecution
of the attackers but for the demolition of the pub. And Sinn Fein
wants to go into government with the DUP?
In recent weeks there have been a series of attacks by the UDA in the
greater Belfast area. Members and supporters of the Republican
Socialist Movement have received death threats. The UVF magazine
Combat has published pictures of our members in Ardoyne with their
faces circled as if a target. The same UVF also openly carried guns
on the Shankill in June as their own paper confirms. Loyalists have
attacked Catholic homes in Craigavon.
The Republican Socialist Movement has come under a lot of pressure to
respond to these events. Naturally the IRSP has urged caution. Over
the past number of months we have been working along with others to
ensure that interface areas did not explode in a orgy of violence. We
have taken risks in reaching out. As socialists we wish for the unity
of all sections of the working class but as republicans and as
revolutionaries we can not just sit by while a low level war of
attrition continues against our fellow workers. Patience is a virtue
but is not inexhaustible.
*******
HUMAN RIGHTS FOR PALESTINIAN PRISONERS
I want you to take a minute and put your mind on the latest
occurrences in Israeli prisons. On Sunday, August 15th, 3,500
Palestinian prisoners in 4 different Israeli facilities launched an
open-ended hunger strike in protest of the inhumane conditions they
are being held in. Until today (August 23rd) they managed to endure
the hunger strike although facing severe punishment and torture by
the Israeli prison personnel. The number of prisoners denying their
food rose to 7500 yet and more are to join the strike accompanied by
demonstrations in various Palestinian cities.
All the prisoners' demands are quite easy to be met and are
exclusively demands to improve inhumane conditions, apply human
rights and to stop methods of humiliation and torture by the prison
staff like severe or arbitrary beating. The prisoners also demand to
allow relatives to visit; installation of a public phone in the
prisons, to stop forced stripping, surprise midnight searches,
extended solitary confinements and harassment of visitors. They also
consider the medical negligence and the unsanitary surroundings
intolerable.
The claims of Israeli officials that the hunger strike threatens
their security are ridiculous and misleading. All the prisoners ask
for is to improve the conditions in the prisons, but the Israelis
remain unwilling to give in to the demands. The Israeli Public
Security Minister Tzachi Hanegbi was cited he would rather "let them
starve to death."
All the striking prisoners imposed the asceticism on themselves to
live only on fluids and salt. Israel applied draconian punishments in
reaction to the hunger strike. The water supply was cut and all the
salt was taken away. For the prisoners there is no possibility to
wash and there is drinking water only once in 3 days, which is now
the only thing they have left to live on. Also radios, pens,
newspapers, cigarettes and even personal items were confiscated. The
incidents of torture (like indiscriminate beating) increased since
the launch of the strike. All the family visits were banned and in
some prisons the prisoners' clothes were taken away.
You can contribute to the cause of human rights for Palestinian
prisoners just by forwarding this message to everybody you know to
help spread the word about some of the uncountable crimes committed
on the Palestinian people. Forwarding this message will actually make
a contribution because way too few people, especially outside of
Palestine, know about the torture Palestinian prisoners go through
every day.
Palestinian Centre for Human Rights
*******
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
3 September 2004
Irish Republican Socialist Party
Loyalist Attack on 32º North Public Bar
The IRSP wish to place on record their disgust at the recent attack
carried out by loyalists on the 32º North bar in the early hours
of Friday, 3 September 2004.
IRSP spokesperson for the area, Charlie Clarke, stated: "It is with
sheer and utter revulsion that I witness this attack carried out by
the hands of loyalists. The very fact that there were people from
this area still in the premises when this diabolical act of lunacy
was carried out clearly shows the utter contempt and ingrown
sectarianism that these disciples of evil have for the decent people
of this community.
"The people of Ardoyne have suffered for thirty years at the hands of
these death squads, who were facilitated and aided by the state and
their security forces. I seriously call into question the
accountability of the PSNI, thirty years on, when a mob of fifty or
so loyalist thugs can launch a calculated attack upon an unsuspecting
community under the very noses of those put in place to protect. The
intimidating presence of the colossal cameras located in this very
place were unable to prevent this from happening, and further brings
into question the purpose of these 'Big Brother' contrivances.
"The IRSP would take this opportunity to warn the people of Ardoyne
and North Belfast to remain vigilant over the coming weeks. We would
advise those who use transport to gain entry and to exit the area, to
always use the taxi depots within the community. We believe there
remains a very real threat to the people of Ardoyne."
STATEMENT ENDS
*******
WHAT'S ON
*
Monday, 6 September, 7.30pm
Robinson's (downstairs in BT1)
Opposite Europa Hotel
Launch of "Ché Guevara and the Cuban Revolution" by author Mike
Gonzales
The famous picture of Ché Guevara has become an icon of
today's anti-imperialist movement. Mike Gonzales, senior lecturer in
Hispanic Studies at the University of Glasgow, will be launching his
new book, "Ché Guevara and the Cuban Revolution" in Robinson's
(opposite Europa Hotel) on Monday, 6 September at 7.30pm.
Mike Gonzales has helped produce Spanish language courses for the BBC
and is editor of the Collins Concise Spanish Dictionary. He recently
co-edited the "Encyclopaedia of Twentieth-Century Latin American and
Caribbean Literature, 1900-2002" published by Routledge. He has also
published a book on Nicaragua.
In his talk, Gonzales will look at how Ché Guevara's contact with
poverty and oppression in Latin America inspired him to become a
revolutionary. This led him to become involved in building a
guerrilla army in the Cuban mountains in the 1950's, alongside Fidel
Castro. In January 1959 the corrupt Batista regime in Cuba collapsed
and columns of revolutionary guerrillas marched from the mountains
and entered Havana.
Ché was to become dissatisfied with the limits of the Cuban
Revolution and in 1965 left for the Congo where he believed that he
could lead a revolution. But after four months they had to flee. He
spent the last few months of his life in Bolivia. He attempted to
create a guerrilla army there but was captured by government forces.
He was murdered in the village of Camiri.
While recognising Ché Guevara's heroism and dedication to fighting
imperialism, Gonzales will also take a look at some of the weaknesses
in Ché Guevara's political philosophy, and at the limits of the
Cuban revolution. The Socialist Workers Party hosts this event.
Admission is free and everyone is welcome.
*
Tuesday, 7 September, between 4.30pm-5.30pm
White line picket on the Falls Road, near Broadway, Belfast in
support of the Palestinian hunger strikers.
All welcome to participate especially all republican ex-prisoners and
former hunger strikers.
More than 4000 Palestinian political prisoners out of 7,500 in
Israeli jails have been on hunger strike since August 15th. They have
been demanding improved conditions, the rights to visits from their
families, the right to access to education while in jail. The
Committee for the Families of Palestinian Political Prisoners is
calling for solidarity from the international community to put
pressure on Israel to respect human rights.
You can help by:
1. Demonstrating: white line picket 4.30pm-5.30pm, Tuesday, 7
September, Falls Road, outside Culturlann. Organised by the Ireland-
Palestine Solidarity Campaign
2. Contacting the Israeli Embassy in Dublin and demand that Israel
respects international law. Let them know that you will refuse to buy
any Israeli produce until such as time as Israel agrees to justice
for the Palestinians.
The Embassy can be contacted by:
phone: 01 2309400
fax: 01 2309446
email: [email protected]
post: Carrisbrook House, 122 Pembroke Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4
3. Contacting the Department of Foreign Affairs and demanding that
the Irish government calls for a suspension of the Euro-Mediterranean
Association Agreement (whereby Israel receives preferential trade
terms with EU states) until Israel abides by international law.
Tel: 01 4780822
email:[email protected]
4. Boycotting all Israeli produce. Unlike Apartheid South Africa,
when many Irish businesses refused to stock apartheid goods, Irish
supermarkets sell a large amount of fresh fruits, vegetables and
herbs produced by Israel (often produced in illegal settlements in
the Occupied Palestinian Territories). Use your consumer power and
refuse to buy goods from countries which ignore international law.
5. Writing a letter of support to Palestinian prisoners. Email
[email protected] or fax to 00 353 1 928 752 8355. These will be
forwarded to the prisoners' families.
6. Joining the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign and help us
build solidarity for the Palestinians.
Contact us via [email protected] or visit our website
http://www.ipsc.ie/
*
Notes on meeting of South Belfast Anti Racism Network, 1 September
2004
There was agreement that we want and need to be a very visible
opposition to the racist attacks in South Belfast.
A decision was taken to have an event at Shaftesbury Square on Friday
10th September at 4.30 (as many as possible to be there earlier if
possible to set things up). The time was chosen as it is when most
people are returning back to the area or passing through it after
work on Friday and so it should be seen by plenty of people. The
event will be called "Standing Together Against Racism". Individuals
will line the road holding letters that spell out an anti-racist
message. Paper will be available for people to write their own anti-
racist message so that people passing can join in. We will be asking
people to bring instruments so that it is lively and fun. We
particularly want to have people there who can play instruments that
symbolise the multi-culturalism of music. We will be asking people to
sign petitions and get involved.
We are producing flyers and posters that we will distribute to groups
and workers in the local hospital etc to help build the event. These
flyers will be available on both Sunday 5th September at the African
Cultural Event at the Crescent Arts Centre (1.30pm-6pm admission
£10) and on Monday evening when we will meet at 4.30pm outside
Botanic Station to hand out leaflets.
We have also organised someone to do the publicity. It should get
good coverage as it will be the first public event of the group.
We are meeting next Wednesday at One Work Centre to finalise
organisation for event.
We are also arranging to get a mobile which will be available in 1-2
days that will be publicised on all the leaflets as the number for
the South Belfast Group. This number will be the first contact in the
phone tree and the person responsible for it will be rotated. It is
intended to be used to mobilise help and support to the victims of
racist abuse and also to organise opposition. Dick Baptist has agreed
to work with Grainne on organising the phone tree.
Mick Scott volunteered to set up a website if needed but in the
meantime to organise a yahoo group so that information can be passed
between everyone.
REMINDER FOR WHAT'S COMING UP
Sunday 5 September: African Cultural Event (music food and fashion
from Africa) Crescent Arts Centre 1.30pm-6pm (Adm £10)
Monday 6 September: Leafleting Botanic Avenue -- Meet 4.30pm outside
the station
Wednesday 8 September: South Belfast Anti Racism Network Meeting OWC
at 7.30 pm
Friday 10 September: Stand Together Against Racism -- 4.30pm
Shaftesbury Square
PLEASE COME TO THESE IMPORTANT EVENTS AND PASS THE INFORMATION ON TO
OTHERS
*
20th BIRTHDAY
Tools For Solidarity Public Debate
"Aid is effective in alleviating poverty in Africa"
Argue for or against
7.00 pm Thursday 9 September 2004
In The Indian Community Centre, Clifton St, Belfast
Speakers for the evening:
1. Mr. Explo Nani-Kofi, of the African Liberation Support Campaign,
editor of the Kilombo Panafricanist journal and a campaigner against
the IMF and the World Bank's fraudulent debt in Africa and Africa's
forgotten wars.
2. Cllr Carmel Hanna SDLP MLA for South Belfast, Chair of the All
Party Group on International Development and former NI Assembly
Minster for Further and Higher Education.
3. Mr. John Barry, Co-chair of the Northern Irish Green Party and
deputy director, Institute of Governance, Queens University Belfast.
4. Mr. Paul Braithwaite, International Programmes Officer of
Trocaire, MA in Development Studies.
Our chair for the evening is Roisin McLaughlin, Lecturer
(International Exchanges), and UNESCO Centre at the University of
Ulster.
Tools for Solidarity is a non-profit making development organisation
which collects, repairs and ships out hand tools and sewing machines
to skilled trades people in Africa
*
Saturday September 25th 1-6pm
What sort of anti-racism do we need?
A day of talks and discussion, organised by the WSM, with speakers
from anti-racist and immigrant groups Saturday September 25th 1-6pm
Teachers Club, 36 Parnell Square, Dublin
*
30 September 2004
Senate Room, Queen's University Belfast
Queen's University Belfast, The School of Politics and International
Studies, The Centre for the Study of Ethnic Conflict, in conjunction
with the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), present a one
day conference: "Interpreting Ongoing Crises in the Northern Ireland
Peace Process: Civil Society Dimensions."
Speakers include: Professor Rupert Taylor (University of the
Witwatersrand), Dr Feargal Cochrane (Lancaster University), Robin
Wilson (Democratic Dialogue), Dr Christopher Farrington (QUB), Dr
Cathal McCall (QUB), Michael Potter (Training for Women Network),
Roisin McGlone (SICDP), Debbie Watters (Shankill Alternatives), Cllr
Mark Langhammer (Labour Party).
Places will be strictly limited. If interested please contact
Christopher Farrington, School of Politics and International Studies,
Queen’s University Belfast, [email protected], 028 9097
3231.
*
Saturday, 9 October 2004
Young Women Talk Participation and Power
Call for Participants and Facilitators To a Young Women's Political
Dialogue
10.30am-3.30pm
St Columb's Park House, 4 Limavady Road, Derry/Londonderry, Northern
Ireland
What it is about:
The event will provide the space for you...
To meet and share your experiences of being a young woman interested
in local and global issues.
To discuss the barriers that prevent you from participating in public
and political activities.
To explore the different methods employed by organizations and
political parties throughout the world to promote the inclusion of
women.
To identify and develop strategies to achieve the full participation
of young women.
To put forward practical proposals to decision makers to achieve this
aim.
Who will be there?
Participants...
Will be aged between 16 and 30.
Will come from minority ethnic communities and the majority
communities.
Will be lesbian, bisexual, transgender, or heterosexual.
Will have a disability or not.
Will have children or not.
Will share an interest or an involvement in political activism,
community work, NGOs, local and global issues.
Female elected representatives who share, listen and want to support
younger women into leadership and decision-making.
What does it cost?
NOTHING -- the event is free of charge and includes lunch. We will
subsidise travel expenses and childcare/care allowance. There is a
bus going from Belfast to Derry/L'Derry.
Are you interested in volunteering your skills to facilitate small
group discussions in the afternoon?
We invite young women who enjoy facilitating discussions and who have
some experience in this to please tick the appropriate box in the
attached registration form. We will get in contact with you for
further information.
Interested in participating?
Please return attached registration form to St Columb's Park House or
contact Charlotte, Tel: 028 7134 3080, Email: [email protected], or
Carola, Tel: 028 9024 3363, Email: [email protected]
Programme
10.30am: Registration, Tea and Coffee
11.00am: Welcome by Carola Speth, Women into Politics
11.15am: 'Women in Decision-Making: An Overview of the Situation in
Europe,' Cecile Greboval, European Women's Lobby
11.25am: 'Quotas & Votas: Engender's Role in the 50/50 Campaign,'
Lorna Ahlquist, Engender Scotland
11.35am: 'If you can't see a space for yourself, build one of your
own,' Barbary Cook, Queer Activist
11.45am: Question & Answer Session
12.00 noon: WORKSHOPS
1.15pm: Lunch
2.00pm: Feedback from workshop groups
2.25pm: Discussion and Dialogue, Chair: Susan McReynolds, Presenter
on BBC Radio Foyle
3.25pm: Evaluation and Action Points
3.55pm: Closure by Charlotte Cox, St Columb's Park House
Who we are.
Women into Politics (WiP) is a cross-community project which actively
encourages the full participation of women in public and political
life by providing and promoting dialogue, advocacy and training. WiP
is independent of all political parties and works with women in all
their diversities. The project is based on feminist principles and
grounded in a community development ethos.
St Columb's Park House runs a number of projects promoting peace-
building, political dialogue, active citizenship, political literacy
and human rights. The Political Youth Forums programme brings
together members of political parties and youth wings aged 18-30
from across the UK and the island of Ireland to discuss policy issues
of common concern.
Funded by the Big Lottery Fund, the Community Relations Council NI
via Peace II and Atlantic Philanthropies.
*******
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*
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