Norwich Amnesty

 NORWICH NEWS                                   

WORKING TO PROTECT RIGHTS WORLDWIDE

THE NEWSLETTER FOR AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL

NORWICH GROUP

SPRING/SUMMER2010

As always we have been very busy so far this year with campaigning, fundraising and publicity. For the second year we received an award at the national AGM in April. This time our events, which we organised for Protect the Human Week in October, were noticed by AIUK. Well done everyone who helped in any way to make this week so successful.

Let’s look back at a few of the events so far this year.

Our Quiz and Chips evening in January was a great success with over 100 members and guests taking part. As always, a jolly,challenging evening, very well organised. Over £600 was raised.

Paul Baker the Governor of Norwich Prison talked at our February meeting about the balance between punishment and rehabilitation. This was followed be a lively question and answer session.

On 10^thMarch we shared a meeting with the Norwich Stop the War Coalition in presentinga recent film called Outside the Law about the illegalities of Guantanamo. This was attended by the directorAndy Worthington and Omar Deghayes, a former detainee. Some years ago we worked on his case for a period of time.

Our March meeting was the AGM when your new committee were elected and we had our usual planning session for the coming year’s events. If you have ideas for an event we’d love to hear from you.

Joanna and I attended the national AGM at Warwick University. Apart from winning the award, we jointly sponsored a resolution with the Cambridge Group about increasing AI’s research capability on abuses against children and young people. This was supported by the Board and passed unanimously. Some new action has already been implemented.

We publicised our April meeting very well and got an audience of 53 to hear Ann Wright’s experiences of working for the Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel.

We took part in the election hustings for peace, justice and rights groups at the Friends Meeting House where candidates for the two Norwich constituencies answered questions from a packed audience. We asked aquestion relating to the setting up of an impartial, public enquiry into allegations of rendition, secret detention and enforced disappearances including the activities of the security services. Now we’ll keep thesuccessful candidates to their promises!

We also attended the spring regional conference hosted by the Bury St Edmunds Group which concentrated on campaigning on the issue of enforced disappearances.

Now a look forward to some key issues and events.

Links with othergroups.

We continue to link with other groups where this is appropriate. We exchange information with theUNA, CAAT, Norwich Stop the War Coalition, Palestine Solidarity Group, Norfolk Jewish Peace Group and the UEA Amnesty group among others.

Campaigns.

Demand Dignity. Following the workshop at the national AGM which I attended our committee needs to review how to continue with this campaign and make it more manageable for our actions to be more effective.

Terror, securityand human rights. We continueto campaign on behalf of Guantanamo detainees Shaker Aamer and Ahmed Belbacha.

Individuals at Risk. A dozen of us have committed to each dealing with a case out of the greetings card campaign on a long term basis. Updates on how we are getting on will always be on the agenda at our monthly meetings. Can you offer some time to help us with any of these cases which are the essence ofAI’s work.

Stop Violence against Women. Much of the remaining work on this issue has been incorporated in to the Demand Dignity Campaign.

Stepping up Publicity.

 We have an excellent new groups leaflet form AIUK and need to distribute this, with our own contact details added to it, to as many venues as possible. If you can help please letus know by contacting info@norwichamnesty.org.uk.

 A Group Skills and Resources List.

 We would like to setup a skills list of those members who would like to take part. Also a resources list of all contacts for easy future reference. Any ideas or offers of help? Please contact us on info@norwichamnesty.org.uk.

Amnesty’s 50^thAnniversary.

 Next year is the 50th anniversary of the founding of AI and this is certainly worth celebrating. We have set up a committee to discuss how to mark this event locally. And we have some quite ambitious plans. If you would like to join the group or have some sparkling ideas or wonderful contacts now is the time to let us know!! Contactus at info@norwichamnesty.org.uko Every idea is welcome at this stage. 

Group Membership

 Details of this have already gone out to you. If you do not wish to continue receiving information from us, please contact us on info@norwichamnesty.org.ukand we will take your name off our database. However we very much hope that youwill continue to help with our campaigning efforts.

National RefugeeWeek

 This takes place from14^th June until 19^th June. Last year there were a lot of interesting events and these were advertised in a very informative brochure.These will be available soon in all the usual publicity venues around the city.We will be taking part with our own event. See below.

Street Collection -Volunteers needed

 Once again we areholding our annual Norwich street collection on Saturday 5^th June from 10am until 3-4pm. Can you and a friend offer an hour to help? HQ for the day is the All Saints Centre opposite John Lewis. Please contact   01603 436913 if you are ableto offer some time. It would be good to get about 30 collectors on the day.

Talks

 AI’s anniversary next year is a great opportunity to offer local groups an Amnesty talk. If you knowof a church, workplace group, union, school who would like to know more aboutour work please contact us on info@norwichamnesty.org.ukor ring  01508 538353.

 Websites.

 Keep in touch with coming events by going to our group website. Also the AIUK website is full of short, easy and effective actions so have a look and make a difference! The AIUK website is being redesigned and a much more user friendly website should be available by the end of the year.

Summer events –Volunteers needed

 Last year we got involved for the first time in two well established events. This year they arealso included in our summer programme. The Peace Camp and the Norwich Pride Dayevents are both held at the Forum where we have information desks during theday. Can you spare an hour to help? If so, see details below.

All our monthly meeting are public and we look forward to meeting you. A lot of information and actions are distributed and discussed at these meetings. This is your chance tomake a big difference!

 If you have any questions about our work we would be pleased to hear from you.

David Ford.

Chairperson.

Contact us on

info@norwichamnesty.org.uk

Group website

www.norwichamnesty.org.uk

AIUK website

www.amnesty.org.uk

Monthly OpenMeetings

 Third Wednesday of each month at 8pm. Charing Cross Centre, St John Maddermarket, Norwich.

Wednesday 19^thMay. Noa Kleinman, the AmnestyUSA and North America country coordinator will be speaking to us about the latest information about Guantanamo and the Death penalty in the US.

Wednesday 16^thJune. As part of National RefugeeWeek we are holding a meetingin the Stanley Cooper room at the Charing Cross Centre. Isobel will be telling Esau’s Story. This is the story of a Ugandan asylum seeker and his journey from Rochester Prison and Yarlswood Detention Centre, through months of hearings and appeals to the final achievement of refugee status.

 Wednesday 21^stJuly. Business meeting,monthly action and IAR updates and feedback from National AGM.

 Wednesday 18^thAugust. Business meeting,monthly action and IAR updates.

Other events

 Thursday 13^THMay. 7pm at UEA room 01.02Arts Building. The Norfolk Jewish Peace Group (NJPG) will be showing the film“The Lemon Tree”. Followed by discussion. All welcome. 

 Friday 14^thMay 10am onwards Coffeemorning to raise money for donation to cost of hiring room at the Assembly House for Christmas card sales 2010.

 Friday21^stMay.  UNA lunchbox meeting Friends Meeting House. 12.30pm – 2pm.Talk by Jane Scott. Wulugu v Slavery.

 Saturday 22^ndMay. The NJPG present an illustratedtalk by Dr Alison Payne 2.30 – 5.30pm. Granary Court, St Martin At Palace Plain, Norwich (adj to the Bishop’s House). Talk at 3pm. Refreshments and garden visit from 4.30pm.

Monday 24^thMay. Committee meeting and 50^thAnniversary planning group meeting 7.30pm. Debbie’s house.

 Thursday 27^thMay. 7.30 – 9.30pm. FriendsMeeting House. The Norwich Palestine Solidarity Campaign and the Norwich and District Trades Council are holding “Trade Unionism under Siege and Occupation:The Palestine General Federation of Trades Unions and the Boycott Israeli GoodsCampaign”

Speakers.    Mohamed Amara PGFTU,International Committee, Laila N. Sha’ar. PGFTU Women’s Department, Dr IanGibson and Keith Rowley Norwich PSC.

All welcome.

Saturday 5^thJune. Street Collection. 10am– 3/4pm. Offers of help please to  01603  436913

Saturday 26^thJune. 9am until 4pm. Peace Camp at Norwich Forum.Displays, stalls, information, events. Come along and help our stall add to the enjoyment. If you would like to help contact 01508 538353.

 Friday 16^thJuly. UNA lunchbox meetingFriends Meeting House. 12.30pm – 2pm. Talk by Peter Offord, who took part inthe  Freedom March to Gaza inDecember 2009.

 Saturday 31^stJuly. 9am until 4pm. NorwichPride Day. Displays, stalls,talks, information, events etc. Come along and help on our stall. If you would like to help contact  01508 538353.

Also

Burston School RallyDay. Sunday 5^th September.

The next regional conference will be hosted by the Southend Group on Saturday 16^thOctober. The day will include a talk on Burma.