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WELCOME BACK Welcome back to a new year of events and activities. The programme for next year includes monthly speakers, who will bring us up to date on the many human rights crises world-wide, e.g. Syria, and fund-raising events, e.g. a pub quiz, a sponsored walk and, possibly, a concert. One of our aims is to raise awareness of human rights in Southampton: we will invite the local community to our meetings, organise the third Human rights lecture at the University and hold greeting cards events in various venues across the city. The group is only as healthy as its members are active: please renew your membership, come to meetings, bring your ideas, volunteer to organise events. I am looking forward to seeing you all. Giampaolo
AIS VISION is of a world in which every person enjoys all of the human rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international standards.
AIS MISSION is to undertake research and action focused on preventing and ending grave abuses of the rights to physical and mental integrity, freedom and conscience and expression and freedom from discrimination, within the context of its work to promote all human rights.
AIS CORE VALUES remain those of international solidarity, effective action for the individual victim, global coverage, the universality and indivisibility of human rights, impartiality and independence, and democracy and mutual respect.
We ask you kindly to urge your government to take these recommendations into consideration, so as to ensure that Italys migration control policies and practices do not cause, contribute to, or benefit from human rights violations.
GROUP NEWS
At the group AGM the following officers were elected unopposed: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Chair: Giampaolo D'Alessandro (replacing John Williams); Secretary: Valerie Oswald; Treasurer: Cheryll Pitt; Parliamentary and Outreach officer: Veronica Tippetts; Newsletter editor: John Williams (replacing Giampaolo D'Alessandro); Press officer: Brenda New.
Please get in touch, if you interested in taking a more active role in the group, by leading or taking part in one of the subgroups, organising an event, or shadowing one of the officers. 1. We wrote messages of support for the Peace Community of Apartado, continuing the action that had been started at Mary's garden party. Valerie attached the flowers to a banner that she had prepared (see photo on p.4) and sent it to the Peace Community. 2. We also signed a letter to the Minister of Home Affairs in Myanmar challenging ongoing abuses in the criminal justice system there. The petition was launched to coincide with Daw Aung San Suu Kyis first trip to Europe for 24 years. 3. Finally, we wrote to the Serbian authorities on behalf of Roma families that had been relocated to an abandoned warehouse, where they had no access to water, electricity or sanitation. After the meeting we learnt that the authorities had finally switched on the water after pressure from Amnesty members three months after the families had moved in.
Carol then passed the baton to Ashin Htavara, who spoke with the help of an interpreter, Nay Winswe. After a slide show of photos of the Saffron revolution, Ashin Htavara gave a brief overview of an educational project he is currently involved with, the Myanmar Open eyes Social Action (MOSA). The aim of this project is to train teachers (mainly monks and nuns) to teach not only basic education, but also democracy, human rights and peace. We have to keep in mind that concepts like democracy and human rights are not widely known or understood in Myanmar, a nation that has been subjected to decades of brutal military dictatorship. Moreover, MOSA would like to spread its activities away from the main towns, where most government funded schools are, to the countryside, where most people reside. A long series of questions and answers followed Ashin Htavara's presentation. The main points were:
(a) The situation in Myanmar is improving, but there are still approximately 300 political prisoners, of which roughly 80 are monks and 20 nuns. Moreover, 75 monasteries in Rangoon have been closed since the Saffron revolution. (b) Aung Sang Suu Kyi is opening schools to teach what democracy and human rights are. Even though the political situation is evolving in Burma, there is still no rule of law, as the government can change laws at it wishes. (c) Foreign investment Money from foreign investment goes to the government and not to ordinary people. For example, electricity is exported to China, even though many people in Myanmar have only limited access to electricity. (d) Ethnic strife There are negotiations going on between ethnic groups and the government, which has taken their resources and given them nothing. Even though a federal state may be a solution to Myanmar's ethnic problems, there is considerable danger that outside interference will destabilise the country.
DIARY
September 2012 Monday 10th 7.30pm Group meeting: Human Rights in Algeria; Speaker: Hugh Sandeman (AIUK Algeria Country Coordinator) Friday 21st International Peace Day October 2012 Monday 8th: 7.30 pm Group Meeting: The human rights crisis in Syria. Speaker: John Williams. Wednesday 10th - World Day Against the Death Penalty Wednesday 17th - International Day for the Eradication of Poverty
ALL WELCOME
The July group meeting: in the front row, starting from second on the left, are Nay Winswe, Ashin Htavara and Carol Barnes. The banner prepared by Valerie for the Peace Community of Apartado.