[JNV] JNV APPEAL / JNV WORKERS ARRESTED

[JNV]

JNV APPEAL / JNV WORKERS ARRESTED

What We've Done ¦ The Media Review ¦ Campaigning Materials ¦ Action ¦ 
JNV Arrests ¦ Prison ¦ Your Support

Dear friends

This is an appeal for your support, which we badly need. It's also an
update on the work of JNV over the last few months and weeks, especially
our arrests last week, and a signpost describing where we would like to go.

JNV has achieved a considerable amount over the past few months. Most
time-consuming for us has been the daily JNV Media Review of 7/7-related
matters, countering propaganda and misunderstanding about Islam,
terrorism, repressive legislation, and, above all, the link between the
war in Iraq and the threat of terror in Britain and the US.

THE MEDIA REVIEW
We hope that you've enjoyed the Media Review and found it useful in your
work. At the moment the Media Review is suspended, but we would really
like to be able to bring it back online, in a proper blog format. 

In order to properly cover all the British broadsheets, and in particular 
to find the items that are not put online, we buy all the newspapers daily to 
create our own mini cuttings library. This has been invaluable during the 
writing of the Media Review and our Anti-War Briefings.

With your financial support, we will be able to continue the Media Review
at the same standard of quality, and develop it further.

CAMPAIGNS
JNV grew out of the long-standing peace group ARROW (Active Resistance 
to the Roots of War) to carry on its campaigning against war, and against 
the many aspects of the US-UK 'war on terrorism'. 

We've campaigned against the war in Iraq, against repressive legislation 
in Britain, and for a justice-centred approach to halting both al-Qaeda and 
Western state terrorism. We've put considerable effort into deepening 
public understanding of the ideas of Osama bin Laden, to help explain 
how his terror campaign can be brought to an end. We've also campaigned 
against misunderstanding and misrepresentation of Islam and the Muslim 
community.

Our focus has been on producing information, but we've also been involved 
in supporting and participating in action, including civil disobedience.

MATERIALS
JNV has also produced some important campaigning materials, including our
anti-Islamophobia 'PEACE BE UPON YOU' badge, briefings on a number of
topics – including one on Fallujah for the Voices in the Wilderness
'Remember Fallujah' month of action - and petitions and other items. We 
recently contributed a piece on mortality estimates to the 100,000 Rings 
project, arguing that the various estimates of war-related deaths in Iraq 
actually tend to converge more than they diverge.

We intend to continue producing anti-war and anti-repression campaigning
materials that can be used by groups and individuals on the street and at
work.

TALKS
We've also spoken at a range of different events around the country. In
the last two weeks, we've been with Faringdon Peace Group during their
Month of Peace; with Brighton Hands Off for a discussion of 'exit
strategies' from Iraq; and at the Fellowship of Reconciliation 'Young
Peacemakers' gathering in London. Before that we spoke at the Labour
Against The War fringe meeting at the Labour Party Conference, among other
events.

ACTION
JNV has also helped to organise activity around the country – earlier in
the year with the Counter Terror: Build Justice month of action, and last
week with the 100,000 Rings for the People of Iraq project marking the
anniversary of the Lancet Study estimate of war-related deaths in Iraq.
Both of these were international in scope, and from feedback we've had
both were invigorating and worthwhile for the many groups who took part in
them, in England, Scotland, Wales and the US.

JNV ARRESTS
As part of our own contribution to the 100,000 Rings project, JNV held a
low-key vigil outside Downing Street on Tuesday 25 October. Well, it was
supposed to be a low-key event, standing opposite Downing Street for four
hours ringing a bell and reading the names of those who've lost their
lives in this brutal war.

But we fell foul of new laws which require you to submit a form asking for
permission to hold your demonstration. We did not feel able to cooperate
with these repressive and unnecessary new laws. We certainly did not feel
it was necessary to ask permission to mourn those who have lost their
lives in the Iraq war.

So, last Tuesday, within minutes of arriving at the vigil, JNV workers 
Milan Rai and Maya Evans were arrested.

Mil was arrested for being the organiser of an unauthorised demonstration
(maximum penalty 51 weeks imprisonment). Maya was arrested for being a
participant in an unauthorised demonstration (maximum penalty 1000
pounds). Other supporters were able to document the event without being
arrested.

Yesterday Maya was in court in London entering a plea of "not guilty". Next
Thursday 10 November Mil will be at Charing Cross police station finding
out whether he is going to be charged with 'organising an unauthorised
demonstration' (the police had to go through the motions of asking the
Crown Prosecution Service).

The following Wednesday, Mil is in court in Hastings facing a maximum of
45 days imprisonment for refusing to pay a fine arising out of an
Iraq-related action last year.

PRISON
Last October, in the run-up to the assault on Fallujah, Mil sprayed
anti-war slogans on the Foreign Office building in Whitehall, calling on
the Government not to deploy British troops to the Fallujah region as part
of the US operation. He also poured fake blood on the building.

Mil was subsequently found guilty of criminal damage by Bow Street
Magistrates Court, and ordered to pay over 2000 pounds compensation to the
Foreign Office.

He has refused to pay this compensation, arguing that what he did was a
morally and legally justified response to the impending assault on
Fallujah. He now faces several weeks of imprisonment, something that will
be decided in Hastings Magistrates Court on 16 November.

WHERE WE WANT TO GO
Following on from the success of 'Counter Terror: Build Justice' and '100,000 
Rings', JNV is developing several new projects, including an important new 
initiative in relation to the ‘exit strategies' debate around Iraq. 

YOUR SUPPORT
Justice Not Vengeance needs your financial assistance to continue operating 
our office, producing information and materials, and engaging in and 
promoting various forms of activism. 

We would also very much appreciate help with the travel and other costs 
associated with the JNV court cases.

We would be very grateful for a donation – of whatever size - as we are
currently very low on money. It would also be enormously helpful if
you felt able to offer continuing support through a monthly standing order 
to JNV.

If you are able to make a donation, please make it out to 'JNV' and send
to us at 29 Gensing Road, St Leonards on Sea, East Sussex, TN38 0HE.

If you are able to make a standing order (of whatever size), our bank
details are: 

Justice Not Vengeance,
A/C 78520921
Nationwide Building Society,
40 London Road,
St Leonards-on-Sea
East Sussex
TN37 6AN
Sort code 07-00-55

For whatever support you are able to give, we are very grateful.

Yours for peace

Emily Johns
Chair, JNV