[JNV] Maya Evans New Book / 'No More Fallujahs' Weekend of Resistance

[JNV]

Dear friends

This email is about two events involving Maya Evans of Justice Not Vengeance; the 'No More Fallujahs' unauthorized protests on 28/29 October, which Maya is playing a key role in; and the launch of Maya's new book 'Naming The Dead: A Serious Crime' (published by JNV Publications) just the day before, on Friday 27 October. Some more details about the book, and about the 'No More Fallujahs' events are set out below.

We hope you find this useful.

Emily Johns
JNV


1) Book launch, Maya Evans, 'Naming The Dead: A Serious Crime'
>Pre-launch at the Anarchist Bookfair
>Book launch at Housmans Bookshop
>>Contents
>>Excerpt from Chapter 1: Arrested - 25 October

2) No More Fallujahs 28-29 October
>Peace Journey Saturday 28 October
>NVDA Workshop & Legal Briefing Saturday 28 October
>Peace Camp Sunday 29 - Monday 30 October


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1) Book launch, Maya Evans, 'Naming The Dead: A Serious Crime'

'Naming The Dead' describes exactly what happened last October, when Maya was arrested for reading the names of British soldiers who'd died in the Iraq war, and the course of events leading up to 7 December 2005, when she became the first person to be convicted of participating in an unauthorized demonstration in the vicinity of Parliament. 'Naming The Dead' also goes behind the media story to explain how Maya came to be a protester, setting out the key events in her development as a person and an activist. 

Written with the assistance of author and activist Milan Rai, 'Naming The Dead' is intended as an invitation to activism, demystifying the process of protest and inspiring people to take up active nonviolent resistance to war and injustice.

£8 in shops, 'Naming The Dead' (96pp) is available from JNV for £7 including p&p as an introductory offer.

> Pre-launch at the Anarchist Bookfair, Saturday 21 October

Maya will be signing copies of her book, hot off the press, at the JNV stall, located next to the London Catholic Worker, between 2pm and 4pm.

> Book launch at Housmans Bookshop, Friday 27 October

Housmans is kindly hosting Maya's official launch at 7pm the night before the 'No More Fallujahs' weekend of resistance. Maya will be reading from her book and signing copies.

>> Contents

Chapter 1: Arrested  /  Chapter 2: Laburnum Street  /  Chapter 3: Suite 14  /  Chapter 4: Peace Strike  /  Chapter 5: Bow Street  /  Chapter 6: Voices In The Wilderness  /  Chapter 7: Serious Crimes  /  Chapter 8: Justice Not Vengeance  /  Chapter 9: Strip Search  /  Chapter 10: Convicted  /  Chapter 11: Facing The World  /  Chapter 12: Our Power  /  Endnote: Naming The Dead

>> Excerpt from Chapter 1: Arrested - 25 October 2005

A third of the way down Whitehall, Mil suddenly emerges from the crowd ahead of us, looks me in the eye, and says calmly: 'The police came over and spoke to me just now. We will definitely be arrested if we go ahead. They said it is "zero tolerance".' I'm shocked. I've been hoping we won't be arrested. Until now, I thought it was a 60 per cent chance that we'd be arrested—just for reading the names of people who'd died in the Iraq War. The tourists pass around us on the pavement, wandering down from Trafalgar Square towards the Houses of Parliament. 

Mil asks: 'Do you really want to do this? You can change your mind right now.' For a moment, it flashes through my mind that I can wriggle out of this, I don't have to go through with it. I've never been arrested before (I was detained once for a few hours in Belgium). I hate personal confrontations of any kind, and the idea of a face-to-face conflict with the ultimate authority figure, a police officer, is really uncomfortable. Do I really want to be arrested and prosecuted, and end up with a criminal record, and with a £1,000 fine? For half a second, I don't want to go any further.

I haven't been entirely focused until now. We'd met earlier on the steps of St Martin-in-the-Fields, on the corner of Trafalgar Square. It was overcast and there was a light drizzle. I'd arrived late, feeling flustered, and anxious about the possibility of being arrested. My friend Adesina, who I've known from school, had come along to support me. After we turned up, Mil had gone on ahead to meet our friend Cedric Knight, one of our legal observers. After handing over my phone and other personal items to Gabriel Carlyle, another observer, I'd gone looking for Mil, carrying our large cardboard signs, still very worried. 

After that flash of doubt and fear, I felt myself becoming hyper-aware. Everything was brighter and louder. I was suddenly very calm. I said to Mil, and to myself, 'I'm ready to do this'. I could feel myself putting on this façade of being a confident, strong person who knew what she was doing. I had to put my weaknesses and my personal feelings away. There was something important I had to do, and I needed to be very focused. 

I'd mentally prepared myself for this the day before, and, after that half-second of wanting to run away, I felt ready for everything that was about to happen. It was very important to me to carry out this remembrance ceremony, and to remind people about the tragedy of the war in Iraq, and all the people who have died there.

www.j-n-v.org


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2) No More Fallujahs 28-30 October

The Iraqi insurgency might be said to have begun in Fallujah in April 2003, following the shooting dead of 13 unarmed demonstrators by US forces. In April 2004, US forces invaded part of the city which killed hundreds, but was called off after enormous pressure inside and outside Iraq. 

In November 2004, the US - with British assistance - launched a massive assault on Fallujah, almost totally destroying it, killing hundreds of civilians, forcing tens of thousands of people to flee their homes, and using white phosphorus - a substance that burns down to the bone - as a weapon.

Since then at least 22 more Iraqi towns and cities have been attacked by US led forces and Fallujah itself has been turned into a virtual police state.

JNV and 48 other peace groups invite you to take part in 'No More Fallujahs', a weekend of resistance to the occupation of Iraq.

> Saturday 28 October - Peace Journey 
Peace journey from the UK's military nerve centre in Northwood, by foot and by peace bus, to central London. Maya Evans will be part of the peace journey group. Meet 11am, Northwood tube. Finish 4pm, Tavistock Square.

> Saturday 28 October - Nonviolent Direct Action Workshop and Legal Briefing 
4.30pm - 7.30pm, Diorama Gallery 1, 34 Osnaburgh Street, NW1 3ND (tube: Great Portland Street). Preparation for the 24-hour "unauthorised" peace camp in Parliament Square the following day. Workshop run by Seeds for Change: www.seedsforchange.org.uk.

> Sunday 29 October to Monday 30 October - Peace Camp
Assemble 12 noon, Parliament Square. The camp begins with Maya Evans and Milan Rai reading the names of Iraqis who have died as a result of US/UK military action in Iraq – one year after their arrest for doing this in October 2005. Others taking part in this remembrance ceremony include Nobel Peace Prize winner Mairead Corrigan Maguire and Iraqi novelist Haifa Zangana. After the ceremony, we will put up tents for the overnight vigil, and there will be a series of workshops.

> Monday 30 October - Naming The Dead
In the morning, Maya and Milan will, if they are able, continue their remembrance ceremony opposite Downing Street, from 8.50am to 12noon, when the 'No More Fallujahs' weekend of resistance will come to an end.

Please note: Under the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act participation in these "unauthorised demonstration" is a criminal offence punishable by a fine of up to £1,000. See the No More Fallujahs website or come to a legal briefing for more information. 

Accommodation is available on request for evenings of 27 & 28 October. Contact 0845 458 2564 or voices@voicesuk.org.

If you would like to sponsor a tent please send a cheque payable to 'Voices UK' to Voices UK, 5 Caledonian Rd, London N1 9DX.

This peace camp is organised by: the Mass Action Group and supported by 49 anti-war and peace groups from Birkenhead CND to Norwich Stop the War to Wrexham Peace and Justice Forum.

www.rememberfallujah.org