[JNV] Iran News / Blair-Brown Events / JNV Events & News
Justice Not Vengeance
info at j-n-v.org
Sat, 23 Jun 2007 22:04:04 +0100
Dear all
Please accept our apologies for the long gap in our communications.
We've experienced painful and drawn-out technical problems which we hope
are sorted out now, giving us back an email account and this announce list.
This is a very long email containing
A) information about the current state of the Iran 'negotiations'
B) details of anti-war protests to mark the Brown coronation
C) some upcoming events with JNV participation
D) some recent events that had JNV participation
We hope you find it interesting and useful.
Best wishes
Emily Johns
Maya Anne Evans
Milan Rai
******
A) Iran: A Freeze for Peace - From Confrontation to Compromise?
As JNV has noted in past Briefings, there are plenty of proposals on the
table which could help to break the Iran logjam. This is a short note on
the current state of play.
There are two live issues: the numbers of centrifuges Iran might operate
for uranium enrichment, and the way in which Iran might be prepared to
suspend centrifuge operation in order to reach a lasting resolution to
the crisis.
The declared US objective is to have no operational centrifuges in Iran,
and to get Iran to completely suspend enrichment as a precondition to
any negotiations. (See Briefing 95: Designed To Be Refused for more
details.) Most countries recognize that these are not reasonable goals,
and that some form of compromise is going to be necessary.
Iran has indicated possible flexibility on these two issues. For
example, 'In July [2006], Sadegh Kharazzi, a former [Iranian] ambassador
to Paris... told the FT the leadership was ready to negotiate a deal in
which Iran limited enrichment inside the country to "some 100"
centrifuges.' (FT, 13 Sept. 2006, p. 9 - Briefing 96)
In Briefing 96, we pointed out that Iran was seeking pre-negotiations
on exactly what 'suspension' would mean, while holding out the offer of
up to two months' suspension during negotiations.
Later, a proposal was put for mutual suspension - suspension of
sanctions on Iran by the Security Council and suspension of uranium
enrichment by Iran: 'The IAEA chief, Mohamed El-Baradei, called at the
weekend for a "timeout" in the worsening confrontation in an attempt to
enable both sides to save face and climb down. But the Americans
rejected the proposal.' (Guardian, 31 Jan. 2007, p. 17 - Briefing 102)
Now the effort is to stop further deterioration of the situation - US
allies are exploring the idea of a watered-down 'time-out'. There would
be no further Security Council sanctions, and in return Iran would hold
off on expanding its enrichment programme. This is being called a
'freeze for peace'. The US is reportedly 'still very skittish' on this
possible fragmentation of its hard-line coalition.
<http://tinyurl.com/246o5y>
Yesterday (Friday 22 June), the head of the International Atomic Energy
Agency (IAEA) Mohamed ElBaradei had a two-hour meeting in Vienna with
Ali Larijani, Iran's chief negotiator - representative of the Supreme
Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The meeting continued today (Saturday).
Two weeks ago, ElBaradei spoke out strongly against war: 'The head of
the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency said Thursday an attack on Iran over
its refusal to freeze programs that could make nuclear weapons would be
"an act of madness," an indirect warning to the United States and
Israel.' <http://tinyurl.com/22g6zu>
ElBaradei said: 'said any use of force to shut down Iran's nuclear
programme "would be catastrophic, it would be an act of madness, and it
would not solve the issue".' <http://tinyurl.com/yqrqdd>
*****
B) Blair Out, Brown In
1) 23-28 June: The 'War Is Still The Issue' Peace Camp, London AND
associated events
2) 24 June: Stop The War Demonstration, Manchester
1) 23-28 June: The Parliament Square Camp
www.WarIsStillTheIssue.org
SEE OUT BLAIR
On 27 June Tony Blair will finally step down as PM and Gordon Brown -
the man who bankrolled and supported Blair's wars - will take his
place. Brown will have a choice to make. Will he be Tweedledum to
Blair's Tweedledee, or will he transform the Labour agenda from pro-war
to pro-peace? At this crucial moment the anti-war movement needs to
stand up and be counted. We need to stop Brown from choosing business
as usual: more war, more terror, more nukes and more restrictions on
civil liberties.
SEE IN BROWN
Join us this June for a five-day Peace Camp in Parliament Square to
celebrate Blair's departure and demand that Brown:
* withdraws all British troops from Iraq and Afghanistan
* scraps Trident
* makes a public commitment that the UK will not support a future
attack on Iran
JOIN BRIAN
By the time of the camp, Brian Haw will have spent over 2,200 days in
Parliament Square demonstrating against sanctions, war and occupation
in Iraq. By camping alongside Brian in this critical week we will
express our solidarity with him, and signal to politicians and
journalists that WAR IS STILL THE ISSUE - for Blair, and now for Brown.
PEACE CAMP TIMETABLE
Starts: 12 noon, Saturday 23 June
Monday 25 - Tuesday 26 June: Limbo in Westminster
Wednesday 27 June: Tony Blair goes to Buckingham Palace to hand in his
resignation. Brown takes over.
Finishes: 12 noon, Thursday 28 June
Please note that this is an 'unauthorised' demonstration within 1km of
Parliament and that under the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act it
is a criminal offence to participate in such a demonstration (max fine
£1000).
This protest supported by JNV, London Catholic Worker and Voices UK.
Maya reports on the first day: 'There were about 14 of us there, with a
gazebo. It was a very positive atmosphere, and we were not approached by
the police so there were no arrests. If people are coming to stay, they
should bring waterproof tents because the ones provided... '
Camp-related events in Parliament Square unless marked otherwise.
Every Day
9am: 'Reflections on the nonviolent Jesus' with an activist from the
Oxford Catholic Worker.
Saturday 23 June
* 12 noon, start of the 'War is Still the Issue' peace camp, a five-day
unauthorized protest to celebrate Blair's departure.
Sunday 24 June
* 4pm: As Blair is replaced as Labour Party leader but remains PM
Westminster enters limbo. Join the world's first anti-war limbo dance!
* 6pm: Take part in a reading of Aristophanes classic play, Lysistrata,
about an anti-war sex-strike [not a demonstration].
Monday 25 June
* 2pm: Climate change workshop with an activist from the World
Development Movement [not a demonstration]
* 6.30pm onwards: Poetry, performance etc... with the 'Monday Love' team
[not a demonstration]
Tuesday 26 June
* 2pm: Workshop on Britain's nuclear weapons with an activist from
Aldermaston Women's Peace Campaign [not a demonstration]
* 6.30pm: 'A Warning to the Usurper.' Poetry and song with the Poets for
Peace [not a demonstration]
Wednesday 27 June
* 10am: Military Families Against War demo in Downing St [authorised].
* 11.30am: As Tony Blair attends his final Prime Minister's Questions,
join TweedleBlair and TweedleBrown in the Square.
Thursday 28 June
* Brown's first full day as Prime Minster.
* 12 noon: end of 'War is Still the Issue' peace camp. For future
actions see www.WarIsStillTheIssue.org.
2) The Manchester Stop The War Coalition Demo
"Change Policy, not just Leader"
http://www.stopwar.org.uk
Stop The War says: we need a change of policy, not just a change of
leader. We need the new Prime Minister to break with the disasters of
Blair's foreign policy. It means:
> withdrawing all troops from Iraq
> ending the occupation of Afghanistan
> saying no to any attack against Iran
> pulling out of the reckless 'Star wars' project
> supporting justice for the Palestinian people.
Demo at Labour's Leadership Conference, Manchester
Assemble Albert Square, Manchester 12noon
*****
C) Other Upcoming Events with JNV Participation:
1) ON THE CONDITIONS OF POLITICS 28 June, London (Milan Rai)
JNV Coordinator and Peace News editor Milan Rai is speaking as part of
an unusual art-related event organized by the Serpentine Gallery: 'On
the conditions of politics', 10 am - 5 pm, £10 / £8 concessions
(bookings Ticketweb 08700 600100 www.ticketweb.co.uk or via the
Serpentine Gallery 020 7402 6075)
Venue: Conway Hall, 25 Red Lion Square, London WC1R 4RL
Nearest tubes: Holborn, Russell Square and Chancery Lane
This conference is associated with an exhibition 'The 7 Lights' by US
artist Paul Chan, held at the Serpentine Gallery in London. More
details about the conference and the exhibition from
<http://www.serpentinegallery.org/>
2) LABOUR PARTY CONFERENCE CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE, Planning Meeting 30 June,
Bournemouth (Milan Rai and Maya Anne Evans)
A planning meeting for Mass Civil Disobedience at the Labour Party
Conference in Bournemouth this September.
Unless there is a radical change in British foreign policy in the next
few months, the anti-war movement must organise mass civil disobedience
at this September's Labour Party Conference in Bournemouth.
A discussion document regarding such an action has been produced by
JNV's Milan Rai and an organising meeting will take place in
Bournemouth on Saturday 30 June.
Please send feedback and comments on the discussion document to voices
AT voicesuk.org. If you are interested in attending the 30 June meeting
in Bournemouth please e-mail voices AT voicesuk.org or ring 0845 458 2564.
You can also pledge now to take part in such an action by signing a
"Who Who Would Gandhi Bomb, Gordon?" postcard (see below). Copies of
the card are available free from Voices: voices AT voicesuk.org or 0845
4582564. Please specify how many cards you want.
3) CALLED TO BE PEACEMAKERS, 20-22 July, Swanwick, Derbyshire (Maya Anne
Evans)
'Called to be Peacemakers. Who, me?'An ecumenical conference to explore
the Christian vocation of peacemaking. It is you, me us who are the
peacemakers, it is not something left for 'others' to do. Conference
organised by Pax Christi and the Fellowship of Reconciliation England
for the National Justice and Peace Network.
Venue: Hayes Conference Centre, Swanwick, Derbyshire 20 - 22 July 2007
Main speakers: John Dear S J Jesuit priest, pastor, peace activist and
writer currently co-ordinates Pax Christ New Mexico, worked in Central
America,Middle East, Philippines; Zoughbi Zoughbi, a Palestinian
Christian born and raised in Bethlehem, founder and director of Wi'am,
the Palestinian Centre for Conflict Resolution
Testimonies to be given by: Norman Kember, hostage in Iraq for 118
days; Maya Evans, a young woman,the first person to be arrested under
new security laws for reading out names of Iraqi dead at Downing
Street; Ihtisham Hibatullah a Muslim, member of the Muslim Association
of Britain.
Booking form from the National Justice and Peace Network
<http://www.justice-and-peace.org.uk/>
******
D) Recent Events involving JNV
On 18 May, Maya and Mil, who were the first people to be convicted of
participating (Maya) and organizing (Mil) unauthorized demonstrations
in the vicinity of Parliament under the Serious Organized Crime and
Police Act, set a new precedent.
They became the first people to be convicted at the same trial of both
participating in and organizing unauthorized demonstrations in the
vicinity of Parliament (in connection with No More Fallujahs
<http://www.rememberfallujah.org/>). That's right: two people, four
charges, four convictions.
The same District Judge who convicted Maya the first time gave Maya
(and Mil) a lower penalty for the two 'offences' than she had for the
one 'offence' in the first trial! Both activists were fined £100 with
no court costs for the two 'crimes' (Mil was given £350 fine and £150
court costs for just 'organizing' last time.)
On another note, the last month has also seen Emily Johns and Milan Rai
continuing their intermittent tour of Wales giving talks about Iran in
connection with Emily's stunning 'Drawing Paradise on the "Axis of
Evil"' exhibition. (See JNV site for images and text.) Many thanks to
our generous Welsh hosts!
In the last month Maya has also attended the premieres of both the
mainstream feature documentary 'Taking Liberties'
<http://www.noliberties.com/> and Rikki Blue's Indymedia guerrilla
documentary 'SOCPA - The Movie' <http://tinyurl.com/2pan68> (she was on
the panel for a discussion after the latter).
Maya and Mil have also been attending trials supporting other SOCPA
protesters. At the last such event, Adam Twine, arrested at No More
Fallujahs in October, had his case dismissed for lack of evidence
against him!
On 18 June, Mil was honoured with a Pax Christi Peace Award at the Pax
Christi AGM. (A photo of this year's Peace Award winners is at
<http://www.paxchristi.org.uk/press.HTML>)
Justice Not Vengeance
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