Bulletin


	Northern Friends Peace Bulletin


Issue 1: 22 November 2001
Dear Friends, This is the first of what we expect to be a series of short bulletins for Quaker Meetings and individuals. Our aim is to draw together material and news we are gathering from a range of sources relating to the 'war on terrorism'. In particular we hope to: highlight Quaker another peace related initiatives from different parts of the world. summarise, and provide pointers to, useful sources of information, discussion and analysis. give topical information relating to the longer-term agenda for change as well as imediate needs. Whilst our political leaders might like to persuade us that the war has been a success, it is clear that the world is a long way from being at peace, and has not yet dealt with the underlying causes of terrorism. The challenges will be with us for a long time to come. We hope to distribute the bulletin electronically as far as is possible, as many Meetings do have at least one Friend with access to email. This is in the interests of speed but also of making it as cost efficient an operation as possible for us to manage. We will review the progress of the bulletin as we go along. If you have information that you feel may be of interest to other Friends, or would like to comment on the usefulness of the bulletin, please do get in touch. *In peace,* *Philip Austin* (Co-ordinator) Northern Friends Peace Board (NFPB), Victoria Hall, Knowsley Street, Bolton BL1 2AS Tel: 0845 458 3095 Email: nfpb@gn.apc.org Web: www.gn.apc.org/nfpb


Quakers Visit from AFSC Elisabeth Enloe and Michael Simmons, staff from American Friends Service Committee, visited Britain in mid November to share perspectives, experiences and ideas for future peace efforts. They spoke at a meeting chaired by NFPB in Edinburgh Friends Meeting House, giving an account of how events since September have affected Friends and others working for peaceful change in New York and in the international work of AFSC. There was still a lot of healing needed after 11 September, and to a large degree it is difficult for US people to hear dissenting views that try to address the wider agenda of tackling the causes of terrorism. We have to acknowledge, they suggested, that there are no easy alternatives. Whilst we might advocate the use of international law rather than law, there are not yet very good mechanisms for this. Promotion of the International Criminal Court is thus of great importance. Lots of material from AFSC and Friends Committee for National Legislation available: http://www.afsc.org http://www.fcnl.org British Quaker resources NFPB has available envelope re-use labels with the wording: War, a journey without return; let us choose another way. These have also been enlarged to make a simple black and white A4 poster that Friends have been using in many different ways. Labels available from the NFPB office at £3.00 a pack including postage, and posters free, but a donation for postage and printing would be helpful. Also available on our website at: http://www.gn.apc.org/nfpb Quaker Peace and Social Witness have collaborated with the Oxford Research Group in putting together a new briefing pack (available at a cost of £1 from David Gee, Friends House, Euston Road, London NW1 2BJ). The main briefing paper in this addresses the need to break free from the cycle of violence of which the US-Afghanistan conflict is just a most recent instalment. To find out more about the British Quaker response go to: http://www.quaker.org.uk
UK peace movement Network for Peace The Network – with minimal staffing – is what is left of the National Peace Council. Soon after 11 September it set up a crisis response group that has started meeting on a regular basis (weekly). Since the meetings are normally on weekday evenings in London, Friends are represented by Quaker Peace and Social Witness. Other members of the group come chiefly from national peace organisation offices. One of the chief activities of the network has been the production, distribution and then submission of a petition to the government. This has attracted tens of thousands of signatures. The Network has a basic web-presences at http://www.gn.apc.org/nfp Stop the War Coalition/s The Stop the War Coalition was also been meeting regularly. With a rather different composition (with strong input from the left-wing political groups), many Quakers have worked with these groups locally, although not nationally. Working methods have sometimes been challenging, but all the more reason for Quakers to be involved, think some. The London demonstration on 18th November is a good indication of the range of groups and individuals with concerns about the war and its conduct. http://www.stopwar.org.uk/ Local Groups Activities of local groups have been chiefly along the lines of vigils, some on a daily basis, others weekly and others rather less often still. Some groups have held rather noisier demonstrations and rallies – the latter being chiefly in the bigger towns and cities. Plenty of Friends and others have also been continuing convey their concerns to MPs and to use local media to raise questions about the bombing. Reaching out to Muslims within our community – potentially vulnerable to unwarranted victimisation – has been a further strand of activity. This interfaith work has been easier and more appropriate in some places than in others.
Information, news & analysis Oxford Research Group paper ORG Director and Friend Scilla Ellworthy has collaborated with Paul Rogers of Bradford's department of Peace Studies to produce a report entitled "The United States, Europe and the Majority World After 11 September". http://www.oxfrg.demon.co.uk/ 51 Plantation Road, Oxford, OX2 6JE, Tel: 01865 242819 e-mail: org@oxfordresearchgroup.org.uk . For a printed copy of the report send payment of £5.00 The following is a quote from the report: "Today the majority view is of a world dominated by an elite that acts primarily in its own interests, seeking to maintain a global economic system that is deeply flawed, singularly failing to deliver economic justice, and demanding of radical change. [.....] the disasters of 11 September are bringing this whole clash of paradigms to the fore in a wholly unexpected and specific form, giving it an immediacy that is quite remarkable. There is little doubt that the outcome of the efforts of the United States and some close allies to regain control after the recent traumatic events will affect international security for years to come. It is also clear that the present situation offers an opportunity for understanding the profound issues of our age, for wise action and for international political leadership of a high order." Noam Chomsky Much quoted in recent weeks, the following is from a transcript of a talk he gave on 18th October. The full text is available on http://www.zmag.org/GlobalWatch/chomskymit.htm "It's hard to find many rays of light in the last couple of weeks but one of them is that there is an increased openness. Lots of issues are open for discussion, even in elite circles, certainly among the general public, that were not a couple of weeks ago. ..... And among the general public, I think there is much more openness and willingness to think about things that were under the rug and so on. These are opportunities and they should be used, at least by people who accept the goal of trying to reduce the level of violence and terror, including potential threats that are extremely severe and could make even September 11th pale into insignificance." This wider agenda is one on which we shall focus in coming issues of this bulletin.