Regional & Bristol Stop-The-War News : October 2005 : (VIRTUAL Version)

The George Galloway v Peter Hitchens, & the George Galloway v US
Senate debates are downloadable from the Bro Emlyn Peace & Justice
Group website:  http://www.newcastle-emlyn.com/stopwar/

DOWNLOAD: A printer friendly version of this newsletter is also available.
Please print out copies & give or sell them to people who don't have email.
Visit:  http://www.bristol.indymedia.org/newswire.php?story_id=24268


CONTENTS CODE : * New Section... ^ Updated Section...
~ Bristol / Regional Events... + National / International Events...

01) *~ Editorial: The World Tribunal On Iraq
02) * + Report: Detainees On Hunger Strike
03) *~ + Urgent: Support Palestinian Protest
04) * + Armed Forces Bill + MFAW Petition
05) *~ Bristol Report: 9/11 Truth Evening
06) *~ MORE Bristol & Bath Events
07) *~ MORE South & South West Events
08) *~ MORE Wales & West Midlands Events
09) * + MORE National Level Events
10) ~ Local Vigils & Planning Meetings


GROUP DESCRIPTION : Bristol STW Coalition produces this newsletter to publicise events & activities in opposition to the so-called 'war on terror'. We are composed of groups & individuals with a wide variety of political & religious views. We are politically non-aligned, but we are also committed to oppose any racist backlash. Bristol STW is not a 'membership' organisation. Any one or group opposed to the 'war on terror' can consider themselves part of Bristol STW, or can continue to be publicised by us while choosing to organise independently of the Coalition. We don't claim (or seek) a monopoly over anti-war sentiment & activity in the city & recognise that many groups & individuals have their own ways of opposing the 'war on terror'. We are also dependent on individual donations for our funding, so if you are able to make a donation please send a cheque or postal order, payable to: Bristol Stop The War Coalition. Post: BSTWC c/o 23 Monmouth Rd, Bristol BS7 8LF. Or you can email us privately :  bristolstopwar@hotmail.com



01) EDITORIAL : THE WORLD TRIBUNAL ON IRAQ
By Jereremy Clarke of Bristol STW Coalition writes: “Two & a half years after invading Iraq, the US & British occupation is in deep trouble. The refusal of Iraqi people to accept occupation surprises nobody but the US & British governments. The draft constitution, largely drawn up by US officials, is an attempt to partition the country & encourage sectarian divisions. There is wide-scale opposition to it across the population as a whole.
Tony Blair tells us that British troops will stay in Iraq ‘until the job is done’. In Basra, British soldiers disguised as Arabs have been caught driving around with explosives. Our government seems reluctant to discuss what they might have been doing. Iraqis are justifiably angry. Yet another of Blair’s ‘turning points’ has come & gone with the Iraqis still strongly resisting the occupation.
The government’s response to the July bombs has been to clamp down further on civil liberties. They refuse to accept any link between the occupation of Iraq & the bombs in London. The curbs on civil liberties are designed to discourage people from criticising the government. At the Labour Party conference an 82 year-old man was thrown out for mildly heckling Jack Straw, & then threatened with arrest by the police under the prevention of terrorism act.
Tony Blair said in a recent interview that he has been ‘surprised at the ferocity of the resistance to the occupation’. He is probably equally surprised that 100,000 people demonstrated in opposition to the occupation of Iraq in London last weekend. A recent opinion poll showed that only 12% of people in Britain believe that British troops are improving the security situation in Iraq, & 51% want the government to draw up plans for withdrawal of British troops. The general election in May showed that, despite the government’s hopes, the issue of Iraq was still high on the agenda. Nothing that has happened since has changed that.
Earlier in the summer the World Tribunal On Iraq met in Istanbul to help get to the truth behind the invasion & occupation. Its meetings resulted in detailed findings, including its call for Bush & Blair to be indicted at the International Criminal Court. Keep up the pressure for an end to the occupation. ‘Even those of us who have tried to follow the war closely are not aware of a fraction of the horrors unleashed in Iraq." - Author Arundathi Roy at the World Tribunal on Iraq, Istanbul, 2005."  http://www.worldtribunal.org/



02) REPORT : GUANTANAMO DETAINEES ON HUNGER STRIKE
Full Article:  http://www.amnesty.org.uk/news/press/16440.shtml “Several detainees on hunger strike at Guantánamo Bay are critically ill, according to lawyers who have recently visited the detention camp. Amnesty International is also concerned at reports that the camp's facilities are unable to cope with the medical crisis. Susan Lee, Americas Director at Amnesty International said: ‘The US military appears to be systematically downplaying the hunger strike in order to avoid international criticism. In July they denied the existence of a hunger strike 2 weeks after it had started. Now they seem to be understating the number of detainees involved & the gravity of the medical condition of several of the detainees. This policy once again demonstrates the lack of transparency around all US detention practices and policies in the 'war on terror'.’
As many as 210 people are said to be taking part in the current hunger strike in Guantánamo Bay, although the US Department of Defense has put the figure as low as 36. Detainees' lawyers put this low figure down to the criteria used to determine who is technically on hunger strike. The US military defines a hunger strike as the refusal of nine consecutive meals within a 72 hour period. Reports from lawyers suggest that detainees are accepting one meal in this timeframe, but then flushing the meal down the toilet to avoid being force-fed through nasal gastric tubes.
Susan Lee said: ‘We are particularly concerned about the health of detainees who may have escaped this narrow definition of a hunger-striker. They may not be receiving any medical treatment. We urge that independent medical experts be given access to detainees.’ New details are emerging of the earlier hunger strike, which took place over the summer. Lawyers report that a number of detainees collapsed in their cells & vomited blood. Susan Lee said: ‘Faced with a worsening situation of its own making, the US government should close Guantánamo Bay & either charge & try the detainees in line with international law, or release them.’” Please contact your MP & urge him/her to press the British government to raise this matter with the American authorities as a matter of urgency. (See Section 4 of this newsletter to contact your local MP).



03) URGENT : SUPPORT NON-VIOLENT PALESTINIAN PROTEST
Full Article:  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/directactionagainstwar/message/2291 “Amnesty International is concerned for the safety of Palestinian villagers & Israeli peace activists in the West Bank village of Bil'in. Israeli forces are increasingly using excessive force against them as they demonstrate peacefully every week against the construction of the fence/wall which is cutting them off from most of their land & depriving them of their livelihood. Israeli troops also use tear gas, stun grenades & rubber-coated metal bullets.
Read More:  http://web.amnesty.org/pages/isr-action-POCs The Israeli authorities contend the fence/wall is ‘a defensive measure, designed to block the passage of terrorists, weapons & explosives into the State of Israel’. However, more than 80% of the fence/wall is being built on Palestinian land inside the occupied West. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) concluded that the construction of the fence/wall by Israel inside the West Bank violates international law, called on Israel to stop construction inside the West Bank, to dismantle the sections already built there, & provide reparation to Palestinians who have been affected.
HOW YOU CAN HELP: Please send appeals to arrive asap in your own language:- calling for an end to the use of force against non-violent demonstrators in the West Bank, to stop imposing arbitrary closures in & around the village;- to stop building the fence/wall inside the West Bank, & to remove sections already built, to end the unlawful appropriation of Palestinian land & the arbitrary restrictions on the movement of Palestinians.
APPEALS TO: a.) Ariel Sharon, Prime Minister, Office of the Prime Minister, 3 Kaplan St, PO Box 187, Kiryat Ben-Gurion, Jerusalem 91919, Israel. Fax: +97225611033 +97225664838 Email:  public@president.gov.il
b.) Menahem Mazuz, Attorney General, Ministry of Justice, 29 Salah al-Din St, Jerusalem 91010, Israel. Fax: +97226274481 +97226285438 +97225303367. c.) Tony Blair PM, 10 Downing St, London, SW1A 2AA.
Email from here:  http://www.number10.gov.uk/output/page821.asp d.) Jack Straw, Foreign Secretary, Foreign & Commonwealth Office, King Charles St, London SW1A 2AH. Email:  strawj@parliament.uk
MORE LINKS: Bristol ISM Blog:  http://bristol-ism.blog.co.uk/main/index.php/bristol-ism/2005/09/
Media:  http://www.palestinecampaign.org/press.asp Petition:  http://www.PetitionOnline.com/Bilin/petition.html



04) ARMED FORCES BILL + MILITARY FAMILIES AGAINST WAR
 http://www.cnduk.org Written By Kate Hudson Chair, CND. Ron Bailey Co-Director \ Charter88.
“Clare Short MP is sponsoring a Private Members Bill in Parliament to restrict the Prime Minister’s power to go to war. The Prime Minister, by using the ancient Royal Prerogative, can declare war & deploy troops without seeking the consent of Parliament. We are campaigning to change this by promoting a new law - the Armed Forces (Parliamentary Approval for Participation in Armed Conflict) Bill. This would require a vote in Parliament & the legal justification for the proposed war to be made available. Our first hurdle is the 2nd Reading of the Bill, due on Fri 21st Oct We need 100 MPs supporting the Bill to be present in Parliament.
HOW YOU CAN HELP: Getting MPs in the House on Friday is difficult: most return to their constituencies. So we ask you please to: Write to your MP urgently saying you want him/her to attend the House on Fri 21st Oct & vote to ensure the Armed Forces (Parliamentary Approval for Armed Conflict) Bill gets a 2nd reading. At the same time please ask your MP to ‘please sign Early Day Motion No. 85 in support of the Bill’, entitled ‘Parliamentary Approval for Participation in Armed Conflict’ proposed by Neil Gerrard MP.
HOW TO LOCATE YOUR MP, all MPs can be contacted via the House of Commons switchboard: 020 7219 3000. Or locate your MP by visiting:  http://www.locata.co.uk/commons Fax your MP:  http://www.faxyourmp.com Write to your MP: House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA
MILITARY FAMILIES PETITION :  http://www.mfaw.org.uk/ “Prime Minister, Tony Blair, has rejected the demand for a full public inquiry into the Iraq war by Military Families Against the War. The Prime Minister’s lawyers have written a letter to the families, which reads, ‘the decision to take military action in Iraq was in no sense the immediate and direct operative cause of the deaths of the claimants’ relatives … The legality of the decision to take military action in Iraq has no bearing on the circumstances which led to their deaths’. Rose Gentle whose son Gordon was killed by a roadside bomb in Basra said: ‘The question of the legality of the war is very important to me & my family. We all need to know whether the army was sent to Iraq on a proper basis. This letter is an insult to those who gave their lives for their country.’
SIGN THE PETITION:  http://www.petitiononline.com/mfaw/petition.html GET IN TOUCH: Any military family that would like more information about the legal action against Tony Blair please contact Military Families Against the War. Call Chris on: 07930536519 or Andrew on: 07939 242229.



05) BRISTOL REPORT : 9/11 TRUTH EVENING
UK 9/11 Truth:  http://www.nineeleven.co.uk/ US 9/11 Truth:  http://www.911truth.org/
The recently formed Bristol 9/11 Truth group held a packed out event at the Cube cinema on 11th September. Tony Gosling, of the Bristol group & member of the NUJ, forwarded the following report from the Bristol Evening Post, extracts of which are below. “Mr Shayler, a former MI5 officer who was jailed for disclosing security secrets, believes there are elements within the FBI, CIA & the US government who wanted ‘another Pearl Harbour’ so they had public support for invasions in oil-producing countries. Mr Shayler spoke to about 200 at the Cube cinema after a 45-minute film which questioned the official version of the terrorist attacks. He said there was no evidence a plane had hit the Pentagon, & claimed it was more likely to have been a missile. He said the incident happened when America's major defence building was being redecorated so staff were at minimal risk. Mr Shayler said: ‘It created a lot of anger without causing too much damage. There are many unanswered questions.' He also discussed the possibility of the 7/7 London Tube bombings being set up by the Government or security agencies. Mr Shayler believes Dr David Kelly was an MI6 agent who was murdered & he alleged Tony Blair worked for MI5 before he became Labour leader. Mr Shayler was jailed for 6 months in Nov 2002 for disclosing security secrets which breached the Official Secrets Act.”
ABOUT 9/11 TRUTH: “The campaign recognizes that there is a diverse range of opinion amongst 9/11 truth campaigners. The campaign does not endorse any one position. What we do say is when taken in totality the evidence overwhelmingly supports the need to reopen 9/11. We make a range of DVDs, including ‘Confronting the Evidence’ & ‘Loose Change’ which presents evidence from principle US campaigners.”
Links:  http://www.reopen911.org/index.htm &  http://loosechange911.com



06) MORE BRISTOL & BATH EVENTS
a) *~ Report: Bristol No2ID Puts Government On Spot
b) *~ 3rd Oct : Bristol Indymedia Film Night
c) *~ 4th Oct : Bristol ‘U.N Weapons Inspector’ Talk
d) *~ 11th Oct : Bristol Dissent! Open Discussion
e) *~ 14th Oct : Bristol Colombia Solidarity Benefit
f) *~ 15th Oct : Bristol PSC Sponsored Walk 4 Palestine
g) *~ 19th Oct: Bristol Social Forum Open Discussion
h) *~ 26th Oct : Bath Bach Festival
i) *~ 27th Oct : Bristol Trade Justice Rally
j) *~ 2nd Nov : Bristol Venezuela Solidarity Meeting
k) *~ 11th Nov : Bristol ‘Veterans Speak Out’ Talk

6a) BRISTOL NO2ID PUTS GOVERNMENT on SPOT on ID CARDS
 http://www.no2id.net “Say NO2ID and the Database State”. Please note, the following from Bristol NO2ID is included in relevance to one of the principles of the STWC as being to resist the erosion of civil liberties. Lee Salter writes. “The Government's big brother road show came to Bristol today (Fri 23rd Sept) but was met with a small but forceful group of protesters. Andrew Burnham MP was sent with a crew of assistants, PR people & a minder to propagandise for the government. The stall, set up in The Galleries allowed people to ‘have a go’ at biometrics. Shortly after activists unfurled banners & began requesting to speak to the minister. Reports of the conversation was that it went something like this: “Q: So, how much will the project cost? A: erm… erm… “Q: So, how much will the project cost? A: erm… Q: Okay, an easier question... Would ID cards have stopped the London bombings in July 2005? A. erm… “Q: Okay, have you read your own bill? A: erm… erm…”
Full Article:  http://www.bristol.indymedia.org/newswire.php?story_id=24252 Email:  bristol@no2id.net

6b) BRISTOL INDYMEDIA FILM NIGHT : Mon 3rd October
Link:  http://www.bristol.indymedia.org Map:  http://www.cubecinema.com/directions.html 7.30pm open. 8:00pm start. £2/3 - nobody turned away due to lack of funds. Cube Cinema: Dove St South (off Kings Square), Bristol. The theme for this month is 'War'. Led by the multi-award winning film 'Old Enough to Know Better', which documents the mass school walkouts by thousands of school pupils in protest against the Iraq war. It shows the dramatic political awakening of young people & their facing up to an establishment reluctant to let them express their views. This film will be accompanied by 'Weapons of Mass Deception': There were 2 wars going on in Iraq - one fought with a fearsome military force, the other fought with armies of journalists and propaganda techniques. ‘More cohesive and devastating than Fahrenheit 911’ Boston Phoenix.”
Links:  http://www.wmdthefilm.com/mambo/index.php &  http://www.piltonvideo.org/

6c) BRISTOL ‘U.N WEAPONS INSPECTOR’ TALK : Tue 4th October
Public:  president@international-affairs.org.uk Press:  pr@international-affairs.org.uk Free attendance, but registration is required by Mon 3rd Oct. Full Title: 'Iraq As Intelligence Success & Policy Failure'. @7.15pm Venue: Room 1.11, Merchant Venturers Building, top of Park St, Bristol. Organised by Bristol International Affairs Society. Speaker: SCOTT RITTER, Former UN Weapons Inspector between 1991 & 1998. “Ritter will be giving a first hand account of how the CIA manipulates & sabotages the works of UN departments to achieve the US hidden foreign policy in the Middle East. After the 1991 Gulf War, Ritter helped lead the UN inspections in Iraq & found himself at the centre of a dangerous game between the Iraqi & US regimes. Ritter & his team were determined to find out the truth about Iraq's WMD. The CIA was equally determined to stop them. He will also be signing copies of his new book 'Iraq Confidential: The Untold Story of America's Intelligence Conspiracy'”

6d) BRISTOL DISSENT! OPEN DISCUSSION : Tue 11th October
First Dissent ‘Discussion’ meeting - Tue 11th October, 7.30pm, at Kebele. 14 Robertson Rd, Easton, Bristol, BS5 6JY. “This is intended to be an informal discussion. The chosen topic for this first discussion is ‘What is capitalism?’ (& ‘what is anti-capitalism?’). The Dissent network saw thousand of activists come together in July in opposition to the G8. Since then there have been many discussions on the future of our network.”
Visit:  http://www.dissent.org.uk/ Email:  dissentbristol@subsection.org.uk Related:  http://www.bristle.org.uk
Dissent! Report Back: “The ResisDance benefit on 17th September was organised by Bristle mag & supported by Bristol Dissent. It raised £448. The majority of the money raised will go to support local G8 defendants.”

6e) COLOMBIA SOLIDAIRY CAMPAIGN BENEFIT : Fri 14th October
Link:  http://www.colombiasolidarity.org.uk/ Coffee, Cocktails & Cumbia – A night of Colombian music with other Latin Flavours. Venue: Bar Unlimited, 203 Gloucester Rd, Bishopston. 8pm – 1am. £4 entry. “The Colombia Solidarity Campaign opposes PLAN COLOMBIA. Our specific objectives are: To oppose US, British or foreign military intervention, believing this will only escalate problems. To oppose the policy of fumigation, & work for a solution to the coca problem based on real needs of the people. - To draw attention to the role played by Multinational Corporations in violating workers rights & exploiting the people & environment of Colombia. To draw attention to the horrific human rights situation, & that the overwhelming majority of atrocities can be attributed to the army, police, Colombian state organisms & paramilitaries, which together constitute a policy of Colombian state terror. To oppose the criminalisation of social protest.”

6f) BRISTOL PSC SPONSORED WALK FOR PALESTINE : Sat 15th October
'College Green to City Centre - the Palestinian Way'. To raise funds for the Tulkarem Orphanage. Peace March up Park St. starts 10a.m from College Green. Sponsored Walk leaves 11.30am from Clifton Village Green. Returns to City Centre 5.30pm (approx). Taking in Park St, Suspension Bridge, Ashton Court, Dundry & Rookery Farm. The 12-mile walk symbolises the detours forced on Palestinians by closures on the West Bank - a 1/2 mile 'simple' walk turns into a 12-mile hike. We also plan to plant a symbolic tree in Ashton Court. Leaflets & Sponsorship Forms:  http://bristol.indymedia.org/newswire.php?story_id=24233
“The Palestine Solidarity provides information about the human & political situation in Palestine, & seeks to bring pressure to bear on British & Israeli governments, to bring their policies into line with international law.”
UK Link:  http://www.palestinecampaign.org/ Bristol:  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bristol_psc/

6g) BRISTOL SOCIAL FORUM OPEN DISCUSSION – Wed 19th Oct
Open discussion on 'Oil & the Economy'. “The era of cheap oil appears to be at an end, with production of oil expected to peak anytime between now & around the year 2030. Put simply, the easy & cheap to extract part of world oil reserves have been used. In Saudi Arabia, despite claims that oil ouput can eaily be raised, much of this increase is expected to be in heavy crude, which is very expensive & difficult to refine. In the Gulf coast of Mexico all of the U.S.A’s refineries remain out of action. A taste of the future appears to have arrived.
Visit:  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bristolsocialforum To Join Email:  bristolsocialforum-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
How To Get To Us By Bus: From the City Centre. 71,73,75,76,77,99. To stop near to the 1 in 8 centre, ask for Pigsty Hill (just past us.) Date: Wed 19th Oct. Time: 7-9pm, @ 1 in 8, 160 Gloucester Rd. Map:
 http://www.streetmap.co.uk/streetmap.dll?G2M?X=359100&Y=175533&A=Y&Z=1

6h) BATH BACH FESTIVAL : Wed 26th October
Link:  http://www.chantry-singers.org.uk or Tel: 01225 333527. “Premiere of a new work by Edwin Roxburgh called ‘The Beginning of Sorrows’, based on a Bach Chorale. Roxburgh is passionately anti-war, & writes: ‘The slaughter of the innocents by Herod, & Rachel’s lamenting are a symbol of horror that is reflected in today’s world on a greater scale than at any time in history. There is the added obscenity that today’s killers do not confront their victims. Cluster bombs are released at 15,000 feet, the remaining debris killing hundreds of children. The brute force of the Iraq invasion killed 100,000 civilians – many of them children. All this is euphemistically called ‘collateral damage’. Such a phrase cannot hide the fact that thousands of innocent children have been slaughtered ruthlessly.” To be performed by The Chantry in Bath Abbey at 7pm.

6i) BRISTOL TRADE JUSTICE RALLY : Thu 27th October
Link:  http://www.tjm.org.uk Tel: 0117 916 6472 Email:  lfisher@oxfam.org.uk “Reception with stalls & live music. Global trade rules are rigged to keep poor countries poor. Hear a panel of experts discuss trade justice in this run-up to the December WTO ministerial meetings in Hong-Kong.” Venue: Bristol Grammar School, Cotham Lawn Rd, Cotham. Time: 6.30-9.30pm. “The 48 least developed countries, home to 10% of the world’s citizens, have seen their share of world exports decline to a tiny 0.4 per cent over the past two decades. The US & EU contain roughly the same number of people, yet account for nearly 50% of world exports.” MASS LOBBY IN LONDON 2nd NOV (See Section 9). Bristol transport contacts: Northavon, 01454 416446 email:  northacoach@yahoo.co.uk - Wansdyke, 0117 9862254 email:  pjmgarrett@onetel.com - Bristol North West / West, 0117 9592737, email:  mkhanna@christian-aid.org - Bristol East / Kingswood, 0117 9562125 email:  paulineberndes@blueyonder.co.uk - Bristol South, 0117 9664025 or email:  heading@surefish.co.uk

6j) BRISTOL VENEZUELA SOLIDARITY MEETING : Wed 2nd November
Email:  karenbell50@hotmail.com Public meeting to discuss the situation in Venezuela and to set up a Bristol Solidarity Group - Wed 2nd November at CEED, Wilder St, St Pauls, Bristol. Start time expected as 7:00pm. Please do email for more details. “During 48 hours in April 2002 a right wing coup temporarily unseated the democratically elected President & government of Hugo Chavez. Elected in 1999, the Chavez adminstration promised redistributonist policies paid for by the countries oil wealth. Venezuela also supplies the U.S.A with around one sixth of its oil supplies, & evidence continues to emerge of the Bush administrations involvement in the failed coup of 2002. Karen Bell, from Bristol, recently returned from Venezuela, and has reported on some of the current political & social conditions & aspects of life in Venezuela since the election of Hugo Chavez.”
Read More:  http://bristol.indymedia.org/newswire.php?story_id=24219 &  http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/

6k) BRISTOL ‘VETERANS SPEAK OUT’ MEETING : Fri 11th November
'Veterans Speak Out' Meeting. @7pm, Fri 11th November. Venue: Friends Meeting House. 300 Gloucester Rd, Bristol BS7 8PD. More Details To Follow. A meeting with British military veterans plus a short film from the USA called ‘What’s Going On?’ about veterans’ demonstrations against the war. Come & hear ex-soldiers speak about their experiences of training & combat, & how young people are targeted for military recruitment.



07) MORE SOUTH & SOUTH WEST EVENTS
a) *~ 3rd Oct : Dorest Movement for the Abolition of War
b) *~ 4th Oct : Brighton 'Origins Of Zionism' Talk
c) *~ 4th Oct : Tavistock ‘Ex-Israeli Soldiers’ Talk
d) *~ 5, 12 Oct & 2 Nov : Brighton ‘Quilt 4 Peace’
e) *~ 7th Oct : Portsmouth ‘Wild Geese’ Theatre
f) *~ 8th Oct : Faringdon ‘A Month For Peace’ Event
g) *~ 10th Oct : Brighton Community Base Pub Quiz
h) *~ 11th Oct : Taunton ‘Migrant Voices’ Theatre
i) *~ 19th Oct : Tavistock ‘Letter To The PM’ Film
j) *~ 20th Oct : Brighton 'Hands Off' Forum
k) *~ 21st Oct : Exeter George Galloway Meeting
l) *~ 15th Nov : Tavistock ‘Global Vigils’ Talk

7a) DORSET MOVEMENT FOR THE ABOLITION OF WAR : Mon 3rd Oct
Organised by the Dorchester Peace & Justice Group and supported by the Movement for the Abolition of War. A talk By Christine Titmus, followed by a discussion into these issues. Venue: Corn Exchange, High East Street, Dorchester. 7.30 pm. Free Entry. More Info Tel: 01300 345109. “As Remembrance Day draws near, we ask; ‘What is the best way to honour their memory?’ Do you have something to say?”

7b) BRIGHTON ‘ORGINS OF ZIONISM’ TALK : Tue 4th October
 http://www.brightonpalestinecampaign.org Email:  lists@brightonpalestinecampaign.org Tony Greenstein, founder member of national PSC & Unemployed Workers Centre in Brighton. Venue: The lecture room, Friends Meeting House, Ship St, Brighton. Time: 7.30 p.m. “The ideology which has justified the dispossession of millions of Palestinians, & deprived still more of their basic human rights, needs to be understood.”

7c) TAVISTOCK ‘EX-ISRAELI SOLDIERS’ TALK : Tue 4th October
Email:  tavistockpag@yahoo.co.uk A discussion with two Israeli ex-soldiers who are visiting friends in Calstock. Or Barzel & Yogel Katzir will talk about their life on a kibbutz and their experiences during the last few years in Israel. Venue: Friends Meeting House, The Wharf Car Park, Tavistock at 7.30pm.

7d) BRIGHTON ‘QUILT FOR PEACE’ IN PALESTINE : 5th, 19th October & 2nd November
The Sanctuary Cafe 8pm, off Western Rd, opposite Cambridge Rd, Hove. “Everyone is welcome to contribute a square. Each square should be 30cm square & unhemmed. If you don’t sew, you can write or draw onto fabric, or iron on images. Your square could celebrate images of Palestinian life, or carry an anti-war message. You can also post completed squares to ‘Peace Quilt’, C/o BPEC, 39-41 Surrey St, Brighton, BN1 3PB.

7e) PORTSMOUTH ‘WILD GEESE’ THEATRE : Fri 7th October
 http://www.bannertheatre.co.uk/ “A song & video ballad of exile & migration. ‘Our task is not to allow migrant workers to be scapegoated for taking jobs or driving down wages & conditions, but instead to argue it is bad bosses who drive down wages & conditions.’” Jack Dromey (Deputy Gen Sec T&GWU). Venue: 3d Floor Arts Centre, Central Library, Guildhall Square, Portsmouth PO1 2BG. £6.50 (£4.50). Tel: 023 9268 8070.

7f) FARINGDON ‘A MONTH FOR PEACE’ : Sat 8th Oct
 http://www.faringdonpeacegroup.org.uk/ Sat 8th October. 2pm-8pm. Corn Exchange, Corn Exchange, Gloucester St, Faringdon, SN7 7JA. Faringdon Peace Group, 1980 – 2005, celebrates 25 years of campaigning for peace. Art, events, meetings, barn dance. Speakers include: Tony Benn, Bruce Kent, Caroline Lucas & John McDonnell. Music, exhibitions, refreshments & more.

7g) BRIGHTON COMMUNITY BASE PUB QUIZ : Mon 10th October
 http://www.communitybase.org Email:  reception@communitybase.org or 01273 234002 or ext 200. Upstairs at the Prince Albert, Trafalgar St, Brighton. Quid entry, all cash to the winner. Community Base has established itself as Brighton and Hove’s main source of community help to local black and minority ethnic communities. More than a third of the people coming into Community Base to get help belong to these communities.”

7h) TAUNTON ‘MIGRANT VOICES’ THEATRE : Tue 11th October
 http://www.bannertheatre.co.uk/ “Based on in-depth interviews with Iraqi Kurdish refugees & asylum seekers. Combining live music, drama & video to show some of the harsh realities behind the media.” TWO SHOWS: Performance for school pupils: Tue 11th Oct, 2pm. - General Performace: Tue 11 Oct, 7.30pm. Tacchi Morris Arts Centre, School Rd, Monkton Heathfield, Taunton TA2 8PD. £7.50, £5, £3.50. Box Office: 01823 414141.

7i) TAVISTOCK ‘LETTER TO THE PRIME MINSTER’ : Wed 19th October
Email:  tavistockpag@yahoo.co.uk “‘A Letter to the Prime Minister’ follows international activist Jo Wilding. Narrated as a letter to Tony Blair & using original diary extracts, from her challenging of the legality of the devastating economic sanctions imposed on the country, through to her activities in Baghdad before & during the 2003 Invasion.” Friends Meeting House, The Wharf Car Park, Tavistock at 7.30pm.

7j) BRIGHTON ‘HANDS OFF’ FORUM : Thu 20th October
Email:  k.page53@ntlworld.com Links:  http://www.watchingthewarmakers.org.uk &  http://www.j-n-v.org Time: 7.30pm. St Joseph's Church, Milton Rd, Brighton. A talk & discussion with Milan Rai, asking the questions: - is immediate withdrawal of US/UK occupation forces the answer? - will withdrawal make the situation worse? - Can the damage done to Iraq be limited? Is there a responsible exit strategy? - should the UN be involved?”

7k) EXETER AUDIENCE WITH GEORGE GALLOWAY MP : Fri 21st October
"This is an opportunity for audiences to meet the real me - not the fictional character invented by the media. People can hear the true story of my life, about my beliefs and passions and discover the truth for themselves. It promises to be a great evening!" George Galloway. 8.00pm (Doors Open at 7.15pm) St. George’s Hall, Market St, Exeter, Tickets: £14, £12, £11. From St George's Hall: 01392 665866 & Exeter Tickets: 01392 211080

7l) TAVISTOCK ‘GLOBAL VIGILS’ TALK : Tue 15th November
“A discussion with Bill & Leslie Glassmire who have recently arrived in Gunnislake from Oregon, USA, where they were responsible for starting a daily street vigil on 7th Oct 2001, the day the U.S.A started bombing Afghanistan. This daily vigil still takes place nearly 4 years later! We hope to set up a 'twinning' scenario with this peace group in Oregon. Venue: Friends Meeting House, The Wharf Car Park, Tavistock at 7.30pm.



08) MORE WALES & WEST MIDLANDS EVENTS
a) *~ 3rd Oct : George Galloway In Bro Emlyn
b) *~ 5th Oct : Aberystwyth 'Social' Social Forum
c) *~ 11th Oct : Oxford PSC Open Discussion
d) *~ 19th Oct : Oxford ‘The Question Of Zion’ Talk
e) *~ 22nd Oct : Cardiff Anti-Deportation March
f) *~ 25th Oct : Bruce Kent Bangor Public Meeting
g) *~ 28th Oct : Wolverhampton ‘Wild Geese’ Theatre
h) *~ 3rd Nov : Oxford ‘Palestine & Israel..’ Meeting
i) *~ 8th Nov : Denbighshire Performance Poetry
j) *~ 10th Nov : Wrexham Fallujah Film Night

8a) GEORGE GALLOWAY IN BRO EMLYN : Mon 3rd October
More details:  http://www.aberystwythartscentre.co.uk/whatson/special/info/1491/ &  http://www.bepj.org.uk
Bro Emlyn for Peace & Justice. George Galloway will be speaking at Aberystwyth University Arts Centre, on the A487 heading north out of Penglais Hill, on Mon 3rd October @8p.m. Tickets are £9 or £8 concessions.
To co-ordinate sharing transport email: Harry:  info@wildwestwales.com Visit:  http://www.wildwestwales.com

8b) ABERYSTWYTH ‘SOCIAL’ SOCIAL FORUM : Wed 5th October
Email Lotte Reimer:  lotte.reimer@tiscali.co.uk Tel (01970) 610185 Aberystwyth Peace & Justice Network. “We are planning a 'social' social forum Wed 5th October @7p.m. in the Morlan Centre, Queens Rd, Morfa Mawr, Aberystwyth. The aim is to bring together people working for peace, social justice & environmental sustainability. We want to look at how we can support each other practically in the coming year.

8c) OXFORD PSC OPEN DISCUSSION : Tue 11th October
Email:  oxfordpsc@yahoo.com Visit:  http://www.oxfordpsc.info/ Tue 11th October, 7:30pm: Oxford PSC open discussion / workshop. "Disengagement: an alternative to peace". Lead by Stephen Marks. Venue: Oxford Town Hall, St Aldates, Oxford. No need to book, just turn up.

8d) OXFORD ‘THE QUESTION OF ZION’ TALK : Wed 19th October
Email:  mec@sant.ox.ac.uk Link:  http://www.sant.ox.ac.uk/mec Jacqueline Rose in conversation with Professor Avi Shlaim. Lecture Theatre, St Antony's College, 62 Woodstock Rd, Oxford, OX2 6JF. Tel: (01865) 284780, “The Middle East for the interdisciplinary study of the modern Middle East in the University of Oxford.”

8e) CARDIFF ANTI-DEPORTATON MARCH : Sat 22nd October
Email:  cardiffsocialforum@yahoo.co.uk “Asylum-seekers from Zimbabwe & the Kurdish area of Iraq remain under threat of deportation, despite the desperate situations in these countries. The government has begun bringing in Section 9 of the 2004 Immigration Act – removing the right to benefits before they can appeal: effectively starving them out of the country. Assemble @12 noon, Cathays Park, Cardiff CF10 3ND.

8f) BRUCE KENT BANGOR PUBLIC MEETING : Tue 25th October
Tue 25th October @6pm. University Main Arts Lecture Theatre, College Rd, Bangor. “In 1980 Bruce Kent was elected General Secretary of the CND. Under Kent, CND became an active force once more in response to the deployment of American cruise missiles in Britain. He now holds the honorary title of Vice-President.”

8g) WOLVERHAMPTON ‘WILD GEESE’ THEATRE : Fri 28th October
 http://www.bannertheatre.co.uk/ “A song & video ballad of exile & migration. ‘Our task is not to allow migrant workers to be scapegoated for taking jobs or driving down wages & conditions, but instead to argue it is bad bosses who drive down wages & conditions.’” Jack Dromey (Deputy Gen Sec T&GWU). Fri 28 Oct @8pm. Arena Theatre, Wulfruna St, Wolverhampton WV1 1SB. Admission £8 (£6). Box office: 01902 321321.

8h) OXFORD ‘PALESTINE & ISRAEL’ MEETING : Thur 3rd November
Public talk ‘Palestine & Israel: Peace, the next steps". Speakers Husam Zomlot, Political Counsellor, Palestinian General Delegation to the UK and Dan Shaham, Director of Public Affairs, Israeli UK Embassy. Venue: Council Chambers, Oxford Town Hall, St Aldates. Thur 3rd November, 7:30pm.

8i) DENBIGHSHIRE PERFORMANCE POETRY : Tue 8th November
Tue 8th November, The Sun Inn, Rhewl, Llangollen, Denbighshire, UK, LL20 7YT. Tel: 01978 860079.
Includes: Attila the Stockbroker, Performance Poet – ‘Sharp-tongued, high energy, social surrealist rebel poet.’ David Rovics, Political Singer / songwriter - ‘The musical voice of the progressive movement in the US.’
Links:  http://www.attilathestockbroker.com/ &  http://members.aol.com/drovics/bio.htm

8j) WREXHAM FALLUJAH FILM NIGHT : Thu 10th November
Email:  wrexhamsaw@yahoo.com Link:  http://www.childvictimsofwar.org/ Thu 10th November, Wrexham, Trinity Church, King St, Wrexham. @7pm. “To mark the anniversary of the US/UK assault on Falluja, we will be screening Jo Wilding’s DVD ‘Letter to the Prime Minister’ & the film ‘Testimonies from Falluja’, both of which contain footage from Falluja. Free entry but we will be making a collection for Child Victims of War.”



09) MORE NATIONAL LEVEL EVENTS
a) * + 8th Oct : Menwith Hill Annual Demonstration
b) * + 8th -9th Oct : Norwich International ‘Resolving Conflict’ Conference
c) * + 21st -30th Oct : Olive Co-operative Olive Harvest tour In Palestine
d) * + 22nd Oct : London International Conference ‘Palestine, Israel & the Law’
e) * + 22-24th Oct : Derby Actions Against Rolls Royce
f) * + 23rd Oct : Freedom To Protest Conference London
g) *~+ 24-27th Oct : Bell Ringing Ceremonies For Iraq
h) *~+ 1-30th Nov: Call For Actions: Remember Fallujah!
i) * + 2nd Nov : London Mass Lobby For Trade Justice
j) * + 26th Nov : London International ‘Iraq Occupation Focus’ Teach-In

9a) MENWITH HILL ANNUAL DEMOSTRATION : Sat 8th October
Links:  http://www.caab.org.uk &  http://www.space4peace.org/ Email:  caab@btclick.com Tel: 01482 702033. Organised by CAAB. Part of an international week of protest ‘Keep Space For Peace’. “Menwith Hill, in North Yorksire, is the most secret US base in Britain. It's unaccountable, unlawful & undemocratic. It's integral to US plans to fight in & through space. It's the world's largest spy base & it's getting bigger.”

9b) INTERNATIONAL ‘RESOLVING CONFLICT’ CONFERENCE : 8th – 9th October
Link:  http://www.startthepeace2005.org.uk Tel: 01603 722880. Email  info@startthepeace2005.org.uk “A Jointly organized International Peace Conference at the University of East Anglia, Norwich. The theme of the conference is ‘Conflict Resolution & Prevention’. It is being held to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the UN. There will also be a number of workshops. Tickets £10 / £5 (concessions).

9c) OLIVE CO-OPERATIVE OLIVE HARVEST TOUR : 21st – 30th October
The olive harvest is a symbolically important time of year for Palestine. The 9-day tour includes opportunities to meet a range of Palestinian & Israeli organisations working for a just peace in the Middle East, as well as to experience Palestinian food, culture & hospitality & to take part in olive-picking. £395 for 9 night exc. flights.
For more info Tel: 0161 273 1970. Visit:  http://olivecoop.com/oct_harvest.html

9d) INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ‘PALESTINE, ISRAEL & THE LAW’ : Sat 22nd October
Logan Hall, Institute of Education, Bedford Way, London WC1. Topics include: The Reality of Occupation, Israel’s Flouting of International, Israel’s flouting of the Geneva Convention. Lawful resistance (boycott, sanctions & divestment). Tickets available from PSC Office Tel: 020 7700 6192. £10 / £5 concessions.
Email:  info@palestinecampaign.org Visit:  http://www.palestinecampaign.org/events.asp?d=y&id=1521for&id=1521

9e) DERBY ACTIONS AGAINST ROLLS ROYCE : 22nd – 24th October
Link:  http://www.tridentploughshares.org/events.php3#1354 “Rolls Royce in Derby responsible for producing reactor fuel for Trident submarines - essential for Britain’s nuclear Weapons of Mass Destruction. Includes: Street theatre, leafletting, public meeting, nonviolent direct action training, vigils, blockade on the 24th.”
For more info visit:  http://www.derby.peacepages.co.uk Email:  derbytp@peacepages.co.uk Tel: 0845 330 3877.

9f) ‘FREEDOM TO PROTEST’ CONFERENCE LONDON : Sun 23rd October
Email:  conference@freedomtoprotest.org.uk To share experiences, & promote mutual aid & co-ordination among groups threatened by repressive laws & to develop effective strategies for standing up for our freedom to protest. 11am-5pm, The Resource Centre, 356 Holloway Rd, London N7. Free. Organised by the FTP Network.

9g) BELL RINGING CEREMONIES FOR IRAQ : 24th –27th October
Email:  info@j-n-v.org Visit:  http://www.iraqmortality.org Voices in the Wilderness (US) & Justice Not Vengeance (UK) call for bell ringing ceremonies to grieve & protest the deaths of Iraqis in the US/UK war & occupation. We call upon other communities to organize similar ceremonies. One hundred communities ringing a bell 1,000 times would equal 100,000 rings. For more info contact Justice not Vengeance Tel: 0845 458 9571.

9h) CALL FOR ACTIONS : REMEMBER FALLUJAH : 1st – 30th November
Email:  voices@voicesuk.org Tel. 0845 458 2564. Link:  http://www.voices.netuxo.co.uk/remember%20fallujah.htm
To mark the 1st anniversary of the US' devastating assault on Fallujah in Nov 2004, & to demand: - Compensation for the victims. - War crimes prosecutions for those responsible. - An end to the occupation. Sponsors include: Iraq Occupation Focus, Justice Not Vengeance, & Voices in the Wilderness UK.

9i) MASS LOBBY FOR TRADE JUSTICE IN LONDON : Wed 2nd November
Link:  http://www.tjm.org.uk “Over 225,000 people gathered in Edinburgh on 2 July to demand the G8 take action on trade, debt & aid. As crucial world trade talks approach in December, join thousands of others at parliament on Wednesday 2 November to demand that the UK Government supports our call to make poverty history by delivering trade justice - not free trade. Meet @12noon, Parliament Square, London.

9j) INTERNATIONAL IRAQ OCCUPATION FOCUS TEACH-IN : Sat 26th November
For more info email:  iraqfocus@riseup.net Visit:  http://www.iraqoccupationfocus.org or PO Box 44680, London N16 7XX. International Teach-in ‘Voices from Occupied Iraq’. Themes: corporate invasion; democratic, civil & human rights; resistance. 10.30am to 5pm (registration at 10am). University of London Union, Malet St, London WC1. £7 waged / £3 unwaged. Creche available if booked in advance.



10) LOCAL PEACE VIGILS & PLANNING GROUPS
a) ~ Daily Bristol Peace Vigil
b) ~ Friday Easton Peace Vigil
c) ~ Saturday Bath Peace Vigil
d) ~ Weekly Bristol STW Meeting
e) ~ Regular Bath STW Meeting

a) DAILY BRISTOL PEACE VIGIL: The Independent Bristol Peace Vigil is an open space for discussion, as well a crucial focus to Bristol's campaigns. We've kept vigil every night (except Sundays) since a few days after 11th Sept 2001, & we'll keep Vigil onwards into the future, but we do need your support to keep our flame alive. If you can only make it for 15 minutes, or a couple of times a month, please still come. Everyone's welcome at the Bristol Peace Vigil. TIMES: MON-FRI 5:30-6:30pm & SAT 3:00-4:00pm. PLACE: City Centre.(Opposite The Hippodrome. St. Augustines Parade).
b) EASTON PEACE VIGIL: Every Friday. 5:00pm-6:00pm. Corner of Robertson Rd & Stapleton Rd.
c) BATH PEACE VIGIL: Every Saturday. 11.30am-12.30pm. Bath Abbey. (Off York St. From the Station walk up Manvers St). Please support this long-established & powerful witness to the futility of war.
d) BRISTOL-STOP-THE-WAR PLANNING GROUP: Everyone's welcome. We hold a Bristol-Stop-The-War meeting every week, as a forum for local groups to inform each other of their intentions, of finding people to work together on projects, & as a venue where large Bristol events (meetings, demos etc) are agreed & planned We don't vote at these meetings, as we're not here to force adherence to a consensus view. We do instead discuss issues until we reach broad consensus. DATE: Every Thursday. TIME: 7:00-8:30pm. PLACE: Victoria Methodist Church. 1A Whiteladies Rd, Bristol, BS8 1NU (bottom of Whiteladies Rd,
e) BATH-STOP-THE-WAR: Hold Regular Meetings. For Details Tel: 01225 315480
Email:  postmaster@bathstopwar.org.uk Visit:  http://www.bathstopwar.org.uk


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For general enquiries email:  bristolstopwar@hotmail.com
For News Around Bristol Visit:  http://bristol.indymedia.org
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"Even those of us who have tried to follow the war closely are not aware of a fraction of the horrors unleashed in Iraq." - Author Arundathi Roy at the World Tribunal on Iraq, Istanbul, 2005.  http://www.worldtribunal.org/

... SAY YES 2 PEACE ... SAY YES 2 PEACE ... SAY YES 2 PEACE ...