Peace, Justice & Human Rights Research & Action Group
At the November 2016 SWS Compass meeting Marilyn Jarrett gave an update on the work of this group
- Amnesty International Guildford group have organised a festive season card signing to be held at St Nicholas Church Hall, Bury St, Guildford, on Monday 12th December, between 6.30 and 10pm (see here)
- The Peace, Justice and Human Rights group have focused on the refugee crisis and the local response to it. A document detailing six important truths about the refugees coming to Europe has been produced as a counter to the idsinformation surrounding this issue (see here).
- Diane peters, The Diocesan Refugee Coordinator for Guildford has been working to ensure Surrey offers places to Syrian families fleeing war and terror. She is also seeking volunteers to help failies settle in to the area. Further information can be found on the Diocesan website: www.cofeguildford.org.uk/refugees
At the June 2016 South West Surrey Compass Meeting, the Peace, Justice & Human Rights group convener Anna Seifert gave the following update:
- Members of the research and action group have written letters asking to uphold the European Convention of Human Rights, ECHR and the Human Rights Act. Both letters were published in p Surrey Advertiser
- Anna Seifert attended the launch of the Balfour Project at Portcullis House with MPs present intended to bring to our attention the centenary of the Balfour Declaration in 1917. The projects would like the British public to re-engage and learn, to acknowledge that a homeland for Jewish people has been achieved but the promise to protect the rights of Palestinian people has not been fulfilled, and urges us to take effective action to promote justice, security and peace for both people. For more information please visit www.balfourproject.org
- Anna is a member of ICAHD, an Israeli NGO Against House Demolitions. ICAHD monitors demolitions in the occupied Palestinian territories, helps rebuild homes and is very active in advocacy for an end to occupation. Its members support BDS, Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions as nonviolent protests against occupation and trade with illegal settlements. Jeff Halper is co-founder of ICAHD and author of ‘An Israeli in Palestine: Resisting Possession, Redeeming Israel’. Demolitions during the first months of this year have been higher than during the whole of 2015. This includes EU funded humanitarian projects: 2015 damage valued at EU 206.000, first quarter of 2016 EU 210.000. UN statistics quoted in Haaretz, 31.5.2016, notes from ICAHD AGM 28 June at Amnesty Intern. London
- Contact with Free Speech on Israel, a 'network of labour, trade union and Jewish activists’ with a commitment to combating all forms of racism and to reject the suggestion ‘that questioning the Zionist ideology of the Israeli sate and its supporters, both Jews and non-Jews, entails anti Jewish prejudice’. See www.freespeechonisrael.org.uk, contact: info@freespeechonisrael.org.uk
- Active support of the Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel, EAPPI. UK volunteers spend 3 months within a Palestinian community and also support Israeli NGOs who speak out against their country’s occupation policies. The programme in the UK is managed by Quakers. Anna has served as EA in 2004 and 2009 and has returned many times since. Next date 10 June 2016 with returning EAs in London.