July 17th, 2008
This month’s Commission meeting takes the form of a Prayer Walk around Osmotherley so part of this issue of the Newsletter has an Environmental theme. Those of us fortunate enough to …
Those of us fortunate enough to have access to the countryside can enjoy the healing properties of a walk in which we can breathe in the clean air and at same time look around at the beauty of creation. However the overall situation worldwide is nowhere near as happy. Of the damage caused by global warming, according to the UN’s Intergovernmental panel on climate change, 90% is caused by human activity. We should add to that the effect of war, including the actual explosive materials, the fuel burnt by planes, ships, armoured carriers and tanks, and then all the residual environmental damage caused by warfare, including depleted uranium residues and unexploded weaponry. It is surprising that, as Bruce Kent told us in May, these side effects of war seem never to be taken into account.
Contributions from readers are always welcome so I am particularly grateful to Sophie Harrison, a parishioner of St Hedda’s, Egton Bridge for agreeing to write a piece on her recent appointment as a Youth Advisor for UNICEF.
The Inaugural Anthony Storey Lecture at the University of Hull in May, organized by the Commission, was a great success. Something like two hundred people enjoyed a brilliant introduction by Professor Eamon Duffy to a wide ranging lecture by Paul Vallely. If you missed it, make sure that you come next year. Chris Dove
Note: the views expressed in this newsletter do not necessarily coincide with those of the Commission
Long term damage 23 years ago on the night of December 3, 1984, clouds of toxic gas escaped from Union Carbide’s pesticide plant in Bhopal, Central India. Hundreds of children are still being born with birth defects as a result of what was the world’s worst industrial disaster. The gas killed 5,000 people that night and 15,000 more in the following weeks. The Indian government stopped all research on the medical effects 14 years ago, without explanation The disused Union Carbide plant contains about 8,000 tonnes of carcinogenic chemicals that continue to leach out and contaminate the water supplies used by about 30,000 people. The clean-up has been stalled by bureaucratic indifference, legal actions and rows over corporate responsibility. Dow Chemicals, which bought the factory in 2001, says that because the plant is on government land it is up to the state to clean it up. However officials say that Dow should pay $24.6m to dismantle the factory and restore the fields. Source: Guardian Weekly 9 May 2008
Humans cause 90% of environmental damage. Global warming is disrupting wildlife and the environment on every continent, according to a study that reveals the extent to which climate change is already affecting ecosytems. In the study reported in the journal Nature, researchers analysed reports highlighting changes in populations or behaviour of 28,800 animal and plant species, as well as focussing on environmental effects, including surging rivers, retreating glaciers and shifting forests. In 90% of cases the shifts in wildlife can only be explained by global warming, while 95% of environmental changes were consistent with rising temperatures. Source: Guardian Weekly 23 May 2008
Should we link nuclear disarmament and climate change? For years now it has been argued that we need to have a nuclear submarine fleet because it acts as a deterrent, to prevent any nuclear attack on the UK. But post-Cold War we no longer have any target, we have no nuclear armed enemy. Today’s threats are terrorism, climate change, global economic meltdown – and no nuclear weapons will help to defeat them. As retired Royal Navy Commander, Robert Green, puts it: “Weapons stimulate hostility, create instability, promote proliferation and generate an arms race. They represent terrorist logic on the grandest scale imaginable.” There is now growing support for a Nuclear Weapons Convention that would provide a framework and timetable for disarmament. Even the US appears to be changing its attitude, as seen in an open letter to the Wall Street Journal in January 2008.
The letter was signed by two former Secretaries of State (George Schultz and Henry Kissinger); a former Secretary of Defense (Wm.J Perry) and a retired Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee (Sam Nunn). They argued that nuclear weapons are fuelling insecurity, which is in no-one’s interest, and that the US and Russia must take the lead in disarming. In the Presidential primaries Barack Obama stated: ‘It would be a profound mistake for us to use nuclear weapons in any circumstances’ in Afghanistan or Pakistan.
Using such weapons in situations involving civilians is ‘not on the table’ he continued. Subsequently he has pledged to work towards elimination. Having won the Democratic nomination, he could turn out to be the most pro-disarmament President of all time.
In Britain the situation has reached a pivotal moment. The nuclear submarine fleet is based in Scotland, which now has its own parliament.
Although under the terms of devolution the Assembly is not supposed to interfere in ‘foreign policy’ issues, they can reject Trident based on international law as well as moral grounds.
The Scottish National Party came to power in 2007 against a back-drop of a year-long anti-nuke campaign and 70% of the Scottish public don’t want to host Britain’s bombs any more. A parliamentary coalition has been set up to explore legal options, such as using health and safety and environmental legislation to hit Westminster with a massive fine very time a convoy carrying nuclear warheads from Aldermaston crosses the border!
Campaigners say that there will be a colossal defence spending crunch – not the time to be spending around £70-80bn over the next three decades to replace Trident. Campaigners believe we should be linking the abolition of nuclear weapons to the fight against climate change. Why not use the £70-80bn to finance a wholesale shift to renewable energy? They argue that Britain could supply 50% of its energy from offshore wave and windpower by 2030 by diverting funds and skills directly from nuclear submarine manufacturing.
Brenda Boardman of the Oxford University Environmental Change Institute estimates it would cost £12-13bn a year to reduce UK housing carbon emissions by 80%. Scrapping the Trident replacement programme would make this a lot more possible. Source: New Internationalist June 2008
Priorities? “In the past six months the G8 countries have found a trillion dollars to bail out their banks. It shows what can be achieved by a concerted effort by the global economy!” Source: Observer 15 June 2008 “Can there be any threat more alarming, in today’s world, than that of a nuclear or biological weapon falling into the hands of terrorists, or being used by a State, as a result of some terrible misunderstanding or miscalculation? The more States have such weapons, the greater the risk. And, the more those States that already have them increase their arsenals, or insist that such weapons are essential to their national security, the more other States feel that they too must have them, for their security.” Source: Kofi Annan London 31 January 2006
Commission contacts Barbara Hungin Chair 01642 784398 KateWard Secretary 01642 781676 Nan Saeki Treasurer 01904 783621 Chris Dove Editor 01947 825043 email: dove.whitby@phonecoop.coop or 22 Blackburns Yard Whitby YO22 4DS website www.middlesbroughjp.org
Letter to the editor: from Gerry Danaher Baroness Helena Kennedy’s criticism of the Iraq war in your May/June edition is forceful and forthright; it seems only right to put the case for it at the same time. The good case for the war was simple enough: to get rid of a tyrant who had terrorised and impoverished his own people, who had invaded two neighbouring countries, and who – rightly or wrongly – was believed to be ready to do it again if he could get away with it.
There was a hope that by getting rid of this tyrant, prosperity and freedom from fear could be brought to Iraq. This is difficult and may prove impossible. Blame for this lies not with the coalition troops, but with terrorist groups, many of them foreign, who do not want prosperity and freedom to come to Iraq.
It is worth emphasizing these good intentions of the coalition forces because, for reasons of demography, our relationship with the Islamic world is going to be Europe’s most important political problem for the rest of this century. (Due mainly to the spread of western medical expertise since 1945, the Muslim population of North Africa and the Middle East to Pakistan is expected to increase from about 150 million in 1950, to over 1000 million in 2050.) There is now nothing we can do to prevent the increasing influence of Islam in Europe. Despite some Middle Eastern countries having developed effective family planning schemes, populations will continue to increase rapidly in Sudan, Somalia, Palestine, Yemen, Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan, throughout this century. War or no war, the resultant poverty and turmoil will force Muslims to emigrate in large numbers. In the Europe of the future, peace loving Muslims and non-Muslims may be able to withstand those who seek power by terror, but it will be difficult. It will be less difficult if we can help Iraq to become prosperous and free from fear. Is there a glimmer of hope? President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran had an enthusiastic welcome to Baghdad in March this year, and President Talabani greeted him with a double handshake and a beaming smile. The Iranian President said he was “truly happy” to be visiting an Iraq “without the dictator” Saddam Hussain. At least the two Presidents are happy. It’s a start. Programme for 2008 Sep 20: ‘Enriching Our Communities’ -a Celebration of the contributions to our society from those seeking asylum in the Tees Valley. Sacred Heart Middsbro’ If you wrote about Cluster weapons thank you and congratulations, it worked! Dublin, Ireland, May 21st, 2008 Campaigners pushing for a ban on cluster bombs welcome this afternoon’s statement from Gordon Brown and call on the UK to now give up their remaining cluster bomb stocks and sign up to the treaty. In response to a question this afternoon, a Number 10 spokesperson said in a public statement that: “The PM has issued instructions that we should work intensively to ban cluster bombs that cause unacceptable harm to civilians. We have already banned two types of cluster bombs, neither of which had a self-destruct or deactivation mechanism. The prime minister has asked the MOD to assess the remaining munitions in use to ensure that there is no risk to civilians” Simon Conway, Co-chair Cluster Munition Coalition and Director of Landmine Action said: “We are glad that Gordon Brown is making good on his previous public commitment to ban cluster bombs and now expect the UK to give up the M85 and the M73, its remaining stockpile of indiscriminate
cluster bombs”. Up until now the British position has been dominated by their insistence to keep two types of cluster bombs M85 and M73. M85s were used by the British in Iraq in 2003. The M73 has never been deployed by the British, but has been used by the Americans in Iraq. It does not have a self-destruct or deactivation mechanism. Anna Macdonald, Head of Arms Control for Oxfam said: “Britain has at last come in from the cold – we hope that this strong statement from the Prime Minister will ensure that the UK signs onto the treaty and immediately gets rid of these weapons which maim and kill long after they have been dropped”. Campaigners and survivors from the Cluster Munition Coalition hope that this statement by Gordon Brown will provide evidence that there is room for manoever and may encourage other countries
of concern to reconsider their position. Source: Landmine Action Sophie – Youth Advisor UNICEF UNICEF is one of the world’s largest charities, working in 191 countries and with high profile supporters like David Beckham, to improve the health and welfare of young people, particularly in some of the world’s poorest countries. Established after WW2 the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund puts young people and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) at the heart of their policies, which means a real effort is made to involve the youth of today in all aspects of their work. One way that they do this is by setting up a team of Youth Advisors who are a group 15 young people that work together to help raise awareness locally and nationally of global issues. As a youth advisor I work with the UNICEF team to increase youth governance and raise awareness affectively and innovatively. I am very passionate about the involvement of young people at the highest levels, from local committees to governments. Two years ago UNICEF gave me the opportunity to address world leaders at the G8 summit in St. Petersburg, showing that young people’s views can be taken very seriously. The UNCRC states that young people have the right to get involved in decision making that will affect them, and I feel that it is our social responsibility to make the most of this and to get out there and get active! As Benjamin Disraeli once said ‘the youth of a nation are the trustees of prosperity’. The future is ours, and it is our duty to shape and mould it! In my role as Youth Advisor I am focussing on peer education and producing resources for youth groups and schools to use, passing on knowledge to raise awareness among other young people. Educating young people on global issues like HIV/AIDS is hugely important and a real step to help preventing such problems worsening. HIV/AIDS is a disease that knows no barriers and affects every class, colour, sexuality and gender, and as Nelson Mandela recently said ‘aids is the greatest war against humanity’. In early August I will be attending the 17th International Aids Conference in Mexico City to discuss this situation and gain in depth knowledge and skills. I intend to utilize these in my work with UNICEF particularly at the annual outreach road shows which the Youth Advisors will be organising later on this year. I really enjoy my work as a Youth Advisor and see it as an opportunity for young people to become directly involved with issues facing our society today. This could include campaigning, lobbying politicians and fund raising. If you want to get active you can find out more at http://www.unicef.org.uk/youthvoice/
Holy Spirit of God.
Renew my hope for a world free from the cruelty and evil of war so that we may all come to share
in God’s peace and justice. Amen
Sunday, 27 July 2008
May/June 2008
April 30th, 2008
As we approach what is for many the most beautiful season of the year, we cannot fail to be aware that
Editorial As we approach what is for many the most beautiful season of the year, we cannot fail to be aware that the inequalities and injustices in the world seem to be increasing: in our own country and in the world as a whole the poor are getting poorer and the gap between “the haves and the have-nots” is widening. For those of us who are concerned for justice and peace, however, this is not a time for discouragement and despair, but for renewed effort and commitment. Following our May meeting at which Bruce Kent is our speaker we have our annual prayer walk with a theme of Light. Further details relating to this are to be found at the end of this issue. In the March issue we asked readers to get in touch with suggestions or comments as to how the Commission could become more effective. To date we have only had one reply, maybe this just reflects a general lack of interest in the matter. But we remain convinced that as Bishop Terry wrote: “No-one can take the Gospel to heart without acquiring a taste for justice and peace. Nor can this ever be merely an academic exercise or remain in the realm of theory.” So we still await your ideas as to how we should do this. Please do write to your MP to ask that the UK government makes an effort to get an international ban on the use of cluster weapons at the May conference in Dublin. (see below) Sr Mary Walmsley has been unable to attend meetings due to new commitments so she has had to resign. We are very grateful for all her valuable work and commitment. Fortunately Kate Ward has very kindly agreed to take on the work as Secretary. And finally, may I apologise for two mistakes in the March/April Newsletter. First, the Inaugural Anthony Storey Lecture at the University of Hull, Lindsey Suite, Staff House Cottingham Road will be from 10.30am till 1pm not 3pm on 17th May. And our September meeting, that will celebrate the contributions to our society from those seeking asylum in the Tees Valley, is not on September 10 but September 20th. Chris Dove Note: the views expresses in this newsletter do not necessarily coincide with those of the Commission
Law not War March 2008 marked the fifth anniversary of the start of the invasion of Iraq. On Remembrance Day 2007 Baroness Helena Kennedy QC gave a lecture at the Imperial War Museum. In it she said: “I believe the Iraq war to be illegal and immoral. I have no doubt that Saddam Hussain and his oppressive regime were responsible for egregious crimes against the people of Iraq. I signed petitions against his dictatorship and met with some of his victims who sought asylum here. I am sure many Iraqis, particularly the Kurds who suffered so monstrously at his hands must feel a degree of elation that he is gone, but I reject that war was the only means to securing Iraqi freedom. In addition to not having been authorised by the United Nations, the war was opposed by world opinion and especially by the people of the Middle East. It was also based on widespread deception by government and officials here and in the USA as to the threat of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. By its actions our government violated the right of all of us citizens in democratic society to trust in the integrity of leaders, especially in matters of war and peace. By what right can we visit war on a country that was not threatening us; by what right can we ignore the laws of war, by what right do we tear up the international conventions painstakingly under construction in the hope of creating a world ordered upon respect for humanity and a desire for peace? Those who supported the war on the basis that legal niceties should be forgotten when we have the opportunity to remove a dictator should consider the precedent set and the implications for the rule of law in such a course. There is undoubtedly a need to reform the Security Council with its byzantine, undemocratic workings but it is worth remembering the impulse which created the UN, which was a desire to avoid wars and at every turn to wage peace. Respect for the rule of law and a workable democratic structure of international law will be a far greater guarantor of peace and security than displays of power and might. Law is one of the keys to any new order. Otherwise in our rush to win the so-called war against terrorism we will unleash an even greater terror.” Source: Pax Christi.
We remember
* 1.2 million Iraqi people have been killed directly or indirectly. As a result of the destruction of infrastructure tens of thousands experience malnutrition and disease.
* since 2003 there as been a mass exodus of people fleeing from the ongoing violence and occupation. More than 4.4 million Iraqis have left their homes. Some 2.2 million are displaced internally and more than 2 million have fled to neighbouring countries, Syria, Jordan and Lebanon.
* the UN High Commissioner for Refugees reports that one in five Iraqi refugees registered in Syria is the victim of violence. 10% of the young children of these refugee families are working for a living.
* tens of thousands of Iraqis are detained, many without trial. A UN Human Rights report in June 2003 expressed concern about the Multinational Force’s detention practices, and in particular the internment of suspects for prolonged periods without judicial review of their cases,
* according to the MoD the UK has spent £5 billion on the war in Iraq over and above the UK’s defence budget. Source: Christian Peace Witness for Iraq
Cluster weapons [yet again] In our May/June 2007 newsletter we reported some good news, that the UK government had agreed to “join a fast track process to negotiate a ban on cluster bombs.” Sadly this seems to be no longer the case. In 2006 the MoD called the Hydra CRV-7 system a cluster weapon. In July 2007, the Armed Forces Minister. Bob Ainsworth, said they did not after all fall within the government’s “understanding of a cluster munition”. So it is the same weapon causing the same lethal destruction; the only difference is that the name has been changed Source: The Guardian Weekly 21.09.07 In the latest Amnesty magazine Martin Bell pleads for a ban on the use of cluster bombs to be agreed at the next meeting of the international group which takes place in Dublin in May. He writes “A treaty banning cluster bombs can be a reality in 2008. Such a treaty will not only protect future generations – it will also provide assistance to the victims of these weapons and mobilise more support for the work of removing the millions of explosive devices already littered round the world. The legacy of such a treaty will be lasting and tangible. Multilateral action is being made to work. People will live who would otherwise die. Our government is still dragging its feet on the issue – supporting aspects of the ban but wanting some of its own cluster bombs to remain in service. Let’s change this.”
Cluster weapons [latest update]
Factfile
* One cluster bomb container will typically spread submunitions over an area the size of 2-4 football fields, effectively carpet bombing that area.
* Unexploded submunitions remain from attacks in 1970s and still kill people.
* One third of reported cluster bomb casualties are children. In Southeast Asia at least 60% are children.
* In February 2007, 46 states agreed in Oslo to conclude in 2008 a treaty prohibiting cluster munitions that cause unacceptable harm to civilians. * In May 2007 68 states participated in a treaty preparation meeting in Lima. In December 2007 in a meeting in Vienna 138 states joined in and in February 2008, in Wellington New Zealand, a further 103 states, but still not Britain Can we hope that the UK will join the others in making the treaty a reality? I feel it is most important that as many people as possible write to their MP and/or David Milliband urging the government to support the Oslo Process to negotiate a new international instrument to ban the production, sale or use of cluster weapons. The UK must stop trying to get exemptions for types of cluster weapons that they argue are “safe”. This only risks creating loopholes that other nations will seek to exploit.
The push for more military spending The past few months have seen the beginning of an unprecedented campaign to raise military spending. A new organisation called the United Kingdom National Defence Association (UKNDA) was launched by a group of former military chiefs and politicians. A few weeks later, during a debate in the House of Lords, five former defence chiefs condemned the government for failing to fund the armed services “adequately”. All five happened to be patrons or vice-presidents of the UKNDA.
The UKNDA argues that while the Defence budget was 5.3% of GDP in 1984, it is now down to 2.2% and their demand is for this to increase to at least 3% – an increase of 35-40% over current levels, and the Conservative Defence Policy calls for a 50% increase. To support their arguments for these increases proponents point to the injuries and fatalities suffered by the armed forces in Iraq and Afghanistan and claim this is due to ‘inadequate resources’. They also call for increased spending on forces’ housing, education facilities and better medical care for those injured on active service. However, the UKNDA and Conservatives are choosing to compare today’s military spending with that of the height of the Cold War (1984).
The reality is that under the Comprehensive Spending Review of July 2007, the Defence budget for 2008-9 would be £34 bn, rising in 2009-10 to £35.3 bn and then to £36.9 bn in 2010-11, an increase of £7.7 bn over the three years. On top of this, by July 2007, we had spent £6.6bn on the Iraq and Afhganistan wars according to MoD figures . In fact the UK has the highest per capita spending on the military in Europe, second only in the world to the USA. Then, according to the National Audit Office report in November 2007, investigating new weapons systems on order for the MoD, the current top ten (by spending) military projects are currently estimated to cost just over £36 bn – more than the entire MoD budget for 1 year! And that doesn’t include the projected cost of replacing Trident – £20-25 bn. The obvious way forward is to call for the reallocation of the huge sums spent on military equipment into more productive areas. In fact there are plenty of security issues it could be spent on – countering climate change and conflict prevention are just two examples. If we are serious about peace and security we need to spend our money wisely. Rather than defence being too low on the list of priorities, war is far too high up on the list. Source: Fellowship of Reconciliation peace by peace Spring 2008
Depleted Uranium [DU] DU is nuclear waste left over after enrichment activities in the nuclear weapons and nuclear power industries. DU is chemically toxic and radioactive. It is used in armour-piercing munitions because of its very high density – 1.7 times that of lead. It is also used as armour in battle tanks, as ballast in some cruise missiles and in small amounts in some types of landmines. Why hasn’t the case for banning the use of DU ammunition been successful? It was easier to make a case against landmines, and similarly now against cluster weapons – the horrific results can seen wherever they have been used. But the remnants of DU weapons are less visible; it is a much slower story of toxic and/or radioactive poisoning, the long-term effects of which may not be known for generations. It is also dangerous because no-one fully knows what lies in store for future generations.
There are alarming signs from the ailments of people exposed to DU and from the bewildering disorders being shown in some of their children. But they are chronically under-researched. Doctors don’t know how to explain them. The governments that use these weapons and who claim they are safe don’t seem particularly bothered. In March 2007 two Australian soldiers active during the Gulf War of 1991 tested positive for DU contamination a full 15 years after their return from Iraq. The US and UK forces discharged an estimated 280 tonnes of DU ammunition in the first Gulf War. The US Army knew of the dangers six months before the war, in a report that detailed the risks of DU use, including cancer and kidney damage to both ‘natives and combat veterans’, it called for ‘public relations efforts’ to stave off the ‘potential for adverse international reaction’.
Basra Teaching Hospital reports on “a range of cancers increasing exponentially throughout the 1990s”. In July 2007 Iraq’s Environment Minister Nermin Othman called for international assistance following research linking a sharp increase in cancer to 350 DU-contaminated sites across Iraq. Source: New Internationalist November 2007 May 3 Bruce Kent ‘Movement against War’ English Martyrs York. July 19 Prayer Walk Osmotherley. Sep 17: ‘Enriching Our Communities’ - a Celebration of the contributions to our society from those seeking asylum in the Tees Valley. Middlesbrough.
Programme for 2008
Inaugural Anthony Storey Memorial Lecture, Sat 17th May 11.00a.m. – 1pm Lindsey Suite, Staff House, University of Hull, Cottingham Road, Hull. “How to effect real change in the real world – the G8, Geldof and the grassroots” Speaker: Paul Vallely, Associate Editor of the The Independent, former chair of Traidcraft and Progressio. Chaired by: Professor Eamon Duffy, Professor of the History of Christianity, Magdalene College, Cambridge Everyone welcome
Commission contacts Barbara Hungin Chair 01642 784398 KateWard Secretary 01642 781676 Nan Saeki Treasurer 01904 783621 Chris Dove Editor 01947 825043 email: dove.whitby@phonecoop.coop or 22 Blackburns Yard Whitby YO22 4DS website www.middlesbroughjp.org
Please …. Our postage costs have increased yet again so if you find this newsletter of some use to you or your church, perhaps you would consider sending a donation to the Treasurer: Nan Saeki 55 Moorgate York YO24 4HP. It would be very much appreciated.
LIGHT on our SPIRITUALITY DAY This year our Spirituality walk on Saturday 19 July will focus, through the kindness of Fr Damian, on the Lady Chapel at Osmotherley. We start at Cod Beck Reservoir car park at 10am. and the whole walk will be about five miles. There is some uphill walking but nothing very strenuous and we should easily reach the Lady Chapel by noon. At the Lady Chapel there will be a short service, to which everyone is invited to bring a piece of writing on the theme of Light which they find significant. Then we will have our picnic (please bring your own!) which we will have outside unless it is too cold or wet. Fr Damian has kindly arranged for tea and coffee to provided. We will then complete the walk by travelling northward through woodland and back to the car park. If anyone prefers not to walk so far they could meet up with us at the Chapel at noon. So that we do not start without anyone, please let Annie know if you are planning to come on the walk, on 01947 825043 or by email to dove.whitby@phonecoop.coop May the God of peace make you perfect and holy; and may you all be kept safe and blameless, spirit, soul and body, for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. God has called you and he will not fail you. Thessalonians 5:24
A Prayer
As we approach what is for many the most beautiful season of the year, we cannot fail to be aware that
Editorial As we approach what is for many the most beautiful season of the year, we cannot fail to be aware that the inequalities and injustices in the world seem to be increasing: in our own country and in the world as a whole the poor are getting poorer and the gap between “the haves and the have-nots” is widening. For those of us who are concerned for justice and peace, however, this is not a time for discouragement and despair, but for renewed effort and commitment. Following our May meeting at which Bruce Kent is our speaker we have our annual prayer walk with a theme of Light. Further details relating to this are to be found at the end of this issue. In the March issue we asked readers to get in touch with suggestions or comments as to how the Commission could become more effective. To date we have only had one reply, maybe this just reflects a general lack of interest in the matter. But we remain convinced that as Bishop Terry wrote: “No-one can take the Gospel to heart without acquiring a taste for justice and peace. Nor can this ever be merely an academic exercise or remain in the realm of theory.” So we still await your ideas as to how we should do this. Please do write to your MP to ask that the UK government makes an effort to get an international ban on the use of cluster weapons at the May conference in Dublin. (see below) Sr Mary Walmsley has been unable to attend meetings due to new commitments so she has had to resign. We are very grateful for all her valuable work and commitment. Fortunately Kate Ward has very kindly agreed to take on the work as Secretary. And finally, may I apologise for two mistakes in the March/April Newsletter. First, the Inaugural Anthony Storey Lecture at the University of Hull, Lindsey Suite, Staff House Cottingham Road will be from 10.30am till 1pm not 3pm on 17th May. And our September meeting, that will celebrate the contributions to our society from those seeking asylum in the Tees Valley, is not on September 10 but September 20th. Chris Dove Note: the views expresses in this newsletter do not necessarily coincide with those of the Commission
Law not War March 2008 marked the fifth anniversary of the start of the invasion of Iraq. On Remembrance Day 2007 Baroness Helena Kennedy QC gave a lecture at the Imperial War Museum. In it she said: “I believe the Iraq war to be illegal and immoral. I have no doubt that Saddam Hussain and his oppressive regime were responsible for egregious crimes against the people of Iraq. I signed petitions against his dictatorship and met with some of his victims who sought asylum here. I am sure many Iraqis, particularly the Kurds who suffered so monstrously at his hands must feel a degree of elation that he is gone, but I reject that war was the only means to securing Iraqi freedom. In addition to not having been authorised by the United Nations, the war was opposed by world opinion and especially by the people of the Middle East. It was also based on widespread deception by government and officials here and in the USA as to the threat of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. By its actions our government violated the right of all of us citizens in democratic society to trust in the integrity of leaders, especially in matters of war and peace. By what right can we visit war on a country that was not threatening us; by what right can we ignore the laws of war, by what right do we tear up the international conventions painstakingly under construction in the hope of creating a world ordered upon respect for humanity and a desire for peace? Those who supported the war on the basis that legal niceties should be forgotten when we have the opportunity to remove a dictator should consider the precedent set and the implications for the rule of law in such a course. There is undoubtedly a need to reform the Security Council with its byzantine, undemocratic workings but it is worth remembering the impulse which created the UN, which was a desire to avoid wars and at every turn to wage peace. Respect for the rule of law and a workable democratic structure of international law will be a far greater guarantor of peace and security than displays of power and might. Law is one of the keys to any new order. Otherwise in our rush to win the so-called war against terrorism we will unleash an even greater terror.” Source: Pax Christi.
We remember
* 1.2 million Iraqi people have been killed directly or indirectly. As a result of the destruction of infrastructure tens of thousands experience malnutrition and disease.
* since 2003 there as been a mass exodus of people fleeing from the ongoing violence and occupation. More than 4.4 million Iraqis have left their homes. Some 2.2 million are displaced internally and more than 2 million have fled to neighbouring countries, Syria, Jordan and Lebanon.
* the UN High Commissioner for Refugees reports that one in five Iraqi refugees registered in Syria is the victim of violence. 10% of the young children of these refugee families are working for a living.
* tens of thousands of Iraqis are detained, many without trial. A UN Human Rights report in June 2003 expressed concern about the Multinational Force’s detention practices, and in particular the internment of suspects for prolonged periods without judicial review of their cases,
* according to the MoD the UK has spent £5 billion on the war in Iraq over and above the UK’s defence budget. Source: Christian Peace Witness for Iraq
Cluster weapons [yet again] In our May/June 2007 newsletter we reported some good news, that the UK government had agreed to “join a fast track process to negotiate a ban on cluster bombs.” Sadly this seems to be no longer the case. In 2006 the MoD called the Hydra CRV-7 system a cluster weapon. In July 2007, the Armed Forces Minister. Bob Ainsworth, said they did not after all fall within the government’s “understanding of a cluster munition”. So it is the same weapon causing the same lethal destruction; the only difference is that the name has been changed Source: The Guardian Weekly 21.09.07 In the latest Amnesty magazine Martin Bell pleads for a ban on the use of cluster bombs to be agreed at the next meeting of the international group which takes place in Dublin in May. He writes “A treaty banning cluster bombs can be a reality in 2008. Such a treaty will not only protect future generations – it will also provide assistance to the victims of these weapons and mobilise more support for the work of removing the millions of explosive devices already littered round the world. The legacy of such a treaty will be lasting and tangible. Multilateral action is being made to work. People will live who would otherwise die. Our government is still dragging its feet on the issue – supporting aspects of the ban but wanting some of its own cluster bombs to remain in service. Let’s change this.”
Cluster weapons [latest update]
Factfile
* One cluster bomb container will typically spread submunitions over an area the size of 2-4 football fields, effectively carpet bombing that area.
* Unexploded submunitions remain from attacks in 1970s and still kill people.
* One third of reported cluster bomb casualties are children. In Southeast Asia at least 60% are children.
* In February 2007, 46 states agreed in Oslo to conclude in 2008 a treaty prohibiting cluster munitions that cause unacceptable harm to civilians. * In May 2007 68 states participated in a treaty preparation meeting in Lima. In December 2007 in a meeting in Vienna 138 states joined in and in February 2008, in Wellington New Zealand, a further 103 states, but still not Britain Can we hope that the UK will join the others in making the treaty a reality? I feel it is most important that as many people as possible write to their MP and/or David Milliband urging the government to support the Oslo Process to negotiate a new international instrument to ban the production, sale or use of cluster weapons. The UK must stop trying to get exemptions for types of cluster weapons that they argue are “safe”. This only risks creating loopholes that other nations will seek to exploit.
The push for more military spending The past few months have seen the beginning of an unprecedented campaign to raise military spending. A new organisation called the United Kingdom National Defence Association (UKNDA) was launched by a group of former military chiefs and politicians. A few weeks later, during a debate in the House of Lords, five former defence chiefs condemned the government for failing to fund the armed services “adequately”. All five happened to be patrons or vice-presidents of the UKNDA.
The UKNDA argues that while the Defence budget was 5.3% of GDP in 1984, it is now down to 2.2% and their demand is for this to increase to at least 3% – an increase of 35-40% over current levels, and the Conservative Defence Policy calls for a 50% increase. To support their arguments for these increases proponents point to the injuries and fatalities suffered by the armed forces in Iraq and Afghanistan and claim this is due to ‘inadequate resources’. They also call for increased spending on forces’ housing, education facilities and better medical care for those injured on active service. However, the UKNDA and Conservatives are choosing to compare today’s military spending with that of the height of the Cold War (1984).
The reality is that under the Comprehensive Spending Review of July 2007, the Defence budget for 2008-9 would be £34 bn, rising in 2009-10 to £35.3 bn and then to £36.9 bn in 2010-11, an increase of £7.7 bn over the three years. On top of this, by July 2007, we had spent £6.6bn on the Iraq and Afhganistan wars according to MoD figures . In fact the UK has the highest per capita spending on the military in Europe, second only in the world to the USA. Then, according to the National Audit Office report in November 2007, investigating new weapons systems on order for the MoD, the current top ten (by spending) military projects are currently estimated to cost just over £36 bn – more than the entire MoD budget for 1 year! And that doesn’t include the projected cost of replacing Trident – £20-25 bn. The obvious way forward is to call for the reallocation of the huge sums spent on military equipment into more productive areas. In fact there are plenty of security issues it could be spent on – countering climate change and conflict prevention are just two examples. If we are serious about peace and security we need to spend our money wisely. Rather than defence being too low on the list of priorities, war is far too high up on the list. Source: Fellowship of Reconciliation peace by peace Spring 2008
Depleted Uranium [DU] DU is nuclear waste left over after enrichment activities in the nuclear weapons and nuclear power industries. DU is chemically toxic and radioactive. It is used in armour-piercing munitions because of its very high density – 1.7 times that of lead. It is also used as armour in battle tanks, as ballast in some cruise missiles and in small amounts in some types of landmines. Why hasn’t the case for banning the use of DU ammunition been successful? It was easier to make a case against landmines, and similarly now against cluster weapons – the horrific results can seen wherever they have been used. But the remnants of DU weapons are less visible; it is a much slower story of toxic and/or radioactive poisoning, the long-term effects of which may not be known for generations. It is also dangerous because no-one fully knows what lies in store for future generations.
There are alarming signs from the ailments of people exposed to DU and from the bewildering disorders being shown in some of their children. But they are chronically under-researched. Doctors don’t know how to explain them. The governments that use these weapons and who claim they are safe don’t seem particularly bothered. In March 2007 two Australian soldiers active during the Gulf War of 1991 tested positive for DU contamination a full 15 years after their return from Iraq. The US and UK forces discharged an estimated 280 tonnes of DU ammunition in the first Gulf War. The US Army knew of the dangers six months before the war, in a report that detailed the risks of DU use, including cancer and kidney damage to both ‘natives and combat veterans’, it called for ‘public relations efforts’ to stave off the ‘potential for adverse international reaction’.
Basra Teaching Hospital reports on “a range of cancers increasing exponentially throughout the 1990s”. In July 2007 Iraq’s Environment Minister Nermin Othman called for international assistance following research linking a sharp increase in cancer to 350 DU-contaminated sites across Iraq. Source: New Internationalist November 2007 May 3 Bruce Kent ‘Movement against War’ English Martyrs York. July 19 Prayer Walk Osmotherley. Sep 17: ‘Enriching Our Communities’ - a Celebration of the contributions to our society from those seeking asylum in the Tees Valley. Middlesbrough.
Programme for 2008
Inaugural Anthony Storey Memorial Lecture, Sat 17th May 11.00a.m. – 1pm Lindsey Suite, Staff House, University of Hull, Cottingham Road, Hull. “How to effect real change in the real world – the G8, Geldof and the grassroots” Speaker: Paul Vallely, Associate Editor of the The Independent, former chair of Traidcraft and Progressio. Chaired by: Professor Eamon Duffy, Professor of the History of Christianity, Magdalene College, Cambridge Everyone welcome
Commission contacts Barbara Hungin Chair 01642 784398 KateWard Secretary 01642 781676 Nan Saeki Treasurer 01904 783621 Chris Dove Editor 01947 825043 email: dove.whitby@phonecoop.coop or 22 Blackburns Yard Whitby YO22 4DS website www.middlesbroughjp.org
Please …. Our postage costs have increased yet again so if you find this newsletter of some use to you or your church, perhaps you would consider sending a donation to the Treasurer: Nan Saeki 55 Moorgate York YO24 4HP. It would be very much appreciated.
LIGHT on our SPIRITUALITY DAY This year our Spirituality walk on Saturday 19 July will focus, through the kindness of Fr Damian, on the Lady Chapel at Osmotherley. We start at Cod Beck Reservoir car park at 10am. and the whole walk will be about five miles. There is some uphill walking but nothing very strenuous and we should easily reach the Lady Chapel by noon. At the Lady Chapel there will be a short service, to which everyone is invited to bring a piece of writing on the theme of Light which they find significant. Then we will have our picnic (please bring your own!) which we will have outside unless it is too cold or wet. Fr Damian has kindly arranged for tea and coffee to provided. We will then complete the walk by travelling northward through woodland and back to the car park. If anyone prefers not to walk so far they could meet up with us at the Chapel at noon. So that we do not start without anyone, please let Annie know if you are planning to come on the walk, on 01947 825043 or by email to dove.whitby@phonecoop.coop May the God of peace make you perfect and holy; and may you all be kept safe and blameless, spirit, soul and body, for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. God has called you and he will not fail you. Thessalonians 5:24
A Prayer
MARCH/APRIL 2008
March 30th, 2008
Editorial We were very happy to welcome Bishop Terry at our Core Group meeting at the end of February. This gave us an opportunity to tell him
Editorial We were very happy to welcome Bishop Terry at our Core Group meeting at the end of February. This gave us an opportunity to tell him about the aims and work of the Commission and to ask him to send a message to our readers which you will see below. We look forward to further meetings with him. Poverty and Homeless Action week in January was supposed to mobilise public opinion within the churches and beyond to put pressure on our political leaders to bring about change. However as Church Action on Poverty notes, the least well-off are a third less likely to vote than their affluent counterparts and four times less likely to become school governors. There is a role here for individual Christians and Churches to press not just for an end to child poverty but also towards the goal of ending poverty across all generations in the UK by 2020. Inequality in Britain is at a 40-year high. It cannot be right that boardroom bosses can award themselves multi-million pound bonuses at the same time as their workers still fall below the poverty line. Ten years ago the Catholic Bishops of England and Wales commented in The Common Good: “There must come a point at which the scale of the gap between the very wealthy and those at the bottom of the range of income begins to undermine the common good: this is the point at which society starts to be run for the benefit of the rich, not for all its members.” Perhaps it is time for our bishops to speak again and to insist on a change. Our next meeting will be on May 3 at English Martyrs, York where our speaker is to be the well-known activist Bruce Kent, He is a wonderful speaker so please make a special effort to come. And finally, the Commission have instituted an Annual Anthony Storey Memorial Lecture and we are delighted that the speaker at the inaugural lecture on 17 May will be Paul Vallely. Further details can be found on the last page of the newsletter. Chris Dove
Note: the views expresses in this newsletter do not necessarily coincide with those of the Commission A Message from Bishop Terry As Christians we should know that justice is the bare minimum we owe to one another. It arises out of our natural interdependence. Justice cannot be avoided; it is the foundation of so much else, not least of all peace. Without justice there can be no peace and without peace there can be no civilising society. This is what you might call the natural imperative, but there is more, there is the divine imperative which urges us beyond justice and peace, but certainly presupposes it – namely, the Gospel. No one can take the Gospel to heart without acquiring a thirst for justice and peace. Nor can this ever be merely an academic exercise or remain in the realm of theory.
He has sent me to bring the good news to the poor, to proclaim liberty to captives, and to the blind new sight, to set the downtrodden free, to proclaim the Lord’s year of favour. [1]
Jesus came to proclaim to us the good news of salvation, of freedom, of healing, of truth, of dignity, of respect. Some have wanted to interpret this good news solely in terms of the hereafter – pie in the sky when you die. However, this salvation is for all human kind and for all time. It is also for the here and now. Didn’t Jesus tell us that the Kingdom is here already, that it is overtaking us? The good news is both spiritual and material; it is both for hereafter and the here and now.
Father all-powerful, we praise you for your presence and action in the world. Your Spirit changes our hearts; enemies begin to speak to one another, those who are estranged join hands in friendship and nations seek the way of peace together. Your Spirit is at work when understanding puts an end to strife, when hatred is quenched by mercy, and vengeance gives way to forgiveness.[2]
For us Christians, justice and peace are fundamental, but there is much, much more. Justice and peace are only the beginning. In Christ and through his Spirit we aspire to something even greater, beyond our imagining:
In that new world where the fullness of your peace will be revealed, gather people of every race, language, and way of life to share in the one eternal banquet with Jesus Christ the Lord.[3]
May that new world come, and may we be part of it!
+ Terry
Poverty in Britain A Joseph Rowntree Report in December 2007 said that the British government’s approach to tackling child poverty is in urgent need of a rethink. The number of children in working families that need to escape poverty is rising; half of all children in poverty are in working families, suggesting more needs to be done to tackle the problem of low wages. “Progress on child poverty has stalled at a level that is only half way to the target set two years ago. Tax credits may be working, but they are not enough on their own, yet the government’s budgetary and legislative programme set out in autumn 2007 contains no substantial new ideas about what should be done.”
DID YOU KNOW? the UK has proportionately more poor children than most rich countries one in three UK children lives in poverty – 3.8 million children 2.2 million pensioners are living in poverty 7.2 million working age adults in the UK are living in poverty 70% 0f Bangladeshi children in the UK are poor. women are the majority in the poorest groups London has a higher proportion of people living in poverty that any other region in the UK.
How is poverty calculated? Poverty is calculated as 60% of median income after housing costs. This is the measure of poverty used by most researchers, the EU and the UK governments. In 2005/6 the 60% threshold was worth: £108 per week for single adult with no dependent children. £186 per week for a couple with no dependent children. £223 for a single adult with 2 dependent children. £301 for a couple with 2 dependent children. Save the Children says that the government is 14 years behind its target of halving child poverty by 2010 and eradicating it completely by 2020. Save the Children classes the worst deprivation as that which forces families to live on £19 a day, after paying housing costs. Source: Church Action on Poverty Having touched on the problems of poverty in this country, the following news items give us an insight into the wider picture. UN cannot afford to feed the world The United Nations has warned that it does not have enough money to stave off global malnutrition this year because of a dramatic upward surge in world commodity prices. Using voluntary contributions from the world’s wealthy nations, the World Food Programme (WFP) feeds 73 million people in 78 countries, less than a tenth of the total number of the world’s undernourished. Its agreed budget for 2008 was $2.9bn. But with food price increases around the world of up to 40% this past year, plus serious hikes in fuel costs, that budget is not enough even to maintain current food deliveries. The shortfall comes at a time when many people, particularly in urban areas, who had thought that their food supply was secure, are now unable to afford basic foodstuffs. The head of the WFP, Josette Sheeran said, “There is a new face of hunger. There is food on the shelves but people are priced out of the market. There is vulnerability in urban areas and food riots in countries where we have not seen them before.” Afghanistan, Egypt, India, Pakistan, Malaysia and the Philippines are all involved in varying degrees of desperation. WPF officials say the extraordinary rise in global prices of basic foods were caused by a “perfect storm” of factors: a rise in the demand for animal feed from more prosperous people in India and China; the use of more land and agricultural produce for biofuels; and climate change. “For the poorest populations, 50% to 80% of income goes on food purchases” according to OXFAM. “We are concerned now about an immediate increase in malnutrition in the poorest countries, and the landless, the farm workers there, all those who are living on the edge.” And of course the lower the world food reserves, the more nervous the markets become, and the increased volatility is particularly detrimental to the poor who have small assets. The impact of climate change will amplify that situation. Record flooding in West Africa, a prolonged drought in Australia and unusually severe winter snowstorms in China have all had an impact on the world’s food production this past year. It is expected that the climate change factor will get bigger and this increases the anxieties for markets. Source: The Guardian weekly 29.02.08 Agriculture in the 21st century An article in Le Monde noted that biofuels and increasing meat production are taking the staple foodstuffs from the poor. The higher cost of oil adds to the cost of sea transport, which now accounts for a third of the price of grain, and it boosts the appeal of biofuels, so that sugar, maize, manioc and oil seeds are diverted from the food market. In some African countries palm oil is linked to the price of crude oil and local shoppers can no longer afford it. Because of higher standards of living, people in Brazil, China and India have acquired new tastes. In less than a generation, meat consumption in China has more than doubled, with a direct impact of demand for grains as more and more grains are being fed to animals. If economic growth in emerging countries continues, this trend will do so too. Every year the world has an extra 28.5 million mouths to feed; global population is expected to increase from 6.5 billion people to 9 billion people in the second half of the 21st century, so there is little chance of a drop in demand. To the three factors usually cited – rising population, economic growth and global warming – is added an equally important fourth: continued application of misguided policies. According to the World Bank, for the past 20 years world leaders have ignored agriculture. Although three-quarters of the world’s poor live on the land, agriculture receives only 4% of public aid. The Bank now acknowledges that increased agricultural output and poverty reduction depend on public investment in rural infrastructure: irrigation, roads, transport and energy. We will all have to produce more. Some recommend giving more land to farming, but global warming and urban sprawl are actually reducing the available space. It would also be possible to boost output, but intensive farming uses more water which is becoming a rare and precious resource. This leaves genetically modified plants – but their use is disputed. Agriculture is going to be a big problem in the 21st century. Source: The Guardian weekly 29.02.08 Climate Change The latest science suggests that a stated target of 60% cuts in emissions of CO2 by 2050 is woefully weak. The talk now is of making this 80% and the Christian environmental organisation, Operation Noah, after discussions with such bodies as the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research and others, is calling for a 90% cut by 2030. Such a target is realistic in the light of the recent statement by the former UK government Chief Scientist, Sir David King, that global warming constitutes a much bigger threat to our society than terrorism. If every country in the G8 pledged a minimum of 10% of its annual military budget to the transformation of its energy economy it would go a long way towards helping to ward off this huge threat to our future security. Source: Mark Dowd. The Tablet 9 February Note: A recommended series of websites offering ways of checking and reducing our carbon footprints include the following. If anyone has tried some please let me know your opinion as to their value. www.carbonfootprint.com climatestewards.net/index.php actonco2.direct.gov.uk/index Many carbon calculators offer you the chance to make a payment to offset your carbon use. There is an argument that offsetting just excuses continued “carbon indulgence” in the rich world. However funding a carefully chosen project to balance the consumption you cannot (yet) change is better than doing nothing. American control of UK bases The Government has been accused of treating Parliament with contempt after committing the Menwith Hill RAF base, in North Yorkshire, to the US missile defence system. RAF Fylingdales, near Pickering, has also been upgraded and could be used in the so-called Son Of Star Wars scheme. Under this scheme, the RAF base at Menwith Hill will house a tracking system that will link to US satellites and interceptor missiles based outside the UK. It is a field station of the US national security agency and has been described as the largest electronic monitoring station in the world. Between 1,500 and 2,000 US nationals from various agencies work there. Lord Wallace of Saltaire, retired professor of international relations at the LSE said: “The abandonment of British sovereignty in the operation of Menwith Hill presents a far greater incursion into British sovereignty that anything the EU has to offer. Menwith Hill is under American control.” Source: York Press The Commission’s Policy Review The programme for 2008 is complete and we are now thinking of what changes we might make from 2009. Over the years there has been a steady fall in the numbers attending Commission meetings. This is in spite of having some excellent speakers on a wide range of subjects. We have tried moving round the diocese, meeting in Middlesbrough, York, Hull, Malton, and Whitby but without making much difference. What is certain is that we are all getting older and this may be a reason for the reduced numbers coming to meetings. But the issues of justice and peace are just as important. So, should there be fewer meetings? Should we still produce 6 issues of the newsletter each year, or would you prefer fewer? If any of our readers have suggestions or comments to make on the work of the Commission that might be of assistance, please do write to Barbara or me. Would you prefer to receive the newsletter by email instead of by post? This would certainly save time and postage costs. For this reason, I will now be emailing the newsletter to those clergy who have email addresses, unless they are receiving batches of the newsletter. I am sure I will be told if this is not wanted! At the same time may I particularly ask those who have been receiving numbers of the newsletter for distribution to let me know if they agree to continue to do this or if [understandably] they feel the need for a break. Chris Please note the new web address for the Commission Commission contacts Barbara Hungin Chair 01642 784398 Nan Saeki Treasurer 01904 783621 Chris Dove Editor 01947 825043 email: dove.whitby@phonecoop.coop or 22 Blackburns Yard Whitby YO22 4DS website:www.middlesbroughjp.org Programme for 2008 May 3 Bruce Kent ‘Movement against War’ English Martyrs York. July 19 – Prayer Walk Osmotherley. Sep 10: ‘Enriching Our Communities’ - a Celebration of the contributions to our society from those seeking asylum in the Tees Valley. Middlesbrough.
Inaugural Anthony Storey Memorial Lecture, Sat 17th May 11.00a.m. – 3pm Lindsey Suite, Staff House, University of Hull, Cottingham Road, Hull. “How to effect real change in the real world – the G8, Geldof and the grassroots” Speaker: Paul Vallely, Associate Editor of the The Independent, former chair of Traidcraft and Progressio. Chaired by: Professor Eamon Duffy, Professor of the History of Christianity, Magdalene College, Cambridge So they say…. Of our limitations: how much difference can an individual make to a catastrophe such as Darfur? In The Talmud, Pirkei Avot says: “It is not given to you to complete the task, but neither are you free to desist.” “Can Christian thinkers shake themselves free from a domestic agenda dominated by a constant tinkering with ecclesial organisation or else an obsessive preoccupation with various aspects of sexuality in order to address the real questions of our day?” From “World Without End – Contours of a post-terrorism world” Leslie Griffiths & Jennifer Potter. Epworth Press 2007
[1] Luke 4.18,19 [2] Eucharistic Prayer for Reconciliation II [3] Eucharistic Prayer for Reconciliation II
Editorial We were very happy to welcome Bishop Terry at our Core Group meeting at the end of February. This gave us an opportunity to tell him
Editorial We were very happy to welcome Bishop Terry at our Core Group meeting at the end of February. This gave us an opportunity to tell him about the aims and work of the Commission and to ask him to send a message to our readers which you will see below. We look forward to further meetings with him. Poverty and Homeless Action week in January was supposed to mobilise public opinion within the churches and beyond to put pressure on our political leaders to bring about change. However as Church Action on Poverty notes, the least well-off are a third less likely to vote than their affluent counterparts and four times less likely to become school governors. There is a role here for individual Christians and Churches to press not just for an end to child poverty but also towards the goal of ending poverty across all generations in the UK by 2020. Inequality in Britain is at a 40-year high. It cannot be right that boardroom bosses can award themselves multi-million pound bonuses at the same time as their workers still fall below the poverty line. Ten years ago the Catholic Bishops of England and Wales commented in The Common Good: “There must come a point at which the scale of the gap between the very wealthy and those at the bottom of the range of income begins to undermine the common good: this is the point at which society starts to be run for the benefit of the rich, not for all its members.” Perhaps it is time for our bishops to speak again and to insist on a change. Our next meeting will be on May 3 at English Martyrs, York where our speaker is to be the well-known activist Bruce Kent, He is a wonderful speaker so please make a special effort to come. And finally, the Commission have instituted an Annual Anthony Storey Memorial Lecture and we are delighted that the speaker at the inaugural lecture on 17 May will be Paul Vallely. Further details can be found on the last page of the newsletter. Chris Dove
Note: the views expresses in this newsletter do not necessarily coincide with those of the Commission A Message from Bishop Terry As Christians we should know that justice is the bare minimum we owe to one another. It arises out of our natural interdependence. Justice cannot be avoided; it is the foundation of so much else, not least of all peace. Without justice there can be no peace and without peace there can be no civilising society. This is what you might call the natural imperative, but there is more, there is the divine imperative which urges us beyond justice and peace, but certainly presupposes it – namely, the Gospel. No one can take the Gospel to heart without acquiring a thirst for justice and peace. Nor can this ever be merely an academic exercise or remain in the realm of theory.
He has sent me to bring the good news to the poor, to proclaim liberty to captives, and to the blind new sight, to set the downtrodden free, to proclaim the Lord’s year of favour. [1]
Jesus came to proclaim to us the good news of salvation, of freedom, of healing, of truth, of dignity, of respect. Some have wanted to interpret this good news solely in terms of the hereafter – pie in the sky when you die. However, this salvation is for all human kind and for all time. It is also for the here and now. Didn’t Jesus tell us that the Kingdom is here already, that it is overtaking us? The good news is both spiritual and material; it is both for hereafter and the here and now.
Father all-powerful, we praise you for your presence and action in the world. Your Spirit changes our hearts; enemies begin to speak to one another, those who are estranged join hands in friendship and nations seek the way of peace together. Your Spirit is at work when understanding puts an end to strife, when hatred is quenched by mercy, and vengeance gives way to forgiveness.[2]
For us Christians, justice and peace are fundamental, but there is much, much more. Justice and peace are only the beginning. In Christ and through his Spirit we aspire to something even greater, beyond our imagining:
In that new world where the fullness of your peace will be revealed, gather people of every race, language, and way of life to share in the one eternal banquet with Jesus Christ the Lord.[3]
May that new world come, and may we be part of it!
+ Terry
Poverty in Britain A Joseph Rowntree Report in December 2007 said that the British government’s approach to tackling child poverty is in urgent need of a rethink. The number of children in working families that need to escape poverty is rising; half of all children in poverty are in working families, suggesting more needs to be done to tackle the problem of low wages. “Progress on child poverty has stalled at a level that is only half way to the target set two years ago. Tax credits may be working, but they are not enough on their own, yet the government’s budgetary and legislative programme set out in autumn 2007 contains no substantial new ideas about what should be done.”
DID YOU KNOW? the UK has proportionately more poor children than most rich countries one in three UK children lives in poverty – 3.8 million children 2.2 million pensioners are living in poverty 7.2 million working age adults in the UK are living in poverty 70% 0f Bangladeshi children in the UK are poor. women are the majority in the poorest groups London has a higher proportion of people living in poverty that any other region in the UK.
How is poverty calculated? Poverty is calculated as 60% of median income after housing costs. This is the measure of poverty used by most researchers, the EU and the UK governments. In 2005/6 the 60% threshold was worth: £108 per week for single adult with no dependent children. £186 per week for a couple with no dependent children. £223 for a single adult with 2 dependent children. £301 for a couple with 2 dependent children. Save the Children says that the government is 14 years behind its target of halving child poverty by 2010 and eradicating it completely by 2020. Save the Children classes the worst deprivation as that which forces families to live on £19 a day, after paying housing costs. Source: Church Action on Poverty Having touched on the problems of poverty in this country, the following news items give us an insight into the wider picture. UN cannot afford to feed the world The United Nations has warned that it does not have enough money to stave off global malnutrition this year because of a dramatic upward surge in world commodity prices. Using voluntary contributions from the world’s wealthy nations, the World Food Programme (WFP) feeds 73 million people in 78 countries, less than a tenth of the total number of the world’s undernourished. Its agreed budget for 2008 was $2.9bn. But with food price increases around the world of up to 40% this past year, plus serious hikes in fuel costs, that budget is not enough even to maintain current food deliveries. The shortfall comes at a time when many people, particularly in urban areas, who had thought that their food supply was secure, are now unable to afford basic foodstuffs. The head of the WFP, Josette Sheeran said, “There is a new face of hunger. There is food on the shelves but people are priced out of the market. There is vulnerability in urban areas and food riots in countries where we have not seen them before.” Afghanistan, Egypt, India, Pakistan, Malaysia and the Philippines are all involved in varying degrees of desperation. WPF officials say the extraordinary rise in global prices of basic foods were caused by a “perfect storm” of factors: a rise in the demand for animal feed from more prosperous people in India and China; the use of more land and agricultural produce for biofuels; and climate change. “For the poorest populations, 50% to 80% of income goes on food purchases” according to OXFAM. “We are concerned now about an immediate increase in malnutrition in the poorest countries, and the landless, the farm workers there, all those who are living on the edge.” And of course the lower the world food reserves, the more nervous the markets become, and the increased volatility is particularly detrimental to the poor who have small assets. The impact of climate change will amplify that situation. Record flooding in West Africa, a prolonged drought in Australia and unusually severe winter snowstorms in China have all had an impact on the world’s food production this past year. It is expected that the climate change factor will get bigger and this increases the anxieties for markets. Source: The Guardian weekly 29.02.08 Agriculture in the 21st century An article in Le Monde noted that biofuels and increasing meat production are taking the staple foodstuffs from the poor. The higher cost of oil adds to the cost of sea transport, which now accounts for a third of the price of grain, and it boosts the appeal of biofuels, so that sugar, maize, manioc and oil seeds are diverted from the food market. In some African countries palm oil is linked to the price of crude oil and local shoppers can no longer afford it. Because of higher standards of living, people in Brazil, China and India have acquired new tastes. In less than a generation, meat consumption in China has more than doubled, with a direct impact of demand for grains as more and more grains are being fed to animals. If economic growth in emerging countries continues, this trend will do so too. Every year the world has an extra 28.5 million mouths to feed; global population is expected to increase from 6.5 billion people to 9 billion people in the second half of the 21st century, so there is little chance of a drop in demand. To the three factors usually cited – rising population, economic growth and global warming – is added an equally important fourth: continued application of misguided policies. According to the World Bank, for the past 20 years world leaders have ignored agriculture. Although three-quarters of the world’s poor live on the land, agriculture receives only 4% of public aid. The Bank now acknowledges that increased agricultural output and poverty reduction depend on public investment in rural infrastructure: irrigation, roads, transport and energy. We will all have to produce more. Some recommend giving more land to farming, but global warming and urban sprawl are actually reducing the available space. It would also be possible to boost output, but intensive farming uses more water which is becoming a rare and precious resource. This leaves genetically modified plants – but their use is disputed. Agriculture is going to be a big problem in the 21st century. Source: The Guardian weekly 29.02.08 Climate Change The latest science suggests that a stated target of 60% cuts in emissions of CO2 by 2050 is woefully weak. The talk now is of making this 80% and the Christian environmental organisation, Operation Noah, after discussions with such bodies as the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research and others, is calling for a 90% cut by 2030. Such a target is realistic in the light of the recent statement by the former UK government Chief Scientist, Sir David King, that global warming constitutes a much bigger threat to our society than terrorism. If every country in the G8 pledged a minimum of 10% of its annual military budget to the transformation of its energy economy it would go a long way towards helping to ward off this huge threat to our future security. Source: Mark Dowd. The Tablet 9 February Note: A recommended series of websites offering ways of checking and reducing our carbon footprints include the following. If anyone has tried some please let me know your opinion as to their value. www.carbonfootprint.com climatestewards.net/index.php actonco2.direct.gov.uk/index Many carbon calculators offer you the chance to make a payment to offset your carbon use. There is an argument that offsetting just excuses continued “carbon indulgence” in the rich world. However funding a carefully chosen project to balance the consumption you cannot (yet) change is better than doing nothing. American control of UK bases The Government has been accused of treating Parliament with contempt after committing the Menwith Hill RAF base, in North Yorkshire, to the US missile defence system. RAF Fylingdales, near Pickering, has also been upgraded and could be used in the so-called Son Of Star Wars scheme. Under this scheme, the RAF base at Menwith Hill will house a tracking system that will link to US satellites and interceptor missiles based outside the UK. It is a field station of the US national security agency and has been described as the largest electronic monitoring station in the world. Between 1,500 and 2,000 US nationals from various agencies work there. Lord Wallace of Saltaire, retired professor of international relations at the LSE said: “The abandonment of British sovereignty in the operation of Menwith Hill presents a far greater incursion into British sovereignty that anything the EU has to offer. Menwith Hill is under American control.” Source: York Press The Commission’s Policy Review The programme for 2008 is complete and we are now thinking of what changes we might make from 2009. Over the years there has been a steady fall in the numbers attending Commission meetings. This is in spite of having some excellent speakers on a wide range of subjects. We have tried moving round the diocese, meeting in Middlesbrough, York, Hull, Malton, and Whitby but without making much difference. What is certain is that we are all getting older and this may be a reason for the reduced numbers coming to meetings. But the issues of justice and peace are just as important. So, should there be fewer meetings? Should we still produce 6 issues of the newsletter each year, or would you prefer fewer? If any of our readers have suggestions or comments to make on the work of the Commission that might be of assistance, please do write to Barbara or me. Would you prefer to receive the newsletter by email instead of by post? This would certainly save time and postage costs. For this reason, I will now be emailing the newsletter to those clergy who have email addresses, unless they are receiving batches of the newsletter. I am sure I will be told if this is not wanted! At the same time may I particularly ask those who have been receiving numbers of the newsletter for distribution to let me know if they agree to continue to do this or if [understandably] they feel the need for a break. Chris Please note the new web address for the Commission Commission contacts Barbara Hungin Chair 01642 784398 Nan Saeki Treasurer 01904 783621 Chris Dove Editor 01947 825043 email: dove.whitby@phonecoop.coop or 22 Blackburns Yard Whitby YO22 4DS website:www.middlesbroughjp.org Programme for 2008 May 3 Bruce Kent ‘Movement against War’ English Martyrs York. July 19 – Prayer Walk Osmotherley. Sep 10: ‘Enriching Our Communities’ - a Celebration of the contributions to our society from those seeking asylum in the Tees Valley. Middlesbrough.
Inaugural Anthony Storey Memorial Lecture, Sat 17th May 11.00a.m. – 3pm Lindsey Suite, Staff House, University of Hull, Cottingham Road, Hull. “How to effect real change in the real world – the G8, Geldof and the grassroots” Speaker: Paul Vallely, Associate Editor of the The Independent, former chair of Traidcraft and Progressio. Chaired by: Professor Eamon Duffy, Professor of the History of Christianity, Magdalene College, Cambridge So they say…. Of our limitations: how much difference can an individual make to a catastrophe such as Darfur? In The Talmud, Pirkei Avot says: “It is not given to you to complete the task, but neither are you free to desist.” “Can Christian thinkers shake themselves free from a domestic agenda dominated by a constant tinkering with ecclesial organisation or else an obsessive preoccupation with various aspects of sexuality in order to address the real questions of our day?” From “World Without End – Contours of a post-terrorism world” Leslie Griffiths & Jennifer Potter. Epworth Press 2007
[1] Luke 4.18,19 [2] Eucharistic Prayer for Reconciliation II [3] Eucharistic Prayer for Reconciliation II
January/February 2008
March 6th, 2008
Editorial Peace Sunday, with the Pope’s message of “The Human Family, a Community of Peace” has passed. Hopefully your parish
Editorial Peace Sunday, with the Pope’s message of “The Human Family, a Community of Peace” has passed. Hopefully your parish made some reference to it. In is message the Pope wrote: “The countries of the industrially developed world profit immensely from the sale of arms. While the ruling oligarchies in many poor countries wish to reinforce their stronghold by acquiring ever more sophisticated weaponry. In difficult times like these, it is truly necessary for all persons of good will to come together to reach concrete agreements aimed at an effective demilitarization, especially in the area of nuclear arms. At a time when the process of nuclear non-proliferation is at a standstill, I feel bound to entreat those in authority to resume with greater determination negotiations for a progressive and mutually agreed dismantling of existing nuclear weapons.” We would do well to remind our government of their commitment to those negotiations. In this issue Barbara shares her thoughts at the beginning of a new year, and we have another Letter to the Editor from Gerry Danaher with a cogent argument for considering how the increasing world population is adding to the risks of conflict.
Poverty & Homelessness Action Week. 26 Jan – 3Feb 2008 asks: Are we deaf to the cry of the poor? Are we blind to their tears? Are we dumb when we should speak out on their behalf? A belated but no less sincere prayer that we will all have a happy and peaceful 2008. Chris Dove
Note: the views expresses in this newsletter do not necessarily coincide with those of the Commission
New Year Message from Barbara
At this time in January we have themes from Epiphany of light and stars alongside the darkness of the current outbreaks of violence in different parts of the world. Pakistan struggles to find the path to democracy and Kenya has become engulfed in tribal strife.
As we look forward to 2008 it makes our task even more urgent.
In 2007 we mourned the loss of one of our founder members – Fr. Tony Storey who was an inspiration to us all. In his memory we plan an annual ‘Anthony Storey Memorial lecture’ – the first of which will be held later this year in Hull.
The beginning of a New Year can be a time for change and renewal. I would again like to express our appreciation of the support offered by Bishop John during his time in Middlesbrough and we look forward to establishing a relationship with our new Bishop – Terence Drainey.
Within the Commission, as with many organisations, our challenge is to discover the most effective way to encourage, to raise awareness and to examine current issues which are central to our work. We continue to facilitate meetings which we hope will be of interest and will inspire others to get involved.
This month we welcome Alison Gelder – Chief Executive of Housing Justice to explore the Campaign: ‘Opening Doors, Opening Hearts’ – run jointly with Church Action on Poverty – to highlight the experiences of poverty and homelessness in Britain today. Other meetings during the year will focus on the environment (March) on nuclear issues with Bruce Kent (May); on the contribution to our society made by refugees and those seeking asylum in our communities (Sept); and on issues prioritised by young people in our youth forum (November). Our annual spirituality day in July will be in the form of a prayer walk in the Osmotherley area. The theme of Epiphany is encapsulated in the following – (from Wild Goose publications): ‘In the dark of the night, we have seen a strange sight Of a new star’s bright light – calling us to follow. Moving out each day on the unknown way…. From the old to the new, asking, looking, seeking.’ With all good wishes for 2008 Barbara.
About Homelessness Sunday Homelessness Sunday is an annual event which has been run by the Homelessness Sunday Partnership for over 15 years. It brings together thousands of churches drawing attention to the devastating effects of homelessness. Through prayer and reflection, Homelessness Sunday offers an opportunity to listen to what God has to say about homelessness, and to consider what action we are being called to take. Together, with faith, we can repair the hurt of homelessness and build both homes and lives. It is estimated that up to an extra three million homes will be needed in England in the next 20 years. In 2004, the Barker Review initiated by the Government indicated that house building was at its lowest since 1945 and recommended that between 70K and 120K new homes should be built each year to meet demand and bring down inflation. There are a number of factors contributing to this huge need for more houses: Under delivery of new homes In-migration of southern regions of UK People living longer and remaining in their own homes Growth of single households Second homes Little social housing being built House prices have risen significantly in most regions, making houses much less affordable for many people, especially for young adults and for locals in rural areas. The issues are considerable and affect nearly everyone. Source: Housing Justice
There are currently 87,124 homeless households trapped in temporary accommodation in England alone. This includes 125,429 children. Temporary accommodation has increased 108 per cent since 1997. In England, 526,000 households are overcrowded and 905,000 children live in overcrowded households. Almost one child in every 10 lives in overcrowded housing. In London, almost one child in three living in social housing lives in overcrowded conditions. Over 260,000 children in London live in overcrowded households. Black and minority ethnic (BME) groups are more than six times more likely than white households to be overcrowded. BME households account for nearly a third (32%) of overcrowded households.
Living in bad housing can ruin your health, education and future chances in life. Shelter’s own research has shown that children in unfit or overcrowded housing are almost a third more likely to suffer from respiratory problems, such as asthma and bronchitis, than other children.Children in unfit housing are more likely to attend Accident and Emergency than other children – one in four children living in unfit housing go to A&E in a year. Almost 310,000 children in bad housing in Britain are suffering long-term illness or disability. People who live in bad housing are almost twice as likely to suffer from poor health than people who don’t. Mothers living in bad housing are almost three times more likely to be clinically depressed – equivalent to more than 60,000 mothers in Britain.
In England, children in bad housing are twice as likely to leave school with no GCSEs. More than 40,000 young people aged 16-18 years living in bad housing in England have no GCSEs. Each year, more than 57,000 children living in bad housing in Britain are excluded from school. Children in bad housing are twice as likely to have been excluded from school. and twice as likely to be persistently bullied. During 10 years of Blair, less than half the number of social homes were built than during 10 years of Thatcher. The chronic lack of social housing across the country is at the root of the housing crisis. Not only have we not been building enough, but also the Right to Buy has removed millions of units that simply haven’t been replaced. There are 1,634,301 households on council house waiting lists – 60 per cent more than in 1997. Shelter predicts that council house waiting lists could soar to two million within three years. Source: Shelter
Letter to the Editor: With reference to the November/December 2007 newsletter item Cost of War, I think we have to keep it in mind that of the three conflicts causing over one million deaths since 1950, two – Cambodia and Rwanda – involved mainly knives, machetes, and other simple weapons, only the Iraq attack on Iran involved heavier weaponry. All three of these countries had rocketing populations – two of them, Iraq and Rwanda – still have. Providing effective family planning would be a much more certain way of preventing conflict than banning arm sales. Same goes for Afghanistan. “Population problems are of extreme importance…they have a vital bearing on world peace.” So wrote the future Pope Paul VI in 1953 in a letter to the Twenty-Sixth Italian Catholic Social Week. Most of the world agreed with this. Europe, Japan, China, most other countries in the Far East, and belatedly, most countries in Latin America have all acted to control their population growth. Slowly but surely prosperity and peace are spreading. In one region of the world population problems remain and world peace is threatened. This region is Africa and the Middle East to Pakistan. In 1950, according to the United Nations, the population of Africa plus the Middle East to Pakistan, leaving out Turkey, was 306 million. By 2000 the population was 1151 million. And by 2050, it is expected to be 2330 million. This unprecedented increase of 1000 million since 1950, with an estimated further 1000 million before 2050, inevitably causes widespread poverty and conflict, and world peace is threatened, as Mgr Montini predicted.
Unfortunately for this region and the world, this extremely important problem is virtually never discussed. The reasons for this semi-taboo can be found at my website www.gerrydanaher.com under The Consensus on Population. Cardinal Trujillo, President of the Pontifical Council for the Family writing in The Tablet of 8 April 2006 called upon us “to pay closer attention to the objective data given by the UN World Population Prospect.” Anyone concerned to bring prosperity and peace to Africa and the Middle East will become much more effective if they look up this data. It can be found at http://esa.un.org/unpp Dr Gerry Danaher Please …. If you find this newsletter of some use to you or your church perhaps you would consider sending a donation to the Treasurer: Nan Saeki 55 Moorgate York YO24 4HP. It would be very much appreciated.
Trident – a Theological approach A reflection by Dr Kenneth Greet, President Methodist Peace Fellowship Basic Facts: The British Trident Defence System consists of four nuclear submarines, each armed with 116 missiles. Each missile has between three and eight warheads. Each warhead has at least ten times the destructive power of the Hiroshima bomb that killed 100,000 people in 1945. One submarine is on station at all times ready for action. The system needs replacing between 2025 and 2030 but decisions need to be taken now because of the complex technicalities involved. The cost is presently estimated at between £25bn and £30 bn – enough to provide 120,000 newly qualified nurses every year for ten years. To replace or not is both a political and a moral question, but for the Christian it is also a theological question. Theology is essentially thinking about God and his purpose for the world. Church statements: The government called for an open debate and church leaders urged Christians to get involved in that debate. In his message for the Celebrations of World Peace Day [1 January 2006] Pope Benedict XVI described the policy of reliance on nuclear weapons as ‘not only baneful but completely fallacious,’ and called for ‘a progressive and concerted nuclear disarmament.’ In May 2006 the Church of Scotland and the Catholic and Episcopal Churches in Scotland signed a joint resolution:
“We urge the government of the United Kingdom not to invest in a replacement for the Trident system and to begin now the process of decommissioning these weapons with the intention of diverting the sums spent on nuclear weaponry to programmes of aid and development.”
In July 2006 a number of Anglican bishops wrote that ‘nuclear weapons challenge the very core of our faith.’ The historic peace churches – Brethren, Mennonites and Quakers – believe there is no ethical, practical or theological justification for nuclear weapons. Pacifist Christians in the other denominations take the same view. A number of church assemblies, including the Methodist Conference have registered their opposition to the replacement of Trident.
Legality, Morality and Practicality:
In 1996 the International Court of Justice re-affirmed the disarmament obligations of the nuclear states to undertake good-faith negotiations leading to ‘the cessation of the arms race at an early date and to nuclear disarmament’
[It is noteworthy that Article 6 obliges signatories to work towards the elimination of nuclear weapons. The US in particular is actively engaged in developing new nuclear weapons and has always blocked any attempt to press Israel to join the nuclear non-proliferation treaty. Ed.]
The traditional ‘just war’ doctrine has always been one of limitation. Modern methods of mechanized war and the use of weapons of almost unlimited destructive power could never be termed ‘just’ and it is beyond dispute that the traditional teaching of the church rules out the use of nuclear weapons. If it is wrong to do something it is also wrong to threaten to do it.
The deterrent value is fundamentally illogical. A weapon can only deter if it is recognized that it could be used. But if it were ever used it would not have deterred. The existence of nuclear weapons has not prevented wars for the past 50 years, nor has it prevented terrorist attacks – the main threat to our security today. The continued possession of nuclear weapons is an incentive to proliferation and the opposite to an aid to security.
[This is an edited version of Dr Greet’s paper]
Commission contacts
Barbara Hungin Chair 01642 784398
Sr Mary Walmsley CJ Secretary 01904 464919
Nan Saeki Treasurer 01904 783621
Chris Dove Editor 01947 825043
email: dove.whitby@phonecoop.coop
or 22 Blackburns Yard Whitby YO22 4DS
website:www.ayton.info/middlesbroughjp
A New Creed for a New Year
We believe in a community that opens its doors to people who flee war, hunger and poverty in search of a better life.
We believe in the power of love, not the power of violence.
We believe we are all called to share our lives so as to free each other from poverty, racism and oppression of all kinds.
We believe that the resources of the earth are to be shared among all people – not just the few.
We believe in a community that has as a priority a response to those who are denied basic human rights and dignity.
We reject a world where people are denied access to warmth, food, shelter and the right to live in peace.
We want to believe in justice, in goodness and in people.
We believe we are called to a life of freedom, of service, of witness, of hope.
We reject the idea that nothing can be done.
We believe that a time will come when all people will share in the richness of our world, and that all people will be truly loved and respected.
We commit ourselves in the name of God who created the world for all to share, of Christ who leads us to freedom, and of the Spirit who calls us to action.
Today we commit ourselves to work together to make this belief a reality.
Source: CAFOD from Entertaining Angels compiled by Geoffrey Duncan and published by Canterbury Press.
Editorial Peace Sunday, with the Pope’s message of “The Human Family, a Community of Peace” has passed. Hopefully your parish
Editorial Peace Sunday, with the Pope’s message of “The Human Family, a Community of Peace” has passed. Hopefully your parish made some reference to it. In is message the Pope wrote: “The countries of the industrially developed world profit immensely from the sale of arms. While the ruling oligarchies in many poor countries wish to reinforce their stronghold by acquiring ever more sophisticated weaponry. In difficult times like these, it is truly necessary for all persons of good will to come together to reach concrete agreements aimed at an effective demilitarization, especially in the area of nuclear arms. At a time when the process of nuclear non-proliferation is at a standstill, I feel bound to entreat those in authority to resume with greater determination negotiations for a progressive and mutually agreed dismantling of existing nuclear weapons.” We would do well to remind our government of their commitment to those negotiations. In this issue Barbara shares her thoughts at the beginning of a new year, and we have another Letter to the Editor from Gerry Danaher with a cogent argument for considering how the increasing world population is adding to the risks of conflict.
Poverty & Homelessness Action Week. 26 Jan – 3Feb 2008 asks: Are we deaf to the cry of the poor? Are we blind to their tears? Are we dumb when we should speak out on their behalf? A belated but no less sincere prayer that we will all have a happy and peaceful 2008. Chris Dove
Note: the views expresses in this newsletter do not necessarily coincide with those of the Commission
New Year Message from Barbara
At this time in January we have themes from Epiphany of light and stars alongside the darkness of the current outbreaks of violence in different parts of the world. Pakistan struggles to find the path to democracy and Kenya has become engulfed in tribal strife.
As we look forward to 2008 it makes our task even more urgent.
In 2007 we mourned the loss of one of our founder members – Fr. Tony Storey who was an inspiration to us all. In his memory we plan an annual ‘Anthony Storey Memorial lecture’ – the first of which will be held later this year in Hull.
The beginning of a New Year can be a time for change and renewal. I would again like to express our appreciation of the support offered by Bishop John during his time in Middlesbrough and we look forward to establishing a relationship with our new Bishop – Terence Drainey.
Within the Commission, as with many organisations, our challenge is to discover the most effective way to encourage, to raise awareness and to examine current issues which are central to our work. We continue to facilitate meetings which we hope will be of interest and will inspire others to get involved.
This month we welcome Alison Gelder – Chief Executive of Housing Justice to explore the Campaign: ‘Opening Doors, Opening Hearts’ – run jointly with Church Action on Poverty – to highlight the experiences of poverty and homelessness in Britain today. Other meetings during the year will focus on the environment (March) on nuclear issues with Bruce Kent (May); on the contribution to our society made by refugees and those seeking asylum in our communities (Sept); and on issues prioritised by young people in our youth forum (November). Our annual spirituality day in July will be in the form of a prayer walk in the Osmotherley area. The theme of Epiphany is encapsulated in the following – (from Wild Goose publications): ‘In the dark of the night, we have seen a strange sight Of a new star’s bright light – calling us to follow. Moving out each day on the unknown way…. From the old to the new, asking, looking, seeking.’ With all good wishes for 2008 Barbara.
About Homelessness Sunday Homelessness Sunday is an annual event which has been run by the Homelessness Sunday Partnership for over 15 years. It brings together thousands of churches drawing attention to the devastating effects of homelessness. Through prayer and reflection, Homelessness Sunday offers an opportunity to listen to what God has to say about homelessness, and to consider what action we are being called to take. Together, with faith, we can repair the hurt of homelessness and build both homes and lives. It is estimated that up to an extra three million homes will be needed in England in the next 20 years. In 2004, the Barker Review initiated by the Government indicated that house building was at its lowest since 1945 and recommended that between 70K and 120K new homes should be built each year to meet demand and bring down inflation. There are a number of factors contributing to this huge need for more houses: Under delivery of new homes In-migration of southern regions of UK People living longer and remaining in their own homes Growth of single households Second homes Little social housing being built House prices have risen significantly in most regions, making houses much less affordable for many people, especially for young adults and for locals in rural areas. The issues are considerable and affect nearly everyone. Source: Housing Justice
There are currently 87,124 homeless households trapped in temporary accommodation in England alone. This includes 125,429 children. Temporary accommodation has increased 108 per cent since 1997. In England, 526,000 households are overcrowded and 905,000 children live in overcrowded households. Almost one child in every 10 lives in overcrowded housing. In London, almost one child in three living in social housing lives in overcrowded conditions. Over 260,000 children in London live in overcrowded households. Black and minority ethnic (BME) groups are more than six times more likely than white households to be overcrowded. BME households account for nearly a third (32%) of overcrowded households.
Living in bad housing can ruin your health, education and future chances in life. Shelter’s own research has shown that children in unfit or overcrowded housing are almost a third more likely to suffer from respiratory problems, such as asthma and bronchitis, than other children.Children in unfit housing are more likely to attend Accident and Emergency than other children – one in four children living in unfit housing go to A&E in a year. Almost 310,000 children in bad housing in Britain are suffering long-term illness or disability. People who live in bad housing are almost twice as likely to suffer from poor health than people who don’t. Mothers living in bad housing are almost three times more likely to be clinically depressed – equivalent to more than 60,000 mothers in Britain.
In England, children in bad housing are twice as likely to leave school with no GCSEs. More than 40,000 young people aged 16-18 years living in bad housing in England have no GCSEs. Each year, more than 57,000 children living in bad housing in Britain are excluded from school. Children in bad housing are twice as likely to have been excluded from school. and twice as likely to be persistently bullied. During 10 years of Blair, less than half the number of social homes were built than during 10 years of Thatcher. The chronic lack of social housing across the country is at the root of the housing crisis. Not only have we not been building enough, but also the Right to Buy has removed millions of units that simply haven’t been replaced. There are 1,634,301 households on council house waiting lists – 60 per cent more than in 1997. Shelter predicts that council house waiting lists could soar to two million within three years. Source: Shelter
Letter to the Editor: With reference to the November/December 2007 newsletter item Cost of War, I think we have to keep it in mind that of the three conflicts causing over one million deaths since 1950, two – Cambodia and Rwanda – involved mainly knives, machetes, and other simple weapons, only the Iraq attack on Iran involved heavier weaponry. All three of these countries had rocketing populations – two of them, Iraq and Rwanda – still have. Providing effective family planning would be a much more certain way of preventing conflict than banning arm sales. Same goes for Afghanistan. “Population problems are of extreme importance…they have a vital bearing on world peace.” So wrote the future Pope Paul VI in 1953 in a letter to the Twenty-Sixth Italian Catholic Social Week. Most of the world agreed with this. Europe, Japan, China, most other countries in the Far East, and belatedly, most countries in Latin America have all acted to control their population growth. Slowly but surely prosperity and peace are spreading. In one region of the world population problems remain and world peace is threatened. This region is Africa and the Middle East to Pakistan. In 1950, according to the United Nations, the population of Africa plus the Middle East to Pakistan, leaving out Turkey, was 306 million. By 2000 the population was 1151 million. And by 2050, it is expected to be 2330 million. This unprecedented increase of 1000 million since 1950, with an estimated further 1000 million before 2050, inevitably causes widespread poverty and conflict, and world peace is threatened, as Mgr Montini predicted.
Unfortunately for this region and the world, this extremely important problem is virtually never discussed. The reasons for this semi-taboo can be found at my website www.gerrydanaher.com under The Consensus on Population. Cardinal Trujillo, President of the Pontifical Council for the Family writing in The Tablet of 8 April 2006 called upon us “to pay closer attention to the objective data given by the UN World Population Prospect.” Anyone concerned to bring prosperity and peace to Africa and the Middle East will become much more effective if they look up this data. It can be found at http://esa.un.org/unpp Dr Gerry Danaher Please …. If you find this newsletter of some use to you or your church perhaps you would consider sending a donation to the Treasurer: Nan Saeki 55 Moorgate York YO24 4HP. It would be very much appreciated.
Trident – a Theological approach A reflection by Dr Kenneth Greet, President Methodist Peace Fellowship Basic Facts: The British Trident Defence System consists of four nuclear submarines, each armed with 116 missiles. Each missile has between three and eight warheads. Each warhead has at least ten times the destructive power of the Hiroshima bomb that killed 100,000 people in 1945. One submarine is on station at all times ready for action. The system needs replacing between 2025 and 2030 but decisions need to be taken now because of the complex technicalities involved. The cost is presently estimated at between £25bn and £30 bn – enough to provide 120,000 newly qualified nurses every year for ten years. To replace or not is both a political and a moral question, but for the Christian it is also a theological question. Theology is essentially thinking about God and his purpose for the world. Church statements: The government called for an open debate and church leaders urged Christians to get involved in that debate. In his message for the Celebrations of World Peace Day [1 January 2006] Pope Benedict XVI described the policy of reliance on nuclear weapons as ‘not only baneful but completely fallacious,’ and called for ‘a progressive and concerted nuclear disarmament.’ In May 2006 the Church of Scotland and the Catholic and Episcopal Churches in Scotland signed a joint resolution:
“We urge the government of the United Kingdom not to invest in a replacement for the Trident system and to begin now the process of decommissioning these weapons with the intention of diverting the sums spent on nuclear weaponry to programmes of aid and development.”
In July 2006 a number of Anglican bishops wrote that ‘nuclear weapons challenge the very core of our faith.’ The historic peace churches – Brethren, Mennonites and Quakers – believe there is no ethical, practical or theological justification for nuclear weapons. Pacifist Christians in the other denominations take the same view. A number of church assemblies, including the Methodist Conference have registered their opposition to the replacement of Trident.
Legality, Morality and Practicality:
In 1996 the International Court of Justice re-affirmed the disarmament obligations of the nuclear states to undertake good-faith negotiations leading to ‘the cessation of the arms race at an early date and to nuclear disarmament’
[It is noteworthy that Article 6 obliges signatories to work towards the elimination of nuclear weapons. The US in particular is actively engaged in developing new nuclear weapons and has always blocked any attempt to press Israel to join the nuclear non-proliferation treaty. Ed.]
The traditional ‘just war’ doctrine has always been one of limitation. Modern methods of mechanized war and the use of weapons of almost unlimited destructive power could never be termed ‘just’ and it is beyond dispute that the traditional teaching of the church rules out the use of nuclear weapons. If it is wrong to do something it is also wrong to threaten to do it.
The deterrent value is fundamentally illogical. A weapon can only deter if it is recognized that it could be used. But if it were ever used it would not have deterred. The existence of nuclear weapons has not prevented wars for the past 50 years, nor has it prevented terrorist attacks – the main threat to our security today. The continued possession of nuclear weapons is an incentive to proliferation and the opposite to an aid to security.
[This is an edited version of Dr Greet’s paper]
Commission contacts
Barbara Hungin Chair 01642 784398
Sr Mary Walmsley CJ Secretary 01904 464919
Nan Saeki Treasurer 01904 783621
Chris Dove Editor 01947 825043
email: dove.whitby@phonecoop.coop
or 22 Blackburns Yard Whitby YO22 4DS
website:www.ayton.info/middlesbroughjp
A New Creed for a New Year
We believe in a community that opens its doors to people who flee war, hunger and poverty in search of a better life.
We believe in the power of love, not the power of violence.
We believe we are all called to share our lives so as to free each other from poverty, racism and oppression of all kinds.
We believe that the resources of the earth are to be shared among all people – not just the few.
We believe in a community that has as a priority a response to those who are denied basic human rights and dignity.
We reject a world where people are denied access to warmth, food, shelter and the right to live in peace.
We want to believe in justice, in goodness and in people.
We believe we are called to a life of freedom, of service, of witness, of hope.
We reject the idea that nothing can be done.
We believe that a time will come when all people will share in the richness of our world, and that all people will be truly loved and respected.
We commit ourselves in the name of God who created the world for all to share, of Christ who leads us to freedom, and of the Spirit who calls us to action.
Today we commit ourselves to work together to make this belief a reality.
Source: CAFOD from Entertaining Angels compiled by Geoffrey Duncan and published by Canterbury Press.
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2007
December 6th, 2007
Editorial Each year the Commission holds its November meeting at one of our colleges. We have visited
Editorial Each year the Commission holds its November meeting at one of our colleges. We have visited St Mary’s Hull, All Saints York and St Augustine’s Scarborough and this year we will be at St Mary’s Middlesbrough. We have always been impressed by the presentations which have shown considerable insight and knowledge of those aspects of justice and peace issues which resonate with young people. We look forward to another stimulating meeting. At this time of the year we think of Remembrance Day services. Bruce Kent asks: “How should we remember the horror as well as the courage of war? From cemetery to cemetery there would come only one answer from soldiers, sailors, airmen and civilians killed as a result of conflict. ‘If you want to honour our memory, work for the abolition of war.’” Win Logan from Middlesbrough, who does so much for the refugees and asylum seekers, writes of her first hand experience of how hard their lives can be. And we are very grateful to Anne Tracy, who teaches RE at All Saints, York for sending some of her students’ work. Chris Dove Note: the views expresses in this newsletter do not necessarily coincide with those of the Commission
“Befriend an Asylum seeker” On September 25th about forty of us, including twenty five young people from Carmel College, gathered at the Carmelite convent for one of our monthly vigils. The reason for our vigils, in a different place every month, is to show our solidarity with those seeking asylum, to remember those who have been detained or returned to dangerous situations, and to raise awareness of the number of people who await, with great trepidation, the early morning knock on the door which signals detention for them too. Many of these people are destitute and exist on handouts and help from sympathizers. Many people who have been refused asylum have been in Britain for a long time – in the case of my friend Joseph 14 years. A long time of uncertainty and stress, never being sure of what will happen to them. Some have ended their own lives rather than be sent back to the situation from which they fled. Fear has been their daily companion. Some asylum seekers with us at Carmel gave testimony about the reasons they fled from their homelands. It was very hard to hear – oppression, starvation, rape, torture, murder. Jean-Michel spoke of his longing for his five children and his extended family. “Why would I leave them to come here if I didn’t HAVE to?” he asked. Sadly when Jean-Michel arrived home that evening he received news from the Democratic Republic of Congo that his 17 year old son, Rudy, had been shot dead. One can only try to imagine Jean-Michel’s heartbreak. Although it has been declared that arbitrary detentions of children is wrong, it is still happening. In the past two years nine children have been detained who were pupils at Sacred Heart School, Middlesbrough. Six were returned, with their parents to unstable countries with appalling human rights records. Three of these children were only three years old. What can we do about it? Send an avalanche of letters, emails etc to Gordon Brown, the Home Office, our MPs, demanding action and compassion. Give generously to Justice First, a local charity set up to help asylum seekers who have exhausted all appeals and are at their most vulnerable. The Mary Thompson Fund also needs funds to help those whose housing and benefits have been withdrawn. Offer your friendship – as our friend Juste says, “Befriend an asylum seeker – you may change his life” You may also change your own. Win Logan
Study War No More It often feels there are no areas of life untouched by the corruption of multinationals and oppression in one form or another. This is especially hard for young people who are struggling with money, trying hard to make a living and get an education. An increasingly important question for young people today should be the ethics of their education. 2007 marked the launch of Study War No More, a project examining the influence military companies such as BAE Systems, QinetiQ, and Rolls Royce exert within university departments. The data reveals that 26 universities received funding from these companies. Many received high levels of funding for specialist areas, the majority going to departments of engineering, chemistry, physics and computer studies. The 20 universities belonging to the Russell Group boast of securing 65% (over £1.8billion) of UK Universities’ research grant and contract income in 2004/2005. Nottingham, one of these, for example, between 2001 and 2006, has received a minimum of around 40 different contracts for R&D development from military organizations. These contracts are for varying time periods, and values which range from £15,000 to almost £10 million. Are students and academics aware of how their research might be used? And, have they been made aware of, and therefore fully considered the moral basis of their work? In recent years, peace and security issues have moved to the forefront of people’s lives and concerns. The young especially, are starting to ask themselves what they can do to address these issues in their daily lives. It is hoped the project will continue to grow as the raw data is collected, thus becoming a self-updating record of military funding of research and development within UK universities. The aim of Study War No More is to contribute to the growing awareness and concern for transparency, honesty and accountability within research and development. Acting as a direct challenge to the secrecy which has traditionally surrounded military research and development, the report challenges future generations to make informed choices about their education, and how it is funded. Study War No More is a collaborative research project undertaken by the Fellowship of Reconciliation with the Campaign Against the Arms Trade. Visit www.for.org.uk for further information.
Is this “Joined up government”? The government has approved arms exports to 19 of the 20 countries it has identified as “countries of concern” for abusing human rights, according to the annual report on its weapons exports. These countries include Saudi Arabia, Israel, Colombia, China and Russia. Source: The Guardian Weekly 03.08.07
Aviation and climate change Another example of the disconnection between government departments is aviation. An article in the Fellowship of Reconciliation’s Peace by Peace for Autumn 2007, notes that the 2003 White Paper on Aviation planned a massive expansion in UK airport capacity to allow for doubling of the number of passengers between 2002 and 2020 along with a doubling of air freight between 2002 and 2010. This expansion was supported by a further Department of Transport report in 2006. At the same time the government is seeking to reduce the UK’s contribution to climate change. Since 1990 UK carbon dioxide emissions from aviation have increased by 125% and they are still increasing. A researcher for Friends of the Earth, Maud Grainger, investigated the connection between aviation and climate change. She found that the aviation industry is the fastest growing source of greenhouse gases. Aircraft emissions have a greater warming effect because they are released at altitude. Commercial aviation accounted for about 20% of total UK climate change. The military are large emitters of carbon dioxide, and according to a report from the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution, military aircraft are likely to produce proportionately more emissions because of their special performance requirements.
Cost of war If you want to get some idea of what the war in Iraq is costing,[estimated $8 billion a month] have a look at these websites: www.costofwar.com. shows a counter like a taxi meter, with the numbers increasing every second. It is truly frightening. www. casualties.org gives the numbers of US military killed and wounded , which, as at September 2007, stood at 3,801 and 27,753 respectively. The numbers of Iraqi casualties is unknown but estimates can be found on: www.iraqbodycount.net Another way to count the cost of war is to note that, according to the UN Development Fund for Women, whereas in the 19th century civilian casualties accounted for 5% of the war dead, in World War I, the total number of civilians killed had climbed to 15% of total wartime casualties, in World War II, civilians made up 65% of the victims of war. By the mid-90s, civilians were over 75% of the war dead. And today, over 90% of those killed in war are civilians. I never hear our politicians or military chiefs acknowledging these facts.
Religion, War and Peace The reflections and poems below are by Year 10 students (age about 15 years) at All Saints School, York. We had just come to the end of a module on Religion, War and Peace for the GCSE RE course when the request for material arrived from Chris. They chose ideas and themes they wanted to share with a wider audience. I think you will agree that the young people impress by the insight and maturity of their writing. Anne Tracy Bethany Hoggarth Hall
If your dad killed, Would you? If your Granddad shot a child Would you? Just because other generations did things Should we? We are the next generation. We decide what happens now. It’s our choice. Let’s make the world greater than ever before, A place you would be proud for your children to live in. Let’s heal the wounds of previous wars, Stop the violence, the suffering, and the pain. Give the hungry food and the homeless homes. We have the power now Let our voices be heard And our actions be noted. Let no more die in war.
Sarah Mills
Jesus would never carry a gun. I think that no matter what the situation is, or what a so-called leader thinks, that war should never be the answer. All war does is cause damage, hatred and death. Face it, war is just another word for death. You see it all over the newspapers that another soldier has been killed, another village wiped out. Is it the public forcing the leaders or is it the leaders who just decide to go war without thinking about the consequences? Take for example the Iraq war. There was very little thought of what the consequences would be. There was just worry about weapons of mass destruction, even when they had already been searched for and not found. Jesus would never carry a gun. When the option of violence was put on the table Jesus said to turn the other cheek. But everyone seems to have forgotten.
Ellie Brindle
As soldiers battle in Iraq they fear for their lives. Underneath a brave mask a young man cries inside. Their families back in England pray that they are safe, And hope their sons, brothers, dads, come home in haste.
But what we don’t think is that Iraqi families too Hope their friends will return among the merry few. Pacifists, Quakers pray for no more war That swords and bombs will be against the law. And I wish for the future, all warfare end, Iraq to be a peaceful place and all injuries to mend.
Patrick Murphy
Why does our world not live in peace? All these counties fighting each other While citizens cannot afford food. Adults and children dying every day Just because a country wants more territory. Lives being lost and people injured, Planes in the sky Guns held high Lives blown away. Countries keep fighting Why?
Elliot Purcell
The war against Iraq was just in my view, because although the Iraqis might not have had nuclear weapons it was still a dictatorship and Saddam Hussein killed and tortured his own people to get what he wanted. The population of Iraq was not free and should not have been threatened into voting for someone who was wrong for the country. Although there are no official numbers, the people who were being killed and tortured during the regime should have been enough to show something was wrong in the first place. Saddam also threatened neighbouring countries with war. So the war against Iraq was for the greater good. Some of the assaults on Iraq were unjust, such as the Shock and Awe tactics that were used, but it is difficult for a modern war to be a Just War. When Thomas Aquinas wrote his Just War Theory in the 13th century, there were no bombs. His ideas therefore can’t always be followed today.
Sarah Owen
The war against Iraq was unjust. I think this because it did not follow the rules stated by Thomas Aquinas in the just war theory. In it he says that war must be a last resort, which I do not think the war was. The war was started because Iraq was believed to be hiding weapons of mass destruction. I personally believe that a more thorough search could have been conducted before beginning a war. The just war theory also says that targeting civilians is not allowed. However, many innocent people were killed. Finally, there has to be a chance of peace after the war. However there does not seem to be much chance of this occurring in Iraq.
Peter Tasker
Nuclear weapons are evil and should be destroyed. You can’t limit the destruction that will occur when someone uses nuclear weapons. It is like a time bomb set up in the world, everyone living in fear, waiting, expecting, knowing that a nuclear bomb could be dropped anywhere in the world. Nuclear weapons cost millions of pounds to make and research. If everyone who has nuclear weapons disarmed then maybe this money could go to end hunger in poor countries. These things can all be achieved if there is worldwide nuclear disarmament. So why don’t the leaders of the world stop making these weapons, now?
Cluster bombs – yet again A new international treaty banning lethal cluster bombs is expected in the next 12 months. The government claims that some kinds of cluster bombs are safe but the evidence from Lebanon and Iraq shows this to be false. The UN team coordinating the clear-up of unexploded bombs said: We can categorically state that we are finding large numbers of unexploded M85 submunitions that have failed to detonate as designed and failed to self destruct afterwards. In effect these weapons are more dangerous than other types because the self destruct mechanism makes them more problematic to deal with. In August The Foreign Affairs Select Committee report on the Middle East said: We conclude that the failure rate of ‘smart’ cluster bombs could be as high as 10%, again significantly higher than the government’s estimate of 2.3%. The Quadripartite Select Committee stated in their report: …even ‘smart’ cluster bombs may have a failure rate which may be between 5% and 10%. The potential to inflict death and injury on innocent non-combatants entering the field after the engagement is therefore substantial. The UK used 2,100 artillery shells containing 102,900 M85 submunitions in Iraq in 2003. We need to tell the government that this is unacceptable. Please write to your MP, the Prime Minister or Foreign Secretary urgently. Source: Landmine Action Please …. If you find this newsletter of some use to you or your church perhaps you would consider sending a donation to the Treasurer: Nan Saeki 55 Moorgate York YO24 4HP. It would be very much appreciated.
Commission contacts Barbara Hungin Chair 01642 784398 Sr Mary Walmsley CJ Secretary 01904 464919 Nan Saeki Treasurer 01904 783621 Chris Dove Editor 01947 825043 email: dove.whitby@phonecoop.coop or 22 Blackburns Yard Whitby YO22 4DS website:www.ayton.info/middlesbroughjp Jan 19 “Opening Doors – Opening Hearts” English Martyrs, York
Diary 2008
A Prayer for Peace Living Lord, ignite in us a passion for justice and a yearning to right all wrong. Strengthen us to work for peace in the land we call holy: for peace among Jew, Christian and Muslim, for reconciliation between communities, for harmony between faiths. Inspire us to act with the urgency of your quickening fire, for blessed are the peacemakers, they shall be called children of God. Amen Ramani Leathard Pax Christi
Editorial Each year the Commission holds its November meeting at one of our colleges. We have visited
Editorial Each year the Commission holds its November meeting at one of our colleges. We have visited St Mary’s Hull, All Saints York and St Augustine’s Scarborough and this year we will be at St Mary’s Middlesbrough. We have always been impressed by the presentations which have shown considerable insight and knowledge of those aspects of justice and peace issues which resonate with young people. We look forward to another stimulating meeting. At this time of the year we think of Remembrance Day services. Bruce Kent asks: “How should we remember the horror as well as the courage of war? From cemetery to cemetery there would come only one answer from soldiers, sailors, airmen and civilians killed as a result of conflict. ‘If you want to honour our memory, work for the abolition of war.’” Win Logan from Middlesbrough, who does so much for the refugees and asylum seekers, writes of her first hand experience of how hard their lives can be. And we are very grateful to Anne Tracy, who teaches RE at All Saints, York for sending some of her students’ work. Chris Dove Note: the views expresses in this newsletter do not necessarily coincide with those of the Commission
“Befriend an Asylum seeker” On September 25th about forty of us, including twenty five young people from Carmel College, gathered at the Carmelite convent for one of our monthly vigils. The reason for our vigils, in a different place every month, is to show our solidarity with those seeking asylum, to remember those who have been detained or returned to dangerous situations, and to raise awareness of the number of people who await, with great trepidation, the early morning knock on the door which signals detention for them too. Many of these people are destitute and exist on handouts and help from sympathizers. Many people who have been refused asylum have been in Britain for a long time – in the case of my friend Joseph 14 years. A long time of uncertainty and stress, never being sure of what will happen to them. Some have ended their own lives rather than be sent back to the situation from which they fled. Fear has been their daily companion. Some asylum seekers with us at Carmel gave testimony about the reasons they fled from their homelands. It was very hard to hear – oppression, starvation, rape, torture, murder. Jean-Michel spoke of his longing for his five children and his extended family. “Why would I leave them to come here if I didn’t HAVE to?” he asked. Sadly when Jean-Michel arrived home that evening he received news from the Democratic Republic of Congo that his 17 year old son, Rudy, had been shot dead. One can only try to imagine Jean-Michel’s heartbreak. Although it has been declared that arbitrary detentions of children is wrong, it is still happening. In the past two years nine children have been detained who were pupils at Sacred Heart School, Middlesbrough. Six were returned, with their parents to unstable countries with appalling human rights records. Three of these children were only three years old. What can we do about it? Send an avalanche of letters, emails etc to Gordon Brown, the Home Office, our MPs, demanding action and compassion. Give generously to Justice First, a local charity set up to help asylum seekers who have exhausted all appeals and are at their most vulnerable. The Mary Thompson Fund also needs funds to help those whose housing and benefits have been withdrawn. Offer your friendship – as our friend Juste says, “Befriend an asylum seeker – you may change his life” You may also change your own. Win Logan
Study War No More It often feels there are no areas of life untouched by the corruption of multinationals and oppression in one form or another. This is especially hard for young people who are struggling with money, trying hard to make a living and get an education. An increasingly important question for young people today should be the ethics of their education. 2007 marked the launch of Study War No More, a project examining the influence military companies such as BAE Systems, QinetiQ, and Rolls Royce exert within university departments. The data reveals that 26 universities received funding from these companies. Many received high levels of funding for specialist areas, the majority going to departments of engineering, chemistry, physics and computer studies. The 20 universities belonging to the Russell Group boast of securing 65% (over £1.8billion) of UK Universities’ research grant and contract income in 2004/2005. Nottingham, one of these, for example, between 2001 and 2006, has received a minimum of around 40 different contracts for R&D development from military organizations. These contracts are for varying time periods, and values which range from £15,000 to almost £10 million. Are students and academics aware of how their research might be used? And, have they been made aware of, and therefore fully considered the moral basis of their work? In recent years, peace and security issues have moved to the forefront of people’s lives and concerns. The young especially, are starting to ask themselves what they can do to address these issues in their daily lives. It is hoped the project will continue to grow as the raw data is collected, thus becoming a self-updating record of military funding of research and development within UK universities. The aim of Study War No More is to contribute to the growing awareness and concern for transparency, honesty and accountability within research and development. Acting as a direct challenge to the secrecy which has traditionally surrounded military research and development, the report challenges future generations to make informed choices about their education, and how it is funded. Study War No More is a collaborative research project undertaken by the Fellowship of Reconciliation with the Campaign Against the Arms Trade. Visit www.for.org.uk for further information.
Is this “Joined up government”? The government has approved arms exports to 19 of the 20 countries it has identified as “countries of concern” for abusing human rights, according to the annual report on its weapons exports. These countries include Saudi Arabia, Israel, Colombia, China and Russia. Source: The Guardian Weekly 03.08.07
Aviation and climate change Another example of the disconnection between government departments is aviation. An article in the Fellowship of Reconciliation’s Peace by Peace for Autumn 2007, notes that the 2003 White Paper on Aviation planned a massive expansion in UK airport capacity to allow for doubling of the number of passengers between 2002 and 2020 along with a doubling of air freight between 2002 and 2010. This expansion was supported by a further Department of Transport report in 2006. At the same time the government is seeking to reduce the UK’s contribution to climate change. Since 1990 UK carbon dioxide emissions from aviation have increased by 125% and they are still increasing. A researcher for Friends of the Earth, Maud Grainger, investigated the connection between aviation and climate change. She found that the aviation industry is the fastest growing source of greenhouse gases. Aircraft emissions have a greater warming effect because they are released at altitude. Commercial aviation accounted for about 20% of total UK climate change. The military are large emitters of carbon dioxide, and according to a report from the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution, military aircraft are likely to produce proportionately more emissions because of their special performance requirements.
Cost of war If you want to get some idea of what the war in Iraq is costing,[estimated $8 billion a month] have a look at these websites: www.costofwar.com. shows a counter like a taxi meter, with the numbers increasing every second. It is truly frightening. www. casualties.org gives the numbers of US military killed and wounded , which, as at September 2007, stood at 3,801 and 27,753 respectively. The numbers of Iraqi casualties is unknown but estimates can be found on: www.iraqbodycount.net Another way to count the cost of war is to note that, according to the UN Development Fund for Women, whereas in the 19th century civilian casualties accounted for 5% of the war dead, in World War I, the total number of civilians killed had climbed to 15% of total wartime casualties, in World War II, civilians made up 65% of the victims of war. By the mid-90s, civilians were over 75% of the war dead. And today, over 90% of those killed in war are civilians. I never hear our politicians or military chiefs acknowledging these facts.
Religion, War and Peace The reflections and poems below are by Year 10 students (age about 15 years) at All Saints School, York. We had just come to the end of a module on Religion, War and Peace for the GCSE RE course when the request for material arrived from Chris. They chose ideas and themes they wanted to share with a wider audience. I think you will agree that the young people impress by the insight and maturity of their writing. Anne Tracy Bethany Hoggarth Hall
If your dad killed, Would you? If your Granddad shot a child Would you? Just because other generations did things Should we? We are the next generation. We decide what happens now. It’s our choice. Let’s make the world greater than ever before, A place you would be proud for your children to live in. Let’s heal the wounds of previous wars, Stop the violence, the suffering, and the pain. Give the hungry food and the homeless homes. We have the power now Let our voices be heard And our actions be noted. Let no more die in war.
Sarah Mills
Jesus would never carry a gun. I think that no matter what the situation is, or what a so-called leader thinks, that war should never be the answer. All war does is cause damage, hatred and death. Face it, war is just another word for death. You see it all over the newspapers that another soldier has been killed, another village wiped out. Is it the public forcing the leaders or is it the leaders who just decide to go war without thinking about the consequences? Take for example the Iraq war. There was very little thought of what the consequences would be. There was just worry about weapons of mass destruction, even when they had already been searched for and not found. Jesus would never carry a gun. When the option of violence was put on the table Jesus said to turn the other cheek. But everyone seems to have forgotten.
Ellie Brindle
As soldiers battle in Iraq they fear for their lives. Underneath a brave mask a young man cries inside. Their families back in England pray that they are safe, And hope their sons, brothers, dads, come home in haste.
But what we don’t think is that Iraqi families too Hope their friends will return among the merry few. Pacifists, Quakers pray for no more war That swords and bombs will be against the law. And I wish for the future, all warfare end, Iraq to be a peaceful place and all injuries to mend.
Patrick Murphy
Why does our world not live in peace? All these counties fighting each other While citizens cannot afford food. Adults and children dying every day Just because a country wants more territory. Lives being lost and people injured, Planes in the sky Guns held high Lives blown away. Countries keep fighting Why?
Elliot Purcell
The war against Iraq was just in my view, because although the Iraqis might not have had nuclear weapons it was still a dictatorship and Saddam Hussein killed and tortured his own people to get what he wanted. The population of Iraq was not free and should not have been threatened into voting for someone who was wrong for the country. Although there are no official numbers, the people who were being killed and tortured during the regime should have been enough to show something was wrong in the first place. Saddam also threatened neighbouring countries with war. So the war against Iraq was for the greater good. Some of the assaults on Iraq were unjust, such as the Shock and Awe tactics that were used, but it is difficult for a modern war to be a Just War. When Thomas Aquinas wrote his Just War Theory in the 13th century, there were no bombs. His ideas therefore can’t always be followed today.
Sarah Owen
The war against Iraq was unjust. I think this because it did not follow the rules stated by Thomas Aquinas in the just war theory. In it he says that war must be a last resort, which I do not think the war was. The war was started because Iraq was believed to be hiding weapons of mass destruction. I personally believe that a more thorough search could have been conducted before beginning a war. The just war theory also says that targeting civilians is not allowed. However, many innocent people were killed. Finally, there has to be a chance of peace after the war. However there does not seem to be much chance of this occurring in Iraq.
Peter Tasker
Nuclear weapons are evil and should be destroyed. You can’t limit the destruction that will occur when someone uses nuclear weapons. It is like a time bomb set up in the world, everyone living in fear, waiting, expecting, knowing that a nuclear bomb could be dropped anywhere in the world. Nuclear weapons cost millions of pounds to make and research. If everyone who has nuclear weapons disarmed then maybe this money could go to end hunger in poor countries. These things can all be achieved if there is worldwide nuclear disarmament. So why don’t the leaders of the world stop making these weapons, now?
Cluster bombs – yet again A new international treaty banning lethal cluster bombs is expected in the next 12 months. The government claims that some kinds of cluster bombs are safe but the evidence from Lebanon and Iraq shows this to be false. The UN team coordinating the clear-up of unexploded bombs said: We can categorically state that we are finding large numbers of unexploded M85 submunitions that have failed to detonate as designed and failed to self destruct afterwards. In effect these weapons are more dangerous than other types because the self destruct mechanism makes them more problematic to deal with. In August The Foreign Affairs Select Committee report on the Middle East said: We conclude that the failure rate of ‘smart’ cluster bombs could be as high as 10%, again significantly higher than the government’s estimate of 2.3%. The Quadripartite Select Committee stated in their report: …even ‘smart’ cluster bombs may have a failure rate which may be between 5% and 10%. The potential to inflict death and injury on innocent non-combatants entering the field after the engagement is therefore substantial. The UK used 2,100 artillery shells containing 102,900 M85 submunitions in Iraq in 2003. We need to tell the government that this is unacceptable. Please write to your MP, the Prime Minister or Foreign Secretary urgently. Source: Landmine Action Please …. If you find this newsletter of some use to you or your church perhaps you would consider sending a donation to the Treasurer: Nan Saeki 55 Moorgate York YO24 4HP. It would be very much appreciated.
Commission contacts Barbara Hungin Chair 01642 784398 Sr Mary Walmsley CJ Secretary 01904 464919 Nan Saeki Treasurer 01904 783621 Chris Dove Editor 01947 825043 email: dove.whitby@phonecoop.coop or 22 Blackburns Yard Whitby YO22 4DS website:www.ayton.info/middlesbroughjp Jan 19 “Opening Doors – Opening Hearts” English Martyrs, York
Diary 2008
A Prayer for Peace Living Lord, ignite in us a passion for justice and a yearning to right all wrong. Strengthen us to work for peace in the land we call holy: for peace among Jew, Christian and Muslim, for reconciliation between communities, for harmony between faiths. Inspire us to act with the urgency of your quickening fire, for blessed are the peacemakers, they shall be called children of God. Amen Ramani Leathard Pax Christi
Anthony Storey 1919-2007
May 1st, 2007
RIP
This special newsletter was a collection of tributes to Fr Anthony Storey.
JULY/AUGUST 2007 Editorial Father Anthony Storey 1919-2007 RIP This special newsletter is a collection of tributes to Fr Tony Storey. His death came just as I was finishing the last issue and I had already decided to use this quotation from Oscar Romero as the Postscript.
A church that doesn’t provoke any crises, a gospel that doesn’t unsettle, a word of God that doesn’t get under anyone’s skin, a word of God that doesn’t touch the real sin of the society in which it is being proclaimed – what gospel is that? Very nice, pious considerations that don’t bother anyone, that’s the way many would like preaching to be. Those preachers who avoid every thorny matter so as not to be harassed, so as not to have conflicts and difficulties, do not light up the world they live in.
In retrospect the choice seems serendipitous: Tony loved to unsettle, get under our skin, and certainly, he lit up our world. I am most grateful to all who have contributed to this issue, and to Susan Frost who has the skills to turn it into a booklet. Should you want a further copy, please download it from our website: www.middlesbroughjp.org. Chris Dove
Tony Storey This issue of our newsletter is devoted to memories of Fr. Tony Storey. I want to pay tribute both to him and also to Bishop John as he steps down from the Diocese. To those of us who were present at Tony’s funeral mass it was obvious how loved and how treasured he had been. So many aspects of him – the curate, the parish priest, the university chaplain, the friend, the mentor, the campaigner, the nature lover and above all the inspirer. Issues of peace and justice were central to his life and with Mary Thompson he founded our Diocesan Justice and Peace Commission. He rarely missed a meeting. The combination of his wide knowledge, awesome intellect and passionate commitment enlightened and encouraged us all. He was able both to enthral and to disturb.
Somehow one always wanted more. He was at his best when striding over the moors, enlivening our walks with his recognition of birdsong, of plants and trees or when addressing topics from a historical, philosophical and spiritual perspective in a way that would both excite and fascinate his audience. Indeed, it was his homilies at Barmoor which ‘lit up our world’. I remember one particularly, when he spoke of us all as ‘children of God – eternally coming forth from the Father, as words of God expressing his mind and becoming co-creators with him, living in the love of his Spirit.’ We shall truly miss him. As mentioned later in the newsletter we are planning to dedicate an area of ancient woodland to his memory as a fitting tribute to him.
I would also like to express our appreciation and gratitude to Bishop John. We have been so fortunate in our Bishop. During his time with our Diocese he has been a bedrock of support, always committed to the work of the Commission – using his experience as CAFOD Bishop to advise and encourage, and helping us to raise awareness of peace and justice issues throughout the diocese. He was particularly enthusiastic about new initiatives – especially around the involvement of young people and would help us in any way he could. We are hopeful that recent appointments of a CAFOD regional officer, and of Youth and Adult formation teams with so many possibilities of working together will continue to enhance the initiatives which he particularly valued around the Diocese. Barbara Hungin The Child Two years ago I persuaded a slightly reluctant Fr Storey to record some reminiscences about his early life. Although he had some doubt about the project, the first tape duly arrived. On the cover he had written in his distinctive scrawl ‘Tony’s Story’ .Here are some of his memories. All the direct quotations are his. Tony was born on 6 March 1919 in the East Riding of Yorkshire, the sixth of seven children. His father was the estate manager of the Warter Priory Estate, then owned by Lady Nunburnholme, a descendent of the Duke of Wellington. The house, demolished in the early 1970s, was magnificent and the estate was huge – about 30,000 acres with over a thousand employees including a plumber, gamekeepers, grooms, woodmen and even a mole-catcher. The hierarchy was strictly enforced: Tony was taught to doff his cap to “Lady Nun” the estate workers doffed theirs to Tony’s family. Lady Nunburnholme employed a man called Tasker, a magician in the children’s eyes, to run a generator and to drive the Daimler; no-one else had electricity and most of the transport was horse-drawn, so Tasker’s skills were terribly exciting. Another important figure was the blacksmith, who mended the children’s hoops, skates and toboggans. Tony’s great love of trees must have begun at Warter, where he witnessed the woodmen and their team of shire horses drawing huge trees to the sawmill and distributing logs about the estate. The most important part of the woodman’s job was to keep the woods in “good fettle”. Tony’s father, a skilled horseman, had trained horses for the Great War and Tony learnt to ride on a “little yellow coloured Iceland pony” called Dickie “a stubborn little beast” and spent many hours riding and hunting. His father wrote to Tony at school that Dickie had gone “the way of all flesh”, an expression Tony needed a teacher to explain. He describes it as his first experience “of the death of some creature that I’d really loved and I wept at that”. The Storeys were the only Catholic family on the estate but Tony’s mother, “a wonderful Catholic lady”, saw no problem with this. But education was a difficulty and Tony regretted being parted from the village children when he was sent to a Catholic prep school, Freshfield, in Lancashire. Here he was known as Storey 3. The prep school was an austere crammer ruled over by two terrifying lady dons, one from Cambridge and one from Oxford. One night Tony’s friend set fire to the school because he hated it so much. Although he was discovered and expelled the boys met up again at Stonyhurst. Tony’s parents didn’t think he had a vocation like his brother Peter, but he was an altar server at Freshfield. One day he found himself under the piercing gaze of one of the Mill Hill Fathers who was saying Mass: “I realised I was somehow being told I had to become a priest… I hadn’t the slightest interest in…but somehow I felt, oh what the hell, as though I’d been caught and it bugged me”. From Stonyhurst, where he was very happy, Tony went aged 17 to the English College at Rome. Here the students conversed in Latin and Mussolini was at war with Ethiopia (Abyssinia). Tony recalled seeing lines of African prisoners in the streets. He also saw Hitler and Mussolini “funny little men they were”. When the college was evacuated Tony joined the Home Guard in the East Riding, learning to stick bombs to the side of tanks (substituted by tree trunks) and to fell trees in Dog Kennel Wood, near his old home, a job that both interested and saddened him. Then he continued training at Stonyhurst. He seems to have resisted his vocation in part at least right up until he was due to be ordained in 1943. His doubts stemmed in part from the fact that many of his friends were leaving to fight and also, perhaps, from an inner uncertainty and a sense of being outside the “clerical set”. During his final retreat, however, he had an experience that convinced him of his calling, so that “whether or not I wanted to be a priest or …had any inclination for it, or felt I belonged was irrelevant. I’ve never had any doubt whatever that that is what the Lord wanted me to be…I’ve often felt surprised that the church hasn’t kicked me out but it doesn’t worry me if it does; I’ve fulfilled what the Lord has asked”. Susan Frost
The Priest The following extracts are from Fr Peter Keeling’s Appreciation of Fr Anthony Storey given at his Requiem Mass on 9 May 2007 at St Charles, Hull:
It was only last Friday in our parish hall in Middlesbrough that a woman I thought I did not know said to me “Do you recognise me?” A dangerous question. Before I could think of a tactful answer, she rescued me by saying “We sat next to each other in the primary school of St. Joseph’s Middlesbrough”. Then we quickly reminisced about the teachers, Miss McElhatton, Miss Hardy and Sister Mary Baptist. She then added “and there was the curate Father Tony Storey who visited the school regularly and taught us religion”. Sixty years ago I sat at Tony’s feet in the primary school.
Fast forward now sixty years to the monks’ cemetery at Ampleforth, last year in June. On a beautiful day Tony and I are sitting on a bench. We are on retreat with our brother priests. The speaker during the retreat was the impressive Bishop Willie Walsh of the diocese of Killaloe in Ireland. He had given each of us an abridged version of the current Pope Benedict’s letter ‘Deus Caritas Est – God is Love.’ Tony had asked me to read it to him, because the onset of his macula degeneration, his increasing blindness, meant that he couldn’t read. After I finished reading to him, I looked up and there were tears in his eyes. But the reason why I was sitting next to him in 2006 was because I sat in front of him in St Joseph’s Primary School sixty years previously in 1946. He is a major reason why I am a priest.
In 1946 Tony arrived in the parish of St Joseph, Middlesbrough. He’d been ordained in 1943, was then sent to Cambridge University and arrived to his first parish appointment armed with a History degree to my family parish. At the same time there arrived an Irish priest Patrick McEnroe who had just graduated from Oxford University and was also taking up his first appointment. Later in life he was to be prominent in BBC religious broadcasting. The parish priest was a Scotsman called James McMullen. An Englishman, an Irishman and a Scotsman. The Scotsman said to the Englishman, Tony Storey, “So you have a degree from Cambridge?” to the Irishman, Paddy McEnroe, “and you have a degree from Oxford?” “Yes, Father”, they formally replied. Then said the Scotsman “well you‘ll have no difficulty selling these raffle tickets…”
Though amusing in many ways it is an instructive story, a parable, because the institutional Church never really took Tony’s intellectual prowess seriously. It was never given the recognition, the honour and respect it deserved. The institution was frightened of it.
So he is in his first parish. Mainly working class and council estate. Plenty of unemployment and poverty, just after the war. He set about visiting families in their homes and found a warm welcome. He recounts that they used to say “why are you knocking on the door, it’s always open.” You would be taken into the front parlour and when they warmed to you would be invited into the kitchen where the real life was and you’d be offered a jam sandwich. It was a world of dripping sandwiches and cocoa. And he loved it.
At that time my father was an out of work steel worker. He told me of a time Tony came round and said “Mr. Keeling you haven’t put your name down for the Men’s weekend Retreat I’ve organised with the Jesuits at Sunderland. “No”, said my father and then with some embarrassment added, “I’m not working at the moment so I can’t afford it. “ “Yes, I know” replied Tony “that’s why I‘ve paid for you.” He became a legend not only in my family but far and wide for this sort of generosity, compassion and sensitivity. My mother told me that when Mrs.Savage, a neighbour living opposite, was ill he used to go round early in the morning and put her fire on, clean out the ashes, assemble the sticks and paper, fetch the coal, then light it and go back to celebrate the early morning Mass.
But there were tough times as well. He tells of the time his colleague Paddy McEnroe was manhandled in one house by a giant of a man. So Tony said he would go round and talk to him and with his rugby background he was confident he could counter any such manhandling. He knocked on the door and the giant of a man opened it and said “Not another one” and promptly threw Tony into next door’s garden. Tony’s reflection was “it wasn’t that the man didn’t love the Lord. He just didn’t love the institution.”
In mentioning his rugby background I must mention that he was captain of Christ College when he was at Cambridge. He played for Middlesbrough and had a trial for Yorkshire. This explains why he often celebrated Sunday Mass sporting a black eye or having an arm in a sling or carrying a heavy limp. He was also a good cricketer, played for a local league team and formed a parish team. My brother Michael played for this team and it gave him an enthusiasm for the game for the rest of his life.
He regularly visited our house and had meetings in our back kitchen with young workingmen, including one of my brothers Tom who had started work on the railway. When I was older I discovered that these had been Young Christian Worker meetings. This movement was very strong in the heavily industrialised Middlesbrough. Most parishes had a YCW group set up by the priest, supported by the priest but led and run by a young worker. This was an important element, because one aim was to produce leaders for society and the movement did in fact produce many MPs and trade union leaders. Sometime in the sixties the movement went into decline and I once asked Tony the reason for this. He gave one of his typical answers. “Oh” he said “the clergy took up golf.”
With his background how did Tony adapt so well to a working class town? An experience he had in a mental hospital answers this. He used to regularly visit St Luke’s Mental Hospital in Middlesbrough. There were many locked wards and some of the treatment seems primitive now. He determined to treat every patient with the utmost respect and sensitivity. These were Gospel imperatives. One day he was giving the last rites to a particularly deranged, but dying patient. When he had said the words “May the Lord bless you and lift you up and bring you fullness of life”. the patient, in a moment of lucidity, looked at him and said “Thank you for treating me with respect. Even though I was deranged I always heard you. Thank you.” And died.
He believed in treating every person as of absolute worth and with the utmost respect. Aristocrat or peasant, sane or insane made no difference to him. The only rule was to treat all as of absolute worth. He acted as though boundaries did not exist. Like Christ he was a free person. The word Catholic, which means universal, for him, meant that no one was excluded. He had risen above denomination. As a consequence he was frequently invited to speak to other Christian denominations. He would be invited to lead their ministers in days of reflection. Not surprising that he was invited to be the first RC priest to preach in York Minster, since the Reformation. Quakers would attend his Masses at the University Chaplaincy and out of respect for their emphasis on silent worship, after Communion there would be an extended period of silence. He loved using Buddhist meditation techniques and practised yoga.
His interests and influence stretched far and wide. He visited prisoners and corresponded with them. He had a particular empathy for people suffering anxiety and depression. Despite his vitality and optimism, he had bouts of depression and understood how people suffered. Sunshine and clouds were the stuff of his life. He was concerned for the excluded and marginalised. His was a gospel of Justice and Peace. With Mary Thompson he set up the Justice and Peace Commission of the Middlesbrough diocese. On our way here today, Mary’s sister, Trudie, described him very well. She said “Tony Storey never diminished.” He was one of a few priests who actively supported Justice & Peace matters.
He spent many years in Hull and Cottingham. He was here at St Charles for 7 years and at the Hull University Catholic Chaplaincy for 11 years and Holy Cross, Cottingham for 15 years and then 10 years retired in St Vincent’s parish, where he helped out.
After my 10 years in this city of Hull I said to him that I had found the Hull people so warm and friendly. He gave one of his typical answers “Well you see, Pete, most of them are pagans and have never been messed about by the churches. “ For his dedicated work in St Mary’s College, Hull, a building was named after him. For his contribution to university life as catholic chaplain he was awarded an honorary degree. When I succeeded him as catholic chaplain I followed Tony’s advice and immediately went to introduce myself to Sir Brynmor Jones, the Vice Chancellor, who at the end of our conversation said to me “You will never be able to fill his shoes, but that’s your challenge.”
He would want me to thank the staff of Castle Hill hospital who cared for him in his last illness. And thanks to his friends, who supported him so well in the end, symbolised particularly by Marian Hall. Towards the end he said to her “I’ve decided to give in”. “Give in?” she asked. “Give in to the Almighty who loves me”, he said, then after a pause, “not to the Trinity, I’ve never understood that.” He also said “I am going to the Glory”. If that was his last word it was fitting, because St. Irenaeus of Lyons in the second century said, “The glory of God is a person fully alive” Tony Storey was such a person – fully alive. We will miss him. Peter Keeling
The Friend From William Fitzpatrick (aged 16) I first properly met Tony when I was about 8 on a trip to Barmoor with Justice and Peace. Tony always struck me as a very honest, charismatic and clever man, and was always very full of life at every visit to Barmoor. Even though I was 8 it was obvious that he enjoyed spending time with me and my friend Nathan (who also came to Barmoor) and would always join in when Nathan and I were playing games or having the annual water fight. The most memorable occasion was when Tony jumped onto a rope swing and insisted that we pushed him. Even though I was 8, and church wasn’t very exciting for me, Tony’s masses would always be very peaceful and interesting, and they always were throughout each year. Tony had a wide knowledge, and always seemed to know everything. When we went on walks with him he would always enlighten Nathan and me with new facts. I will never forget walking through a field of cows, and him telling me how to defend yourself against a bull attack. Even in old age Tony was extremely active and would always accompany us on walks, he would always be able to tell us the name of the bird that would be calling or the names of different trees. Tony had a very good sense of humour. One year at Barmoor, all he referred to Nathan and me as was “The Beverley Vandals”. One year on a walk, Tony and I thought we had found a hand grenade, he found it hilarious when it turned out to be just an old, empty jar of Marmite someone had left in the field we were walking through. I am proud to have known Tony, it was a delight and he will always remain an influence.
From Canon David W. Smith : Rector of Whitby I know that I am one of many, many clergy and ministers who have valued the love and friendship that Tony Storey gave. I was serving my title in the Anglican Parish of Stokesley in the early seventies when he arrived as the Parish Priest. I was never allowed to walk past the Presbytery but he insisted that I had to call in and say hello, pass the time of day and regale him with any gossip that he didn’t already know! Over the next few years I grew to regard him as not only a brilliant Parish Priest but also as a confidant and friend. If I had time on a Sunday between services I would go and listen to Tony’s sermons. They were always ‘filled with good things’ and the Love of God always shone out of both him and his words. I remember going into his church after the liturgical changes due to Vatican 2 were about to take place. Tony was telling his congregation that, “from next Sunday we are all going to pass the peace to each other. This is very easy and best done with a smile and a handshake.” Then, eyeballing some of his more elderly and holy ladies he said with a twinkle in his eye, “of course, if you think the person sitting next to you is a bit of a bastard, don’t bother!” At that point I decided to leave before Anglican/ R C relations took a dive through my laughter. Over my thirty-five years of ministry, those values of God’s love and friendship which he shared have always remained with me. May he rest in peace.
From Nathan Smith (aged 16) I thought Tony was an inspirational person to be around. I firmly hold the belief that it was impossible to be around him without a smile on your face, due to the wittiness and kindness of him. He seemed to become more and more boisterous in his old age. I remember the time where Tony, Will, his dog (at the time) Shiny and I went up onto the top of a hill near Barmoor. On the way up, it seemed to be a race between Shiny and Tony. Will and I were stranded, out of breath slowly climbing up whilst Tony seemed to walk up effortlessly. At the top of the hill were the ruins of what looked like an old village. Tony was amazed by it, and passed on his knowledge of old burial rituals. He loved the wildlife on the top of the hill, and the enormous view. Tony felt like someone to aspire to, naturally a loving person with what seemed an infinite amount of knowledge.
From Ann Tracy I think of him best sitting on the grass at Barmoor one warm summer’s evening, celebrating Mass with us. We were singing ‘Laudato si’ and it was one of those times when everything seemed to come together – the daisies and the bread and wine, the singing and the circle of friends, and Tony in the centre of it all, delighting in life. And igniting the same joy in those around him.
The Campaigner From Martin Foreman Tony joined Amnesty International soon after its foundation in 1962, and remained a lifelong member. With the winding-up of Hull’s Amnesty group in the early 1980s, Tony convened a small band from Cottingham’s Holy Cross Church to carry on their work. At first meeting in private homes, by 1986 it was robust enough to take on the long-term ‘adoption’ of an individual prisoner’s case. The first adopted prisoner was Albert, a Jehovah’s Witness whose objection to compulsory military service under the USSR had earned him two years in prison. On Albert’s release, the group was allocated the case of Dr U Tin Myo Win. A colleague of Aung San Su Ky, the Nobel laureate and president-elect of Myanmar (Burma), he was released after a petition signed by every member of Hull’s City Council was delivered to the embassy in London. There followed a long campaign on behalf of 10 members of Syria’s Committee for Democratic Freedoms detained under President Assad. They, too, were released. Topical campaigns were also taken up. From 1988, work on behalf of refugees and asylum-seekers gathered pace. In his own right, Tony assisted non-persons washed up on his doorstep by policy towards ‘refused asylum-seekers’. The Urgent Action scheme, with a focus on individuals in desperate need, was another favourite. He also welcomed Amnesty’s highlighting violence against women, appalled that in Britain today two women a week are put to death by their partners. Letter-writing – Amnesty’s basic method – was supplemented by events to broaden public awareness. From 1987 to 2007, Tony promoted an annual concert at Hull’s Ferens Art Gallery. Civic links also led to the institution, from 1995, of the Wilberforce Lecture. This gives a platform for activists of the calibre of Wole Soyinka, Clare Short and Desmond Tutu to address human rights issues. This ‘Wilberforce tradition’ is flowering with commemoration of the abolition of the slave trade. Tony was saddened by aspects of Amnesty’s rise to become the world’s largest mass-membership campaigning organisation. As it turned to address broad human rights issues, he felt a vital focus on individual people was blurred. Tension between women’s rights and the rights of the unborn child is now debated by members, while enthusiastic fund-raising could displace the personalised activism of earlier years. Yet, to a priest and historian, this was a familiar tale of an organisation wrestling with the consequences of success; Tony never made frailty a reason to abandon a friend. The Hull Amnesty Group ceased to meet in April 2007. The author is keen to hear from any who might help its revival.
My most vivid memory of Tony is when he and I visited an old lady high in the mountains in Gran Paradiso, Italy. She had been at the Mass he said in a tiny unused hamlet chapel – he and I in walking gear (no vestments) in fluent Italian and ‘parte Inglese’ for my benefit (I ‘served’). After Mass she talked to him, and it turned out she had a pet chamois so we went to see it. She was ancient, bent and creased – but I will never forget her eyes as she talked to him, they were green and really sparkled. As we were leaving the village he chatted with an old man who told him that she was a recluse who ‘never talked to anyone’. Tony did that to everyone! (including me). John Blatchford
The Historian I first met Tony Storey at a J & P meeting in York more than 20 years ago. I had recently moved to North Yorkshire and when he learned that I was working at the County Record Office I was immediately enlisted to help his researches into the history of Mount Grace Priory and the Lady Chapel. I soon discovered that he and his brother Peter had been interested in the Lady Chapel since the 1940’s and that Tony followed carefully the archaeological investigations which preceded the restoration of the Chapel after the site was purchased in 1952. Little was known about the foundation of the Chapel and the excavations raised more questions. Tony wanted to find the truth behind the traditions and legends associated with the Chapel, which had remained a place of pilgrimage throughout the centuries when Catholics in England were forbidden to practise their religion. As well as strong faith and deep devotion to the martyrs he brought to the task an infectious enthusiasm and the keen mind of a trained historian (he read history at Cambridge) able to track down information and subject it to critical analysis. He could only pursue his research intermittently, when his many other commitments allowed, but he returned to it in so-called ‘retirement’, determined to put together the information he had gathered, so that it would not be lost, and to tell as much of the story as he could, although many questions remained. In June 2001 he gave a talk at the York Catholic History Day entitled ‘Mount Grace Lady Chapel, An Unfinished Quest’. His booklet, Mount Grace Lady Chapel: An Historical Enquiry, was published later that year and is a fitting epitaph for Tony, the historian, who wrote to me after its publication “I’d love to know…. Why the place seemed so important. Perhaps the quest will be triggered by this” Let’s hope it will be. Judith A. Smeaton
Teacher and Chaplain All of us at St Mary’s College have wonderful memories of Fr Tony Storey. He loved teaching and, despite many other commitments, used to come in to teach when St Mary’s was a High School. He was the VIth Form Chaplain at the College from 1988 until his retirement and the talks he gave to the students were truly inspirational. He was a deeply learned, spiritual man and spoke beautifully on just about any subject. He was able to make even the most difficult topics enjoyable and accessible and was able to speak in a language that the VIth formers could understand. Despite his years, he was eternally young and spoke to them on their level. He was passionate about social justice and the work of Amnesty International and this endeared him even more to the students. We were blessed to have him as Chaplain. After his retirement, he kept in contact with the College and loved coming in to celebrate Mass with the whole school community on the major feast days and equally with small groups during the lunch hour. He never turned down a request to help out. He enjoyed the company of young people and they thought the world of him.
He has planted innumerable trees and shrubs in the College grounds and until very recently one could meet him every week tending to the gardens. He was so alive and energetic that it is hard to believe that he is no longer with us.
His spirit and the legacy he has left will never be forgotten. The recently built VIth Form Centre is named after him: a fitting, if inadequate tribute to a great teacher, a great priest and a great man. C. J. Cuthill, St Mary’s College Chaplaincy, Hull.
The Gardener “The two most important things in life are to love – and to plant trees.” Anthony Storey, Priest.
From Trudie Thompson From my many memories of Tony I recall one typical event which showed his love of the land and people. He had asked me to sketch the Lady Chapel at Osmotherley for the history he was writing. We invited him for lunch and afterwards we planned to drive to Osmotherley so that I could make sketches and take photographs of the chapel and Mary and Tony could check the progress of the trees he had planted up there. Before we left I took Tony round our garden to enjoy and profit from his knowledge. “What should I do with this woody caryopteris which isn’t flowering very well?” “Dig it out!” he said. “How old do you think this Bramley apple tree is?” “Maybe 100 years, but you’ll have to cut it down to be sure!” Then I proudly pointed to my young oak tree grown from an acorn, sitting in a beautiful 12” hand-thrown pot from Whitby’s potter in Blackburn’s Yard. Tony’s face took on a horrified look. “How long have you had it?” he asked me. “Ten years,” I said. He groaned – then he offered to plant it for me near the Lady Chapel. I’ve regretted ever since that I didn’t accept his offer immediately. Now perhaps if we get a plot of land with trees in memory of Tony my oak tree can be released and Tony can rest in peace! PS Linda Chetham (nee Allan), tells me that in 1948, when her mother was carrying her, Tony used to go round each week to hang out the washing for her.
The University Chaplain Anthony Storey was chaplain at Hull University when I arrived there in Autumn 1968 – coming in on the tail end of a tumultuous summer, when students everywhere were in revolt and Hull students had staged a sit in at the university. The chaplaincy was an easy-going, warm, welcoming place and most Catholic students tended to gravitate towards it. We must have been a dull, unresponsive lot for Storey, now I come to think about it. Here was a man, a scholar, a man with roots in historical, philosophical and theological abstractions from centuries beyond our ken, a man who never lost his intellectual curiosity and passion, who was eternally interested in the great moral questions of justice, peace, personal morality. He enjoyed being part of an academic community and it gave him the opportunity to engage with like minds that he did not find often within the Church – but those minds were not, on the whole, those of us students. We brought him the perennial everyday dilemmas – ‘can I make my grant last, my parents just broke up, what do I do, I feel depressed and suicidal, I am pregnant ‘– of youth in turbulent times. He didn’t always get his responses right, for he was a man of his times – but most ex-students of Hull will remember him for his wonderful ability to combine intellectualism with zaniness and a difficult celibate life with an amazing capacity to love and give. He was far more than a chaplain. He was, by the end of his tenure, in danger of being burned out from all the demands of being a 24/7 social worker without the usual protections. He didn’t just respond to students but opened his door and his heart to every hard luck case who reached the doorstep, some of whom lived with him on and off or who went away filled with half Storey’s dinner, pockets filled with part of his stipend and wearing his clothes. Anthony Storey was a great priest but, above all, he was a lovely man. Maria Brenton
If ever there was a “human being fully alive” it was Tony. He was an impressively wise and holy man, but also fallible and funny. He once drove us round Hull on a joyful but terrifying journey as he enthusiastically pointed out his beloved landmarks, at the same time failing to notice when the traffic lights were red. Another time, when he was 87 and nearly blind, I was walking with him when we came to a tall ladder stile. Rather nervously I asked, “Will you be OK with this, Tony?” whereupon he ran up the steps and took a giant leap to land safely on the other side. I don’t know whether Tony was born on a Friday, but he had an enormous capacity for loving and giving. Anthea Dove From Kathy Smith See you at the end, pilgrim. I am grateful to have walked a little way with you and hold your words of wisdom, earthly and heavenly, in my heart.
From Nan Saeki: As Parish priest of Cottingham, he had care of the retirement home “Magnolia House”, which had been our family home from 1939 till 1953. Apart from J&P our shared interest was in trees and when he reported that our very old beech tree from that house had been cut down – it was at least 300 years old, he said – he promised to plant another in its place. I was touched by his already growing row of saplings in the presbytery garden. I treasure so many of his words, his meditations, his expositions and was often quite carried away by his talks. His letters, usually brief, ending ‘life, love and peace’ were privileged one-to-one conversations.
Memories from Cottingham Peter Watts writes: “My favourite memory of Fr. Tony goes back to when I was in the Police Force. At the time I was a Police Patrol Driver and about 10.00 a.m. one fine Sunday morning was driving along Nornabel Street in Hull towards Holderness Rd. As I approached the junction with the main road, a car shot past the end of Nornabel St towards the city boundary. I thought, ‘He’s going a bit fast.’ So I drove onto Holderness Rd. and followed him at a safe distance. His speed was a constant 40mph in a 30mph area. Now in those days, it was the custom to warn anyone driving at a speed of up to 40mph and report them for a speed in excess of 40mph. I thought, well he must see me, I’m in a marked police car… but he didn’t. Blue light and siren on, I overtook him. As I was doing so, I saw it was Fr. Tony. He didn’t know me – but I knew him. My thoughts were, ‘I’ve always wanted to do this.’ I pulled up in front of him, went back to his car and said, ‘Father, for doing 40mph in a 30mph zone, for your penance say three Our Fathers and three Hail Marys.’ Then I made the sign of the cross over him and said, ‘Ego te absolvo!’ ‘I’ll say them,’ he said. And you know, he did!”
Mrs. Rosetta Binu: “During the short time I looked after you at the Intensive Care Unit, I came to know that you were a great man, loved and well known. You had a smiling face always and radiated grace. God bless.” Jim and Irene O’Donaghue: “Lots of great memories from our families including walking from Hull to Walsingham and sleeping in haystacks. God love you.”
“The Elysian Fields need care and cultivation, Storey, You’re the man for the job! You left us with such gifts and happy memories. Love Biggsy.”
“Father, thank you for giving me the Last Rites in 1989. You will be forever in my prayer. Pauline.”
“Thank you, Fr. Tony. When I first came to this parish of yours, it was a marvellous revelation of what a real lively loving parish should be.” (Tony Woods-McConville)
“Our friend, Fr. Tony. The most profound human being our family have had the privilege of knowing.” (The Sande Family)
“Tony, you were and continue to be an inspiration. Your outstretched arms, big open hands, clear voice and ability to get to the heart of things will stay with me. I am deeply grateful to have had the privilege of knowing you and being touched by you. Thank you.” (Edwina Parker)
“We shall always remember that day in York when the Pope came. We all had a wonderful day together. You were an inspiration and such a joy to be with. We thank you for your guidance when the children were growing up.” (Teresa and Les Ulyatt)
“Along with my parents, you shaped my faith and were responsible for my sense of justice. I thank you.” (Monica Kent nee Priest)
Father Pat writes: When the news of Tony’s death hit the parish I said, ‘Don’t be sad but rather be glad that you had the special privilege of knowing him. Most people in the diocese and beyond never had that opportunity!’ The names Fr. Storey and Cottingham go together, and not just the Catholic community but the whole community of the village. Tony was so loved by everyone in Cottingham. The first card of condolence came from the community at Zion Church in the village. That says something! His fifteen or so years as Chaplain to Castle Hill Hospital in the village touched so many people too, staff and patients alike. And the care they gave him during his final couple of months there was indescribable! He was truly loved by them all and five of the nurses helped lay him out after he died, they all wanted to be with him and do something for him. When I arrived in the diocese thirty years ago I heard about Fr. Storey, described as a bit of a strange priest, a bit of a ‘looney’. Would that we had more of his type around today! God probably broke the mould when he created Tony! What did he do for me? He set me free to do what I thought to be right and not always to be looking over my shoulder to see what others might be thinking. He always took risks, even here at Holy Cross in his early days when he turned the church round sideways, with lots of opposition from the parish. Now we can’t imagine it any other way! He always was a man of vision, seeing things that the rest of us couldn’t see and maybe still can’t see! He was also the first priest I heard swearing from the pulpit (and getting away with it!). With his ‘posh’ voice it didn’t sound that bad! [Those bastard Pharisees doing those terrible things to Jesus!]. It just wouldn’t sound the same in an Irish accent! Tony dug the ground here at Holy Cross, he planted the seed and all I have to do is to reap the harvest! May you rest in peace, Tony. Thanks for every thing!
From Tom McAlindon For those fortunate enough to have known him, Father Anthony Storey, who has died aged 88, will always be remembered as a uniquely inspiring and gifted individual. The intellectual and scholarly bent of his many-sided nature found much satisfaction during his ten years as chaplain to the University of Hull and as part-time teacher of history and religion at St Mary’s College. Later he became sixth-form chaplain at the College. Father Storey had a natural empathy with the young, a willingness to listen to their troubles, and an infectious enthusiasm in all his undertakings that won him countless life-long friends among his students. The University duly honoured him for his work with an honorary degree, while at St Mary’s the building which houses the Sixth Form, and the history thas been named in his honour ‘The Storey Centre’. After Hull, he was appointed parish priest successively at Stokesley, Richmond, and Bedale, doubling up in these years as chaplain to the RAF at Catterick and Leeming. He then returned in 1981 to the Hull area as parish priest at the Church of the Holy Cross in Cottingham, where he would remain until his retirement in 1996. Here his congregation soon doubled, due in no small measure to his spiritual intensity and the remarkable variety and richness of his eloquent sermons. His great humanitarian instincts found expression in these years in his role as the driving force in the local Amnesty group whose members were both Catholic and Protestant, theist and atheist, and as founder of the charitable Freetown Project for Sierra Leone. He thought this latter project would last about three years, but in fact it is now twenty years old and as provided a parish in that war-torn and desperately poor country with a church, a pre-school centre, a primary school, a vocational school, a bakery, and a clinic with a generator. His compassion is widely known among the poor and unfortunate in Hull, where destitute refugees from many countries found their way to the door of his little retirement house in Goddard’s Avenue. A tall, rangy man with a powerful physique, Anthony was both a natural athlete and a great lover of nature and the outdoors. He captained his college’s rugby team at Cambridge (turned down an offer of a trial for Yorkshire) and was a keen mountaineer (reached 15,000 feet on Mount Kenya, conquered Mount Mormolada in the Dolomites). He became a lively member of the Woodland Trust, tirelessly planting trees in every appropriate spot in North Yorkshire. Despite failing eyesight, he retained his strength of body, vigour of mind, and extraordinary range of interests until the last year of his long life. He was great company, a great human being, a credit to the priesthood. His death leaves a void in the lives of his man, many friends.
When I asked Tom McAlindon for permission to use that part of his obituary, he asked me to add the following:
The obituary was written before the requiem mass in St Charles’, Hull’s city-centre and largest church, an event which I found staggering. This was a mass in memory of an elderly and professionally obscure man, Father – not Monsignor, not Canon, not Bishop – Storey, a parish priest who retired ELEVEN years ago. But the church was packed literally to overflowing: ten minutes before Mass began it was impossible to find even standing room in any part of the church, and the crowd flowed from the packed aisles out into the porch, down the steps and on to the street. Obviously no one, but no one, attended out of respect for ecclesiastical rank, or out of respect for the Church, or because it was in any sense the proper thing to do. They were there because of the extraordinary, intrinsic goodness of a priest whom his church, for no doubt ‘sound’ reasons, felt unable to honour. We knew he had many friends, had touched the lives of countless. But this was beyond our imagining. What about all those people in different parts of the country who would like to have attended but could not? People who knew and loved Tony may like to know that they can buy 3 CDs which he made with Val Goldsack and others, and which are very moving and beautifully put together. Each is a compilation of Tony’s words with appropriate songs on different themes. Val told me that Tony recorded the first-Always with us- in 1998 then in 2001, Hear my Prayer, and finally Loving God made last autumn/winter “when Tony was already ill, but quite adamant that this work, this ministry of prayer must be completed. He must have used the words “this is very important work a dozen times!” The quality of the recordings is first class. Val has added some fine photos of Tony to her website www.valgoldsack.co.uk/tonypage.htm the discs are available at £8 each from JHN Liturgical Music, 3 Poplars Road, Linthorpe, Middlesbrough TS5 6RL
Tony on CD
Commission contacts Barbara Hungin Chair 01642 784398 Sr Mary Walmsley CJ Secretary 01904 464919 Nan Saeki Treasurer 01904 783621 Chris Dove Editor 01947 825043 email: dove.whitby@phonecoop.coop or 22 Blackburns whitby Yard Whitby YO22 4DS website: www.middlesbroughjp.org Please note NEW web address
DIARY Sept 15 Prisons and Prison Justice St Francis Middlsbrough Nov 17 Youth Forum Middlesbrough
In Memoriam Readers are invited to help the Diocese of Middlesbrough Justice and Peace Commission dedicate an area of ancient woodland to the memory of Father Tony Storey, through the Woodland Trust. We can choose a wood in Yorkshire, somewhere significant to Tony, helping the Trust to maintain and preserve it for future generations. Depending on the amount received we will be able to dedicate up to an acre of trees, with a commemorative plaque or even a bench. All donations, however small, will be greatly appreciated. Donate online at www.dedicatetrees.com (select search funds and enter “Fr Anthony Storey”), by phone:0800 026 9650 or in writing to Group Funds The Woodland Trust Autumn Park Dysart Road Grantham Lincs NG31 6LL. For more details, or to request an official form, contact Susan Frost on 01904 638836 or email frost.susan@gmail.com
An Epitaph “He was a sage, a friend, a rock and a towering tree….......... He cared so much about future generations.” Dr Jackie Lukes. Hull Interfaith.
RIP
This special newsletter was a collection of tributes to Fr Anthony Storey.
JULY/AUGUST 2007 Editorial Father Anthony Storey 1919-2007 RIP This special newsletter is a collection of tributes to Fr Tony Storey. His death came just as I was finishing the last issue and I had already decided to use this quotation from Oscar Romero as the Postscript.
A church that doesn’t provoke any crises, a gospel that doesn’t unsettle, a word of God that doesn’t get under anyone’s skin, a word of God that doesn’t touch the real sin of the society in which it is being proclaimed – what gospel is that? Very nice, pious considerations that don’t bother anyone, that’s the way many would like preaching to be. Those preachers who avoid every thorny matter so as not to be harassed, so as not to have conflicts and difficulties, do not light up the world they live in.
In retrospect the choice seems serendipitous: Tony loved to unsettle, get under our skin, and certainly, he lit up our world. I am most grateful to all who have contributed to this issue, and to Susan Frost who has the skills to turn it into a booklet. Should you want a further copy, please download it from our website: www.middlesbroughjp.org. Chris Dove
Tony Storey This issue of our newsletter is devoted to memories of Fr. Tony Storey. I want to pay tribute both to him and also to Bishop John as he steps down from the Diocese. To those of us who were present at Tony’s funeral mass it was obvious how loved and how treasured he had been. So many aspects of him – the curate, the parish priest, the university chaplain, the friend, the mentor, the campaigner, the nature lover and above all the inspirer. Issues of peace and justice were central to his life and with Mary Thompson he founded our Diocesan Justice and Peace Commission. He rarely missed a meeting. The combination of his wide knowledge, awesome intellect and passionate commitment enlightened and encouraged us all. He was able both to enthral and to disturb.
Somehow one always wanted more. He was at his best when striding over the moors, enlivening our walks with his recognition of birdsong, of plants and trees or when addressing topics from a historical, philosophical and spiritual perspective in a way that would both excite and fascinate his audience. Indeed, it was his homilies at Barmoor which ‘lit up our world’. I remember one particularly, when he spoke of us all as ‘children of God – eternally coming forth from the Father, as words of God expressing his mind and becoming co-creators with him, living in the love of his Spirit.’ We shall truly miss him. As mentioned later in the newsletter we are planning to dedicate an area of ancient woodland to his memory as a fitting tribute to him.
I would also like to express our appreciation and gratitude to Bishop John. We have been so fortunate in our Bishop. During his time with our Diocese he has been a bedrock of support, always committed to the work of the Commission – using his experience as CAFOD Bishop to advise and encourage, and helping us to raise awareness of peace and justice issues throughout the diocese. He was particularly enthusiastic about new initiatives – especially around the involvement of young people and would help us in any way he could. We are hopeful that recent appointments of a CAFOD regional officer, and of Youth and Adult formation teams with so many possibilities of working together will continue to enhance the initiatives which he particularly valued around the Diocese. Barbara Hungin The Child Two years ago I persuaded a slightly reluctant Fr Storey to record some reminiscences about his early life. Although he had some doubt about the project, the first tape duly arrived. On the cover he had written in his distinctive scrawl ‘Tony’s Story’ .Here are some of his memories. All the direct quotations are his. Tony was born on 6 March 1919 in the East Riding of Yorkshire, the sixth of seven children. His father was the estate manager of the Warter Priory Estate, then owned by Lady Nunburnholme, a descendent of the Duke of Wellington. The house, demolished in the early 1970s, was magnificent and the estate was huge – about 30,000 acres with over a thousand employees including a plumber, gamekeepers, grooms, woodmen and even a mole-catcher. The hierarchy was strictly enforced: Tony was taught to doff his cap to “Lady Nun” the estate workers doffed theirs to Tony’s family. Lady Nunburnholme employed a man called Tasker, a magician in the children’s eyes, to run a generator and to drive the Daimler; no-one else had electricity and most of the transport was horse-drawn, so Tasker’s skills were terribly exciting. Another important figure was the blacksmith, who mended the children’s hoops, skates and toboggans. Tony’s great love of trees must have begun at Warter, where he witnessed the woodmen and their team of shire horses drawing huge trees to the sawmill and distributing logs about the estate. The most important part of the woodman’s job was to keep the woods in “good fettle”. Tony’s father, a skilled horseman, had trained horses for the Great War and Tony learnt to ride on a “little yellow coloured Iceland pony” called Dickie “a stubborn little beast” and spent many hours riding and hunting. His father wrote to Tony at school that Dickie had gone “the way of all flesh”, an expression Tony needed a teacher to explain. He describes it as his first experience “of the death of some creature that I’d really loved and I wept at that”. The Storeys were the only Catholic family on the estate but Tony’s mother, “a wonderful Catholic lady”, saw no problem with this. But education was a difficulty and Tony regretted being parted from the village children when he was sent to a Catholic prep school, Freshfield, in Lancashire. Here he was known as Storey 3. The prep school was an austere crammer ruled over by two terrifying lady dons, one from Cambridge and one from Oxford. One night Tony’s friend set fire to the school because he hated it so much. Although he was discovered and expelled the boys met up again at Stonyhurst. Tony’s parents didn’t think he had a vocation like his brother Peter, but he was an altar server at Freshfield. One day he found himself under the piercing gaze of one of the Mill Hill Fathers who was saying Mass: “I realised I was somehow being told I had to become a priest… I hadn’t the slightest interest in…but somehow I felt, oh what the hell, as though I’d been caught and it bugged me”. From Stonyhurst, where he was very happy, Tony went aged 17 to the English College at Rome. Here the students conversed in Latin and Mussolini was at war with Ethiopia (Abyssinia). Tony recalled seeing lines of African prisoners in the streets. He also saw Hitler and Mussolini “funny little men they were”. When the college was evacuated Tony joined the Home Guard in the East Riding, learning to stick bombs to the side of tanks (substituted by tree trunks) and to fell trees in Dog Kennel Wood, near his old home, a job that both interested and saddened him. Then he continued training at Stonyhurst. He seems to have resisted his vocation in part at least right up until he was due to be ordained in 1943. His doubts stemmed in part from the fact that many of his friends were leaving to fight and also, perhaps, from an inner uncertainty and a sense of being outside the “clerical set”. During his final retreat, however, he had an experience that convinced him of his calling, so that “whether or not I wanted to be a priest or …had any inclination for it, or felt I belonged was irrelevant. I’ve never had any doubt whatever that that is what the Lord wanted me to be…I’ve often felt surprised that the church hasn’t kicked me out but it doesn’t worry me if it does; I’ve fulfilled what the Lord has asked”. Susan Frost
The Priest The following extracts are from Fr Peter Keeling’s Appreciation of Fr Anthony Storey given at his Requiem Mass on 9 May 2007 at St Charles, Hull:
It was only last Friday in our parish hall in Middlesbrough that a woman I thought I did not know said to me “Do you recognise me?” A dangerous question. Before I could think of a tactful answer, she rescued me by saying “We sat next to each other in the primary school of St. Joseph’s Middlesbrough”. Then we quickly reminisced about the teachers, Miss McElhatton, Miss Hardy and Sister Mary Baptist. She then added “and there was the curate Father Tony Storey who visited the school regularly and taught us religion”. Sixty years ago I sat at Tony’s feet in the primary school.
Fast forward now sixty years to the monks’ cemetery at Ampleforth, last year in June. On a beautiful day Tony and I are sitting on a bench. We are on retreat with our brother priests. The speaker during the retreat was the impressive Bishop Willie Walsh of the diocese of Killaloe in Ireland. He had given each of us an abridged version of the current Pope Benedict’s letter ‘Deus Caritas Est – God is Love.’ Tony had asked me to read it to him, because the onset of his macula degeneration, his increasing blindness, meant that he couldn’t read. After I finished reading to him, I looked up and there were tears in his eyes. But the reason why I was sitting next to him in 2006 was because I sat in front of him in St Joseph’s Primary School sixty years previously in 1946. He is a major reason why I am a priest.
In 1946 Tony arrived in the parish of St Joseph, Middlesbrough. He’d been ordained in 1943, was then sent to Cambridge University and arrived to his first parish appointment armed with a History degree to my family parish. At the same time there arrived an Irish priest Patrick McEnroe who had just graduated from Oxford University and was also taking up his first appointment. Later in life he was to be prominent in BBC religious broadcasting. The parish priest was a Scotsman called James McMullen. An Englishman, an Irishman and a Scotsman. The Scotsman said to the Englishman, Tony Storey, “So you have a degree from Cambridge?” to the Irishman, Paddy McEnroe, “and you have a degree from Oxford?” “Yes, Father”, they formally replied. Then said the Scotsman “well you‘ll have no difficulty selling these raffle tickets…”
Though amusing in many ways it is an instructive story, a parable, because the institutional Church never really took Tony’s intellectual prowess seriously. It was never given the recognition, the honour and respect it deserved. The institution was frightened of it.
So he is in his first parish. Mainly working class and council estate. Plenty of unemployment and poverty, just after the war. He set about visiting families in their homes and found a warm welcome. He recounts that they used to say “why are you knocking on the door, it’s always open.” You would be taken into the front parlour and when they warmed to you would be invited into the kitchen where the real life was and you’d be offered a jam sandwich. It was a world of dripping sandwiches and cocoa. And he loved it.
At that time my father was an out of work steel worker. He told me of a time Tony came round and said “Mr. Keeling you haven’t put your name down for the Men’s weekend Retreat I’ve organised with the Jesuits at Sunderland. “No”, said my father and then with some embarrassment added, “I’m not working at the moment so I can’t afford it. “ “Yes, I know” replied Tony “that’s why I‘ve paid for you.” He became a legend not only in my family but far and wide for this sort of generosity, compassion and sensitivity. My mother told me that when Mrs.Savage, a neighbour living opposite, was ill he used to go round early in the morning and put her fire on, clean out the ashes, assemble the sticks and paper, fetch the coal, then light it and go back to celebrate the early morning Mass.
But there were tough times as well. He tells of the time his colleague Paddy McEnroe was manhandled in one house by a giant of a man. So Tony said he would go round and talk to him and with his rugby background he was confident he could counter any such manhandling. He knocked on the door and the giant of a man opened it and said “Not another one” and promptly threw Tony into next door’s garden. Tony’s reflection was “it wasn’t that the man didn’t love the Lord. He just didn’t love the institution.”
In mentioning his rugby background I must mention that he was captain of Christ College when he was at Cambridge. He played for Middlesbrough and had a trial for Yorkshire. This explains why he often celebrated Sunday Mass sporting a black eye or having an arm in a sling or carrying a heavy limp. He was also a good cricketer, played for a local league team and formed a parish team. My brother Michael played for this team and it gave him an enthusiasm for the game for the rest of his life.
He regularly visited our house and had meetings in our back kitchen with young workingmen, including one of my brothers Tom who had started work on the railway. When I was older I discovered that these had been Young Christian Worker meetings. This movement was very strong in the heavily industrialised Middlesbrough. Most parishes had a YCW group set up by the priest, supported by the priest but led and run by a young worker. This was an important element, because one aim was to produce leaders for society and the movement did in fact produce many MPs and trade union leaders. Sometime in the sixties the movement went into decline and I once asked Tony the reason for this. He gave one of his typical answers. “Oh” he said “the clergy took up golf.”
With his background how did Tony adapt so well to a working class town? An experience he had in a mental hospital answers this. He used to regularly visit St Luke’s Mental Hospital in Middlesbrough. There were many locked wards and some of the treatment seems primitive now. He determined to treat every patient with the utmost respect and sensitivity. These were Gospel imperatives. One day he was giving the last rites to a particularly deranged, but dying patient. When he had said the words “May the Lord bless you and lift you up and bring you fullness of life”. the patient, in a moment of lucidity, looked at him and said “Thank you for treating me with respect. Even though I was deranged I always heard you. Thank you.” And died.
He believed in treating every person as of absolute worth and with the utmost respect. Aristocrat or peasant, sane or insane made no difference to him. The only rule was to treat all as of absolute worth. He acted as though boundaries did not exist. Like Christ he was a free person. The word Catholic, which means universal, for him, meant that no one was excluded. He had risen above denomination. As a consequence he was frequently invited to speak to other Christian denominations. He would be invited to lead their ministers in days of reflection. Not surprising that he was invited to be the first RC priest to preach in York Minster, since the Reformation. Quakers would attend his Masses at the University Chaplaincy and out of respect for their emphasis on silent worship, after Communion there would be an extended period of silence. He loved using Buddhist meditation techniques and practised yoga.
His interests and influence stretched far and wide. He visited prisoners and corresponded with them. He had a particular empathy for people suffering anxiety and depression. Despite his vitality and optimism, he had bouts of depression and understood how people suffered. Sunshine and clouds were the stuff of his life. He was concerned for the excluded and marginalised. His was a gospel of Justice and Peace. With Mary Thompson he set up the Justice and Peace Commission of the Middlesbrough diocese. On our way here today, Mary’s sister, Trudie, described him very well. She said “Tony Storey never diminished.” He was one of a few priests who actively supported Justice & Peace matters.
He spent many years in Hull and Cottingham. He was here at St Charles for 7 years and at the Hull University Catholic Chaplaincy for 11 years and Holy Cross, Cottingham for 15 years and then 10 years retired in St Vincent’s parish, where he helped out.
After my 10 years in this city of Hull I said to him that I had found the Hull people so warm and friendly. He gave one of his typical answers “Well you see, Pete, most of them are pagans and have never been messed about by the churches. “ For his dedicated work in St Mary’s College, Hull, a building was named after him. For his contribution to university life as catholic chaplain he was awarded an honorary degree. When I succeeded him as catholic chaplain I followed Tony’s advice and immediately went to introduce myself to Sir Brynmor Jones, the Vice Chancellor, who at the end of our conversation said to me “You will never be able to fill his shoes, but that’s your challenge.”
He would want me to thank the staff of Castle Hill hospital who cared for him in his last illness. And thanks to his friends, who supported him so well in the end, symbolised particularly by Marian Hall. Towards the end he said to her “I’ve decided to give in”. “Give in?” she asked. “Give in to the Almighty who loves me”, he said, then after a pause, “not to the Trinity, I’ve never understood that.” He also said “I am going to the Glory”. If that was his last word it was fitting, because St. Irenaeus of Lyons in the second century said, “The glory of God is a person fully alive” Tony Storey was such a person – fully alive. We will miss him. Peter Keeling
The Friend From William Fitzpatrick (aged 16) I first properly met Tony when I was about 8 on a trip to Barmoor with Justice and Peace. Tony always struck me as a very honest, charismatic and clever man, and was always very full of life at every visit to Barmoor. Even though I was 8 it was obvious that he enjoyed spending time with me and my friend Nathan (who also came to Barmoor) and would always join in when Nathan and I were playing games or having the annual water fight. The most memorable occasion was when Tony jumped onto a rope swing and insisted that we pushed him. Even though I was 8, and church wasn’t very exciting for me, Tony’s masses would always be very peaceful and interesting, and they always were throughout each year. Tony had a wide knowledge, and always seemed to know everything. When we went on walks with him he would always enlighten Nathan and me with new facts. I will never forget walking through a field of cows, and him telling me how to defend yourself against a bull attack. Even in old age Tony was extremely active and would always accompany us on walks, he would always be able to tell us the name of the bird that would be calling or the names of different trees. Tony had a very good sense of humour. One year at Barmoor, all he referred to Nathan and me as was “The Beverley Vandals”. One year on a walk, Tony and I thought we had found a hand grenade, he found it hilarious when it turned out to be just an old, empty jar of Marmite someone had left in the field we were walking through. I am proud to have known Tony, it was a delight and he will always remain an influence.
From Canon David W. Smith : Rector of Whitby I know that I am one of many, many clergy and ministers who have valued the love and friendship that Tony Storey gave. I was serving my title in the Anglican Parish of Stokesley in the early seventies when he arrived as the Parish Priest. I was never allowed to walk past the Presbytery but he insisted that I had to call in and say hello, pass the time of day and regale him with any gossip that he didn’t already know! Over the next few years I grew to regard him as not only a brilliant Parish Priest but also as a confidant and friend. If I had time on a Sunday between services I would go and listen to Tony’s sermons. They were always ‘filled with good things’ and the Love of God always shone out of both him and his words. I remember going into his church after the liturgical changes due to Vatican 2 were about to take place. Tony was telling his congregation that, “from next Sunday we are all going to pass the peace to each other. This is very easy and best done with a smile and a handshake.” Then, eyeballing some of his more elderly and holy ladies he said with a twinkle in his eye, “of course, if you think the person sitting next to you is a bit of a bastard, don’t bother!” At that point I decided to leave before Anglican/ R C relations took a dive through my laughter. Over my thirty-five years of ministry, those values of God’s love and friendship which he shared have always remained with me. May he rest in peace.
From Nathan Smith (aged 16) I thought Tony was an inspirational person to be around. I firmly hold the belief that it was impossible to be around him without a smile on your face, due to the wittiness and kindness of him. He seemed to become more and more boisterous in his old age. I remember the time where Tony, Will, his dog (at the time) Shiny and I went up onto the top of a hill near Barmoor. On the way up, it seemed to be a race between Shiny and Tony. Will and I were stranded, out of breath slowly climbing up whilst Tony seemed to walk up effortlessly. At the top of the hill were the ruins of what looked like an old village. Tony was amazed by it, and passed on his knowledge of old burial rituals. He loved the wildlife on the top of the hill, and the enormous view. Tony felt like someone to aspire to, naturally a loving person with what seemed an infinite amount of knowledge.
From Ann Tracy I think of him best sitting on the grass at Barmoor one warm summer’s evening, celebrating Mass with us. We were singing ‘Laudato si’ and it was one of those times when everything seemed to come together – the daisies and the bread and wine, the singing and the circle of friends, and Tony in the centre of it all, delighting in life. And igniting the same joy in those around him.
The Campaigner From Martin Foreman Tony joined Amnesty International soon after its foundation in 1962, and remained a lifelong member. With the winding-up of Hull’s Amnesty group in the early 1980s, Tony convened a small band from Cottingham’s Holy Cross Church to carry on their work. At first meeting in private homes, by 1986 it was robust enough to take on the long-term ‘adoption’ of an individual prisoner’s case. The first adopted prisoner was Albert, a Jehovah’s Witness whose objection to compulsory military service under the USSR had earned him two years in prison. On Albert’s release, the group was allocated the case of Dr U Tin Myo Win. A colleague of Aung San Su Ky, the Nobel laureate and president-elect of Myanmar (Burma), he was released after a petition signed by every member of Hull’s City Council was delivered to the embassy in London. There followed a long campaign on behalf of 10 members of Syria’s Committee for Democratic Freedoms detained under President Assad. They, too, were released. Topical campaigns were also taken up. From 1988, work on behalf of refugees and asylum-seekers gathered pace. In his own right, Tony assisted non-persons washed up on his doorstep by policy towards ‘refused asylum-seekers’. The Urgent Action scheme, with a focus on individuals in desperate need, was another favourite. He also welcomed Amnesty’s highlighting violence against women, appalled that in Britain today two women a week are put to death by their partners. Letter-writing – Amnesty’s basic method – was supplemented by events to broaden public awareness. From 1987 to 2007, Tony promoted an annual concert at Hull’s Ferens Art Gallery. Civic links also led to the institution, from 1995, of the Wilberforce Lecture. This gives a platform for activists of the calibre of Wole Soyinka, Clare Short and Desmond Tutu to address human rights issues. This ‘Wilberforce tradition’ is flowering with commemoration of the abolition of the slave trade. Tony was saddened by aspects of Amnesty’s rise to become the world’s largest mass-membership campaigning organisation. As it turned to address broad human rights issues, he felt a vital focus on individual people was blurred. Tension between women’s rights and the rights of the unborn child is now debated by members, while enthusiastic fund-raising could displace the personalised activism of earlier years. Yet, to a priest and historian, this was a familiar tale of an organisation wrestling with the consequences of success; Tony never made frailty a reason to abandon a friend. The Hull Amnesty Group ceased to meet in April 2007. The author is keen to hear from any who might help its revival.
My most vivid memory of Tony is when he and I visited an old lady high in the mountains in Gran Paradiso, Italy. She had been at the Mass he said in a tiny unused hamlet chapel – he and I in walking gear (no vestments) in fluent Italian and ‘parte Inglese’ for my benefit (I ‘served’). After Mass she talked to him, and it turned out she had a pet chamois so we went to see it. She was ancient, bent and creased – but I will never forget her eyes as she talked to him, they were green and really sparkled. As we were leaving the village he chatted with an old man who told him that she was a recluse who ‘never talked to anyone’. Tony did that to everyone! (including me). John Blatchford
The Historian I first met Tony Storey at a J & P meeting in York more than 20 years ago. I had recently moved to North Yorkshire and when he learned that I was working at the County Record Office I was immediately enlisted to help his researches into the history of Mount Grace Priory and the Lady Chapel. I soon discovered that he and his brother Peter had been interested in the Lady Chapel since the 1940’s and that Tony followed carefully the archaeological investigations which preceded the restoration of the Chapel after the site was purchased in 1952. Little was known about the foundation of the Chapel and the excavations raised more questions. Tony wanted to find the truth behind the traditions and legends associated with the Chapel, which had remained a place of pilgrimage throughout the centuries when Catholics in England were forbidden to practise their religion. As well as strong faith and deep devotion to the martyrs he brought to the task an infectious enthusiasm and the keen mind of a trained historian (he read history at Cambridge) able to track down information and subject it to critical analysis. He could only pursue his research intermittently, when his many other commitments allowed, but he returned to it in so-called ‘retirement’, determined to put together the information he had gathered, so that it would not be lost, and to tell as much of the story as he could, although many questions remained. In June 2001 he gave a talk at the York Catholic History Day entitled ‘Mount Grace Lady Chapel, An Unfinished Quest’. His booklet, Mount Grace Lady Chapel: An Historical Enquiry, was published later that year and is a fitting epitaph for Tony, the historian, who wrote to me after its publication “I’d love to know…. Why the place seemed so important. Perhaps the quest will be triggered by this” Let’s hope it will be. Judith A. Smeaton
Teacher and Chaplain All of us at St Mary’s College have wonderful memories of Fr Tony Storey. He loved teaching and, despite many other commitments, used to come in to teach when St Mary’s was a High School. He was the VIth Form Chaplain at the College from 1988 until his retirement and the talks he gave to the students were truly inspirational. He was a deeply learned, spiritual man and spoke beautifully on just about any subject. He was able to make even the most difficult topics enjoyable and accessible and was able to speak in a language that the VIth formers could understand. Despite his years, he was eternally young and spoke to them on their level. He was passionate about social justice and the work of Amnesty International and this endeared him even more to the students. We were blessed to have him as Chaplain. After his retirement, he kept in contact with the College and loved coming in to celebrate Mass with the whole school community on the major feast days and equally with small groups during the lunch hour. He never turned down a request to help out. He enjoyed the company of young people and they thought the world of him.
He has planted innumerable trees and shrubs in the College grounds and until very recently one could meet him every week tending to the gardens. He was so alive and energetic that it is hard to believe that he is no longer with us.
His spirit and the legacy he has left will never be forgotten. The recently built VIth Form Centre is named after him: a fitting, if inadequate tribute to a great teacher, a great priest and a great man. C. J. Cuthill, St Mary’s College Chaplaincy, Hull.
The Gardener “The two most important things in life are to love – and to plant trees.” Anthony Storey, Priest.
From Trudie Thompson From my many memories of Tony I recall one typical event which showed his love of the land and people. He had asked me to sketch the Lady Chapel at Osmotherley for the history he was writing. We invited him for lunch and afterwards we planned to drive to Osmotherley so that I could make sketches and take photographs of the chapel and Mary and Tony could check the progress of the trees he had planted up there. Before we left I took Tony round our garden to enjoy and profit from his knowledge. “What should I do with this woody caryopteris which isn’t flowering very well?” “Dig it out!” he said. “How old do you think this Bramley apple tree is?” “Maybe 100 years, but you’ll have to cut it down to be sure!” Then I proudly pointed to my young oak tree grown from an acorn, sitting in a beautiful 12” hand-thrown pot from Whitby’s potter in Blackburn’s Yard. Tony’s face took on a horrified look. “How long have you had it?” he asked me. “Ten years,” I said. He groaned – then he offered to plant it for me near the Lady Chapel. I’ve regretted ever since that I didn’t accept his offer immediately. Now perhaps if we get a plot of land with trees in memory of Tony my oak tree can be released and Tony can rest in peace! PS Linda Chetham (nee Allan), tells me that in 1948, when her mother was carrying her, Tony used to go round each week to hang out the washing for her.
The University Chaplain Anthony Storey was chaplain at Hull University when I arrived there in Autumn 1968 – coming in on the tail end of a tumultuous summer, when students everywhere were in revolt and Hull students had staged a sit in at the university. The chaplaincy was an easy-going, warm, welcoming place and most Catholic students tended to gravitate towards it. We must have been a dull, unresponsive lot for Storey, now I come to think about it. Here was a man, a scholar, a man with roots in historical, philosophical and theological abstractions from centuries beyond our ken, a man who never lost his intellectual curiosity and passion, who was eternally interested in the great moral questions of justice, peace, personal morality. He enjoyed being part of an academic community and it gave him the opportunity to engage with like minds that he did not find often within the Church – but those minds were not, on the whole, those of us students. We brought him the perennial everyday dilemmas – ‘can I make my grant last, my parents just broke up, what do I do, I feel depressed and suicidal, I am pregnant ‘– of youth in turbulent times. He didn’t always get his responses right, for he was a man of his times – but most ex-students of Hull will remember him for his wonderful ability to combine intellectualism with zaniness and a difficult celibate life with an amazing capacity to love and give. He was far more than a chaplain. He was, by the end of his tenure, in danger of being burned out from all the demands of being a 24/7 social worker without the usual protections. He didn’t just respond to students but opened his door and his heart to every hard luck case who reached the doorstep, some of whom lived with him on and off or who went away filled with half Storey’s dinner, pockets filled with part of his stipend and wearing his clothes. Anthony Storey was a great priest but, above all, he was a lovely man. Maria Brenton
If ever there was a “human being fully alive” it was Tony. He was an impressively wise and holy man, but also fallible and funny. He once drove us round Hull on a joyful but terrifying journey as he enthusiastically pointed out his beloved landmarks, at the same time failing to notice when the traffic lights were red. Another time, when he was 87 and nearly blind, I was walking with him when we came to a tall ladder stile. Rather nervously I asked, “Will you be OK with this, Tony?” whereupon he ran up the steps and took a giant leap to land safely on the other side. I don’t know whether Tony was born on a Friday, but he had an enormous capacity for loving and giving. Anthea Dove From Kathy Smith See you at the end, pilgrim. I am grateful to have walked a little way with you and hold your words of wisdom, earthly and heavenly, in my heart.
From Nan Saeki: As Parish priest of Cottingham, he had care of the retirement home “Magnolia House”, which had been our family home from 1939 till 1953. Apart from J&P our shared interest was in trees and when he reported that our very old beech tree from that house had been cut down – it was at least 300 years old, he said – he promised to plant another in its place. I was touched by his already growing row of saplings in the presbytery garden. I treasure so many of his words, his meditations, his expositions and was often quite carried away by his talks. His letters, usually brief, ending ‘life, love and peace’ were privileged one-to-one conversations.
Memories from Cottingham Peter Watts writes: “My favourite memory of Fr. Tony goes back to when I was in the Police Force. At the time I was a Police Patrol Driver and about 10.00 a.m. one fine Sunday morning was driving along Nornabel Street in Hull towards Holderness Rd. As I approached the junction with the main road, a car shot past the end of Nornabel St towards the city boundary. I thought, ‘He’s going a bit fast.’ So I drove onto Holderness Rd. and followed him at a safe distance. His speed was a constant 40mph in a 30mph area. Now in those days, it was the custom to warn anyone driving at a speed of up to 40mph and report them for a speed in excess of 40mph. I thought, well he must see me, I’m in a marked police car… but he didn’t. Blue light and siren on, I overtook him. As I was doing so, I saw it was Fr. Tony. He didn’t know me – but I knew him. My thoughts were, ‘I’ve always wanted to do this.’ I pulled up in front of him, went back to his car and said, ‘Father, for doing 40mph in a 30mph zone, for your penance say three Our Fathers and three Hail Marys.’ Then I made the sign of the cross over him and said, ‘Ego te absolvo!’ ‘I’ll say them,’ he said. And you know, he did!”
Mrs. Rosetta Binu: “During the short time I looked after you at the Intensive Care Unit, I came to know that you were a great man, loved and well known. You had a smiling face always and radiated grace. God bless.” Jim and Irene O’Donaghue: “Lots of great memories from our families including walking from Hull to Walsingham and sleeping in haystacks. God love you.”
“The Elysian Fields need care and cultivation, Storey, You’re the man for the job! You left us with such gifts and happy memories. Love Biggsy.”
“Father, thank you for giving me the Last Rites in 1989. You will be forever in my prayer. Pauline.”
“Thank you, Fr. Tony. When I first came to this parish of yours, it was a marvellous revelation of what a real lively loving parish should be.” (Tony Woods-McConville)
“Our friend, Fr. Tony. The most profound human being our family have had the privilege of knowing.” (The Sande Family)
“Tony, you were and continue to be an inspiration. Your outstretched arms, big open hands, clear voice and ability to get to the heart of things will stay with me. I am deeply grateful to have had the privilege of knowing you and being touched by you. Thank you.” (Edwina Parker)
“We shall always remember that day in York when the Pope came. We all had a wonderful day together. You were an inspiration and such a joy to be with. We thank you for your guidance when the children were growing up.” (Teresa and Les Ulyatt)
“Along with my parents, you shaped my faith and were responsible for my sense of justice. I thank you.” (Monica Kent nee Priest)
Father Pat writes: When the news of Tony’s death hit the parish I said, ‘Don’t be sad but rather be glad that you had the special privilege of knowing him. Most people in the diocese and beyond never had that opportunity!’ The names Fr. Storey and Cottingham go together, and not just the Catholic community but the whole community of the village. Tony was so loved by everyone in Cottingham. The first card of condolence came from the community at Zion Church in the village. That says something! His fifteen or so years as Chaplain to Castle Hill Hospital in the village touched so many people too, staff and patients alike. And the care they gave him during his final couple of months there was indescribable! He was truly loved by them all and five of the nurses helped lay him out after he died, they all wanted to be with him and do something for him. When I arrived in the diocese thirty years ago I heard about Fr. Storey, described as a bit of a strange priest, a bit of a ‘looney’. Would that we had more of his type around today! God probably broke the mould when he created Tony! What did he do for me? He set me free to do what I thought to be right and not always to be looking over my shoulder to see what others might be thinking. He always took risks, even here at Holy Cross in his early days when he turned the church round sideways, with lots of opposition from the parish. Now we can’t imagine it any other way! He always was a man of vision, seeing things that the rest of us couldn’t see and maybe still can’t see! He was also the first priest I heard swearing from the pulpit (and getting away with it!). With his ‘posh’ voice it didn’t sound that bad! [Those bastard Pharisees doing those terrible things to Jesus!]. It just wouldn’t sound the same in an Irish accent! Tony dug the ground here at Holy Cross, he planted the seed and all I have to do is to reap the harvest! May you rest in peace, Tony. Thanks for every thing!
From Tom McAlindon For those fortunate enough to have known him, Father Anthony Storey, who has died aged 88, will always be remembered as a uniquely inspiring and gifted individual. The intellectual and scholarly bent of his many-sided nature found much satisfaction during his ten years as chaplain to the University of Hull and as part-time teacher of history and religion at St Mary’s College. Later he became sixth-form chaplain at the College. Father Storey had a natural empathy with the young, a willingness to listen to their troubles, and an infectious enthusiasm in all his undertakings that won him countless life-long friends among his students. The University duly honoured him for his work with an honorary degree, while at St Mary’s the building which houses the Sixth Form, and the history thas been named in his honour ‘The Storey Centre’. After Hull, he was appointed parish priest successively at Stokesley, Richmond, and Bedale, doubling up in these years as chaplain to the RAF at Catterick and Leeming. He then returned in 1981 to the Hull area as parish priest at the Church of the Holy Cross in Cottingham, where he would remain until his retirement in 1996. Here his congregation soon doubled, due in no small measure to his spiritual intensity and the remarkable variety and richness of his eloquent sermons. His great humanitarian instincts found expression in these years in his role as the driving force in the local Amnesty group whose members were both Catholic and Protestant, theist and atheist, and as founder of the charitable Freetown Project for Sierra Leone. He thought this latter project would last about three years, but in fact it is now twenty years old and as provided a parish in that war-torn and desperately poor country with a church, a pre-school centre, a primary school, a vocational school, a bakery, and a clinic with a generator. His compassion is widely known among the poor and unfortunate in Hull, where destitute refugees from many countries found their way to the door of his little retirement house in Goddard’s Avenue. A tall, rangy man with a powerful physique, Anthony was both a natural athlete and a great lover of nature and the outdoors. He captained his college’s rugby team at Cambridge (turned down an offer of a trial for Yorkshire) and was a keen mountaineer (reached 15,000 feet on Mount Kenya, conquered Mount Mormolada in the Dolomites). He became a lively member of the Woodland Trust, tirelessly planting trees in every appropriate spot in North Yorkshire. Despite failing eyesight, he retained his strength of body, vigour of mind, and extraordinary range of interests until the last year of his long life. He was great company, a great human being, a credit to the priesthood. His death leaves a void in the lives of his man, many friends.
When I asked Tom McAlindon for permission to use that part of his obituary, he asked me to add the following:
The obituary was written before the requiem mass in St Charles’, Hull’s city-centre and largest church, an event which I found staggering. This was a mass in memory of an elderly and professionally obscure man, Father – not Monsignor, not Canon, not Bishop – Storey, a parish priest who retired ELEVEN years ago. But the church was packed literally to overflowing: ten minutes before Mass began it was impossible to find even standing room in any part of the church, and the crowd flowed from the packed aisles out into the porch, down the steps and on to the street. Obviously no one, but no one, attended out of respect for ecclesiastical rank, or out of respect for the Church, or because it was in any sense the proper thing to do. They were there because of the extraordinary, intrinsic goodness of a priest whom his church, for no doubt ‘sound’ reasons, felt unable to honour. We knew he had many friends, had touched the lives of countless. But this was beyond our imagining. What about all those people in different parts of the country who would like to have attended but could not? People who knew and loved Tony may like to know that they can buy 3 CDs which he made with Val Goldsack and others, and which are very moving and beautifully put together. Each is a compilation of Tony’s words with appropriate songs on different themes. Val told me that Tony recorded the first-Always with us- in 1998 then in 2001, Hear my Prayer, and finally Loving God made last autumn/winter “when Tony was already ill, but quite adamant that this work, this ministry of prayer must be completed. He must have used the words “this is very important work a dozen times!” The quality of the recordings is first class. Val has added some fine photos of Tony to her website www.valgoldsack.co.uk/tonypage.htm the discs are available at £8 each from JHN Liturgical Music, 3 Poplars Road, Linthorpe, Middlesbrough TS5 6RL
Tony on CD
Commission contacts Barbara Hungin Chair 01642 784398 Sr Mary Walmsley CJ Secretary 01904 464919 Nan Saeki Treasurer 01904 783621 Chris Dove Editor 01947 825043 email: dove.whitby@phonecoop.coop or 22 Blackburns whitby Yard Whitby YO22 4DS website: www.middlesbroughjp.org Please note NEW web address
DIARY Sept 15 Prisons and Prison Justice St Francis Middlsbrough Nov 17 Youth Forum Middlesbrough
In Memoriam Readers are invited to help the Diocese of Middlesbrough Justice and Peace Commission dedicate an area of ancient woodland to the memory of Father Tony Storey, through the Woodland Trust. We can choose a wood in Yorkshire, somewhere significant to Tony, helping the Trust to maintain and preserve it for future generations. Depending on the amount received we will be able to dedicate up to an acre of trees, with a commemorative plaque or even a bench. All donations, however small, will be greatly appreciated. Donate online at www.dedicatetrees.com (select search funds and enter “Fr Anthony Storey”), by phone:0800 026 9650 or in writing to Group Funds The Woodland Trust Autumn Park Dysart Road Grantham Lincs NG31 6LL. For more details, or to request an official form, contact Susan Frost on 01904 638836 or email frost.susan@gmail.com
An Epitaph “He was a sage, a friend, a rock and a towering tree….......... He cared so much about future generations.” Dr Jackie Lukes. Hull Interfaith.
MAY/JUNE 2007
May 1st, 2007
Editorial New Covenant with the Poor.. Zoe’s Place.. Mary Thompson Fund.. News from Albania.. Baghdad Central Training Hospital for Children.. Wolisso hospital Etiopia.. Cluster weapons.. Fr Tony Storey.
Editorial Our May meeting celebrates the tenth anniversary of the New Covenant with the Poor signed by Bishop John on 18 May 1997. This pledged the diocese to seek justice and to campaign for a more equitable distribution of wealth and resources and promised to set aside 1% of diocesan investment income to promote this. The Annual National Justice & Peace Conference Called to be Peacemakers is to be held at Swanwick 20-22 July. Pax Christi and the Fellowship of Reconciliation are joining with NJPN for this. Speakers will include Fr John Dear SJ from the US. He writes, acts and supports peace-work in the US and beyond, focusing particularly on Jesus. Zoughbi Zoughbi is a Palestinian Christian from Bethlehem and founder of the Palestinian Centre for Conflict Resolution and he will join in sharing scriptural and political insights into work for peace and non- violence. We will also hear from Maya Evans, the first person to be arrested under the new security laws for reading out the names of the Iraqi dead in Downing Street, Ihtisham Hibatullah, of the Muslim Association of Britain, and Roula Marrouf, a third generation Palestinian from Lebanon, currently studying in London. This is always an excellent conference. Why not come and see for yourself? Apply to NJPN 39 Eccleston Square. London SW1V 1BX Tel: 020 7901 4864 John Blatchford has rejigged our website and now includes a blog site – this allows readers to comment on issues raised in the newsletters. We wait to see how well this is used. Perhaps our more youthful readers may find this of particular value. Just hours before this newsletter went to press we heard of the death of Fr Tony Storey. He has been a great supporter of the Commission since it was started and has become a dear friend to so many of us. The next issue will include a longer tribute to him. Chris Dove New Covenant with the Poor In this Covenant, signed on 18 May 1997 by Bishop John, we promised to recognise our common responsibility to people in poverty both in the Developing World and in the United Kingdom. Under the first category, the promise was to support the work of CAFOD, raise awareness about conditions in the developing world, the causes of poverty and ways of bringing about positive change, to campaign for the cancellation of Third World Debt and reflect on our lifestyles, examining barriers to fair trade and just working conditions. The second category included giving a voice to people living in poverty here, identifying the causes of poverty and campaigning for political changes to improve the situation, challenging our own prejudices so that we can stand alongside those in need, and cooperating with other churches and organisations in initiating practical action. To keep all these issues in mind, the Covenant required that our prayers and liturgy would reflect these concerns.
What has been achieved in these ten years? As a Commission we printed and framed copies of the Covenant and delivered them to every church in the diocese. We also compiled and printed a booklet of Prayers for the Covenant with the Poor, and again copies were sent to all parishes. There were prayers for each Sunday of the year for Years A, B, &C. [I have never heard of these prayers being used; in many churches the Covenant is not on display]
What about the 1% of dividend income? It had been agreed that the diocese will send the money overseas one year and use it locally the next. The sums disbursed over the years have been: 2001 £1407 to CAFOD 2002 £1853 to CAFOD 2003 £1255 to Zoe’s Place 2004 £1312 to Corpus Christi Carmelites for their Liberia Mission 2005 £1120 to The Mary Thompson Fund
2006 £1100 Baghdad Hospital and £1100 to the Albania Appeal for Sr Imelda’s work.
Here are some accounts of how the money has been used.
“Every bud deserves a chance to bloom” Zöe’s Place, Middlesbrough is situated in Normanby High Street. It is set in beautiful grounds, in a tranquil setting and is designed to care for infants who have life limiting illnesses, special and complex needs to varying degrees. The first children were welcomed by our Nurses in January 2004. Zöe means ‘Gift of Life’ in Greek and here at Zöe’s we believe that life is precious no matter how long we may live for. Our aim is to provide holistic family care in a safe, consistent, home from home environment. Our infants come to Zöe’s for 1-1 nursing, respite and palliative care and to maintain their lifestyles as if at home through play, touch and stimulation making everything they do as much fun as possible.
Zöe’s Place staff deliver specialist nursing care and support for infants from birth to 5 years old, who have a wide range of physical disabilities and life limiting illnesses/special needs, but do not require care in an acute setting. This may be respite or extended stays which are tailored to meet the individual needs of the infant and their family.
Zöe’s Place Baby Hospices are unique, apart from Liverpool and Normanby, there are no other baby hospices in the country. Zoe’s Place is a registered charity. No charge is made to families accessing our services. We need to raise funds to ensure we can provide this care each and every day. The Mary Thompson Fund (Charity No 1112610) continues to raise and administer a hardship fund for those seeking asylum across the Tees Valley Area. In the main, the fund is used to prevent destitution and starvation for those whose appeals have been refused and whose support has therefore been withdrawn. Often support is withdrawn even though it is not safe to return people to their country of origin. The fund provides £5.00 and a bag of food each week to around 100 people. Just to provide this basic facility the fund needs to raise £2,000 per month. Trustees of the fund meet weekly to consider many other requests for support from the fund. Recent examples have been essential clothing, underwear and footwear and replacement of broken spectacle frames. The fund has also met travel costs for people to attend appointments with solicitors where there is a real chance that legal representation will help to achieve success in a further appeal. It has also met travel costs for a local representative who is seeking asylum, to attend essential national meetings – to gain both knowledge and experience to help their cause and to help others. To quote one recent recipient of funds; “The Mary Thompson Fund has been my lifeline. To know that I can at least get some food each week. I could not have managed otherwise.” NEWS FROM ALBANIA! During January I visited 15 health posts situated all over the country as the Coordinator of the Health Sector for Caritas Albania. The major sicknesses suffered by the people in this area are from ‘Parasites’ due to poor hygiene, lack of clean water and poor sanitation.
Health Education, focusing on hygiene, is high on the agenda for 2007. Other major problems are as a result of the climate which is very humid and damp. Many suffer from rheumatism and arthritis, particularly the women, who do all the work to produce vegetables on the mountain side.
A big issue in this area is the future of the children who receive no education after thirteen years of age. Migration from the mountain is their only hope.
Funding is now in place to launch a new project with the Roma community who live in dire poverty. A partnership has been made with an organisation founded by the Salesians with ten years experience working with the Roma. CAFOD Albania are also advising. The first step will be to ask the CAFOD Law project to help every person in this community to get registered and therefore become legalized and eligible for all citizens rights including education. There are up to fifty children in this community none of whom have ever had any education.
Another major aspect of the work is against the trafficking of human beings from Albania. We are engaged in awareness raising programs throughout the country. Caritas also has a house of safety for the victims of trafficking. The People of the N.E. have supported all the work in Albania. Groups from different parishes, individuals, and the Bishop’s Diocesan fund, have all contributed to the work here. Without this help much of these new developments would not have materialized. For this I am so grateful. Please pray with us for all of these ventures. Imelda Poole IBVM
Baghdad Central Training Hospital for Children
Back in 2004, responding to a feature on BBC News, we contacted Orla Guerin about the plight of children suffering from leukaemia in Baghdad Central Hospital. We then established contact with Professor Ibrahim Al-nassir and Dr Jaffar Al-ghaban and received a list of their most urgent requirements, especially paediatric oncology drugs. Over £52,000 of vital supplies were airlifted to Baghdad last summer. The British Embassy handed the supplies over on behalf of the Diocese and the project team. These are some of the recent messages received from the Hospital: On behalf of our Oncology Staff in the Central Teaching Hospital for Children we want to thank Bishop John Crowley and the Catholic Community, and everyone else, for their great help to our unit specifically and our hospital in general. We are looking forward to more inter-relations for the sake of humanity. God will bless you all. Best Regards, Jaffar Dr Jaffar Al-Ghaban
“Hello Everybody
In October, Jaffar sent our project team another detailed list of urgent requirements. Several days later Jaffar emailed with some additional requests to this list:
“Dear John and Friends We are appreciating your help too much and I am sometimes ashamed to embarrass you by our frequent needs which are a real emergency to us… Best Regards Jaffar”
On the 29th December we received the following poignant message from Baghdad, several weeks after the bomb attack on the hospital: “Dear John and Friends, Happy New Year for all of you I wish God to protect you and wish you all your days happy and safe from terrorists and terrorism. Please pray for my country, Best regards, Jaffar”
On the 22nd April we received the following message from the Hospital: “Dear John We are at zero point. We urgently need the next consignment. I have spoken to Roua in the Ministry of Health. We can speed up the formalities to make it easier for you to get your supplies to us.”
The next consignment is to be delivered in May. It is likely that the supplies will be delivered to the ‘Green Zone’ for safety and then transferred to the Hospital. Every item is of vital importance for the children and the medical team. John Hinman
Apart from these projects funded through the New Covenant with the Poor, some of our parishes have become involved with overseas projects. As an example, St Francis of Assisi, Acklam, has been supporting Wolisso Hospital in Ethiopia.
Wolisso Hospital, Ethiopia The links between Wolisso hospital and the people of the North East of England go back over 20 years. It started after Dr John O’Neill, then working as a general practitioner in Middlesbrough, was asked for help in the establishing a new hospital in a deprived and remote area of Ethiopia. He already had links with the country, as he and his wife Veronica, a biology teacher, had been visiting regularly over a number of years.
The construction of the hospital with the nursing school was completed in 2001. The building belongs to the Ethiopian Catholic Church. The aim of the hospital is to provide a high quality health service which is accessible to everyone, particularly the most needy: women and children. The hospital has 120 beds and, became fully operational during 2003. A specialist orthopaedic ward has been operational since October 2002 and since February 2004 an ophthalmologic service has been available.
In 2003 the nursing school, an annex of the hospital, graduated 23 professional nurses and enrolled 23 new students in the first year. Since then, the numbers trained each year has risen to nearly a hundred, massively increasing the workforce for a country that needs every nurse it can get.
Alongside the hospital and school projects, an area-wide project runs in conjunction with government services. There is support for mother-and-child activities, three dispensaries, as well as a public hygiene centre. There is a very successful water sanitation project, bringing clean water to surrounding villages.
The generosity of all those who help fund this work is greatly appreciated. Paddy O’Neill
Cluster weapons –some good news The case for banning the use of cluster weapons has been argued here for some years. At a meeting called by the Cluster Munition Coalition in Oslo 22-23 February, the UK delegation agreed at the last moment “to join a fast track process to negotiate a ban on cluster bombs.” Prior to this the UK argued that the only way forward was within the Geneva disarmament conference. We would have to wait until everyone agreed on definitions etc. etc.
The new situation is not entirely satisfactory as the UK have only agreed to ban the use of two weapons systems and will continue to use the Israeli made M85 artillery rocket delivered cluster munitions which caused such devastation in Lebanon. The argument is that these will self-destruct and so not remain as an ongoing menace. The evidence does not support this belief. We will need to carry on the campaign to ban them all.
At Oslo 46 nations agreed to commit to a cluster weapon ban in 2008. Those refusing to sign up to the declaration include: Australia, India, Pakistan, China, Japan, Romania, Poland, the United States, Israel, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia. Source: LandmineAction
Commission contacts Barbara Hungin Chair 01642 784398 Sr Mary Walmsley CJ Secretary 01904 464919 Nan Saeki Treasurer 01904 783621 Chris Dove Editor 01947 825043 email: dove.whitby@phonecoop.coop or 22 Blackburns Yard Whitby YO22 4DS website:www.ayton.info/middlesbroughjp May 19 10th Anniversary of Diocesan New Covenant with the Poor July 14 “Honouring Creation” Prayer walk in the Wolds Sept 15 Prisons and Prison Justice St Francis M’bro Nov 17 Youth Forum Middlesbrough A church that doesn’t provoke any crises, a gospel that doesn’t unsettle, a word of God that doesn’t get under anyone’s skin, a word of God that doesn’t touch the real sin of the society in which it is being proclaimed – what gospel is that? Very nice, pious considerations that don’t bother anyone, that’s the way many would like preaching to be. Those preachers who avoid every thorny matter so as not to be harassed, so as not to have conflicts and difficulties, do not light up the world they live in. Oscar Romero. The Violence of Love.
Postscript
Fr. Tony Storey. It is with great sadness that we report the death of Fr. Tony Storey. Tony had undergone heart surgery in Hull at the end of February. He was a founder member of the Middlesbrough Diocese J & P Commission; an inspiration and support to us all over many years and a man steeped in the gospel values of peace and justice. He was much loved by so many. Barbara.
Editorial New Covenant with the Poor.. Zoe’s Place.. Mary Thompson Fund.. News from Albania.. Baghdad Central Training Hospital for Children.. Wolisso hospital Etiopia.. Cluster weapons.. Fr Tony Storey.
Editorial Our May meeting celebrates the tenth anniversary of the New Covenant with the Poor signed by Bishop John on 18 May 1997. This pledged the diocese to seek justice and to campaign for a more equitable distribution of wealth and resources and promised to set aside 1% of diocesan investment income to promote this. The Annual National Justice & Peace Conference Called to be Peacemakers is to be held at Swanwick 20-22 July. Pax Christi and the Fellowship of Reconciliation are joining with NJPN for this. Speakers will include Fr John Dear SJ from the US. He writes, acts and supports peace-work in the US and beyond, focusing particularly on Jesus. Zoughbi Zoughbi is a Palestinian Christian from Bethlehem and founder of the Palestinian Centre for Conflict Resolution and he will join in sharing scriptural and political insights into work for peace and non- violence. We will also hear from Maya Evans, the first person to be arrested under the new security laws for reading out the names of the Iraqi dead in Downing Street, Ihtisham Hibatullah, of the Muslim Association of Britain, and Roula Marrouf, a third generation Palestinian from Lebanon, currently studying in London. This is always an excellent conference. Why not come and see for yourself? Apply to NJPN 39 Eccleston Square. London SW1V 1BX Tel: 020 7901 4864 John Blatchford has rejigged our website and now includes a blog site – this allows readers to comment on issues raised in the newsletters. We wait to see how well this is used. Perhaps our more youthful readers may find this of particular value. Just hours before this newsletter went to press we heard of the death of Fr Tony Storey. He has been a great supporter of the Commission since it was started and has become a dear friend to so many of us. The next issue will include a longer tribute to him. Chris Dove New Covenant with the Poor In this Covenant, signed on 18 May 1997 by Bishop John, we promised to recognise our common responsibility to people in poverty both in the Developing World and in the United Kingdom. Under the first category, the promise was to support the work of CAFOD, raise awareness about conditions in the developing world, the causes of poverty and ways of bringing about positive change, to campaign for the cancellation of Third World Debt and reflect on our lifestyles, examining barriers to fair trade and just working conditions. The second category included giving a voice to people living in poverty here, identifying the causes of poverty and campaigning for political changes to improve the situation, challenging our own prejudices so that we can stand alongside those in need, and cooperating with other churches and organisations in initiating practical action. To keep all these issues in mind, the Covenant required that our prayers and liturgy would reflect these concerns.
What has been achieved in these ten years? As a Commission we printed and framed copies of the Covenant and delivered them to every church in the diocese. We also compiled and printed a booklet of Prayers for the Covenant with the Poor, and again copies were sent to all parishes. There were prayers for each Sunday of the year for Years A, B, &C. [I have never heard of these prayers being used; in many churches the Covenant is not on display]
What about the 1% of dividend income? It had been agreed that the diocese will send the money overseas one year and use it locally the next. The sums disbursed over the years have been: 2001 £1407 to CAFOD 2002 £1853 to CAFOD 2003 £1255 to Zoe’s Place 2004 £1312 to Corpus Christi Carmelites for their Liberia Mission 2005 £1120 to The Mary Thompson Fund
2006 £1100 Baghdad Hospital and £1100 to the Albania Appeal for Sr Imelda’s work.
Here are some accounts of how the money has been used.
“Every bud deserves a chance to bloom” Zöe’s Place, Middlesbrough is situated in Normanby High Street. It is set in beautiful grounds, in a tranquil setting and is designed to care for infants who have life limiting illnesses, special and complex needs to varying degrees. The first children were welcomed by our Nurses in January 2004. Zöe means ‘Gift of Life’ in Greek and here at Zöe’s we believe that life is precious no matter how long we may live for. Our aim is to provide holistic family care in a safe, consistent, home from home environment. Our infants come to Zöe’s for 1-1 nursing, respite and palliative care and to maintain their lifestyles as if at home through play, touch and stimulation making everything they do as much fun as possible.
Zöe’s Place staff deliver specialist nursing care and support for infants from birth to 5 years old, who have a wide range of physical disabilities and life limiting illnesses/special needs, but do not require care in an acute setting. This may be respite or extended stays which are tailored to meet the individual needs of the infant and their family.
Zöe’s Place Baby Hospices are unique, apart from Liverpool and Normanby, there are no other baby hospices in the country. Zoe’s Place is a registered charity. No charge is made to families accessing our services. We need to raise funds to ensure we can provide this care each and every day. The Mary Thompson Fund (Charity No 1112610) continues to raise and administer a hardship fund for those seeking asylum across the Tees Valley Area. In the main, the fund is used to prevent destitution and starvation for those whose appeals have been refused and whose support has therefore been withdrawn. Often support is withdrawn even though it is not safe to return people to their country of origin. The fund provides £5.00 and a bag of food each week to around 100 people. Just to provide this basic facility the fund needs to raise £2,000 per month. Trustees of the fund meet weekly to consider many other requests for support from the fund. Recent examples have been essential clothing, underwear and footwear and replacement of broken spectacle frames. The fund has also met travel costs for people to attend appointments with solicitors where there is a real chance that legal representation will help to achieve success in a further appeal. It has also met travel costs for a local representative who is seeking asylum, to attend essential national meetings – to gain both knowledge and experience to help their cause and to help others. To quote one recent recipient of funds; “The Mary Thompson Fund has been my lifeline. To know that I can at least get some food each week. I could not have managed otherwise.” NEWS FROM ALBANIA! During January I visited 15 health posts situated all over the country as the Coordinator of the Health Sector for Caritas Albania. The major sicknesses suffered by the people in this area are from ‘Parasites’ due to poor hygiene, lack of clean water and poor sanitation.
Health Education, focusing on hygiene, is high on the agenda for 2007. Other major problems are as a result of the climate which is very humid and damp. Many suffer from rheumatism and arthritis, particularly the women, who do all the work to produce vegetables on the mountain side.
A big issue in this area is the future of the children who receive no education after thirteen years of age. Migration from the mountain is their only hope.
Funding is now in place to launch a new project with the Roma community who live in dire poverty. A partnership has been made with an organisation founded by the Salesians with ten years experience working with the Roma. CAFOD Albania are also advising. The first step will be to ask the CAFOD Law project to help every person in this community to get registered and therefore become legalized and eligible for all citizens rights including education. There are up to fifty children in this community none of whom have ever had any education.
Another major aspect of the work is against the trafficking of human beings from Albania. We are engaged in awareness raising programs throughout the country. Caritas also has a house of safety for the victims of trafficking. The People of the N.E. have supported all the work in Albania. Groups from different parishes, individuals, and the Bishop’s Diocesan fund, have all contributed to the work here. Without this help much of these new developments would not have materialized. For this I am so grateful. Please pray with us for all of these ventures. Imelda Poole IBVM
Baghdad Central Training Hospital for Children
Back in 2004, responding to a feature on BBC News, we contacted Orla Guerin about the plight of children suffering from leukaemia in Baghdad Central Hospital. We then established contact with Professor Ibrahim Al-nassir and Dr Jaffar Al-ghaban and received a list of their most urgent requirements, especially paediatric oncology drugs. Over £52,000 of vital supplies were airlifted to Baghdad last summer. The British Embassy handed the supplies over on behalf of the Diocese and the project team. These are some of the recent messages received from the Hospital: On behalf of our Oncology Staff in the Central Teaching Hospital for Children we want to thank Bishop John Crowley and the Catholic Community, and everyone else, for their great help to our unit specifically and our hospital in general. We are looking forward to more inter-relations for the sake of humanity. God will bless you all. Best Regards, Jaffar Dr Jaffar Al-Ghaban
“Hello Everybody
In October, Jaffar sent our project team another detailed list of urgent requirements. Several days later Jaffar emailed with some additional requests to this list:
“Dear John and Friends We are appreciating your help too much and I am sometimes ashamed to embarrass you by our frequent needs which are a real emergency to us… Best Regards Jaffar”
On the 29th December we received the following poignant message from Baghdad, several weeks after the bomb attack on the hospital: “Dear John and Friends, Happy New Year for all of you I wish God to protect you and wish you all your days happy and safe from terrorists and terrorism. Please pray for my country, Best regards, Jaffar”
On the 22nd April we received the following message from the Hospital: “Dear John We are at zero point. We urgently need the next consignment. I have spoken to Roua in the Ministry of Health. We can speed up the formalities to make it easier for you to get your supplies to us.”
The next consignment is to be delivered in May. It is likely that the supplies will be delivered to the ‘Green Zone’ for safety and then transferred to the Hospital. Every item is of vital importance for the children and the medical team. John Hinman
Apart from these projects funded through the New Covenant with the Poor, some of our parishes have become involved with overseas projects. As an example, St Francis of Assisi, Acklam, has been supporting Wolisso Hospital in Ethiopia.
Wolisso Hospital, Ethiopia The links between Wolisso hospital and the people of the North East of England go back over 20 years. It started after Dr John O’Neill, then working as a general practitioner in Middlesbrough, was asked for help in the establishing a new hospital in a deprived and remote area of Ethiopia. He already had links with the country, as he and his wife Veronica, a biology teacher, had been visiting regularly over a number of years.
The construction of the hospital with the nursing school was completed in 2001. The building belongs to the Ethiopian Catholic Church. The aim of the hospital is to provide a high quality health service which is accessible to everyone, particularly the most needy: women and children. The hospital has 120 beds and, became fully operational during 2003. A specialist orthopaedic ward has been operational since October 2002 and since February 2004 an ophthalmologic service has been available.
In 2003 the nursing school, an annex of the hospital, graduated 23 professional nurses and enrolled 23 new students in the first year. Since then, the numbers trained each year has risen to nearly a hundred, massively increasing the workforce for a country that needs every nurse it can get.
Alongside the hospital and school projects, an area-wide project runs in conjunction with government services. There is support for mother-and-child activities, three dispensaries, as well as a public hygiene centre. There is a very successful water sanitation project, bringing clean water to surrounding villages.
The generosity of all those who help fund this work is greatly appreciated. Paddy O’Neill
Cluster weapons –some good news The case for banning the use of cluster weapons has been argued here for some years. At a meeting called by the Cluster Munition Coalition in Oslo 22-23 February, the UK delegation agreed at the last moment “to join a fast track process to negotiate a ban on cluster bombs.” Prior to this the UK argued that the only way forward was within the Geneva disarmament conference. We would have to wait until everyone agreed on definitions etc. etc.
The new situation is not entirely satisfactory as the UK have only agreed to ban the use of two weapons systems and will continue to use the Israeli made M85 artillery rocket delivered cluster munitions which caused such devastation in Lebanon. The argument is that these will self-destruct and so not remain as an ongoing menace. The evidence does not support this belief. We will need to carry on the campaign to ban them all.
At Oslo 46 nations agreed to commit to a cluster weapon ban in 2008. Those refusing to sign up to the declaration include: Australia, India, Pakistan, China, Japan, Romania, Poland, the United States, Israel, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia. Source: LandmineAction
Commission contacts Barbara Hungin Chair 01642 784398 Sr Mary Walmsley CJ Secretary 01904 464919 Nan Saeki Treasurer 01904 783621 Chris Dove Editor 01947 825043 email: dove.whitby@phonecoop.coop or 22 Blackburns Yard Whitby YO22 4DS website:www.ayton.info/middlesbroughjp May 19 10th Anniversary of Diocesan New Covenant with the Poor July 14 “Honouring Creation” Prayer walk in the Wolds Sept 15 Prisons and Prison Justice St Francis M’bro Nov 17 Youth Forum Middlesbrough A church that doesn’t provoke any crises, a gospel that doesn’t unsettle, a word of God that doesn’t get under anyone’s skin, a word of God that doesn’t touch the real sin of the society in which it is being proclaimed – what gospel is that? Very nice, pious considerations that don’t bother anyone, that’s the way many would like preaching to be. Those preachers who avoid every thorny matter so as not to be harassed, so as not to have conflicts and difficulties, do not light up the world they live in. Oscar Romero. The Violence of Love.
Postscript
Fr. Tony Storey. It is with great sadness that we report the death of Fr. Tony Storey. Tony had undergone heart surgery in Hull at the end of February. He was a founder member of the Middlesbrough Diocese J & P Commission; an inspiration and support to us all over many years and a man steeped in the gospel values of peace and justice. He was much loved by so many. Barbara.
MARCH/APRIL 2007
March 1st, 2007
This issue tries to deal with the issue of climate change.
Editorial This issue tries to deal with the issue of climate change. The evidence is there for all to see. David Miliband in an interview he gave to The Tablet, seems to see a role here for the churches and specifically the Catholic Church. To Miliband, climate change isn’t just about science or the economy. It’s a moral cause. He believes “It is human suffering that is going to be the consequence of the risks we take with nature. It involves profound questions of equity… Because there is not just suffering, there is a sort of sum total of suffering: but there is also how the suffering is distributed. This problem does require some pretty profound engagement with issues of equity and responsibility that great religions are well placed to address… Lent might provide people with a time for consideration and contemplation in this area.” CAFOD’s campaign LiveSimply offers us all an opportunity to change our habits in order to reduce our carbon footprints and so make a difference, however small, to those in the world who will suffer much more than us. It is up to us to make the changes to our lifestyles. We owe it to our grandchildren and their children. Chris Dove
There can be no more pretence. “We know that the climate is different now from what it was even ten years ago. Autumn 2006 in Britain, for example, was the warmest for 400 years. For the developed world of the northern hemisphere up till now this seems to be no bad thing – there is no immediate obvious disadvantage. The weather is warmer; the flowers bloom longer; heating costs are down. It has forced no changes in our life-style. In the developing world, on the other hand, the predicted effects: extreme weather conditions, drought or flooding, are already happening. Those who have benefited least from the great surge in the use of fossil fuels over the last century are suffering because the developed world has never had it so good. In ten or twenty years we will feel at first hand the harmful costs of the industrial and commercial boom times. The poor in Africa, Asia, and South America are paying that cost already. Our efforts to Make Poverty History will be negated by the collapse of fragile eco-systems. You cannot export crops that cannot grow. Education cannot stop carbon emission by industries 3,000 miles away. We are the main polluters. We can urge and encourage our governments to spend taxes on the development of non-carbon use technologies, on outlawing waste, on subsidising alternative energy generation. We can as individuals reduce wasteful use of energy.” Source: Climate Change…Making Poverty Worse! York Trade & Debt Justice.
Environment The report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) written by hundreds of scientists from across the world, gave the starkest warning yet that failure to cut greenhouse gas emissions will bring devastating climate change within a few decades. “If we keep emitting greenhouse gases at current rates we will see bigger changes this century than we did in the previous century. The amount of warming will depend on choices that human beings make.” according to Susan Solomon, co-chair of the working group that prepared the report. The previous IPCC report, in 2001, said that failure to act could bring global warming of up to 5.8C by 2100. This latest prediction painted a gloomier picture because scientists have discovered feedbacks in the global carbon cycle that are adding to the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Early estimates say that would be enough to raise temperatures by at least another 1C to 6.4C by 2100, with a rise of 4C most likely. An increase of 4C will mean: • Loss of food production – African crops could slump by 15-35%. • Increased flooding – Sea levels rise by up to 59cm • Melting ice – Europe loses 80% of alpine glaciers, half the Arctic tundra at risk. • More disease – mosquitoes thrive, exposing 80 million more people to malaria. • Loss of land species – 20-50% of land species threatened with extinction.
Were the earth to warm by just one degree, 11% of Bangladesh would be submerged, putting the lives of 55 million people in danger. The average Briton produces 48 times more carbon dioxide than someone living in Bangladesh, one of the poorest countries in the world, with 50% of the population living in poverty and 51% of the children malnourished. Climate change in Bangladesh will result in floods, salinity intrusion and droughts, all of which will drastically affect crop productivity and food security. Source: Guardian Weekly, Feb 9-15 and Veena Khaleque, country director Practical Action in Bangladesh
Crunch time for decision makers The 10 billion people expected to be alive in 2050 will require double the world’s current energy supply, according to the UN’s international energy agency (IEA). If there is too little, say the economists, there will be a financial crash unlike any before. Produce the wrong sort, say the scientists, and there will be climate disaster. The breakneck rush for industrialisation in China, India, Brazil and Mexico, has caused a huge increase in demand for energy. China became a net importer of oil in the mid-1990s. By 2002 it had become the world’s second biggest oil consumer, growing by 19% in 2003, and by more than 10% a year now. China is now adding 2 million cars to its roads, and an extra 2 million people to its cities every year, and is scouring the world for oil and gas, steel and timber, plastic and metals, soya beans and maize, all of which need energy to extract or grow. Meanwhile India’s energy consumption is expected to rise by nearly 30% in the next five years, as its middle class grows to more than 300 million. But rich countries also want more energy. The OECD predicts a huge increase in demand for all fuels. There is enough coal for centuries but the world runs mainly on oil and it is not certain how much is left. There is plenty of evidence that the world is about to reach what is called “peak oil”, that point when half the total oil known to have existed has been consumed, beyond which extraction goes into irreversible and rapid decline, and prices soar. Industry expects gas to take up the energy slack if oil becomes scarce. The arrival of climate change, however, urgently changes the world’s energy equations. Over the next 30 years all rich and many developing countries will have to commit to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Alternatives to fossil fuels, such as hydro, nuclear, hydrogen, wind, crops, solar and marine, which at present make up only 20% of energy supplies, all have problems. Nuclear power is expensive to build and no one has satisfactorily dealt with the waste problem. Wind power is attractive but needs immense investment and scale to match other power sources; marine power has barely been developed; hydrogen needs renewable electricity to be emission free. Rich countries are expected to try to become more energy self-sufficient and to encourage “microgeneration”, by the use of wind and photovoltaic power on buildings. Developing countries are heading in a different direction. China and India will continue to exploit coal reserves. There are plans to dam the Congo river to provide electricity for much of central Africa, and solar power stations are being considered for Algeria, Egypt and Morocco. Indonesia, Brazil, Zambia and the Philippines are all developing large biofuel industries, growing maize, palm oil or sugar cane for ethanol for export, but then food and fuel crops will compete with each other for land which could lead to the devastation of Indonesian or Latin American forests. There is now a sense of urgency and possibility, says David Miliband, Environment Secretary, who estimates that 40% of all the UK’s energy plants and a similar percentage of its housing stock will be replaced by 2035. Solving the energy problem is now as much about political will, as employing new technology. Source: John Vidal, Guardian Weekly 9 February.
Running on Empty Five years ago 70 scientists working in 100 agricultural research groups set out to assess the world’s ability to grow food. At about the same time the UN asked 1500 experts to study the social effects of water scarcity in developing countries. In 2003 teams of executives from the world’s largest water, oil and chemical companies tried to forecast the effect of water scarcity on their own and national economies. All three groups have reported back with alarming unanimity. Each survey independently predicted supply, health or economic crises if there is no radical change in the way water is used. The farm study showed that a third of the world already faces water shortages and forecast demand to double in the next 40 years. The UN group found people switching to foods that need more water to grow. The industrialists said large economies could collapse. All the studies proposed a radical rethink of the way everyone uses water. The green revolution fed the world, but the cost was high. Twice as much food is grown today as in 1950, but it needs three times as much water to grow it. The future emphasis is expected to be on developing drought-resistant crops, improving the efficiency of rain-fed agriculture and more water storage. Avoiding pollution will also be crucial. More controversially as water becomes scarcer, some countries may have to give up growing certain crops and rearing animals. One quarter-pound hamburger needs about 11,000 litres of water, a cotton T-shirt 7,000 litres, a kilo of rice 5,000 litres. Rather than digging deeper and moving water further, the future will be about recycling water. The most profligate cities are moving rapidly towards desalination. The days of water profligacy are officially over, says the UN, which sees this new century as being defined by access to water. While scarcity will encourage the development of new water-saving technologies and better management of water by business, it will still need a radical change in the way we think about water supplies. Source: John Vidal. Reports from World Business Council on Sustainable Development, the UN Environment Programme and the International Water Management Institute.
Can we trust scientists? The US administration has been accused of systemic tampering with the work of government climate scientists, to eliminate inconvenient material about global warming, in a Congress hearing. The Union of Concerned Scientists reported that pressure extended even to prohibit the use of the words “global warming” and “climate change”. The report said nearly half of climate scientists at government agencies had been advised against using those terms. Scientists and economists had been offered $10,000 each by a lobby group, the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), funded by ExxonMobil to undermine the IPCC climate change report. AEI offered payments for articles that emphasise the shortcomings of the UN report. Travel expenses and additional payments were also offered. Source: The Guardian Weekly 9-15 February
Replacing Trident The Independent for 15 February listed 100 names of leading figures from politics, religion, science, the arts and military behind a call to stop Trident. Under the banner “Not in our Name”, it was a rebuke to ministers who, campaigners argue, are misleading the public over the replacement of Trident just as they did during the build-up to the war in Iraq. Four years ago, more than a million people marched in London – and elsewhere – many carrying banners bearing the slogan “Not in our Name”. The 100 included Professor Stephen Hawking, former UN diplomat Sir Richard Jolly, Baroness Helena Kennedy QC, London Mayor Ken Livingstone, ex-Air Marshal Timothy Garden, Archbishop Rowan Williams, Cardinal O’Brien, Timothy Radcliffe OP, politicians Sir Menzies Campbell, Alex Salmond, and Diane Abbott, and from the Arts, Zadie Smith, Emma Thompson, Jarvis Cocker, Richard Rogers the architect. They question the wisdom of rushing into the replacement of Trident, call for more time for debate, and urge the renewal of diplomatic initiatives to renew the nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation negotiations.
In the US too, well informed sources are calling for a review of their nuclear weapons policy. Former Cold War US officials: George Schultz, Henry Kissinger, [both former secretaries of state] William Perry, [former secretary of defence] and Sam Nunn, [former Democratic senator] reviewed current nuclear dangers and called for US leadership to achieve the abolition of nuclear weapons. Their argument is as follows: • Reliance on nuclear weapons for deterrence is becoming increasingly hazardous and decreasingly effective. • Terrorist groups are outside the bounds of deterrence strategy. • We are entering a new nuclear era that will be more precarious, disorienting and costly than was the Cold War. • New nuclear weapon states lack the safeguarding and control experiences learned by the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War. • The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty [NNPT] envisioned the elimination of all nuclear weapons. • Non-nuclear weapons states have grown increasingly sceptical of the sincerity of the nuclear weapons states to fulfill their NNPT obligations to eliminate their nuclear arsenals. • There exists a historic opportunity to eliminate nuclear weapons in the world. • To realise this opportunity, bold vision and action are needed. • The United States must take the lead and must convince the leaders of the other nuclear weapons states to turn the goal of nuclear weapons abolition into a joint effort. • A number of steps need to be taken to lay the groundwork for a world free of nuclear threat, including de-alerting nuclear arsenals; reducing the size of nuclear arsenals; eliminating tactical nuclear weapons; achieving Senate ratification of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty and encouraging other key states to also do so; securing nuclear weapons and weapons-usable materials everywhere in the world; and halting production of fissile materials for weapons, ceasing to use enriched uranium in civil commerce and removing weapons-usable uranium from research reactors. Other former US officials such as Robert Macnamara and General George Lee Butler, former head of the US Strategic Command, have made similar arguments. The 19th century philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer said: “All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident.” We have had ridicule and violent opposition, this truth may now be entering the stage of being self-evident. Source: National Catholic Reporter 26 January 2007. David Krieger president of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation [www.waging peace.org] Barbara Hungin Chair 01642 784398 Sr Mary Walmsley CJ Secretary 01904 464919 Nan Saeki Treasurer 01904 783621 Chris Dove Editor 01947 825043 email: dove.whitby@phonecoop.coop or 22 Blackburns Yard Whitby YO22 4DS website:www.ayton.info/middlesbroughjp Mar 10 Live Simply Day with CAFOD York May 19 10th anniversary of Diocesan New Covenant with the Poor with AGM July 14 “Honouring Creation” Prayer walk in the Wolds Sept 15 Prisons and Prison Justice St Francis M’bro Nov 17 Youth Forum Middlesbrough
PROPHECY
When I planted the acorn, I knew that I would not live long enough to see the oak in its splendour, but I hoped my grandchildren would.
Now I know that I will not suffer from drought, floods, disease, and an influx of millions of refugees, but I fear my grandchildren will. A.M.D.
This issue tries to deal with the issue of climate change.
Editorial This issue tries to deal with the issue of climate change. The evidence is there for all to see. David Miliband in an interview he gave to The Tablet, seems to see a role here for the churches and specifically the Catholic Church. To Miliband, climate change isn’t just about science or the economy. It’s a moral cause. He believes “It is human suffering that is going to be the consequence of the risks we take with nature. It involves profound questions of equity… Because there is not just suffering, there is a sort of sum total of suffering: but there is also how the suffering is distributed. This problem does require some pretty profound engagement with issues of equity and responsibility that great religions are well placed to address… Lent might provide people with a time for consideration and contemplation in this area.” CAFOD’s campaign LiveSimply offers us all an opportunity to change our habits in order to reduce our carbon footprints and so make a difference, however small, to those in the world who will suffer much more than us. It is up to us to make the changes to our lifestyles. We owe it to our grandchildren and their children. Chris Dove
There can be no more pretence. “We know that the climate is different now from what it was even ten years ago. Autumn 2006 in Britain, for example, was the warmest for 400 years. For the developed world of the northern hemisphere up till now this seems to be no bad thing – there is no immediate obvious disadvantage. The weather is warmer; the flowers bloom longer; heating costs are down. It has forced no changes in our life-style. In the developing world, on the other hand, the predicted effects: extreme weather conditions, drought or flooding, are already happening. Those who have benefited least from the great surge in the use of fossil fuels over the last century are suffering because the developed world has never had it so good. In ten or twenty years we will feel at first hand the harmful costs of the industrial and commercial boom times. The poor in Africa, Asia, and South America are paying that cost already. Our efforts to Make Poverty History will be negated by the collapse of fragile eco-systems. You cannot export crops that cannot grow. Education cannot stop carbon emission by industries 3,000 miles away. We are the main polluters. We can urge and encourage our governments to spend taxes on the development of non-carbon use technologies, on outlawing waste, on subsidising alternative energy generation. We can as individuals reduce wasteful use of energy.” Source: Climate Change…Making Poverty Worse! York Trade & Debt Justice.
Environment The report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) written by hundreds of scientists from across the world, gave the starkest warning yet that failure to cut greenhouse gas emissions will bring devastating climate change within a few decades. “If we keep emitting greenhouse gases at current rates we will see bigger changes this century than we did in the previous century. The amount of warming will depend on choices that human beings make.” according to Susan Solomon, co-chair of the working group that prepared the report. The previous IPCC report, in 2001, said that failure to act could bring global warming of up to 5.8C by 2100. This latest prediction painted a gloomier picture because scientists have discovered feedbacks in the global carbon cycle that are adding to the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Early estimates say that would be enough to raise temperatures by at least another 1C to 6.4C by 2100, with a rise of 4C most likely. An increase of 4C will mean: • Loss of food production – African crops could slump by 15-35%. • Increased flooding – Sea levels rise by up to 59cm • Melting ice – Europe loses 80% of alpine glaciers, half the Arctic tundra at risk. • More disease – mosquitoes thrive, exposing 80 million more people to malaria. • Loss of land species – 20-50% of land species threatened with extinction.
Were the earth to warm by just one degree, 11% of Bangladesh would be submerged, putting the lives of 55 million people in danger. The average Briton produces 48 times more carbon dioxide than someone living in Bangladesh, one of the poorest countries in the world, with 50% of the population living in poverty and 51% of the children malnourished. Climate change in Bangladesh will result in floods, salinity intrusion and droughts, all of which will drastically affect crop productivity and food security. Source: Guardian Weekly, Feb 9-15 and Veena Khaleque, country director Practical Action in Bangladesh
Crunch time for decision makers The 10 billion people expected to be alive in 2050 will require double the world’s current energy supply, according to the UN’s international energy agency (IEA). If there is too little, say the economists, there will be a financial crash unlike any before. Produce the wrong sort, say the scientists, and there will be climate disaster. The breakneck rush for industrialisation in China, India, Brazil and Mexico, has caused a huge increase in demand for energy. China became a net importer of oil in the mid-1990s. By 2002 it had become the world’s second biggest oil consumer, growing by 19% in 2003, and by more than 10% a year now. China is now adding 2 million cars to its roads, and an extra 2 million people to its cities every year, and is scouring the world for oil and gas, steel and timber, plastic and metals, soya beans and maize, all of which need energy to extract or grow. Meanwhile India’s energy consumption is expected to rise by nearly 30% in the next five years, as its middle class grows to more than 300 million. But rich countries also want more energy. The OECD predicts a huge increase in demand for all fuels. There is enough coal for centuries but the world runs mainly on oil and it is not certain how much is left. There is plenty of evidence that the world is about to reach what is called “peak oil”, that point when half the total oil known to have existed has been consumed, beyond which extraction goes into irreversible and rapid decline, and prices soar. Industry expects gas to take up the energy slack if oil becomes scarce. The arrival of climate change, however, urgently changes the world’s energy equations. Over the next 30 years all rich and many developing countries will have to commit to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Alternatives to fossil fuels, such as hydro, nuclear, hydrogen, wind, crops, solar and marine, which at present make up only 20% of energy supplies, all have problems. Nuclear power is expensive to build and no one has satisfactorily dealt with the waste problem. Wind power is attractive but needs immense investment and scale to match other power sources; marine power has barely been developed; hydrogen needs renewable electricity to be emission free. Rich countries are expected to try to become more energy self-sufficient and to encourage “microgeneration”, by the use of wind and photovoltaic power on buildings. Developing countries are heading in a different direction. China and India will continue to exploit coal reserves. There are plans to dam the Congo river to provide electricity for much of central Africa, and solar power stations are being considered for Algeria, Egypt and Morocco. Indonesia, Brazil, Zambia and the Philippines are all developing large biofuel industries, growing maize, palm oil or sugar cane for ethanol for export, but then food and fuel crops will compete with each other for land which could lead to the devastation of Indonesian or Latin American forests. There is now a sense of urgency and possibility, says David Miliband, Environment Secretary, who estimates that 40% of all the UK’s energy plants and a similar percentage of its housing stock will be replaced by 2035. Solving the energy problem is now as much about political will, as employing new technology. Source: John Vidal, Guardian Weekly 9 February.
Running on Empty Five years ago 70 scientists working in 100 agricultural research groups set out to assess the world’s ability to grow food. At about the same time the UN asked 1500 experts to study the social effects of water scarcity in developing countries. In 2003 teams of executives from the world’s largest water, oil and chemical companies tried to forecast the effect of water scarcity on their own and national economies. All three groups have reported back with alarming unanimity. Each survey independently predicted supply, health or economic crises if there is no radical change in the way water is used. The farm study showed that a third of the world already faces water shortages and forecast demand to double in the next 40 years. The UN group found people switching to foods that need more water to grow. The industrialists said large economies could collapse. All the studies proposed a radical rethink of the way everyone uses water. The green revolution fed the world, but the cost was high. Twice as much food is grown today as in 1950, but it needs three times as much water to grow it. The future emphasis is expected to be on developing drought-resistant crops, improving the efficiency of rain-fed agriculture and more water storage. Avoiding pollution will also be crucial. More controversially as water becomes scarcer, some countries may have to give up growing certain crops and rearing animals. One quarter-pound hamburger needs about 11,000 litres of water, a cotton T-shirt 7,000 litres, a kilo of rice 5,000 litres. Rather than digging deeper and moving water further, the future will be about recycling water. The most profligate cities are moving rapidly towards desalination. The days of water profligacy are officially over, says the UN, which sees this new century as being defined by access to water. While scarcity will encourage the development of new water-saving technologies and better management of water by business, it will still need a radical change in the way we think about water supplies. Source: John Vidal. Reports from World Business Council on Sustainable Development, the UN Environment Programme and the International Water Management Institute.
Can we trust scientists? The US administration has been accused of systemic tampering with the work of government climate scientists, to eliminate inconvenient material about global warming, in a Congress hearing. The Union of Concerned Scientists reported that pressure extended even to prohibit the use of the words “global warming” and “climate change”. The report said nearly half of climate scientists at government agencies had been advised against using those terms. Scientists and economists had been offered $10,000 each by a lobby group, the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), funded by ExxonMobil to undermine the IPCC climate change report. AEI offered payments for articles that emphasise the shortcomings of the UN report. Travel expenses and additional payments were also offered. Source: The Guardian Weekly 9-15 February
Replacing Trident The Independent for 15 February listed 100 names of leading figures from politics, religion, science, the arts and military behind a call to stop Trident. Under the banner “Not in our Name”, it was a rebuke to ministers who, campaigners argue, are misleading the public over the replacement of Trident just as they did during the build-up to the war in Iraq. Four years ago, more than a million people marched in London – and elsewhere – many carrying banners bearing the slogan “Not in our Name”. The 100 included Professor Stephen Hawking, former UN diplomat Sir Richard Jolly, Baroness Helena Kennedy QC, London Mayor Ken Livingstone, ex-Air Marshal Timothy Garden, Archbishop Rowan Williams, Cardinal O’Brien, Timothy Radcliffe OP, politicians Sir Menzies Campbell, Alex Salmond, and Diane Abbott, and from the Arts, Zadie Smith, Emma Thompson, Jarvis Cocker, Richard Rogers the architect. They question the wisdom of rushing into the replacement of Trident, call for more time for debate, and urge the renewal of diplomatic initiatives to renew the nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation negotiations.
In the US too, well informed sources are calling for a review of their nuclear weapons policy. Former Cold War US officials: George Schultz, Henry Kissinger, [both former secretaries of state] William Perry, [former secretary of defence] and Sam Nunn, [former Democratic senator] reviewed current nuclear dangers and called for US leadership to achieve the abolition of nuclear weapons. Their argument is as follows: • Reliance on nuclear weapons for deterrence is becoming increasingly hazardous and decreasingly effective. • Terrorist groups are outside the bounds of deterrence strategy. • We are entering a new nuclear era that will be more precarious, disorienting and costly than was the Cold War. • New nuclear weapon states lack the safeguarding and control experiences learned by the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War. • The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty [NNPT] envisioned the elimination of all nuclear weapons. • Non-nuclear weapons states have grown increasingly sceptical of the sincerity of the nuclear weapons states to fulfill their NNPT obligations to eliminate their nuclear arsenals. • There exists a historic opportunity to eliminate nuclear weapons in the world. • To realise this opportunity, bold vision and action are needed. • The United States must take the lead and must convince the leaders of the other nuclear weapons states to turn the goal of nuclear weapons abolition into a joint effort. • A number of steps need to be taken to lay the groundwork for a world free of nuclear threat, including de-alerting nuclear arsenals; reducing the size of nuclear arsenals; eliminating tactical nuclear weapons; achieving Senate ratification of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty and encouraging other key states to also do so; securing nuclear weapons and weapons-usable materials everywhere in the world; and halting production of fissile materials for weapons, ceasing to use enriched uranium in civil commerce and removing weapons-usable uranium from research reactors. Other former US officials such as Robert Macnamara and General George Lee Butler, former head of the US Strategic Command, have made similar arguments. The 19th century philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer said: “All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident.” We have had ridicule and violent opposition, this truth may now be entering the stage of being self-evident. Source: National Catholic Reporter 26 January 2007. David Krieger president of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation [www.waging peace.org] Barbara Hungin Chair 01642 784398 Sr Mary Walmsley CJ Secretary 01904 464919 Nan Saeki Treasurer 01904 783621 Chris Dove Editor 01947 825043 email: dove.whitby@phonecoop.coop or 22 Blackburns Yard Whitby YO22 4DS website:www.ayton.info/middlesbroughjp Mar 10 Live Simply Day with CAFOD York May 19 10th anniversary of Diocesan New Covenant with the Poor with AGM July 14 “Honouring Creation” Prayer walk in the Wolds Sept 15 Prisons and Prison Justice St Francis M’bro Nov 17 Youth Forum Middlesbrough
PROPHECY
When I planted the acorn, I knew that I would not live long enough to see the oak in its splendour, but I hoped my grandchildren would.
Now I know that I will not suffer from drought, floods, disease, and an influx of millions of refugees, but I fear my grandchildren will. A.M.D.
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2007
January 1st, 2007
Editorial, continued fighting around the world, programme for 2007, commission contacts.
Editorial Pope Benedict’s theme for World Peace Sunday was: “The Human Person: the Heart of Peace.” In his message, the Pope said “I am convinced that respect for the person promotes peace, and that, in building peace, the foundations are laid for an authentic integral humanism… Peace is based on respect for the rights of all…. Humanity, if it truly desires peace, must be increasingly conscious of the links between respect for nature and human ecology…. there is an inseparable link between peace with creation and peace among men… Unfortunately this has not been consistently implemented, for example, in southern Lebanon where the duty to protect and help innocent victims and to avoid involving the civilian population was largely ignored…Another disturbing issue is the desire by some states to acquire nuclear weapons. The way to ensure a future of peace for everyone is not only in international accords for the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, but also in the determined commitment to seek their reduction and definitive dismantling.” [The Tablet 30 December]
2007 begins with fighting continuing in Iraq, Afghanistan, Sudan and, as ever, in Israel/Palestine; the loss of life and destruction continues unabated. However, some hopeful signs include, Hilary Benn’s stating that cluster munitions should be banned because “they act as anti-personnel landmines”, and an overwhelming UN vote in the general assembly first committee in favour of an arms trade treaty to control the growing international trade in conventional weapons, was supported by Britain. It may not come to a vote in the General Assembly until 2009, but it is a beginning. The question of a replacement for Trident is still to be decided. It is good that our bishops have joined the Scottish Catholic bishops in coming out against replacement. The head of MI5 believes that the real threat to our security is from al-Qaida. A Trident submarine will do nothing about that.
It is something of a sick joke that BAE are promoting the idea of ethical “green” weapons. There is nothing wrong with trying to minimise the negative impacts of our behaviour – we all have a responsibility to do that. But if something exists to cause death and destruction, the fact that it has been painted a friendly shade of green doesn’t make it ethical. Then there is the matter of the bribes paid by BAE to Saudi Arabia to secure a huge arms deal to supply even more weaponry to the most unstable region in the world. The attorney general halted the enquiry into the bribes “for reasons of national security” in the case of Saudi Arabia, but investigations are to continue into BAE activities in Romania, Chile, the Czech Republic, South Africa and Tanzania. The New Year gives me an opportunity to thank all those who help to pay towards the cost of production of the newsletter and those who distribute each issue in their parishes. A special word of thanks is due to the Rector of Whitby and the Church Office staff for their support in the printing of the newsletter. And finally, thank you to John Blatchford for all his work to put the newsletter on the website. He is in the process of making it even better! Chris Dove
A New Year is traditionally a time for reflecting on the past year and making resolutions to meet the challenges ahead. Anniversaries are also a good time to build on what has gone before with a renewed vision. A highlight from 2006 was our November meeting facilitated by students at St. Augustine’s school in Scarborough. Their insightful and knowledgeable presentations impressed us all and were a source of future hope. 2007 is a special anniversary year – 200 years since the abolition of slavery with many events based in the Hull area – the home of William Wilberforce. A true opportunity to rejoice in the achievements of Wilberforce and his associates and to consider our responses to modern forms of slavery. More information about events nationwide can be obtained from www.setallfree.net This year also sees the 10th anniversary of the Covenant with the Poor – a document signed by Bishop John on behalf of the diocese at Whitsun 1997. We will focus on the Covenant during our AGM in May. Our January meeting again has peace as its theme. The morning will focus on a programme developed by Pace e Bene Franciscan Nonviolence Service entitled ‘From Violence to Wholeness’ which offers participants the vision of a constructive alternative to violence in our world and practical tools for translating this vision into reality. In March we are building on the closer relationship established with CAFOD in our Diocese by organising a joint meeting in York based on the ‘Live Simply’ initiative but also to include a focus on migrant workers living in our area. Later in the year Fr. Pat Cope will facilitate our September meeting concerning our prison system and in November we will again have a Youth Forum – based in Middlesbrough. Our overriding aim is to raise awareness of justice and peace issues and to work closely with other organisations so that together we may be a focus for change. Barbara Hungin
“We thought it was a ball” Before the conflict in Lebanon ended, the south of Lebanon was hit by Israeli cluster bombs which left hundreds of unexploded bomblets. These are black canisters barely larger than a torch battery. In the village of Aitta Shaab, close to the Israeli border, three children aged 10 to 12 were playing, one saw a curious object, picked it up and the resultant blast seriously injured all three. “We thought it was just a little ball” said Hassan in Tyre Hospital. 97% of all casualties since the ceasefire have been caused by cluster munitions. “We already had a major landmine problem from previous Israeli invasions, but this is far worse” said Chris Clark of the UN mine action coordination centre in Tyre. UN and human rights officials claim Israel violated provisions that forbid their use in urban areas. Bomblets have been found in orange plantations, on streets, in cars and near hospitals. Approximately 60% of Israeli cluster strikes hit built up areas. Landmine Action calls for a general prohibition on the use, stockpiling, production and transfer of cluster munitions. Source: Landmine Action and Guardian Weekly. October 13-19
Quotes: “Reports of Israeli army using cluster munitions is an obvious propaganda of Hezbollah and other organisations who do not know what is actually going on.” Arkady Milman, Ambassador of Israel to the Russian Federation, 26 July 2006
“In the last 72 hours we fired all the munitions we had, all at the same spot, we didn’t even alter the direction of the gun. Friends of mine in the battalion told me they also fired everything in the last three days –ordinary shells, clusters, whatever they had.” Anonymous Israeli reservist, quoted in Haaretz daily newspaper 8 Sept 2006 “What we did was insane and monstrous, we covered entire towns in cluster bombs.” Head of IDF rocket unit posted in Lebanon during the war, quoted in Haaretz daily newspaper 12 Sept 2006
Product recall Every year hundreds of faulty products are recalled in the UK because of the risk they present to the public. It is time to do the same with our faulty weapons. Cluster munitions have killed and injured thousands of people because they don’t work as they are supposed to. Cluster munitions are indiscriminate, and are so faulty that they can leave thousands of lethal bomblets littering the areas where they are used. If it were British children that we were putting at risk, this product would have been recalled years ago. To find out how you can help visit: www.spreadingourvalues.com Source: Landmine Action
Arms sales hit record level Worldwide spending on weapons is expected to have reached record levels in 2006 at a time when the arms trade is increasingly able to avoid export controls, according to human rights and aid agencies. Military spending is expected to have reached $1,058bn in 2006, a figure higher than the cold war record from 1987-88 of $1,034bn in today’s prices. In 2005 the US, Russia, Britain, France and Germany accounted for 82% of all arms transfers. Other countries are emerging as major exporters: Brazil, India, Israel, Singapore, South Africa and Korea. Human rights groups say a proposed new UN arms trade treaty should impose export controls on components of weapons systems as well as complete weapons. Controls should also cover foreign licensing agreements. Source: Guardian Weekly. October 13-19
Joined up government? The British government is exporting record levels of military equipment to 19 of the 20 states its own ministers and officials have identified as “major countries of concern” for human rights abuses. The 20 countries were listed in the Foreign Office’s annual Human Rights Report, released at the end of October 2006. They include China, North Korea, Iran and Zimbabwe. Source: Guardian Weekly Oct 27-Nov 2
NB. The Government’s Defence Export Service Organisation (DESO) promotes the sale of arms: another example of so-called joined up government. Funded by UK taxpayers to the tune of £15million per year it employs 500 civil servants and the head of DESO is always an arms industry executive. It is encouraging to note that three Catholic bishops, Terence Brain of Salford, Thomas McMahon of Brentwood, and Patrick O’Donoghue of Lancaster have signed an ecumenical statement calling for the closure of DESO. Source: The Tablet 21 October
Replacement for Trident We are promised a debate on this topic, but what will this mean? Will there be a free vote? In his Easter Sunday 2006 homily Cardinal Kevin O’Brien said, “To replace the Trident nuclear system is estimated to cost £20-25bn. As long ago as 1968 under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, our government undertook ‘to pursue negotiations in good faith on effective measures relating to the cessation of the nuclear arms race at an early date and to nuclear disarmament under strict and effective international control.’ Let us now, nearly 40 years on from making this undertaking, finally prove that we take our obligation seriously. If not, by replacing Trident with an even more destructive weapons system, we would show our utter contempt for this Treaty and we would be in clear breach of it. We would lose any moral authority we currently have to tell other nations they may not possess weapons of mass destruction. Our moral authority on this matter would be zero.” His view has the support of all the Scottish bishops. Source: Vocation for Justice Summer 2006
Eight Anglican bishops and 20 suffragan bishops wrote to the Independent, adding their voices to the debate. “Whatever our various views on conventional warfare, we all agree the Just War arguments rule out the use of nuclear weapons and such weapons challenge the very core of Judaeo-Christian Faith where humanity is given responsibility for the stewardship of God’s creation. Nuclear weapons are a direct denial of the Christian concept of peace and reconciliation, which are social and economic as well as physical and spiritual.” Source: The Independent 10 July 2006
“By diverting resources from conventional forces, nuclear weapons have made Britain’s military position more precarious. An army short of helicopters and troops in Afghanistan does not stand to gain from an unfunded $46bn commitment to a future strategic nuclear delivery system, or from the $1.8bn spent each year to keep Trident running. In the end the choice is between some form of renewal or a controlled step into a non-nuclear future, the brave right thing to do. Pulling back from the ownership of weapons that carry with them the possibility of ending humanity would be a glorious act, bringing a new moral imperative to international affairs.” Source: Editorial Guardian Weekly July 14-20
Trident is immoral, illegal and ineffective for our age. Nuclear weapons have not and will not bring us security, rather the opposite: they are likely to cause animosity and resentment. We urge our government • to take a lead by not replacing Trident. • to call for abolition negotiations in the UN • to commit to invest resources, skills and ingenuity in models of security that meet human needs and create just relationships. Source: Pax Christi June 2006
In November The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales called on the government to set an example by decommissioning nuclear weapons. They wrote: “The very existence of nuclear weapons has always posed grave moral questions. Their uniquely destructive power means that they belong in a different category from any other weapons…. Our judgement is that, by decommissioning its nuclear weapons, the UK now has a unique opportunity to offer the international community an approach to security and legitimate self-defence without the unconscionable threat of nuclear destruction. At the same time it could give a new impetus to the wider process towards total nuclear disarmament.”
Ethical Shopping BAE SYSTEMS, one of the world’s biggest arms manufacturers, is designing a new generation of “green” munitions, including “lead-free” bullets and rockets with reduced toxins because, the company’s website states: these “can harm the environment and pose a risk to people”. The initiative is being backed by the Ministry of Defence, which has proposed quieter warheads to reduce noise pollution and grenades that produce less smoke. There have even been experiments to see if explosives can be turned into manure! Source: The Times on line edition
PROGRAMME FOR 2007 Date Place Theme 19 January York Peace 10 March York CAFOD 19 May Malton AGM Covenant 14 July Wolds Walk 15 September M’bro Prisons 17 November M’bro Youth
Commission contacts Barbara Hungin Chair 01642 784398 Sr Mary Walmsley CJ Secretary 01904 464919 Nan Saeki Treasurer 01904 783621 Chris Dove Editor 01947 825043 email: dove.whitby@phonecoop.coop or 22 Blackburns Yard Whitby YO22 4DS website:www.ayton.info/middlesbroughjp
The Gift of Peace When Jesus ascended to heaven he left us the gift of peace. Where is it now? It’s not in my anxious mind, not in my angry heart. It’s not in Lebanon, the Congo, Gaza, Darfur, not in Las Vegas, or Hollywood, or the backstreets of our cities. We won’t find peace by walking away, burying our heads, blocking our ears, but only by seeking justice, doing justice, and yes, fighting for justice. Maybe then, somehow, somewhere, Christ’s peace will come again, come flowing like a river. A.M.D.
Editorial, continued fighting around the world, programme for 2007, commission contacts.
Editorial Pope Benedict’s theme for World Peace Sunday was: “The Human Person: the Heart of Peace.” In his message, the Pope said “I am convinced that respect for the person promotes peace, and that, in building peace, the foundations are laid for an authentic integral humanism… Peace is based on respect for the rights of all…. Humanity, if it truly desires peace, must be increasingly conscious of the links between respect for nature and human ecology…. there is an inseparable link between peace with creation and peace among men… Unfortunately this has not been consistently implemented, for example, in southern Lebanon where the duty to protect and help innocent victims and to avoid involving the civilian population was largely ignored…Another disturbing issue is the desire by some states to acquire nuclear weapons. The way to ensure a future of peace for everyone is not only in international accords for the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, but also in the determined commitment to seek their reduction and definitive dismantling.” [The Tablet 30 December]
2007 begins with fighting continuing in Iraq, Afghanistan, Sudan and, as ever, in Israel/Palestine; the loss of life and destruction continues unabated. However, some hopeful signs include, Hilary Benn’s stating that cluster munitions should be banned because “they act as anti-personnel landmines”, and an overwhelming UN vote in the general assembly first committee in favour of an arms trade treaty to control the growing international trade in conventional weapons, was supported by Britain. It may not come to a vote in the General Assembly until 2009, but it is a beginning. The question of a replacement for Trident is still to be decided. It is good that our bishops have joined the Scottish Catholic bishops in coming out against replacement. The head of MI5 believes that the real threat to our security is from al-Qaida. A Trident submarine will do nothing about that.
It is something of a sick joke that BAE are promoting the idea of ethical “green” weapons. There is nothing wrong with trying to minimise the negative impacts of our behaviour – we all have a responsibility to do that. But if something exists to cause death and destruction, the fact that it has been painted a friendly shade of green doesn’t make it ethical. Then there is the matter of the bribes paid by BAE to Saudi Arabia to secure a huge arms deal to supply even more weaponry to the most unstable region in the world. The attorney general halted the enquiry into the bribes “for reasons of national security” in the case of Saudi Arabia, but investigations are to continue into BAE activities in Romania, Chile, the Czech Republic, South Africa and Tanzania. The New Year gives me an opportunity to thank all those who help to pay towards the cost of production of the newsletter and those who distribute each issue in their parishes. A special word of thanks is due to the Rector of Whitby and the Church Office staff for their support in the printing of the newsletter. And finally, thank you to John Blatchford for all his work to put the newsletter on the website. He is in the process of making it even better! Chris Dove
A New Year is traditionally a time for reflecting on the past year and making resolutions to meet the challenges ahead. Anniversaries are also a good time to build on what has gone before with a renewed vision. A highlight from 2006 was our November meeting facilitated by students at St. Augustine’s school in Scarborough. Their insightful and knowledgeable presentations impressed us all and were a source of future hope. 2007 is a special anniversary year – 200 years since the abolition of slavery with many events based in the Hull area – the home of William Wilberforce. A true opportunity to rejoice in the achievements of Wilberforce and his associates and to consider our responses to modern forms of slavery. More information about events nationwide can be obtained from www.setallfree.net This year also sees the 10th anniversary of the Covenant with the Poor – a document signed by Bishop John on behalf of the diocese at Whitsun 1997. We will focus on the Covenant during our AGM in May. Our January meeting again has peace as its theme. The morning will focus on a programme developed by Pace e Bene Franciscan Nonviolence Service entitled ‘From Violence to Wholeness’ which offers participants the vision of a constructive alternative to violence in our world and practical tools for translating this vision into reality. In March we are building on the closer relationship established with CAFOD in our Diocese by organising a joint meeting in York based on the ‘Live Simply’ initiative but also to include a focus on migrant workers living in our area. Later in the year Fr. Pat Cope will facilitate our September meeting concerning our prison system and in November we will again have a Youth Forum – based in Middlesbrough. Our overriding aim is to raise awareness of justice and peace issues and to work closely with other organisations so that together we may be a focus for change. Barbara Hungin
“We thought it was a ball” Before the conflict in Lebanon ended, the south of Lebanon was hit by Israeli cluster bombs which left hundreds of unexploded bomblets. These are black canisters barely larger than a torch battery. In the village of Aitta Shaab, close to the Israeli border, three children aged 10 to 12 were playing, one saw a curious object, picked it up and the resultant blast seriously injured all three. “We thought it was just a little ball” said Hassan in Tyre Hospital. 97% of all casualties since the ceasefire have been caused by cluster munitions. “We already had a major landmine problem from previous Israeli invasions, but this is far worse” said Chris Clark of the UN mine action coordination centre in Tyre. UN and human rights officials claim Israel violated provisions that forbid their use in urban areas. Bomblets have been found in orange plantations, on streets, in cars and near hospitals. Approximately 60% of Israeli cluster strikes hit built up areas. Landmine Action calls for a general prohibition on the use, stockpiling, production and transfer of cluster munitions. Source: Landmine Action and Guardian Weekly. October 13-19
Quotes: “Reports of Israeli army using cluster munitions is an obvious propaganda of Hezbollah and other organisations who do not know what is actually going on.” Arkady Milman, Ambassador of Israel to the Russian Federation, 26 July 2006
“In the last 72 hours we fired all the munitions we had, all at the same spot, we didn’t even alter the direction of the gun. Friends of mine in the battalion told me they also fired everything in the last three days –ordinary shells, clusters, whatever they had.” Anonymous Israeli reservist, quoted in Haaretz daily newspaper 8 Sept 2006 “What we did was insane and monstrous, we covered entire towns in cluster bombs.” Head of IDF rocket unit posted in Lebanon during the war, quoted in Haaretz daily newspaper 12 Sept 2006
Product recall Every year hundreds of faulty products are recalled in the UK because of the risk they present to the public. It is time to do the same with our faulty weapons. Cluster munitions have killed and injured thousands of people because they don’t work as they are supposed to. Cluster munitions are indiscriminate, and are so faulty that they can leave thousands of lethal bomblets littering the areas where they are used. If it were British children that we were putting at risk, this product would have been recalled years ago. To find out how you can help visit: www.spreadingourvalues.com Source: Landmine Action
Arms sales hit record level Worldwide spending on weapons is expected to have reached record levels in 2006 at a time when the arms trade is increasingly able to avoid export controls, according to human rights and aid agencies. Military spending is expected to have reached $1,058bn in 2006, a figure higher than the cold war record from 1987-88 of $1,034bn in today’s prices. In 2005 the US, Russia, Britain, France and Germany accounted for 82% of all arms transfers. Other countries are emerging as major exporters: Brazil, India, Israel, Singapore, South Africa and Korea. Human rights groups say a proposed new UN arms trade treaty should impose export controls on components of weapons systems as well as complete weapons. Controls should also cover foreign licensing agreements. Source: Guardian Weekly. October 13-19
Joined up government? The British government is exporting record levels of military equipment to 19 of the 20 states its own ministers and officials have identified as “major countries of concern” for human rights abuses. The 20 countries were listed in the Foreign Office’s annual Human Rights Report, released at the end of October 2006. They include China, North Korea, Iran and Zimbabwe. Source: Guardian Weekly Oct 27-Nov 2
NB. The Government’s Defence Export Service Organisation (DESO) promotes the sale of arms: another example of so-called joined up government. Funded by UK taxpayers to the tune of £15million per year it employs 500 civil servants and the head of DESO is always an arms industry executive. It is encouraging to note that three Catholic bishops, Terence Brain of Salford, Thomas McMahon of Brentwood, and Patrick O’Donoghue of Lancaster have signed an ecumenical statement calling for the closure of DESO. Source: The Tablet 21 October
Replacement for Trident We are promised a debate on this topic, but what will this mean? Will there be a free vote? In his Easter Sunday 2006 homily Cardinal Kevin O’Brien said, “To replace the Trident nuclear system is estimated to cost £20-25bn. As long ago as 1968 under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, our government undertook ‘to pursue negotiations in good faith on effective measures relating to the cessation of the nuclear arms race at an early date and to nuclear disarmament under strict and effective international control.’ Let us now, nearly 40 years on from making this undertaking, finally prove that we take our obligation seriously. If not, by replacing Trident with an even more destructive weapons system, we would show our utter contempt for this Treaty and we would be in clear breach of it. We would lose any moral authority we currently have to tell other nations they may not possess weapons of mass destruction. Our moral authority on this matter would be zero.” His view has the support of all the Scottish bishops. Source: Vocation for Justice Summer 2006
Eight Anglican bishops and 20 suffragan bishops wrote to the Independent, adding their voices to the debate. “Whatever our various views on conventional warfare, we all agree the Just War arguments rule out the use of nuclear weapons and such weapons challenge the very core of Judaeo-Christian Faith where humanity is given responsibility for the stewardship of God’s creation. Nuclear weapons are a direct denial of the Christian concept of peace and reconciliation, which are social and economic as well as physical and spiritual.” Source: The Independent 10 July 2006
“By diverting resources from conventional forces, nuclear weapons have made Britain’s military position more precarious. An army short of helicopters and troops in Afghanistan does not stand to gain from an unfunded $46bn commitment to a future strategic nuclear delivery system, or from the $1.8bn spent each year to keep Trident running. In the end the choice is between some form of renewal or a controlled step into a non-nuclear future, the brave right thing to do. Pulling back from the ownership of weapons that carry with them the possibility of ending humanity would be a glorious act, bringing a new moral imperative to international affairs.” Source: Editorial Guardian Weekly July 14-20
Trident is immoral, illegal and ineffective for our age. Nuclear weapons have not and will not bring us security, rather the opposite: they are likely to cause animosity and resentment. We urge our government • to take a lead by not replacing Trident. • to call for abolition negotiations in the UN • to commit to invest resources, skills and ingenuity in models of security that meet human needs and create just relationships. Source: Pax Christi June 2006
In November The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales called on the government to set an example by decommissioning nuclear weapons. They wrote: “The very existence of nuclear weapons has always posed grave moral questions. Their uniquely destructive power means that they belong in a different category from any other weapons…. Our judgement is that, by decommissioning its nuclear weapons, the UK now has a unique opportunity to offer the international community an approach to security and legitimate self-defence without the unconscionable threat of nuclear destruction. At the same time it could give a new impetus to the wider process towards total nuclear disarmament.”
Ethical Shopping BAE SYSTEMS, one of the world’s biggest arms manufacturers, is designing a new generation of “green” munitions, including “lead-free” bullets and rockets with reduced toxins because, the company’s website states: these “can harm the environment and pose a risk to people”. The initiative is being backed by the Ministry of Defence, which has proposed quieter warheads to reduce noise pollution and grenades that produce less smoke. There have even been experiments to see if explosives can be turned into manure! Source: The Times on line edition
PROGRAMME FOR 2007 Date Place Theme 19 January York Peace 10 March York CAFOD 19 May Malton AGM Covenant 14 July Wolds Walk 15 September M’bro Prisons 17 November M’bro Youth
Commission contacts Barbara Hungin Chair 01642 784398 Sr Mary Walmsley CJ Secretary 01904 464919 Nan Saeki Treasurer 01904 783621 Chris Dove Editor 01947 825043 email: dove.whitby@phonecoop.coop or 22 Blackburns Yard Whitby YO22 4DS website:www.ayton.info/middlesbroughjp
The Gift of Peace When Jesus ascended to heaven he left us the gift of peace. Where is it now? It’s not in my anxious mind, not in my angry heart. It’s not in Lebanon, the Congo, Gaza, Darfur, not in Las Vegas, or Hollywood, or the backstreets of our cities. We won’t find peace by walking away, burying our heads, blocking our ears, but only by seeking justice, doing justice, and yes, fighting for justice. Maybe then, somehow, somewhere, Christ’s peace will come again, come flowing like a river. A.M.D.
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2006
November 1st, 2006
It was the most senior judge in England, Lord Phillips. Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales, who criticised the criminal justice system and who warned that prison overcrowding is “absolutely fatal” for efforts to tackle the treatment of inmates.
EDITORIAL It was the most senior judge in England, Lord Phillips. Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales, who criticised the criminal justice system and who warned that prison overcrowding is “absolutely fatal” for efforts to tackle the treatment of inmates. He was speaking earlier this year when it was predicted that the prison population would pass 80,000 before the end of 2006, the highest figure in our prison history. Now we know that this prediction was correct. There must surely be a better way than this. At last year’s Ampleforth Day, in our J&P workshop, we were challenged when we argued that Michael Howard’s assertion, “Prison works” was palpably untrue as so many of those sent to prison, re-offend when they are released. We suggested that a system of Restorative Justice would be much better for most offenders. The Churches’ Criminal Justice Forum has prepared a study pack on this.
We are particularly grateful to Fr Pat Cope, the Bishop’s Advisor on prisons, for contributing to this newsletter, writing with his considerable experience of chaplaincy at Prison and Youth Offender Institutions. Chris Dove
Note: the views expressed in this newsletter do not necessarily coincide with those of the Commission.
Justice that Heals There is too much that is wrong with our prison system according to Judge Michael Findlay Baker, resident judge at St Albans Crown Court writing in a Guardian article in June of this year. “Prison makes many criminals, particularly youngsters, worse in one sense and is highly undesirable. It mostly only works in the sense that, when someone is incarcerated, they are not committing offences. Prison is not designed to promote rehabilitation, particularly for sex offenders. That knowledge does make me feel uncomfortable about sending some people to prison, but sometimes I have no alternative; I simply don’t have the independence not to pass a sentence on someone whose character and personality may be such that prison will only make him worse.” Then at the end of June, following the report on the murder of a young offender in Feltham Young Offenders Institution, we learnt that 90% of the 11,000 young offenders in prison, were mentally disordered and 10% were psychotic. As a speaker from the Prison Reform Trust said, “prison is the worst possible place for mentally ill offenders”. There are, however, ways of improving the situation. At the start of 2006, in an article in the Tablet, Rachel Billington, a trustee of The Longford Trust reported on an interview she had had with Baroness Scotland, the Home Office Minister, in which she spoke of the launch of a new five-year government strategy aimed at reducing rates of re-offending. In the article Rachel Billingon wrote: “The idea, simply, is that an ex-offender should be helped by those outside the prison walls because they make up the community in which he or she will live.” Baroness Scotland believes it is “unrealistic to expect men and women with multiple problems to be able to sort themselves out without consistent one-to-one support.” Such a scheme would “provide the best chance to sort out the labyrinth of court, prison and probation that daily confounds the prisoner” according to Rachel Billington. This is the process described here by Fr Pat Cope.
PATHWAYS TO REDUCE REOFFENDING
The Prison Service and the National Offender Management Service are committed to a new strategic focus on offender management and reducing the risk of re-offending. The pathways to reduce re-offending are as follows: • Accommodation • Education, training and employment • Mental and physical health • Finance, benefits and debt • Drugs and alcohol • Attitudes, thinking and behaviour • Children and families • Prolific and priority offenders • Voluntary and community sector involvement
Offender Management is looking at an integrated approach to assessment, sentence planning and delivery of sentence requirements for all offenders. The whole idea is to begin to provide a “joined up” approach between the prison and probation services. It will also provide a more “person centred” approach to caring for an individual offender and help to decrease the likelihood of re-offending – a particular challenge for prolific offenders.
Each offender will now have a named offender manager who will be responsible for their whole sentence plan, including both in custody and on release. This will include a role for staff acting as offender supervisors and case administrators to ensure that the assessment, sentence planning, implementation and review processes operate effectively and that offenders are engaged and motivated to work towards their sentence plan targets.
The “pathways” which are listed above are the main key areas which an offender will be encouraged to focus upon in relation to his/her sentence and particular needs. There is a place for faith groups in the Voluntary and Community sector. Most prison chaplaincies now either fall directly under the prison’s resettlement group or work very closely with them.
The key principles in this new process include:
CONTINUITY – offender management will provide this throughout the whole sentence – both in the prison and out in the community after release. This will be achieved through retaining a single Offender Manager throughout the sentence who will be based in the community. Whilst in custody, an Offender Supervisor will be the key person for day to day delivery of the sentence plan which will have been drawn up as soon as the offender is convicted.
COMMITMENT – this process demands commitment from those involved. Staff will be encouraged to support, coach and motivate offenders to engage actively in the whole process for the benefit of all involved.
CONSISTENCY – a consistent message and approach must be maintained through the whole sentence. It must be “joined up thinking” and everyone must have a stake in the process.
CONSOLIDATION – responsibility for coaching and support prior to interventions will also be backed up by post-intervention work on consolidating the learning and putting it all into practice as actively and as soon as possible.
The whole process has great potential and opportunities for an offender, their managers and their local community to be involved actively in the process of addressing offending behaviour and preparing someone for release – and providing the support necessary to do as much as possible to help them not to reoffend. We can all be actively engaged in this process at different levels and where appropriate. In the end it will benefit both the individual offender and the community to which they will be returning. Fr Patrick Cope
“Prison works” 2 John Reid, the Home Secretary, is seeking to build so as to increase the number of places in prisons by 8000. This will show that he is trying to get his office into a “fit for purpose” state and so placate the majority of the public who believe offenders are having too easy a time. This is not being intelligent. If more than half offenders will re-offend on release, we will never have enough prisons. We need a criminal justice system that only sends to prison those who are a serious risk to society because they are violent. We need an effective prison regime that produces changes in people on their release so that they do not re-offend, and importantly, ensures that those who are suffering from mental health problems receive proper treatment, which is usually not by being sent to prison. According to The Howard League for Penal Reform two-thirds of women re-offend within two years of their release. 56 women killed themselves in prison last year. This is evidence that far too many women are being sent to prison with very serious consequences: from 1994 to 2004 the women’s prison population increased by 147% . According to Home Office Research, 66% of women in prison have dependent children under 18. 34% had children under the age of five. Each year it is estimated that more than 17,700 children are separated from their mothers by imprisonment and 150,000 children have a parent in prison. Nearly a third of prisoners’ children suffer significant mental health problems, compared with 10% of children in the general population. While acknowledging that good family ties can significantly reduce re-offending, almost half of people in prison lose contact with their families during the sentence. Sources: Prison Reform Trust and Action for Prisoners’ Families
Restorative Justice Alan Paton, author of Cry the Beloved Country, exposing the sins against South Africa wrote: “To punish and not restore – that is the greatest offence of all.” The Churches’ Criminal Justice Forum has prepared a study pack explaining what is meant by Restorative Justice. It covers five or six sessions and could be used with a church or school group. This is an outline of that paper.
Our current criminal justice system is based on retributive justice; that is, a crime is committed and so someone has to be punished in order for justice to be done. Home Office statistics show how unsuccessful this approach has been. In 1984 the average prison population was 29,600. By 1974 it was 38,867, by 1984, 43,295 and today the total is over 79,000 and rising. Crime fell between 1995 and 2004 by nearly 40% and the chance of being a victim is said to be the lowest it has been for 20 years. The number of women in prison has more than doubled. Many prisoners have significant mental health problems; this includes serious drug or alcohol misuse. More than half the prison population have a reading age no better, or poorer than, that expected of an 11 year old. One third were not in settled accommodation prior to imprisonment.
Restorative justice is, at its heart, about healing broken relationships through a dynamic process. More than one person is involved – there is the perpetrator, the victim and the wider community. Restorative justice attempts to heal the hurt caused to the victim but also recognises the value of the perpetrator and seeks to restore him or her to their place within the community. This involves a process in which all concerned need to be involved. The first step is Recognition: we have to recognise that we have done something wrong before we can move on, because refusal to do so becomes a barrier to relationships. Recognition is not just required of the perpetrator. It also has to happen for the victim as she or he recognises the perpetrator as a fellow human being, and for the community as it recognises his or her place within the community. Owning up starts the process of taking responsibility for the wrong done.
The next step is Repentance. Repentance is part of the healing process. It is not just feeling remorse for what we have done wrong, repentance means turning round and going the other way. Turning away from the things that led to the crime being committed and resolving to live differently in the future. The recent increase in the prison population is not due to an increase in the level or seriousness of crime coming before the courts. It has more to do with the likelihood that a particular type of offender will be sent to prison, and in the average length of prison sentences. Of those prisoners released in 1997, within two years, well over half had been convicted of another crime and a third were back in prison. For young men, the proportions were over two-thirds and nearly half. Sentences served in the community, under probation supervision, are only slightly more effective in reducing re-offending. But they do cost much less than the £37,000 a year needed to keep someone in prison.
Reparation follows – making up for what we have done wrong by facing the person we have harmed. It can help to listen to the other and to try to understand one another. A different form of reparation is ‘making the punishment fit the crime’, such as young graffiti artists being asked to clean up their community.
And then, Reconciliation. The whole emphasis of restorative justice is that the offender, having recognised his or her offence, having repented and made reparation, is reconciled with his/her victim and community once more. This is as important for the community as it is for the individuals. It requires a willingness on the part of both parties to talk about what has happened, to offer and receive forgiveness and to put the past behind them. Only then can the relationship be fully restored.
Community mediation schemes have been set up in many areas of the country to enable people to resolve difficulties and become reconciled before they result in behaviour that might lead to civil or criminal proceedings in a court of law. They can provide mediators in conflict situations – disputes between family or neighbours, or teach mediation skills to children and young people so that they can resolve conflicts in schools and be better prepared to deal with confrontations in the adult world. Surely there is a role for the church here.
Finally Restoration. The best example of the whole process of restorative justice is the parable of the prodigal son. He had insulted his father, fractured family relationships, and brought shame on his family. Eventually he realised what he had done, was mortified, repented and wanted to make reparation. Fortunately his father was a forgiving man and welcomed him back. But his brother wasn’t prepared to do the same. For that family to be truly reconciled the elder brother needed to be reconciled to his younger brother. Of course there are some people who represent a danger, and who, for the safety of the community and for their own safety, need to be removed form the community. But they are in the minority and many of them should be in mental health facilities and not in prison. They like everyone else were not created evil, because, like everyone else, they were created in the image of God. Source: Church’s Criminal Justice Forum
Commission contacts Barbara Hungin Chair 01642 784398 Sr Mary Walmsley CJ Secretary 01904 464919 Nan Saeki Treasurer 01904 783621 Chris Dove Editor 01947 825043 email: dove.whitby@ukgateway.net or 22 Blackburns Yard Whitby YO22 4DS website:www.ayton.info/middlesbroughjp
Programme for 2007 Our annual Peace themed commission meeting, with the title From Violence to Wholeness, will be at St Bede’s Pastoral Centre, York on 20 January. Enclosed with this newsletter are flyers for the Hull conference commemorating 250 years since the passing of the Abolition of Slave Trade Act. Titled “Let my people go” it promises to be an exciting event. Lord, support with your love prisoners, their families and friends, prison staff and all who care. Heal those who have been wounded by the activities of others, especially the victims of crime. Help us to forgive one another, to act justly, love tenderly and walk humbly together with Christ, in his strength and in his Spirit, now and every day. AMEN.
It was the most senior judge in England, Lord Phillips. Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales, who criticised the criminal justice system and who warned that prison overcrowding is “absolutely fatal” for efforts to tackle the treatment of inmates.
EDITORIAL It was the most senior judge in England, Lord Phillips. Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales, who criticised the criminal justice system and who warned that prison overcrowding is “absolutely fatal” for efforts to tackle the treatment of inmates. He was speaking earlier this year when it was predicted that the prison population would pass 80,000 before the end of 2006, the highest figure in our prison history. Now we know that this prediction was correct. There must surely be a better way than this. At last year’s Ampleforth Day, in our J&P workshop, we were challenged when we argued that Michael Howard’s assertion, “Prison works” was palpably untrue as so many of those sent to prison, re-offend when they are released. We suggested that a system of Restorative Justice would be much better for most offenders. The Churches’ Criminal Justice Forum has prepared a study pack on this.
We are particularly grateful to Fr Pat Cope, the Bishop’s Advisor on prisons, for contributing to this newsletter, writing with his considerable experience of chaplaincy at Prison and Youth Offender Institutions. Chris Dove
Note: the views expressed in this newsletter do not necessarily coincide with those of the Commission.
Justice that Heals There is too much that is wrong with our prison system according to Judge Michael Findlay Baker, resident judge at St Albans Crown Court writing in a Guardian article in June of this year. “Prison makes many criminals, particularly youngsters, worse in one sense and is highly undesirable. It mostly only works in the sense that, when someone is incarcerated, they are not committing offences. Prison is not designed to promote rehabilitation, particularly for sex offenders. That knowledge does make me feel uncomfortable about sending some people to prison, but sometimes I have no alternative; I simply don’t have the independence not to pass a sentence on someone whose character and personality may be such that prison will only make him worse.” Then at the end of June, following the report on the murder of a young offender in Feltham Young Offenders Institution, we learnt that 90% of the 11,000 young offenders in prison, were mentally disordered and 10% were psychotic. As a speaker from the Prison Reform Trust said, “prison is the worst possible place for mentally ill offenders”. There are, however, ways of improving the situation. At the start of 2006, in an article in the Tablet, Rachel Billington, a trustee of The Longford Trust reported on an interview she had had with Baroness Scotland, the Home Office Minister, in which she spoke of the launch of a new five-year government strategy aimed at reducing rates of re-offending. In the article Rachel Billingon wrote: “The idea, simply, is that an ex-offender should be helped by those outside the prison walls because they make up the community in which he or she will live.” Baroness Scotland believes it is “unrealistic to expect men and women with multiple problems to be able to sort themselves out without consistent one-to-one support.” Such a scheme would “provide the best chance to sort out the labyrinth of court, prison and probation that daily confounds the prisoner” according to Rachel Billington. This is the process described here by Fr Pat Cope.
PATHWAYS TO REDUCE REOFFENDING
The Prison Service and the National Offender Management Service are committed to a new strategic focus on offender management and reducing the risk of re-offending. The pathways to reduce re-offending are as follows: • Accommodation • Education, training and employment • Mental and physical health • Finance, benefits and debt • Drugs and alcohol • Attitudes, thinking and behaviour • Children and families • Prolific and priority offenders • Voluntary and community sector involvement
Offender Management is looking at an integrated approach to assessment, sentence planning and delivery of sentence requirements for all offenders. The whole idea is to begin to provide a “joined up” approach between the prison and probation services. It will also provide a more “person centred” approach to caring for an individual offender and help to decrease the likelihood of re-offending – a particular challenge for prolific offenders.
Each offender will now have a named offender manager who will be responsible for their whole sentence plan, including both in custody and on release. This will include a role for staff acting as offender supervisors and case administrators to ensure that the assessment, sentence planning, implementation and review processes operate effectively and that offenders are engaged and motivated to work towards their sentence plan targets.
The “pathways” which are listed above are the main key areas which an offender will be encouraged to focus upon in relation to his/her sentence and particular needs. There is a place for faith groups in the Voluntary and Community sector. Most prison chaplaincies now either fall directly under the prison’s resettlement group or work very closely with them.
The key principles in this new process include:
CONTINUITY – offender management will provide this throughout the whole sentence – both in the prison and out in the community after release. This will be achieved through retaining a single Offender Manager throughout the sentence who will be based in the community. Whilst in custody, an Offender Supervisor will be the key person for day to day delivery of the sentence plan which will have been drawn up as soon as the offender is convicted.
COMMITMENT – this process demands commitment from those involved. Staff will be encouraged to support, coach and motivate offenders to engage actively in the whole process for the benefit of all involved.
CONSISTENCY – a consistent message and approach must be maintained through the whole sentence. It must be “joined up thinking” and everyone must have a stake in the process.
CONSOLIDATION – responsibility for coaching and support prior to interventions will also be backed up by post-intervention work on consolidating the learning and putting it all into practice as actively and as soon as possible.
The whole process has great potential and opportunities for an offender, their managers and their local community to be involved actively in the process of addressing offending behaviour and preparing someone for release – and providing the support necessary to do as much as possible to help them not to reoffend. We can all be actively engaged in this process at different levels and where appropriate. In the end it will benefit both the individual offender and the community to which they will be returning. Fr Patrick Cope
“Prison works” 2 John Reid, the Home Secretary, is seeking to build so as to increase the number of places in prisons by 8000. This will show that he is trying to get his office into a “fit for purpose” state and so placate the majority of the public who believe offenders are having too easy a time. This is not being intelligent. If more than half offenders will re-offend on release, we will never have enough prisons. We need a criminal justice system that only sends to prison those who are a serious risk to society because they are violent. We need an effective prison regime that produces changes in people on their release so that they do not re-offend, and importantly, ensures that those who are suffering from mental health problems receive proper treatment, which is usually not by being sent to prison. According to The Howard League for Penal Reform two-thirds of women re-offend within two years of their release. 56 women killed themselves in prison last year. This is evidence that far too many women are being sent to prison with very serious consequences: from 1994 to 2004 the women’s prison population increased by 147% . According to Home Office Research, 66% of women in prison have dependent children under 18. 34% had children under the age of five. Each year it is estimated that more than 17,700 children are separated from their mothers by imprisonment and 150,000 children have a parent in prison. Nearly a third of prisoners’ children suffer significant mental health problems, compared with 10% of children in the general population. While acknowledging that good family ties can significantly reduce re-offending, almost half of people in prison lose contact with their families during the sentence. Sources: Prison Reform Trust and Action for Prisoners’ Families
Restorative Justice Alan Paton, author of Cry the Beloved Country, exposing the sins against South Africa wrote: “To punish and not restore – that is the greatest offence of all.” The Churches’ Criminal Justice Forum has prepared a study pack explaining what is meant by Restorative Justice. It covers five or six sessions and could be used with a church or school group. This is an outline of that paper.
Our current criminal justice system is based on retributive justice; that is, a crime is committed and so someone has to be punished in order for justice to be done. Home Office statistics show how unsuccessful this approach has been. In 1984 the average prison population was 29,600. By 1974 it was 38,867, by 1984, 43,295 and today the total is over 79,000 and rising. Crime fell between 1995 and 2004 by nearly 40% and the chance of being a victim is said to be the lowest it has been for 20 years. The number of women in prison has more than doubled. Many prisoners have significant mental health problems; this includes serious drug or alcohol misuse. More than half the prison population have a reading age no better, or poorer than, that expected of an 11 year old. One third were not in settled accommodation prior to imprisonment.
Restorative justice is, at its heart, about healing broken relationships through a dynamic process. More than one person is involved – there is the perpetrator, the victim and the wider community. Restorative justice attempts to heal the hurt caused to the victim but also recognises the value of the perpetrator and seeks to restore him or her to their place within the community. This involves a process in which all concerned need to be involved. The first step is Recognition: we have to recognise that we have done something wrong before we can move on, because refusal to do so becomes a barrier to relationships. Recognition is not just required of the perpetrator. It also has to happen for the victim as she or he recognises the perpetrator as a fellow human being, and for the community as it recognises his or her place within the community. Owning up starts the process of taking responsibility for the wrong done.
The next step is Repentance. Repentance is part of the healing process. It is not just feeling remorse for what we have done wrong, repentance means turning round and going the other way. Turning away from the things that led to the crime being committed and resolving to live differently in the future. The recent increase in the prison population is not due to an increase in the level or seriousness of crime coming before the courts. It has more to do with the likelihood that a particular type of offender will be sent to prison, and in the average length of prison sentences. Of those prisoners released in 1997, within two years, well over half had been convicted of another crime and a third were back in prison. For young men, the proportions were over two-thirds and nearly half. Sentences served in the community, under probation supervision, are only slightly more effective in reducing re-offending. But they do cost much less than the £37,000 a year needed to keep someone in prison.
Reparation follows – making up for what we have done wrong by facing the person we have harmed. It can help to listen to the other and to try to understand one another. A different form of reparation is ‘making the punishment fit the crime’, such as young graffiti artists being asked to clean up their community.
And then, Reconciliation. The whole emphasis of restorative justice is that the offender, having recognised his or her offence, having repented and made reparation, is reconciled with his/her victim and community once more. This is as important for the community as it is for the individuals. It requires a willingness on the part of both parties to talk about what has happened, to offer and receive forgiveness and to put the past behind them. Only then can the relationship be fully restored.
Community mediation schemes have been set up in many areas of the country to enable people to resolve difficulties and become reconciled before they result in behaviour that might lead to civil or criminal proceedings in a court of law. They can provide mediators in conflict situations – disputes between family or neighbours, or teach mediation skills to children and young people so that they can resolve conflicts in schools and be better prepared to deal with confrontations in the adult world. Surely there is a role for the church here.
Finally Restoration. The best example of the whole process of restorative justice is the parable of the prodigal son. He had insulted his father, fractured family relationships, and brought shame on his family. Eventually he realised what he had done, was mortified, repented and wanted to make reparation. Fortunately his father was a forgiving man and welcomed him back. But his brother wasn’t prepared to do the same. For that family to be truly reconciled the elder brother needed to be reconciled to his younger brother. Of course there are some people who represent a danger, and who, for the safety of the community and for their own safety, need to be removed form the community. But they are in the minority and many of them should be in mental health facilities and not in prison. They like everyone else were not created evil, because, like everyone else, they were created in the image of God. Source: Church’s Criminal Justice Forum
Commission contacts Barbara Hungin Chair 01642 784398 Sr Mary Walmsley CJ Secretary 01904 464919 Nan Saeki Treasurer 01904 783621 Chris Dove Editor 01947 825043 email: dove.whitby@ukgateway.net or 22 Blackburns Yard Whitby YO22 4DS website:www.ayton.info/middlesbroughjp
Programme for 2007 Our annual Peace themed commission meeting, with the title From Violence to Wholeness, will be at St Bede’s Pastoral Centre, York on 20 January. Enclosed with this newsletter are flyers for the Hull conference commemorating 250 years since the passing of the Abolition of Slave Trade Act. Titled “Let my people go” it promises to be an exciting event. Lord, support with your love prisoners, their families and friends, prison staff and all who care. Heal those who have been wounded by the activities of others, especially the victims of crime. Help us to forgive one another, to act justly, love tenderly and walk humbly together with Christ, in his strength and in his Spirit, now and every day. AMEN.
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2006
September 1st, 2006
At our September meeting will be hearing from Sr Pat Robb CJ, who works as a chaplain at Oakington Detention Centre Cambridge,
EDITORIAL At our September meeting will be hearing from Sr Pat Robb CJ, who works as a chaplain at Oakington Detention Centre Cambridge, of her experiences of the treatment of refugees and asylum seekers. Those who would like to do something to alleviate the position of refugees and asylum seekers in our region might consider supporting the work of the Mary Thompson Fund. One World Week in October gives us another opportunity for ecumenical action. The horrific pictures and reports from the conflict in Lebanon/Israel make it important for us to note that this country is not an innocent bystander. A cross-party committee of senior backbenchers has demanded an explanation as to why the government continues to approve the sale of arms to Israel in apparent breach of its own guidelines. The report also exposes loopholes that allow companies to sell products – often via the internet – that are officially banned, such as “thumb cuffs” and “wall cuffs” used in torture. Israel, Saudi Arabia and Indonesia are among 11 out of twenty countries described by the Foreign Office in its 2005 annual human rights report as “major countries of concern”, and yet, official figures show that British arms sales to Israel last year nearly doubled at £22.5 million (these included components for combat helicopters, aircraft radars and air-to-air missiles). Licences for weapons sales to Saudi Arabia increased by 25% to £25 million, and sales to Indonesia were valued at £12.5 million. [As I write this there is a report of a new sale to Saudi Arabia by BAe of 72 Eurofighters worth some £10 bn.] Government guidelines say export licences will not be agreed if there is a “clear risk” they might be used for internal repression or will “provoke or prolong armed conflict or aggravate existing tensions or conflicts”. Ministers have also said that they would block the sale of equipment that could be “used aggressively” in the occupied territories. A UN conference in July, considering measures to prevent the export of arms to countries that abuse human rights, ended in failure after US delegates vetoed further meetings. When, prior to the UN conference, Margaret Becket received the UK component of the Amnesty International Million Faces Petition calling for tough global controls on the arms trade and an Arms Trade Treaty, she promised continued backing for such a treaty. There is no good reason why the UK should not unilaterally implement the necessary controls to cover arms deals arranged by UK companies, except, of course, that we are major suppliers.
The UK is exporting billions of pounds worth of armaments around the world with little regard for their impact on conflict, human rights or development. The Defence Export Services Organisation [DESO], (the government arms sales organization) has as its stated mission ‘to help UK defence exporters succeed.’ Surveys by DESO reveal that over 75% of UK arms export orders worth around £5bn annually, could not be achieved without its assistance. We would argue that DESO should also have as its remit to ensure that UK defence exporters are responsible in arranging sales, so that we are not selling arms to countries listed as causing “concern” over their human rights records. It is plainly hypocritical for us to have called for a ceasefire in the conflict in Lebanon and at the same time to have supplied Israel with arms, just as it is for the US to support calls for a ceasefire at the same time as they were rushing further deliveries of laser guided bombs to Israel to allow still more destruction and loss of life in Lebanon. Chris Dove Note: the views expressed in this newsletter do not necessarily coincide with those of the Commission.
The Mary Thompson Fund: supporting refugees and people seeking asylum in the Tees Valley.
What began as a means to enhance the quality of life for people seeking asylum has now become the only source of support for a number of people who have been refused asylum but cannot return home. When people have exhausted the appeal process, all support stops, even though they may be exploring other legal avenues, so many people find themselves without food or accommodation. The fund has become essential to the survival of some of the most vulnerable, yet courageous people in our community. Families have also been helped with emergency travel costs, and health and education needs. The fund is always at full stretch and is currently involved in a Harvest Festival appeal for food and toiletries as well as financial donations. Foodstuffs can be delivered to North Eastern Refugee Service at 27, Borough Road, Middlesbrough. Tel: 01642 217447 Donations can be sent to: MTF., c/o 119-121 Marton Road, Middlesbrough, TS1 2DU A number of people give regular donations by Standing Order. This is a very welcome initiative and helps the fund enormously. Details of how to do this are given below. Bank: UNITY TRUST BANK plc. Account name: MARY THOMPSON FUND Sort Code: 08-60-01 Account number 20103929 Barbara Hungin
Arms Trade Amnesty International (AI) has lobbied for some time for more effective national arms controls around the world. AI believes present controls are riddled with loopholes, allowing weapons to be sold to conflict zones and countries which repress and torture their people. AI reported shipments in 2005 of over 240 metric tons of weapons including millions of rounds of ammunition, from eastern Europe to governments in Africa’s war-torn Great Lakes region. Worryingly, three companies involved in these arms deliveries operated from the UK. British arms brokers are easily able to evade lax controls, simply by stepping outside the country to conduct their deals. AI is calling for an international Arms Trade Treaty which creates legally binding arms controls and ensures that all governments regulate arms sales to the same basic international standards. The UK is one of the governments to have stated their support for such a treaty. Today’s weapons are more powerful than ever before and they are cheaper and easier to acquire: Every day about 1,000 people are killed by armed violence. *Small arms kill more civilians than any other type of weapon. *From 1997 to 2004, developing countries spent more than $23 billion a year on weapons. *From 1997 to 2004, the biggest exporters of arms to the developing world were the USA, Russia, France, the UK and China. Source: Amnesty Magazine May/June 2006
Cluster munitions The British government continues to reserve the right to use cluster munitions, despite having acknowledged their unacceptably high failure rates. The results are well documented. 0n 23 March 2003, a British artillery cluster strike in Basra severely injured a 13 year old boy who suffered acute injuries to his bowel and liver, and a fragment lodged near his heart. 14 other children were injured in the same strike. A week later on 31 March a cluster munition strike near the city of al-Hilla killed 38 civilians and injured 156 including 30 children. Cluster munitions were designed for use on the central European plain against massed Warsaw Pact formations as a last ditch defence of democracy. The wars we fight now, whether in Kosovo, Iraq or Afghanistan, are wars to impose order – a very different position. These weapons are indiscriminate and their use is undermining popular support for action. If we hope to win hearts and minds in war, we must stop using them. The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund supports the development of national and international law to ban these weapons because it believes cluster munitions disproportionately threaten the lives of ordinary people during and after conflict. International codification does not require the consensus of all. The Geneva Conventions were not negotiated on the basis of consensus. In 1868 at a meeting in St Petersburg, 16 states came together to declare that “the progress of civilisation should have the effect of alleviating as much as possible the calamities of war.” Having made their declaration they then invited other states to join them. Source: Landmine Campaign Summer 2006
A Prayer for Peace Living Lord, ignite in us a passion for justice and a yearning to right all wrong. Strengthen us to work for peace in the land we call holy: for peace among Jew, Christian and Muslim, for reconciliation between communities, for harmony between faiths. Inspire us to act with the urgency of your quickening fire, for blessed are the peacemakers – they shall be called children of God. Amen. Ramani Leathard
Commission contacts Barbara Hungin Chair 01642 784398 Sr Mary Walmsley CJ Secretary 01904 464919 Nan Saeki Treasurer 01904 783621 Chris Dove Editor 01947 825043 email: dove.whitby@phonecoop.coop or 22 Blackburns Yard Whitby YO22 4DS website:www.ayton.info/middlesbroughjp
Corruption? – no – Cash for peerages? There are those who question the wisdom of providing financial aid to African states because of the corruption of many governments in the region whose leaders siphon off aid moneys for their private gain. In a recent interview Archbishop John Olorunfemi Onaiyekan of Abuja, Nigeria had this to say on this subject: “Those who speak like this clearly don’t understand the situation on the ground in these so-called ‘corrupt countries’. The kind of corruption we have now was never possible when everything depended upon the tribe. It simply could not happen that a king could steal the money of his tribe and send it thousands of miles away to keep it for his family. African corruption would not have been possible without the cooperation of the very people who are now complaining about it. Further, the West could stop the corruption if it was of real concern. The regulatory authorities know where the money comes from, they track suspect transactions all the time so why do they make an exception for stolen money from Africa? If the West stops doing business with corrupt governments, they will fall. Governments are sustained and upheld by foreign businesses who believe they can do better business with the corrupt leaders. The major corporations, such as oil companies, play a big role.” Source: NCR March 10 2006
PROGRAMME FOR 2006 Date Place Theme 16 September York Asylum Seekers 18 November Scarborough Youth Forum
Increased postage costs This newsletter is supplied free but it costs money to produce especially for those who have it posted to them, now that postage rates have increased again. If you find it of value, perhaps you would consider sending a donation to the Treasurer: Nan Saeki 55 Moorgate York YO24 4HP. It would be very much appreciated.
Price tag for Iraq War: Estimated cost to US up to 3 September $312,037,000,000 US military deaths 2646 UK military deaths 115 Iraqi Civilian deaths min. 41,369 – max. 46,307 Sources: www.costofwar.com, icasualties.org, iraqbodycount.net [to see how the cost mounts up, check out the website: www.costofwar.com ] One World Week 22-29 October The slogan for this year’s One World Week is Mind the Gap *Trade talks fail world’s poor! Mind the gap between winners and losers. “By allowing the colossal inequalities in world trade to persist, rich countries are trading away the livelihoods of millions of poor men and women seeking for a better future for themselves and their children.” Kumi Naidoo, South Africa, Global Call to Action against Poverty.
Hole in the ozone layer bigger than ever! Mind the gap between words and actions. “We need policies of eco-justice, and we need to realise the spiritual dimensions of our life, of our interconnected planet Earth, of each other!” Petra Kelly (1947-1992) German Green politician.
Increasing violence in a divided world! Mind the gap between ‘friends’ and ‘enemies’. “We need to reach that happy stage of our development when differences and diversity are not seen as sources of division and distrust, but of strength and inspiration.” Ratu Josefa Iloilo, President of Fiji.
Together we can – learn about the widening gap between rich and poor and take informed action for justice, recognise we are part of one world in combating inequality and discrimination, and choose a lifestyle that reflects care for the Earth and its resources. It is vital that we all continue to ‘mind the gap’ and to keep up the pressure towards the achievement of the Millennium Goals. Source: OWW PO Box 2555 Reading RG1 4XW
The widening gap Apropos the gap between rich and poor nations, one year after Gleneagles, Britain has slipped two places in the rankings showing rich nations’ commitment to development, even though the government put foreign aid at the top of the G8’s agenda in 2005. The annual Commitment to Development Index, compiled by the Centre for Global Development, a Washington-based think-tank, shows Britain dropped to 12th out of 21 countries surveyed. The Index awards points for action in seven policy areas, including aid, trade, investment and migration. With a score of 5.1 out of 10, Britain fell back from 5.3 in 2005, mainly as a result of arms sales to undemocratic countries. David Roodman, who designed the Index, said, “From what was needed and what was promised, the results are disappointing.” In July Oxfam noted that in the first full-scale audit, since the G8 summit, Britain and its partners have failed to meet almost all the targets they had set themselves. The industrialised countries had delivered on only one of their three priorities, debt relief. They were far from dealing as they had promised with trade, and less than half of what was needed on aid. Source: Guardian Weekly August 18-24
A Reflection for One World Week
If we know and understand the issues, it is up to us: to speak up for the victims of injustice, to work for the renewal of the United Nations, to take every measure we can to reach and change the hearts and minds of those whose priorities are wealth and power, and to pray for peace.
“On either side of the river were the trees of life…. the leaves of which are for the healing of the nations.” Revelations 22:2
Come, Holy Spirit, enkindle in us the fire of your love, so that we may commit ourselves to work for the healing of the nations.
Surely in the history of the world, the nations were never more in need of healing than they are today. AMD
At our September meeting will be hearing from Sr Pat Robb CJ, who works as a chaplain at Oakington Detention Centre Cambridge,
EDITORIAL At our September meeting will be hearing from Sr Pat Robb CJ, who works as a chaplain at Oakington Detention Centre Cambridge, of her experiences of the treatment of refugees and asylum seekers. Those who would like to do something to alleviate the position of refugees and asylum seekers in our region might consider supporting the work of the Mary Thompson Fund. One World Week in October gives us another opportunity for ecumenical action. The horrific pictures and reports from the conflict in Lebanon/Israel make it important for us to note that this country is not an innocent bystander. A cross-party committee of senior backbenchers has demanded an explanation as to why the government continues to approve the sale of arms to Israel in apparent breach of its own guidelines. The report also exposes loopholes that allow companies to sell products – often via the internet – that are officially banned, such as “thumb cuffs” and “wall cuffs” used in torture. Israel, Saudi Arabia and Indonesia are among 11 out of twenty countries described by the Foreign Office in its 2005 annual human rights report as “major countries of concern”, and yet, official figures show that British arms sales to Israel last year nearly doubled at £22.5 million (these included components for combat helicopters, aircraft radars and air-to-air missiles). Licences for weapons sales to Saudi Arabia increased by 25% to £25 million, and sales to Indonesia were valued at £12.5 million. [As I write this there is a report of a new sale to Saudi Arabia by BAe of 72 Eurofighters worth some £10 bn.] Government guidelines say export licences will not be agreed if there is a “clear risk” they might be used for internal repression or will “provoke or prolong armed conflict or aggravate existing tensions or conflicts”. Ministers have also said that they would block the sale of equipment that could be “used aggressively” in the occupied territories. A UN conference in July, considering measures to prevent the export of arms to countries that abuse human rights, ended in failure after US delegates vetoed further meetings. When, prior to the UN conference, Margaret Becket received the UK component of the Amnesty International Million Faces Petition calling for tough global controls on the arms trade and an Arms Trade Treaty, she promised continued backing for such a treaty. There is no good reason why the UK should not unilaterally implement the necessary controls to cover arms deals arranged by UK companies, except, of course, that we are major suppliers.
The UK is exporting billions of pounds worth of armaments around the world with little regard for their impact on conflict, human rights or development. The Defence Export Services Organisation [DESO], (the government arms sales organization) has as its stated mission ‘to help UK defence exporters succeed.’ Surveys by DESO reveal that over 75% of UK arms export orders worth around £5bn annually, could not be achieved without its assistance. We would argue that DESO should also have as its remit to ensure that UK defence exporters are responsible in arranging sales, so that we are not selling arms to countries listed as causing “concern” over their human rights records. It is plainly hypocritical for us to have called for a ceasefire in the conflict in Lebanon and at the same time to have supplied Israel with arms, just as it is for the US to support calls for a ceasefire at the same time as they were rushing further deliveries of laser guided bombs to Israel to allow still more destruction and loss of life in Lebanon. Chris Dove Note: the views expressed in this newsletter do not necessarily coincide with those of the Commission.
The Mary Thompson Fund: supporting refugees and people seeking asylum in the Tees Valley.
What began as a means to enhance the quality of life for people seeking asylum has now become the only source of support for a number of people who have been refused asylum but cannot return home. When people have exhausted the appeal process, all support stops, even though they may be exploring other legal avenues, so many people find themselves without food or accommodation. The fund has become essential to the survival of some of the most vulnerable, yet courageous people in our community. Families have also been helped with emergency travel costs, and health and education needs. The fund is always at full stretch and is currently involved in a Harvest Festival appeal for food and toiletries as well as financial donations. Foodstuffs can be delivered to North Eastern Refugee Service at 27, Borough Road, Middlesbrough. Tel: 01642 217447 Donations can be sent to: MTF., c/o 119-121 Marton Road, Middlesbrough, TS1 2DU A number of people give regular donations by Standing Order. This is a very welcome initiative and helps the fund enormously. Details of how to do this are given below. Bank: UNITY TRUST BANK plc. Account name: MARY THOMPSON FUND Sort Code: 08-60-01 Account number 20103929 Barbara Hungin
Arms Trade Amnesty International (AI) has lobbied for some time for more effective national arms controls around the world. AI believes present controls are riddled with loopholes, allowing weapons to be sold to conflict zones and countries which repress and torture their people. AI reported shipments in 2005 of over 240 metric tons of weapons including millions of rounds of ammunition, from eastern Europe to governments in Africa’s war-torn Great Lakes region. Worryingly, three companies involved in these arms deliveries operated from the UK. British arms brokers are easily able to evade lax controls, simply by stepping outside the country to conduct their deals. AI is calling for an international Arms Trade Treaty which creates legally binding arms controls and ensures that all governments regulate arms sales to the same basic international standards. The UK is one of the governments to have stated their support for such a treaty. Today’s weapons are more powerful than ever before and they are cheaper and easier to acquire: Every day about 1,000 people are killed by armed violence. *Small arms kill more civilians than any other type of weapon. *From 1997 to 2004, developing countries spent more than $23 billion a year on weapons. *From 1997 to 2004, the biggest exporters of arms to the developing world were the USA, Russia, France, the UK and China. Source: Amnesty Magazine May/June 2006
Cluster munitions The British government continues to reserve the right to use cluster munitions, despite having acknowledged their unacceptably high failure rates. The results are well documented. 0n 23 March 2003, a British artillery cluster strike in Basra severely injured a 13 year old boy who suffered acute injuries to his bowel and liver, and a fragment lodged near his heart. 14 other children were injured in the same strike. A week later on 31 March a cluster munition strike near the city of al-Hilla killed 38 civilians and injured 156 including 30 children. Cluster munitions were designed for use on the central European plain against massed Warsaw Pact formations as a last ditch defence of democracy. The wars we fight now, whether in Kosovo, Iraq or Afghanistan, are wars to impose order – a very different position. These weapons are indiscriminate and their use is undermining popular support for action. If we hope to win hearts and minds in war, we must stop using them. The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund supports the development of national and international law to ban these weapons because it believes cluster munitions disproportionately threaten the lives of ordinary people during and after conflict. International codification does not require the consensus of all. The Geneva Conventions were not negotiated on the basis of consensus. In 1868 at a meeting in St Petersburg, 16 states came together to declare that “the progress of civilisation should have the effect of alleviating as much as possible the calamities of war.” Having made their declaration they then invited other states to join them. Source: Landmine Campaign Summer 2006
A Prayer for Peace Living Lord, ignite in us a passion for justice and a yearning to right all wrong. Strengthen us to work for peace in the land we call holy: for peace among Jew, Christian and Muslim, for reconciliation between communities, for harmony between faiths. Inspire us to act with the urgency of your quickening fire, for blessed are the peacemakers – they shall be called children of God. Amen. Ramani Leathard
Commission contacts Barbara Hungin Chair 01642 784398 Sr Mary Walmsley CJ Secretary 01904 464919 Nan Saeki Treasurer 01904 783621 Chris Dove Editor 01947 825043 email: dove.whitby@phonecoop.coop or 22 Blackburns Yard Whitby YO22 4DS website:www.ayton.info/middlesbroughjp
Corruption? – no – Cash for peerages? There are those who question the wisdom of providing financial aid to African states because of the corruption of many governments in the region whose leaders siphon off aid moneys for their private gain. In a recent interview Archbishop John Olorunfemi Onaiyekan of Abuja, Nigeria had this to say on this subject: “Those who speak like this clearly don’t understand the situation on the ground in these so-called ‘corrupt countries’. The kind of corruption we have now was never possible when everything depended upon the tribe. It simply could not happen that a king could steal the money of his tribe and send it thousands of miles away to keep it for his family. African corruption would not have been possible without the cooperation of the very people who are now complaining about it. Further, the West could stop the corruption if it was of real concern. The regulatory authorities know where the money comes from, they track suspect transactions all the time so why do they make an exception for stolen money from Africa? If the West stops doing business with corrupt governments, they will fall. Governments are sustained and upheld by foreign businesses who believe they can do better business with the corrupt leaders. The major corporations, such as oil companies, play a big role.” Source: NCR March 10 2006
PROGRAMME FOR 2006 Date Place Theme 16 September York Asylum Seekers 18 November Scarborough Youth Forum
Increased postage costs This newsletter is supplied free but it costs money to produce especially for those who have it posted to them, now that postage rates have increased again. If you find it of value, perhaps you would consider sending a donation to the Treasurer: Nan Saeki 55 Moorgate York YO24 4HP. It would be very much appreciated.
Price tag for Iraq War: Estimated cost to US up to 3 September $312,037,000,000 US military deaths 2646 UK military deaths 115 Iraqi Civilian deaths min. 41,369 – max. 46,307 Sources: www.costofwar.com, icasualties.org, iraqbodycount.net [to see how the cost mounts up, check out the website: www.costofwar.com ] One World Week 22-29 October The slogan for this year’s One World Week is Mind the Gap *Trade talks fail world’s poor! Mind the gap between winners and losers. “By allowing the colossal inequalities in world trade to persist, rich countries are trading away the livelihoods of millions of poor men and women seeking for a better future for themselves and their children.” Kumi Naidoo, South Africa, Global Call to Action against Poverty.
Hole in the ozone layer bigger than ever! Mind the gap between words and actions. “We need policies of eco-justice, and we need to realise the spiritual dimensions of our life, of our interconnected planet Earth, of each other!” Petra Kelly (1947-1992) German Green politician.
Increasing violence in a divided world! Mind the gap between ‘friends’ and ‘enemies’. “We need to reach that happy stage of our development when differences and diversity are not seen as sources of division and distrust, but of strength and inspiration.” Ratu Josefa Iloilo, President of Fiji.
Together we can – learn about the widening gap between rich and poor and take informed action for justice, recognise we are part of one world in combating inequality and discrimination, and choose a lifestyle that reflects care for the Earth and its resources. It is vital that we all continue to ‘mind the gap’ and to keep up the pressure towards the achievement of the Millennium Goals. Source: OWW PO Box 2555 Reading RG1 4XW
The widening gap Apropos the gap between rich and poor nations, one year after Gleneagles, Britain has slipped two places in the rankings showing rich nations’ commitment to development, even though the government put foreign aid at the top of the G8’s agenda in 2005. The annual Commitment to Development Index, compiled by the Centre for Global Development, a Washington-based think-tank, shows Britain dropped to 12th out of 21 countries surveyed. The Index awards points for action in seven policy areas, including aid, trade, investment and migration. With a score of 5.1 out of 10, Britain fell back from 5.3 in 2005, mainly as a result of arms sales to undemocratic countries. David Roodman, who designed the Index, said, “From what was needed and what was promised, the results are disappointing.” In July Oxfam noted that in the first full-scale audit, since the G8 summit, Britain and its partners have failed to meet almost all the targets they had set themselves. The industrialised countries had delivered on only one of their three priorities, debt relief. They were far from dealing as they had promised with trade, and less than half of what was needed on aid. Source: Guardian Weekly August 18-24
A Reflection for One World Week
If we know and understand the issues, it is up to us: to speak up for the victims of injustice, to work for the renewal of the United Nations, to take every measure we can to reach and change the hearts and minds of those whose priorities are wealth and power, and to pray for peace.
“On either side of the river were the trees of life…. the leaves of which are for the healing of the nations.” Revelations 22:2
Come, Holy Spirit, enkindle in us the fire of your love, so that we may commit ourselves to work for the healing of the nations.
Surely in the history of the world, the nations were never more in need of healing than they are today. AMD
JULY/AUGUST 2006
July 1st, 2006
In this issue there are reports given at the AGM in May. Barbara looks back at 2005 and there is good news of the diocesan ethical investment policy.
EDITORIAL In this issue there are reports given at the AGM in May. Barbara looks back at 2005 and there is good news of the diocesan ethical investment policy. We also cover CAFOD’s latest campaign UNEARTH JUSTICE which looks at some of the problems caused by the extraction industries. There is a wealth of evidence of the damage to the environment and to indigenous peoples from mine working. Over the past decade ‘partnerships’ between mining companies and NGOs have enjoyed increasing currency. They are supposed to both mitigate the impact of potentially damaging projects and stimulate ‘sustainable development’. Barbara writes of the new organization set up to help the most disadvantaged of asylum seekers and refugees in the Tees Valley. Justice First seeks to help those who have been refused asylum and therefore have no money at all, to survive and most importantly, to obtain legal representation. This is vital and would make a very worthwhile project for parishes to support. Chris Dove Note: the views expressed in this newsletter do not necessarily coincide with those of the Commission. ANNUAL REPORTS 2006 Chair’s report. As I was preparing this report I looked again at our three year plan which encompassed the years 2003 – 2006 to reflect on the past year in the light of the aims in that document. Our first two aims are to explore and understand issues of justice and peace and to share our concerns with others in the diocese. This is the focus of our public meetings. During this year we have had speakers from CAFOD, the Medical Foundation for the victims of Torture, Yorkshire CND and Christian Ecology Link. We have had excellent speakers and all these meetings have been both informative and challenging. For the second year our November meeting was given over to students and young people – this time from All Saints School in York. It was superbly stimulating – a dozen students – spanning all the year groups gave different presentations concerning subjects about which they were passionately concerned – including fair trade, war, arms trade, terrorism, prejudice of many kinds, children and poverty, endangered animals, and the experience of autism. It was a truly magnificent morning. Connection with other groups and organisations continues – this year we collaborated with the Richmond Parliamentary Constituency Group to facilitate a diocesan study day at Ampleforth looking at citizenship within Europe and our relationships with our European neighbours and the developing world. Our third aim is to undertake practical actions and campaign for change . Last year much activity centred on the Make Poverty History Campaign – with local events leading up to the day of protest in July in Edinburgh which many of us attended. Other campaigns we have taken part in have been focused on trade justice, Asylum issues, and Trident missile replacement. Much practical work is happening in all areas of the diocese – focusing on the needs of those living in poverty, and of those seeking asylum – both in local action and in broader campaigns aimed at an increasingly ‘hostile’ Home Office. A focus on Fair Trade is also central to our work – supported by our Vice Chair – and we hope to work towards Middlesbrough becoming a Fair Trade Diocese. We continue to support the activities of local groups throughout the diocese – particularly activities of young people and look forward to working closely with Dave Cross, our recently appointed Diocesan CAFOD officer. We are, as always, grateful to Bishop John for his on-going support and encouragement and look forward to the coming year which will include a strong focus on the Wilberforce commemorations in 2007. Barbara Hungin Diocesan Ethical Investment If at first you don’t succeeed….. The process began in 1995 when the J&P Commission set up a working party to consider the need for a Diocesan Ethical Investment Policy. In August 1997 the diocese announced the formation of an Ethical Investment Consultative Committee on which the Commission was given a place. We began offering suggestions for such a policy in 1998 and in December 2000, the Trustees agreed The Policy. Following an ethical screening process in April 2003 it was found that, as we had forecast, because the holdings were mostly in the form of Managed Funds, (whose managers decide on where to invest regardless of any ethical considerations) the major part of the diocesan portfolio was found to be non-compliant with the Policy! Since 2005 non-compliant funds have been sold, and further investment has been made in compliant stocks so that the percentage of non-compliant funds held has moved from 77% in June 2005, to the present figure of 16.4% of their investment portfolio. We must congratulate the Trustees on their achievement. If we are members of a Pension fund we are entitled to ask its managers about their investment policy and can argue for one that is ethical. Looking back at references to this subject in past newsletters perhaps I may quote from the May/June 1997 issue which was devoted to the single issue of ethical investment. “In all honesty we need to consider an ethical policy for our own savings or investments. It seems to me that we are in danger of being misled. The growth of poverty in the midst of affluence, rising global unemployment, and environmental degradation suggest that we face a huge challenge. The economic content of party politics has narrowed. The tabloid press has defined the issue: no party can get elected if it tells the truth, which is that an ever rising standard of living in the popular sense can no longer be an absolute.” I do not see any change today. Chris Dove Justice First. A new organisation – Justice First – came into being on May 1st. It is committed to helping people in the Tees Valley who have been refused asylum to survive destitution and to achieve justice through re-engagement with the legal process. Many honest people come to the UK, apply for asylum, and have their applications refused. Applications fail for many different reasons; some procedural, some because they do not fulfil the very narrow confines of the 1951 Refugee Convention, and many because, even though they have had horrific experiences, applicants are unable to prove to the courts that they occurred. Cuts to legal funding have made it more difficult for many to access the quality solicitors that they need to advocate for them. Many of the most vulnerable people have fled at short notice and are unable to even prove their nationalities, yet alone the nature of the ordeals they have endured. The most urgent needs of people refused asylum is for re-engagement with the legal process and for practical support to survive destitution. The organisation will work closely with the Mary Thompson Fund. There are two staff members – John Rogers, (Practice Manager) and Kath Sainsbury (Field Officer). The office base is at 9 Cromwell Avenue, Stockton TS 18 2EF Unearth Justice The current CAFOD Campaign is called “Unearth Justice!” which exposes how mining industries damage the poor communities in which they operate. CAFOD and their partners wish to stop mining companies harming the communities where it takes place. It focuses on extractive industries – in other words industries which mine resources such as gold, oil and gas. For each wedding ring made it is estimated that 18 tonnes of waste are produced, and much of that will be very toxic as a result of the extraction and refining processes. Gold is mined in many of the world’s poorest countries, but this does not make the countries rich. Gold has helped fuel a bitter conflict in The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as warring militias fight for control over mineral-rich land. Major international companies such as Anglo Gold Ashanti have started exploring for gold in the DRC and CAFOD is concerned that any new activity by international mining companies is conducted in such a way as to promote peace rather than to spark off further conflict. CAFOD is calling on the gold mining companies to adopt an ethical, social and environmental code of practice which respects the rights of local people, implements good labour standards and avoids the destruction of the natural environment But it isn’t only gold mining that is a problem. The Columbans have been campaigning for years to flag up other issues that are involved: One of the largest open cast coal mines in the world is the El Cerrejon Norte in Northern Colombia operated by a consortium owned by the British-based multinationals Anglo American and BHPBilliton together with a Swiss company Glencore. Occupying an area of 31 miles by five, the mine is constantly expanding and eating up villages, farms are deserted, the surrounding vegetation is contaminated with coal dust and many children suffer from respiratory problems and malnutrition. In Peru BHPBilliton operate a copper mine near Tintaya which has displaced communities that lived in the area for generations. Left without their land or with contaminated water, air and soil, many feel they are poorer today than 20 years go when the mine was built. Claims by the mining industry and international financial institutions that mining investment would contribute to sustainable development in Peru have not been borne out. In Argentina Xstrata is an Anglo-Swiss company owning a 50% share in and managing the Bajo La Alumbrera mine in Northern Argentina which accounts for 40% of all Argentina’s mining exports. Ranking 15th among world gold producers, it recently embarked on a major expansion programme. Communities in five Argentinian provinces have condemned the mine’s pollution of local farmland and rivers. In September 2004, concentrated minerals spilled into Vill Vil river which provides drinking and irrigation water to a large region and there was considerable alarm within the community. On Mindoro Island in the Philippines, churches, communities and social movements have campaigned for more than a decade against a large-scale nickel mining project planned by Crew Development, a UK registered company. Mindoro is a major food producing province and its watershed is critical for the irrigation of 70% of the rice farms, fruit trees and drinking water sources. A nickel processing plant is planned that would use high-pressure acid leach technology to recover nickel and cobalt from ore. Crew intend to dump its mine tailings into the sea. (This would not be allowed in this country) In March 2004, the bishop and clergy of Calapan Diocese joined those protesting over government support for the project. British-Australian mining giant Rio Tinto controls two of the world’s most important uranium resources in Australia’s Northern Territory, one of which is in a national park. The indigenous Mirrar people are challenging the proposal to open the second mine.
If extraction goes ahead, it will generate 20 million tonnes of radioactive tailings, a by-product of uranium mining with a radioactive life of 250,000 years. Despite generating millions in revenue, an inquiry found the Mirrar people gained no material benefit from the mine. Copper is Zambia’s most important commodity and production is soaring. In 2003, UK based Vedanta won the bid to develop Konkola Copper Mines (KCM). Pollution is far above acceptable standards, safety standards are poor with a high accident rate. The agreement with the government guarantees extraordinary tax concessions to KCM and exemption from prosecution for infringement of environmental and working standards. Source: Vocation for Justice Spring 2006 Take your partners The partnerships between extractive industry companies and NGOs are supposed to persuade us that though collectively representing one of the dirtiest and most dangerous of all industrial sectors, they are now reformed creatures. Three of the world’s biggest mining companies (Rio Tinto, Anglo American and BHPBilliton) decided to enlist their critics as pretended co-operators in ‘development’ and re-present themselves as defenders of human rights. However the partnerships have done little or nothing to change corporate policies or mining practice. On the contrary, over the last decade, mining companies have introduced more dangerous and potentially damaging technologies. Larger open-pits are spewing out greater quantities of wastes. The world’s biggest single mine, operated by US-based Freeport and Rio Tinto in West Papua has, since 1995, doubled its output of contaminated tailings into a vital regional river system, to around 230,000 tonnes – and that’s each day! Roughly the same amount of wastes is also being dumped daily onto the seabed from mines in Papua New Guinea and Indonesia. It is a practice never employed in the Asia-Pacific before the early Nineties, and one effectively banned in countries where these companies are registered – the US, Canada and the UK. It seems obvious that ‘partnerships’ between ‘chickens’ and ‘foxes’ will only serve the interests of the more powerful, and not those of the relatively powerless. Source: Roger Moody, Managing Editor Mines and Communities. PROGRAMME FOR 2006 Date Place Theme 16 September York Asylum Seekers 18 November Youth Forum Commission contacts Barbara Hungin Chair 01642 784398 Sr Mary Walmsley CJ Secretary 01904 464919 Nan Saeki Treasurer 01904 783621 Chris Dove Editor 01947 825043 email: dove.whitby@phonecoop.coop or 22 Blackburns Yard Whitby YO22 4DS website:www.ayton.info/middlesbroughjp Lifestyle ideas Re-reading a past issue of Vocation for Justice, the excellent Columban Mission publication, I came upon this list of ideas for ‘Lifestyle’ education for Young People. It would be interesting to hear what some of our student readers think of these suggestions which came from a retired teacher. As part of the• Maths courses, schools could have lessons to offer the young on how to budget their weekly pocket money allowance, and later the management of the household bills and credit cards. Schools could lay on a simple year’s course in ecology which is compulsory for those 15-16 years old.• Deeply woven into the RE curriculum should be a distaste of waste of any sort; this would link up with ecology.• • The Gap Years for older children should be used, at least partially, to work and help with the poor in developing countries. The student would see real poverty and meet some remarkable people coping with it. Could schools discourage parents from throwing extravagant birthday and Christmas parties?• A Prayer Inspire us to act with the urgency of your quickening fire, for blessed are the peacemakers, they shall be called children of God AMEN
In this issue there are reports given at the AGM in May. Barbara looks back at 2005 and there is good news of the diocesan ethical investment policy.
EDITORIAL In this issue there are reports given at the AGM in May. Barbara looks back at 2005 and there is good news of the diocesan ethical investment policy. We also cover CAFOD’s latest campaign UNEARTH JUSTICE which looks at some of the problems caused by the extraction industries. There is a wealth of evidence of the damage to the environment and to indigenous peoples from mine working. Over the past decade ‘partnerships’ between mining companies and NGOs have enjoyed increasing currency. They are supposed to both mitigate the impact of potentially damaging projects and stimulate ‘sustainable development’. Barbara writes of the new organization set up to help the most disadvantaged of asylum seekers and refugees in the Tees Valley. Justice First seeks to help those who have been refused asylum and therefore have no money at all, to survive and most importantly, to obtain legal representation. This is vital and would make a very worthwhile project for parishes to support. Chris Dove Note: the views expressed in this newsletter do not necessarily coincide with those of the Commission. ANNUAL REPORTS 2006 Chair’s report. As I was preparing this report I looked again at our three year plan which encompassed the years 2003 – 2006 to reflect on the past year in the light of the aims in that document. Our first two aims are to explore and understand issues of justice and peace and to share our concerns with others in the diocese. This is the focus of our public meetings. During this year we have had speakers from CAFOD, the Medical Foundation for the victims of Torture, Yorkshire CND and Christian Ecology Link. We have had excellent speakers and all these meetings have been both informative and challenging. For the second year our November meeting was given over to students and young people – this time from All Saints School in York. It was superbly stimulating – a dozen students – spanning all the year groups gave different presentations concerning subjects about which they were passionately concerned – including fair trade, war, arms trade, terrorism, prejudice of many kinds, children and poverty, endangered animals, and the experience of autism. It was a truly magnificent morning. Connection with other groups and organisations continues – this year we collaborated with the Richmond Parliamentary Constituency Group to facilitate a diocesan study day at Ampleforth looking at citizenship within Europe and our relationships with our European neighbours and the developing world. Our third aim is to undertake practical actions and campaign for change . Last year much activity centred on the Make Poverty History Campaign – with local events leading up to the day of protest in July in Edinburgh which many of us attended. Other campaigns we have taken part in have been focused on trade justice, Asylum issues, and Trident missile replacement. Much practical work is happening in all areas of the diocese – focusing on the needs of those living in poverty, and of those seeking asylum – both in local action and in broader campaigns aimed at an increasingly ‘hostile’ Home Office. A focus on Fair Trade is also central to our work – supported by our Vice Chair – and we hope to work towards Middlesbrough becoming a Fair Trade Diocese. We continue to support the activities of local groups throughout the diocese – particularly activities of young people and look forward to working closely with Dave Cross, our recently appointed Diocesan CAFOD officer. We are, as always, grateful to Bishop John for his on-going support and encouragement and look forward to the coming year which will include a strong focus on the Wilberforce commemorations in 2007. Barbara Hungin Diocesan Ethical Investment If at first you don’t succeeed….. The process began in 1995 when the J&P Commission set up a working party to consider the need for a Diocesan Ethical Investment Policy. In August 1997 the diocese announced the formation of an Ethical Investment Consultative Committee on which the Commission was given a place. We began offering suggestions for such a policy in 1998 and in December 2000, the Trustees agreed The Policy. Following an ethical screening process in April 2003 it was found that, as we had forecast, because the holdings were mostly in the form of Managed Funds, (whose managers decide on where to invest regardless of any ethical considerations) the major part of the diocesan portfolio was found to be non-compliant with the Policy! Since 2005 non-compliant funds have been sold, and further investment has been made in compliant stocks so that the percentage of non-compliant funds held has moved from 77% in June 2005, to the present figure of 16.4% of their investment portfolio. We must congratulate the Trustees on their achievement. If we are members of a Pension fund we are entitled to ask its managers about their investment policy and can argue for one that is ethical. Looking back at references to this subject in past newsletters perhaps I may quote from the May/June 1997 issue which was devoted to the single issue of ethical investment. “In all honesty we need to consider an ethical policy for our own savings or investments. It seems to me that we are in danger of being misled. The growth of poverty in the midst of affluence, rising global unemployment, and environmental degradation suggest that we face a huge challenge. The economic content of party politics has narrowed. The tabloid press has defined the issue: no party can get elected if it tells the truth, which is that an ever rising standard of living in the popular sense can no longer be an absolute.” I do not see any change today. Chris Dove Justice First. A new organisation – Justice First – came into being on May 1st. It is committed to helping people in the Tees Valley who have been refused asylum to survive destitution and to achieve justice through re-engagement with the legal process. Many honest people come to the UK, apply for asylum, and have their applications refused. Applications fail for many different reasons; some procedural, some because they do not fulfil the very narrow confines of the 1951 Refugee Convention, and many because, even though they have had horrific experiences, applicants are unable to prove to the courts that they occurred. Cuts to legal funding have made it more difficult for many to access the quality solicitors that they need to advocate for them. Many of the most vulnerable people have fled at short notice and are unable to even prove their nationalities, yet alone the nature of the ordeals they have endured. The most urgent needs of people refused asylum is for re-engagement with the legal process and for practical support to survive destitution. The organisation will work closely with the Mary Thompson Fund. There are two staff members – John Rogers, (Practice Manager) and Kath Sainsbury (Field Officer). The office base is at 9 Cromwell Avenue, Stockton TS 18 2EF Unearth Justice The current CAFOD Campaign is called “Unearth Justice!” which exposes how mining industries damage the poor communities in which they operate. CAFOD and their partners wish to stop mining companies harming the communities where it takes place. It focuses on extractive industries – in other words industries which mine resources such as gold, oil and gas. For each wedding ring made it is estimated that 18 tonnes of waste are produced, and much of that will be very toxic as a result of the extraction and refining processes. Gold is mined in many of the world’s poorest countries, but this does not make the countries rich. Gold has helped fuel a bitter conflict in The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as warring militias fight for control over mineral-rich land. Major international companies such as Anglo Gold Ashanti have started exploring for gold in the DRC and CAFOD is concerned that any new activity by international mining companies is conducted in such a way as to promote peace rather than to spark off further conflict. CAFOD is calling on the gold mining companies to adopt an ethical, social and environmental code of practice which respects the rights of local people, implements good labour standards and avoids the destruction of the natural environment But it isn’t only gold mining that is a problem. The Columbans have been campaigning for years to flag up other issues that are involved: One of the largest open cast coal mines in the world is the El Cerrejon Norte in Northern Colombia operated by a consortium owned by the British-based multinationals Anglo American and BHPBilliton together with a Swiss company Glencore. Occupying an area of 31 miles by five, the mine is constantly expanding and eating up villages, farms are deserted, the surrounding vegetation is contaminated with coal dust and many children suffer from respiratory problems and malnutrition. In Peru BHPBilliton operate a copper mine near Tintaya which has displaced communities that lived in the area for generations. Left without their land or with contaminated water, air and soil, many feel they are poorer today than 20 years go when the mine was built. Claims by the mining industry and international financial institutions that mining investment would contribute to sustainable development in Peru have not been borne out. In Argentina Xstrata is an Anglo-Swiss company owning a 50% share in and managing the Bajo La Alumbrera mine in Northern Argentina which accounts for 40% of all Argentina’s mining exports. Ranking 15th among world gold producers, it recently embarked on a major expansion programme. Communities in five Argentinian provinces have condemned the mine’s pollution of local farmland and rivers. In September 2004, concentrated minerals spilled into Vill Vil river which provides drinking and irrigation water to a large region and there was considerable alarm within the community. On Mindoro Island in the Philippines, churches, communities and social movements have campaigned for more than a decade against a large-scale nickel mining project planned by Crew Development, a UK registered company. Mindoro is a major food producing province and its watershed is critical for the irrigation of 70% of the rice farms, fruit trees and drinking water sources. A nickel processing plant is planned that would use high-pressure acid leach technology to recover nickel and cobalt from ore. Crew intend to dump its mine tailings into the sea. (This would not be allowed in this country) In March 2004, the bishop and clergy of Calapan Diocese joined those protesting over government support for the project. British-Australian mining giant Rio Tinto controls two of the world’s most important uranium resources in Australia’s Northern Territory, one of which is in a national park. The indigenous Mirrar people are challenging the proposal to open the second mine.
If extraction goes ahead, it will generate 20 million tonnes of radioactive tailings, a by-product of uranium mining with a radioactive life of 250,000 years. Despite generating millions in revenue, an inquiry found the Mirrar people gained no material benefit from the mine. Copper is Zambia’s most important commodity and production is soaring. In 2003, UK based Vedanta won the bid to develop Konkola Copper Mines (KCM). Pollution is far above acceptable standards, safety standards are poor with a high accident rate. The agreement with the government guarantees extraordinary tax concessions to KCM and exemption from prosecution for infringement of environmental and working standards. Source: Vocation for Justice Spring 2006 Take your partners The partnerships between extractive industry companies and NGOs are supposed to persuade us that though collectively representing one of the dirtiest and most dangerous of all industrial sectors, they are now reformed creatures. Three of the world’s biggest mining companies (Rio Tinto, Anglo American and BHPBilliton) decided to enlist their critics as pretended co-operators in ‘development’ and re-present themselves as defenders of human rights. However the partnerships have done little or nothing to change corporate policies or mining practice. On the contrary, over the last decade, mining companies have introduced more dangerous and potentially damaging technologies. Larger open-pits are spewing out greater quantities of wastes. The world’s biggest single mine, operated by US-based Freeport and Rio Tinto in West Papua has, since 1995, doubled its output of contaminated tailings into a vital regional river system, to around 230,000 tonnes – and that’s each day! Roughly the same amount of wastes is also being dumped daily onto the seabed from mines in Papua New Guinea and Indonesia. It is a practice never employed in the Asia-Pacific before the early Nineties, and one effectively banned in countries where these companies are registered – the US, Canada and the UK. It seems obvious that ‘partnerships’ between ‘chickens’ and ‘foxes’ will only serve the interests of the more powerful, and not those of the relatively powerless. Source: Roger Moody, Managing Editor Mines and Communities. PROGRAMME FOR 2006 Date Place Theme 16 September York Asylum Seekers 18 November Youth Forum Commission contacts Barbara Hungin Chair 01642 784398 Sr Mary Walmsley CJ Secretary 01904 464919 Nan Saeki Treasurer 01904 783621 Chris Dove Editor 01947 825043 email: dove.whitby@phonecoop.coop or 22 Blackburns Yard Whitby YO22 4DS website:www.ayton.info/middlesbroughjp Lifestyle ideas Re-reading a past issue of Vocation for Justice, the excellent Columban Mission publication, I came upon this list of ideas for ‘Lifestyle’ education for Young People. It would be interesting to hear what some of our student readers think of these suggestions which came from a retired teacher. As part of the• Maths courses, schools could have lessons to offer the young on how to budget their weekly pocket money allowance, and later the management of the household bills and credit cards. Schools could lay on a simple year’s course in ecology which is compulsory for those 15-16 years old.• Deeply woven into the RE curriculum should be a distaste of waste of any sort; this would link up with ecology.• • The Gap Years for older children should be used, at least partially, to work and help with the poor in developing countries. The student would see real poverty and meet some remarkable people coping with it. Could schools discourage parents from throwing extravagant birthday and Christmas parties?• A Prayer Inspire us to act with the urgency of your quickening fire, for blessed are the peacemakers, they shall be called children of God AMEN
MAY/JUNE 2006
May 1st, 2006
Our meeting in March considered Climate Change and our responses. We heard that every Church of England diocese has a designated environmental officer, each of whom
EDITORIAL Our meeting in March considered Climate Change and our responses. We heard that every Church of England diocese has a designated environmental officer, each of whom has drawn down a government subsidy for workshops which have challenged and inspired their parishes. As is so often the case, the Quakers too are ahead of us. In 2004 Quaker Green Action published a booklet called “Walk Cheerfully, Step Lightly” giving 26 pages of practical suggestions for changes we can make to reduce the damage we inflict on the earth. We are very grateful to Elizabeth Rendell, our speaker at that meeting. This month we focus on Development issues and our speaker will be Vicky Cann, Campaign Officer for WDM, who attended the UN World Water Forum in Mexico City. WDM was founded 30 years ago in the belief that charity alone is not enough – that we need to fight the causes, not just the symptoms, of poverty. WDM’s policies are set by the priorities of their partners in developing countries. WDM’s campaigns have kept poverty on the political agenda and in the public eye. World summits are now dominated by the debt issue, trade reform is on the agenda, and Britain is increasing, not cutting, overseas aid. British aid money is being used to push water privatization on poor countries, making it less likely that clean water will get to the poorest people. And while poor people lose out, a group of big UK companies are profiting from this aid. In a world where nearly 6,000 children die every day because of unclean water, this is a scandal that must stop. This meeting will also be our AGM and reports will be given on the year’s work. Please note my changed email address. Chris Dove Note: the views expressed in this newsletter do not necessarily coincide with those of the Commission. DEVELOPMENT BY THE PEOPLE, FOR THE PEOPLE. Malawians have been living and coping in a land of extremes. Many people have been standing in long queues to receive food; they wait while their children are sick under both the baking sun and alternating heavy rain, according to Fr Joseph Mpinganjira, Secretary General of the Catholic Development Commission in Malawi (Cadecom). After the latest floods, Fr Joseph describes the situation he found when he visited the area affected. “Where the river Shire had burst its banks, it had swept up in its path maize and sorghum crops, as well as livestock and the remnants of people’s homes and belongings. How do I now draw on my faith to comfort those who have lost everything, and do not know how they are going to start again? Can I really preach “Man does not live on bread alone?” As the developmental arm of the Church, Cadecom works to bring hope to communities by making Jesus felt in our programmes, but on this day, the people brought hope to me. They asked for tools and seeds so that they can plant again as soon as the flood waters had receded, as they still hoped that there was a chance of reaping a good harvest. The hope they expressed – that they could start again – bolstered my own as I got back into the car. One way forward is for all Malawians to look for some of our own answers to the problems causing our hunger – issues such as climate change, investment in irrigation and the impact of HIV/Aids on our ability to feed ourselves. Cadecom’s work cannot reach everybody, but with funding support from long-term untiring partners such a Cafod we are able to create development with the people and for the people, moving us closer to the hope that we as Malawians and Africans will be able in a few years to better understand ourselves and handle difficult situations for ourselves.” Source: The Tablet 4 March WATER At the World Water Forum, the UN launched a report which said: “The privatisation of water services displays uneven results. Many multinational water companies are currently decreasing their activities in developing countries. The potential of local small-scale companies and civil society organisations to help improve water services has largely been overlooked by governments and donors.” Clean water is a human right. Yet the UN has declared that water quality is declining in most regions, that there is an increasing demand for water to grow crops for burgeoning populations, and that urban areas are exploding. By 2030 some 2 billion people will live in illegal squatter settlements and slums with no access to water. Furthermore, after almost 15 years of promises by world bodies, national governments, water companies and others, the world’s poorest are still not getting the most basic human need. There is now no chance that the millennium development goal of halving the proportion of people without access to clean water by 2015 will be met. At this rate of progress, says the World Water Council, “access to clean water cannot be guaranteed until beyond 2050 in Africa, 2025 in Asia and 2040 in Latin America and the Caribbean.” A report by the UK charity WaterAid shows that 61% of the EU’s international aid earmarked for water and sanitation goes to comparatively wealthy countries. Global water companies are blamed. National governments, the IMF and the World Bank have all pushed them to provide water to the poor. There have been some successful privatisations, but many others have left people paying high prices, with thousands unemployed and governments locked into crippling long-term contracts. Research by the World Bank and others demonstrates that the public sector is not always incapable of providing clean water. It still provides, in difficult circumstances, water for 90% of the world. The public sector is in many countries reforming itself, gaining confidence and learning how to raise money and stand up to international pressure. Cities such as Recife in Brazil and Bogota in Colombia have persuaded the World Bank to make loans for public service expansion, something inconceivable 10 years ago. The pendulum is swinging back towards the public sector and, at some point, international donors, banks and governments will recognise that clean water is a human right and that to deny it to people for the sake of a political idea makes no sense. Until then billions of people will die from water-borne diseases, waste hours of their day collecting water or go into debt to stay alive. Source: John Vidal. The Guardian Weekly 24-30 March HUMAN WRITESAbout a year ago, I took on the responsibility of writing to a prisoner on Death Row. This is something I can recommend; it takes very little time and costs very little money. Initially I was concerned that a correspondent of my age would be of very little interest to a young man on the other side of the Atlantic, and more particularly worried that accounts of my full and happy life would only add to his loneliness and sense of desperation. However, I need not have feared. My correspondent, Robert, is always more than delighted to receive my letters. A typical response is “I was so very happy to receive your so very sweet and loving letter. You all really did brighten my day up for me. You always know how to put a Great Big Smile on my face.” Naturally I feel more than a little ashamed to have such a response to what seem relatively feeble efforts on my part, but it makes me realise how much letters mean to people like Robert. I belong to an organisation called Human Writes, which gives helpful advice to people writing to those on Death Row. It also publishes a quarterly magazine, and I was very impressed by an article by Dennis Skillicorn (2005) Missouri Death Row, in the latest edition, from which the following is an extract. “What a wonderful truth that affairs of the heart know no man-made boundaries! Regardless of the circumstances, or how hard the system may work to discourage us or tear us down, stereotypes or false innuendo can never stifle our desire or ability to care for our fellow man. Even from inside a maximum security prison, there are ways to make a positive difference.
For example, Compassion is a bimonthly publication created, written and edited by death row offenders to raise scholarship money for family members of murdered victims. It also gives those living life on death row a chance to share their artistic and social expression and to contribute to their culture in a positive way. They share life lessons in hopes that others who read their material will not make the same bad choices they made. They write about the importance of forgiveness, reconciliation, restitution and restorative justice. They share their pain their regrets, their remorse …. and their dreams. Our mission is to raise donations for scholarships that go to murdered victims’ families to aid them with their education. Offenders do not handle any of the money – all funds are controlled by a board of directors on the outside. However, the editor and assistant editors of Compassion choose the winning applicant(s) in each scholarship funding cycle. What we are doing is an effective tool to tear down false stereotyping and show the world the truth about who we are. That truth is that the vast majority of those on death row are not the people who committed their crimes. Most had drug or alcohol related offences and now have a clear heart and mind. Free of their former destructive lifestyle, they are able to return to those things that are truly valuable to us all, such as love of God and love of family. Their focus is back on positive things. To subscribe to Compassion visit our website at www.compassionondeathrow.org, or write to Compassion, 140W South Boundary Street, Perrysburg, Ohio 3551 Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you would like to write to a prisoner on death row. Anthea Dove Britain’s ‘independent’ deterrent is in American hands. In 1962 the US Defence Secretary Robert McNamara revealed that the British Trident fleet “did not operate independently” to Harold Macmillan’s acute embarrassment. His Permanent Private Secretary, Sir Robert Scott recorded that the decision to accept President Kennedy’s offer of their Polaris missile submarine, has “put us in American’s pocket for a decade”. The US knows where the British nuclear submarines are and firing the missiles without US supplied data and satellites is almost impossible. The Atomic Weapons Establishment at Aldermaston is one-third managed by the US firm of Lockheed Martin; the nuclear warhead factory was designed and built by a US company as a copy of the one at Los Alamos. The British fuse and firing system is designed and built by America’s Sandia national laboratory. Some of the nuclear explosives are imported from the US and so too is the warhead casing and guidance system. In 2004 President Bush agreed to renew the 1958 Mutual Defence Agreement, providing nuclear support to the UK until 2014, stating “it is in our interest to continue to assist the UK in maintaining a credible nuclear force.” Source: Dan Plesch. The Independent Oct 31 The Real Meaning of Deterrence In an excellent article in the Tablet under this title, Gerard W Hughes SJ considered what is meant by the policy of “nuclear deterrence”. It includes four Trident submarines, each Trident carries more fire power than the total expended during World War II and their missiles have a range of 4,000 miles. “Each Trident submarine carries up to 16 missiles, and each warhead has an explosive power eight times that of the Hiroshima bomb, an explosion that caused 70,000 to 100,000 immediate deaths. Another 100,000 died in the next three weeks. Many children in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, who were born post-war, still suffer severe deformities passed on by the radiation inflicted on their ancestors.” Gerard Hughes goes on: “So what does it mean for us to keep a deterrent? After all, ‘deter’ sounds a polite word, like ‘gently persuade’. In fact, its Latin root is from terrere, to terrify. A deterrent is the weapon of a terrorist, one who terrifies others into submission. We know something of the devastation, the murders, injuries and grief terrorists can cause. Yet as a nation we are prepared to do far worse, while trying vainly to ensure that other ‘less responsible nations’ are incapable of doing the same. Dorothy Day, who founded the Catholic Worker movement, stripped away all the false language about nuclear deterrence with the simple question: ‘What is the difference between throwing innocent people into ovens and throwing ovens at innocent people?’” Cardinal Keith O’Brien of Edinburgh used his Easter message to launch a campaign against the upgrading of Trident, urging that the billions of pounds would be better spent on relieving hunger and encouraging development in poor communities. Source: The Tablet 22 April Here are some random quotations that I hope will be of interest It’s not fair! Donald Rumsfeld, US Secretary of Defence, complains that in Iraq the “insurgents” are not being fair. “The enemy cannot win a single conventional battle. So they challenge us through non-traditional, assymetric means, using terror as their weapon of choice.” Terror isn’t a weapon, it’s a tactic. Roadside bombs are the weapons, against which the world’s most powerful military is all but helpless. Rumsfeld seems to be complaining that the enemy, faced with a vastly superior force, refuses to act like real men and stand still so that they can be killed! Source: NCR 14 April. US military spending is nearing $500bn a year or about $15,000 per second. Martin Luther King Jr. speaking on April 4 1967, exactly one year before he was killed, said of the Viet Nam war: A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defence than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual death. In 1997, according to a study conducted for America’s Second Harvest Network, which provides emergency hunger relief services, there were 21.4 million hungry people in America. That number increased to 23.3 million in 2001 and to 25.35 million in 2005, the most recent year for which figures are available. The study surveyed 30,000 local charitable agencies and used 52,000 face-to-face interviews. For further information see www.secondharvest.org. Source: NCR March 10 “What doesn’t seem to be understood is that when your children are dying of malnutrition, when you have no hope of improving the miserable conditions in which you and your family are forced to live, no wall, no amount of enforcement, no punishment will keep you from doing what provides hope.” An El Salvadorean mother of three, replying to US proposed remedies against immigration. Words of wisdom If I cycle instead of using a car, walk, save energy, recycle my waste, buy less, etc., I am having a less harmful effect on the planet. If I can persuade someone else to do the same, the effect is doubled. What if I can persuade six, ten, twenty people? What if I persuade the politicians to bring in better environmental legislation? Practise multiplication! Source: Scarborough Greenguide Issue 12 Thought for today All war must be just the killing of strangers against whom you feel no personal animosity; strangers whom, in other circumstances you would help if you found them in trouble, and would help you if you needed it. Mark Twain 1835-1910 Barbara Hungin Chair 01642 784398 Sr Mary Walmsley CJ Secretary 01904 464919 Nan Saeki Treasurer 01904 783621 Chris Dove Editor 01947 825043 email: dove.whitby@phonecoop.coop or 22 Blackburns Yard Whitby YO22 4DS website:www.ayton.info/middlesbroughjp If you have not checked it out, the Commission website gives access to much more than just the current newsletter. John Blatchford has set up an ongoing archive of all the newsletters for the last 2 years. PROGRAMME FOR 2006 Date Place Theme 18 March Middsbro’ Environment 20 May York AGM WDM 15 July Hull Quiet Day 16 September York Asylum issues 18 November Youth Forum A Prayer Jesus Christ, friend of the poor and lonely, we give you thanks for any opportunity to learn of those whose lives, lacking clean water, are burdened by circumstances beyond their control. We pray that our work may help to bring comfort and hope to all people in need as we seek your Kingdom of Peace on earth. Amen
Commission contacts
Our meeting in March considered Climate Change and our responses. We heard that every Church of England diocese has a designated environmental officer, each of whom
EDITORIAL Our meeting in March considered Climate Change and our responses. We heard that every Church of England diocese has a designated environmental officer, each of whom has drawn down a government subsidy for workshops which have challenged and inspired their parishes. As is so often the case, the Quakers too are ahead of us. In 2004 Quaker Green Action published a booklet called “Walk Cheerfully, Step Lightly” giving 26 pages of practical suggestions for changes we can make to reduce the damage we inflict on the earth. We are very grateful to Elizabeth Rendell, our speaker at that meeting. This month we focus on Development issues and our speaker will be Vicky Cann, Campaign Officer for WDM, who attended the UN World Water Forum in Mexico City. WDM was founded 30 years ago in the belief that charity alone is not enough – that we need to fight the causes, not just the symptoms, of poverty. WDM’s policies are set by the priorities of their partners in developing countries. WDM’s campaigns have kept poverty on the political agenda and in the public eye. World summits are now dominated by the debt issue, trade reform is on the agenda, and Britain is increasing, not cutting, overseas aid. British aid money is being used to push water privatization on poor countries, making it less likely that clean water will get to the poorest people. And while poor people lose out, a group of big UK companies are profiting from this aid. In a world where nearly 6,000 children die every day because of unclean water, this is a scandal that must stop. This meeting will also be our AGM and reports will be given on the year’s work. Please note my changed email address. Chris Dove Note: the views expressed in this newsletter do not necessarily coincide with those of the Commission. DEVELOPMENT BY THE PEOPLE, FOR THE PEOPLE. Malawians have been living and coping in a land of extremes. Many people have been standing in long queues to receive food; they wait while their children are sick under both the baking sun and alternating heavy rain, according to Fr Joseph Mpinganjira, Secretary General of the Catholic Development Commission in Malawi (Cadecom). After the latest floods, Fr Joseph describes the situation he found when he visited the area affected. “Where the river Shire had burst its banks, it had swept up in its path maize and sorghum crops, as well as livestock and the remnants of people’s homes and belongings. How do I now draw on my faith to comfort those who have lost everything, and do not know how they are going to start again? Can I really preach “Man does not live on bread alone?” As the developmental arm of the Church, Cadecom works to bring hope to communities by making Jesus felt in our programmes, but on this day, the people brought hope to me. They asked for tools and seeds so that they can plant again as soon as the flood waters had receded, as they still hoped that there was a chance of reaping a good harvest. The hope they expressed – that they could start again – bolstered my own as I got back into the car. One way forward is for all Malawians to look for some of our own answers to the problems causing our hunger – issues such as climate change, investment in irrigation and the impact of HIV/Aids on our ability to feed ourselves. Cadecom’s work cannot reach everybody, but with funding support from long-term untiring partners such a Cafod we are able to create development with the people and for the people, moving us closer to the hope that we as Malawians and Africans will be able in a few years to better understand ourselves and handle difficult situations for ourselves.” Source: The Tablet 4 March WATER At the World Water Forum, the UN launched a report which said: “The privatisation of water services displays uneven results. Many multinational water companies are currently decreasing their activities in developing countries. The potential of local small-scale companies and civil society organisations to help improve water services has largely been overlooked by governments and donors.” Clean water is a human right. Yet the UN has declared that water quality is declining in most regions, that there is an increasing demand for water to grow crops for burgeoning populations, and that urban areas are exploding. By 2030 some 2 billion people will live in illegal squatter settlements and slums with no access to water. Furthermore, after almost 15 years of promises by world bodies, national governments, water companies and others, the world’s poorest are still not getting the most basic human need. There is now no chance that the millennium development goal of halving the proportion of people without access to clean water by 2015 will be met. At this rate of progress, says the World Water Council, “access to clean water cannot be guaranteed until beyond 2050 in Africa, 2025 in Asia and 2040 in Latin America and the Caribbean.” A report by the UK charity WaterAid shows that 61% of the EU’s international aid earmarked for water and sanitation goes to comparatively wealthy countries. Global water companies are blamed. National governments, the IMF and the World Bank have all pushed them to provide water to the poor. There have been some successful privatisations, but many others have left people paying high prices, with thousands unemployed and governments locked into crippling long-term contracts. Research by the World Bank and others demonstrates that the public sector is not always incapable of providing clean water. It still provides, in difficult circumstances, water for 90% of the world. The public sector is in many countries reforming itself, gaining confidence and learning how to raise money and stand up to international pressure. Cities such as Recife in Brazil and Bogota in Colombia have persuaded the World Bank to make loans for public service expansion, something inconceivable 10 years ago. The pendulum is swinging back towards the public sector and, at some point, international donors, banks and governments will recognise that clean water is a human right and that to deny it to people for the sake of a political idea makes no sense. Until then billions of people will die from water-borne diseases, waste hours of their day collecting water or go into debt to stay alive. Source: John Vidal. The Guardian Weekly 24-30 March HUMAN WRITESAbout a year ago, I took on the responsibility of writing to a prisoner on Death Row. This is something I can recommend; it takes very little time and costs very little money. Initially I was concerned that a correspondent of my age would be of very little interest to a young man on the other side of the Atlantic, and more particularly worried that accounts of my full and happy life would only add to his loneliness and sense of desperation. However, I need not have feared. My correspondent, Robert, is always more than delighted to receive my letters. A typical response is “I was so very happy to receive your so very sweet and loving letter. You all really did brighten my day up for me. You always know how to put a Great Big Smile on my face.” Naturally I feel more than a little ashamed to have such a response to what seem relatively feeble efforts on my part, but it makes me realise how much letters mean to people like Robert. I belong to an organisation called Human Writes, which gives helpful advice to people writing to those on Death Row. It also publishes a quarterly magazine, and I was very impressed by an article by Dennis Skillicorn (2005) Missouri Death Row, in the latest edition, from which the following is an extract. “What a wonderful truth that affairs of the heart know no man-made boundaries! Regardless of the circumstances, or how hard the system may work to discourage us or tear us down, stereotypes or false innuendo can never stifle our desire or ability to care for our fellow man. Even from inside a maximum security prison, there are ways to make a positive difference.
For example, Compassion is a bimonthly publication created, written and edited by death row offenders to raise scholarship money for family members of murdered victims. It also gives those living life on death row a chance to share their artistic and social expression and to contribute to their culture in a positive way. They share life lessons in hopes that others who read their material will not make the same bad choices they made. They write about the importance of forgiveness, reconciliation, restitution and restorative justice. They share their pain their regrets, their remorse …. and their dreams. Our mission is to raise donations for scholarships that go to murdered victims’ families to aid them with their education. Offenders do not handle any of the money – all funds are controlled by a board of directors on the outside. However, the editor and assistant editors of Compassion choose the winning applicant(s) in each scholarship funding cycle. What we are doing is an effective tool to tear down false stereotyping and show the world the truth about who we are. That truth is that the vast majority of those on death row are not the people who committed their crimes. Most had drug or alcohol related offences and now have a clear heart and mind. Free of their former destructive lifestyle, they are able to return to those things that are truly valuable to us all, such as love of God and love of family. Their focus is back on positive things. To subscribe to Compassion visit our website at www.compassionondeathrow.org, or write to Compassion, 140W South Boundary Street, Perrysburg, Ohio 3551 Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you would like to write to a prisoner on death row. Anthea Dove Britain’s ‘independent’ deterrent is in American hands. In 1962 the US Defence Secretary Robert McNamara revealed that the British Trident fleet “did not operate independently” to Harold Macmillan’s acute embarrassment. His Permanent Private Secretary, Sir Robert Scott recorded that the decision to accept President Kennedy’s offer of their Polaris missile submarine, has “put us in American’s pocket for a decade”. The US knows where the British nuclear submarines are and firing the missiles without US supplied data and satellites is almost impossible. The Atomic Weapons Establishment at Aldermaston is one-third managed by the US firm of Lockheed Martin; the nuclear warhead factory was designed and built by a US company as a copy of the one at Los Alamos. The British fuse and firing system is designed and built by America’s Sandia national laboratory. Some of the nuclear explosives are imported from the US and so too is the warhead casing and guidance system. In 2004 President Bush agreed to renew the 1958 Mutual Defence Agreement, providing nuclear support to the UK until 2014, stating “it is in our interest to continue to assist the UK in maintaining a credible nuclear force.” Source: Dan Plesch. The Independent Oct 31 The Real Meaning of Deterrence In an excellent article in the Tablet under this title, Gerard W Hughes SJ considered what is meant by the policy of “nuclear deterrence”. It includes four Trident submarines, each Trident carries more fire power than the total expended during World War II and their missiles have a range of 4,000 miles. “Each Trident submarine carries up to 16 missiles, and each warhead has an explosive power eight times that of the Hiroshima bomb, an explosion that caused 70,000 to 100,000 immediate deaths. Another 100,000 died in the next three weeks. Many children in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, who were born post-war, still suffer severe deformities passed on by the radiation inflicted on their ancestors.” Gerard Hughes goes on: “So what does it mean for us to keep a deterrent? After all, ‘deter’ sounds a polite word, like ‘gently persuade’. In fact, its Latin root is from terrere, to terrify. A deterrent is the weapon of a terrorist, one who terrifies others into submission. We know something of the devastation, the murders, injuries and grief terrorists can cause. Yet as a nation we are prepared to do far worse, while trying vainly to ensure that other ‘less responsible nations’ are incapable of doing the same. Dorothy Day, who founded the Catholic Worker movement, stripped away all the false language about nuclear deterrence with the simple question: ‘What is the difference between throwing innocent people into ovens and throwing ovens at innocent people?’” Cardinal Keith O’Brien of Edinburgh used his Easter message to launch a campaign against the upgrading of Trident, urging that the billions of pounds would be better spent on relieving hunger and encouraging development in poor communities. Source: The Tablet 22 April Here are some random quotations that I hope will be of interest It’s not fair! Donald Rumsfeld, US Secretary of Defence, complains that in Iraq the “insurgents” are not being fair. “The enemy cannot win a single conventional battle. So they challenge us through non-traditional, assymetric means, using terror as their weapon of choice.” Terror isn’t a weapon, it’s a tactic. Roadside bombs are the weapons, against which the world’s most powerful military is all but helpless. Rumsfeld seems to be complaining that the enemy, faced with a vastly superior force, refuses to act like real men and stand still so that they can be killed! Source: NCR 14 April. US military spending is nearing $500bn a year or about $15,000 per second. Martin Luther King Jr. speaking on April 4 1967, exactly one year before he was killed, said of the Viet Nam war: A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defence than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual death. In 1997, according to a study conducted for America’s Second Harvest Network, which provides emergency hunger relief services, there were 21.4 million hungry people in America. That number increased to 23.3 million in 2001 and to 25.35 million in 2005, the most recent year for which figures are available. The study surveyed 30,000 local charitable agencies and used 52,000 face-to-face interviews. For further information see www.secondharvest.org. Source: NCR March 10 “What doesn’t seem to be understood is that when your children are dying of malnutrition, when you have no hope of improving the miserable conditions in which you and your family are forced to live, no wall, no amount of enforcement, no punishment will keep you from doing what provides hope.” An El Salvadorean mother of three, replying to US proposed remedies against immigration. Words of wisdom If I cycle instead of using a car, walk, save energy, recycle my waste, buy less, etc., I am having a less harmful effect on the planet. If I can persuade someone else to do the same, the effect is doubled. What if I can persuade six, ten, twenty people? What if I persuade the politicians to bring in better environmental legislation? Practise multiplication! Source: Scarborough Greenguide Issue 12 Thought for today All war must be just the killing of strangers against whom you feel no personal animosity; strangers whom, in other circumstances you would help if you found them in trouble, and would help you if you needed it. Mark Twain 1835-1910 Barbara Hungin Chair 01642 784398 Sr Mary Walmsley CJ Secretary 01904 464919 Nan Saeki Treasurer 01904 783621 Chris Dove Editor 01947 825043 email: dove.whitby@phonecoop.coop or 22 Blackburns Yard Whitby YO22 4DS website:www.ayton.info/middlesbroughjp If you have not checked it out, the Commission website gives access to much more than just the current newsletter. John Blatchford has set up an ongoing archive of all the newsletters for the last 2 years. PROGRAMME FOR 2006 Date Place Theme 18 March Middsbro’ Environment 20 May York AGM WDM 15 July Hull Quiet Day 16 September York Asylum issues 18 November Youth Forum A Prayer Jesus Christ, friend of the poor and lonely, we give you thanks for any opportunity to learn of those whose lives, lacking clean water, are burdened by circumstances beyond their control. We pray that our work may help to bring comfort and hope to all people in need as we seek your Kingdom of Peace on earth. Amen
Commission contacts
MARCH/APRIL 2006
March 1st, 2006
This issue concentrates on the Environment. Hardly a day goes by without another report of the dire consequences of the way we have been treating the world.
EDITORIAL This issue concentrates on the Environment. Hardly a day goes by without another report of the dire consequences of the way we have been treating the world. Those who came to our meeting in York in November 2000 heard a prescient talk by the late Professor Adrian Hastings. Earlier that year he had written a piece for The Tablet with the title Beware Apocalypse, in which he wrote “by the middle of the twenty-first century people will be looking back on the last years of the twentieth century as a blissful era of security and of peace. The most uncontrollable factor will be global warming working more rapidly than anyone thought possible until very recently. Apart from the devastation caused by the rise in sea level, the whole ecological balance of the world will have changed and the weather everywhere will become increasingly violent and erratic.” Since then we have seen the horrors of the tsunami, the earthquake in Pakistan, hurricane Katrina and the village drowned in mud in the Philipines. What will we see in the years to come? President Bush now accepts that there is a problem; his remedy is for American technological knowledge to find a solution. The UK government is considering the building of nuclear power stations. Perhaps it would be more appropriate to invest the same amount of money in alternative fuels. The oil industry might also invest much more of their enormous profits – Shell made $2.6m per hour last year – in seeking solutions. Worldwide population increases also add to the problem. Madeleine Bunting and Karen Armstrong believe we need to change our behaviour. Jonathon Porritt suggests that farming policies will need to be changed. Philip Swiers, who farms in Yorkshire, brings it back to a local situation and Andy Welford, with overseas experience, anotherYorkshire farmer, adds his comments. Would you like to share your views? Dennis Rich who came to our January meeting asks for volunteers to help with the monthly protest outside BAE Systems Brough. Contact Dennis on 01302 570698. We are always open to contributions from readers and particularly welcome Joel Mullan’s report from the Middlesbrough J&P group. Victoria Trow writes what I hope may be the first of an occasional series of pieces from students in the diocese. Victoria, from All Saints School York, was one of the students who presented a most interesting range of J&P issues that concern them, when we met there in November. Chris Dove Note: the views expressed in this newsletter do not necessarily coincide with those of the Commission.
Boiling point on climate change “It now seems that climate change will dwarf the damage the common agricultural policy subsidies wreak on African farmers; it is already costing at least 150,000 lives a year as warmer temperatures encourage disease, and erratic rainfall will starve millions in coming years. Here is an issue that makes all the aid and debt deals of 2005 look like an afternoon parlour game. The environmental movement has got to get its act together fast. There are only 10 years left if emissions are to start falling after 2015, as they must if we are to keep below the vital benchmark of a 2°C increase in temperature. The campaign has to be to change our behaviour: we are the enemies and we will be the losers. “No low-cost flights to Ibiza” is never going to be a popular rallying cry. There are two opinions. Most environmental groups have joined a coalition – Stop Climate Chaos – hoping to get people on the streets in the numbers needed to make Westminster take stock, but it has singularly failed to make much impact as yet. Then there is the apocalypse contingent. They’ve lost all patience with the public and political apathy. Only when people begin to see that fossil fuels are running out, prices are rising sharply and economies collapsing, will they realise that we need to invest billions in renewable energies. In the meantime, runs this argument, the biggest breakthroughs are being made by corporations whose future earnings depend on it, such a BP and its investment in renewables. We need brilliant campaigning of the kind that got an obscure financial issue such as third world debt into the mainstream political agenda in the 90s.” Madeleine Bunting. Guardian Weekly Jan 20-26
Let it begin with me “We are, all of us, deeply entrenched in denial, and we have become dependent on all those things that we know are radically wrong. We live by robbing nature, but our standard of living requires that we keep on robbing …. We are unable or unwilling to change the way we live, which is predicated on having more than we need, so much so that most of us don’t know what we need.” Elizabeth McAlister, 65, widow of Philip Berrigan and longtime peace activist. NCR 20 Jan
Environmental concern In the ancient world, religion helped people to develop a holistic vision. Gods, humans, animals, plants and other natural phenomena all participated in the same divine life; all were subject to an overarching order that kept everything in being and shared the same predicament. It is neither practicable nor desirable to recover this view in its entirety, but we could try to cultivate its underlying attitudes. First would be the awareness that everyone, without exception, was in the same boat: to destroy or maim any part endangered the whole. Second, there were no fantasies of omnipotence or omniscience: everyone was equally vulnerable. Third was the sense that everyone was responsible for the cosmos, and had to do his or her bit. Fourth, the natural world was not simply a resource but was revered as sacred, Finally there was the conviction that human behaviour could affect the environment for good or ill, and that society that did not respect the natural rhythms of the cosmos could not survive. It is no use hoping for the best or waiting until “they” have discovered a cleaner form of energy. In the ancient world, assiduous religious ritual and ethical practice helped people to cultivate their respect for the holiness of the earth. If we want to save our planet, we must find a modern way to do the same. Karen Armstrong. Source: Guardian Weekly Dec 23- Jan 5
Population threat to planet The world’s growing population is threatening efforts to combat global warming and other ecological problems, according to Chris Rapley. The director of the British Antarctic Survey, said the 76 million annual increase in global population was putting at risk “the welfare and quality of life of future generations.” The current population of 6.5 billion, which is expected to rise to eight billion by the middle of the century, meant that mankind was imposing an ever greater footprint on the planet. Advances in the battle to rein in climate change, such as the Montreal Agreement, could be wiped out by the need of each additional person for food, shelter, transport and waste disposal facilities, Prof Ripley added. Source: The Times 7 January
Gerald Danaher, a retired NHS GP with many years of experience in Zambia, adds these sombre notes. [Figures from UN World Population Prospects 2004 Revision] The world population increase of over 2 billion people in a century is in great part due to the spread of western medical expertise. The scale of this success in saving lives can be illustrated by figures for the decade 1990-2000: In Iraq numbers increased by over 6 million to 25 million. In Afghanistan, an increase of 9 million to 24 million. In Pakistan, 31 million, bringing the total to 142 million, and Nigeria increased by 27 million to 117 million. In 1950, the figures for these four countries were, 5 million, 8 million, 37 million and 33 million respectively. In the 1950s and 1960s it was generally accepted that this rate of increase, if left unchecked would make the eradication of world poverty impossible. In recent decades this insight has been almost completely lost.
Hard Facts to Swallow Researchers at the University of Chicago have calculated the relative carbon intensity of a standard vegan diet in comparison to a US-style carnivorous diet. The average burger man uses the equivalent of 1.5 tonnes more CO² every year than the standard vegan. Compassion in World Farming’s report Global Benefits of Eating Less Meat considers the amount of grain, soya and other feedstuffs needed to produce, chicken, pork and beef. The more meat we eat, the more hectares of land, the extra water consumption, the extra energy burned and the extra chemicals will be required. We are now prepared to get our food anywhere in the world, as long as the price is lower, and it meets minimum food safety and animal welfare standards. In a global economy food is treated like any other traded commodity. But it isn’t like that. It is the foundation of personal wellbeing and is inextricably interwoven into a nation’s culture, character and land use. Competition for land and water has never been fiercer: protests and riots over land use will become more common. A sustainable future depends on securing a thriving rural economy which in turn depends on keeping sustainable food production. That means policies that do not leave local farmers disadvantaged by overseas producers, that actively promote local sourcing, and that reduce carbon intensity in food production and distribution. Source: Jonathon Porritt. Weekly Guardian 13-19 Jan Sustainability, that seems to be the buzzword at the moment whether you talk to a politician, an environmentalist or a farmer. Unfortunately its meaning can be dependent upon the person you are talking too. The village where I live is in the process of providing an affordable housing scheme to local people. This is to ensure the sustainability of our community. It is proposed that the houses are constructed to the most modern standards to guarantee they too are sustainable. Unfortunately this may mean upvc windows, doors and rainwater pipes, polystyrene insulation and oil fired heating. Although the aim is laudable the means of achieving it are self-defeating. New development should return to using natural, local and renewable materials. Heating must be derived from renewable resources. This might be solar, wind, wave, biomass or a combination of differing types. Micro renewable power generation, where each house generates it’s own power, is now a practical proposition. Cars and lorries will soon be running partly on biodiesel, under the governments renewable fuel obligation, but we must ensure the biodiesel is locally grown and has not been shipped long distances where it was grown on land once rainforest, now slashed and burnt. Philip Swiers We need both While it is undoubtedly true that vegetarian and vegan diets are beneficial to the environment, there are practical considerations which mean consumption of meat and dairy products need to be part of a more environmentally and socially just future. 1. Ruminant animals (eg cattle and sheep) are able to make use of harsher regions which are unsuitable for cropping. Whether it’s sheep grazing the North York Moors or cattle kept by the Masai in the semi-arid regions of East Africa, these animals are able to produce food with relatively low fossil fuel inputs. 2. If we were to move towards a lower input agriculture, crop rotation, involving animals and crops would be beneficial. Animal traction is also very important in many regions. 3. Vegetarian diets often involve large quantities of imported foods eg nuts, soya, pulses. It is more environmentally friendly to encourage local production for local consumption and reduce the so-called ‘food miles’. It is also immoral that large areas of poor countries are devoted to export crop production (whether to feed our animals or ourselves directly) when there is so much hunger in those areas. 4. Currently it is over production and dumping which are major problems in the world food market and more vegetarianism would make this situation worse in the short term. So the environmentally friendly diet must involve more plants and fewer animals but meat and dairy products will still form part of a more sustainable future agriculture. Andy Welford
Sustainability
For those interested in continuing this debate, a meeting is being held in Emmanuel Church, Saltburn, at 7.30pm Friday 28th April at which the speaker will be John Madely, a writer on third world issues, and author of Hungry for Trade – A people’s world: 100 ways to make poverty history.
Young people speak Ashok Kumar, MP for Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland, addressed the Middlesbrough Youth Justice and Peace Group in late January, at an event kindly hosted by Middlesbrough’s St Francis Church. In an impressive speech that exceeded the expectations of the event’s organisers, Dr Kumar covered a wide range of issues in the jurisdiction of the Department of International Development, an area in which he has vast experience in his role as Parliamentary Private Secretary to DfID’s Secretary of State, Hilary Benn. The speech was followed by a question and answer session. Following the event Dr Kumar said that he had “enjoyed every moment of it.” Others attending the event, including many members of the local parish Justice and Peace group, were also pleased with what was judged to be a worthwhile evening by the twenty people who attended. Joel Mullan.
I suffer from a mild form of autism called Asperger’s Syndrome (AS), which causes communication problems and affects the way a person sees the world. It may not be one of the greatest concerns of our time but 1 in every 86 children has an autistic spectrum disorder and this number is rising rapidly. I still find it difficult to make eye contact with others and when I was younger I was terrified of speaking to other children. I had very unpleasant experiences of this ignorance through primary school and felt that teachers and older pupils should be made aware of this. At secondary school I was much happier because staff and pupils valued me for being individual and had more experience of AS. They had perhaps taught more pupils with the condition. At primary school I had severe problems with being different because the teachers were unaware of the condition. I believe that all schools, especially small ones who have not had experience with autism, should be educated about the impact school life will have on the affected pupil, the bearing this will have on other pupils and how the pupils should be treated to make them feel welcome. Victoria Trow
Victoria is a Year 13 student and her fluency and well argued case impressed us all. The treatment of people with disabilities is a justice issue. They have a right to expect better treatment and this will only come when we are all better informed.
Redistribution of wealth? (1) A report in December told of two bankers who went into a London bar and ordered the bartender to make them the most expensive cocktail he could concoct. He mixed cognac and champagne, fresh lemongrass and lychees and charged £333 per glass. The bankers ordered two rounds for their table of eight! Source: Guardian Weekly Dec 2-8
Redistribution of wealth? (2) An investigation into who gets the EU’s farm subsidies revealed that the biggest beneficiaries were not farmers but food producers. In 2003 and 2004 Tate & Lyle was given £227m, Nestlé was paid to export milk, GlaxoSmithKline, Boots, Eton College, Heineken, Grolsch, Shell and the tobacco company Philip Morris have all been given millions in farm subsidies. And KLM received a farm subsidy for “rural restructuring”: turning part of the Dutch countryside into a runway. Source: Guardian Weekly Dec 23 – Jan 5
Commission contacts Barbara Hungin Chair 01642 784398 Sr Mary Walmsley CJ Secretary 01904 464919 Nan Saeki Treasurer 01904 783621 Chris Dove Editor 01947 825043 email: dove.whitby@ukgateway.net or 22 Blackburns Yard Whitby YO22 4DS website:www.ayton.info/middlesbroughjp
PROGRAMME FOR 2006 Date Place Theme 18 March Middsbro’ Environment 20 May York AGM & WDM 15 July Hull Quiet Day 16 September York Asylum Issues 18 November Youth Forum
and a request…. This newsletter is supplied free but it costs money to produce especially for those who have it posted to them. If you find it of value, perhaps you would consider sending a donation to the Treasurer: Nan Saeki 55 Moorgate York YO24 4HP. It would be very much appreciated.
For Lent 2006 Here is a slightly broader vision of “fasting.”
Fast from criticism …....feast on praise. Fast from self pity …..... feast on joy. Fast from resentment …. feast on contentment. Fast from jealousy ….....feast on love. Fast from pride …....feast on humility. Fast from selfishness …..feast on service. Fast from fear …...........feast on faith.
This issue concentrates on the Environment. Hardly a day goes by without another report of the dire consequences of the way we have been treating the world.
EDITORIAL This issue concentrates on the Environment. Hardly a day goes by without another report of the dire consequences of the way we have been treating the world. Those who came to our meeting in York in November 2000 heard a prescient talk by the late Professor Adrian Hastings. Earlier that year he had written a piece for The Tablet with the title Beware Apocalypse, in which he wrote “by the middle of the twenty-first century people will be looking back on the last years of the twentieth century as a blissful era of security and of peace. The most uncontrollable factor will be global warming working more rapidly than anyone thought possible until very recently. Apart from the devastation caused by the rise in sea level, the whole ecological balance of the world will have changed and the weather everywhere will become increasingly violent and erratic.” Since then we have seen the horrors of the tsunami, the earthquake in Pakistan, hurricane Katrina and the village drowned in mud in the Philipines. What will we see in the years to come? President Bush now accepts that there is a problem; his remedy is for American technological knowledge to find a solution. The UK government is considering the building of nuclear power stations. Perhaps it would be more appropriate to invest the same amount of money in alternative fuels. The oil industry might also invest much more of their enormous profits – Shell made $2.6m per hour last year – in seeking solutions. Worldwide population increases also add to the problem. Madeleine Bunting and Karen Armstrong believe we need to change our behaviour. Jonathon Porritt suggests that farming policies will need to be changed. Philip Swiers, who farms in Yorkshire, brings it back to a local situation and Andy Welford, with overseas experience, anotherYorkshire farmer, adds his comments. Would you like to share your views? Dennis Rich who came to our January meeting asks for volunteers to help with the monthly protest outside BAE Systems Brough. Contact Dennis on 01302 570698. We are always open to contributions from readers and particularly welcome Joel Mullan’s report from the Middlesbrough J&P group. Victoria Trow writes what I hope may be the first of an occasional series of pieces from students in the diocese. Victoria, from All Saints School York, was one of the students who presented a most interesting range of J&P issues that concern them, when we met there in November. Chris Dove Note: the views expressed in this newsletter do not necessarily coincide with those of the Commission.
Boiling point on climate change “It now seems that climate change will dwarf the damage the common agricultural policy subsidies wreak on African farmers; it is already costing at least 150,000 lives a year as warmer temperatures encourage disease, and erratic rainfall will starve millions in coming years. Here is an issue that makes all the aid and debt deals of 2005 look like an afternoon parlour game. The environmental movement has got to get its act together fast. There are only 10 years left if emissions are to start falling after 2015, as they must if we are to keep below the vital benchmark of a 2°C increase in temperature. The campaign has to be to change our behaviour: we are the enemies and we will be the losers. “No low-cost flights to Ibiza” is never going to be a popular rallying cry. There are two opinions. Most environmental groups have joined a coalition – Stop Climate Chaos – hoping to get people on the streets in the numbers needed to make Westminster take stock, but it has singularly failed to make much impact as yet. Then there is the apocalypse contingent. They’ve lost all patience with the public and political apathy. Only when people begin to see that fossil fuels are running out, prices are rising sharply and economies collapsing, will they realise that we need to invest billions in renewable energies. In the meantime, runs this argument, the biggest breakthroughs are being made by corporations whose future earnings depend on it, such a BP and its investment in renewables. We need brilliant campaigning of the kind that got an obscure financial issue such as third world debt into the mainstream political agenda in the 90s.” Madeleine Bunting. Guardian Weekly Jan 20-26
Let it begin with me “We are, all of us, deeply entrenched in denial, and we have become dependent on all those things that we know are radically wrong. We live by robbing nature, but our standard of living requires that we keep on robbing …. We are unable or unwilling to change the way we live, which is predicated on having more than we need, so much so that most of us don’t know what we need.” Elizabeth McAlister, 65, widow of Philip Berrigan and longtime peace activist. NCR 20 Jan
Environmental concern In the ancient world, religion helped people to develop a holistic vision. Gods, humans, animals, plants and other natural phenomena all participated in the same divine life; all were subject to an overarching order that kept everything in being and shared the same predicament. It is neither practicable nor desirable to recover this view in its entirety, but we could try to cultivate its underlying attitudes. First would be the awareness that everyone, without exception, was in the same boat: to destroy or maim any part endangered the whole. Second, there were no fantasies of omnipotence or omniscience: everyone was equally vulnerable. Third was the sense that everyone was responsible for the cosmos, and had to do his or her bit. Fourth, the natural world was not simply a resource but was revered as sacred, Finally there was the conviction that human behaviour could affect the environment for good or ill, and that society that did not respect the natural rhythms of the cosmos could not survive. It is no use hoping for the best or waiting until “they” have discovered a cleaner form of energy. In the ancient world, assiduous religious ritual and ethical practice helped people to cultivate their respect for the holiness of the earth. If we want to save our planet, we must find a modern way to do the same. Karen Armstrong. Source: Guardian Weekly Dec 23- Jan 5
Population threat to planet The world’s growing population is threatening efforts to combat global warming and other ecological problems, according to Chris Rapley. The director of the British Antarctic Survey, said the 76 million annual increase in global population was putting at risk “the welfare and quality of life of future generations.” The current population of 6.5 billion, which is expected to rise to eight billion by the middle of the century, meant that mankind was imposing an ever greater footprint on the planet. Advances in the battle to rein in climate change, such as the Montreal Agreement, could be wiped out by the need of each additional person for food, shelter, transport and waste disposal facilities, Prof Ripley added. Source: The Times 7 January
Gerald Danaher, a retired NHS GP with many years of experience in Zambia, adds these sombre notes. [Figures from UN World Population Prospects 2004 Revision] The world population increase of over 2 billion people in a century is in great part due to the spread of western medical expertise. The scale of this success in saving lives can be illustrated by figures for the decade 1990-2000: In Iraq numbers increased by over 6 million to 25 million. In Afghanistan, an increase of 9 million to 24 million. In Pakistan, 31 million, bringing the total to 142 million, and Nigeria increased by 27 million to 117 million. In 1950, the figures for these four countries were, 5 million, 8 million, 37 million and 33 million respectively. In the 1950s and 1960s it was generally accepted that this rate of increase, if left unchecked would make the eradication of world poverty impossible. In recent decades this insight has been almost completely lost.
Hard Facts to Swallow Researchers at the University of Chicago have calculated the relative carbon intensity of a standard vegan diet in comparison to a US-style carnivorous diet. The average burger man uses the equivalent of 1.5 tonnes more CO² every year than the standard vegan. Compassion in World Farming’s report Global Benefits of Eating Less Meat considers the amount of grain, soya and other feedstuffs needed to produce, chicken, pork and beef. The more meat we eat, the more hectares of land, the extra water consumption, the extra energy burned and the extra chemicals will be required. We are now prepared to get our food anywhere in the world, as long as the price is lower, and it meets minimum food safety and animal welfare standards. In a global economy food is treated like any other traded commodity. But it isn’t like that. It is the foundation of personal wellbeing and is inextricably interwoven into a nation’s culture, character and land use. Competition for land and water has never been fiercer: protests and riots over land use will become more common. A sustainable future depends on securing a thriving rural economy which in turn depends on keeping sustainable food production. That means policies that do not leave local farmers disadvantaged by overseas producers, that actively promote local sourcing, and that reduce carbon intensity in food production and distribution. Source: Jonathon Porritt. Weekly Guardian 13-19 Jan Sustainability, that seems to be the buzzword at the moment whether you talk to a politician, an environmentalist or a farmer. Unfortunately its meaning can be dependent upon the person you are talking too. The village where I live is in the process of providing an affordable housing scheme to local people. This is to ensure the sustainability of our community. It is proposed that the houses are constructed to the most modern standards to guarantee they too are sustainable. Unfortunately this may mean upvc windows, doors and rainwater pipes, polystyrene insulation and oil fired heating. Although the aim is laudable the means of achieving it are self-defeating. New development should return to using natural, local and renewable materials. Heating must be derived from renewable resources. This might be solar, wind, wave, biomass or a combination of differing types. Micro renewable power generation, where each house generates it’s own power, is now a practical proposition. Cars and lorries will soon be running partly on biodiesel, under the governments renewable fuel obligation, but we must ensure the biodiesel is locally grown and has not been shipped long distances where it was grown on land once rainforest, now slashed and burnt. Philip Swiers We need both While it is undoubtedly true that vegetarian and vegan diets are beneficial to the environment, there are practical considerations which mean consumption of meat and dairy products need to be part of a more environmentally and socially just future. 1. Ruminant animals (eg cattle and sheep) are able to make use of harsher regions which are unsuitable for cropping. Whether it’s sheep grazing the North York Moors or cattle kept by the Masai in the semi-arid regions of East Africa, these animals are able to produce food with relatively low fossil fuel inputs. 2. If we were to move towards a lower input agriculture, crop rotation, involving animals and crops would be beneficial. Animal traction is also very important in many regions. 3. Vegetarian diets often involve large quantities of imported foods eg nuts, soya, pulses. It is more environmentally friendly to encourage local production for local consumption and reduce the so-called ‘food miles’. It is also immoral that large areas of poor countries are devoted to export crop production (whether to feed our animals or ourselves directly) when there is so much hunger in those areas. 4. Currently it is over production and dumping which are major problems in the world food market and more vegetarianism would make this situation worse in the short term. So the environmentally friendly diet must involve more plants and fewer animals but meat and dairy products will still form part of a more sustainable future agriculture. Andy Welford
Sustainability
For those interested in continuing this debate, a meeting is being held in Emmanuel Church, Saltburn, at 7.30pm Friday 28th April at which the speaker will be John Madely, a writer on third world issues, and author of Hungry for Trade – A people’s world: 100 ways to make poverty history.
Young people speak Ashok Kumar, MP for Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland, addressed the Middlesbrough Youth Justice and Peace Group in late January, at an event kindly hosted by Middlesbrough’s St Francis Church. In an impressive speech that exceeded the expectations of the event’s organisers, Dr Kumar covered a wide range of issues in the jurisdiction of the Department of International Development, an area in which he has vast experience in his role as Parliamentary Private Secretary to DfID’s Secretary of State, Hilary Benn. The speech was followed by a question and answer session. Following the event Dr Kumar said that he had “enjoyed every moment of it.” Others attending the event, including many members of the local parish Justice and Peace group, were also pleased with what was judged to be a worthwhile evening by the twenty people who attended. Joel Mullan.
I suffer from a mild form of autism called Asperger’s Syndrome (AS), which causes communication problems and affects the way a person sees the world. It may not be one of the greatest concerns of our time but 1 in every 86 children has an autistic spectrum disorder and this number is rising rapidly. I still find it difficult to make eye contact with others and when I was younger I was terrified of speaking to other children. I had very unpleasant experiences of this ignorance through primary school and felt that teachers and older pupils should be made aware of this. At secondary school I was much happier because staff and pupils valued me for being individual and had more experience of AS. They had perhaps taught more pupils with the condition. At primary school I had severe problems with being different because the teachers were unaware of the condition. I believe that all schools, especially small ones who have not had experience with autism, should be educated about the impact school life will have on the affected pupil, the bearing this will have on other pupils and how the pupils should be treated to make them feel welcome. Victoria Trow
Victoria is a Year 13 student and her fluency and well argued case impressed us all. The treatment of people with disabilities is a justice issue. They have a right to expect better treatment and this will only come when we are all better informed.
Redistribution of wealth? (1) A report in December told of two bankers who went into a London bar and ordered the bartender to make them the most expensive cocktail he could concoct. He mixed cognac and champagne, fresh lemongrass and lychees and charged £333 per glass. The bankers ordered two rounds for their table of eight! Source: Guardian Weekly Dec 2-8
Redistribution of wealth? (2) An investigation into who gets the EU’s farm subsidies revealed that the biggest beneficiaries were not farmers but food producers. In 2003 and 2004 Tate & Lyle was given £227m, Nestlé was paid to export milk, GlaxoSmithKline, Boots, Eton College, Heineken, Grolsch, Shell and the tobacco company Philip Morris have all been given millions in farm subsidies. And KLM received a farm subsidy for “rural restructuring”: turning part of the Dutch countryside into a runway. Source: Guardian Weekly Dec 23 – Jan 5
Commission contacts Barbara Hungin Chair 01642 784398 Sr Mary Walmsley CJ Secretary 01904 464919 Nan Saeki Treasurer 01904 783621 Chris Dove Editor 01947 825043 email: dove.whitby@ukgateway.net or 22 Blackburns Yard Whitby YO22 4DS website:www.ayton.info/middlesbroughjp
PROGRAMME FOR 2006 Date Place Theme 18 March Middsbro’ Environment 20 May York AGM & WDM 15 July Hull Quiet Day 16 September York Asylum Issues 18 November Youth Forum
and a request…. This newsletter is supplied free but it costs money to produce especially for those who have it posted to them. If you find it of value, perhaps you would consider sending a donation to the Treasurer: Nan Saeki 55 Moorgate York YO24 4HP. It would be very much appreciated.
For Lent 2006 Here is a slightly broader vision of “fasting.”
Fast from criticism …....feast on praise. Fast from self pity …..... feast on joy. Fast from resentment …. feast on contentment. Fast from jealousy ….....feast on love. Fast from pride …....feast on humility. Fast from selfishness …..feast on service. Fast from fear …...........feast on faith.
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2006
January 1st, 2006
This issue concentrates on the need for Peacemaking. It cannot be said that the world has become more peaceful in the last twelve months.
EDITORIAL
This issue concentrates on the need for Peacemaking. It cannot be said that the world has become more peaceful in the last twelve months.
Barbara looks forward to 2006 and notes our wish, as a Commission, to work with others who have similar aims.
The “Living Ghosts” campaign run by Church Action on Poverty, highlights the plight of those seeking asylum here whose applications are refused and who cannot return home. In our diocese the Mary Thompson Fund tries to help with small weekly payments to those who are left with neither money nor accommodation. Some generous parishes are providing food parcels.
And finally, this first issue for 2006 gives me an opportunity to say thank you to all those who sent donations in 2005 to cover the cost of production and postage. If you would like to help, Nan would be pleased to receive your contribution.
Chris Dove
Note: the views expressed in this newsletter do not necessarily coincide with those of the Commission.
Looking forward to 2006
Newspapers are full of predictions for 2006. Whilst most of these may prove to be fanciful, it is good both to reflect on the achievements of 2005 and to look forward to our programme for the next twelve months.
One of the significant features of the MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY campaign was the coming together of so many different organisations with a common aim. The momentum and unprecedented level of campaigning did so much to raise awareness of the global impact of economic injustice. The true results of that campaign will be seen over the next few years but for those of us who were in Edinburgh on July 2nd the experience of witnessing so many who were intent on making their voices heard was very powerful.
Within the Commission we are also keen to work more closely with others. Our January meeting, facilitated by Yorkshire CND, builds on connections made last year with other peace organisations and will concentrate on Trident and the future of British Nuclear Weapons.
In March, the focus of our meeting will be the environment with Elisabeth Rendall from Christian Ecology Link and in May at our AGM we will have a speaker from WDM.
Another fruitful initiative which will gather pace this year is the Fair and Just Trade Project – a coalition of churches of all denominations in North and East Yorkshire working towards achieving Fairtrade status across the region.
It is good to take the momentum of 2005 into the coming months and I hope that, together, we can continue to make our voices heard in 2006.
Barbara.
For Peace Sunday
With his 2006 Peace Sunday Message, Pope Benedict reminds us that the struggle for peace must begin in our hearts. He invites us to reflect on the theme “In Truth is Peace”. Unless we are people of truth, and unless we speak the truth of the Gospel, we cannot bring healing and peace to the world. And this requires more than words.
“What is needed now is the Christian who manifests the truth of the Gospel in social action … clear and decisive action explains itself and teaches in a way words never can.”
Thomas Merton. ‘Peace in the Post Christian Era’.
“Violence is a lie, for it goes against the truth of our faith, the truth of our humanity. Violence destroys what it claims to defend: the dignity, the life, the freedom of human beings.”
Pope John Paul II. Drogheda, Ireland 1979.
Since the 1970s, Truth Commissions have been a feature of building peace and reconciliation in countries including Argentina, El Salvador, South Africa and Guatemala. Their aim has been to help communities deal with war crimes and other human rights abuses. Truth-telling and breaking the culture of silence are part of the more difficult reconciliation process.
Source: Pax Christi
Peace
From America comes this comment:
“Peace is at the heart of our sacred texts. It is a peace that defies logic. We don’t hear much about it from our pulpits and even less from our civic leaders except as the platitudinous denouement to speeches about war.
One would be hard pressed to discover the vaunted “Christian” character of the United States through the official references to peacemaking. In fact there is no single pursuit to which we give more time, energy or resources than the preparation of mass violence and war-making. The military budget for 2005 is expected to be around $400 billion. That doesn’t include the $300 billion already spent on the open-ended wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Our religious leaders can muster the fervour of the newly converted, arguing against any state concessions for same sex couples or railing against officials they deem insufficiently vigilant on such matters as abortion. But there is relative silence when it comes to the enormous sums Americans dish out to fund the preparations for wars themselves; or for the extension of the global nuclear threat through development of new generations of bombs; or for the slaughter of untold thousands of civilians by our military hardware.
Much is made of the need to work for a culture of life. Too often the message has been severely truncated.”
Source: Editorial NCR Oct 21
The Second Vatican Council attempted to look upon war “with an entirely new attitude.”
* It condemned the concept of “total war”.
* It declared the arms race “an utterly treacherous trap for humanity which injures the poor to an intolerable degree.”
* It called for a “universal public authority” which would be “endowed with effective power to safeguard security, regard for justice and respect for rights.”
* It urged international co-operation to end “excessive economic inequalities” between nations which are among the chief causes of war.”
* It foresaw a “surpassing need for renewed education of attitudes … to instruct all in the sentiments of peace.”
John Paul II, during the Falklands war (1982), appealed for war itself to be abolished: “War should belong to the tragic past, to history; it should find no place on humanity’s agenda for the future.” In 1993 he said: “nuclear deterrence prevents genuine nuclear disarmament …. It is a fundamental obstacle to achieving a new age of global security.”
“War cannot be decided upon, even when it is a matter of ensuring the common good, except as the very last option and in accordance with very strict conditions and taking into account all the consequences for the civilian population.”
Pope John Paul II
“In this age which boasts of its atomic power it no longer makes sense to maintain that war is a fit instrument with which to repair the violation of justice.”
Pope John XXIII Pacem in Terris 1963
“Today the scale and horror of modern warfare, whether nuclear or not, makes it totally unacceptable as a means of settling differences between nations.”
Pope John Paul II 1982.
On Nuclear weapons
In his acceptance speech last December, on receiving the Nobel Peace Prize, the International Atomic Energy Agency director, Mohamed ElBaradei, said that the world should move towards nuclear weapons being seen as immoral, like slavery or genocide. “We must ensure, absolutely, that no more countries acquire these deadly weapons. We must see to it that nuclear weapon states take concrete steps towards nuclear disarmament.”
The most recent statement comes from Pope Benedict. In his message for the World Peace Day 1 January 2006 he writes:
“What can be said about those governments which count on nuclear arms as a means of ensuring the security of their countries? This point of view is not only baneful but also completely fallacious. In a nuclear war there would be no victors, only victims. The truth of peace requires that all agree to change their course by clear and firm decisions, and strive for a progressive and concerted nuclear disarmament. The resources which would be saved could then be employed in projects of development capable of benefiting all their peoples, especially the poor.”
In a legal opinion for the campaigning group Peace Rights, Rabinder Singh QC and Professor Christine Chinkin of the London School of Economics state: “A Trident warhead would be inherently indiscriminate.” The blast, heat and radiation effect would infringe what the International Court of Justice calls the “intransgressible” or absolute requirement that a distinction must be drawn between combatants and non-combatants. This distinction is a key component of the statute setting up the Court which Britain has signed.
And yet – the government continues to argue the need for us to have the Trident nuclear submarine system in order to, in their words, ‘maintain a credible minimum deterrent.’ What is ‘credible’ about a deterrent which cost £12.5bn to acquire, at least £500 million a year to maintain, has no conceivable sensible target and will only be used in what the government perceives as ‘extreme circumstances’?
Last year we saw many programmes showing the effects of the bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Our present Trident system is a thousand times more powerful than the Hiroshima bomb, which killed 237,062 people, and now we are considering a replacement which will probably be a more powerful and yet more expensive system.
First there were five nuclear weapon states, now it is believed that there are ten states possessing nuclear weapons and thirty more with the potential to join the nuclear arms race. Is this the kind of world we wish to leave to our children and grandchildren? Terrorists can never be deterred by nuclear weapons. And we should always remember that most casualties in future wars will certainly be civilians and not the military.
In the 19th century, according to the United Nations Development Fund for Women, civilian casualties accounted for 5% of the war dead. In World War I, the total number of civilians killed had climbed to 15% of total wartime casualties. In World War II, civilians were 65% of the victims of war. By the mid-90s, civilians were over 75% of the war dead. And today, over 90% of those killed in war are civilians.
Cluster munitions
Out of Balance, a new report by Landmine Action, analyses parliamentary statements regarding cluster munitions. Successive government officials have been confident that the use of cluster munitions bombs has struck an acceptable balance between military needs and the protection of the civilian population.
However this analysis suggests that over the last 15 years the UK government has done little or nothing to gauge the humanitarian impact of these weapons but has invariably given preference to military over humanitarian concerns.
Thus, the UK has undertaken no practical assessments of the impact of cluster munitions on civilians, nor has it gathered the information necessary to do so. No substantive evidence has been provided on how UK forces evaluate and control the humanitarian impact of cluster munitions use during operations. In their analysis of the likely failure rates of cluster munitions, the UK has failed to gather the relevant field data and officials have neglected to represent internal criticism of these weapon systems and have repeatedly described them in extremely positive abstract terms.
Overall, when military considerations are set against consequence for civilians, the former are held to be much more important than the latter.
Source: Landmine Action Campaign www.landmineaction.org
Living Ghosts
Church Action on Poverty (CAP) have opened a campaign under this title. Increasing numbers of refused people seeking asylum are being left without basic hospitality and the means of life. They are removed from their accommodation and financial support is stopped two weeks after their case for asylum is deemed to have ‘failed.’
Dignity not destitution….
It is government policy that creates ‘Living Ghosts’ –people who have lost the rights afforded to a person seeking asylum but who have never gained the rights of a refugee. Refused asylum seekers are human: they are people who still seek asylum.
CAP is campaigning against people being written out of existence as a ‘failed’ asylum seeker.
CAP believes in a society where no-one is deliberately made destitute and is calling upon the Government to allow people seeking asylum to sustain themselves and contribute to wider society through paid work, and where this is not possible, to re-instate benefit entitlement to people refused asylum until such time as they are ready to return safely to their home country.
The serious detrimental effect on the material and emotional well-being of failed asylum seekers has resulted in negative mental health experiences including acute anxiety and stress, depression, feelings of extreme vulnerability and powerlessness.
The CAP campaign literature gives detailed case studies. Councillor Irene Graham, Glasgow’s equality spokeswoman said: “The national decision not to allow these people to work is wrong. We have doctors, nurses, teachers and engineers who can contribute to society but are not allowed to.”
“Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it.” Hebrews 13:2
In Matthew 25:35 Jesus gives us a clear command to feed and welcome the stranger and warns us that we will have to answer for this at the Judgement.
Please write to the Home Secretary or your MP to seek reconsideration of the present policy.
Contacts: CAP. www.church-poverty.org.uk
Mary Thompson Fund: 119-121 Marton Rd Middlesbrough TS1 2DU Tel:01642 217447
“Treating people humanely”
By way of contrast, Malta, the smallest state in Europe with the highest population density, has one of the highest acceptance rates for those seeking asylum, with nearly 60% being granted either refugee status or humanitarian status.
Malta joined the EU last year and as a member state is obliged to deal with the asylum applications of the arrivals, none of whom want to stay in Malta but all of whom are detained while their applications are processed. Many fail to gain refugee status, so they hover in limbo, unable to return to their countries, unwanted by tiny overcrowded Malta and by mainland European governments unsympathetic to African immigrants.
“Most of them come by mistake. They have never heard of Malta, but the boat breaks down or they lose their way,” says Marija Schranj of the Jesuit Refugee Service.
The leader of the Green Party in Malta, Harry Vassalo, says he is appalled by the conditions in the detention camp at Safi where 1500 are held waiting to be processed along with a further 1000 denied asylum. “We cannot take every refugee that comes out of Africa and we need other countries to take them, but none of this can ever allow us to treat people inhumanely …. 1.2 million tourists come every year and the island hasn’t sunk yet.”
Source: Guardian Weekly Oct 21-27.
Commission contacts
Barbara Hungin Chair 01642 784398
Sr Mary Walmsley CJ Secretary 01904 464917
Nan Saeki Treasurer 01904 783621
Chris Dove Editor 01947 825043
email: dove.whitby@ukgateway.net
or 22 Blackburns Yard Whitby YO22 4DS
website:www.ayton.info/middlesbroughjp
If you have not checked it out, the Commission website gives access to much more than just the current newsletter. John Blatchford has set up an ongoing archive of all the newsletters for the last 2 years.
PROGRAMME FOR 2006
Date Place Theme
21 January York Peace
18 March Middsbro’ Environment
20 May York AGM WDM
15 July Hull Quiet Day
16 September York
18 November Youth Forum
Lest we forget
The angels sang “Peace on earth”,
Jesus said, “My peace I give you”.
We pray for peace, we plead for peace,
we march and demonstrate for peace,
and all the while the earth is plagued
by violence and war,
the people suffer and die.
Why do I still forget
that it has to begin with me?
A.M.D.
This issue concentrates on the need for Peacemaking. It cannot be said that the world has become more peaceful in the last twelve months.
EDITORIAL
This issue concentrates on the need for Peacemaking. It cannot be said that the world has become more peaceful in the last twelve months.
Barbara looks forward to 2006 and notes our wish, as a Commission, to work with others who have similar aims.
The “Living Ghosts” campaign run by Church Action on Poverty, highlights the plight of those seeking asylum here whose applications are refused and who cannot return home. In our diocese the Mary Thompson Fund tries to help with small weekly payments to those who are left with neither money nor accommodation. Some generous parishes are providing food parcels.
And finally, this first issue for 2006 gives me an opportunity to say thank you to all those who sent donations in 2005 to cover the cost of production and postage. If you would like to help, Nan would be pleased to receive your contribution.
Chris Dove
Note: the views expressed in this newsletter do not necessarily coincide with those of the Commission.
Looking forward to 2006
Newspapers are full of predictions for 2006. Whilst most of these may prove to be fanciful, it is good both to reflect on the achievements of 2005 and to look forward to our programme for the next twelve months.
One of the significant features of the MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY campaign was the coming together of so many different organisations with a common aim. The momentum and unprecedented level of campaigning did so much to raise awareness of the global impact of economic injustice. The true results of that campaign will be seen over the next few years but for those of us who were in Edinburgh on July 2nd the experience of witnessing so many who were intent on making their voices heard was very powerful.
Within the Commission we are also keen to work more closely with others. Our January meeting, facilitated by Yorkshire CND, builds on connections made last year with other peace organisations and will concentrate on Trident and the future of British Nuclear Weapons.
In March, the focus of our meeting will be the environment with Elisabeth Rendall from Christian Ecology Link and in May at our AGM we will have a speaker from WDM.
Another fruitful initiative which will gather pace this year is the Fair and Just Trade Project – a coalition of churches of all denominations in North and East Yorkshire working towards achieving Fairtrade status across the region.
It is good to take the momentum of 2005 into the coming months and I hope that, together, we can continue to make our voices heard in 2006.
Barbara.
For Peace Sunday
With his 2006 Peace Sunday Message, Pope Benedict reminds us that the struggle for peace must begin in our hearts. He invites us to reflect on the theme “In Truth is Peace”. Unless we are people of truth, and unless we speak the truth of the Gospel, we cannot bring healing and peace to the world. And this requires more than words.
“What is needed now is the Christian who manifests the truth of the Gospel in social action … clear and decisive action explains itself and teaches in a way words never can.”
Thomas Merton. ‘Peace in the Post Christian Era’.
“Violence is a lie, for it goes against the truth of our faith, the truth of our humanity. Violence destroys what it claims to defend: the dignity, the life, the freedom of human beings.”
Pope John Paul II. Drogheda, Ireland 1979.
Since the 1970s, Truth Commissions have been a feature of building peace and reconciliation in countries including Argentina, El Salvador, South Africa and Guatemala. Their aim has been to help communities deal with war crimes and other human rights abuses. Truth-telling and breaking the culture of silence are part of the more difficult reconciliation process.
Source: Pax Christi
Peace
From America comes this comment:
“Peace is at the heart of our sacred texts. It is a peace that defies logic. We don’t hear much about it from our pulpits and even less from our civic leaders except as the platitudinous denouement to speeches about war.
One would be hard pressed to discover the vaunted “Christian” character of the United States through the official references to peacemaking. In fact there is no single pursuit to which we give more time, energy or resources than the preparation of mass violence and war-making. The military budget for 2005 is expected to be around $400 billion. That doesn’t include the $300 billion already spent on the open-ended wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Our religious leaders can muster the fervour of the newly converted, arguing against any state concessions for same sex couples or railing against officials they deem insufficiently vigilant on such matters as abortion. But there is relative silence when it comes to the enormous sums Americans dish out to fund the preparations for wars themselves; or for the extension of the global nuclear threat through development of new generations of bombs; or for the slaughter of untold thousands of civilians by our military hardware.
Much is made of the need to work for a culture of life. Too often the message has been severely truncated.”
Source: Editorial NCR Oct 21
The Second Vatican Council attempted to look upon war “with an entirely new attitude.”
* It condemned the concept of “total war”.
* It declared the arms race “an utterly treacherous trap for humanity which injures the poor to an intolerable degree.”
* It called for a “universal public authority” which would be “endowed with effective power to safeguard security, regard for justice and respect for rights.”
* It urged international co-operation to end “excessive economic inequalities” between nations which are among the chief causes of war.”
* It foresaw a “surpassing need for renewed education of attitudes … to instruct all in the sentiments of peace.”
John Paul II, during the Falklands war (1982), appealed for war itself to be abolished: “War should belong to the tragic past, to history; it should find no place on humanity’s agenda for the future.” In 1993 he said: “nuclear deterrence prevents genuine nuclear disarmament …. It is a fundamental obstacle to achieving a new age of global security.”
“War cannot be decided upon, even when it is a matter of ensuring the common good, except as the very last option and in accordance with very strict conditions and taking into account all the consequences for the civilian population.”
Pope John Paul II
“In this age which boasts of its atomic power it no longer makes sense to maintain that war is a fit instrument with which to repair the violation of justice.”
Pope John XXIII Pacem in Terris 1963
“Today the scale and horror of modern warfare, whether nuclear or not, makes it totally unacceptable as a means of settling differences between nations.”
Pope John Paul II 1982.
On Nuclear weapons
In his acceptance speech last December, on receiving the Nobel Peace Prize, the International Atomic Energy Agency director, Mohamed ElBaradei, said that the world should move towards nuclear weapons being seen as immoral, like slavery or genocide. “We must ensure, absolutely, that no more countries acquire these deadly weapons. We must see to it that nuclear weapon states take concrete steps towards nuclear disarmament.”
The most recent statement comes from Pope Benedict. In his message for the World Peace Day 1 January 2006 he writes:
“What can be said about those governments which count on nuclear arms as a means of ensuring the security of their countries? This point of view is not only baneful but also completely fallacious. In a nuclear war there would be no victors, only victims. The truth of peace requires that all agree to change their course by clear and firm decisions, and strive for a progressive and concerted nuclear disarmament. The resources which would be saved could then be employed in projects of development capable of benefiting all their peoples, especially the poor.”
In a legal opinion for the campaigning group Peace Rights, Rabinder Singh QC and Professor Christine Chinkin of the London School of Economics state: “A Trident warhead would be inherently indiscriminate.” The blast, heat and radiation effect would infringe what the International Court of Justice calls the “intransgressible” or absolute requirement that a distinction must be drawn between combatants and non-combatants. This distinction is a key component of the statute setting up the Court which Britain has signed.
And yet – the government continues to argue the need for us to have the Trident nuclear submarine system in order to, in their words, ‘maintain a credible minimum deterrent.’ What is ‘credible’ about a deterrent which cost £12.5bn to acquire, at least £500 million a year to maintain, has no conceivable sensible target and will only be used in what the government perceives as ‘extreme circumstances’?
Last year we saw many programmes showing the effects of the bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Our present Trident system is a thousand times more powerful than the Hiroshima bomb, which killed 237,062 people, and now we are considering a replacement which will probably be a more powerful and yet more expensive system.
First there were five nuclear weapon states, now it is believed that there are ten states possessing nuclear weapons and thirty more with the potential to join the nuclear arms race. Is this the kind of world we wish to leave to our children and grandchildren? Terrorists can never be deterred by nuclear weapons. And we should always remember that most casualties in future wars will certainly be civilians and not the military.
In the 19th century, according to the United Nations Development Fund for Women, civilian casualties accounted for 5% of the war dead. In World War I, the total number of civilians killed had climbed to 15% of total wartime casualties. In World War II, civilians were 65% of the victims of war. By the mid-90s, civilians were over 75% of the war dead. And today, over 90% of those killed in war are civilians.
Cluster munitions
Out of Balance, a new report by Landmine Action, analyses parliamentary statements regarding cluster munitions. Successive government officials have been confident that the use of cluster munitions bombs has struck an acceptable balance between military needs and the protection of the civilian population.
However this analysis suggests that over the last 15 years the UK government has done little or nothing to gauge the humanitarian impact of these weapons but has invariably given preference to military over humanitarian concerns.
Thus, the UK has undertaken no practical assessments of the impact of cluster munitions on civilians, nor has it gathered the information necessary to do so. No substantive evidence has been provided on how UK forces evaluate and control the humanitarian impact of cluster munitions use during operations. In their analysis of the likely failure rates of cluster munitions, the UK has failed to gather the relevant field data and officials have neglected to represent internal criticism of these weapon systems and have repeatedly described them in extremely positive abstract terms.
Overall, when military considerations are set against consequence for civilians, the former are held to be much more important than the latter.
Source: Landmine Action Campaign www.landmineaction.org
Living Ghosts
Church Action on Poverty (CAP) have opened a campaign under this title. Increasing numbers of refused people seeking asylum are being left without basic hospitality and the means of life. They are removed from their accommodation and financial support is stopped two weeks after their case for asylum is deemed to have ‘failed.’
Dignity not destitution….
It is government policy that creates ‘Living Ghosts’ –people who have lost the rights afforded to a person seeking asylum but who have never gained the rights of a refugee. Refused asylum seekers are human: they are people who still seek asylum.
CAP is campaigning against people being written out of existence as a ‘failed’ asylum seeker.
CAP believes in a society where no-one is deliberately made destitute and is calling upon the Government to allow people seeking asylum to sustain themselves and contribute to wider society through paid work, and where this is not possible, to re-instate benefit entitlement to people refused asylum until such time as they are ready to return safely to their home country.
The serious detrimental effect on the material and emotional well-being of failed asylum seekers has resulted in negative mental health experiences including acute anxiety and stress, depression, feelings of extreme vulnerability and powerlessness.
The CAP campaign literature gives detailed case studies. Councillor Irene Graham, Glasgow’s equality spokeswoman said: “The national decision not to allow these people to work is wrong. We have doctors, nurses, teachers and engineers who can contribute to society but are not allowed to.”
“Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it.” Hebrews 13:2
In Matthew 25:35 Jesus gives us a clear command to feed and welcome the stranger and warns us that we will have to answer for this at the Judgement.
Please write to the Home Secretary or your MP to seek reconsideration of the present policy.
Contacts: CAP. www.church-poverty.org.uk
Mary Thompson Fund: 119-121 Marton Rd Middlesbrough TS1 2DU Tel:01642 217447
“Treating people humanely”
By way of contrast, Malta, the smallest state in Europe with the highest population density, has one of the highest acceptance rates for those seeking asylum, with nearly 60% being granted either refugee status or humanitarian status.
Malta joined the EU last year and as a member state is obliged to deal with the asylum applications of the arrivals, none of whom want to stay in Malta but all of whom are detained while their applications are processed. Many fail to gain refugee status, so they hover in limbo, unable to return to their countries, unwanted by tiny overcrowded Malta and by mainland European governments unsympathetic to African immigrants.
“Most of them come by mistake. They have never heard of Malta, but the boat breaks down or they lose their way,” says Marija Schranj of the Jesuit Refugee Service.
The leader of the Green Party in Malta, Harry Vassalo, says he is appalled by the conditions in the detention camp at Safi where 1500 are held waiting to be processed along with a further 1000 denied asylum. “We cannot take every refugee that comes out of Africa and we need other countries to take them, but none of this can ever allow us to treat people inhumanely …. 1.2 million tourists come every year and the island hasn’t sunk yet.”
Source: Guardian Weekly Oct 21-27.
Commission contacts
Barbara Hungin Chair 01642 784398
Sr Mary Walmsley CJ Secretary 01904 464917
Nan Saeki Treasurer 01904 783621
Chris Dove Editor 01947 825043
email: dove.whitby@ukgateway.net
or 22 Blackburns Yard Whitby YO22 4DS
website:www.ayton.info/middlesbroughjp
If you have not checked it out, the Commission website gives access to much more than just the current newsletter. John Blatchford has set up an ongoing archive of all the newsletters for the last 2 years.
PROGRAMME FOR 2006
Date Place Theme
21 January York Peace
18 March Middsbro’ Environment
20 May York AGM WDM
15 July Hull Quiet Day
16 September York
18 November Youth Forum
Lest we forget
The angels sang “Peace on earth”,
Jesus said, “My peace I give you”.
We pray for peace, we plead for peace,
we march and demonstrate for peace,
and all the while the earth is plagued
by violence and war,
the people suffer and die.
Why do I still forget
that it has to begin with me?
A.M.D.
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2005
November 1st, 2005
The Diocesan Study Day at Ampleforth on 22nd October went well and some 85 people attended, coming from 30 parishes. We saw people who have never been to Commission events and hope it may lead them to want more from us. Especially encouraging was the attendance of
EDITORIAL The Diocesan Study Day at Ampleforth on 22nd October went well and some 85 people attended, coming from 30 parishes. We saw people who have never been to Commission events and hope it may lead them to want more from us. Especially encouraging was the attendance of many young people. In this issue we cover several issues. The problems of climate change have been debated for some time. In the aftermath of hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Stan we can see the horrific scale of the losses and damage that have been caused. It is hard to see how there can be any doubt that we are dangerously close to leaving our grandchildren a seriously damaged planet. Operation Noah and EBICo show us what we can all do to make a difference. The Diocesan Ethical Investment Policy gives concern for the environment a high priority, and it is good to report that there is more movement towards the implementation of the Policy. Torture is a nasty business. It never serves justice. We need to be vigilant when it seems that this country is involved. Amnesty International invites our compassionate concern for victims of human rights violations and those who defend them through the Greetings Card Campaign. Peace Sunday 2006 is on January 15. The Pope’s message is “In truth there is peace.” It is usual for a collection to be taken for the work of Pax Christi at that Mass. And finally, as this will be the last Newsletter for 2005, may I wish all our readers a Happy Christmas and Peace in the New Year. Chris Dove
Note: the views expressed in this newsletter do not necessarily coincide with those of the Commission.
CLIMATE CHANGE Nightmare or Dream? The world’s climate is changing and the poorest suffer most. The negative effects on poor communities include food and water insecurity, ill health, social and political instability and economic decline.
The nightmare Malaria becomes endemic in the UK as early as 2015. (NHS) Beech woods die out on the South Downs of England by 2030. (Woodland Trust) 150 million environmental refugees by 2050. (Climate Institute, Washington) Over a quarter of all species die out by 2050. (Nature) Total cost of damage from climate change exceeds worldwide Gross Domestic Product by 2065. (CGNU reinsurance company)
The dream Ultimately, climate change is a spiritual crisis. It is being driven by the global economy’s reliance on fossil fuels. This in turn is driven by the same materialism and indifference which insulate people from their need of God, and from the plight of the vulnerable and future generations. Climate change presents the church with an urgent and vital mission. Operation Noah, the Churches’ Climate Change Campaign, urges individuals, parishes and church organisations to sign a Climate Covenant: “World leaders must act to avert dangerous climate change, and give everyone fair access to energy in a world economy. • We ask the government to lead negotiations. • We will take action personally to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”
The UK government must implement the recommendations of the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution – by 2050, fossil fuel emissions to be cut by 60% or even more, and significant investment in renewable energy. Personal lifestyle actions include things such as: eating more plant-based local food; cutting out unnecessary use of cars and inessential air travel; planting new trees; fitting energy saving light bulbs and turning off unnecessary lights; showering rather than bathing. For Operation Noah leaflets and information call 01949 861516 or see www.christian-ecology.org.uk Source: Vocation for Justice Spring 2005
Global warming If recent indications are correct that not just the ice caps but the permafrost in Siberia is thawing, which would itself then generate further emissions of natural greenhouse gases, we may then be launched on an unstoppable downward spiral. If that were so, large parts of the world would be subject to unpredictable storms, flooding and temperature changes. We have seen what hurricanes Katrina and Rita have done. Source: Guardian Weekly 16-22 Sept.
EQUICLIMATE We have written before of the Equigas and Equipower offers to provide power using the most environmentally sound sources. The company behind both, EBICo, has launched a new service which allows households to offset the greenhouse gas they produce. Carbon dioxide is the principle cause of climate change and, using Equiclimate, householders can counteract the CO2 that comes from their home energy use.
The idea behind Equiclimate is simple, but original. Householders choose how much of their CO2 ‘footprint’ on the environment they want to counteract. EBICo then enters the EU market for CO2 Allowances – set up as part of the Kyoto commitment – and purchases this amount. EBICo holds onto these allowances, so that they are permanently removed from circulation. As a result, the major producers of CO2 in Europe have fewer Allowances and, so, must produce less CO2 – offsetting the emissions from the Equiclimate customer’s home.
It is simple to see how much it would cost you to join this scheme – just follow the links on their website: www.ebico.co.uk
Ethical Investment group: Report for 2005 A Diocesan Ethical Policy (The Policy) was agreed in December 2000. This listed two categories of investments; those which the diocese should not hold and those in which the diocese should invest. The bulk of the diocesan holdings were in investment trusts which allowed no discretion to the diocese, so there was a problem. An ethical audit of diocesan holdings in April 2003 showed that many (most) did not comply with The Policy. In December 2004 the Trustees accepted that it would be necessary to move from Trust funds and into individual stocks. At that meeting we asked for a report to show what progress has been made since 2000 to bring investments into line with the Policy and at the latest meeting, in October 2005, it was reported that 33% of managed funds have now been sold out of holdings, as at 2000, of £800,000. So it is pleasing to report that, over a period of about five years, nearly a third of the equities portfolio has been reinvested to comply with The Policy. But that still leaves 66% invested in funds that do not comply. Hopefully by next year there will be more progress to report. Chris Dove
Commission contacts Barbara Hungin Chair 01642 784398 Sr Mary Walmsley CJ Secretary 01904 464917 Nan Saeki Treasurer 01904 783621 Chris Dove Editor 01947 825043 email: dove.whitby@ukgateway.net or 22 Blackburns Yard Whitby YO22 4DS website:www.ayton.info/middlesbroughjp
“Give to God what is God’s.” “What is God’s? What belongs to God that we give back to God? Not church buildings like this, beautiful as it is. We give back to God our living worship. We gather here in this building so we can give God our praise, our love, our joy. We give back to God what is God’s and all of creation is God. All of creation belongs to God. So we are stewards of that creation. We should be giving back to God a planet that is made as beautiful as possible instead of being exploited and destroyed in so many ways. But most of all what is God’s is every human person. Every human person belongs to God and what God wants from us is that we give back to God human persons in the fullness of their personhood. Being full human persons. We live in a world where the vast majority of people on this planet cannot become full human persons because they are in absolute poverty. They don’t have what it takes to become a full human person: food, water, clothing, shelter, healthcare, education. They’re in absolute poverty. Because some of us have way more than we have a right to, they are deprived. They’re not able to be the full human persons that God calls them to be. In 1986 the Catholic bishops of the United States published a pastoral letter on the U.S. economy. It caught a lot of attention because it was sort of radical. You might not believe that it is possible for bishops to be radical but this time they were. In that letter -when we were examining the U.S. economy and the effect it was having, and who it was benefitting and who it wasn’t, and where the money was going and that sort of thing – the bishops suggested that every time we make a decision within the church, in a parish, in a diocese, or for the whole Church, we should ask ourselves three questions:
• What will this do to the poor? • What will this do for the poor? • And, how do the poor participate?”
Part of the homily of Thomas Gumbleton, Auxiliary Bishop, Detroit, for 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time. Source: NCROnline
Where would you draw the line? “We operate within the law and we send people to countries where they say they’re not going to torture the people.” President George W Bush.
The US intelligence have a term “extraordinary rendition” – the apprehension of a suspect who is not placed on trial, or flown to Guantanamo, but taken to a country where torture is common. These suspects are denied legal representation and their detention is concealed from the International Committee of the Red Cross. The most common destination is Egypt, but there is evidence of detainees also being flown to Jordan, Morocco, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan and Syria.
The CIA’s renditions programme uses UK airports, according to information available from the US Federal Aviation Administration. Aircraft involved in the operations have flown into the UK many times since 9/11. They have used 19 British airports and RAF bases, including Heathrow, Gatwick, Birmingham, Luton, Bournemouth and Belfast, but the favourite destination is Prestwick, used 75 times. A number of European countries have barred the CIA from making unauthorised flights. The Foreign Office have denied any knowledge of the use of UK airports during renditions. Source: Guardian Weekly 16-22 Sept.
On the verge of humanity “Torture has been widely construed as medieval; however, it never went away, and is now increasingly being recognised as a problem of our time. In some circles it has gained a certain respectability, on the notion of the “ticking bomb”; in other words, when an immense crime is imminent, people may legitimately be tortured to find out about it. But this theory rests on the following assumptions (among others): • That it can be reliably known when a dangerous event is imminent: recent history indicates that this is not so. • That torture is a reliable method of gathering information: it is not. • That any information elicited can be acted upon decisively: this is debatable. • That someone innocent of a crime is a legitimate subject for torture: the subject, by definition is innocent, since the crime has not yet been committed. • That people will not seek to avenge torture. • That, under similar circumstances, those who advocate the theory would be happy to be tortured.” Dr Athar Yawar of the Medical Foundation for the Care of Victims of Torture Source: The Supporter (Medical Foundation) October 2005
Send a card for Christmas Once a year, between November 1 and January 31, Amnesty International UK asks supporters to send cards with messages of hope and solidarity to victims of human rights violations and those who defend them. People featured include: prisoners of conscience, those under sentence of death, and human rights defenders under threat because of their work.
Amnesty International’s annual Greetings Card Campaign (GCC) [not Christmas Cards as many prisoners are not Christians] generates enormous concern for people whose rights have been abused. It is easy to join in and parishes have found it a good way to highlight the plight of prisoners of conscience. There are two benefits. Over the several years during which the campaign has been in operation, prisoners and their families have testified to the improvement in their situation. The holding authorities realise that their conduct is public knowledge and that they must be careful. The prisoners and their families realise that they are not on their own and that they are supported by the prayers and concern of thousands of people outside the prison walls. AI will send all the material needed: this will include an introductory leaflet with everything you need to know; details of six cases, what the campaign is about, what to write in the cards, frequently asked questions and updates on many cases featured in GCC 2004. Further information is available at: www.amnesty.org.uk/gcc/2005
Did you know? 10 of the hottest years on record have occurred since 1990. 10 species of wild flower are believed to be disappearing from each county in Britain every year. 97% of our flower-rich lowland grasslands have disappeared since 1930. There has been a 50% fall in the population of birds living in agricultural fields since 1970. 50cms is the average distance between pieces of litter on UK beaches. Levels of rubbish on beaches have increased 82% in a decade. 434 million tons of waste is produced in Britain each year – enough to fill the Albert Hall every two hours. 97 million passengers flew between the UK and the rest of Europe in 2003 – almost double the 51 million in 1993. Source: Leeds Justice & Peace News August 2004
Solidarity Fair trade is different from other kinds of shopping because it is linked directly with the producer – small scale farmer or craft worker – promoting the well-being of marginalised Third World workers. So the relationship is one of partnership and co-operation rather than exploitation.
Fair trade in Britain and on the Continent from the 1960s onwards has originated from two main strands: a) from church groups recognising that the welfare of poor and oppressed people was a matter which concerned them as an expression of their faith. b) from secular groups wanting to identify with and support downtrodden peoples’ struggles for a better life – especially in countries like Nicaragua, Cuba, Mozambique, Tanzania where the political odds were stacked against them. A recent product in this category is Zapatista ground coffee from the rebel area of South Mexico – an area not under the control of the pro-US government but run by consensus through indigenous village councils covering health, education and law-making, as well as the coffee co-operatives.
News Items 50% of people in the UK now recognise the Fairtrade mark and there are over 900 products available in this country. The UK is the largest market in the world for Fairtrade Marked Products. Almost 30% of ground coffee in the UK is now Fairtrade. Copmanthorpe Methodist Church has become the 1000th Fairtrade Church! Source: Fairer World News 84 Gillygate York. [If you are ever in York, a visit to Charlie Bridge’s Fairer World shop will show you an enormous range of Fairtrade goods – well worth the walk. Chris]
Climate change
“The world is charged with the grandeur of God” How often have I read this poem? “Come, Holy Spirit, and renew the face of the earth” How often have I said this prayer? But now I fall silent, facing cold reality. I was going to plant saplings, one for each of my grandchildren, so that after I am gone they could walk under beautiful trees. But instead I have to leave them a legacy of doom, a planet devastated, unimagined suffering because my heedless generation will not listen, instead rushing headlong to destroy the world we know. Lord, hear our cry. Anthea Dove
The Diocesan Study Day at Ampleforth on 22nd October went well and some 85 people attended, coming from 30 parishes. We saw people who have never been to Commission events and hope it may lead them to want more from us. Especially encouraging was the attendance of
EDITORIAL The Diocesan Study Day at Ampleforth on 22nd October went well and some 85 people attended, coming from 30 parishes. We saw people who have never been to Commission events and hope it may lead them to want more from us. Especially encouraging was the attendance of many young people. In this issue we cover several issues. The problems of climate change have been debated for some time. In the aftermath of hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Stan we can see the horrific scale of the losses and damage that have been caused. It is hard to see how there can be any doubt that we are dangerously close to leaving our grandchildren a seriously damaged planet. Operation Noah and EBICo show us what we can all do to make a difference. The Diocesan Ethical Investment Policy gives concern for the environment a high priority, and it is good to report that there is more movement towards the implementation of the Policy. Torture is a nasty business. It never serves justice. We need to be vigilant when it seems that this country is involved. Amnesty International invites our compassionate concern for victims of human rights violations and those who defend them through the Greetings Card Campaign. Peace Sunday 2006 is on January 15. The Pope’s message is “In truth there is peace.” It is usual for a collection to be taken for the work of Pax Christi at that Mass. And finally, as this will be the last Newsletter for 2005, may I wish all our readers a Happy Christmas and Peace in the New Year. Chris Dove
Note: the views expressed in this newsletter do not necessarily coincide with those of the Commission.
CLIMATE CHANGE Nightmare or Dream? The world’s climate is changing and the poorest suffer most. The negative effects on poor communities include food and water insecurity, ill health, social and political instability and economic decline.
The nightmare Malaria becomes endemic in the UK as early as 2015. (NHS) Beech woods die out on the South Downs of England by 2030. (Woodland Trust) 150 million environmental refugees by 2050. (Climate Institute, Washington) Over a quarter of all species die out by 2050. (Nature) Total cost of damage from climate change exceeds worldwide Gross Domestic Product by 2065. (CGNU reinsurance company)
The dream Ultimately, climate change is a spiritual crisis. It is being driven by the global economy’s reliance on fossil fuels. This in turn is driven by the same materialism and indifference which insulate people from their need of God, and from the plight of the vulnerable and future generations. Climate change presents the church with an urgent and vital mission. Operation Noah, the Churches’ Climate Change Campaign, urges individuals, parishes and church organisations to sign a Climate Covenant: “World leaders must act to avert dangerous climate change, and give everyone fair access to energy in a world economy. • We ask the government to lead negotiations. • We will take action personally to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”
The UK government must implement the recommendations of the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution – by 2050, fossil fuel emissions to be cut by 60% or even more, and significant investment in renewable energy. Personal lifestyle actions include things such as: eating more plant-based local food; cutting out unnecessary use of cars and inessential air travel; planting new trees; fitting energy saving light bulbs and turning off unnecessary lights; showering rather than bathing. For Operation Noah leaflets and information call 01949 861516 or see www.christian-ecology.org.uk Source: Vocation for Justice Spring 2005
Global warming If recent indications are correct that not just the ice caps but the permafrost in Siberia is thawing, which would itself then generate further emissions of natural greenhouse gases, we may then be launched on an unstoppable downward spiral. If that were so, large parts of the world would be subject to unpredictable storms, flooding and temperature changes. We have seen what hurricanes Katrina and Rita have done. Source: Guardian Weekly 16-22 Sept.
EQUICLIMATE We have written before of the Equigas and Equipower offers to provide power using the most environmentally sound sources. The company behind both, EBICo, has launched a new service which allows households to offset the greenhouse gas they produce. Carbon dioxide is the principle cause of climate change and, using Equiclimate, householders can counteract the CO2 that comes from their home energy use.
The idea behind Equiclimate is simple, but original. Householders choose how much of their CO2 ‘footprint’ on the environment they want to counteract. EBICo then enters the EU market for CO2 Allowances – set up as part of the Kyoto commitment – and purchases this amount. EBICo holds onto these allowances, so that they are permanently removed from circulation. As a result, the major producers of CO2 in Europe have fewer Allowances and, so, must produce less CO2 – offsetting the emissions from the Equiclimate customer’s home.
It is simple to see how much it would cost you to join this scheme – just follow the links on their website: www.ebico.co.uk
Ethical Investment group: Report for 2005 A Diocesan Ethical Policy (The Policy) was agreed in December 2000. This listed two categories of investments; those which the diocese should not hold and those in which the diocese should invest. The bulk of the diocesan holdings were in investment trusts which allowed no discretion to the diocese, so there was a problem. An ethical audit of diocesan holdings in April 2003 showed that many (most) did not comply with The Policy. In December 2004 the Trustees accepted that it would be necessary to move from Trust funds and into individual stocks. At that meeting we asked for a report to show what progress has been made since 2000 to bring investments into line with the Policy and at the latest meeting, in October 2005, it was reported that 33% of managed funds have now been sold out of holdings, as at 2000, of £800,000. So it is pleasing to report that, over a period of about five years, nearly a third of the equities portfolio has been reinvested to comply with The Policy. But that still leaves 66% invested in funds that do not comply. Hopefully by next year there will be more progress to report. Chris Dove
Commission contacts Barbara Hungin Chair 01642 784398 Sr Mary Walmsley CJ Secretary 01904 464917 Nan Saeki Treasurer 01904 783621 Chris Dove Editor 01947 825043 email: dove.whitby@ukgateway.net or 22 Blackburns Yard Whitby YO22 4DS website:www.ayton.info/middlesbroughjp
“Give to God what is God’s.” “What is God’s? What belongs to God that we give back to God? Not church buildings like this, beautiful as it is. We give back to God our living worship. We gather here in this building so we can give God our praise, our love, our joy. We give back to God what is God’s and all of creation is God. All of creation belongs to God. So we are stewards of that creation. We should be giving back to God a planet that is made as beautiful as possible instead of being exploited and destroyed in so many ways. But most of all what is God’s is every human person. Every human person belongs to God and what God wants from us is that we give back to God human persons in the fullness of their personhood. Being full human persons. We live in a world where the vast majority of people on this planet cannot become full human persons because they are in absolute poverty. They don’t have what it takes to become a full human person: food, water, clothing, shelter, healthcare, education. They’re in absolute poverty. Because some of us have way more than we have a right to, they are deprived. They’re not able to be the full human persons that God calls them to be. In 1986 the Catholic bishops of the United States published a pastoral letter on the U.S. economy. It caught a lot of attention because it was sort of radical. You might not believe that it is possible for bishops to be radical but this time they were. In that letter -when we were examining the U.S. economy and the effect it was having, and who it was benefitting and who it wasn’t, and where the money was going and that sort of thing – the bishops suggested that every time we make a decision within the church, in a parish, in a diocese, or for the whole Church, we should ask ourselves three questions:
• What will this do to the poor? • What will this do for the poor? • And, how do the poor participate?”
Part of the homily of Thomas Gumbleton, Auxiliary Bishop, Detroit, for 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time. Source: NCROnline
Where would you draw the line? “We operate within the law and we send people to countries where they say they’re not going to torture the people.” President George W Bush.
The US intelligence have a term “extraordinary rendition” – the apprehension of a suspect who is not placed on trial, or flown to Guantanamo, but taken to a country where torture is common. These suspects are denied legal representation and their detention is concealed from the International Committee of the Red Cross. The most common destination is Egypt, but there is evidence of detainees also being flown to Jordan, Morocco, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan and Syria.
The CIA’s renditions programme uses UK airports, according to information available from the US Federal Aviation Administration. Aircraft involved in the operations have flown into the UK many times since 9/11. They have used 19 British airports and RAF bases, including Heathrow, Gatwick, Birmingham, Luton, Bournemouth and Belfast, but the favourite destination is Prestwick, used 75 times. A number of European countries have barred the CIA from making unauthorised flights. The Foreign Office have denied any knowledge of the use of UK airports during renditions. Source: Guardian Weekly 16-22 Sept.
On the verge of humanity “Torture has been widely construed as medieval; however, it never went away, and is now increasingly being recognised as a problem of our time. In some circles it has gained a certain respectability, on the notion of the “ticking bomb”; in other words, when an immense crime is imminent, people may legitimately be tortured to find out about it. But this theory rests on the following assumptions (among others): • That it can be reliably known when a dangerous event is imminent: recent history indicates that this is not so. • That torture is a reliable method of gathering information: it is not. • That any information elicited can be acted upon decisively: this is debatable. • That someone innocent of a crime is a legitimate subject for torture: the subject, by definition is innocent, since the crime has not yet been committed. • That people will not seek to avenge torture. • That, under similar circumstances, those who advocate the theory would be happy to be tortured.” Dr Athar Yawar of the Medical Foundation for the Care of Victims of Torture Source: The Supporter (Medical Foundation) October 2005
Send a card for Christmas Once a year, between November 1 and January 31, Amnesty International UK asks supporters to send cards with messages of hope and solidarity to victims of human rights violations and those who defend them. People featured include: prisoners of conscience, those under sentence of death, and human rights defenders under threat because of their work.
Amnesty International’s annual Greetings Card Campaign (GCC) [not Christmas Cards as many prisoners are not Christians] generates enormous concern for people whose rights have been abused. It is easy to join in and parishes have found it a good way to highlight the plight of prisoners of conscience. There are two benefits. Over the several years during which the campaign has been in operation, prisoners and their families have testified to the improvement in their situation. The holding authorities realise that their conduct is public knowledge and that they must be careful. The prisoners and their families realise that they are not on their own and that they are supported by the prayers and concern of thousands of people outside the prison walls. AI will send all the material needed: this will include an introductory leaflet with everything you need to know; details of six cases, what the campaign is about, what to write in the cards, frequently asked questions and updates on many cases featured in GCC 2004. Further information is available at: www.amnesty.org.uk/gcc/2005
Did you know? 10 of the hottest years on record have occurred since 1990. 10 species of wild flower are believed to be disappearing from each county in Britain every year. 97% of our flower-rich lowland grasslands have disappeared since 1930. There has been a 50% fall in the population of birds living in agricultural fields since 1970. 50cms is the average distance between pieces of litter on UK beaches. Levels of rubbish on beaches have increased 82% in a decade. 434 million tons of waste is produced in Britain each year – enough to fill the Albert Hall every two hours. 97 million passengers flew between the UK and the rest of Europe in 2003 – almost double the 51 million in 1993. Source: Leeds Justice & Peace News August 2004
Solidarity Fair trade is different from other kinds of shopping because it is linked directly with the producer – small scale farmer or craft worker – promoting the well-being of marginalised Third World workers. So the relationship is one of partnership and co-operation rather than exploitation.
Fair trade in Britain and on the Continent from the 1960s onwards has originated from two main strands: a) from church groups recognising that the welfare of poor and oppressed people was a matter which concerned them as an expression of their faith. b) from secular groups wanting to identify with and support downtrodden peoples’ struggles for a better life – especially in countries like Nicaragua, Cuba, Mozambique, Tanzania where the political odds were stacked against them. A recent product in this category is Zapatista ground coffee from the rebel area of South Mexico – an area not under the control of the pro-US government but run by consensus through indigenous village councils covering health, education and law-making, as well as the coffee co-operatives.
News Items 50% of people in the UK now recognise the Fairtrade mark and there are over 900 products available in this country. The UK is the largest market in the world for Fairtrade Marked Products. Almost 30% of ground coffee in the UK is now Fairtrade. Copmanthorpe Methodist Church has become the 1000th Fairtrade Church! Source: Fairer World News 84 Gillygate York. [If you are ever in York, a visit to Charlie Bridge’s Fairer World shop will show you an enormous range of Fairtrade goods – well worth the walk. Chris]
Climate change
“The world is charged with the grandeur of God” How often have I read this poem? “Come, Holy Spirit, and renew the face of the earth” How often have I said this prayer? But now I fall silent, facing cold reality. I was going to plant saplings, one for each of my grandchildren, so that after I am gone they could walk under beautiful trees. But instead I have to leave them a legacy of doom, a planet devastated, unimagined suffering because my heedless generation will not listen, instead rushing headlong to destroy the world we know. Lord, hear our cry. Anthea Dove
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2005
September 1st, 2005
The 60th anniversary of the dropping of the first atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki occurred on 6th August. 160,000 civilians had been vaporised at 8.15am, with another 77,062 dying later,
EDITORIAL The 60th anniversary of the dropping of the first atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki occurred on 6th August. 160,000 civilians had been vaporised at 8.15am, with another 77,062 dying later, characterised by Pope Paul VI as a “butchery of untold magnitude”. There were a number of radio and TV programmes on the subject of the anniversary including an excellent Thought for The Day on the previous day by Bishop Tom Butler. See below for an edited version. In May of this year the Vatican signalled a sea change in Catholic moral teaching on nuclear weapons. At the UN Review Conference the Vatican ambassador stated: The Holy See has never countenanced nuclear deterrence as a permanent measure, nor does it today when it is evident that nuclear deterrence drives the development of ever newer nuclear arms, thus preventing genuine nuclear disarmament. Surely the time has come for the Catholic Church here to take up the Vatican’s call for a re-examination of the whole strategy of nuclear deterrence, at a time when a decision must be taken on replacing our aging Trident nuclear submarine fleet? We are often accused of being selective in choosing which bits of Vatican teaching we accept. Why is this particular teaching not as important? The September meeting will focus on the work of the Medical Foundation for the Care of Victims of Torture. This is particularly timely when the UK is considering permitting the removal of suspected terrorists to places where torture is part of the apparatus of “Intelligence”. Please note the invitation to take part in the Special Diocesan Study Day at Ampleforth on 22nd October. It promises to be an important event. Everyone will be welcome. Chris Dove Note: the views expressed in this newsletter do not necessarily coincide with those of the Commission.
Thought for The Day 5th August “Now there are 9 nuclear nations and 27,000 nuclear bombs. Back in 1970 when the United Nations sponsored the Nuclear Non-proliferation treaty, it did a three- pronged deal which in effect put a taboo on nuclear weapons. The nations without nuclear weapons wouldn’t seek to develop them, provided that the nations with nuclear weapons agreed to progressively disarm, meanwhile knowledge for the peaceful use of nuclear energy would be shared. It was also agreed that signatories would meet at the UN every five years to review progress. The latest review took place in May this year and I was one of the representatives of the World Council of Churches meeting with national delegations. It was a nightmare. It became pretty obvious that it was not in the interest of powerful players for the conference ever to start, for in the five years since the previous review there had been ominous developments. India and Pakistan had joined Israel in developing nuclear weapons and North Korea and Iran were well on the way. Meanwhile the Americans were talking about a new generation of smart nuclear weapons and Britain would soon need to decide whether or not to replace its Trident deterrent, showing signs of age. None of these countries was anxious to debate all of this on the stage of the UN and so points of order and semantic disputes prevented any serious work being done and the conference broke up in acrimony. But a taboo had been breached. It’s not now unthinkable that more and more nations will possess nuclear weapons. It’s not now unthinkable that they will be used in smart modern warfare. We rightly fear the terror of the suicide bomber but the terror of nuclear war could mean suicide for the world.” Rt Rev Tom Butler Bishop of Southwark. [Radio 4 Today programme] R.I.P. Joseph Rotblat, the only scientist to resign from the Manhattan Project [where the first atom bomb was developed] and who later received the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to rid the world of atomic weapons, died in London aged 96 on 31st August.
FAITH AND CITIZENSHIP IN EUROPE A special Diocesan Study Day is to be held at Ampleforth Abbey and College on Saturday 22nd October 2005 from 10.00am until 5.00pm. We are invited by the Abbot and Bishop John to come along to hear presentations made by leading MEPs and MPs from the three main parties. This is an important opportunity for us to take our responsibilities as citizens with faith-based concerns to become involved in the process of dialogue. Our role and influence as members of Faith Communities in the great debate about Europe is important. You will have an opportunity to put your views to the politicians There will be Workshops on Justice and Peace and Working with Elected Representatives, Information Stands and Lunch and Refreshments.
For more information please contact Barbara Hungin (01642 784398) or John Hinman (01642 700075)
Medical Foundation – 20 years rebuilding lives Torture is a violent assault on the core of a person’s identity, it razes their self-esteem to the ground and robs them of the very foundation of their lives. Loving relationships, social confidence and professional security can become impossible when torture has done its appalling work.
The Medical Foundation for the Care of Victims of Torture exists to enable survivors of torture and organised violence to engage in a healing process to assert their own human dignity and worth.
Torture is an ugly and unpleasant subject, one that most of us would rather not think about. The truth is that the suffering caused by torture can last a lifetime. The physical damage and pain inflicted may never completely heal and the horrific memories cause lasting mental trauma. Typically, survivors continue to experience symptoms such as vivid flashbacks, violent panic attacks and depression for many years. That is why, even today, British soldiers who lived through the Japanese prison camps of the Second World War still need help to cope with their experiences of torture.
The Medical Foundation’s doctors and therapists have one aim: to help people who have undergone such horrors to recover from their experiences. Most shocking of all, some even involve young children. Many victims of torture become so distressed by their suffering that they contemplate suicide. Yet the Medical Foundation sees examples of extraordinary courage and fortitude, proof that torture and its effects can be overcome. In some cases, those who first came for treatment now themselves work assisting others who are struggling with similar experiences.
Three Medical Foundation clients Luis Munoz Luis and his partner Diana were actively involved in Chilean politics. After Pinochet’s coup in 1973, they suddenly found themselves on the wrong side. Within a year Diana was arrested, cruelly tortured and left to die. They then hunted down Luis, too, subjecting him to a brutal and sadistic ordeal. Luis escaped to London. One of the first clients of the Medical Foundation, he helped shape our development. In 2002 he returned to Chile to confront his torturers. Eric Lomax – ‘The railway man’ A soldier in World War 2, Eric was taken prisoner after the fall of Singapore and held in a POW camp. He made a map of the nearby railroad which was found by guards and they assumed he was a spy. The torture that followed was shocking and brutal. All his life since then he suffered nightmares, paranoia and fear of strangers. After retirement in 1987 he came into contact with the Medical Foundation. He described his first experience of sharing his memories as ‘walking through a door into a world of caring and special understanding.’ Chantal Mulifi In 1990, Chantal realised that as a Tutsi in Rwanda, she was no longer an equal in her community. Chantal experienced the unimaginable horror of seeing her father and little sister executed by Hutu soldiers. Then her three other siblings were shot. Soldiers started shooting and in the chaos, Chantal fell into a pit of corpses. After the Hutus left she managed to climb out and escape. Eventually she was brought to the UK where she has received intensive treatment at the Medical Foundation. The War on Terror The Medical Foundation warns that many of those seeking asylum in the UK are victims of torture. As such they deserve sympathy, not demonisation, and require protection. The War on Terror has allowed the use of torture in the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. The US passes their prisoners to other countries where torture is routine, US planes use Britain as a staging post in this process. Many of the techniques used in places like Guantanamo Bay amount to torture pure and simple, whatever euphemisms might be used to describe them. The Medical Foundation is calling for independent observers to have access to all prisoners held by British forces abroad.
20 years rebuilding lives The Medical Foundation has achieved much in the 20 years it has been in existence. It has brought together an awareness of human rights issues and the provision of invaluable humanitarian assistance to some of the most vulnerable people in the UK. The Foundation has received requests for help from more than 40,000 torture survivors in the UK.
Reaching out beyond London Before April 2000, 85% of asylum seekers lived in and around London. This all changed when the Home Office began to disperse them outside the South-East on a no-choice basis. Thousands of asylum seekers were being sent to areas where low cost housing was available – areas that were already experiencing high levels of poverty, social deprivation and unemployment and whose already stretched services became overwhelmed by the huge demand. The Medical Foundation Regional Development Team played a key role in identifying and developing services for survivors of torture who had been dispersed. In 2003 the Medical Foundation North West Office was opened in Manchester. The Glasgow centre followed in 2004 and the Newcastle centre in 2005.
Taping interviews Following the government’s decision in April 2004 to withdraw public funding for representatives and interpreters to attend asylum and human rights interviews, interviewees [the vast majority of whom do not speak English] were attending alone. Following a challenge in court, a landmark ruling in the Court of Appeal ruled that: A tape recording provides the only sensible method of redressing the imbalance which results from the respondent being able to rely on a document created for him without an adequate opportunity for the applicant to refute it…The Court issued a Declaration: ...it is unlawful for the Home Secretary to decline to permit an applicant for … asylum … who is not accompanied at his interview by a legal representative and/or interpreter to tape record that interview. However, applicants must make it known, in advance, that they wish to have their interview taped. How many will understand that they have this right?.
Rapid Response The Medical Foundation established an Early Intervention Team (EIT) working to identify and stabilise newly arrived clinical cases in need of immediate medical and psychological treatment. In its first two years EIT treated 1065 clients from over 90 countries, and provided ongoing support to 160 individuals. Erol Yesilurt, who manages the team, explains: “On arrival an asylum seeker is confused and overwhelmed by so many people – immigration officers and solicitors – asking so many questions. Just imagine the situation of a woman who was subjected to organised rape and came here seeking safety. The officer may be suspicious about her account and ask her questions implying she is lying. This can trigger all kinds of emotions, feelings of shame and humiliation. These feelings can have a paralysing effect: she can become even less capable of handling the situation, dealing with her memories. She can become dysfunctional and unable to help herself.” “She gradually becomes able to cope with her traumatic memories, able to function, express herself, to talk about her experiences, to represent herself. So she becomes much more able to handle her own anxiety, trauma and memories and therefore to function better.” “If we reach these individuals as early as possible and offer them a service, we can prevent some tragic consequences. Source: The Supporter May 2005
Commission contacts Barbara Hungin Chair 01642 784398 Sr Mary Walmsley CJ Secretary 01904 464917 Nan Saeki Treasurer 01904 783621 Chris Dove Editor 01947 825043 email: dove.whitby@ukgateway.net or 22 Blackburns Yard Whitby YO22 4DS website:www.ayton.info/middlesbroughjp Commission Meetings in 2005
17 Sept Middlesbrough. St Francis of Assisi Medical Foundation for Victims of Torture. 19 Nov York. Students from All Saints School Commission meetings are open to everyone and usually begin at 10 for 10.30, finishing by about 1pm.
Bush seeks military control of space It would be interesting to know how far the UK government is tied to the expected new US national space policy through its use of the facilities of RAF Fylingdales. This could allow deployment of lasers, attack vehicles that descend on targets from on high; killer satellites which would disrupt or destroy other nations’ satellites; and tungsten rods that would attain a speed of over 7,000 mph and be able to penetrate underground targets. The Air Force Space Command’s “Strategic Master Plan, FY06 and Beyond” said, “Our vision calls for prompt global strike space systems with the capability to apply force from or through space against terrestrial targets. International treaties and laws do not prohibit the use or presence of conventional weapons in space.” But there was once such a treaty. Once in office, George W. Bush withdrew the United States from that treaty and moved forward with expanded research and development on offensive weapons. The Pentagon maintains that the United States must “deny” other nations the use of space in order to maintain “full spectrum dominance.” In order to sell this space warfare program to the American people, the Pentagon has labeled it “missile defense.” But in reality the program is all about offense. It was first spelled out in the 1997 Space command plan, “Vision for 2020,” that called for U.S. “control and domination” of space. Canada, Russia, and China have repeatedly gone to the United Nations asking the United States to join them in negotiating a new global ban on weapons in space. So far the United States, during both the Clinton and Bush administrations, has refused to even discuss the idea of a new space treaty. Gen. Lance Lord, head of the Air Force Space Command, recently told Congress, “Space superiority is not our birthright, but it is our destiny.” The idea that the United States is destined to rule the earth and space militarily needs to be debated by the citizens of our nation.” This is an edited version of an article by Bruce Gagnon, the coordinator of the Global Network Against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space, a Maine-based non-profit organization.
“The Bush administration is expected to soon announce a new national space policy that will give the Pentagon the green light to move toward deployment of offensive weapons in space.
The Art of horror and survival in 17 syllables
Yasuhiko Shigemoto recalls the day he first saw the incinerated city of Hiroshima as a 15-year-old boy. He walked across a bridge, and even 5 days after the bomb, it was covered with charred bodies. The river underneath was full of people too, floating like dead fish. “There are no words to describe what I felt.” When Shigemoto began to write, aged 55, about the Hiroshima blast he chose the shortest of literary styles: the 17 syllable haiku. “People tell me that there is no message in my poems,” he says. “I think that’s good. I just describe what I see, and somehow others get something from it.”
Four Haikus of Hiroshima
The sunset glow – Hiroshima as if still burning.
Still being alive seems to be a sin for me Hiroshima Day.
Gathering bones on Hiroshima’s burnt earth under the blazing sun.
The children hunting a cicada – not seeing the Atom Bomb Dome.
Yasuhiko Shigemoto
NB. Today there are 11,000 active, deliverable nuclear weapons in the world. 40 states have the technical ability to make nuclear weapons.
Source: The Independent 5 August
The 60th anniversary of the dropping of the first atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki occurred on 6th August. 160,000 civilians had been vaporised at 8.15am, with another 77,062 dying later,
EDITORIAL The 60th anniversary of the dropping of the first atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki occurred on 6th August. 160,000 civilians had been vaporised at 8.15am, with another 77,062 dying later, characterised by Pope Paul VI as a “butchery of untold magnitude”. There were a number of radio and TV programmes on the subject of the anniversary including an excellent Thought for The Day on the previous day by Bishop Tom Butler. See below for an edited version. In May of this year the Vatican signalled a sea change in Catholic moral teaching on nuclear weapons. At the UN Review Conference the Vatican ambassador stated: The Holy See has never countenanced nuclear deterrence as a permanent measure, nor does it today when it is evident that nuclear deterrence drives the development of ever newer nuclear arms, thus preventing genuine nuclear disarmament. Surely the time has come for the Catholic Church here to take up the Vatican’s call for a re-examination of the whole strategy of nuclear deterrence, at a time when a decision must be taken on replacing our aging Trident nuclear submarine fleet? We are often accused of being selective in choosing which bits of Vatican teaching we accept. Why is this particular teaching not as important? The September meeting will focus on the work of the Medical Foundation for the Care of Victims of Torture. This is particularly timely when the UK is considering permitting the removal of suspected terrorists to places where torture is part of the apparatus of “Intelligence”. Please note the invitation to take part in the Special Diocesan Study Day at Ampleforth on 22nd October. It promises to be an important event. Everyone will be welcome. Chris Dove Note: the views expressed in this newsletter do not necessarily coincide with those of the Commission.
Thought for The Day 5th August “Now there are 9 nuclear nations and 27,000 nuclear bombs. Back in 1970 when the United Nations sponsored the Nuclear Non-proliferation treaty, it did a three- pronged deal which in effect put a taboo on nuclear weapons. The nations without nuclear weapons wouldn’t seek to develop them, provided that the nations with nuclear weapons agreed to progressively disarm, meanwhile knowledge for the peaceful use of nuclear energy would be shared. It was also agreed that signatories would meet at the UN every five years to review progress. The latest review took place in May this year and I was one of the representatives of the World Council of Churches meeting with national delegations. It was a nightmare. It became pretty obvious that it was not in the interest of powerful players for the conference ever to start, for in the five years since the previous review there had been ominous developments. India and Pakistan had joined Israel in developing nuclear weapons and North Korea and Iran were well on the way. Meanwhile the Americans were talking about a new generation of smart nuclear weapons and Britain would soon need to decide whether or not to replace its Trident deterrent, showing signs of age. None of these countries was anxious to debate all of this on the stage of the UN and so points of order and semantic disputes prevented any serious work being done and the conference broke up in acrimony. But a taboo had been breached. It’s not now unthinkable that more and more nations will possess nuclear weapons. It’s not now unthinkable that they will be used in smart modern warfare. We rightly fear the terror of the suicide bomber but the terror of nuclear war could mean suicide for the world.” Rt Rev Tom Butler Bishop of Southwark. [Radio 4 Today programme] R.I.P. Joseph Rotblat, the only scientist to resign from the Manhattan Project [where the first atom bomb was developed] and who later received the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to rid the world of atomic weapons, died in London aged 96 on 31st August.
FAITH AND CITIZENSHIP IN EUROPE A special Diocesan Study Day is to be held at Ampleforth Abbey and College on Saturday 22nd October 2005 from 10.00am until 5.00pm. We are invited by the Abbot and Bishop John to come along to hear presentations made by leading MEPs and MPs from the three main parties. This is an important opportunity for us to take our responsibilities as citizens with faith-based concerns to become involved in the process of dialogue. Our role and influence as members of Faith Communities in the great debate about Europe is important. You will have an opportunity to put your views to the politicians There will be Workshops on Justice and Peace and Working with Elected Representatives, Information Stands and Lunch and Refreshments.
For more information please contact Barbara Hungin (01642 784398) or John Hinman (01642 700075)
Medical Foundation – 20 years rebuilding lives Torture is a violent assault on the core of a person’s identity, it razes their self-esteem to the ground and robs them of the very foundation of their lives. Loving relationships, social confidence and professional security can become impossible when torture has done its appalling work.
The Medical Foundation for the Care of Victims of Torture exists to enable survivors of torture and organised violence to engage in a healing process to assert their own human dignity and worth.
Torture is an ugly and unpleasant subject, one that most of us would rather not think about. The truth is that the suffering caused by torture can last a lifetime. The physical damage and pain inflicted may never completely heal and the horrific memories cause lasting mental trauma. Typically, survivors continue to experience symptoms such as vivid flashbacks, violent panic attacks and depression for many years. That is why, even today, British soldiers who lived through the Japanese prison camps of the Second World War still need help to cope with their experiences of torture.
The Medical Foundation’s doctors and therapists have one aim: to help people who have undergone such horrors to recover from their experiences. Most shocking of all, some even involve young children. Many victims of torture become so distressed by their suffering that they contemplate suicide. Yet the Medical Foundation sees examples of extraordinary courage and fortitude, proof that torture and its effects can be overcome. In some cases, those who first came for treatment now themselves work assisting others who are struggling with similar experiences.
Three Medical Foundation clients Luis Munoz Luis and his partner Diana were actively involved in Chilean politics. After Pinochet’s coup in 1973, they suddenly found themselves on the wrong side. Within a year Diana was arrested, cruelly tortured and left to die. They then hunted down Luis, too, subjecting him to a brutal and sadistic ordeal. Luis escaped to London. One of the first clients of the Medical Foundation, he helped shape our development. In 2002 he returned to Chile to confront his torturers. Eric Lomax – ‘The railway man’ A soldier in World War 2, Eric was taken prisoner after the fall of Singapore and held in a POW camp. He made a map of the nearby railroad which was found by guards and they assumed he was a spy. The torture that followed was shocking and brutal. All his life since then he suffered nightmares, paranoia and fear of strangers. After retirement in 1987 he came into contact with the Medical Foundation. He described his first experience of sharing his memories as ‘walking through a door into a world of caring and special understanding.’ Chantal Mulifi In 1990, Chantal realised that as a Tutsi in Rwanda, she was no longer an equal in her community. Chantal experienced the unimaginable horror of seeing her father and little sister executed by Hutu soldiers. Then her three other siblings were shot. Soldiers started shooting and in the chaos, Chantal fell into a pit of corpses. After the Hutus left she managed to climb out and escape. Eventually she was brought to the UK where she has received intensive treatment at the Medical Foundation. The War on Terror The Medical Foundation warns that many of those seeking asylum in the UK are victims of torture. As such they deserve sympathy, not demonisation, and require protection. The War on Terror has allowed the use of torture in the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. The US passes their prisoners to other countries where torture is routine, US planes use Britain as a staging post in this process. Many of the techniques used in places like Guantanamo Bay amount to torture pure and simple, whatever euphemisms might be used to describe them. The Medical Foundation is calling for independent observers to have access to all prisoners held by British forces abroad.
20 years rebuilding lives The Medical Foundation has achieved much in the 20 years it has been in existence. It has brought together an awareness of human rights issues and the provision of invaluable humanitarian assistance to some of the most vulnerable people in the UK. The Foundation has received requests for help from more than 40,000 torture survivors in the UK.
Reaching out beyond London Before April 2000, 85% of asylum seekers lived in and around London. This all changed when the Home Office began to disperse them outside the South-East on a no-choice basis. Thousands of asylum seekers were being sent to areas where low cost housing was available – areas that were already experiencing high levels of poverty, social deprivation and unemployment and whose already stretched services became overwhelmed by the huge demand. The Medical Foundation Regional Development Team played a key role in identifying and developing services for survivors of torture who had been dispersed. In 2003 the Medical Foundation North West Office was opened in Manchester. The Glasgow centre followed in 2004 and the Newcastle centre in 2005.
Taping interviews Following the government’s decision in April 2004 to withdraw public funding for representatives and interpreters to attend asylum and human rights interviews, interviewees [the vast majority of whom do not speak English] were attending alone. Following a challenge in court, a landmark ruling in the Court of Appeal ruled that: A tape recording provides the only sensible method of redressing the imbalance which results from the respondent being able to rely on a document created for him without an adequate opportunity for the applicant to refute it…The Court issued a Declaration: ...it is unlawful for the Home Secretary to decline to permit an applicant for … asylum … who is not accompanied at his interview by a legal representative and/or interpreter to tape record that interview. However, applicants must make it known, in advance, that they wish to have their interview taped. How many will understand that they have this right?.
Rapid Response The Medical Foundation established an Early Intervention Team (EIT) working to identify and stabilise newly arrived clinical cases in need of immediate medical and psychological treatment. In its first two years EIT treated 1065 clients from over 90 countries, and provided ongoing support to 160 individuals. Erol Yesilurt, who manages the team, explains: “On arrival an asylum seeker is confused and overwhelmed by so many people – immigration officers and solicitors – asking so many questions. Just imagine the situation of a woman who was subjected to organised rape and came here seeking safety. The officer may be suspicious about her account and ask her questions implying she is lying. This can trigger all kinds of emotions, feelings of shame and humiliation. These feelings can have a paralysing effect: she can become even less capable of handling the situation, dealing with her memories. She can become dysfunctional and unable to help herself.” “She gradually becomes able to cope with her traumatic memories, able to function, express herself, to talk about her experiences, to represent herself. So she becomes much more able to handle her own anxiety, trauma and memories and therefore to function better.” “If we reach these individuals as early as possible and offer them a service, we can prevent some tragic consequences. Source: The Supporter May 2005
Commission contacts Barbara Hungin Chair 01642 784398 Sr Mary Walmsley CJ Secretary 01904 464917 Nan Saeki Treasurer 01904 783621 Chris Dove Editor 01947 825043 email: dove.whitby@ukgateway.net or 22 Blackburns Yard Whitby YO22 4DS website:www.ayton.info/middlesbroughjp Commission Meetings in 2005
17 Sept Middlesbrough. St Francis of Assisi Medical Foundation for Victims of Torture. 19 Nov York. Students from All Saints School Commission meetings are open to everyone and usually begin at 10 for 10.30, finishing by about 1pm.
Bush seeks military control of space It would be interesting to know how far the UK government is tied to the expected new US national space policy through its use of the facilities of RAF Fylingdales. This could allow deployment of lasers, attack vehicles that descend on targets from on high; killer satellites which would disrupt or destroy other nations’ satellites; and tungsten rods that would attain a speed of over 7,000 mph and be able to penetrate underground targets. The Air Force Space Command’s “Strategic Master Plan, FY06 and Beyond” said, “Our vision calls for prompt global strike space systems with the capability to apply force from or through space against terrestrial targets. International treaties and laws do not prohibit the use or presence of conventional weapons in space.” But there was once such a treaty. Once in office, George W. Bush withdrew the United States from that treaty and moved forward with expanded research and development on offensive weapons. The Pentagon maintains that the United States must “deny” other nations the use of space in order to maintain “full spectrum dominance.” In order to sell this space warfare program to the American people, the Pentagon has labeled it “missile defense.” But in reality the program is all about offense. It was first spelled out in the 1997 Space command plan, “Vision for 2020,” that called for U.S. “control and domination” of space. Canada, Russia, and China have repeatedly gone to the United Nations asking the United States to join them in negotiating a new global ban on weapons in space. So far the United States, during both the Clinton and Bush administrations, has refused to even discuss the idea of a new space treaty. Gen. Lance Lord, head of the Air Force Space Command, recently told Congress, “Space superiority is not our birthright, but it is our destiny.” The idea that the United States is destined to rule the earth and space militarily needs to be debated by the citizens of our nation.” This is an edited version of an article by Bruce Gagnon, the coordinator of the Global Network Against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space, a Maine-based non-profit organization.
“The Bush administration is expected to soon announce a new national space policy that will give the Pentagon the green light to move toward deployment of offensive weapons in space.
The Art of horror and survival in 17 syllables
Yasuhiko Shigemoto recalls the day he first saw the incinerated city of Hiroshima as a 15-year-old boy. He walked across a bridge, and even 5 days after the bomb, it was covered with charred bodies. The river underneath was full of people too, floating like dead fish. “There are no words to describe what I felt.” When Shigemoto began to write, aged 55, about the Hiroshima blast he chose the shortest of literary styles: the 17 syllable haiku. “People tell me that there is no message in my poems,” he says. “I think that’s good. I just describe what I see, and somehow others get something from it.”
Four Haikus of Hiroshima
The sunset glow – Hiroshima as if still burning.
Still being alive seems to be a sin for me Hiroshima Day.
Gathering bones on Hiroshima’s burnt earth under the blazing sun.
The children hunting a cicada – not seeing the Atom Bomb Dome.
Yasuhiko Shigemoto
NB. Today there are 11,000 active, deliverable nuclear weapons in the world. 40 states have the technical ability to make nuclear weapons.
Source: The Independent 5 August
JULY/AUGUST 2005
July 1st, 2005
Those of us lucky enough to have been in Edinburgh for the MakePovertyHistory G8 rally had a great time. The overriding feeling was of
EDITORIAL Those of us lucky enough to have been in Edinburgh for the MakePovertyHistory G8 rally had a great time. The overriding feeling was of the united purpose of all ages and races and faiths in peace and harmony. It was a long but very happy day. We must wait to see how far the promises made by the leaders are followed by action. Poverty and the arms trade are intimately linked. The Campaign Against the Arms Trade continues to alert us to the scale of arms dealing. It is surely obscene that the global spending on arms exceeded $1 trillion in 2004 while the arms-selling countries spent just $78bn on development aid in the same year. These figures come from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). When there is a political will to find the money [for weapons] it can always be found. We need a war on poverty with the same scale of resources. SIPRI reported that spending by the US accounted for nearly half the total spent on weapons and was more than the combined sum of the 32 next biggest spenders. Britain, the second largest arms spender, spent $47bn – a tenth of the US total. [If like me you have no idea what these huge numbers mean, I learnt this from Radio 4’s More or Less programme: A million seconds = 11.5 days; a billion seconds = 32 years, and a trillion seconds = 32,000 years] The G8 Finance Ministers, under the leadership of Gordon Brown, have made a good start in agreeing to cancel debt for some of the poorest countries. CAFOD and the other agencies have been working for so long to achieve this. And this and our other concerns are all covered in the new Compendium of Catholic Social Doctrine which justifies all that those who work for Justice & Peace do in their parishes. We are not the odd ones: we are only trying to preach the social doctrine of the church! The privatisation of utilities that are essential for people’s lives has been a disaster in many developing countries. And this has often been demanded as a condition for aid. The WDM report shows how damaging this has been. Chris Dove Note: the views expressed in this newsletter do not necessarily coincide with those of the Commission.
From Chair’s Report to AGM An A.G.M. is a good time both to reflect on the past year and to look forward to the coming months. At our January meeting – A Peace and Disarmament Gathering facilitated by Pax Christi, Campaign Against the Arms Trade and the Fellowship of Reconciliation – people from many different peace and development organisations came together to share resources and explore current themes. This has set in motion a plan to use one of the Commission meetings each year to develop this network further. At other meetings during the past year we have had a speaker from the Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Israel and Palestine – a fascinating first hand account of 3 months spent in the occupied territories; we have focused on the challenges of World Food Trade, and we have heard from Commission members of their involvement in prison visiting and credit unions. An on-going focus is to develop more links with young people in the Diocese following a very successful meeting in Hull last year. A new young people’s group based at the Cathedral has got involved in the Trade Justice Campaign and has offered hospitality and friendship to young people seeking asylum. In November we hope to have a meeting hosted by students from All Saints School in York. An exciting initiative in October will be a Study Day at Ampleforth being planned by the Richmond Parliamentary Constituency Group, the Justice and Peace Commission and the Women’s Commission. The theme for the day will be Christian Family Values – both as regards the family unit and also the wider family of Europe and our relationships with the developing world. There will be high profile speakers from each of the three main political parties and the opportunity to attend workshops. Our on-going work is always to spread awareness of justice issues around the diocese. A particular focus continues to be working with those seeking asylum in our area. We are very grateful for the support of the Bishop and the Diocese, and of CAFOD, who have been always been closely involved. Barbara. The Arms Trade and Poverty Every gun, every warship, every tank and every military aircraft built is, in the final analysis, a theft from those who are hungry and not fed, from those who are naked and are not clothed. Dwight D Eisenhower US President 1952-1960 According to the UN, 800 million people in the world are suffering from chronic hunger. More than a billion struggle to survive on less than $1 per day. It is truly shameful that such poverty exists. The arms trade plays a key role in exacerbating it. Countries engaged in conflict spend vast sums on weapons. This drains vital resources from education and health provision and is a major cause of ‘third world debt’. In July some of the world’s leading arms exporters will gather in Scotland for the G8 annual meeting. All eight countries, except Japan, are among the ten biggest arms exporters in the world. • In 2003, G8 countries exported weapons worth more than US$24 billion. • More than half were sold to countries in the developing world. • Around 89% of arms sales to developing countries currently come from just five G8 members – the USA, Russia, France, the UK and Germany. Ending arms exports from G8 countries to the developing world is an urgent priority. Source: Campaign against the Arms Trade. Debt cancellation While praising Gordon Brown for championing the cause of debt cancellation at the G8 Finance Ministers’ meeting, we need to remember that it is still not enough. The deal offers immediate 100% cancellation of World Bank, IMF and African Development Bank debt for the countries that have completed the HIPC process (currently 18, potentially up to 38). But about 62 countries need immediate cancellation if they are to have a chance of meeting the Millennium Goals by 2015. With the political will of rich countries, it is possible: in one day last year, over $30bn of Iraqi debt was cancelled, more than the debt relief given through the HIPC process in the preceding nine years. Debt relief works. Uganda has used the money released from its debt relief to double primary school enrolment and invest in a successful HIV/AIDS plan. Mozambique’s debt relief has enabled its government to immunise 500,000 children. In Uganda debt relief has led to 2.2 million more people getting access to clean water. But 30,000 children die every day as a result of poverty and lack of proper medical services means that more women die in pregnancy in India in one week than die in the whole of Europe in one year. We have to follow up on the G8 summit and keep up the pressure on government to change things permanently. Importantly, we must make sure that promises are translated into deeds. It is shameful that, for example, after the earthquake in Bam, the US and EU promised $1bn but only $1.5m has been paid out, in Mozambique less than a third of the $400m promised for reconstruction has been paid and again, in the aftermath of Hurricane Mich, of $8bn promised only $26m has been paid. The Church’s best kept secret This was the title of a recent Tablet article which reported on an interview with Cardinal Renato Martino, the president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace. Coming after an appointment as the Vatican’s permanent observer at the UN, he has just completed the compilation of the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church. “The Compendium seeks to inform a principled, ethical engagement with society at the dawn of the Third Millenium.” It is a very full distillation of Catholic social teaching and doctrines. Punctiliously indexed, ranging from Abortion to Youth it enables readers to get to grips with key teachings in seconds. Social encyclicals from Rerum Novarum (1892) to many of John Paul II’s, including Centesimus Annus, are covered, with many references to Gaudium et Spes. John Paul II believed the Compendium absolutely vital for the life of the church, because he thought that Catholic social teaching was so little known. The Compendium itself says “It is neither taught nor known sufficiently – which is part of the reason for its failure to be suitably reflected in concrete behaviour.” Cardinal Martino sees Jesus as “doing social work and evangelising too” when he helped the poor and cured the sick. This is the Gospel. That is why preaching social doctrine is just the same as preaching the gospel.” The Compendium advises the laity to take the initiative “without waiting passively for orders and directives.” The Cardinal’s support for pro-life issues is matched by a repudiation of military action, “the damage caused by that great defeat for humanity which war always represents.” He has expressed exasperation over nuclear arms and the failure of the latest conference of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. He made it crystal clear that he blames the nuclear powers (Britain, France, USA) for failing to make any headway. “They should have taken a step forward towards the abolition of nuclear weapons.” It was legitimate to be concerned about the spreading of nuclear arms to countries such as Iran and North Korea, but it would not do to use this as a diversion from concrete action towards disarmament. “We must not bring nuclear weapons into the third millennium.” The Compendium rejects protectionism and reminds us that the things of this earth should be shared fairly. “There is a real danger in the brute pursuit of wealth by transnational corporations, many being more powerful than states.” As for environmental degradation, Cardinal Martino recalled the first principle of the 1992 Rio Declaration: “Human beings are at the centre of concerns for the environment and development. They are entitled to a fruitful life in harmony with the environment.” (The cardinal succeeded in having inserted the word ‘human beings’ in place of ‘states’ in the above principle.) “The coming together of faith and reason, and the directing of action towards caritas is the synthesis that the Compendium intends to promote,” said the cardinal. “Is there anything of greater urgency? Is there anything less abstract?” Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church is published by Burns and Oates, an imprint of Continuum. The Environmental challenge Alongside our work seeking justice in the treatment of refugees and asylum seekers and urging a move towards a culture of peace and not war, we have always championed the need for care for the environment. WATER and the G8 meeting Two million people die every year because they don’t have access to clean water. The UK government are promising to try to persuade the other G8 members to agree to meeting the UN goal to spend 0.7% of GDP on development aid. However every year the Government quietly hands over millions of pounds from the aid budget to water privatisation consultants. The UK leads the world in pushing water privatisation – a solution that has led to massive price rises faced by consumers least able to pay; to outbreaks of deadly disease and to whole communities being cut off from their water supply. Since 1997 our government has paid at least £90 million of taxpayer’s money for ‘technical assistance’ much of it paid to its chosen consultants. The consultants draw up privatisation plans for poor countries. Then water companies move in, claiming millions more from the aid budget to subsidise their operations. • In Trinidad and Tobago, UK-based consultants Halcrow set up a management contract for Severn Trent, who performed so badly that mass protests made them withdraw within 4 years. • Prices tripled after privatisation in Manila and bacteria in the system caused a cholera outbreak. • Mass non-payment was sparked in Cochabamba, Bolivia, when the private water company tried to boost its profits by charging people for collecting rain water. • Free market specialists Adam Smith International spent £270,000 of UK aid money on publicity in Tanzania aimed at quelling opposition to privatisation. But it does not have to be like this. • 99% of people in Porto Allegre, Brazil now receive clean water. Their water provider is independent but owned by the city and citizens help to take decisions on how its budget is spent. • In Penang, Malaysia, the water company is a public utility but is free from political interference. Prices are among the lowest in the world and even though it is run on commercial lines, the charging system ensures that even the poorest can afford to pay for their water. • In Dacca, Bangladesh, the union-led cooperative ran water so much more efficiently than the private company in a neighbouring zone that the government gave both contracts to the cooperative. The World Development Movement (WDM) is campaigning with the slogan “Dirty Aid, Dirty Water” to stop the scandal of aid funds being spent in this way. Further information can be found on their website: www.dirtyaid.org. Source: WDM News Item….. The UK based water company Biwater is to sue Tanzania after its government revoked a contract to supply water and sanitation to the country’s largest city, Dar es Salaam. Tanzania is one of the world’s poorest countries, struggling with debts of $6.8 bn which easily outstrip its annual budget of $1.38bn. It was forced to privatise its water industry to qualify for international debt relief. The UK government spent millions paying advisers to facilitate what turned out to be a botched privatisation. Biwater was two years into a ten year contract when it was sacked. Source: Weekly Guardian [May 27-June 2] Commission contacts Barbara Hungin Chair 01642 784398 Sr Mary Walmsley CJ Secretary 01904 464917 Nan Saeki Treasurer 01904 783621 Chris Dove Editor 01947 825043 email: dove.whitby@ukgateway.net or 22 Blackburns Yard Whitby YO22 4DS website:www.ayton.info/middlesbroughjp Commission Meetings in 2005 16 July Filey. Mercy Convent Day of Reflection. Fr Tony Storey 17 Sept Middlesbrough. St Francis of Assisi Medical Foundation for Victims of Torture. 19 Nov York. Students from All Saints School Commission meetings are open to everyone and usually begin at 10 for 10.30, finishing by about 1pm.
Edinburgh , Saturday 2nd July 2005. We got up very early, 3.45 to be precise. It was a long, long journey, too cold going, too hot coming home. We were exhausted. We didn’t manage to join the white band encircling the city centre; there were just so many people. So, was it worth it? YES, Yes, because there were just so many people, so many young, so many smiling, including the cardinals, a splash of scarlet against the sea of white. There was so much noise: music and chatter and pipers and laughter, then, at 3pm precisely, a sudden deep silence, followed by an even louder noise. Now we can only pray our leaders heard our cry for the poor, will not forget, but persevere in action. A.M.D.
What’s the point? You say the little efforts that I make will do no good. They never will prevail to tip the hovering scale when justice hangs in the balance. I don’t think I ever thought they would. But I am prejudiced beyond debate in favour of my right to choose which side shall feel the stubborn ounces of my weight. Bonaro Overstreet
Those of us lucky enough to have been in Edinburgh for the MakePovertyHistory G8 rally had a great time. The overriding feeling was of
EDITORIAL Those of us lucky enough to have been in Edinburgh for the MakePovertyHistory G8 rally had a great time. The overriding feeling was of the united purpose of all ages and races and faiths in peace and harmony. It was a long but very happy day. We must wait to see how far the promises made by the leaders are followed by action. Poverty and the arms trade are intimately linked. The Campaign Against the Arms Trade continues to alert us to the scale of arms dealing. It is surely obscene that the global spending on arms exceeded $1 trillion in 2004 while the arms-selling countries spent just $78bn on development aid in the same year. These figures come from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). When there is a political will to find the money [for weapons] it can always be found. We need a war on poverty with the same scale of resources. SIPRI reported that spending by the US accounted for nearly half the total spent on weapons and was more than the combined sum of the 32 next biggest spenders. Britain, the second largest arms spender, spent $47bn – a tenth of the US total. [If like me you have no idea what these huge numbers mean, I learnt this from Radio 4’s More or Less programme: A million seconds = 11.5 days; a billion seconds = 32 years, and a trillion seconds = 32,000 years] The G8 Finance Ministers, under the leadership of Gordon Brown, have made a good start in agreeing to cancel debt for some of the poorest countries. CAFOD and the other agencies have been working for so long to achieve this. And this and our other concerns are all covered in the new Compendium of Catholic Social Doctrine which justifies all that those who work for Justice & Peace do in their parishes. We are not the odd ones: we are only trying to preach the social doctrine of the church! The privatisation of utilities that are essential for people’s lives has been a disaster in many developing countries. And this has often been demanded as a condition for aid. The WDM report shows how damaging this has been. Chris Dove Note: the views expressed in this newsletter do not necessarily coincide with those of the Commission.
From Chair’s Report to AGM An A.G.M. is a good time both to reflect on the past year and to look forward to the coming months. At our January meeting – A Peace and Disarmament Gathering facilitated by Pax Christi, Campaign Against the Arms Trade and the Fellowship of Reconciliation – people from many different peace and development organisations came together to share resources and explore current themes. This has set in motion a plan to use one of the Commission meetings each year to develop this network further. At other meetings during the past year we have had a speaker from the Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Israel and Palestine – a fascinating first hand account of 3 months spent in the occupied territories; we have focused on the challenges of World Food Trade, and we have heard from Commission members of their involvement in prison visiting and credit unions. An on-going focus is to develop more links with young people in the Diocese following a very successful meeting in Hull last year. A new young people’s group based at the Cathedral has got involved in the Trade Justice Campaign and has offered hospitality and friendship to young people seeking asylum. In November we hope to have a meeting hosted by students from All Saints School in York. An exciting initiative in October will be a Study Day at Ampleforth being planned by the Richmond Parliamentary Constituency Group, the Justice and Peace Commission and the Women’s Commission. The theme for the day will be Christian Family Values – both as regards the family unit and also the wider family of Europe and our relationships with the developing world. There will be high profile speakers from each of the three main political parties and the opportunity to attend workshops. Our on-going work is always to spread awareness of justice issues around the diocese. A particular focus continues to be working with those seeking asylum in our area. We are very grateful for the support of the Bishop and the Diocese, and of CAFOD, who have been always been closely involved. Barbara. The Arms Trade and Poverty Every gun, every warship, every tank and every military aircraft built is, in the final analysis, a theft from those who are hungry and not fed, from those who are naked and are not clothed. Dwight D Eisenhower US President 1952-1960 According to the UN, 800 million people in the world are suffering from chronic hunger. More than a billion struggle to survive on less than $1 per day. It is truly shameful that such poverty exists. The arms trade plays a key role in exacerbating it. Countries engaged in conflict spend vast sums on weapons. This drains vital resources from education and health provision and is a major cause of ‘third world debt’. In July some of the world’s leading arms exporters will gather in Scotland for the G8 annual meeting. All eight countries, except Japan, are among the ten biggest arms exporters in the world. • In 2003, G8 countries exported weapons worth more than US$24 billion. • More than half were sold to countries in the developing world. • Around 89% of arms sales to developing countries currently come from just five G8 members – the USA, Russia, France, the UK and Germany. Ending arms exports from G8 countries to the developing world is an urgent priority. Source: Campaign against the Arms Trade. Debt cancellation While praising Gordon Brown for championing the cause of debt cancellation at the G8 Finance Ministers’ meeting, we need to remember that it is still not enough. The deal offers immediate 100% cancellation of World Bank, IMF and African Development Bank debt for the countries that have completed the HIPC process (currently 18, potentially up to 38). But about 62 countries need immediate cancellation if they are to have a chance of meeting the Millennium Goals by 2015. With the political will of rich countries, it is possible: in one day last year, over $30bn of Iraqi debt was cancelled, more than the debt relief given through the HIPC process in the preceding nine years. Debt relief works. Uganda has used the money released from its debt relief to double primary school enrolment and invest in a successful HIV/AIDS plan. Mozambique’s debt relief has enabled its government to immunise 500,000 children. In Uganda debt relief has led to 2.2 million more people getting access to clean water. But 30,000 children die every day as a result of poverty and lack of proper medical services means that more women die in pregnancy in India in one week than die in the whole of Europe in one year. We have to follow up on the G8 summit and keep up the pressure on government to change things permanently. Importantly, we must make sure that promises are translated into deeds. It is shameful that, for example, after the earthquake in Bam, the US and EU promised $1bn but only $1.5m has been paid out, in Mozambique less than a third of the $400m promised for reconstruction has been paid and again, in the aftermath of Hurricane Mich, of $8bn promised only $26m has been paid. The Church’s best kept secret This was the title of a recent Tablet article which reported on an interview with Cardinal Renato Martino, the president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace. Coming after an appointment as the Vatican’s permanent observer at the UN, he has just completed the compilation of the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church. “The Compendium seeks to inform a principled, ethical engagement with society at the dawn of the Third Millenium.” It is a very full distillation of Catholic social teaching and doctrines. Punctiliously indexed, ranging from Abortion to Youth it enables readers to get to grips with key teachings in seconds. Social encyclicals from Rerum Novarum (1892) to many of John Paul II’s, including Centesimus Annus, are covered, with many references to Gaudium et Spes. John Paul II believed the Compendium absolutely vital for the life of the church, because he thought that Catholic social teaching was so little known. The Compendium itself says “It is neither taught nor known sufficiently – which is part of the reason for its failure to be suitably reflected in concrete behaviour.” Cardinal Martino sees Jesus as “doing social work and evangelising too” when he helped the poor and cured the sick. This is the Gospel. That is why preaching social doctrine is just the same as preaching the gospel.” The Compendium advises the laity to take the initiative “without waiting passively for orders and directives.” The Cardinal’s support for pro-life issues is matched by a repudiation of military action, “the damage caused by that great defeat for humanity which war always represents.” He has expressed exasperation over nuclear arms and the failure of the latest conference of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. He made it crystal clear that he blames the nuclear powers (Britain, France, USA) for failing to make any headway. “They should have taken a step forward towards the abolition of nuclear weapons.” It was legitimate to be concerned about the spreading of nuclear arms to countries such as Iran and North Korea, but it would not do to use this as a diversion from concrete action towards disarmament. “We must not bring nuclear weapons into the third millennium.” The Compendium rejects protectionism and reminds us that the things of this earth should be shared fairly. “There is a real danger in the brute pursuit of wealth by transnational corporations, many being more powerful than states.” As for environmental degradation, Cardinal Martino recalled the first principle of the 1992 Rio Declaration: “Human beings are at the centre of concerns for the environment and development. They are entitled to a fruitful life in harmony with the environment.” (The cardinal succeeded in having inserted the word ‘human beings’ in place of ‘states’ in the above principle.) “The coming together of faith and reason, and the directing of action towards caritas is the synthesis that the Compendium intends to promote,” said the cardinal. “Is there anything of greater urgency? Is there anything less abstract?” Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church is published by Burns and Oates, an imprint of Continuum. The Environmental challenge Alongside our work seeking justice in the treatment of refugees and asylum seekers and urging a move towards a culture of peace and not war, we have always championed the need for care for the environment. WATER and the G8 meeting Two million people die every year because they don’t have access to clean water. The UK government are promising to try to persuade the other G8 members to agree to meeting the UN goal to spend 0.7% of GDP on development aid. However every year the Government quietly hands over millions of pounds from the aid budget to water privatisation consultants. The UK leads the world in pushing water privatisation – a solution that has led to massive price rises faced by consumers least able to pay; to outbreaks of deadly disease and to whole communities being cut off from their water supply. Since 1997 our government has paid at least £90 million of taxpayer’s money for ‘technical assistance’ much of it paid to its chosen consultants. The consultants draw up privatisation plans for poor countries. Then water companies move in, claiming millions more from the aid budget to subsidise their operations. • In Trinidad and Tobago, UK-based consultants Halcrow set up a management contract for Severn Trent, who performed so badly that mass protests made them withdraw within 4 years. • Prices tripled after privatisation in Manila and bacteria in the system caused a cholera outbreak. • Mass non-payment was sparked in Cochabamba, Bolivia, when the private water company tried to boost its profits by charging people for collecting rain water. • Free market specialists Adam Smith International spent £270,000 of UK aid money on publicity in Tanzania aimed at quelling opposition to privatisation. But it does not have to be like this. • 99% of people in Porto Allegre, Brazil now receive clean water. Their water provider is independent but owned by the city and citizens help to take decisions on how its budget is spent. • In Penang, Malaysia, the water company is a public utility but is free from political interference. Prices are among the lowest in the world and even though it is run on commercial lines, the charging system ensures that even the poorest can afford to pay for their water. • In Dacca, Bangladesh, the union-led cooperative ran water so much more efficiently than the private company in a neighbouring zone that the government gave both contracts to the cooperative. The World Development Movement (WDM) is campaigning with the slogan “Dirty Aid, Dirty Water” to stop the scandal of aid funds being spent in this way. Further information can be found on their website: www.dirtyaid.org. Source: WDM News Item….. The UK based water company Biwater is to sue Tanzania after its government revoked a contract to supply water and sanitation to the country’s largest city, Dar es Salaam. Tanzania is one of the world’s poorest countries, struggling with debts of $6.8 bn which easily outstrip its annual budget of $1.38bn. It was forced to privatise its water industry to qualify for international debt relief. The UK government spent millions paying advisers to facilitate what turned out to be a botched privatisation. Biwater was two years into a ten year contract when it was sacked. Source: Weekly Guardian [May 27-June 2] Commission contacts Barbara Hungin Chair 01642 784398 Sr Mary Walmsley CJ Secretary 01904 464917 Nan Saeki Treasurer 01904 783621 Chris Dove Editor 01947 825043 email: dove.whitby@ukgateway.net or 22 Blackburns Yard Whitby YO22 4DS website:www.ayton.info/middlesbroughjp Commission Meetings in 2005 16 July Filey. Mercy Convent Day of Reflection. Fr Tony Storey 17 Sept Middlesbrough. St Francis of Assisi Medical Foundation for Victims of Torture. 19 Nov York. Students from All Saints School Commission meetings are open to everyone and usually begin at 10 for 10.30, finishing by about 1pm.
Edinburgh , Saturday 2nd July 2005. We got up very early, 3.45 to be precise. It was a long, long journey, too cold going, too hot coming home. We were exhausted. We didn’t manage to join the white band encircling the city centre; there were just so many people. So, was it worth it? YES, Yes, because there were just so many people, so many young, so many smiling, including the cardinals, a splash of scarlet against the sea of white. There was so much noise: music and chatter and pipers and laughter, then, at 3pm precisely, a sudden deep silence, followed by an even louder noise. Now we can only pray our leaders heard our cry for the poor, will not forget, but persevere in action. A.M.D.
What’s the point? You say the little efforts that I make will do no good. They never will prevail to tip the hovering scale when justice hangs in the balance. I don’t think I ever thought they would. But I am prejudiced beyond debate in favour of my right to choose which side shall feel the stubborn ounces of my weight. Bonaro Overstreet
MAY/JUNE 2005
May 1st, 2005
So we have another term of Labour. Perhaps Tony Blair will see the need to make policy changes but the leaked report that he plans to replace the Trident nuclear system, rather than scrap it, is not encouraging.
EDITORIAL So we have another term of Labour. Perhaps Tony Blair will see the need to make policy changes but the leaked report that he plans to replace the Trident nuclear system, rather than scrap it, is not encouraging. He certainly cannot claim to be a “Man of Peace” unlike our new pope. Now we must wait to see whether Pope Benedict XVI will have a different approach to the needs of the Church from that of the former Cardinal Ratzinger. As the “Pope’s Enforcer” he had a very different role from that of the “Servant of the Servants of the Poor”. We pray for him in his awesome task.
There will be an early opportunity to test campaign promises on Development programmes when we see what happens at Edinburgh in July. All the parties promised to support MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY. We have to wait and see. The Rough Guide to a Better World was funded by the Department for International Development (DFID) but carries the caveat “The views are not necessarily those of DFID.” We must challenge the government to make the Guide their policy with no qualifications. Let them listen to Bob Geldof.
The continuing tragedy in Bhopal shows what can happen when big business uses its muscle to avoid taking responsibility for its actions. Union Carbide would not have been allowed to operate a plant in the US the way they did in India and the US courts would have insisted on proper compensation.
Nan encourages applications for a quiet, peaceful weekend free from stress in lovely surroundings at Barmoor. Highly recommended. Note: the views expressed in this newsletter do not necessarily coincide with those of the Commission. In memoriam
Chris Dove
Pope John Paul II had a high regard for Pax Christi International and at an audience in 1955, marking their 50th anniversary he said: “Movements like yours are precious. They help draw people’s attention to the violence which shatters the harmony between human beings which is at the heart of creation. They help to develop conscience, so that justice and the search for the common good can prevail in the relations between individuals and peoples.”
Time and again, in places associated with the worst deeds of humanity, the Pope inspired hope and determination for constructive change:
In Drogheda (1979) “I appeal to young people caught up in organisations engaged in violence … Do not listen to voices which speak the language of hatred, revenge, retaliation…” In Hiroshima (1981) “To remember Hiroshima is to commit oneself to peace… Let us promise our fellow human beings that we will work untiringly for disarmament and the banishing of all nuclear weapons..” Before the Iraq war (2003) “War is never just another means that one can choose to employ for settling differences between nations.”
Members of Pax Christi, and all who seek peace, will make Pope John Paul II’s heartfelt prayer their own:
“Hear my voice, for it is the voice of the victims of all wars and violence among individuals and nations… Hear my voice, for I speak for the multitudes in every country and every period of history who do not want war and are ready to walk the road of peace.”
May he rest in God’s peace. Source: Pax Christi International. April 3 2005
The Rough Guide to a Better World and how you can make a difference. Foreword from Bob Geldof “It’s really only the poor who die earliest. We don’t die of our corruption, or our AIDS, or malaria, or other illnesses, or our trade rules, or starvation, or our political insecurity, or our debt burdens, or our summer droughts. But the poor do. They die from all of the above. The euphemism for this mass premature dying is “lack of development”. “We must not accept people dying nightly on our screens forever. That is an intolerable and unacceptable view of the future. And even if they are unseen and mute and unheeded we must remain alert to that other world, those other fellow human beings. They whisper to us through the unfair trade of the supermarket shelves and the exploited raw materials in our petrol stations. But we know they’re there.”
First, the good news True, the situation has improved, even in Africa. The number of children who die before reaching their fifth birthday halved between 1960 and 2001. The number of adults who cannot read or write fell from 53% in 1970 to 27% in 2001. Over the last twenty years the number of children attending primary school in the world has gone from eight out of ten to nine out of ten. But the big difference depends on where you live. If you live in a developing country, in 1960 you could expect to live until you were 46, today you can expect to live until you are 64, but in the UK men can expect to live to 75 and women to 79. There remains an enormous global poverty problem. For over one billion people who live on less than one US dollar per day [less than what many of us spend on a cup of coffee or a bottle of water], life does not feel that much better. Two billion, a third of all of us living on this planet, do not have access to decent sanitation. More than 100 million children don’t go to school and 10 million children die before their fifth birthday, largely from preventable disease.
The challenges Though there are signs that development is working, no one is pretending that it is fast enough for those hundreds of millions of people who continue to live in poverty. We live in a world of deep global inequalities where developed countries invest $600 billion a year on defence, and $300 billion in agricultural subsidies, but provide just $56 billion a year in aid to the developing countries. Water and sanitation Every year 2.2 million people die from diseases directly related to drinking contaminated water. The task of collecting water falls to women and children. Diarrhoea alone claims the lives of nearly 6,000 children a day.
Disease Just as an individual is impoverished if he or she cannot get medical treatment for their illness, so too is a country if it is unable to provide good health care for its people. If the work force is ill, then the economy suffers. So while improving the health and average life span of poor people is a justifiable end in itself, it is also fundamental to economic development. And yet a whole range of diseases from leprosy to trachoma, which would be quickly treated in the UK, continues to plague lives in developing countries. For many diseases, well researched, well funded strategic programmes of immunization are vital in protecting the health of people in developing countries. For example, just 5 years ago, more than 70% of Cambodian children were infected with intestinal worms. Infected children weigh up to 2 kilos less than healthy children, they have a much higher chance of becoming anaemic. But once anti-parasitic treatment has been administered, infected children regain their health. They also show a dramatic increase in their short- and long-term memory, as well as their reasoning capacity and reading comprehension. School absenteeism drops by up to 25 percent.
Population growth It is a commonplace to hear people claim that global population growth is the real reason that so many people remain poor. This is a popular myth – but rising population does make a difference. The population of the planet is set to grow to 10 billion by 2050. Developing countries will experience most of this, further diminishing scarce resources. But there is a reason for this. When life is so vulnerable for poor communities, is it so surprising that having a large family is so important? Who else will look after you in your old age, when there is no social security and no old people’s homes? Of course, uncontrolled population growth places pressure on limited resources, but when essential services like safe water and sanitation are provided, and so improved public health, families choose to have fewer children. And this is what happened here in the 19th century. Education The single most effective way to reduce poverty is to invest in the education of girls. Just a few years of basic education empowers women to have smaller and healthier families, and to enjoy a higher standard of living. Each year of schooling increases individual earnings by a worldwide average of about 10%, according to the World Bank. Energy Our very survival as a species depends on respecting our global environment. While the primary culprit is the fossil fuel consumption of the industrialised world, the primary victims are poor communities in the developing world. With predictions of rising global temperature and increasing sea levels, leading to more extreme weather (floods, hurricanes, drought and heat waves), developing countries will be the most exposed. Egypt, for example, could lose 12% of its land from a 1m rise in the sea level. For the people of Tuvalu, in the South Pacific, rising sea levels are spreading salt throughout the country’s low-lying arable land making it unusable.
Speaking out on behalf of poor people “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.” Proverbs. Public protests can succeed: remember Drop the Debt and Ban Landmines. This year 2005, with the UK hosting the annual G8 meeting and holding the presidency of the EU, this country is particularly influential on international issues. This gives UK campaigners an opportunity to demand an end to debt and to MAKE POVERTY HISTORY. It is up to us. Source: The Rough Guide to a Better World. DFID
The Bhopal Disaster 20 years on
On the night of 2 December 1984, more than 35 tons of toxic gases leaked from a pesticide plant in Bhopal, India, owned by US-based multinational Union Carbide Company (UCC). It devastated the local community. More than 7,000 died within days of the disaster, and 15,000 more died in the following years.
Today 100,000 people continue to suffer from associated illnesses, including respiratory disease, breast and cervical cancer, and anxiety and depression. UCC’s decision to store ultra-hazardous material (methyl isocyanate) in bulk in Bhopal, without introducing corresponding safety precautions, left it unable to contain the gas leak, although the company knew two years before the incident that the plant was unsafe. Afterwards the company refused to divulge information about the chemical content of the leaked substances, making it difficult to treat the victims.
Survivors’ organisations have campaigned tirelessly for justice – including fair compensation, adequate medical assistance and treatment, and full economic and social rehabilitation. But they have had little success. Even today, the plant site has not been cleaned up, so toxic wastes continue to pollute the environment and contaminate the water supply of surrounding communities. Incredibly, no one has ever been held to account for the catastrophe. Two decades later, survivors of the tragedy have yet to receive fair compensation or proper medical assistance and support. UCC and Dow Chemicals denied responsibility for the leak and the resulting damage and all attempts to bring the company to justice through the US and Indian courts have failed so far.
In 1989, the Indian government cut short further attempts to pursue UCC through the courts by agreeing a settlement of US$470 million. Successful claims resulted in minimal payments which began only in 1992. By September 2004, around US$330 million remained with the Reserve Bank of India – the government resumed payments only in November 2004.
To mark the anniversary of the disaster in Bhopal, Amnesty International issued a report which exposed the continuing effects on the local community. The report calls on the Dow Chemical Company [which took over UCC in 2001] to act immediately to clean up the site, ensure survivors receive adequate compensation, and face justice in the Indian courts. Following the media coverage the report received, the Indian authorities took a positive first step by having engineers visit the plant to determine how much toxic waste there is and how it can be destroyed. Another key demand is for Dow Chemicals to pay for a clean-up operation and provide full redress to the victims. On publication of the report, Dow Chemicals issued a statement saying they would consider it in full and respond in writing.
Amnesty International is awaiting that response. Source: Amnesty Action Spring 2005
Being poor is very expensive! In a time when people are owing more on their credit cards than ever, the risk of getting into serious debt is greatly increased. The home credit industry – the door to door people – flourishes because they lend to people who can’t get credit from banks or building societies. But the cost of these loans is extremely high – rates of interest can range from 160% to 800%!
Lenders become trapped in growing levels of indebtedness and lenders’ interest is to see that they never get free.
In a Credit Union, the rate of interest charged is limited by law, supervised by the Financial Services Authority. But the important difference is that people take control of their money and cut out the loan sharks.
Commission contacts Barbara Hungin Chair 01642 784398 Sr Mary Walmsley CJ Secretary 01904 464917 Nan Saeki Treasurer 01904 783621 Chris Dove Editor 01947 825043 email: dove.whitby@ukgateway.net or 22 Blackburns Yard Whitby YO22 4DS website:www.ayton.info/middlesbroughjp
Barmoor weekend
Probably, most of us living in Yorkshire have heard of and even visited Hutton-le-Hole, a beautiful village a few miles North-West of Pickering, right on the very edge of the heather moors, known as the North York Moors.
Since 1993, members of our Diocesan Justice & Peace Commission have gathered in this village in a former Quaker home called Barmoor for a weekend away together to enjoy the countryside, prayer, discussion and tranquillity. This year will be our twelfth visit and we will be there from 3rd to 5th June. We are always happy to welcome friends and sympathisers; justice and peace are at the heart of our talks and concerns.
The house can sleep up to 27 people under dormitory conditions. We do our own catering, arriving in time for supper on the Friday (for which we all bring a dish from home) and leaving after lunch on the Sunday. The cost is no more than what it costs to pay for the house and the food, i.e. £30 per adult, and £15 for children. We do not use commission funds for this event but pay for ourselves.
If you think this is something you would like to do, please contact Nan Saeki, the Treasurer (contact details in this Newsletter). We are not allowed to take more than 27 people, so it will be a case of first come, first served. All enquiries welcome.
Commission Meetings in 2005 21 May Middlesbrough. St Francis of Assisi AGM & “Make Poverty History” CAFOD Campaign Lesley Ann Knights 16 July Filey. Mercy Convent Day of Reflection. Fr Tony Storey 17 Sept Middlesbrough. St Francis of Assisi
So we have another term of Labour. Perhaps Tony Blair will see the need to make policy changes but the leaked report that he plans to replace the Trident nuclear system, rather than scrap it, is not encouraging.
EDITORIAL So we have another term of Labour. Perhaps Tony Blair will see the need to make policy changes but the leaked report that he plans to replace the Trident nuclear system, rather than scrap it, is not encouraging. He certainly cannot claim to be a “Man of Peace” unlike our new pope. Now we must wait to see whether Pope Benedict XVI will have a different approach to the needs of the Church from that of the former Cardinal Ratzinger. As the “Pope’s Enforcer” he had a very different role from that of the “Servant of the Servants of the Poor”. We pray for him in his awesome task.
There will be an early opportunity to test campaign promises on Development programmes when we see what happens at Edinburgh in July. All the parties promised to support MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY. We have to wait and see. The Rough Guide to a Better World was funded by the Department for International Development (DFID) but carries the caveat “The views are not necessarily those of DFID.” We must challenge the government to make the Guide their policy with no qualifications. Let them listen to Bob Geldof.
The continuing tragedy in Bhopal shows what can happen when big business uses its muscle to avoid taking responsibility for its actions. Union Carbide would not have been allowed to operate a plant in the US the way they did in India and the US courts would have insisted on proper compensation.
Nan encourages applications for a quiet, peaceful weekend free from stress in lovely surroundings at Barmoor. Highly recommended. Note: the views expressed in this newsletter do not necessarily coincide with those of the Commission. In memoriam
Chris Dove
Pope John Paul II had a high regard for Pax Christi International and at an audience in 1955, marking their 50th anniversary he said: “Movements like yours are precious. They help draw people’s attention to the violence which shatters the harmony between human beings which is at the heart of creation. They help to develop conscience, so that justice and the search for the common good can prevail in the relations between individuals and peoples.”
Time and again, in places associated with the worst deeds of humanity, the Pope inspired hope and determination for constructive change:
In Drogheda (1979) “I appeal to young people caught up in organisations engaged in violence … Do not listen to voices which speak the language of hatred, revenge, retaliation…” In Hiroshima (1981) “To remember Hiroshima is to commit oneself to peace… Let us promise our fellow human beings that we will work untiringly for disarmament and the banishing of all nuclear weapons..” Before the Iraq war (2003) “War is never just another means that one can choose to employ for settling differences between nations.”
Members of Pax Christi, and all who seek peace, will make Pope John Paul II’s heartfelt prayer their own:
“Hear my voice, for it is the voice of the victims of all wars and violence among individuals and nations… Hear my voice, for I speak for the multitudes in every country and every period of history who do not want war and are ready to walk the road of peace.”
May he rest in God’s peace. Source: Pax Christi International. April 3 2005
The Rough Guide to a Better World and how you can make a difference. Foreword from Bob Geldof “It’s really only the poor who die earliest. We don’t die of our corruption, or our AIDS, or malaria, or other illnesses, or our trade rules, or starvation, or our political insecurity, or our debt burdens, or our summer droughts. But the poor do. They die from all of the above. The euphemism for this mass premature dying is “lack of development”. “We must not accept people dying nightly on our screens forever. That is an intolerable and unacceptable view of the future. And even if they are unseen and mute and unheeded we must remain alert to that other world, those other fellow human beings. They whisper to us through the unfair trade of the supermarket shelves and the exploited raw materials in our petrol stations. But we know they’re there.”
First, the good news True, the situation has improved, even in Africa. The number of children who die before reaching their fifth birthday halved between 1960 and 2001. The number of adults who cannot read or write fell from 53% in 1970 to 27% in 2001. Over the last twenty years the number of children attending primary school in the world has gone from eight out of ten to nine out of ten. But the big difference depends on where you live. If you live in a developing country, in 1960 you could expect to live until you were 46, today you can expect to live until you are 64, but in the UK men can expect to live to 75 and women to 79. There remains an enormous global poverty problem. For over one billion people who live on less than one US dollar per day [less than what many of us spend on a cup of coffee or a bottle of water], life does not feel that much better. Two billion, a third of all of us living on this planet, do not have access to decent sanitation. More than 100 million children don’t go to school and 10 million children die before their fifth birthday, largely from preventable disease.
The challenges Though there are signs that development is working, no one is pretending that it is fast enough for those hundreds of millions of people who continue to live in poverty. We live in a world of deep global inequalities where developed countries invest $600 billion a year on defence, and $300 billion in agricultural subsidies, but provide just $56 billion a year in aid to the developing countries. Water and sanitation Every year 2.2 million people die from diseases directly related to drinking contaminated water. The task of collecting water falls to women and children. Diarrhoea alone claims the lives of nearly 6,000 children a day.
Disease Just as an individual is impoverished if he or she cannot get medical treatment for their illness, so too is a country if it is unable to provide good health care for its people. If the work force is ill, then the economy suffers. So while improving the health and average life span of poor people is a justifiable end in itself, it is also fundamental to economic development. And yet a whole range of diseases from leprosy to trachoma, which would be quickly treated in the UK, continues to plague lives in developing countries. For many diseases, well researched, well funded strategic programmes of immunization are vital in protecting the health of people in developing countries. For example, just 5 years ago, more than 70% of Cambodian children were infected with intestinal worms. Infected children weigh up to 2 kilos less than healthy children, they have a much higher chance of becoming anaemic. But once anti-parasitic treatment has been administered, infected children regain their health. They also show a dramatic increase in their short- and long-term memory, as well as their reasoning capacity and reading comprehension. School absenteeism drops by up to 25 percent.
Population growth It is a commonplace to hear people claim that global population growth is the real reason that so many people remain poor. This is a popular myth – but rising population does make a difference. The population of the planet is set to grow to 10 billion by 2050. Developing countries will experience most of this, further diminishing scarce resources. But there is a reason for this. When life is so vulnerable for poor communities, is it so surprising that having a large family is so important? Who else will look after you in your old age, when there is no social security and no old people’s homes? Of course, uncontrolled population growth places pressure on limited resources, but when essential services like safe water and sanitation are provided, and so improved public health, families choose to have fewer children. And this is what happened here in the 19th century. Education The single most effective way to reduce poverty is to invest in the education of girls. Just a few years of basic education empowers women to have smaller and healthier families, and to enjoy a higher standard of living. Each year of schooling increases individual earnings by a worldwide average of about 10%, according to the World Bank. Energy Our very survival as a species depends on respecting our global environment. While the primary culprit is the fossil fuel consumption of the industrialised world, the primary victims are poor communities in the developing world. With predictions of rising global temperature and increasing sea levels, leading to more extreme weather (floods, hurricanes, drought and heat waves), developing countries will be the most exposed. Egypt, for example, could lose 12% of its land from a 1m rise in the sea level. For the people of Tuvalu, in the South Pacific, rising sea levels are spreading salt throughout the country’s low-lying arable land making it unusable.
Speaking out on behalf of poor people “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.” Proverbs. Public protests can succeed: remember Drop the Debt and Ban Landmines. This year 2005, with the UK hosting the annual G8 meeting and holding the presidency of the EU, this country is particularly influential on international issues. This gives UK campaigners an opportunity to demand an end to debt and to MAKE POVERTY HISTORY. It is up to us. Source: The Rough Guide to a Better World. DFID
The Bhopal Disaster 20 years on
On the night of 2 December 1984, more than 35 tons of toxic gases leaked from a pesticide plant in Bhopal, India, owned by US-based multinational Union Carbide Company (UCC). It devastated the local community. More than 7,000 died within days of the disaster, and 15,000 more died in the following years.
Today 100,000 people continue to suffer from associated illnesses, including respiratory disease, breast and cervical cancer, and anxiety and depression. UCC’s decision to store ultra-hazardous material (methyl isocyanate) in bulk in Bhopal, without introducing corresponding safety precautions, left it unable to contain the gas leak, although the company knew two years before the incident that the plant was unsafe. Afterwards the company refused to divulge information about the chemical content of the leaked substances, making it difficult to treat the victims.
Survivors’ organisations have campaigned tirelessly for justice – including fair compensation, adequate medical assistance and treatment, and full economic and social rehabilitation. But they have had little success. Even today, the plant site has not been cleaned up, so toxic wastes continue to pollute the environment and contaminate the water supply of surrounding communities. Incredibly, no one has ever been held to account for the catastrophe. Two decades later, survivors of the tragedy have yet to receive fair compensation or proper medical assistance and support. UCC and Dow Chemicals denied responsibility for the leak and the resulting damage and all attempts to bring the company to justice through the US and Indian courts have failed so far.
In 1989, the Indian government cut short further attempts to pursue UCC through the courts by agreeing a settlement of US$470 million. Successful claims resulted in minimal payments which began only in 1992. By September 2004, around US$330 million remained with the Reserve Bank of India – the government resumed payments only in November 2004.
To mark the anniversary of the disaster in Bhopal, Amnesty International issued a report which exposed the continuing effects on the local community. The report calls on the Dow Chemical Company [which took over UCC in 2001] to act immediately to clean up the site, ensure survivors receive adequate compensation, and face justice in the Indian courts. Following the media coverage the report received, the Indian authorities took a positive first step by having engineers visit the plant to determine how much toxic waste there is and how it can be destroyed. Another key demand is for Dow Chemicals to pay for a clean-up operation and provide full redress to the victims. On publication of the report, Dow Chemicals issued a statement saying they would consider it in full and respond in writing.
Amnesty International is awaiting that response. Source: Amnesty Action Spring 2005
Being poor is very expensive! In a time when people are owing more on their credit cards than ever, the risk of getting into serious debt is greatly increased. The home credit industry – the door to door people – flourishes because they lend to people who can’t get credit from banks or building societies. But the cost of these loans is extremely high – rates of interest can range from 160% to 800%!
Lenders become trapped in growing levels of indebtedness and lenders’ interest is to see that they never get free.
In a Credit Union, the rate of interest charged is limited by law, supervised by the Financial Services Authority. But the important difference is that people take control of their money and cut out the loan sharks.
Commission contacts Barbara Hungin Chair 01642 784398 Sr Mary Walmsley CJ Secretary 01904 464917 Nan Saeki Treasurer 01904 783621 Chris Dove Editor 01947 825043 email: dove.whitby@ukgateway.net or 22 Blackburns Yard Whitby YO22 4DS website:www.ayton.info/middlesbroughjp
Barmoor weekend
Probably, most of us living in Yorkshire have heard of and even visited Hutton-le-Hole, a beautiful village a few miles North-West of Pickering, right on the very edge of the heather moors, known as the North York Moors.
Since 1993, members of our Diocesan Justice & Peace Commission have gathered in this village in a former Quaker home called Barmoor for a weekend away together to enjoy the countryside, prayer, discussion and tranquillity. This year will be our twelfth visit and we will be there from 3rd to 5th June. We are always happy to welcome friends and sympathisers; justice and peace are at the heart of our talks and concerns.
The house can sleep up to 27 people under dormitory conditions. We do our own catering, arriving in time for supper on the Friday (for which we all bring a dish from home) and leaving after lunch on the Sunday. The cost is no more than what it costs to pay for the house and the food, i.e. £30 per adult, and £15 for children. We do not use commission funds for this event but pay for ourselves.
If you think this is something you would like to do, please contact Nan Saeki, the Treasurer (contact details in this Newsletter). We are not allowed to take more than 27 people, so it will be a case of first come, first served. All enquiries welcome.
Commission Meetings in 2005 21 May Middlesbrough. St Francis of Assisi AGM & “Make Poverty History” CAFOD Campaign Lesley Ann Knights 16 July Filey. Mercy Convent Day of Reflection. Fr Tony Storey 17 Sept Middlesbrough. St Francis of Assisi
MARCH/APRIL 2005
March 1st, 2005
In this issue Barbara Hungin writes on the MakePovertyHistory campaign. Coaches are travelling to Edinburgh from several centres in the diocese f
EDITORIAL In this issue Barbara Hungin writes on the MakePovertyHistory campaign. Coaches are travelling to Edinburgh from several centres in the diocese for the national demonstration on July 2. For those who can’t make the journey, Fr Terence Richardson OSB is organising a vigil at Osmotherley for the night of July 1-2. Please try to support the campaign in some way. Cardinal Cormac Murphy O’Connor has written: “In 2005 there is an unprecedented opportunity to end the extreme poverty and suffering of millions of members of our human family. Events this year mean that there is finally the chance to win debt cancellation, trade justice and a doubling of overseas aid – essential steps that could lift 800 million people out of extreme poverty.” More than 220 organisations world wide are joining together to support this campaign.
Nan Saeki will be one of the speakers at our Hull meeting this month. If you can’t get there, she gives us a moving account of her prison visiting.
The Global Week of Action on Trade Justice brings together people from across the world to put unfair trade at the top of the political agenda through lobbies, vigils and other events. Please support this by ensuring that your church serves only Fair Trade tea and coffee.
Finally, thank you very much to all those who have sent donations towards the cost of producing and sending out the newsletter. It is greatly appreciated. May I wish all our readers a very happy Easter. Chris Dove Note: the views expressed in this newsletter do not necessarily coincide with those of the Commission.
MakePovertyHistory Campaign
“Like slavery and apartheid, poverty is not natural. It is man-made and it can be overcome and eradicated by the actions of human beings. Overcoming poverty is not a gesture of charity. It is an act of justice.” On February 3rd Nelson Mandela issued this rallying cry to ‘MAKE POVERTY HISTORY’ in front of over 22,000 people in Trafalgar Square. He then addressed the meeting of G7 Finance ministers the following day. ‘MAKE POVERTY HISTORY’ is this year’s campaign supported by CAFOD, Christian Aid, World Development Movement, Oxfam, Action Aid and many other organisations. Its aims are threefold: To change the rules and practices of unjust trade. To cancel poor countries’ debts. To deliver more and better aid. This is a crucial and exciting time as Britain takes on Presidency of the E.U. and hosts the G8 summit at Gleneagles Hotel in July. The British Campaign is part of a global initiative and during the Global week of Action on Trade Justice (10th – 16th April) there will be events in 60 countries. On Saturday 9th April at York Minster – under the title ‘Big Vote for Trade Justice’ there will be a rally with music and drama and a central point for collecting completed voting cards; followed by a service at All Saints, Pavement, at 2.30p.m. The ballot cards collected will go down to London for the’ Wake up to Trade Justice Vigil’ – which is being held in Whitehall on the night of April 15th and will be presented to Downing Street on the morning of 16th. There will also be a week long Trade Justice Exhibition in York Minster from 9th – 16th April. On July 2nd a mass rally in Edinburgh is planned and coaches will be going from all over the area. The day’s events will include: rallies with international speakers, celebrity supporters and music. the creation of a giant human white band around Edinburgh city centre. entertainment, ‘market stalls’ and activities. an opportunity for you to send your messages directly to the G8 meeting. Up to date details of the Campaign can be accessed from the website – www.makepovertyhistory.org. Barbara
Why be a prison visitor?
When I was younger and thought about the ‘corporal works of mercy’ (are they still called that?), I would pass over the one about visiting the imprisoned, seeing it rather as something metaphorical, which meant visiting anyone who felt imprisoned, because of course it couldn’t be meant literally….So it came as something of a shock to find myself involved in the issue, especially, of women in prison, through the work I was doing for CASC (the former Catholic Agency for Social Concern, now called Caritas – Social Action). Our J & P group here in York had made a few visits to the Chaplaincy Centre at Full Sutton prison – a maximum security prison outside York – at the request of the Anglican chaplain there. Although I found the visits interesting, I was not tempted to become a visitor to such a place. But it did make me aware of the desire and need of some prisoners to talk to someone from ‘outside’.
We have a women’s open prison in our parish and our parish priest is the Catholic chaplain there. I also knew one of the other chaplains (a lovely elderly sister from the Bar Convent), and after attending a Prisons’ Week service and carol service at the prison, I offered myself as a visitor. It took about six months to get my criminal record checked…and then I started. That was almost five years ago and I have now been a visitor for seven different women (three of whom were in with their babies) and have also made the acquaintance of several more through the church and through taking the occasional service at the prison when the chaplains couldn’t cover them.
I suppose the biggest difference it has made is that I no longer see prisoners as a group apart, but people like you and me, many of whom have sad and even tragic backgrounds. At the very least, most of them come from dysfunctional families and the majority are there because of a crime committed at someone else’s behest. Ah, another bleeding-heart liberal, do I hear you say? Well, just look at the statistics. That’s all I ask. I am not exaggerating. Many of the women lose their homes, their partners, even their children when they come to prison for any length of time. Many are in for drug offences such as carrying drugs from one country to another. In so many cases, poverty is the root of everything. One woman was offered £1000 to carry drugs; another was threatened that her son would be killed if she didn’t….There are many, many stories.
I have learnt so much by being a prison visitor. There is a real need for more visitors. We cannot even be sure our visits will do anything to change things in the future. Our role is not to judge or moralise about going down the straight and narrow. There may be opportunities to show another way of life, but there may not. It may just be our role to listen without comment. What I do know is that any one of these women could be me, or my daughters or sisters or friends if we, too, had been brought up in an atmosphere of fear, or poverty, of insecurity, of deprivation. When the model for success is not being found out or having one’s lies believed, prison is not going to do much to change ideas radically but it is just possible that you and I may be able to do something towards offering another way of living, just by being there for someone. Nan Get a grip on your money!
The benefits of becoming a regular saver include breaking a habit of borrowing and learning the habit of saving. Savings and Loan Clubs or People’s Banks [also known as Credit Unions] are a way in which local people can save money together and lend that money to each other. Credit Unions are run by members for members and can help when people are overburdened with debt.
“Choose life not death”
In the last issue I wrote that nations have to choose how to spend their resources. Ellen Teague of the Columbans Faith & Justice Team makes the same point. She writes: “With the finiteness of the resources of the planet, and the climate changes expected by global warming, there really is a choice between spending on the military or spending to meet the Millennium Development Goals which include reducing by half the number of people on the planet without access to sufficient food and clean water. The death count for the tsunami is equivalent to the number of people who die of hunger-related conditions worldwide every week and yet the latter do not attract the resources and political will necessary to alleviate their suffering. The UK’s Trident nuclear weapon system costs £1.4 billion every year. This dwarfs the £75 million promised by the UK government to the tsunami hit area this year. US aid pledges to the disaster zone are equivalent to one and a half days of spending on the Iraq war.” It was President Eisenhower who said “Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold an not clothed.” There is the stark choice. “Choose life” is a quotation from Deuteronomy 30. It is also the motto for our diocese. Source: Vocation for Justice Spring 2005
Water – source of life A human can survive for around a month without food, but only five to seven days without water. Access to water is considered a basic human right, but supplies of fresh water are finite. According the UN, the world’s population has grown from one billion in 1804, to two billion in the 1920s and six billion in 1999. From the early 19th century to date, the world’s supply of freshwater has remained constant and our population survives on the same volume of water today. International competition for this scarce resource is growing and as the population rises, the emphasis of scientific research in this area shifts towards conservation, reclaiming, recycling and re-use. Another global issue is that of climate change, and in particular, how the world’s oceans, which contain 97.5% of the earth’s water, are going to respond to these changes. Source: Imperial College magazine.
Nuclear Weapons Treaty Review Conference On 2 May in New York there will be another Review Conference of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) ratified in 1970. The NPT was framed as a bargain. The non-nuclear powers would not seek to acquire nuclear weapons; for their part, nuclear weapon states (NWS) would, by negotiation, get rid of theirs. At the 2000 Review Conference the NWS made an unequivocal explicit undertaking to accomplish the total elimination of their nuclear arsenals leading to nuclear disarmament to which all nations are committed under Article VI of the NPT. Sadly, there have never been any negotiations aimed at the elimination of all nuclear weapons; there have only been negotiations directed to specific aspects of nuclear danger – making the case for stronger and more effective counter-proliferation measures and emphasising the importance of compliance with the treaty by the non nuclear powers. Bruce Kent (honorary vice president of Pax Christi) writing on the 2005 Review Conference, points out that, “The overwhelming majority of the world’s countries have always called for the elimination of all nuclear weapons. A draft treaty which covers all the contentious issues of verification, inspection and policing has been carefully prepared and lodged with the UN by Costa Rica. All the groundwork has been done. What is lacking is the will of the nuclear powers. Abolition 2000 is circulating a national petition for the beginning of nuclear abolition negotiations. It ought to be signed by millions and presented to the 2005 Review Conference.” Over 50 years ago, less than two weeks after the bomb was dropped on Nagasaki, Prime Minister Clement Attlee said in a memo: “We should declare that this invention has made it essential to end wars. The new world order must start now.” In 1993 Archbishop Martino, Vatican Representative at the UN said: “The most perilous of all the Cold War assumptions … is the belief that the strategy of nuclear deterrence is essential to a nation’s security… nuclear deterrence prevents genuine nuclear disarmament.” Source: Vocation for Justice
Response to tsunami Whilst the amounts of aid raised to date are impressive we must remember that in some countries this event has totally destroyed any development gains made in the last 10 to 15 years. Countries such as Sri Lanka and Thailand are among the poorest in the world and have debts to the IMF, World Bank and rich nations that are crippling at the best of times. The casualty figures of this disaster are horrifying. Equally horrifying is the fact that approximately 210,000 people throughout the world die each week because of poverty. Source: Shared Interest QR54
Promises, Promises…. Oxfam says some 45 million children around the world will die over the next decade because rich countries like the US, UK, Germany and Japan have failed to meet their aid promises. According to “Paying the Price” a new report from Oxfam, “In 1970 the G8 countries pledged to make available 0.7% of gross national product for aid. Thirty-four years on, none … have reached this target.” The aid budgets of rich nations are half of what they were in 1960. Death Penalty USA Since the United States Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty in 1976, 946 people have been executed. In Connecticut, Catholic bishops have urged the state’s more than 1 million Catholics to make their voices heard by calling for the repeal of the death penalty. “The death penalty diminishes each of us,” said Bishop William Lori of Bridgeport. “It offers the tragic illusion that we can defend life by taking life.” In Pope John Paul II’s encyclical letter on the value of human life, Evangelium Vitae, he argued that “ punishment ought not to go to the extreme of executing the offender, except in cases of absolute necessity: in other words, when it would not be possible otherwise to defend society.” Source: NCR 28 Jan 2005
Commission contacts Barbara Hungin Chair 01642 784398 Sr Mary Walmsley CJ Secretary 01904 464917 Nan Saeki Treasurer 01904 783621 Chris Dove Editor 01947 825043 email: dove.whitby@ukgateway.net or 22 Blackburns Yard Whitby YO22 4DS website:www.ayton.info/middlesbroughjp
CHURCH POINTS THE WAY ON ASYLUM
That was the title of the Editorial in a recent issue of The Tablet. Inside there was a heartening report of how one parish in Clifton diocese, St Nicholas of Tolentino in Bristol, has been supporting asylum seekers for the past three years. Led by its justice & peace group and with the whole-hearted support of the parish priest, Fr Richard McKay, the parish has given sanctuary to a young Ruandan woman whose request for asylum had been denied and who was threatened with deportation. Fr McKay had said he would go to prison rather than hand her over to the authorities. Generous financial support comes from the diocesan J&P Commission and from other parishes in the diocese, who also carry out research and other administration tasks.
A woman from Cameroon whose husband had been killed in police custody produced a death certificate signed by a hospital director which stated that her husband’s fatal wounds had been sustained in captivity. The Immigration & Nationality assessors rejected this document on the grounds that official documents are often forged in Cameroon. She too had been imprisoned. Her application for asylum and subsequent appeal have been refused and the official National Asylum Support Service has withdrawn assistance and she has been told she will be deported. The parish is supporting her and her solicitor is trying to make a fresh appeal.
Fr McKay says of the British system “It is inhuman and against everything we believe, especially as Catholics, part of a universal church. We need to stand against it.”
The Tablet added, “It should be the duty of every member of the clergy of whatever denomination to make clear to their congregations, as the election approaches, that the stereotyping and demonising of ‘immigrants’ and ‘asylum seekers’ is unacceptable and unethical. As soon as they come face to face with real asylum seekers, local communities are quick to see them as individual people in real need, and not public nuisances. That is the message the Churches have to put across, with some urgency.” That is certainly the experience of those of us who have had the pleasure of entertaining them. Source: The Tablet 12 February
Commission Meetings in 2005 19 Mar Hull. St Stephens Speakers from J&P Commission. 21 May Middlesbrough. St Francis of Assisi AGM & “Make Poverty History” CAFOD Campaign Lesley Ann Knights 16 July Filey. Mercy Convent Day of Reflection. With Fr Tony Storey 17 Sept Middlesbrough. St Francis of Assisi Medical Foundation for Victims of Torture. 19 Nov York. Students from All Saints School Commission meetings are open to everyone and usually begin at 10 for 10.30, finishing by about 1pm.
A Prayer
God, our challenger, stir up our lives and shatter our complacency, that through the people we meet and the life stories we share we may be challenged to change and moved to action. AMEN Annabel Shilson-Thomas
In this issue Barbara Hungin writes on the MakePovertyHistory campaign. Coaches are travelling to Edinburgh from several centres in the diocese f
EDITORIAL In this issue Barbara Hungin writes on the MakePovertyHistory campaign. Coaches are travelling to Edinburgh from several centres in the diocese for the national demonstration on July 2. For those who can’t make the journey, Fr Terence Richardson OSB is organising a vigil at Osmotherley for the night of July 1-2. Please try to support the campaign in some way. Cardinal Cormac Murphy O’Connor has written: “In 2005 there is an unprecedented opportunity to end the extreme poverty and suffering of millions of members of our human family. Events this year mean that there is finally the chance to win debt cancellation, trade justice and a doubling of overseas aid – essential steps that could lift 800 million people out of extreme poverty.” More than 220 organisations world wide are joining together to support this campaign.
Nan Saeki will be one of the speakers at our Hull meeting this month. If you can’t get there, she gives us a moving account of her prison visiting.
The Global Week of Action on Trade Justice brings together people from across the world to put unfair trade at the top of the political agenda through lobbies, vigils and other events. Please support this by ensuring that your church serves only Fair Trade tea and coffee.
Finally, thank you very much to all those who have sent donations towards the cost of producing and sending out the newsletter. It is greatly appreciated. May I wish all our readers a very happy Easter. Chris Dove Note: the views expressed in this newsletter do not necessarily coincide with those of the Commission.
MakePovertyHistory Campaign
“Like slavery and apartheid, poverty is not natural. It is man-made and it can be overcome and eradicated by the actions of human beings. Overcoming poverty is not a gesture of charity. It is an act of justice.” On February 3rd Nelson Mandela issued this rallying cry to ‘MAKE POVERTY HISTORY’ in front of over 22,000 people in Trafalgar Square. He then addressed the meeting of G7 Finance ministers the following day. ‘MAKE POVERTY HISTORY’ is this year’s campaign supported by CAFOD, Christian Aid, World Development Movement, Oxfam, Action Aid and many other organisations. Its aims are threefold: To change the rules and practices of unjust trade. To cancel poor countries’ debts. To deliver more and better aid. This is a crucial and exciting time as Britain takes on Presidency of the E.U. and hosts the G8 summit at Gleneagles Hotel in July. The British Campaign is part of a global initiative and during the Global week of Action on Trade Justice (10th – 16th April) there will be events in 60 countries. On Saturday 9th April at York Minster – under the title ‘Big Vote for Trade Justice’ there will be a rally with music and drama and a central point for collecting completed voting cards; followed by a service at All Saints, Pavement, at 2.30p.m. The ballot cards collected will go down to London for the’ Wake up to Trade Justice Vigil’ – which is being held in Whitehall on the night of April 15th and will be presented to Downing Street on the morning of 16th. There will also be a week long Trade Justice Exhibition in York Minster from 9th – 16th April. On July 2nd a mass rally in Edinburgh is planned and coaches will be going from all over the area. The day’s events will include: rallies with international speakers, celebrity supporters and music. the creation of a giant human white band around Edinburgh city centre. entertainment, ‘market stalls’ and activities. an opportunity for you to send your messages directly to the G8 meeting. Up to date details of the Campaign can be accessed from the website – www.makepovertyhistory.org. Barbara
Why be a prison visitor?
When I was younger and thought about the ‘corporal works of mercy’ (are they still called that?), I would pass over the one about visiting the imprisoned, seeing it rather as something metaphorical, which meant visiting anyone who felt imprisoned, because of course it couldn’t be meant literally….So it came as something of a shock to find myself involved in the issue, especially, of women in prison, through the work I was doing for CASC (the former Catholic Agency for Social Concern, now called Caritas – Social Action). Our J & P group here in York had made a few visits to the Chaplaincy Centre at Full Sutton prison – a maximum security prison outside York – at the request of the Anglican chaplain there. Although I found the visits interesting, I was not tempted to become a visitor to such a place. But it did make me aware of the desire and need of some prisoners to talk to someone from ‘outside’.
We have a women’s open prison in our parish and our parish priest is the Catholic chaplain there. I also knew one of the other chaplains (a lovely elderly sister from the Bar Convent), and after attending a Prisons’ Week service and carol service at the prison, I offered myself as a visitor. It took about six months to get my criminal record checked…and then I started. That was almost five years ago and I have now been a visitor for seven different women (three of whom were in with their babies) and have also made the acquaintance of several more through the church and through taking the occasional service at the prison when the chaplains couldn’t cover them.
I suppose the biggest difference it has made is that I no longer see prisoners as a group apart, but people like you and me, many of whom have sad and even tragic backgrounds. At the very least, most of them come from dysfunctional families and the majority are there because of a crime committed at someone else’s behest. Ah, another bleeding-heart liberal, do I hear you say? Well, just look at the statistics. That’s all I ask. I am not exaggerating. Many of the women lose their homes, their partners, even their children when they come to prison for any length of time. Many are in for drug offences such as carrying drugs from one country to another. In so many cases, poverty is the root of everything. One woman was offered £1000 to carry drugs; another was threatened that her son would be killed if she didn’t….There are many, many stories.
I have learnt so much by being a prison visitor. There is a real need for more visitors. We cannot even be sure our visits will do anything to change things in the future. Our role is not to judge or moralise about going down the straight and narrow. There may be opportunities to show another way of life, but there may not. It may just be our role to listen without comment. What I do know is that any one of these women could be me, or my daughters or sisters or friends if we, too, had been brought up in an atmosphere of fear, or poverty, of insecurity, of deprivation. When the model for success is not being found out or having one’s lies believed, prison is not going to do much to change ideas radically but it is just possible that you and I may be able to do something towards offering another way of living, just by being there for someone. Nan Get a grip on your money!
The benefits of becoming a regular saver include breaking a habit of borrowing and learning the habit of saving. Savings and Loan Clubs or People’s Banks [also known as Credit Unions] are a way in which local people can save money together and lend that money to each other. Credit Unions are run by members for members and can help when people are overburdened with debt.
“Choose life not death”
In the last issue I wrote that nations have to choose how to spend their resources. Ellen Teague of the Columbans Faith & Justice Team makes the same point. She writes: “With the finiteness of the resources of the planet, and the climate changes expected by global warming, there really is a choice between spending on the military or spending to meet the Millennium Development Goals which include reducing by half the number of people on the planet without access to sufficient food and clean water. The death count for the tsunami is equivalent to the number of people who die of hunger-related conditions worldwide every week and yet the latter do not attract the resources and political will necessary to alleviate their suffering. The UK’s Trident nuclear weapon system costs £1.4 billion every year. This dwarfs the £75 million promised by the UK government to the tsunami hit area this year. US aid pledges to the disaster zone are equivalent to one and a half days of spending on the Iraq war.” It was President Eisenhower who said “Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold an not clothed.” There is the stark choice. “Choose life” is a quotation from Deuteronomy 30. It is also the motto for our diocese. Source: Vocation for Justice Spring 2005
Water – source of life A human can survive for around a month without food, but only five to seven days without water. Access to water is considered a basic human right, but supplies of fresh water are finite. According the UN, the world’s population has grown from one billion in 1804, to two billion in the 1920s and six billion in 1999. From the early 19th century to date, the world’s supply of freshwater has remained constant and our population survives on the same volume of water today. International competition for this scarce resource is growing and as the population rises, the emphasis of scientific research in this area shifts towards conservation, reclaiming, recycling and re-use. Another global issue is that of climate change, and in particular, how the world’s oceans, which contain 97.5% of the earth’s water, are going to respond to these changes. Source: Imperial College magazine.
Nuclear Weapons Treaty Review Conference On 2 May in New York there will be another Review Conference of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) ratified in 1970. The NPT was framed as a bargain. The non-nuclear powers would not seek to acquire nuclear weapons; for their part, nuclear weapon states (NWS) would, by negotiation, get rid of theirs. At the 2000 Review Conference the NWS made an unequivocal explicit undertaking to accomplish the total elimination of their nuclear arsenals leading to nuclear disarmament to which all nations are committed under Article VI of the NPT. Sadly, there have never been any negotiations aimed at the elimination of all nuclear weapons; there have only been negotiations directed to specific aspects of nuclear danger – making the case for stronger and more effective counter-proliferation measures and emphasising the importance of compliance with the treaty by the non nuclear powers. Bruce Kent (honorary vice president of Pax Christi) writing on the 2005 Review Conference, points out that, “The overwhelming majority of the world’s countries have always called for the elimination of all nuclear weapons. A draft treaty which covers all the contentious issues of verification, inspection and policing has been carefully prepared and lodged with the UN by Costa Rica. All the groundwork has been done. What is lacking is the will of the nuclear powers. Abolition 2000 is circulating a national petition for the beginning of nuclear abolition negotiations. It ought to be signed by millions and presented to the 2005 Review Conference.” Over 50 years ago, less than two weeks after the bomb was dropped on Nagasaki, Prime Minister Clement Attlee said in a memo: “We should declare that this invention has made it essential to end wars. The new world order must start now.” In 1993 Archbishop Martino, Vatican Representative at the UN said: “The most perilous of all the Cold War assumptions … is the belief that the strategy of nuclear deterrence is essential to a nation’s security… nuclear deterrence prevents genuine nuclear disarmament.” Source: Vocation for Justice
Response to tsunami Whilst the amounts of aid raised to date are impressive we must remember that in some countries this event has totally destroyed any development gains made in the last 10 to 15 years. Countries such as Sri Lanka and Thailand are among the poorest in the world and have debts to the IMF, World Bank and rich nations that are crippling at the best of times. The casualty figures of this disaster are horrifying. Equally horrifying is the fact that approximately 210,000 people throughout the world die each week because of poverty. Source: Shared Interest QR54
Promises, Promises…. Oxfam says some 45 million children around the world will die over the next decade because rich countries like the US, UK, Germany and Japan have failed to meet their aid promises. According to “Paying the Price” a new report from Oxfam, “In 1970 the G8 countries pledged to make available 0.7% of gross national product for aid. Thirty-four years on, none … have reached this target.” The aid budgets of rich nations are half of what they were in 1960. Death Penalty USA Since the United States Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty in 1976, 946 people have been executed. In Connecticut, Catholic bishops have urged the state’s more than 1 million Catholics to make their voices heard by calling for the repeal of the death penalty. “The death penalty diminishes each of us,” said Bishop William Lori of Bridgeport. “It offers the tragic illusion that we can defend life by taking life.” In Pope John Paul II’s encyclical letter on the value of human life, Evangelium Vitae, he argued that “ punishment ought not to go to the extreme of executing the offender, except in cases of absolute necessity: in other words, when it would not be possible otherwise to defend society.” Source: NCR 28 Jan 2005
Commission contacts Barbara Hungin Chair 01642 784398 Sr Mary Walmsley CJ Secretary 01904 464917 Nan Saeki Treasurer 01904 783621 Chris Dove Editor 01947 825043 email: dove.whitby@ukgateway.net or 22 Blackburns Yard Whitby YO22 4DS website:www.ayton.info/middlesbroughjp
CHURCH POINTS THE WAY ON ASYLUM
That was the title of the Editorial in a recent issue of The Tablet. Inside there was a heartening report of how one parish in Clifton diocese, St Nicholas of Tolentino in Bristol, has been supporting asylum seekers for the past three years. Led by its justice & peace group and with the whole-hearted support of the parish priest, Fr Richard McKay, the parish has given sanctuary to a young Ruandan woman whose request for asylum had been denied and who was threatened with deportation. Fr McKay had said he would go to prison rather than hand her over to the authorities. Generous financial support comes from the diocesan J&P Commission and from other parishes in the diocese, who also carry out research and other administration tasks.
A woman from Cameroon whose husband had been killed in police custody produced a death certificate signed by a hospital director which stated that her husband’s fatal wounds had been sustained in captivity. The Immigration & Nationality assessors rejected this document on the grounds that official documents are often forged in Cameroon. She too had been imprisoned. Her application for asylum and subsequent appeal have been refused and the official National Asylum Support Service has withdrawn assistance and she has been told she will be deported. The parish is supporting her and her solicitor is trying to make a fresh appeal.
Fr McKay says of the British system “It is inhuman and against everything we believe, especially as Catholics, part of a universal church. We need to stand against it.”
The Tablet added, “It should be the duty of every member of the clergy of whatever denomination to make clear to their congregations, as the election approaches, that the stereotyping and demonising of ‘immigrants’ and ‘asylum seekers’ is unacceptable and unethical. As soon as they come face to face with real asylum seekers, local communities are quick to see them as individual people in real need, and not public nuisances. That is the message the Churches have to put across, with some urgency.” That is certainly the experience of those of us who have had the pleasure of entertaining them. Source: The Tablet 12 February
Commission Meetings in 2005 19 Mar Hull. St Stephens Speakers from J&P Commission. 21 May Middlesbrough. St Francis of Assisi AGM & “Make Poverty History” CAFOD Campaign Lesley Ann Knights 16 July Filey. Mercy Convent Day of Reflection. With Fr Tony Storey 17 Sept Middlesbrough. St Francis of Assisi Medical Foundation for Victims of Torture. 19 Nov York. Students from All Saints School Commission meetings are open to everyone and usually begin at 10 for 10.30, finishing by about 1pm.
A Prayer
God, our challenger, stir up our lives and shatter our complacency, that through the people we meet and the life stories we share we may be challenged to change and moved to action. AMEN Annabel Shilson-Thomas
JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2005
January 1st, 2005
The new year begins with the overwhelming tragedy of the earthquake in the Indian Ocean and its aftermath of death and destruction on a scale never seen before. The devastation over such a huge area makes one weep.
EDITORIAL The new year begins with the overwhelming tragedy of the earthquake in the Indian Ocean and its aftermath of death and destruction on a scale never seen before. The devastation over such a huge area makes one weep. The international community will need to be more generous than ever; it must not be said that we cannot afford whatever is needed. It is a question of priorities. We cannot allow the quest for peace to be lost in all this. And there can be no peace without justice. This is the reason for all our work. Justice & Peace is still seen as an optional extra for so many Christians and is rarely the subject of preaching at Mass. The justification is there in Scripture. The prophets cried it aloud: “Integrity will bring peace, justice will give everlasting security.” [Is.32:17] “This is what Yaweh asks of you; only this, to act justly, to love tenderly and to walk humbly with your God.” [Mic.6:8] And Jesus began his public life by reading to the people in the synagogue: “The Spirit of God is upon me. God sent me to proclaim the Good News to the poor, to break the yoke of injustice and to set the down-trodden free.” [Lk.4:18] What are the injustices in our society? Do we ever try to do something about these injustices? As for peace, as Pax Christi point out, we have a choice: • Can we live without resorting to evil and violence? • Is the response to terrorism a war on terrorism? • When our freedoms are threatened is the right answer to curtail human rights? Chris Dove Note: the views expressed in this newsletter do not necessarily coincide with those of the Commission. Peace Sunday When the Bishop of Assisi once spoke to St Francis about his life, so rich in deprivation, and his lack of possessions, he replied: “My Lord, if we wanted to have possessions we would also need to have arms for our defence. But that is where the quarrels and fights come from that so often impede love for God and neighbour. That is why we do not want to possess temporal things in this world.” Source: PRE. “Overcome evil with good ” This is Pope John Paul II’s World Peace Message for 2005. To put it into practice, can we agree on this: • We will not hate; • We will not seek to get even; • We will not act violently against whole peoples because of the action of a few; • We will love our enemies and do good to those who hate us? These questions touch all aspects of our lives, our relationships with friends, family and colleagues. They will also challenge our political choices and what we do about such issues as the arms trade, nuclear weapons, and the so-called war on terror. In our home and church communities we need to recall and celebrate experiences of peacemaking, actions where good overcomes evil. They give us hope and encouragement in our own peacemaking initiatives. Source: Pax Christi
Ancient liberties The law lords’ recent judgement against the catch-all 2001 Anti-Terrorism Act declared that detaining people indefinitely on suspicion alone contravened democratic rights and international obligations. Lord Hoffman concluded that the act itself was a greater threat to the nation than terrorism, and called into question “the very existence of an ancient liberty of which this country has until now been very proud: freedom from arbitrary arrest and detention.” Some earlier memorable dicta: “No freeman shall be taken or imprisoned…. except by the lawful judgement of his peers or by the law of the land..” Magna Carta 1215
“No freeman shall be seized or imprisoned, or stripped of his rights or possessions or outlawed or exiled or deprived of his standing in any other way, nor will we proceed with force against him, or send others to do so, except by the lawful judgement of his equals or by the law of the land.” Habeas Corpus Act 1679
“Where the law ends tyranny begins.” John Locke 1690
“Be you never so high, the law is above you.” Sir Thomas Fuller 1732
“A right of every Englishman is that of applying to the Courts of Justice for redress of injuries.” William Blackstone 1765
“Every court of criminal justice must have the power of correcting the greatest and most dangerous of all abuses of the forms of law – that of the protracted imprisonment of the accused, untried, perhaps not intended ever to be tried, nay, it may be, not informed of the nature of the charge against him, or the name of the accuser.” David Hume 1797
“The Attorney General… has no prerogative to suspend or dispense with the laws of England.” Lord Denning 1979
“A government above the law is a menace to be defeated” Lord Scarman 1992 Source: The Independent 15.12.04
What happened last year? • The wealth of the super-rich has doubled since Tony Blair came to power, according to the Office for National Statistics. Nearly 600,000 individuals in the top 1% of the UK wealth league owned assets worth £355bn in 1996. By 2002 that had increased to £797bn. Part of the gain was due to rising national prosperity, but the top 1% also increased their share of the national wealth from 20% to 23% in the first six years of the Labour government. Meanwhile the wealth of the poorest 50% of the population shrank from 10% in 1986, to 7% in 1996 and 5% in 2002.
• A Home Office scheme to prevent Roma people flying here from the Czech Republic amounted to “inherent and systematic racism” – the words used By the law lords.
• The Home Office decided that rejected asylum seekers who cannot return home immediately will be expected to take up unpaid community work in return for basic accommodation and their other meagre benefits. Anyone failing to do so will have support withdrawn. Source: Guardian Weekly 17-23 Dec.
• Ten years ago, in Rwanda, 800,000 people died in 100 days as the international community looked on. Today, as a consequence of the genocide there are 260,000 orphans in Rwanda, of whom 65,000 are HIV positive, and every year 40,000children are born to HIV-infected mothers. Of the 100,000 Rwandans who need HIV treatment, only 4,000 are currently receiving anti-retro viral medicines. There are only 274 doctors to serve a population of eight million in Rwanda. Source: Jubilee Action Barbara Hungin Chair 01642 784398 Sr Mary Walmsley CJ Secretary 01904 464917 Nan Saeki Treasurer 01904 783621 Chris Dove Editor 01947 825043 email: dove.whitby@ukgateway.net or 22 Blackburns Yard Whitby YO22 4DS website:www.ayton.info/middlesbroughjp
Commission contacts
An Appeal
I am sorry to have to ask for money, but bringing out the Newsletter is a major cost for the Commission. It is supplied free but paper and printing costs have increased and so has postage for those who have it posted to them. If you find it of value, perhaps you would consider sending a donation to the Treasurer: Nan Saeki 55 Moorgate York YO24 4HP. It would be very much appreciated.
We must not forget
Following The Lancet report in November, Medact issued a report on the Enduring effects of war on health in Iraq 2004. This states that since the 2003 coalition invasion, 100,000 Iraqi deaths have arisen from violence, mainly air strikes. Many thousands of conflict-related injuries were also sustained. Infant mortality has risen because of lack of access to skilled help as well as violence. It goes on so say that Iraq already had a high child and adult mortality and there is a recurrence of previously well-controlled communicable diseases. One in four people still depend on food aid and there are more children underweight or chronically malnourished than in 2000.
Voices in the Wilderness and Justice not Vengeance continue to produce excellent briefings on the war in Iraq. Following the US assault on Fallujah, the situation was described by The Independent as, “a picture of utter destruction, with concrete houses flattened, mosques in ruin, telegraph poles down, power and phone lines hanging slack and rubble and human remains littering the empty street.” There has been a haunting silence on the part of MPs and Church leaders. One of the few voices of dissent came from Bishop Patrick O’Donoghue of Lancaster Diocese. His appeal to stop the carnage, issued in November is on the Middle East page of the Pax Christi website. Source: Pax Christi
Counting the dead
“We still do not know how many civilians have been killed since the start of the second Iraq war. But we should know. The “rules of war” – the Geneva Conventions and other treaties – state that all military operations must be carried out with “proportionate use of force,” avoiding civilian casualties wherever possible. Without keeping a full record of all civilian deaths and injuries, it is impossible to assess whether the multinational forces in Iraq are meeting this responsibility and protecting the right to life wherever possible. British forces should take the lead and put in place measures for monitoring all civilian casualties in Iraq. The responsibility lies with coalition governments.” Kate Allen. Director, Amnesty International UK Source: Letter to The Independent
Making Peace with a hug
[Helen Douglas has been working for two years with Quaker Peace & Service in South Africa. At the end of her stay she sent this rather sad email.]
“The hardest part of working here has been meeting children who have been raped or abused by family members, or orphaned. There is just nowhere for them to go. Pointless going to social services or child protection units. Heartbreaking, and desperate. These are the situations that made me determined to set up a Trust and begin to build a Safe House in the area, both of which I have done. The Trustees have told me I must come back when the house is opened – but we’ve got some serious fundraising to do first, and there’ve been other difficulties. Pride does indeed come before falling, and I was proud of having forged friendships with a wide variety of people in the community, and linked up a Board of Trustees comprising a white Magistrate and white attorney, and black representatives from banks, NGO’s, education, social welfare and health fields. Unfortunately one of the key community members – and my closest friend here – believes the two white members make it an “ALL white” committee, and she has attempted to undermine the whole process. An outsider never can understand the impact of Apartheid’s history on this country. My friend insists, “ALL white South Africans are bullies and just using us for personal gain.” I’ve tried hard to reason with her, to point out that the Trustees are not permitted to earn a cent, that they are giving freely of their professional expertise and time, that it isn’t possible to generalise, to tar everyone with the same brush. She persists. I become frustrated with her. Exasperated. I want to shake her into realising the danger of prejudice. But at the end of the day, I did not live through Apartheid. I was not forced to eat off a tin plate while “Madam” supped from a china dish. My child was not made to kip down on a mat in the outhouse while his white counterparts slept in feathered bliss. We are standing together in my pantry having this contretemps. I have just handed her a tin plate (which I prefer) and she has explained its significance. I take back the plate, appalled at my own insensitivity and ignorance, and give her the only china one. I apologise – not for the tin plate, but for having thought I could change a lifetime of humiliation with mere reasoned argument. We hug each other. But I still wonder exactly who is perpetuating the racist attitudes in this backwater, and I despair.” Helen
Commission Meetings in 2005
22 Jan York. English Martyrs “Peace & Disarmament Gathering” Pax Christi. FoR. Quaker Peace & Service 19 Mar Hull. St Stephens In House Speakers from J&P Commission. 21 May Middlesbrough. St Francis of Assisi AGM & “Make Poverty History” CAFOD Campaign Lesley Ann Knights 16 July Filey. Mercy Convent Day of Reflection. 17 Sept Middlesbrough. St Francis of Assisi Medical Foundation for Victims of Torture. 19 Nov York. Students from All Saints School Commission meetings are open to everyone and usually begin at 10 for 10.30, finishing by about 1pm.
Blessed are the Peacemakers
Blessed are you peacemakers, who say no to war as a means of peace. Blessed are you peacemakers, who are committed to disarm weapons of mass destruction. Blessed are you peacemakers, who wage peace at heroic personal cost. Blessed are you peacemakers, who challenge and confront judges, courts, and prisons. Blessed are the peacemakers, who help those who are hurting. Blessed are the peacemakers, who befriend perfect strangers. Blessed are the peacemakers, for acting justly, loving tenderly and walking humbly with God and all people of goodwill. Blessed are the peacemakers, who welcome, encourage and inspire. Blessed are the peacemakers, who offer hope and healing. Blessed are the peacemakers, who care and comfort. Blessed are the peacemakers, who help find answers. Blessed are the peacemakers, who provide stability not insanity. Blessed are the peacemakers, who help restore faith and love. Blessed are the peacemakers, who delight in creation, art and creativity. Blessed are the peacemakers, who see good in others. Blessed are the peacemakers, who never give up. Blessed are the peacemakers, who give and give and give. Fr Paul Milanowski, [Paul from Grand Rapids, Michigan, has been a peace activist for many years.]
For Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
God our Father, may Christ’s disciples have the grace through your Holy Spirit, to discover that the most profound joy within your Church, lies in our coming together in one and the same faith and love, in order to prepare resolutely for the day when we may share in a common eucharist. AMEN Jean Tillard OP
The new year begins with the overwhelming tragedy of the earthquake in the Indian Ocean and its aftermath of death and destruction on a scale never seen before. The devastation over such a huge area makes one weep.
EDITORIAL The new year begins with the overwhelming tragedy of the earthquake in the Indian Ocean and its aftermath of death and destruction on a scale never seen before. The devastation over such a huge area makes one weep. The international community will need to be more generous than ever; it must not be said that we cannot afford whatever is needed. It is a question of priorities. We cannot allow the quest for peace to be lost in all this. And there can be no peace without justice. This is the reason for all our work. Justice & Peace is still seen as an optional extra for so many Christians and is rarely the subject of preaching at Mass. The justification is there in Scripture. The prophets cried it aloud: “Integrity will bring peace, justice will give everlasting security.” [Is.32:17] “This is what Yaweh asks of you; only this, to act justly, to love tenderly and to walk humbly with your God.” [Mic.6:8] And Jesus began his public life by reading to the people in the synagogue: “The Spirit of God is upon me. God sent me to proclaim the Good News to the poor, to break the yoke of injustice and to set the down-trodden free.” [Lk.4:18] What are the injustices in our society? Do we ever try to do something about these injustices? As for peace, as Pax Christi point out, we have a choice: • Can we live without resorting to evil and violence? • Is the response to terrorism a war on terrorism? • When our freedoms are threatened is the right answer to curtail human rights? Chris Dove Note: the views expressed in this newsletter do not necessarily coincide with those of the Commission. Peace Sunday When the Bishop of Assisi once spoke to St Francis about his life, so rich in deprivation, and his lack of possessions, he replied: “My Lord, if we wanted to have possessions we would also need to have arms for our defence. But that is where the quarrels and fights come from that so often impede love for God and neighbour. That is why we do not want to possess temporal things in this world.” Source: PRE. “Overcome evil with good ” This is Pope John Paul II’s World Peace Message for 2005. To put it into practice, can we agree on this: • We will not hate; • We will not seek to get even; • We will not act violently against whole peoples because of the action of a few; • We will love our enemies and do good to those who hate us? These questions touch all aspects of our lives, our relationships with friends, family and colleagues. They will also challenge our political choices and what we do about such issues as the arms trade, nuclear weapons, and the so-called war on terror. In our home and church communities we need to recall and celebrate experiences of peacemaking, actions where good overcomes evil. They give us hope and encouragement in our own peacemaking initiatives. Source: Pax Christi
Ancient liberties The law lords’ recent judgement against the catch-all 2001 Anti-Terrorism Act declared that detaining people indefinitely on suspicion alone contravened democratic rights and international obligations. Lord Hoffman concluded that the act itself was a greater threat to the nation than terrorism, and called into question “the very existence of an ancient liberty of which this country has until now been very proud: freedom from arbitrary arrest and detention.” Some earlier memorable dicta: “No freeman shall be taken or imprisoned…. except by the lawful judgement of his peers or by the law of the land..” Magna Carta 1215
“No freeman shall be seized or imprisoned, or stripped of his rights or possessions or outlawed or exiled or deprived of his standing in any other way, nor will we proceed with force against him, or send others to do so, except by the lawful judgement of his equals or by the law of the land.” Habeas Corpus Act 1679
“Where the law ends tyranny begins.” John Locke 1690
“Be you never so high, the law is above you.” Sir Thomas Fuller 1732
“A right of every Englishman is that of applying to the Courts of Justice for redress of injuries.” William Blackstone 1765
“Every court of criminal justice must have the power of correcting the greatest and most dangerous of all abuses of the forms of law – that of the protracted imprisonment of the accused, untried, perhaps not intended ever to be tried, nay, it may be, not informed of the nature of the charge against him, or the name of the accuser.” David Hume 1797
“The Attorney General… has no prerogative to suspend or dispense with the laws of England.” Lord Denning 1979
“A government above the law is a menace to be defeated” Lord Scarman 1992 Source: The Independent 15.12.04
What happened last year? • The wealth of the super-rich has doubled since Tony Blair came to power, according to the Office for National Statistics. Nearly 600,000 individuals in the top 1% of the UK wealth league owned assets worth £355bn in 1996. By 2002 that had increased to £797bn. Part of the gain was due to rising national prosperity, but the top 1% also increased their share of the national wealth from 20% to 23% in the first six years of the Labour government. Meanwhile the wealth of the poorest 50% of the population shrank from 10% in 1986, to 7% in 1996 and 5% in 2002.
• A Home Office scheme to prevent Roma people flying here from the Czech Republic amounted to “inherent and systematic racism” – the words used By the law lords.
• The Home Office decided that rejected asylum seekers who cannot return home immediately will be expected to take up unpaid community work in return for basic accommodation and their other meagre benefits. Anyone failing to do so will have support withdrawn. Source: Guardian Weekly 17-23 Dec.
• Ten years ago, in Rwanda, 800,000 people died in 100 days as the international community looked on. Today, as a consequence of the genocide there are 260,000 orphans in Rwanda, of whom 65,000 are HIV positive, and every year 40,000children are born to HIV-infected mothers. Of the 100,000 Rwandans who need HIV treatment, only 4,000 are currently receiving anti-retro viral medicines. There are only 274 doctors to serve a population of eight million in Rwanda. Source: Jubilee Action Barbara Hungin Chair 01642 784398 Sr Mary Walmsley CJ Secretary 01904 464917 Nan Saeki Treasurer 01904 783621 Chris Dove Editor 01947 825043 email: dove.whitby@ukgateway.net or 22 Blackburns Yard Whitby YO22 4DS website:www.ayton.info/middlesbroughjp
Commission contacts
An Appeal
I am sorry to have to ask for money, but bringing out the Newsletter is a major cost for the Commission. It is supplied free but paper and printing costs have increased and so has postage for those who have it posted to them. If you find it of value, perhaps you would consider sending a donation to the Treasurer: Nan Saeki 55 Moorgate York YO24 4HP. It would be very much appreciated.
We must not forget
Following The Lancet report in November, Medact issued a report on the Enduring effects of war on health in Iraq 2004. This states that since the 2003 coalition invasion, 100,000 Iraqi deaths have arisen from violence, mainly air strikes. Many thousands of conflict-related injuries were also sustained. Infant mortality has risen because of lack of access to skilled help as well as violence. It goes on so say that Iraq already had a high child and adult mortality and there is a recurrence of previously well-controlled communicable diseases. One in four people still depend on food aid and there are more children underweight or chronically malnourished than in 2000.
Voices in the Wilderness and Justice not Vengeance continue to produce excellent briefings on the war in Iraq. Following the US assault on Fallujah, the situation was described by The Independent as, “a picture of utter destruction, with concrete houses flattened, mosques in ruin, telegraph poles down, power and phone lines hanging slack and rubble and human remains littering the empty street.” There has been a haunting silence on the part of MPs and Church leaders. One of the few voices of dissent came from Bishop Patrick O’Donoghue of Lancaster Diocese. His appeal to stop the carnage, issued in November is on the Middle East page of the Pax Christi website. Source: Pax Christi
Counting the dead
“We still do not know how many civilians have been killed since the start of the second Iraq war. But we should know. The “rules of war” – the Geneva Conventions and other treaties – state that all military operations must be carried out with “proportionate use of force,” avoiding civilian casualties wherever possible. Without keeping a full record of all civilian deaths and injuries, it is impossible to assess whether the multinational forces in Iraq are meeting this responsibility and protecting the right to life wherever possible. British forces should take the lead and put in place measures for monitoring all civilian casualties in Iraq. The responsibility lies with coalition governments.” Kate Allen. Director, Amnesty International UK Source: Letter to The Independent
Making Peace with a hug
[Helen Douglas has been working for two years with Quaker Peace & Service in South Africa. At the end of her stay she sent this rather sad email.]
“The hardest part of working here has been meeting children who have been raped or abused by family members, or orphaned. There is just nowhere for them to go. Pointless going to social services or child protection units. Heartbreaking, and desperate. These are the situations that made me determined to set up a Trust and begin to build a Safe House in the area, both of which I have done. The Trustees have told me I must come back when the house is opened – but we’ve got some serious fundraising to do first, and there’ve been other difficulties. Pride does indeed come before falling, and I was proud of having forged friendships with a wide variety of people in the community, and linked up a Board of Trustees comprising a white Magistrate and white attorney, and black representatives from banks, NGO’s, education, social welfare and health fields. Unfortunately one of the key community members – and my closest friend here – believes the two white members make it an “ALL white” committee, and she has attempted to undermine the whole process. An outsider never can understand the impact of Apartheid’s history on this country. My friend insists, “ALL white South Africans are bullies and just using us for personal gain.” I’ve tried hard to reason with her, to point out that the Trustees are not permitted to earn a cent, that they are giving freely of their professional expertise and time, that it isn’t possible to generalise, to tar everyone with the same brush. She persists. I become frustrated with her. Exasperated. I want to shake her into realising the danger of prejudice. But at the end of the day, I did not live through Apartheid. I was not forced to eat off a tin plate while “Madam” supped from a china dish. My child was not made to kip down on a mat in the outhouse while his white counterparts slept in feathered bliss. We are standing together in my pantry having this contretemps. I have just handed her a tin plate (which I prefer) and she has explained its significance. I take back the plate, appalled at my own insensitivity and ignorance, and give her the only china one. I apologise – not for the tin plate, but for having thought I could change a lifetime of humiliation with mere reasoned argument. We hug each other. But I still wonder exactly who is perpetuating the racist attitudes in this backwater, and I despair.” Helen
Commission Meetings in 2005
22 Jan York. English Martyrs “Peace & Disarmament Gathering” Pax Christi. FoR. Quaker Peace & Service 19 Mar Hull. St Stephens In House Speakers from J&P Commission. 21 May Middlesbrough. St Francis of Assisi AGM & “Make Poverty History” CAFOD Campaign Lesley Ann Knights 16 July Filey. Mercy Convent Day of Reflection. 17 Sept Middlesbrough. St Francis of Assisi Medical Foundation for Victims of Torture. 19 Nov York. Students from All Saints School Commission meetings are open to everyone and usually begin at 10 for 10.30, finishing by about 1pm.
Blessed are the Peacemakers
Blessed are you peacemakers, who say no to war as a means of peace. Blessed are you peacemakers, who are committed to disarm weapons of mass destruction. Blessed are you peacemakers, who wage peace at heroic personal cost. Blessed are you peacemakers, who challenge and confront judges, courts, and prisons. Blessed are the peacemakers, who help those who are hurting. Blessed are the peacemakers, who befriend perfect strangers. Blessed are the peacemakers, for acting justly, loving tenderly and walking humbly with God and all people of goodwill. Blessed are the peacemakers, who welcome, encourage and inspire. Blessed are the peacemakers, who offer hope and healing. Blessed are the peacemakers, who care and comfort. Blessed are the peacemakers, who help find answers. Blessed are the peacemakers, who provide stability not insanity. Blessed are the peacemakers, who help restore faith and love. Blessed are the peacemakers, who delight in creation, art and creativity. Blessed are the peacemakers, who see good in others. Blessed are the peacemakers, who never give up. Blessed are the peacemakers, who give and give and give. Fr Paul Milanowski, [Paul from Grand Rapids, Michigan, has been a peace activist for many years.]
For Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
God our Father, may Christ’s disciples have the grace through your Holy Spirit, to discover that the most profound joy within your Church, lies in our coming together in one and the same faith and love, in order to prepare resolutely for the day when we may share in a common eucharist. AMEN Jean Tillard OP
November/December 2004
November 1st, 2004
Barbara took the opportunity of a meeting with the Prime Minister to raise her concerns about the way those who come seeking a safe refuge are treated.
EDITORIAL Barbara took the opportunity of a meeting with the Prime Minister to raise her concerns about the way those who come seeking a safe refuge are treated. Please write to Tony Blair as she suggests. According to Panorama, the sugar industry financed the research for the UN Food and Agricultural Organisation that concluded that unlimited consumption of sugar is good for us. Food scientists have a loyalty to their employers, but does that mean they should distort their science? And where were they when it was decided to feed the remains of cows to cows – widely believed to have been the source of the devastating BSE outbreak? Fr Sean McDonagh’s powerful piece in The Tablet gives another view on the genetic engineering of food. These problems are not just for the scientists but are of concern to farmers and growers and, as Anthea points out, to ordinary shoppers. The British section of Pax Christi is to send journalist Paul Donovan to be part of a monitoring team in Florida for the US election. He will work with Pax Christi USA who say “from our perspective, this election will have a global impact and as such must be accountable to a global constituency.” To support this project you can send a donation to Pax Christi whose address is below. January 16 is Peace Sunday 2005. Please remind your parish of the need to support the work of Pax Christi, the official Catholic peace organisation of the church in this country. John Paul II’s Peace Message for 2005 is: “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Have a blessed and peaceful Christmas! Chris Dove
Note: the views expressed in this newsletter do not necessarily coincide with those of the Commission.
Question Time I was one of 120 people invited to a question and answer session with Tony Blair in a local Teesside pub. The meeting focused on creating safer communities; with particular reference to resources for young people, creative community projects and the working of anti social behaviour orders. This gave me the opportunity to challenge the Prime Minister on aspects of his government’s asylum policy which seems to many of us to be giving the wrong messages to residents in our local communities. As we heard at the Hearing in May many of those seeking asylum here on Teesside are experiencing hostility and abuse from local people who are only too ready to believe the negative images created by politicians and the media. There is a ‘climate of disbelief’ within the Home Office which appears to work against the genuine asylum seeker. The language we hear from politicians is all about meeting targets for sending people home, and about reducing asylum claims. We hear almost nothing about their very real contribution to our society and how welcoming people from other cultures is an enriching experience. I asked the Prime Minister to give a lead in changing these damaging messages and to recognise that his government could play a much bigger role in facilitating community integration by acknowledging strengths and positives. In true political style he did not answer my question but chose to stress the necessity of ‘tightening up the system so that we are getting the actual number of asylum seekers down to a level of true asylum claims.’ However, he did go on to say ‘It is important we continue to abide by our obligations to support people who have fled persecution and the threat of death’. I pointed out that many genuine asylum seekers do not get the right decision – but he was keener to re-iterate that many people believed he should do more to crack down on asylum abuses. Fortunately a local radio station contacted me the following day so I was able to make similar points in a live interview on their breakfast programme. This has given me added impetus to ask people once more to write to Tony Blair expressing serious concern about the number of genuine claims that are refused and encouraging a more positive message from his government. Letters can make a significant impact. I hope you will consider doing this. Barbara We’ll reap what we sow The US Embassy to the Holy See, in cooperation with the Vatican’s Academy of Science hosted a seminar in Rome under the title “Feeding a Hungry World: The Moral Imperative of Bio-technology”. The flyer promoting the event begins with the UN statistic that one person dies from hunger and malnutrition every six seconds and 1.5 billion people live in poverty. Then it claims that there is an obligation to promote genetically engineered (GE) crops in order to banish hunger and starvation. Sean McDonagh argues that the main causes of hunger, as the World Food Summit in Rome in November 1996 acknowledged, are economic and social. People are hungry because they do not have enough money to buy food. He continues: “At the moment the bulk of the GE corn and soya harvest is fed to animals, not people. If we opt for getting our protein from animals and not plants it will mean an even more inequitable world with increasing malnutrition.” He argues that many countries, as they become richer, are adopting the Western meat-rich diet. In 1960, Mexico fed only 5% of its grain harvest to animals; by 2004 that figure had climbed to 45%. In Egypt, similarly, the figures are 3% increasing to 31% and China – home to one-sixth of the world’s population – has gone from 8% to 26%. In all of these countries poor people could use this grain to stave off malnutrition, but unfortunately they cannot afford to buy grain. So growing GE grain to feed animals is, in fact contributing to world hunger and not solving it. “America would like people to believe that behind Washington’s advocacy of GE food is the altruistic desire to feed the world. But GE crops will give enormous control to a handful of Northern agribusiness companies. Support for GE crops also means supporting the patenting of living organisms – seeds and animals. Patenting life is a fundamental attack on the understanding of life as a gift from God. That is why it is strange to find the Vatican helping to promote it.” Source: The Tablet 18 September
Thoughts about Food When Chris told me that the title of Andy’s talk on November 20th, is to be ‘Food for Thought’, I began thinking about food myself. I soon realised that I do
think about it a lot, when I’m cooking and when I’m eating. But the time I have to think hardest about food is when I’m shopping, and beset by all sorts of caveats. As I go round the supermarket shelves, I have to think as follows: Is it fairly traded? Is it healthy? Will it make us obese? Can we afford it? Does Chris like it? Do I like it? This is a lot to cope with as one’s brain cells decrease in number. And in addition I feel bound to study labels, looking out for the dreaded Es, nasty sodium monosodium glutomate and other horrors. I have to make difficult decisions about the advisablity of organic foodstuffs not to mention GM. But probably the most brain-taxing challenge [with regard to food] is the question of healthy eating. I remember about thirty five years ago our youngest son expressed a yearning for sliced white bread. When we said No, and explained why, he asked plaintively, “What on earth is the point of eating healthily at your age? And here we are in our seventies, still trying to obey our government, or someone-who-knows-what’s-good-for-us, by eating five portions of fruit and vegetables daily. Chris and I share an apple and then a banana and I find myself worrying in case they only count as half a portion each. Then, realising this is all getting too complicated and a bit silly, I wonder if we wouldn’t be wiser to settle for a simple diet of bread and ch—but no, we can’t, because cheese is fat and BAD for us! When I was researching my family history I discovered that some of my ancestors were cotton weavers who lived through the Lancashire cotton famine. They survived on nothing but oats, as porridge or oatcakes, with a bit of cabbage, potato or milk occasionally if they were lucky. They seem to have been strong and healthy, and lived to a good old age. In our old age, I think it’s best, just sometimes, simply to eat the food we enjoy: a pork pie for Chris, a cream cake for me. Anthea Dove
UN probes sugar industry claims The UN Food & Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has said it plans to reconvene their research committee after Panorama revealed documents which show that the World Sugar Research Organisation (WSRO) and the International Life Sciences Institute (ILSI), both funded by the sugar industry, helped pay for the Expert Consultation on Carbohydrates in Human Nutrition. The Consultation was a joint venture between the World Health Organisation and FAO and was to look impartially at key questions, including whether sugar is detrimental to human health. Since its publication the report of the consultation has been used by the sugar lobby to fight any suggestion of a link between sugar and health concerns. The Panorama programme found documents showing that WSRO, funded by the sugar industry, paid US$ 20,000, and ILSI, an American research group paid for by food companies like Coca Cola and Tate & Lyle, paid $40,000 to the organisers. ILSI also nominated the chairman. The experts didn’t know that the sugar industry was paying for them to be in Rome for the consultation. Committee member Prof Jim Mann, a nutritionist from New Zealand, said: “I believe that it would be impossible to produce an unbiased report when the source of funding came from groups with clearly vested interests, and I certainly, and my colleagues probably, would not have been prepared to be involved with such an activity had we known it had been funded by these organisations.” A further fact came to light. The experts claim they had agreed on a limit of between 55 and 75% on how much carbohydrate we should eat. But when the report came out the upper limit had gone. Prof Mann said “I think it would clearly be to the advantage of the industry not to have an upper limit, because increasingly the industry are producing food products which are reduced in fat, and one way to compensate for fat is to increase the amount of sugar. So obviously if there’s no upper limit of sugar, one can add sugar with impunity into a whole range of food products.” Source: BBC Panorama
Landmine Action Campaign In 1998, President Clinton committed the US to cease using anti-personnel landmines and join the Ottawa Treaty by 2006 provided that alternatives had been identified and fielded. In June 2001, the Bush administration decided to review the policy, and in February 2004, announced a new policy which permits the use of self-destructing mines without geographical restrictions and long-lived mines may be used until 2010. Besides the US, Poland, Finland and Latvia and the Gulf States continue to remain outside the treaty. Source: Landmine Action Autumn 2004
Nuclear disarmament The Fellowship of Reconciliation, one of the earliest peace movements, is asking people to make a commitment to write to the Prime Minister now and each month until May 2005, urging him to fulfil the promise he made at the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference in 2000, to get rid of our nuclear arsenals. At the conference, the USA, Russia, China, France and Britain all joined in “an unequivocal undertaking ….. to accomplish the total elimination of their nuclear arsenals leading to nuclear disarmament. The next NPT Review Conference is due to take place in May 2005 and so far every indication is that they have no intention of implementing that undertaking. By writing to Tony Blair each month to remind him of that promise it is possible that he might at least consider not replacing the Trident system which is said to be approaching the end of its useful life. Here is a suggestion for the wording:
Dear Prime Minister I am deeply concerned by the proliferation of nuclear weapons and dismayed by the failure of the nuclear weapon states to eliminate them as hey promised to do. May I remind you that at the 2000 NPT Review Conference the nuclear weapon states, including the UK, gave “an unequivocal undertaking ….. to accomplish the total elimination of their nuclear arsenals leading to nuclear disarmament.” Please keep that promise. Source: FoR
Peace activists for 28 years The latest issue of Justpeace, the newsletter of Pax Christi, included a piece from Marjorie and James Walsh looking back at 28 years of peacemaking. This is an extract from that: What have we learned over the years? Do not be discouraged – there will always be moments of despair or disillusionment, but we are not on our own. Do not be afraid – the person you are approaching may even come to meet you half-way; you will always have cold feet when you organise an event – but people will come! The thought of giving up has never actually entered our heads. What better thing could we be doing? We have been kept going by the inspiration of many people and by the example of those who do far more than we have ever done, or could do. Above all, by the conviction that somehow we have got to get across the idea that war is always unacceptable, and that peace is possible if enough people want it enough.”
Pax Christi – Our Values Pax Christi members live by the biblically inspired values of Peace, Reconciliation, Non-violence. These values are supported by the witness of peacemakers down the ages and the experience of the Pax Christi community. Pax Christi is rooted in Catholic Christianity but is open to all who are in sympathy with its values and work. Pax Christi, St Joseph’s, Watford Way, Hendon, London NW4 4TY email: paxchristi@gn.apc.org Barbara Hungin Chair 01642 784398 Sr Mary Walmsley CJ Secretary 01904 464917 Nan Saeki Treasurer 01904 783621 Chris Dove Editor 01947 825043 email: dove.whitby@ukgateway.net or 22 Blackburns Yard Whitby YO22 4DS website:www.ayton.info/middlesbroughjp
Commission contacts
and a request…. This newsletter is supplied free but it costs money to produce especially for those who have it posted to them. If you find it of value, perhaps you would consider sending a donation to the Treasurer: Nan Saeki 55 Moorgate York YO24 4HP. It would be very much appreciated.
(Mis)Use of English language Bureaucratic memos often stray far enough from basic English to be considered a distinct language. A wonderful example comes to us from Terry R.Little, acquisition management adviser at the Missile Defense Agency USA. In a memo last month to “All Element Program Managers,” Little wrote: “The Missile Defense Agency Director wants to capitalize on the extraordinarily hard work undertaken throughout the agency to develop and deliver Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS) capabilities. Our purpose is to realize the solidarity of your hard work, reduce the distractions and facilitate the commonality in our focus, and maximize the efficient utilization of MDA resources.” “The goal is to eliminate wasted energy and encourage harmonizing individual energies towards the common vision to develop and field an integrated BMDS capable of providing a layered defense for the homeland, deployed forces, friends, and allies against ballistic missiles of all ranges in all phases of flight. “I am forming the BMDS Integration Working Group (IWG) to harmonize the separate element contracts into a coherent whole. The IWG will need to have insightful discussions, innovative coordinate actions, and a collegial environment to form and evaluate alternatives that reward integrated BMDS demonstrated capabilities.” Then, inexplicably, Little lapses into English. “To assist with the IWG’s success, I need your support,” he writes. But he says not to forget that “the timeline is very aggressive. I would like to have the harmonization path ahead. .. .” Source: Washington Post September 13, 2004 by Al Kamen
For your diary Our first Commission meeting in 2005 will be on Jan 22 at St Wilfrid’s York. It is one of a series of ” Peace and Disarmament Gatherings”set up by CAAT, Pax Christi, Quaker Peace & Social Witness and Fellowship of Reconciliation, billed as “a chance to get to know each other’s groups/experiences, strengthening local and regional networking, communication and collaboration; learning new skills for peace action and campaigning, an opportunity to feel supported and energised with a sense of worth for your peacework.”
11 September
Christians are acutely aware that we are seldom faithful to the gifts God has given us, but we hope the confession of our sins is a sign of hope in a world without hope. This means pacifists do have a response to 11 September 2001. Our response is to continue living in a manner that witnesses to our belief that the world was not changed on 11 September 2001. The world was changed during the celebration of Passover in AD 33. Stanley Hauerwas
Barbara took the opportunity of a meeting with the Prime Minister to raise her concerns about the way those who come seeking a safe refuge are treated.
EDITORIAL Barbara took the opportunity of a meeting with the Prime Minister to raise her concerns about the way those who come seeking a safe refuge are treated. Please write to Tony Blair as she suggests. According to Panorama, the sugar industry financed the research for the UN Food and Agricultural Organisation that concluded that unlimited consumption of sugar is good for us. Food scientists have a loyalty to their employers, but does that mean they should distort their science? And where were they when it was decided to feed the remains of cows to cows – widely believed to have been the source of the devastating BSE outbreak? Fr Sean McDonagh’s powerful piece in The Tablet gives another view on the genetic engineering of food. These problems are not just for the scientists but are of concern to farmers and growers and, as Anthea points out, to ordinary shoppers. The British section of Pax Christi is to send journalist Paul Donovan to be part of a monitoring team in Florida for the US election. He will work with Pax Christi USA who say “from our perspective, this election will have a global impact and as such must be accountable to a global constituency.” To support this project you can send a donation to Pax Christi whose address is below. January 16 is Peace Sunday 2005. Please remind your parish of the need to support the work of Pax Christi, the official Catholic peace organisation of the church in this country. John Paul II’s Peace Message for 2005 is: “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Have a blessed and peaceful Christmas! Chris Dove
Note: the views expressed in this newsletter do not necessarily coincide with those of the Commission.
Question Time I was one of 120 people invited to a question and answer session with Tony Blair in a local Teesside pub. The meeting focused on creating safer communities; with particular reference to resources for young people, creative community projects and the working of anti social behaviour orders. This gave me the opportunity to challenge the Prime Minister on aspects of his government’s asylum policy which seems to many of us to be giving the wrong messages to residents in our local communities. As we heard at the Hearing in May many of those seeking asylum here on Teesside are experiencing hostility and abuse from local people who are only too ready to believe the negative images created by politicians and the media. There is a ‘climate of disbelief’ within the Home Office which appears to work against the genuine asylum seeker. The language we hear from politicians is all about meeting targets for sending people home, and about reducing asylum claims. We hear almost nothing about their very real contribution to our society and how welcoming people from other cultures is an enriching experience. I asked the Prime Minister to give a lead in changing these damaging messages and to recognise that his government could play a much bigger role in facilitating community integration by acknowledging strengths and positives. In true political style he did not answer my question but chose to stress the necessity of ‘tightening up the system so that we are getting the actual number of asylum seekers down to a level of true asylum claims.’ However, he did go on to say ‘It is important we continue to abide by our obligations to support people who have fled persecution and the threat of death’. I pointed out that many genuine asylum seekers do not get the right decision – but he was keener to re-iterate that many people believed he should do more to crack down on asylum abuses. Fortunately a local radio station contacted me the following day so I was able to make similar points in a live interview on their breakfast programme. This has given me added impetus to ask people once more to write to Tony Blair expressing serious concern about the number of genuine claims that are refused and encouraging a more positive message from his government. Letters can make a significant impact. I hope you will consider doing this. Barbara We’ll reap what we sow The US Embassy to the Holy See, in cooperation with the Vatican’s Academy of Science hosted a seminar in Rome under the title “Feeding a Hungry World: The Moral Imperative of Bio-technology”. The flyer promoting the event begins with the UN statistic that one person dies from hunger and malnutrition every six seconds and 1.5 billion people live in poverty. Then it claims that there is an obligation to promote genetically engineered (GE) crops in order to banish hunger and starvation. Sean McDonagh argues that the main causes of hunger, as the World Food Summit in Rome in November 1996 acknowledged, are economic and social. People are hungry because they do not have enough money to buy food. He continues: “At the moment the bulk of the GE corn and soya harvest is fed to animals, not people. If we opt for getting our protein from animals and not plants it will mean an even more inequitable world with increasing malnutrition.” He argues that many countries, as they become richer, are adopting the Western meat-rich diet. In 1960, Mexico fed only 5% of its grain harvest to animals; by 2004 that figure had climbed to 45%. In Egypt, similarly, the figures are 3% increasing to 31% and China – home to one-sixth of the world’s population – has gone from 8% to 26%. In all of these countries poor people could use this grain to stave off malnutrition, but unfortunately they cannot afford to buy grain. So growing GE grain to feed animals is, in fact contributing to world hunger and not solving it. “America would like people to believe that behind Washington’s advocacy of GE food is the altruistic desire to feed the world. But GE crops will give enormous control to a handful of Northern agribusiness companies. Support for GE crops also means supporting the patenting of living organisms – seeds and animals. Patenting life is a fundamental attack on the understanding of life as a gift from God. That is why it is strange to find the Vatican helping to promote it.” Source: The Tablet 18 September
Thoughts about Food When Chris told me that the title of Andy’s talk on November 20th, is to be ‘Food for Thought’, I began thinking about food myself. I soon realised that I do
think about it a lot, when I’m cooking and when I’m eating. But the time I have to think hardest about food is when I’m shopping, and beset by all sorts of caveats. As I go round the supermarket shelves, I have to think as follows: Is it fairly traded? Is it healthy? Will it make us obese? Can we afford it? Does Chris like it? Do I like it? This is a lot to cope with as one’s brain cells decrease in number. And in addition I feel bound to study labels, looking out for the dreaded Es, nasty sodium monosodium glutomate and other horrors. I have to make difficult decisions about the advisablity of organic foodstuffs not to mention GM. But probably the most brain-taxing challenge [with regard to food] is the question of healthy eating. I remember about thirty five years ago our youngest son expressed a yearning for sliced white bread. When we said No, and explained why, he asked plaintively, “What on earth is the point of eating healthily at your age? And here we are in our seventies, still trying to obey our government, or someone-who-knows-what’s-good-for-us, by eating five portions of fruit and vegetables daily. Chris and I share an apple and then a banana and I find myself worrying in case they only count as half a portion each. Then, realising this is all getting too complicated and a bit silly, I wonder if we wouldn’t be wiser to settle for a simple diet of bread and ch—but no, we can’t, because cheese is fat and BAD for us! When I was researching my family history I discovered that some of my ancestors were cotton weavers who lived through the Lancashire cotton famine. They survived on nothing but oats, as porridge or oatcakes, with a bit of cabbage, potato or milk occasionally if they were lucky. They seem to have been strong and healthy, and lived to a good old age. In our old age, I think it’s best, just sometimes, simply to eat the food we enjoy: a pork pie for Chris, a cream cake for me. Anthea Dove
UN probes sugar industry claims The UN Food & Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has said it plans to reconvene their research committee after Panorama revealed documents which show that the World Sugar Research Organisation (WSRO) and the International Life Sciences Institute (ILSI), both funded by the sugar industry, helped pay for the Expert Consultation on Carbohydrates in Human Nutrition. The Consultation was a joint venture between the World Health Organisation and FAO and was to look impartially at key questions, including whether sugar is detrimental to human health. Since its publication the report of the consultation has been used by the sugar lobby to fight any suggestion of a link between sugar and health concerns. The Panorama programme found documents showing that WSRO, funded by the sugar industry, paid US$ 20,000, and ILSI, an American research group paid for by food companies like Coca Cola and Tate & Lyle, paid $40,000 to the organisers. ILSI also nominated the chairman. The experts didn’t know that the sugar industry was paying for them to be in Rome for the consultation. Committee member Prof Jim Mann, a nutritionist from New Zealand, said: “I believe that it would be impossible to produce an unbiased report when the source of funding came from groups with clearly vested interests, and I certainly, and my colleagues probably, would not have been prepared to be involved with such an activity had we known it had been funded by these organisations.” A further fact came to light. The experts claim they had agreed on a limit of between 55 and 75% on how much carbohydrate we should eat. But when the report came out the upper limit had gone. Prof Mann said “I think it would clearly be to the advantage of the industry not to have an upper limit, because increasingly the industry are producing food products which are reduced in fat, and one way to compensate for fat is to increase the amount of sugar. So obviously if there’s no upper limit of sugar, one can add sugar with impunity into a whole range of food products.” Source: BBC Panorama
Landmine Action Campaign In 1998, President Clinton committed the US to cease using anti-personnel landmines and join the Ottawa Treaty by 2006 provided that alternatives had been identified and fielded. In June 2001, the Bush administration decided to review the policy, and in February 2004, announced a new policy which permits the use of self-destructing mines without geographical restrictions and long-lived mines may be used until 2010. Besides the US, Poland, Finland and Latvia and the Gulf States continue to remain outside the treaty. Source: Landmine Action Autumn 2004
Nuclear disarmament The Fellowship of Reconciliation, one of the earliest peace movements, is asking people to make a commitment to write to the Prime Minister now and each month until May 2005, urging him to fulfil the promise he made at the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference in 2000, to get rid of our nuclear arsenals. At the conference, the USA, Russia, China, France and Britain all joined in “an unequivocal undertaking ….. to accomplish the total elimination of their nuclear arsenals leading to nuclear disarmament. The next NPT Review Conference is due to take place in May 2005 and so far every indication is that they have no intention of implementing that undertaking. By writing to Tony Blair each month to remind him of that promise it is possible that he might at least consider not replacing the Trident system which is said to be approaching the end of its useful life. Here is a suggestion for the wording:
Dear Prime Minister I am deeply concerned by the proliferation of nuclear weapons and dismayed by the failure of the nuclear weapon states to eliminate them as hey promised to do. May I remind you that at the 2000 NPT Review Conference the nuclear weapon states, including the UK, gave “an unequivocal undertaking ….. to accomplish the total elimination of their nuclear arsenals leading to nuclear disarmament.” Please keep that promise. Source: FoR
Peace activists for 28 years The latest issue of Justpeace, the newsletter of Pax Christi, included a piece from Marjorie and James Walsh looking back at 28 years of peacemaking. This is an extract from that: What have we learned over the years? Do not be discouraged – there will always be moments of despair or disillusionment, but we are not on our own. Do not be afraid – the person you are approaching may even come to meet you half-way; you will always have cold feet when you organise an event – but people will come! The thought of giving up has never actually entered our heads. What better thing could we be doing? We have been kept going by the inspiration of many people and by the example of those who do far more than we have ever done, or could do. Above all, by the conviction that somehow we have got to get across the idea that war is always unacceptable, and that peace is possible if enough people want it enough.”
Pax Christi – Our Values Pax Christi members live by the biblically inspired values of Peace, Reconciliation, Non-violence. These values are supported by the witness of peacemakers down the ages and the experience of the Pax Christi community. Pax Christi is rooted in Catholic Christianity but is open to all who are in sympathy with its values and work. Pax Christi, St Joseph’s, Watford Way, Hendon, London NW4 4TY email: paxchristi@gn.apc.org Barbara Hungin Chair 01642 784398 Sr Mary Walmsley CJ Secretary 01904 464917 Nan Saeki Treasurer 01904 783621 Chris Dove Editor 01947 825043 email: dove.whitby@ukgateway.net or 22 Blackburns Yard Whitby YO22 4DS website:www.ayton.info/middlesbroughjp
Commission contacts
and a request…. This newsletter is supplied free but it costs money to produce especially for those who have it posted to them. If you find it of value, perhaps you would consider sending a donation to the Treasurer: Nan Saeki 55 Moorgate York YO24 4HP. It would be very much appreciated.
(Mis)Use of English language Bureaucratic memos often stray far enough from basic English to be considered a distinct language. A wonderful example comes to us from Terry R.Little, acquisition management adviser at the Missile Defense Agency USA. In a memo last month to “All Element Program Managers,” Little wrote: “The Missile Defense Agency Director wants to capitalize on the extraordinarily hard work undertaken throughout the agency to develop and deliver Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS) capabilities. Our purpose is to realize the solidarity of your hard work, reduce the distractions and facilitate the commonality in our focus, and maximize the efficient utilization of MDA resources.” “The goal is to eliminate wasted energy and encourage harmonizing individual energies towards the common vision to develop and field an integrated BMDS capable of providing a layered defense for the homeland, deployed forces, friends, and allies against ballistic missiles of all ranges in all phases of flight. “I am forming the BMDS Integration Working Group (IWG) to harmonize the separate element contracts into a coherent whole. The IWG will need to have insightful discussions, innovative coordinate actions, and a collegial environment to form and evaluate alternatives that reward integrated BMDS demonstrated capabilities.” Then, inexplicably, Little lapses into English. “To assist with the IWG’s success, I need your support,” he writes. But he says not to forget that “the timeline is very aggressive. I would like to have the harmonization path ahead. .. .” Source: Washington Post September 13, 2004 by Al Kamen
For your diary Our first Commission meeting in 2005 will be on Jan 22 at St Wilfrid’s York. It is one of a series of ” Peace and Disarmament Gatherings”set up by CAAT, Pax Christi, Quaker Peace & Social Witness and Fellowship of Reconciliation, billed as “a chance to get to know each other’s groups/experiences, strengthening local and regional networking, communication and collaboration; learning new skills for peace action and campaigning, an opportunity to feel supported and energised with a sense of worth for your peacework.”
11 September
Christians are acutely aware that we are seldom faithful to the gifts God has given us, but we hope the confession of our sins is a sign of hope in a world without hope. This means pacifists do have a response to 11 September 2001. Our response is to continue living in a manner that witnesses to our belief that the world was not changed on 11 September 2001. The world was changed during the celebration of Passover in AD 33. Stanley Hauerwas
September/ October 2004
September 1st, 2004
For those who cannot attend the AGM at York, edited versions of the Annual Reports are included in this issue.
EDITORIAL For those who cannot attend the AGM at York, edited versions of the Annual Reports are included in this issue.
Pax Christi, the official Catholic Peace organisation, continues to offer inspirational material for use in parishes, and it is through Pax Christi that we have Neil Cavers, an Ecumenical Accompanist, as our speaker at the AGM.
Michael Berg’s response to the killing of his son in Iraq mirrors that of Judea Pearl, the father of Daniel, the Wall Street Journal reporter who was killed in Pakistan. Judea has set up a foundation which brings journalists from Muslim countries to work in American newsrooms, sponsors cross-cultural programmes for young people and also supports Muslim/Jewish dialogue. He is also joining with Akbar Ahmed, another academic, to travel through the United States talking about their religions and the misunderstandings and tensions between them. Listening to others, not fighting, will surely help to reduce tensions and in time bring about greater understanding.
The Peace Pilgrimage in July brought small numbers but much benefit. The kind hospitality of St Hedda’s parish was greatly appreciated.
The final Commission meeting this year will be at St Francis of Assisi, Middlesbrough on Saturday 20 November, when Andy Welford, will be our speaker. Andy is a dairy farmer in the North York Moors who has spent a few years working in developing countries and is involved in development related NGOs. His talk is called “Food for Thought – a look at global food production and distribution.” Chris Dove
Note: the views expressed in this newsletter do not necessarily coincide with those of the Commission.
Chair’s Report
The Justice and Peace Commission seeks to be a presence within the Diocese and to become a focus for discussion, for the raising of awareness and a catalyst for practical action.
This year we were keen to make closer links with young people within the Diocese and to explore how we can work together. Students from St. Mary’s College, Hull hosted a memorable meeting in March with presentations on different aspects of Human Rights.
Asylum issues continue to be a major focus for our work. In conjunction with Church Action on Poverty we hosted a day at Teesside University entitled Asylum, Refuge and Community, where we were immersed in the richness and the pain of those who have come to live in our area.
The significance of the spiritual foundation for peace and justice work informed two of our meetings this year. Firstly, a morning with Tom Cullinan in November 2003 focusing on our experiences of the real world in the light of the gospel narratives and secondly our pilgrimage in July – a reflective journey to Egton Bridge from different starting points in the Diocese. We continue to search for new ways to reach people throughout the Diocese.
We report regularly in the Catholic Voice and circulation of our two-monthly Newsletter increases steadily. We seek to maintain close links with parishes and with local and national groups to enable us to become more effective.
Our field worker – Betty East – resigned in November 2003. She brought a wealth of experience to the job. We miss her and we wish to express our gratitude to her for her wisdom and commitment. We are looking at ways to build on her good work for the future of the Commission.
Barbara Hungin
Treasurer’s Report At our AGM in 2003, we had to paint a somewhat gloomy picture about our finances which were
diminishing in spite of our grant from CAFOD, and support from the diocese and individual donors.
Our financial year runs from 1st April to 31st March, so when our Fieldworker resigned for health reasons at the end of November, the budget for the Fieldworker’s salary was only two-thirds used. Although we felt the loss of our Fieldworker and regretted it, it has meant that our finances have stabilised.
What is now clear to us is that we are not in a position at present to employ a Fieldworker at a just salary and for a useful number of hours. Instead, members of the core group are endeavouring to put in more hours each month on a voluntary basis for which we will pay proper expenses. These consist of travel, postage and stationery for the most part. In addition, we must also pay for publicity, subscriptions, computer maintenance, attendance at some meetings, occasionally room hire and when appropriate, speaker’s expenses.
We are very appreciative indeed of the donations which have been given to the Commission in the course of this year. Most of these are given for the Newsletter which continues to reach every corner of the diocese thanks to the indefatigability of our Editor and helpers. We would also like to put on record our appreciation of the financial support maintained by the diocese and especially the personal support and encouragement of Bishop John.
A record of our income and expenditure for the last financial year is available for anyone who would like further details.
Nan Saeki
Diocesan Ethical Investment
There has been some progress to report this year in so far as the Trustees have been recommended to move out of Investment Trusts and into individual company stocks. This will mean that it will now be possible for future investments to be made according to the criteria of the Diocesan Ethical Investment Policy.
However this Policy has yet to be implemented. The Diocese has still to disinvest from those Trusts – the majority – which include in their holdings companies whose policies or activities do not conform to the criteria in the Policy. It has always been our argument that only by investing in individual company stocks, can the diocese be certain that their criteria have been met.
It is to be hoped that by next year we may be able to see more movement in the direction of full compliance with the Diocesan Ethical Policy as agreed by the Trustees in 2000. Chris Dove
Bridges not Walls
Pax Christi’s campaign “People of the Holy Land Need Bridges not Walls” – is an educational and political campaign challenging the separation wall in Israel. Pax Christi is encouraging churches and groups in the UK to learn more about the reality of the Israeli occupation of Palestine, using the separation wall as a focus. Pat Gaffney, General Secretary of Pax Christi said: “Many people will remember the impact and use of the Berlin Wall in the 20th Century and how people managed to bring this wall down. We now have to support international campaigns to bring down this Israeli wall that will deny 210,000 Palestinians, living in the area between the wall and Israel, access to social services, schools, places of worship and work”.
Another feature of Pax Christi’s Middle East work is its support for the World Council of Churches programme of Ecumenical Accompaniment in Israel and Palestine. This programme trains and sends volunteers to work for three months at a time in Israel or Palestine. Rosemary Read, vice-chair of Pax Christi is currently training for this programme. She will be posted there between September and December 2004.
Source: Pax Christi
Listening to the ‘Enemy’.
It is always uplifting to learn that not everyone believes returning violence for violence is a proper response. The father of Nick Berg, the US contractor beheaded by a group believed to be linked to Al-Qaida, wrote a remarkable and moving article which has much to say about the current tragic crisis and our response. This is a short edited version.
My son, Nick, was the kindest, gentlest human being I have ever known. He poured into me the strength I needed, and still need, to tell the world about him. George Bush, though a father himself, cannot feel my pain, or that of my family. Donald Rumsfeld said he took responsibility for the sexual abuse of Iraqi prisoners. How could he take that responsibility when there was no consequence? Nick took the consequence.
Even more than those murderers who took my son’s life, I can’t stand those who sit and make policies to end lives, American and Iraqi, and break the lives of the still living. Nick Berg was in Iraq to help the people without any expectation of personal gain.
So what were we to do when we in America were attacked on September 11? I say we should have done then what we never did before: stop speaking to the people we labelled our enemies and start listening to them. Stop making up rules by which others must live and then separate rules for ourselves. George Bush’s ineffective leadership has allowed a chain reaction of events that led to the unlawful detention of my son.
My son’s work goes on. Where there was one peacemaker before, now I see and have heard from thousands of peacemakers. Nick was a man who acted on his beliefs. We, the people of the world, now need to act on our beliefs. We are fed up with the lies. Yes, we are fed up with the suicide bombers, and with the failure of the Israelis and Palestinians to find a way to stop killing each other. We want world peace now. Many have offered to pray for Nick and my family. I appreciate their thoughts, but I ask them to include in their prayers a prayer for peace, and more, to demand peace now. Michael Berg
One World Week 17-24 October 2004 – Your Move!
This year the campaign has three themes:
Movements for change…. with emphasis on Trade, looking at issues behind the movements, the role of individuals, what we can do.
“Start by doing what’s necessary; then do what’s possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.” St Francis of Assisi.
Movement of people worldwide …. looking more deeply into issues facing refugees and people seeking asylum, and into root causes of movement of people worldwide.
“O country and home; Never, never may I be without you… There is no sorrow above the loss of a native land.” Euripedes, Medea.
Moves to bring peace…. looking at the role of individuals and global institutions to bring peace between and within communities to both local and global conflict.
“A thought which does not result in an action is nothing much, and an action which does not proceed from a thought is nothing at all.”
Georges Bernanos.
Source: One World Week. PO Box 2555 Reading RG 1 4XW
Commission contacts
Barbara Hungin Chair 01642 784398
Sr Mary Walmsley CJ Secretary 01904 464917
Nan Saeki Treasurer 01904 783621
Chris Dove Editor 01947 825043
email: dove.whitby@ukgateway.net
Letters to Editor: 22 Blackburns Yard Whitby YO22 4DS
website:www.ayton.info/middlesbroughjp
York J & P welcome friends from Stockton…..
28th July was a warm and sunny day which fitted our mood as we busied ourselves preparing lunch for the 25 welcome visitors from numerous countries who came to visit York. The party ranged in age between grand-parent-age and less than one year old and included settled refugees as well as seekers of asylum whose appeal had been turned down. This made it all the more poignant as we tried to show the best York had to offer to the different groups. After the meal, we split into three groups, each with at least two members of our J & P. (We also left a Hall party washing up and preparing tea for our return.) One group, mostly younger members and some parents, went to Rowntrees Park; another, mainly teenagers, went to the Railway Museum and the largest group went to the Minster, the Shambles, the Museum Gardens and walked along the walls. It was interesting to hear one young moslem mother assuring her daughter it was more important to see the Minster than go and play on the swings in the park. We had a really great time and we hope they did too. We did a lot of walking in the heat and they all coped valiantly. We were left with great admiration for the indomitable spirit of many of them facing uncertain futures. There was no complaining but a very positive attitude of making the best of everything. Thank you, Kate, for bringing this lovely group of new friends to visit us. We look forward to the next time.” Peace Pilgrimage 2004
Nan
One person who took part in the Peace Pilgrimage wrote: “We really loved the pilgrimage and hope we can do something like that again. I found it really meaningful to pray in the different places about different things.”
The idea was that people should travel from different parts of the diocese, stopping at places which for them symbolised violence, and at others which spoke to them of peace. Then everyone was to converge at the presbytery in Egton Bridge, to share their experiences, join together in a liturgy and enjoy the hospitality of the local parishioners.
Unfortunately all did not quite go to plan. Sadly no-one was able to come from Hull, and the people from Middlesbrough and Yarm were seriously delayed by car trouble so that they missed the joint celebration and in some cases the tea too!
Those who came from Middlesbrough and Yarm had prayed at RAF Leeming and at Mount Grace. We were very happy that they brought Joseph and David, two asylum seekers from Stockton with them. The following is part of a poem this group said in the chapel at Mount Grace:
We hear sounds in the distance:
the vibration of human lives
the crackle of fear
and the murmur of distrust
the scramble for rice
and the tearing of garbage
the shuffle of withered limbs
and the sigh of rich tourists
the growl of empty bodies
and the splash of spent blood
the breaking of the bread and the gushing of the wine.
York brought the largest contingent, and they told us how they had been to Tyburn at Knavesmire, remembering both the savage treatment of Jews by Christians at Clifford’s Tower and the martyrdom of Protestants and Catholics. They also prayed about the closure of Terry’s chocolate factory and then proceeded to Lastingham. Here is one of their prayers:
You continue to call us to work for peace through prayer, through study and dialogue and through courageous action.
Give us the strength to be faithful to our vocations to be peacemakers.
Our world is broken and wounded by injustice, violence and indifference.
Alone, we would be overwhelmed by the enormous evils and many challenges that face us, but together, supported by your Spirit, we can do more than any one of us could dream or imagine.
The people from Whitby first went up to the moors and shared this reading with us:
At Goathland Moor.
This moor is beautiful, gently curving towards the horizon. The turf is springy and we can see tiny white flowers among the grass. The heather is just beginning to colour, a bright promise of what is to come.
Only a few footsteps and suddenly it’s there, a mile or so ahead, ugly, menacing, the monstrosity that is RAF Fylingdales. It’s bad enough that it desecrates a beautiful landscape, but far worse is what it stands for: a symbol of war, of power, of arrogance and greed, the very antithesis of peace.
Afterwards they went to pray in the small but beautiful Methodist Chapel in Upper Glaisdale.
We were delighted that Fr Peter Ryan and his generous parishioners stayed with us for the very ample tea and for our time of prayer together. Anthea
and a request….
This newsletter is supplied free but it costs money to produce especially for those who have it posted to them. If you find it of value, perhaps you would consider sending a donation to the Treasurer: Nan Saeki 55 Moorgate York YO24 4HP. It
would be very much appreciated.
Conflict resolution
If conflict arises from fear or envy of the other and a threat to our own group identity, then a faith which flows from God’s embrace of the world and a Trinitarian faith in which we realise our own deepest identity by loving and serving the other should have a crucial role to play in building the civilisation of love which God intends. We fall alone but are saved in our neighbour…
Persons grow to their full stature in Christ by embracing and not excluding the other. It is in the embrace that we discover our own deepest and truest selves.
Richard Chartres, Bishop of London
speaking at the Sant’Egidio interreligious gathering in Milan, and quoted in The Tablet.
For those who cannot attend the AGM at York, edited versions of the Annual Reports are included in this issue.
EDITORIAL For those who cannot attend the AGM at York, edited versions of the Annual Reports are included in this issue.
Pax Christi, the official Catholic Peace organisation, continues to offer inspirational material for use in parishes, and it is through Pax Christi that we have Neil Cavers, an Ecumenical Accompanist, as our speaker at the AGM.
Michael Berg’s response to the killing of his son in Iraq mirrors that of Judea Pearl, the father of Daniel, the Wall Street Journal reporter who was killed in Pakistan. Judea has set up a foundation which brings journalists from Muslim countries to work in American newsrooms, sponsors cross-cultural programmes for young people and also supports Muslim/Jewish dialogue. He is also joining with Akbar Ahmed, another academic, to travel through the United States talking about their religions and the misunderstandings and tensions between them. Listening to others, not fighting, will surely help to reduce tensions and in time bring about greater understanding.
The Peace Pilgrimage in July brought small numbers but much benefit. The kind hospitality of St Hedda’s parish was greatly appreciated.
The final Commission meeting this year will be at St Francis of Assisi, Middlesbrough on Saturday 20 November, when Andy Welford, will be our speaker. Andy is a dairy farmer in the North York Moors who has spent a few years working in developing countries and is involved in development related NGOs. His talk is called “Food for Thought – a look at global food production and distribution.” Chris Dove
Note: the views expressed in this newsletter do not necessarily coincide with those of the Commission.
Chair’s Report
The Justice and Peace Commission seeks to be a presence within the Diocese and to become a focus for discussion, for the raising of awareness and a catalyst for practical action.
This year we were keen to make closer links with young people within the Diocese and to explore how we can work together. Students from St. Mary’s College, Hull hosted a memorable meeting in March with presentations on different aspects of Human Rights.
Asylum issues continue to be a major focus for our work. In conjunction with Church Action on Poverty we hosted a day at Teesside University entitled Asylum, Refuge and Community, where we were immersed in the richness and the pain of those who have come to live in our area.
The significance of the spiritual foundation for peace and justice work informed two of our meetings this year. Firstly, a morning with Tom Cullinan in November 2003 focusing on our experiences of the real world in the light of the gospel narratives and secondly our pilgrimage in July – a reflective journey to Egton Bridge from different starting points in the Diocese. We continue to search for new ways to reach people throughout the Diocese.
We report regularly in the Catholic Voice and circulation of our two-monthly Newsletter increases steadily. We seek to maintain close links with parishes and with local and national groups to enable us to become more effective.
Our field worker – Betty East – resigned in November 2003. She brought a wealth of experience to the job. We miss her and we wish to express our gratitude to her for her wisdom and commitment. We are looking at ways to build on her good work for the future of the Commission.
Barbara Hungin
Treasurer’s Report At our AGM in 2003, we had to paint a somewhat gloomy picture about our finances which were
diminishing in spite of our grant from CAFOD, and support from the diocese and individual donors.
Our financial year runs from 1st April to 31st March, so when our Fieldworker resigned for health reasons at the end of November, the budget for the Fieldworker’s salary was only two-thirds used. Although we felt the loss of our Fieldworker and regretted it, it has meant that our finances have stabilised.
What is now clear to us is that we are not in a position at present to employ a Fieldworker at a just salary and for a useful number of hours. Instead, members of the core group are endeavouring to put in more hours each month on a voluntary basis for which we will pay proper expenses. These consist of travel, postage and stationery for the most part. In addition, we must also pay for publicity, subscriptions, computer maintenance, attendance at some meetings, occasionally room hire and when appropriate, speaker’s expenses.
We are very appreciative indeed of the donations which have been given to the Commission in the course of this year. Most of these are given for the Newsletter which continues to reach every corner of the diocese thanks to the indefatigability of our Editor and helpers. We would also like to put on record our appreciation of the financial support maintained by the diocese and especially the personal support and encouragement of Bishop John.
A record of our income and expenditure for the last financial year is available for anyone who would like further details.
Nan Saeki
Diocesan Ethical Investment
There has been some progress to report this year in so far as the Trustees have been recommended to move out of Investment Trusts and into individual company stocks. This will mean that it will now be possible for future investments to be made according to the criteria of the Diocesan Ethical Investment Policy.
However this Policy has yet to be implemented. The Diocese has still to disinvest from those Trusts – the majority – which include in their holdings companies whose policies or activities do not conform to the criteria in the Policy. It has always been our argument that only by investing in individual company stocks, can the diocese be certain that their criteria have been met.
It is to be hoped that by next year we may be able to see more movement in the direction of full compliance with the Diocesan Ethical Policy as agreed by the Trustees in 2000. Chris Dove
Bridges not Walls
Pax Christi’s campaign “People of the Holy Land Need Bridges not Walls” – is an educational and political campaign challenging the separation wall in Israel. Pax Christi is encouraging churches and groups in the UK to learn more about the reality of the Israeli occupation of Palestine, using the separation wall as a focus. Pat Gaffney, General Secretary of Pax Christi said: “Many people will remember the impact and use of the Berlin Wall in the 20th Century and how people managed to bring this wall down. We now have to support international campaigns to bring down this Israeli wall that will deny 210,000 Palestinians, living in the area between the wall and Israel, access to social services, schools, places of worship and work”.
Another feature of Pax Christi’s Middle East work is its support for the World Council of Churches programme of Ecumenical Accompaniment in Israel and Palestine. This programme trains and sends volunteers to work for three months at a time in Israel or Palestine. Rosemary Read, vice-chair of Pax Christi is currently training for this programme. She will be posted there between September and December 2004.
Source: Pax Christi
Listening to the ‘Enemy’.
It is always uplifting to learn that not everyone believes returning violence for violence is a proper response. The father of Nick Berg, the US contractor beheaded by a group believed to be linked to Al-Qaida, wrote a remarkable and moving article which has much to say about the current tragic crisis and our response. This is a short edited version.
My son, Nick, was the kindest, gentlest human being I have ever known. He poured into me the strength I needed, and still need, to tell the world about him. George Bush, though a father himself, cannot feel my pain, or that of my family. Donald Rumsfeld said he took responsibility for the sexual abuse of Iraqi prisoners. How could he take that responsibility when there was no consequence? Nick took the consequence.
Even more than those murderers who took my son’s life, I can’t stand those who sit and make policies to end lives, American and Iraqi, and break the lives of the still living. Nick Berg was in Iraq to help the people without any expectation of personal gain.
So what were we to do when we in America were attacked on September 11? I say we should have done then what we never did before: stop speaking to the people we labelled our enemies and start listening to them. Stop making up rules by which others must live and then separate rules for ourselves. George Bush’s ineffective leadership has allowed a chain reaction of events that led to the unlawful detention of my son.
My son’s work goes on. Where there was one peacemaker before, now I see and have heard from thousands of peacemakers. Nick was a man who acted on his beliefs. We, the people of the world, now need to act on our beliefs. We are fed up with the lies. Yes, we are fed up with the suicide bombers, and with the failure of the Israelis and Palestinians to find a way to stop killing each other. We want world peace now. Many have offered to pray for Nick and my family. I appreciate their thoughts, but I ask them to include in their prayers a prayer for peace, and more, to demand peace now. Michael Berg
One World Week 17-24 October 2004 – Your Move!
This year the campaign has three themes:
Movements for change…. with emphasis on Trade, looking at issues behind the movements, the role of individuals, what we can do.
“Start by doing what’s necessary; then do what’s possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.” St Francis of Assisi.
Movement of people worldwide …. looking more deeply into issues facing refugees and people seeking asylum, and into root causes of movement of people worldwide.
“O country and home; Never, never may I be without you… There is no sorrow above the loss of a native land.” Euripedes, Medea.
Moves to bring peace…. looking at the role of individuals and global institutions to bring peace between and within communities to both local and global conflict.
“A thought which does not result in an action is nothing much, and an action which does not proceed from a thought is nothing at all.”
Georges Bernanos.
Source: One World Week. PO Box 2555 Reading RG 1 4XW
Commission contacts
Barbara Hungin Chair 01642 784398
Sr Mary Walmsley CJ Secretary 01904 464917
Nan Saeki Treasurer 01904 783621
Chris Dove Editor 01947 825043
email: dove.whitby@ukgateway.net
Letters to Editor: 22 Blackburns Yard Whitby YO22 4DS
website:www.ayton.info/middlesbroughjp
York J & P welcome friends from Stockton…..
28th July was a warm and sunny day which fitted our mood as we busied ourselves preparing lunch for the 25 welcome visitors from numerous countries who came to visit York. The party ranged in age between grand-parent-age and less than one year old and included settled refugees as well as seekers of asylum whose appeal had been turned down. This made it all the more poignant as we tried to show the best York had to offer to the different groups. After the meal, we split into three groups, each with at least two members of our J & P. (We also left a Hall party washing up and preparing tea for our return.) One group, mostly younger members and some parents, went to Rowntrees Park; another, mainly teenagers, went to the Railway Museum and the largest group went to the Minster, the Shambles, the Museum Gardens and walked along the walls. It was interesting to hear one young moslem mother assuring her daughter it was more important to see the Minster than go and play on the swings in the park. We had a really great time and we hope they did too. We did a lot of walking in the heat and they all coped valiantly. We were left with great admiration for the indomitable spirit of many of them facing uncertain futures. There was no complaining but a very positive attitude of making the best of everything. Thank you, Kate, for bringing this lovely group of new friends to visit us. We look forward to the next time.” Peace Pilgrimage 2004
Nan
One person who took part in the Peace Pilgrimage wrote: “We really loved the pilgrimage and hope we can do something like that again. I found it really meaningful to pray in the different places about different things.”
The idea was that people should travel from different parts of the diocese, stopping at places which for them symbolised violence, and at others which spoke to them of peace. Then everyone was to converge at the presbytery in Egton Bridge, to share their experiences, join together in a liturgy and enjoy the hospitality of the local parishioners.
Unfortunately all did not quite go to plan. Sadly no-one was able to come from Hull, and the people from Middlesbrough and Yarm were seriously delayed by car trouble so that they missed the joint celebration and in some cases the tea too!
Those who came from Middlesbrough and Yarm had prayed at RAF Leeming and at Mount Grace. We were very happy that they brought Joseph and David, two asylum seekers from Stockton with them. The following is part of a poem this group said in the chapel at Mount Grace:
We hear sounds in the distance:
the vibration of human lives
the crackle of fear
and the murmur of distrust
the scramble for rice
and the tearing of garbage
the shuffle of withered limbs
and the sigh of rich tourists
the growl of empty bodies
and the splash of spent blood
the breaking of the bread and the gushing of the wine.
York brought the largest contingent, and they told us how they had been to Tyburn at Knavesmire, remembering both the savage treatment of Jews by Christians at Clifford’s Tower and the martyrdom of Protestants and Catholics. They also prayed about the closure of Terry’s chocolate factory and then proceeded to Lastingham. Here is one of their prayers:
You continue to call us to work for peace through prayer, through study and dialogue and through courageous action.
Give us the strength to be faithful to our vocations to be peacemakers.
Our world is broken and wounded by injustice, violence and indifference.
Alone, we would be overwhelmed by the enormous evils and many challenges that face us, but together, supported by your Spirit, we can do more than any one of us could dream or imagine.
The people from Whitby first went up to the moors and shared this reading with us:
At Goathland Moor.
This moor is beautiful, gently curving towards the horizon. The turf is springy and we can see tiny white flowers among the grass. The heather is just beginning to colour, a bright promise of what is to come.
Only a few footsteps and suddenly it’s there, a mile or so ahead, ugly, menacing, the monstrosity that is RAF Fylingdales. It’s bad enough that it desecrates a beautiful landscape, but far worse is what it stands for: a symbol of war, of power, of arrogance and greed, the very antithesis of peace.
Afterwards they went to pray in the small but beautiful Methodist Chapel in Upper Glaisdale.
We were delighted that Fr Peter Ryan and his generous parishioners stayed with us for the very ample tea and for our time of prayer together. Anthea
and a request….
This newsletter is supplied free but it costs money to produce especially for those who have it posted to them. If you find it of value, perhaps you would consider sending a donation to the Treasurer: Nan Saeki 55 Moorgate York YO24 4HP. It
would be very much appreciated.
Conflict resolution
If conflict arises from fear or envy of the other and a threat to our own group identity, then a faith which flows from God’s embrace of the world and a Trinitarian faith in which we realise our own deepest identity by loving and serving the other should have a crucial role to play in building the civilisation of love which God intends. We fall alone but are saved in our neighbour…
Persons grow to their full stature in Christ by embracing and not excluding the other. It is in the embrace that we discover our own deepest and truest selves.
Richard Chartres, Bishop of London
speaking at the Sant’Egidio interreligious gathering in Milan, and quoted in The Tablet.
July/August 2004
July 1st, 2004
By the time this newsletter appears we will have had our Peace Pilgrimage and hopefully we will have been blessed with fine weather. The memories of the commemoration of D Day will remain and must surely lead us to continue our work for peace.
EDITORIAL By the time this newsletter appears we will have had our Peace Pilgrimage and hopefully we will have been blessed with fine weather. The memories of the commemoration of D Day will remain and must surely lead us to continue our work for peace. Pax Christi gives us a clear focus for this work. And yet, the continuing conflict in Iraq and Israel/Palestine, shows all too clearly that there is still much to do. Our meeting on 19 September at Our Lady’s Acomb, York will invite us to become more informed about the latter. Please try to come.
The Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty is due for a review in 2005. This country and the US have yet to fulfill their obligations under the Treaty.
And finally, Barbara and Anthea report on our very successful May Conference.
Please note EQUIPOWER’s telephone number is now 0845 456 0170 and that we have a new website address.
I very much regret that some batches of the last issue of the Newsletter were under-stamped and charges were incurred. Please accept my apologies.
Chris Dove
Note: the views expressed in this newsletter do not necessarily coincide with those of the Commission.
Pax Christi International General
Assembly 18-24 May
Representatives from 45 countries gathered in New Jersey (USA) for the Pax Christi International General Assembly – a meeting which takes place every three years. The war on terrorism, the crisis in Israel and Palestine and the need for inclusive security formed the basis for much of the discussion and action planning. Patriarch Michel Sabbah was affirmed by the whole assembly as International President for a further three years.
The Movement has called on the government of Israel to end the military occupation of Palestine
and urged the United States to work within the framework of international law and act as an
honest broker to support Palestinians and Israelis equally in developing trust–building measures.
This work is to be supported by practical campaigning by members of the movement on the security wall in Israel/Palestine and in support of Israeli conscientious objectors.
The final declaration of the gathering commits Pax Christi to work for “a world at peace… a world profoundly opposed to that sought by terrorists and by the ‘war on terrorism’… a world shaped by inclusive human security and the globalisation of solidarity.” It also calls on the “US and the UK to cease all offensive military actions in Iraq and allow the United Nations to assume appropriate responsibility for enabling a just and peaceful transition to Iraqi authority.” A plea was also made to the Churches. “We are people of faith; we believe that another world is possible, and we commit ourselves to helping birth it. We echo the cry of Pope John Paul II that ‘war is always a defeat for humanity’… As Christians we call our churches to the prophetic task in these dangerous times of speaking truth to power and to the challenging pastoral task of helping us reclaim Gospel values, nurture justice and right relationships and participate in the transformation of the world.”
Source: Pax Christi UK
Pax Christi and the European Constitution
Now that the European Elections are over it is a good time to write to our newly-elected MEPs to urge them to include a peacemaking agenda within the European Constitution. Pax Christi’s concern is that European policies in the areas of defence and security be inspired by principles of peace and non-violence, co-operation and mutual trust among peoples, in accordance with the spirit and vision of the founders of both the European Union and the United Nations. War is not an effective instrument in the resolution of violent conflicts and crises – nonviolent means must be developed to solve conflicts and crises.
Pax Christi will urge that the future European Constitution include an article in which the European Union repudiates war as a means for the resolution of international conflicts and strives positively for building peace in the world.
Article III-193 of the proposed European Convention states:
The Union shall define and pursue common policies and actions, and shall work for a high degree of cooperation in all fields of international relations, in order to:
a) safeguard the common values, fundamental interests, security, independence and integrity of the Union;
b) consolidate and support democracy, the rule of law, human rights and international law;
c) preserve peace, prevent conflicts and strengthen international security, in conformity with the principles of the United Nations Charter.
Pax Christi proposes that the EU develops policies and engages in activities of:
1. Conflict Prevention
This will include strengthening the role of diplomacy, working towards international disarmament, imposing stricter controls on arms production and trade, operating in strict compliance with policies and directives of the UN, establishing and supporting an effective Research Agency on peace issues and fostering the growth and culture of peace by the development of peace education programmes within existing education structures.
2. Conflict Resolution
This will include creating an International European Police Force to operate under UN mandate, imposing strict arms embargoes and recognising the positive role of neutral states inside the EU.
3. Reconciliation and reconstruction
This will include fostering inter-religious and inter-ethnic dialogue as well as dialogue among all the parties that are involved in military conflict and providing the means of physical, psychological and social support in order to heal the wounds caused by conflict.
Source: Pax Christi
Ending the Nuclear threat?
Preparations are in hand for the five-yearly review of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NNPT). The Treaty became international law in 1970 and was eventually signed by every country except India, Pakistan and Israel. There are two classes: The Nuclear Weapon States, (NWS) USA, Russia, Britain, France and China, and the Non Nuclear Weapon States (NNWS), all the other states without nuclear weapons.
Under the treaty, the NNWS agreed not to develop or receive nuclear weapons. In return the NWS agreed to give them access to the peaceful benefits of nuclear technology and “to pursue negotiations in good faith on general and complete nuclear disarmament”.
There has been much media attention on the NNWS that have made moves towards possessing nuclear weapons: Iraq, Iran, North Korea and Libya, but little is said about the NWS.
Rather than negotiating a general and complete nuclear disarmament, the US is developing two new nuclear weapons, the Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrators, and a “usable small bomb”. It has also moved from a defensive deterrent role for nuclear weapons to a “pre-emptive” role, and Geoff Hoon has stated that we have accepted a pre-emptive role for our nuclear weapons too. It is time to remind the government of its obligations under the NNPT.
Living under Occupation
1. A Palestinian mother.
“Almost every day here the Israelis shoot at random, so when you hear it you get inside as quickly as possible. Haneen went to the grocery store to buy some crisps. When the shooting started I came to find her. She was coming down the street and ran to me and hugged me, crying, ‘Mother, Mother’. Two bullets hit her in the head, one straight after the other. She was still in my arms and she died.”
2. An Israeli soldier.
I ran towards them and punched an Arab right in the face. I’d never punched anyone that way. He collapsed on the road. We pulled his hands behind his back and I bound them with plastic handcuffs. Then we blindfolded him so that he wouldn’t see what was in the jeep. I picked him up from the road. Blood was trickling from his lip onto his chin. I led him to the jeep and threw him in. We sat in the back, stepping on the Arab… Our Arab lay there pretty quietly, just crying softly to himself… we brought him to the base. The commander said “Good work”. The Arab didn’t stop crying. One of the soldiers kicked him in the stomach. It was funny. I kicked him really hard and he flew forward. They shouted that I was totally crazy and they laughed … and I felt happy. Our Arab was just a 16 year-old mentally retarded boy… During my army service, I believed that I was atypical, because I came from a background of art and creativity. I was considered a moderate soldier…. People gradually tested the limits of their behaviour towards the Palestinians. It gradually becomes coarser and coarser.
From Checkpoint Syndrome by Staff Sergeant ( res.) Liran Ron Furer. 2003
3. Coalition of Women for Peace in Israel call for action dateline May 22.
“There is an emergency situation right now in the Gaza Strip and the town of Rafah, in particular, with scenes that bring to mind Israel’s invasion of Jenin and Nablus in the spring of 2002. So far today, 18 Palestinians were killed, but the action continues. Last weekend, 116 homes were destroyed, making over a thousand people homeless. Hundreds more are in line for destruction. Reports from inside Rafah, describe the scenes of people grabbing their children and whatever comes to hand and fleeing their homes, anticipating the entry of the bulldozer-tanks.
Even Yossi Sarid from the Yahad Party (formerly called Meretz), normally a staunch defender of the army, described actions in Rafah as “war crimes”. Many people, Israelis, internationals and Palestinians, are desperately trying to halt the bloodshed. The Israeli women’s peace movement just placed an ad in Ha’aretz calling for an immediate halt to the violence and renewal of negotiations for a peace agreement that will extract us from all the occupied territories (“True and enduring solutions,” they wrote, “are attained by negotiation, not destruction, revenge or humiliation”). This morning, forty women drove to Gaza to see if they could intervene physically, but they are being prevented from entering Gaza by the army. The women have set up an encampment at the Sufa checkpoint and say they will not leave until the army stops its actions there. Other peace and human rights organizations have placed newspaper ads, and many are organizing a larger delegation to join the women on Friday.”
4. From a letter to Ariel Sharon from 15 members of the Israeli army’s top commando unit, December 2003)
“We will no longer give our lives to the rule of oppression in the territories and to the denial of human rights to millions of Palestinians and we will no longer serve as a defensive shield for the settlements. We will no longer corrupt the stamp of humanity in us through carrying out the missions of an occupation army… in the past, we fought for a justified cause (but today) we have reached the boundary of oppressing another people. We will no longer cross this boundary.”
Source: Pax Christi
Commission contacts
Barbara Hungin Chair 01642 784398
Sr Mary Walmsley CJ Secretary 01904 464917
Nan Saeki Treasurer 01904 783621
Chris Dove Editor 01947 825043
email: dove.whitby@ukgateway.net
Letters to Editor: 22 Blackburns Yard Whitby YO22 4DS
website:www.ayton.info/middlesbroughjp
‘You like our food – Why can’t you like us?’
This very simple yet powerful question was posed by Tani, a young Asian girl seeking asylum with her family at a day conference at Teesside University. We listened, shared experiences and discussed how we can become more integrated as multi racial communities.
The day was organised jointly by Teesside Church Action on Poverty and the Diocesan Justice and Peace Commission, to hear from those seeking asylum here on Teesside, and from people in communities where they have been housed.
Dr. Paul Williams, a GP with the Arrival Practice for newly arrived refugees in Stockton, shared insights from those he has met and helped over the past 3 years – people who often have not known where they are coming to when they flee, who suffer both mentally and physically and who are confused by much of the government legislation which seems to increase their problems rather than solve them.
Four speakers from the Asylum and Refugee Communities here on Teesside led us through their experiences.
Bini from Eritrea – a geologist – spoke of being tortured and imprisoned underground where the temperature never fell below 33 degrees. Having also suffered racial abuse on Teesside he spoke of the support of church groups and of the Refugee Service where he now works.
Tani, a young Asian girl from Kenya described being dispersed to Middlesbrough. Her family have been targeted by those who have thrown bricks through their windows and eggs at them on the way to school.
Her question for those who abuse the family was – ‘Why do you hate me just because I have asked for refuge here?’ As she pointed out so powerfully – ‘It is not all about money, it is about friendship and understanding. We like to work, not to rely on benefits.’
Juste, from Togo, had become a political target, and was imprisoned and beaten. Relatives helped him to escape but he was abandoned on Birmingham station with no papers or identity documents. Frightened and confused and unable to speak English he ran from station officials and was finally put in touch with the Refugee Council. His appeal for asylum has been hampered by lack of documents. He witnessed to the generosity of Church friends he had made on Teesside and encouraged everyone to ‘make one new friend today – with someone who is seeking asylum’.
Herbert – a teacher from Zimbabwe – spoke of the richness of skill and experience that is present in the refugee community and of the importance of including refugees in planning and implementation of projects.
Win Logan from a multi-ethnic part of Middlesbrough, spoke of the richness of the many cultures she lives alongside. Her experience is of people who wish to be part of the community – to be good neighbours and to share of themselves. She spoke of the importance of friendship and hospitality and of the simple things that can make such a difference. The offer of information, help with filling in forms, and with English conversation.
A reflective input to the day was offered by Geoff Miller – Canon of Newcastle Cathedral who centred the experience of hospitality and friendship within a Christian perspective quoting from St. John and from Hebrews.
He stressed that hospitality is a mutually beneficial process. ‘Gifts of the Stranger enrich us. They are God’s messenger to us. It is an opportunity to entertain angels.’
He expressed the gratitude we all felt to those who had come to live amongst us.
(A full in-depth report of the day will be available to anyone who would like to read it. Please contact me 01642 784398 for copies)
Barbara Hungin
J&P Dancing!
In May we had a commission meeting with a difference, shared with Teesside Churches against Poverty and taking place at Teesside University. There were about 150 people present, among them Anglicans, Methodists, Quakers, Catholics, Muslims, agnostics, the very old, the very young, men and women from many countries including Togo, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Turkey, Kenya, Zimbabwe and Britain.
We listened to peoples’ stories and were moved to anger and to tears. I think most of us from the host country were earnestly longing to find a way to communicate to the deprived and beleagured refugees and people seeking asylum that our concern for them went deeper than our words.
Then, during the lunch break, a small gospel choir began to sing and dance for us. Suddenly, everyone, old and young, black and white, every single person of that assorted gathering was dancing, smiling and dancing.
It was the greatest expression of solidarity I could have imagined. Anthea Dove
PRAYER
Living Christ,
deep within my heart the fire of justice burns:
so I ask this day for inner courage
to walk in solidarity
with all who are betrayed,
exploited, driven from home,
violated, imprisoned, detained without trial, held hostage, robbed, enslaved, silenced, abused.
From an Iona Prayer Book.
By the time this newsletter appears we will have had our Peace Pilgrimage and hopefully we will have been blessed with fine weather. The memories of the commemoration of D Day will remain and must surely lead us to continue our work for peace.
EDITORIAL By the time this newsletter appears we will have had our Peace Pilgrimage and hopefully we will have been blessed with fine weather. The memories of the commemoration of D Day will remain and must surely lead us to continue our work for peace. Pax Christi gives us a clear focus for this work. And yet, the continuing conflict in Iraq and Israel/Palestine, shows all too clearly that there is still much to do. Our meeting on 19 September at Our Lady’s Acomb, York will invite us to become more informed about the latter. Please try to come.
The Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty is due for a review in 2005. This country and the US have yet to fulfill their obligations under the Treaty.
And finally, Barbara and Anthea report on our very successful May Conference.
Please note EQUIPOWER’s telephone number is now 0845 456 0170 and that we have a new website address.
I very much regret that some batches of the last issue of the Newsletter were under-stamped and charges were incurred. Please accept my apologies.
Chris Dove
Note: the views expressed in this newsletter do not necessarily coincide with those of the Commission.
Pax Christi International General
Assembly 18-24 May
Representatives from 45 countries gathered in New Jersey (USA) for the Pax Christi International General Assembly – a meeting which takes place every three years. The war on terrorism, the crisis in Israel and Palestine and the need for inclusive security formed the basis for much of the discussion and action planning. Patriarch Michel Sabbah was affirmed by the whole assembly as International President for a further three years.
The Movement has called on the government of Israel to end the military occupation of Palestine
and urged the United States to work within the framework of international law and act as an
honest broker to support Palestinians and Israelis equally in developing trust–building measures.
This work is to be supported by practical campaigning by members of the movement on the security wall in Israel/Palestine and in support of Israeli conscientious objectors.
The final declaration of the gathering commits Pax Christi to work for “a world at peace… a world profoundly opposed to that sought by terrorists and by the ‘war on terrorism’… a world shaped by inclusive human security and the globalisation of solidarity.” It also calls on the “US and the UK to cease all offensive military actions in Iraq and allow the United Nations to assume appropriate responsibility for enabling a just and peaceful transition to Iraqi authority.” A plea was also made to the Churches. “We are people of faith; we believe that another world is possible, and we commit ourselves to helping birth it. We echo the cry of Pope John Paul II that ‘war is always a defeat for humanity’… As Christians we call our churches to the prophetic task in these dangerous times of speaking truth to power and to the challenging pastoral task of helping us reclaim Gospel values, nurture justice and right relationships and participate in the transformation of the world.”
Source: Pax Christi UK
Pax Christi and the European Constitution
Now that the European Elections are over it is a good time to write to our newly-elected MEPs to urge them to include a peacemaking agenda within the European Constitution. Pax Christi’s concern is that European policies in the areas of defence and security be inspired by principles of peace and non-violence, co-operation and mutual trust among peoples, in accordance with the spirit and vision of the founders of both the European Union and the United Nations. War is not an effective instrument in the resolution of violent conflicts and crises – nonviolent means must be developed to solve conflicts and crises.
Pax Christi will urge that the future European Constitution include an article in which the European Union repudiates war as a means for the resolution of international conflicts and strives positively for building peace in the world.
Article III-193 of the proposed European Convention states:
The Union shall define and pursue common policies and actions, and shall work for a high degree of cooperation in all fields of international relations, in order to:
a) safeguard the common values, fundamental interests, security, independence and integrity of the Union;
b) consolidate and support democracy, the rule of law, human rights and international law;
c) preserve peace, prevent conflicts and strengthen international security, in conformity with the principles of the United Nations Charter.
Pax Christi proposes that the EU develops policies and engages in activities of:
1. Conflict Prevention
This will include strengthening the role of diplomacy, working towards international disarmament, imposing stricter controls on arms production and trade, operating in strict compliance with policies and directives of the UN, establishing and supporting an effective Research Agency on peace issues and fostering the growth and culture of peace by the development of peace education programmes within existing education structures.
2. Conflict Resolution
This will include creating an International European Police Force to operate under UN mandate, imposing strict arms embargoes and recognising the positive role of neutral states inside the EU.
3. Reconciliation and reconstruction
This will include fostering inter-religious and inter-ethnic dialogue as well as dialogue among all the parties that are involved in military conflict and providing the means of physical, psychological and social support in order to heal the wounds caused by conflict.
Source: Pax Christi
Ending the Nuclear threat?
Preparations are in hand for the five-yearly review of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NNPT). The Treaty became international law in 1970 and was eventually signed by every country except India, Pakistan and Israel. There are two classes: The Nuclear Weapon States, (NWS) USA, Russia, Britain, France and China, and the Non Nuclear Weapon States (NNWS), all the other states without nuclear weapons.
Under the treaty, the NNWS agreed not to develop or receive nuclear weapons. In return the NWS agreed to give them access to the peaceful benefits of nuclear technology and “to pursue negotiations in good faith on general and complete nuclear disarmament”.
There has been much media attention on the NNWS that have made moves towards possessing nuclear weapons: Iraq, Iran, North Korea and Libya, but little is said about the NWS.
Rather than negotiating a general and complete nuclear disarmament, the US is developing two new nuclear weapons, the Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrators, and a “usable small bomb”. It has also moved from a defensive deterrent role for nuclear weapons to a “pre-emptive” role, and Geoff Hoon has stated that we have accepted a pre-emptive role for our nuclear weapons too. It is time to remind the government of its obligations under the NNPT.
Living under Occupation
1. A Palestinian mother.
“Almost every day here the Israelis shoot at random, so when you hear it you get inside as quickly as possible. Haneen went to the grocery store to buy some crisps. When the shooting started I came to find her. She was coming down the street and ran to me and hugged me, crying, ‘Mother, Mother’. Two bullets hit her in the head, one straight after the other. She was still in my arms and she died.”
2. An Israeli soldier.
I ran towards them and punched an Arab right in the face. I’d never punched anyone that way. He collapsed on the road. We pulled his hands behind his back and I bound them with plastic handcuffs. Then we blindfolded him so that he wouldn’t see what was in the jeep. I picked him up from the road. Blood was trickling from his lip onto his chin. I led him to the jeep and threw him in. We sat in the back, stepping on the Arab… Our Arab lay there pretty quietly, just crying softly to himself… we brought him to the base. The commander said “Good work”. The Arab didn’t stop crying. One of the soldiers kicked him in the stomach. It was funny. I kicked him really hard and he flew forward. They shouted that I was totally crazy and they laughed … and I felt happy. Our Arab was just a 16 year-old mentally retarded boy… During my army service, I believed that I was atypical, because I came from a background of art and creativity. I was considered a moderate soldier…. People gradually tested the limits of their behaviour towards the Palestinians. It gradually becomes coarser and coarser.
From Checkpoint Syndrome by Staff Sergeant ( res.) Liran Ron Furer. 2003
3. Coalition of Women for Peace in Israel call for action dateline May 22.
“There is an emergency situation right now in the Gaza Strip and the town of Rafah, in particular, with scenes that bring to mind Israel’s invasion of Jenin and Nablus in the spring of 2002. So far today, 18 Palestinians were killed, but the action continues. Last weekend, 116 homes were destroyed, making over a thousand people homeless. Hundreds more are in line for destruction. Reports from inside Rafah, describe the scenes of people grabbing their children and whatever comes to hand and fleeing their homes, anticipating the entry of the bulldozer-tanks.
Even Yossi Sarid from the Yahad Party (formerly called Meretz), normally a staunch defender of the army, described actions in Rafah as “war crimes”. Many people, Israelis, internationals and Palestinians, are desperately trying to halt the bloodshed. The Israeli women’s peace movement just placed an ad in Ha’aretz calling for an immediate halt to the violence and renewal of negotiations for a peace agreement that will extract us from all the occupied territories (“True and enduring solutions,” they wrote, “are attained by negotiation, not destruction, revenge or humiliation”). This morning, forty women drove to Gaza to see if they could intervene physically, but they are being prevented from entering Gaza by the army. The women have set up an encampment at the Sufa checkpoint and say they will not leave until the army stops its actions there. Other peace and human rights organizations have placed newspaper ads, and many are organizing a larger delegation to join the women on Friday.”
4. From a letter to Ariel Sharon from 15 members of the Israeli army’s top commando unit, December 2003)
“We will no longer give our lives to the rule of oppression in the territories and to the denial of human rights to millions of Palestinians and we will no longer serve as a defensive shield for the settlements. We will no longer corrupt the stamp of humanity in us through carrying out the missions of an occupation army… in the past, we fought for a justified cause (but today) we have reached the boundary of oppressing another people. We will no longer cross this boundary.”
Source: Pax Christi
Commission contacts
Barbara Hungin Chair 01642 784398
Sr Mary Walmsley CJ Secretary 01904 464917
Nan Saeki Treasurer 01904 783621
Chris Dove Editor 01947 825043
email: dove.whitby@ukgateway.net
Letters to Editor: 22 Blackburns Yard Whitby YO22 4DS
website:www.ayton.info/middlesbroughjp
‘You like our food – Why can’t you like us?’
This very simple yet powerful question was posed by Tani, a young Asian girl seeking asylum with her family at a day conference at Teesside University. We listened, shared experiences and discussed how we can become more integrated as multi racial communities.
The day was organised jointly by Teesside Church Action on Poverty and the Diocesan Justice and Peace Commission, to hear from those seeking asylum here on Teesside, and from people in communities where they have been housed.
Dr. Paul Williams, a GP with the Arrival Practice for newly arrived refugees in Stockton, shared insights from those he has met and helped over the past 3 years – people who often have not known where they are coming to when they flee, who suffer both mentally and physically and who are confused by much of the government legislation which seems to increase their problems rather than solve them.
Four speakers from the Asylum and Refugee Communities here on Teesside led us through their experiences.
Bini from Eritrea – a geologist – spoke of being tortured and imprisoned underground where the temperature never fell below 33 degrees. Having also suffered racial abuse on Teesside he spoke of the support of church groups and of the Refugee Service where he now works.
Tani, a young Asian girl from Kenya described being dispersed to Middlesbrough. Her family have been targeted by those who have thrown bricks through their windows and eggs at them on the way to school.
Her question for those who abuse the family was – ‘Why do you hate me just because I have asked for refuge here?’ As she pointed out so powerfully – ‘It is not all about money, it is about friendship and understanding. We like to work, not to rely on benefits.’
Juste, from Togo, had become a political target, and was imprisoned and beaten. Relatives helped him to escape but he was abandoned on Birmingham station with no papers or identity documents. Frightened and confused and unable to speak English he ran from station officials and was finally put in touch with the Refugee Council. His appeal for asylum has been hampered by lack of documents. He witnessed to the generosity of Church friends he had made on Teesside and encouraged everyone to ‘make one new friend today – with someone who is seeking asylum’.
Herbert – a teacher from Zimbabwe – spoke of the richness of skill and experience that is present in the refugee community and of the importance of including refugees in planning and implementation of projects.
Win Logan from a multi-ethnic part of Middlesbrough, spoke of the richness of the many cultures she lives alongside. Her experience is of people who wish to be part of the community – to be good neighbours and to share of themselves. She spoke of the importance of friendship and hospitality and of the simple things that can make such a difference. The offer of information, help with filling in forms, and with English conversation.
A reflective input to the day was offered by Geoff Miller – Canon of Newcastle Cathedral who centred the experience of hospitality and friendship within a Christian perspective quoting from St. John and from Hebrews.
He stressed that hospitality is a mutually beneficial process. ‘Gifts of the Stranger enrich us. They are God’s messenger to us. It is an opportunity to entertain angels.’
He expressed the gratitude we all felt to those who had come to live amongst us.
(A full in-depth report of the day will be available to anyone who would like to read it. Please contact me 01642 784398 for copies)
Barbara Hungin
J&P Dancing!
In May we had a commission meeting with a difference, shared with Teesside Churches against Poverty and taking place at Teesside University. There were about 150 people present, among them Anglicans, Methodists, Quakers, Catholics, Muslims, agnostics, the very old, the very young, men and women from many countries including Togo, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Turkey, Kenya, Zimbabwe and Britain.
We listened to peoples’ stories and were moved to anger and to tears. I think most of us from the host country were earnestly longing to find a way to communicate to the deprived and beleagured refugees and people seeking asylum that our concern for them went deeper than our words.
Then, during the lunch break, a small gospel choir began to sing and dance for us. Suddenly, everyone, old and young, black and white, every single person of that assorted gathering was dancing, smiling and dancing.
It was the greatest expression of solidarity I could have imagined. Anthea Dove
PRAYER
Living Christ,
deep within my heart the fire of justice burns:
so I ask this day for inner courage
to walk in solidarity
with all who are betrayed,
exploited, driven from home,
violated, imprisoned, detained without trial, held hostage, robbed, enslaved, silenced, abused.
From an Iona Prayer Book.
May/June 2004
May 1st, 2004
The March meeting at St Mary’s College Hull was most successful. We were entertained and encouraged by the students’ presentations and by the subsequent discussion. We must hope that they can sustain their concerns for the issues of justice and peace and find support in their parishes for these concerns.
EDITORIAL The March meeting at St Mary’s College Hull was most successful. We were entertained and encouraged by the students’ presentations and by the subsequent discussion. We must hope that they can sustain their concerns for the issues of justice and peace and find support in their parishes for these concerns.
Kate Ward who works at the Stockton Drop-In Centre and Carol Cross of Teesside CAP – Teesside CAP being joint sponsors with the Commission of the May Conference – remind us of the reality of life for those seeking asylum. The Refugee Council commissioned a report “Hungry and Homeless” which can be downloaded from their website: www.refugeecouncil.org.uk
The never-ending cycle of violence in the Holy Land is heart-breaking. Suicide bombing leads to state assassinations and it all adds to the suffering of innocent people. Jean Vanier, the founder of L’Arche, suggests a way to break the cycle.
The on-going issues of the treatment of those who come seeking refuge and asylum, of those in serious debt and yet again, the ever-growing prison population also feature in this issue. Please consider writing to your MPs and MEPs. They do take notice of letters and it helps to counter the prejudices of much of government policy.
The Peace Pilgrimage replaces our annual Quiet Day. Please come and join us. You will be very welcome.
Chris Dove Note: the views expressed in this newsletter do not necessarily coincide with those of the Commission.
Reality of life for refugees
Despite media myths to the contrary a recent all-party MPs’ inquiry concluded that Britain is not a ‘soft touch’ for asylum seekers: most who came were fleeing conflict rather than poverty.
Neither is Britain a ‘refugee magnet’. We take less than 2% of the world’s refugees, and within the EU, the UK ranks 10th in terms of asylum applications in relation to overall population.
People seeking asylum here cannot claim mainstream benefits – only very basic support. A single adult has to survive on £38.96 a week, 30% below the poverty line. A study by Oxfam and the Refugee Council shows 85% experience hunger, 95% cannot afford clothing and shoes and 80% are not able to maintain good health. (The BMA has stated that far from importing disease, their health is often damaged by coming to Britain and living on the breadline.)
Claims by paranoid tabloids, BNP and others that they are given enviable housing and new furnishings are untrue. Accommodation in ‘hard-to-let’ areas furnished with basic used household equipment is provided initially, and if permanent residence is granted they are moved to similar unfurnished property.
Many who come are professional people, (90%speaking one other language and 65%, at least two, in addition to their first); but they are not permitted to work until after refugee status has been granted. Very often they have shortage skills; indeed a Home Office study showed, ‘Migrants are not a burden on the UK taxpayers – in 99/00 they made a net fiscal contribution of approximately £2.5 billion, worth 1p on income tax’. Kate Ward Stockton Refugee Drop-In Centre
The following is an extract from a letter sent to David Blunkett by an asylum seeker who wishes to remain anonymous. Now, having exhausted he process and without support of any kind, her situation is similar to that of many others who are desperate not to be deported.
My husband died during the reign of Mugabe under very suspicious circumstances, and he is still in
power, therefore no one can guarantee my safe return. My sister was mistaken for me and was beaten up. These are people who do not reason but have “degrees of violence” to quote Mugabe, to whom they are accountable.
I am now taking medication for high blood pressure and this is due to the stress brought about by this whole issue. I am not a young person. My elder son who is a British citizen is now receiving treatment because of stress. According to our culture and also it is natural for him to be protective of his mother. My request to you would be to be given permission to fend for myself pending the return to normalcy in Zimbabwe. I am sure this is not too much to ask. As it is, the way I am surviving at the moment is not much different from those people in Zimbabwe who are starving and in bondage except that I am safe from physical harm. I am not a free person because this is physiological and psychological torture I am enduring by being denied my basic human rights.
From Carol Cross Teesside CAP
Asylum & Immigration Bill
The government has backed down on Clause 10 of the Asylum & Immigration Bill currently under scrutiny, which would have ended the right of judicial appeal against Asylum decisions. The Lord Chief Justice had called this clause “fundamentally in conflict with the rule of law.”
At the moment, the emphasis of asylum policy is so heavily on making life difficult for asylum seekers – visa restrictions, limitations on access to legal advice, refusing asylum seekers support if they don’t apply soon enough, inflexible rules designed to make applying for asylum as difficult as possible – that we are in danger of ducking our international responsibilities.
The real cause of problems with the system is the poor quality of initial decisions. In 2003 alone, over 16,000 refusals of asylum were found to have been flawed. That is the reason why so many cases are taken to appeal.
We still need to press for removal of Clause 7…..
Ending a Chain 0f Violence
Peace is not a stasis; it is not the absence of violence: where there is isolation, separation and indifference between peoples, conflict can break out at any time. Nor is it simply civility and respect for the law, in which the walls of separation remain firm. Peace, rather, is the counter-dynamic to competition, rivalry and the clash of strengths. Peace can only come, when the chain of violence is broken and the weaker members of society are fully welcomed, loved and respected. It is the conversion undergone by the Good Samaritan, who was first moved by generosity, then by compassion, then by amazement and joy. Something must have happened when the man woke up and saw he had been saved by an enemy, and says “You’re my brother!”
Source: Jean Vanier The Tablet 20 March
Peace-making versus “just war”
Sir Michael Quinlan’s article in The Tablet suggesting we need a new ethic of war – a “refined just war theory” brought two replies:
1. Maybe we Christians should be more noted for exploring not an ethic of war but the discipline of peace-making and the challenges of reconciliation and forgiveness. Even an updated “just war” theory is ultimately supportive of militarism and war. Fr Owen Hardwicke. Peace & Justice Centre Wrexham.
2. Until we invest as much in peace-making as we do in the military and weaponry, we will always go down the path of violence. The estimate of 11,000 – 16,000 Iraqis dead, and the silence of the US and UK governments on these figures, should not surprise us. It always strikes me how cheap are considered the lives of so-called enemies. Instead of “just war” principles, how about “just peace” principles, and more investment in non-violent conflict resolution strategies and training?
Eileen Richardson. Malvern. Source: The Letters page of The Tablet 10 April
Time Bombs
Fourteen year-old-Teng was working in the fields when his hoe hit something hard. It exploded and he was blinded in both eyes and most of his left hand was blown away.
Teng was the victim of one of the 350 million bomblets dropped in Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia by the US Air Force during the Vietnam War more than 30 years ago.
Despite the fact that cluster bombs leave a legacy as lethal as landmines, they are not covered by international law and there are no specific controls on their use.
Cluster bombs are an inaccurate weapon scattering up to 200 bomblets over an area the size of a football field. Under the Geneva Convention cluster bombs should never be used in built-up civilian areas. But Coalition forces used cluster munitions in many populated areas in Iraq in March and April 2003, including Baghdad, Basra, Hillah, Kirkuk, Mosul and Nasiriyah.
There is also a high failure rate amongst the bomblets. Between 5% and 30% of bomblets fail to explode on impact and effectively turn into anti-personnel landmines. They go on killing and maiming long after the conflict is over, preventing people from returning to their homes and working their land.
According to the British group Landmine Action, at least one million cluster bombs were dropped in Iraq by Coalition forces. A failure rate of even 5% will have left a minimum of 50,000 unexploded time bombs threatening people’s lives and livelihoods.
The anti-landmine campaign eventually resulted in the Ottawa accord, by which 141 countries have agreed to ban the use, production or trade in anti-personnel landmines. Public pressure could lead to cluster bombs being included under this ban. Please write to your MP. Source: Landmine Action
Did you know?
Only 2% of the UK MoD budget is spent on conflict prevention.
The US spends three times as much each year on pet food as on treating HIV/AIDS.
The price of one tank would provide classrooms for 30,000 children.
If Africa exports raw coca to the European Union it faces a tariff of just 0.5%. If it turns the coca into chocolate, the tariff is 30.6%.
Commission contacts
Barbara Hungin Chair 01642 784398
Sr Mary Walmsley CJ Secretary 01904 464917
Nan Saeki Treasurer 01904 783621
Chris Dove Editor 01947 825043
email: dove.whitby@ukgateway.net
Letters to Editor: 22 Blackburns Yard Whitby YO22 4DS
website:www.ayton.info/middlesbroughjp
This newsletter is supplied free but it costs money to produce especially for those who have it posted to them. If you find it of value, perhaps you would consider sending a donation to the Treasurer: Nan Saeki 55 Moorgate York YO24 4HP. It would be very much appreciated.
Debt on our Doorstep 1
Tackling extortionate credit and loan sharks has to take place alongside other public policy initiatives that provide a) alternative access to affordable credit – such as a Credit Union, and b) an adequate level of income and grant assistance. Grant assistance is needed for essential household goods to prevent low-income households going into debt. Many low income households get into debt because unforeseen life events such as accidents, death, illness or a relationship breakdown mean they need extra money to get the through a difficult patch.
For low income borrowers there need to be alternative measures to obtain redress eg Trading Standards Depts.
People get deeper into debt because money lenders charge compound interest on any arrears that have accrued.
Debt on our Doorstep 2
As part of their response to the Government White Paper called “Fair, Clear and Competitive: The Consumer Credit Market in the 21st Century” DoD made these points:
a.. Without doubt legal but predatory and extortionate lending is an issue worthy of urgent attention.
b.. The most significant form of debt affecting parents of children living in “persistent and severe” poverty was mail order.
c.. Customers of mail order catalogues are often purchasing goods which have a high price and the high cost of credit is disguised by comparing the high initial purchase price with the apparent affordability of small weekly payments over a long term.
Source: Debt on our Doorstep
Prisons
England and Wales now jail more offenders than any other European country [at a rate of 141 per 100,000]. Proportionately, this is more people than are jailed in Libya, Burma and Turkey but less than the US, which at 701 per 100,000, has the world’s highest jail population rate. France imprisons 93 per 100,000 and Germany 98.
At the start of the year the English and Welsh prison population stood at 73,688, [74,543 by end Feb] 25,000 up over the past decade. Ten years ago there were 1,811 women in prison, by January that figure had risen to 4,307, an increase of 140% in a decade.
81 out of the 138 prisons are now officially overcrowded. Of those freed from prison, more than half re-offend within 2 years -the figure is more than 80% among young offenders.
Can Michael Howard still maintain that “Prison works”?
Peace Pilgrimage
On Saturday 10 July, instead of our usual Commission meeting, we are making a diocesan Pilgrimage of Peace, in which anyone who wishes is welcome to join. Groups, or individuals, will start from different points, such as York, Hull, Middlesbrough, Yarm, Egton Bridge and Whitby. Each group will choose different stopping places, perhaps a negative one, such as an area of environmental pollution, and a positive one such as the church at Lastingham. At these places there will be a time of prayer in whatever form seems appropriate and then we will all meet at St Hedda’s Presbytery in Egton Bridge between 3.30 and 4pm. where we will share our “liturgies” before enjoying tea and scones. So that we have some idea of numbers, please tell one of the Commission contacts. Anthea Dove
Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem
May the justice of God
fall down like fire
and bring a home
for the Palestinian people.
May the mercy of God
Pour down like rain
And protect the Jewish people.
And may the beautiful eyes of a holy God who weeps for all his children
Bring the healing hope for his wounded ones, for the Jew and the Palestinian.
So pray for the peace, for the peace of Jerusalem.
The Amos Trust
postscript Graffiti seen on a wall in New York
I was HUNGRY and you formed a Debating society to discuss it
I was IMPRISONED and you just COMPLAINED about the crime rate
I was NAKED and you debated the morality of my appearance
I was SICK and you thanked God for your health
I was HOMELESS and you preached to me about the shelter of God’s love
YOU SEEM SO HOLY AND SO CLOSE TO GOD; BUT I’M STILL HUNGRY, LONELY, COLD AND IN PAIN.
DOES IT MATTER?
Source: The Tablet 13 March
The March meeting at St Mary’s College Hull was most successful. We were entertained and encouraged by the students’ presentations and by the subsequent discussion. We must hope that they can sustain their concerns for the issues of justice and peace and find support in their parishes for these concerns.
EDITORIAL The March meeting at St Mary’s College Hull was most successful. We were entertained and encouraged by the students’ presentations and by the subsequent discussion. We must hope that they can sustain their concerns for the issues of justice and peace and find support in their parishes for these concerns.
Kate Ward who works at the Stockton Drop-In Centre and Carol Cross of Teesside CAP – Teesside CAP being joint sponsors with the Commission of the May Conference – remind us of the reality of life for those seeking asylum. The Refugee Council commissioned a report “Hungry and Homeless” which can be downloaded from their website: www.refugeecouncil.org.uk
The never-ending cycle of violence in the Holy Land is heart-breaking. Suicide bombing leads to state assassinations and it all adds to the suffering of innocent people. Jean Vanier, the founder of L’Arche, suggests a way to break the cycle.
The on-going issues of the treatment of those who come seeking refuge and asylum, of those in serious debt and yet again, the ever-growing prison population also feature in this issue. Please consider writing to your MPs and MEPs. They do take notice of letters and it helps to counter the prejudices of much of government policy.
The Peace Pilgrimage replaces our annual Quiet Day. Please come and join us. You will be very welcome.
Chris Dove Note: the views expressed in this newsletter do not necessarily coincide with those of the Commission.
Reality of life for refugees
Despite media myths to the contrary a recent all-party MPs’ inquiry concluded that Britain is not a ‘soft touch’ for asylum seekers: most who came were fleeing conflict rather than poverty.
Neither is Britain a ‘refugee magnet’. We take less than 2% of the world’s refugees, and within the EU, the UK ranks 10th in terms of asylum applications in relation to overall population.
People seeking asylum here cannot claim mainstream benefits – only very basic support. A single adult has to survive on £38.96 a week, 30% below the poverty line. A study by Oxfam and the Refugee Council shows 85% experience hunger, 95% cannot afford clothing and shoes and 80% are not able to maintain good health. (The BMA has stated that far from importing disease, their health is often damaged by coming to Britain and living on the breadline.)
Claims by paranoid tabloids, BNP and others that they are given enviable housing and new furnishings are untrue. Accommodation in ‘hard-to-let’ areas furnished with basic used household equipment is provided initially, and if permanent residence is granted they are moved to similar unfurnished property.
Many who come are professional people, (90%speaking one other language and 65%, at least two, in addition to their first); but they are not permitted to work until after refugee status has been granted. Very often they have shortage skills; indeed a Home Office study showed, ‘Migrants are not a burden on the UK taxpayers – in 99/00 they made a net fiscal contribution of approximately £2.5 billion, worth 1p on income tax’. Kate Ward Stockton Refugee Drop-In Centre
The following is an extract from a letter sent to David Blunkett by an asylum seeker who wishes to remain anonymous. Now, having exhausted he process and without support of any kind, her situation is similar to that of many others who are desperate not to be deported.
My husband died during the reign of Mugabe under very suspicious circumstances, and he is still in
power, therefore no one can guarantee my safe return. My sister was mistaken for me and was beaten up. These are people who do not reason but have “degrees of violence” to quote Mugabe, to whom they are accountable.
I am now taking medication for high blood pressure and this is due to the stress brought about by this whole issue. I am not a young person. My elder son who is a British citizen is now receiving treatment because of stress. According to our culture and also it is natural for him to be protective of his mother. My request to you would be to be given permission to fend for myself pending the return to normalcy in Zimbabwe. I am sure this is not too much to ask. As it is, the way I am surviving at the moment is not much different from those people in Zimbabwe who are starving and in bondage except that I am safe from physical harm. I am not a free person because this is physiological and psychological torture I am enduring by being denied my basic human rights.
From Carol Cross Teesside CAP
Asylum & Immigration Bill
The government has backed down on Clause 10 of the Asylum & Immigration Bill currently under scrutiny, which would have ended the right of judicial appeal against Asylum decisions. The Lord Chief Justice had called this clause “fundamentally in conflict with the rule of law.”
At the moment, the emphasis of asylum policy is so heavily on making life difficult for asylum seekers – visa restrictions, limitations on access to legal advice, refusing asylum seekers support if they don’t apply soon enough, inflexible rules designed to make applying for asylum as difficult as possible – that we are in danger of ducking our international responsibilities.
The real cause of problems with the system is the poor quality of initial decisions. In 2003 alone, over 16,000 refusals of asylum were found to have been flawed. That is the reason why so many cases are taken to appeal.
We still need to press for removal of Clause 7…..
Ending a Chain 0f Violence
Peace is not a stasis; it is not the absence of violence: where there is isolation, separation and indifference between peoples, conflict can break out at any time. Nor is it simply civility and respect for the law, in which the walls of separation remain firm. Peace, rather, is the counter-dynamic to competition, rivalry and the clash of strengths. Peace can only come, when the chain of violence is broken and the weaker members of society are fully welcomed, loved and respected. It is the conversion undergone by the Good Samaritan, who was first moved by generosity, then by compassion, then by amazement and joy. Something must have happened when the man woke up and saw he had been saved by an enemy, and says “You’re my brother!”
Source: Jean Vanier The Tablet 20 March
Peace-making versus “just war”
Sir Michael Quinlan’s article in The Tablet suggesting we need a new ethic of war – a “refined just war theory” brought two replies:
1. Maybe we Christians should be more noted for exploring not an ethic of war but the discipline of peace-making and the challenges of reconciliation and forgiveness. Even an updated “just war” theory is ultimately supportive of militarism and war. Fr Owen Hardwicke. Peace & Justice Centre Wrexham.
2. Until we invest as much in peace-making as we do in the military and weaponry, we will always go down the path of violence. The estimate of 11,000 – 16,000 Iraqis dead, and the silence of the US and UK governments on these figures, should not surprise us. It always strikes me how cheap are considered the lives of so-called enemies. Instead of “just war” principles, how about “just peace” principles, and more investment in non-violent conflict resolution strategies and training?
Eileen Richardson. Malvern. Source: The Letters page of The Tablet 10 April
Time Bombs
Fourteen year-old-Teng was working in the fields when his hoe hit something hard. It exploded and he was blinded in both eyes and most of his left hand was blown away.
Teng was the victim of one of the 350 million bomblets dropped in Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia by the US Air Force during the Vietnam War more than 30 years ago.
Despite the fact that cluster bombs leave a legacy as lethal as landmines, they are not covered by international law and there are no specific controls on their use.
Cluster bombs are an inaccurate weapon scattering up to 200 bomblets over an area the size of a football field. Under the Geneva Convention cluster bombs should never be used in built-up civilian areas. But Coalition forces used cluster munitions in many populated areas in Iraq in March and April 2003, including Baghdad, Basra, Hillah, Kirkuk, Mosul and Nasiriyah.
There is also a high failure rate amongst the bomblets. Between 5% and 30% of bomblets fail to explode on impact and effectively turn into anti-personnel landmines. They go on killing and maiming long after the conflict is over, preventing people from returning to their homes and working their land.
According to the British group Landmine Action, at least one million cluster bombs were dropped in Iraq by Coalition forces. A failure rate of even 5% will have left a minimum of 50,000 unexploded time bombs threatening people’s lives and livelihoods.
The anti-landmine campaign eventually resulted in the Ottawa accord, by which 141 countries have agreed to ban the use, production or trade in anti-personnel landmines. Public pressure could lead to cluster bombs being included under this ban. Please write to your MP. Source: Landmine Action
Did you know?
Only 2% of the UK MoD budget is spent on conflict prevention.
The US spends three times as much each year on pet food as on treating HIV/AIDS.
The price of one tank would provide classrooms for 30,000 children.
If Africa exports raw coca to the European Union it faces a tariff of just 0.5%. If it turns the coca into chocolate, the tariff is 30.6%.
Commission contacts
Barbara Hungin Chair 01642 784398
Sr Mary Walmsley CJ Secretary 01904 464917
Nan Saeki Treasurer 01904 783621
Chris Dove Editor 01947 825043
email: dove.whitby@ukgateway.net
Letters to Editor: 22 Blackburns Yard Whitby YO22 4DS
website:www.ayton.info/middlesbroughjp
This newsletter is supplied free but it costs money to produce especially for those who have it posted to them. If you find it of value, perhaps you would consider sending a donation to the Treasurer: Nan Saeki 55 Moorgate York YO24 4HP. It would be very much appreciated.
Debt on our Doorstep 1
Tackling extortionate credit and loan sharks has to take place alongside other public policy initiatives that provide a) alternative access to affordable credit – such as a Credit Union, and b) an adequate level of income and grant assistance. Grant assistance is needed for essential household goods to prevent low-income households going into debt. Many low income households get into debt because unforeseen life events such as accidents, death, illness or a relationship breakdown mean they need extra money to get the through a difficult patch.
For low income borrowers there need to be alternative measures to obtain redress eg Trading Standards Depts.
People get deeper into debt because money lenders charge compound interest on any arrears that have accrued.
Debt on our Doorstep 2
As part of their response to the Government White Paper called “Fair, Clear and Competitive: The Consumer Credit Market in the 21st Century” DoD made these points:
a.. Without doubt legal but predatory and extortionate lending is an issue worthy of urgent attention.
b.. The most significant form of debt affecting parents of children living in “persistent and severe” poverty was mail order.
c.. Customers of mail order catalogues are often purchasing goods which have a high price and the high cost of credit is disguised by comparing the high initial purchase price with the apparent affordability of small weekly payments over a long term.
Source: Debt on our Doorstep
Prisons
England and Wales now jail more offenders than any other European country [at a rate of 141 per 100,000]. Proportionately, this is more people than are jailed in Libya, Burma and Turkey but less than the US, which at 701 per 100,000, has the world’s highest jail population rate. France imprisons 93 per 100,000 and Germany 98.
At the start of the year the English and Welsh prison population stood at 73,688, [74,543 by end Feb] 25,000 up over the past decade. Ten years ago there were 1,811 women in prison, by January that figure had risen to 4,307, an increase of 140% in a decade.
81 out of the 138 prisons are now officially overcrowded. Of those freed from prison, more than half re-offend within 2 years -the figure is more than 80% among young offenders.
Can Michael Howard still maintain that “Prison works”?
Peace Pilgrimage
On Saturday 10 July, instead of our usual Commission meeting, we are making a diocesan Pilgrimage of Peace, in which anyone who wishes is welcome to join. Groups, or individuals, will start from different points, such as York, Hull, Middlesbrough, Yarm, Egton Bridge and Whitby. Each group will choose different stopping places, perhaps a negative one, such as an area of environmental pollution, and a positive one such as the church at Lastingham. At these places there will be a time of prayer in whatever form seems appropriate and then we will all meet at St Hedda’s Presbytery in Egton Bridge between 3.30 and 4pm. where we will share our “liturgies” before enjoying tea and scones. So that we have some idea of numbers, please tell one of the Commission contacts. Anthea Dove
Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem
May the justice of God
fall down like fire
and bring a home
for the Palestinian people.
May the mercy of God
Pour down like rain
And protect the Jewish people.
And may the beautiful eyes of a holy God who weeps for all his children
Bring the healing hope for his wounded ones, for the Jew and the Palestinian.
So pray for the peace, for the peace of Jerusalem.
The Amos Trust
postscript Graffiti seen on a wall in New York
I was HUNGRY and you formed a Debating society to discuss it
I was IMPRISONED and you just COMPLAINED about the crime rate
I was NAKED and you debated the morality of my appearance
I was SICK and you thanked God for your health
I was HOMELESS and you preached to me about the shelter of God’s love
YOU SEEM SO HOLY AND SO CLOSE TO GOD; BUT I’M STILL HUNGRY, LONELY, COLD AND IN PAIN.
DOES IT MATTER?
Source: The Tablet 13 March
March/April 2004
March 1st, 2004
Fairtrade Fortnight [1-14 March] gives us a chance to renew our concern to see that food producers here and overseas get a fair deal. Our vice chairman, Charlie Bridges, has been involved in Fair trade work since 1985.
Editorial Fairtrade Fortnight [1-14 March] gives us a chance to renew our concern to see that food producers here and overseas get a fair deal. Our vice chairman, Charlie Bridges, has been involved in Fair trade work since 1985. His shop in Gillygate York stocks a wonderful range of goods, and he is always willing to bring a stall to your church. We are very grateful for his advice and guidance to the Commission. Another way we can help to make life a little fairer for people here is by changing our gas and electricity suppliers to Equipower. [see below] The treatment of refugees and those seeking asylum has been considered by the Commons Home Affairs Committee. Their interim report show there is awareness that much needs to be done to improve the latest Bill. We need to write to our MPs to show them the weight of opinion against the changes the Bill proposes. Our next meeting is a day conference in partnership with Teesside Church Action on Poverty. The title of the Conference is Asylum, Refuge and Community – Integration and Poverty Issues. Our aim in hosting this event is to promote understanding between people of different nationalities and to hopefully contribute to more cohesive and integrated neighbourhoods in our region. Chris Dove Note: the views expressed in this newsletter do not necessarily coincide with those of the Commission.
New Initiative This month’s Commission meeting sees a new initiative which we hope will become a regular feature in future years. The Commission is keen to make closer links with young people throughout the Diocese and to explore how we can work together. Students from St. Mary’s College, Hull have kindly agreed to host the meeting on March 6th and the morning will consist of presentations from students concerning issues of Peace and Justice which they are themselves involved in or are wanting to explore further. We are aware that young people often have strong views that need to be heard within society. This is a great opportunity for us to learn from each other and to find ways in which, together, we can become more effective both nationally and internationally. We are in the process of establishing closer links with secondary schools in other parts of the Diocese and will hopefully be planning similar meetings in the next few years. Barbara.
Weapons of mass destruction One person dies as a result of armed violence every minute – half a million a year. More than 600 million small arms are in circulation, with eight million more produced every year In June 2003 there were thought to be 24 million guns in Iraq, one for every man, woman and child in the country, with weapons available on the street for US$10. Source: Amnesty International
Why should we care about Justice & Peace issues? The word of God clearly demands justice. When Jesus began his public life he said: ‘The Spirit of God is upon me. God sent me to proclaim Good News to the poor, to break the yoke of injustice and to set the down-trodden free.’ This is why Jesus came. To bring justice. Many of us are very generous. We give of what we have. We are reaching out to the poor in many ways. But do we ever ask ourselves: Why are people poor? What are the injustices within our society? What can we do about the injustices? Do we ever try to do something about the injustices? Do we try to do something that will make justice happen? That is very important. That is part of the word of God. From a homily of Bishop Thomas Gumbleton, auxiliary bishop in Detroit. Source: NCR Jan 9
Commission contacts Barbara Hungin Chair 01642 784398 Nan Saeki Treasurer 01904 783621 Chris Dove Editor 01947 825043 email: dove.whitby@ukgateway.net Letters to Editor: 22 Blackburns Yard Whitby YO22 4DS website:www.writingforyou.com/middlesbroughjp now also at www.ayton.info/middlesbroughjp
Selective memory? When it became apparent that after all no WMDs were being discovered in Iraq, Jack Straw argued that the reason why we and the US invaded Iraq was because Saddam Hussein was guilty of disobeying UN Security Council resolutions.
We might ask why he was silent about the refusal of Israel to comply with UN Security Council Resolution 487 which requires Israel to turn over its nuclear facilities to the trusteeship of the International Atomic Energy Authority; and why he did not mention UN Security Council Resolution 1172 which calls on India and Pakistan to dismantle their nuclear progammes and ballistic missiles.
While demanding that countries that do not yet have nuclear weapons sign the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty, both UK and US have refused to abide by the other provisions of the Treaty that call on already-existing nuclear powers to take serious steps towards complete nuclear disarmament. Instead, both countries continue to maintain a nuclear strike force and now we have become committed to joining in the US Missile Defence programme, which includes the eventual deployment of nuclear facilities in space. This is making the situation even more desperate.
It was back in 1996 that the International Court of Justice confirmed that there was no conceivable circumstance in which nuclear weapons could be held as a threat or used without violating International Humanitarian Law and that ’ there exists an obligation to pursue in good faith and bring to a conclusion negotiations leading to nuclear disarmament in all its aspects under strict and effective international control.’
The Economist [16 October 2003] published an article by the International Atomic Energy Agency Director General, Dr. Mohamed El Baradei, entitled ‘Towards a Safer World.’ He writes: ‘The very existence of nuclear weapons gives rise to the pursuit of them. They are seen as a source of global influence, and are valuedfor their perceived deterrent effect. And as long as some countries possess them (or are protected by them in alliances) and others do not,, this asymmetry breeds chronic global insecurity.’
Nuclear weapons are seen as having a strategic, not military, purpose. That is, they are not intended primarily to defend us but rather to develop greater power over other nations. In this connection, an Early Day Motion has been tabled by John McDonnell MP and Alan Simpson MP. Readers could write to their own MP to support EDM 498 which reads:
‘That this house notes the lack of a coherent role for the Trident system within Britain’s defence network as set out in the Government’s Defence White Paper; further notes that the technology upon which Trident is based has now been outstripped; and calls on the government to follow the example of South Africa and abolish Britain’s nuclear arsenal.’ Source: Pax Christi
EQUIPOWER It is some time since I last wrote recommending this organisation. It seeks to make life a little fairer for those who are less well off. At present people pay a higher rate for their heat and light just because they pay by prepayment meters. EQUIPOWER supplies gas and electricity at one price for everyone, regardless of how they pay. I asked for a progress report and also how ‘green’ they are in their supply source, I received this reply: 1. Currently, roughly 12% of our customer base pay using prepayment meters of one sort or another. This is, actually, a little higher than the proportion of customers, nationally, who use prepayment meters (~10%). That we represent the best deal available for customers using prepayment meters is not the only way we help those on low incomes. We do not levy a standing charge on any of our customers. Whilst a number of other utility companies have followed suit, they replicate the effect of the standing charge by imposing a much higher unit rate on the customers’ first units of gas/electricity. This penalises those who use relatively small quantities of gas/electricity (most low income households fall into this category) just as much as the standing charge. 2. We use Scottish & Southern Energy as our supplier of EQUIPOWER. Whilst we make no ‘green’ claims for EQUIPOWER, Scottish & Southern has a total of 6,188MW of generation capacity in the UK. Of this, 1,320MW is hydro-electric (dams and pumped-storage units) and 132MW from other renewable sources. On this basis, 23% of their generation is ‘green’ – which is one of the highest proportions in the UK. However, a number of utility companies have made some quite extraordinary claims about their ‘green’ tariffs based, in my view, on very fragile and contrived assumptions and I don’t want EQUIPOWER to be tarred with the same brush. Thus, EQUIPOWER remains the UK’s only social justice electricity tariff with no claims to being ‘green’. If you want to change, just telephone 0800 117 116 and ask for an application form. It involves no disruption to your gas or electricity supply, no new pipes or meters and your current heating maintenance contracts can stay as they are. At a time when we are urged to be ‘Fairtraders’, this is a surely a very good way to help others, at little cost to ourselves.
Thought for today: 11 million children die every year from preventable causes mostly related to poverty. For every child dying in poverty, the world spends over £47,000 preparing for or fighting war. Sources: WHO and SIPRI
Asylum and Immigration Bill 2003 The House of Commons Home Affairs Committee has been considering this Bill and has issued its first Report. The Bill next goes to the House of Lords and then back to the Commons for debate. The main report on asylum applications is promised for early 2004. The committee considered 4 proposals for which the Bill makes provision. The following is a summary of the Committee’s main recommendations.
Undocumented passengers Clause 2 creates a criminal offence for those arriving without valid travel documents and without a reasonable excuse for this. This punishes refugees for behaving like refugees. The UNHCR states that ‘in most cases a person fleeing from persecution will have arrived with the barest necessities and often without a passport’ because they cannot get one from the authorities from whom they are fleeing. The Committee noting that there is provision for ‘a reasonable excuse’ being a defence, recommend that the government makes this explicitly clear in the text of the Bill.
Reform of the appeals process Clause 10 proposes to move to a single tier of appeal for asylum seekers whose initial claim has been refused. It is the poor quality of initial decision-making that causes the need for appeals. In 2002, 34% of initial asylum applications were granted and 66% refused. Of those refusals, 77% were appealed against and at this first level of appeal, 22% were successful. Of those given leave to appeal to the second level, 11% were successful, 36% were dismissed and 49% were remitted back to the adjudicators. The Committee recommends that implementation of the new asylum appeals system should be contingent on a significant improvement in initial decision making.
Removal to a ‘safe third country’ Clause 12 removes the right to challenge removal to ‘certain safe third countries’ on the basis that a person fears for their safety. This contravenes the fundamental premise of asylum that each case is examined without prejudice and on its own individual merits. No country can be assumed to be safe for all people all of the time. The Committee believe the government should explain the rationale for believing countries to be safe, and that the human rights situation in ‘safe third countries’ must be kept under review.
Restricting family support Clause 7 would leave families destitute in between their asylum claim being rejected and their eventual removal which in turn would lead to the separation of the children from their parents. The Committee report that they are very uneasy about this provision in the Bill. They believe the priority should be to improve the removal system so that it is understood by all parties that a failed claim will lead to swift action to effect removal. They also recommend that the government give assurances that Clause 7 will not come into effect until the House is satisfied that it will not bring significant numbers of children into care.
From Nelson Mandela’s Inaugural Speech 1994 Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate, Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous? Actually who are you not to be?
You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn’t serve the world, There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us, it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, We unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, Our presence automatically liberates others.
A Prayer for Peace The 20th March has been declared an International day against War and Occupation and as we approach the first anniversary of the start of military action in Iraq, it is particularly appropriate for this issue to end with the Pax Christi Daily Prayer, reprinted with permission from Pax Christi.
Thank you loving God For the gift of life For this wonderful world which we all share For the joy of love and friendship For the challenge of helping to build your kingdom.
Strengthen My determination to work for a world of peace and justice My conviction that, whatever our nationality or race, we are all global citizens, one in Christ My courage to challenge the powerful with the values of the gospel My commitment to find non-violent ways of resolving conflictÑpersonal, local, national and international My efforts to forgive injuries and to love those I find it hard to love.
Teach me To share the gifts you have given me To speak out for the victims of injustice who have no voice To reject the violence which runs through much of our world today.
Holy Spirit of God Renew my hope for a world free from the cruelty and evil of war so that we may all come to share in God’s peace and justice. AMEN
Fairtrade Fortnight [1-14 March] gives us a chance to renew our concern to see that food producers here and overseas get a fair deal. Our vice chairman, Charlie Bridges, has been involved in Fair trade work since 1985.
Editorial Fairtrade Fortnight [1-14 March] gives us a chance to renew our concern to see that food producers here and overseas get a fair deal. Our vice chairman, Charlie Bridges, has been involved in Fair trade work since 1985. His shop in Gillygate York stocks a wonderful range of goods, and he is always willing to bring a stall to your church. We are very grateful for his advice and guidance to the Commission. Another way we can help to make life a little fairer for people here is by changing our gas and electricity suppliers to Equipower. [see below] The treatment of refugees and those seeking asylum has been considered by the Commons Home Affairs Committee. Their interim report show there is awareness that much needs to be done to improve the latest Bill. We need to write to our MPs to show them the weight of opinion against the changes the Bill proposes. Our next meeting is a day conference in partnership with Teesside Church Action on Poverty. The title of the Conference is Asylum, Refuge and Community – Integration and Poverty Issues. Our aim in hosting this event is to promote understanding between people of different nationalities and to hopefully contribute to more cohesive and integrated neighbourhoods in our region. Chris Dove Note: the views expressed in this newsletter do not necessarily coincide with those of the Commission.
New Initiative This month’s Commission meeting sees a new initiative which we hope will become a regular feature in future years. The Commission is keen to make closer links with young people throughout the Diocese and to explore how we can work together. Students from St. Mary’s College, Hull have kindly agreed to host the meeting on March 6th and the morning will consist of presentations from students concerning issues of Peace and Justice which they are themselves involved in or are wanting to explore further. We are aware that young people often have strong views that need to be heard within society. This is a great opportunity for us to learn from each other and to find ways in which, together, we can become more effective both nationally and internationally. We are in the process of establishing closer links with secondary schools in other parts of the Diocese and will hopefully be planning similar meetings in the next few years. Barbara.
Weapons of mass destruction One person dies as a result of armed violence every minute – half a million a year. More than 600 million small arms are in circulation, with eight million more produced every year In June 2003 there were thought to be 24 million guns in Iraq, one for every man, woman and child in the country, with weapons available on the street for US$10. Source: Amnesty International
Why should we care about Justice & Peace issues? The word of God clearly demands justice. When Jesus began his public life he said: ‘The Spirit of God is upon me. God sent me to proclaim Good News to the poor, to break the yoke of injustice and to set the down-trodden free.’ This is why Jesus came. To bring justice. Many of us are very generous. We give of what we have. We are reaching out to the poor in many ways. But do we ever ask ourselves: Why are people poor? What are the injustices within our society? What can we do about the injustices? Do we ever try to do something about the injustices? Do we try to do something that will make justice happen? That is very important. That is part of the word of God. From a homily of Bishop Thomas Gumbleton, auxiliary bishop in Detroit. Source: NCR Jan 9
Commission contacts Barbara Hungin Chair 01642 784398 Nan Saeki Treasurer 01904 783621 Chris Dove Editor 01947 825043 email: dove.whitby@ukgateway.net Letters to Editor: 22 Blackburns Yard Whitby YO22 4DS website:www.writingforyou.com/middlesbroughjp now also at www.ayton.info/middlesbroughjp
Selective memory? When it became apparent that after all no WMDs were being discovered in Iraq, Jack Straw argued that the reason why we and the US invaded Iraq was because Saddam Hussein was guilty of disobeying UN Security Council resolutions.
We might ask why he was silent about the refusal of Israel to comply with UN Security Council Resolution 487 which requires Israel to turn over its nuclear facilities to the trusteeship of the International Atomic Energy Authority; and why he did not mention UN Security Council Resolution 1172 which calls on India and Pakistan to dismantle their nuclear progammes and ballistic missiles.
While demanding that countries that do not yet have nuclear weapons sign the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty, both UK and US have refused to abide by the other provisions of the Treaty that call on already-existing nuclear powers to take serious steps towards complete nuclear disarmament. Instead, both countries continue to maintain a nuclear strike force and now we have become committed to joining in the US Missile Defence programme, which includes the eventual deployment of nuclear facilities in space. This is making the situation even more desperate.
It was back in 1996 that the International Court of Justice confirmed that there was no conceivable circumstance in which nuclear weapons could be held as a threat or used without violating International Humanitarian Law and that ’ there exists an obligation to pursue in good faith and bring to a conclusion negotiations leading to nuclear disarmament in all its aspects under strict and effective international control.’
The Economist [16 October 2003] published an article by the International Atomic Energy Agency Director General, Dr. Mohamed El Baradei, entitled ‘Towards a Safer World.’ He writes: ‘The very existence of nuclear weapons gives rise to the pursuit of them. They are seen as a source of global influence, and are valuedfor their perceived deterrent effect. And as long as some countries possess them (or are protected by them in alliances) and others do not,, this asymmetry breeds chronic global insecurity.’
Nuclear weapons are seen as having a strategic, not military, purpose. That is, they are not intended primarily to defend us but rather to develop greater power over other nations. In this connection, an Early Day Motion has been tabled by John McDonnell MP and Alan Simpson MP. Readers could write to their own MP to support EDM 498 which reads:
‘That this house notes the lack of a coherent role for the Trident system within Britain’s defence network as set out in the Government’s Defence White Paper; further notes that the technology upon which Trident is based has now been outstripped; and calls on the government to follow the example of South Africa and abolish Britain’s nuclear arsenal.’ Source: Pax Christi
EQUIPOWER It is some time since I last wrote recommending this organisation. It seeks to make life a little fairer for those who are less well off. At present people pay a higher rate for their heat and light just because they pay by prepayment meters. EQUIPOWER supplies gas and electricity at one price for everyone, regardless of how they pay. I asked for a progress report and also how ‘green’ they are in their supply source, I received this reply: 1. Currently, roughly 12% of our customer base pay using prepayment meters of one sort or another. This is, actually, a little higher than the proportion of customers, nationally, who use prepayment meters (~10%). That we represent the best deal available for customers using prepayment meters is not the only way we help those on low incomes. We do not levy a standing charge on any of our customers. Whilst a number of other utility companies have followed suit, they replicate the effect of the standing charge by imposing a much higher unit rate on the customers’ first units of gas/electricity. This penalises those who use relatively small quantities of gas/electricity (most low income households fall into this category) just as much as the standing charge. 2. We use Scottish & Southern Energy as our supplier of EQUIPOWER. Whilst we make no ‘green’ claims for EQUIPOWER, Scottish & Southern has a total of 6,188MW of generation capacity in the UK. Of this, 1,320MW is hydro-electric (dams and pumped-storage units) and 132MW from other renewable sources. On this basis, 23% of their generation is ‘green’ – which is one of the highest proportions in the UK. However, a number of utility companies have made some quite extraordinary claims about their ‘green’ tariffs based, in my view, on very fragile and contrived assumptions and I don’t want EQUIPOWER to be tarred with the same brush. Thus, EQUIPOWER remains the UK’s only social justice electricity tariff with no claims to being ‘green’. If you want to change, just telephone 0800 117 116 and ask for an application form. It involves no disruption to your gas or electricity supply, no new pipes or meters and your current heating maintenance contracts can stay as they are. At a time when we are urged to be ‘Fairtraders’, this is a surely a very good way to help others, at little cost to ourselves.
Thought for today: 11 million children die every year from preventable causes mostly related to poverty. For every child dying in poverty, the world spends over £47,000 preparing for or fighting war. Sources: WHO and SIPRI
Asylum and Immigration Bill 2003 The House of Commons Home Affairs Committee has been considering this Bill and has issued its first Report. The Bill next goes to the House of Lords and then back to the Commons for debate. The main report on asylum applications is promised for early 2004. The committee considered 4 proposals for which the Bill makes provision. The following is a summary of the Committee’s main recommendations.
Undocumented passengers Clause 2 creates a criminal offence for those arriving without valid travel documents and without a reasonable excuse for this. This punishes refugees for behaving like refugees. The UNHCR states that ‘in most cases a person fleeing from persecution will have arrived with the barest necessities and often without a passport’ because they cannot get one from the authorities from whom they are fleeing. The Committee noting that there is provision for ‘a reasonable excuse’ being a defence, recommend that the government makes this explicitly clear in the text of the Bill.
Reform of the appeals process Clause 10 proposes to move to a single tier of appeal for asylum seekers whose initial claim has been refused. It is the poor quality of initial decision-making that causes the need for appeals. In 2002, 34% of initial asylum applications were granted and 66% refused. Of those refusals, 77% were appealed against and at this first level of appeal, 22% were successful. Of those given leave to appeal to the second level, 11% were successful, 36% were dismissed and 49% were remitted back to the adjudicators. The Committee recommends that implementation of the new asylum appeals system should be contingent on a significant improvement in initial decision making.
Removal to a ‘safe third country’ Clause 12 removes the right to challenge removal to ‘certain safe third countries’ on the basis that a person fears for their safety. This contravenes the fundamental premise of asylum that each case is examined without prejudice and on its own individual merits. No country can be assumed to be safe for all people all of the time. The Committee believe the government should explain the rationale for believing countries to be safe, and that the human rights situation in ‘safe third countries’ must be kept under review.
Restricting family support Clause 7 would leave families destitute in between their asylum claim being rejected and their eventual removal which in turn would lead to the separation of the children from their parents. The Committee report that they are very uneasy about this provision in the Bill. They believe the priority should be to improve the removal system so that it is understood by all parties that a failed claim will lead to swift action to effect removal. They also recommend that the government give assurances that Clause 7 will not come into effect until the House is satisfied that it will not bring significant numbers of children into care.
From Nelson Mandela’s Inaugural Speech 1994 Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate, Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous? Actually who are you not to be?
You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn’t serve the world, There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us, it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, We unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, Our presence automatically liberates others.
A Prayer for Peace The 20th March has been declared an International day against War and Occupation and as we approach the first anniversary of the start of military action in Iraq, it is particularly appropriate for this issue to end with the Pax Christi Daily Prayer, reprinted with permission from Pax Christi.
Thank you loving God For the gift of life For this wonderful world which we all share For the joy of love and friendship For the challenge of helping to build your kingdom.
Strengthen My determination to work for a world of peace and justice My conviction that, whatever our nationality or race, we are all global citizens, one in Christ My courage to challenge the powerful with the values of the gospel My commitment to find non-violent ways of resolving conflictÑpersonal, local, national and international My efforts to forgive injuries and to love those I find it hard to love.
Teach me To share the gifts you have given me To speak out for the victims of injustice who have no voice To reject the violence which runs through much of our world today.
Holy Spirit of God Renew my hope for a world free from the cruelty and evil of war so that we may all come to share in God’s peace and justice. AMEN
January/February 2004
January 1st, 2004
Each year, for Peace Sunday, the Pope issues a World Peace Message. This year he writes: Humanity is faced with a crucial challenge: if it does not succeed in giving itself institutions that are really effective in eliminating the scourge of war, the risk is that the law of force will prevail.” This issue consists mainly of
E D I T O R I A L Each year, for Peace Sunday, the Pope issues a World Peace Message. This year he writes: Humanity is faced with a crucial challenge: if it does not succeed in giving itself institutions that are really effective in eliminating the scourge of war, the risk is that the law of force will prevail.” This issue consists mainly of a digest of a booklet which gives a clear, concise survey of Christian thought regarding war and peace and includes the just war arguments. When we read of the costs in lives destroyed and resources wasted in the war in Iraq, when we think that this is claimed to be a war on “terrorism”, how far can the conditions for a just war be said to have been satisfied? Just for fun, try to answer the Multiple Choice for Peace quiz and let me have any other suggestions of things that we could do. On Peace Sunday the Church in this country permits a collection for Pax Christi, the official Catholic agency. Please ensure that your church publicises this. Every parish will have received material from Pax Christi with suggested prayers for use at Mass. I pray for peace and justice for us all in this NewYear, and may I take this opportunity of thanking all those who arrange to distribute the Newsletter. Chris Dove Note: the views expressed in this newsletter do not necessarily coincide with those of the Commission.
“Peace, War and the Christian Conscience” This is the title of an excellent little booklet from Joseph Fahey, Professor of Religious Studies at Manhattan College in New York City, published by Pax Christi. The following are extracts from this booklet: “A young college student writes: ‘I don’t know whether to be a pacifist, a follower of the just war, a crusader, or a world citizen. All four seem to be Christian positions.’ There is a basis for his confusion; at various times the Christian churches have espoused all four viewpoints.” Fahey goes on to give a historical overview.
The Witness of the Gospels and of Early Christianity Jesus stood in the Jewish prophetic tradition which looked to an era of universal peace and love, in which people would beat their swords into ploughshares. In the Sermon on the Mount, he offered humankind the blueprint for this new era: ‘Happy are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God.’ He told his disciples they were to love their enemies and to pray for their persecutors. The early Christians concluded that: War was a denial of their hope for universal peace that characterised the reign of God on earth; The killing of enemies was incompatible with Christian love, which demanded total self-giving; A Christian could not kill others – and people of all nations were regarded as brothers and sisters in Christ.
Three Centuries of Non-violence From the first to the fourth century, most Christians would neither engage in Rome’s military campaigns nor justify killing as a means to achieve one’s goals. A significant change began when the Roman Emperor Constantine in 313 recognised Christianity as a legitimate religion in the empire. The Church became an institution closely linked with civil authority and Christianity attempted to develop an application of the law of love that permitted the defence of the innocent against unjust aggression. St Augustine (430) offered the following principles for the conduct of a just war: The intention must be to restore peace. Only a legitimate authority may declare war. The conduct of the war must be just. Monks and clerics may not engage in war.
Era of the Cross and the Sword Pope Urban II ushered in the period of the Crusades in 1095 which shattered Augustine’s precept about the just conduct of war. Christianity was more infected by the barbarity of the times than it influenced the times for the better. In practice, if not always in theory, God came to be viewed as a God of wrath, rather than a God of love. Just war principles were shelved when inconvenient. Shedding the blood of one’s enemies was seen as a way of defending the faith and meriting salvation.
Reshaping the Just-War Theory In the 13th century, St Thomas Aquinas (1274) produced his treatise On War in the Summa Theologicae and offered three principles, later four, for justwarfare: It must be waged by a public authority for the common good. A just cause is required. It must be fought with right intentions. The harm done by war must not exceed the good that comes from it. (Proportionality)
Limiting Warfare – a Reformation Approach In the early 16th century, Martin Luther (1546) discussed the question of war. He held that: The State could engage in a just war with its concomitant violence, but it must do it mournfully. The Church could not engage in violence – its only weapon was the Word of God.
Primitive Christianity Revisited During the period of the 16th to 18th centuries, three “peace Churches” arose whose influence continues to this day: The Anabaptists (now Mennonites and Hutterites) were radically pacifist and eschewed any active involvement in society. The Brethren were pacifists who believed that, as a Church, they could support no wars. The Quakers, though pacifists, attempted to change society by political means.
“The War to End Wars” In our times when nuclear weapons have added a new dimension to the quest for peace, the Churches are re-evaluating the historic Christian attitudes towards war. The major denominations have rejected total nuclear war. Nine million people were killed in World War I and the war neither ended war nor made the world safe for democracy. Christian nations fought bitterly against each other.
Voices for Peace The Fellowship of Reconciliation was founded in 1914. Its work was to “abolish war and to create a community of concern transcending all national boundaries and selfish interests…” Pope Benedict XV (1914-1922) attempted to secure the exchange of prisoners, plus humane treatment for the captured, and to limit the fighting. In Pacem Dei Mundus he counselled: all states “should unite in one league, or rather one sort of family of peoples, calculated to maintain their own independence and safeguard the order of human society.” Benedict also stated that the moral law must apply to international affairs as well as to individuals.
World War II – The Storm Breaks Just 21 years after the armistice of 1918, a second world war erupted. This carnage killed 50 million people, 25 million of them civilians. Clergy in America and on both sides in Europe declared the war “just”. On the other hand there were within the Third Reich isolated instances of conscientious objection to the war. Franz Jägerstätter, an Austrian Catholic, refused to join the German army. “I cannot and may not take an oath in favour of a government that is fighting an unjust war.” The clergy with whom he consulted, including his bishop, all urged him to enter the army. He refused and was beheaded on August 9, 1943. [Fahey does not mention the many brave men who went to prison for being conscientious objectors in this country.] The Lutheran theologian Dietrich Bohoeffer was also killed for resisting the war and for participating in a plot on the Führer’s life. Late in World War II, after imprisonment for opposing Nazi deportations, Bishop Pierre Marie Théas in France was instrumental in the foundation of Pax Christi, initially to work for reconciliation between French and German Catholics. It was proclaimed by Pope Pius XII as the “international Catholic movement for peace.”
Post War The Nuremburg trials of Nazi war criminals emphasised a recognition by the Allied powers that the individual must obey a law higher than that of the state in certain circumstances. The Allied nations came under censure from theologians, belatedly, for the fire bombings of Dresden and Hamburg, and the atomic annihilation of Nagasaki and Hiroshima. These were regarded as indiscriminate assaults on predominantly civilian populations. In 1953, addressing military doctors, Pius XII said: “Let there be punishment on an international scale for every war not called for by absolute necessity. Defending oneself against any kind of injustice, however, is not sufficient reason to resort to war.”
“Peace on Earth” In his short tenure as Pope (1958-1963), John XXIII did much to advance the cause of world peace. In Pacem in Terris, he decried the arms race and called on all nations to solve their difficulties by negotiation and mutual trust. He gave strong endorsement to the United Nations.
“The Joys and Hopes ….of All” Vatican II attempted to look upon war “with an entirely new attitude.” It condemned the concept of “total war”. It declared the arms race “an utterly treacherous trap for humanity which injures the poor to an intolerable degree.” It called for a “universal public authority” which would be “endowed with effective power to safeguard security, regard for justice and respect for rights.” It urged international co-operation to end “excessive economic inequalities” between nations which are among the chief causes of war.” It foresaw a “surpassing need for renewed education of attitudes … to instruct all in the sentiments of peace.” The Council recognised the right of conscientious objection to military service. In October 1965, Pope Paul VI appealed before the UN: “No more war, war never again.” Later, he said that the modern word for peace was “development”. He called for a world fund to care for the most destitute of the world and repeated that it should be financed in part by the money “spent on arms.” In 1976 the Vatican condemned the arms race “unreservedly”, stating that it “is an act of aggression which amounts to a crime, for even when they are not used, by their cost alone, armaments kill the poor by causing them to starve.” In 1977 Paul VI initiated an annual World Day of Peace. [Peace Sunday].
The Protestant Peace Witness Through the years the World Council of Churches has consistently demonstrated a concern for peace and a just world order. The following points cover the WCC position on peace: War is incompatible with the teachings and example of Jesus Christ. Human survival can be assured only if all nations disarm themselves of atomic, biological and chemical weapons. Authentic peace can only be attained through the establishment of a world order based on international law. The just economic and political treatment of Third World nations is essential to the elimination of future global violence.
Pope John Paul II John Paul II has repeatedly called for an end to the arms race and weapons preparation and for a restructuring of global priorities to enable the poor nations to achieve justice. During the Falklands war (1982) he appealed for war itself to be abolished: “War should belong to the tragic past, to history; it should find no place on humanity’s agenda for the future.” In 1993 he said: “nuclear deterrence prevents genuine nuclear disarmament …. It is a fundamental obstacle to achieving a new age of global security.”
Source: Peace, War, and the Christian Conscience. Joseph J Fahey. Pax Christi 2003 £2.50
Commission contacts Barbara Hungin Chair 01642 784398 Nan Saeki Treasurer 01904 783621 Chris Dove Editor 01947 825043 email: dove.whitby@ukgateway.net Letters to Editor: 22 Blackburns Yard Whitby YO22 4DS website:www.writingforyou.com/middlesbroughjp
MULTIPLE CHOICE FOR PEACE— tick all that apply.
We say, “Let it begin with me” – could it begin with you by: singing Tom Paxton’s song? relaxing in front of the television? praying for peace? organising a peace vigil? becoming reconciled with your neighbour? sleeping longer?
We say, “Give peace a chance” – can you do this by: joining a demonstration against war? putting a peace banner in your window? wearing a peace badge? explaining to your neighbour why his views are wrong? reading the Daily Mail? giving in to those who advocate war —”anything for a quiet life”?
Jesus said, “Blessed are the peace makers” – do we respond by: learning
Each year, for Peace Sunday, the Pope issues a World Peace Message. This year he writes: Humanity is faced with a crucial challenge: if it does not succeed in giving itself institutions that are really effective in eliminating the scourge of war, the risk is that the law of force will prevail.” This issue consists mainly of
E D I T O R I A L Each year, for Peace Sunday, the Pope issues a World Peace Message. This year he writes: Humanity is faced with a crucial challenge: if it does not succeed in giving itself institutions that are really effective in eliminating the scourge of war, the risk is that the law of force will prevail.” This issue consists mainly of a digest of a booklet which gives a clear, concise survey of Christian thought regarding war and peace and includes the just war arguments. When we read of the costs in lives destroyed and resources wasted in the war in Iraq, when we think that this is claimed to be a war on “terrorism”, how far can the conditions for a just war be said to have been satisfied? Just for fun, try to answer the Multiple Choice for Peace quiz and let me have any other suggestions of things that we could do. On Peace Sunday the Church in this country permits a collection for Pax Christi, the official Catholic agency. Please ensure that your church publicises this. Every parish will have received material from Pax Christi with suggested prayers for use at Mass. I pray for peace and justice for us all in this NewYear, and may I take this opportunity of thanking all those who arrange to distribute the Newsletter. Chris Dove Note: the views expressed in this newsletter do not necessarily coincide with those of the Commission.
“Peace, War and the Christian Conscience” This is the title of an excellent little booklet from Joseph Fahey, Professor of Religious Studies at Manhattan College in New York City, published by Pax Christi. The following are extracts from this booklet: “A young college student writes: ‘I don’t know whether to be a pacifist, a follower of the just war, a crusader, or a world citizen. All four seem to be Christian positions.’ There is a basis for his confusion; at various times the Christian churches have espoused all four viewpoints.” Fahey goes on to give a historical overview.
The Witness of the Gospels and of Early Christianity Jesus stood in the Jewish prophetic tradition which looked to an era of universal peace and love, in which people would beat their swords into ploughshares. In the Sermon on the Mount, he offered humankind the blueprint for this new era: ‘Happy are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God.’ He told his disciples they were to love their enemies and to pray for their persecutors. The early Christians concluded that: War was a denial of their hope for universal peace that characterised the reign of God on earth; The killing of enemies was incompatible with Christian love, which demanded total self-giving; A Christian could not kill others – and people of all nations were regarded as brothers and sisters in Christ.
Three Centuries of Non-violence From the first to the fourth century, most Christians would neither engage in Rome’s military campaigns nor justify killing as a means to achieve one’s goals. A significant change began when the Roman Emperor Constantine in 313 recognised Christianity as a legitimate religion in the empire. The Church became an institution closely linked with civil authority and Christianity attempted to develop an application of the law of love that permitted the defence of the innocent against unjust aggression. St Augustine (430) offered the following principles for the conduct of a just war: The intention must be to restore peace. Only a legitimate authority may declare war. The conduct of the war must be just. Monks and clerics may not engage in war.
Era of the Cross and the Sword Pope Urban II ushered in the period of the Crusades in 1095 which shattered Augustine’s precept about the just conduct of war. Christianity was more infected by the barbarity of the times than it influenced the times for the better. In practice, if not always in theory, God came to be viewed as a God of wrath, rather than a God of love. Just war principles were shelved when inconvenient. Shedding the blood of one’s enemies was seen as a way of defending the faith and meriting salvation.
Reshaping the Just-War Theory In the 13th century, St Thomas Aquinas (1274) produced his treatise On War in the Summa Theologicae and offered three principles, later four, for justwarfare: It must be waged by a public authority for the common good. A just cause is required. It must be fought with right intentions. The harm done by war must not exceed the good that comes from it. (Proportionality)
Limiting Warfare – a Reformation Approach In the early 16th century, Martin Luther (1546) discussed the question of war. He held that: The State could engage in a just war with its concomitant violence, but it must do it mournfully. The Church could not engage in violence – its only weapon was the Word of God.
Primitive Christianity Revisited During the period of the 16th to 18th centuries, three “peace Churches” arose whose influence continues to this day: The Anabaptists (now Mennonites and Hutterites) were radically pacifist and eschewed any active involvement in society. The Brethren were pacifists who believed that, as a Church, they could support no wars. The Quakers, though pacifists, attempted to change society by political means.
“The War to End Wars” In our times when nuclear weapons have added a new dimension to the quest for peace, the Churches are re-evaluating the historic Christian attitudes towards war. The major denominations have rejected total nuclear war. Nine million people were killed in World War I and the war neither ended war nor made the world safe for democracy. Christian nations fought bitterly against each other.
Voices for Peace The Fellowship of Reconciliation was founded in 1914. Its work was to “abolish war and to create a community of concern transcending all national boundaries and selfish interests…” Pope Benedict XV (1914-1922) attempted to secure the exchange of prisoners, plus humane treatment for the captured, and to limit the fighting. In Pacem Dei Mundus he counselled: all states “should unite in one league, or rather one sort of family of peoples, calculated to maintain their own independence and safeguard the order of human society.” Benedict also stated that the moral law must apply to international affairs as well as to individuals.
World War II – The Storm Breaks Just 21 years after the armistice of 1918, a second world war erupted. This carnage killed 50 million people, 25 million of them civilians. Clergy in America and on both sides in Europe declared the war “just”. On the other hand there were within the Third Reich isolated instances of conscientious objection to the war. Franz Jägerstätter, an Austrian Catholic, refused to join the German army. “I cannot and may not take an oath in favour of a government that is fighting an unjust war.” The clergy with whom he consulted, including his bishop, all urged him to enter the army. He refused and was beheaded on August 9, 1943. [Fahey does not mention the many brave men who went to prison for being conscientious objectors in this country.] The Lutheran theologian Dietrich Bohoeffer was also killed for resisting the war and for participating in a plot on the Führer’s life. Late in World War II, after imprisonment for opposing Nazi deportations, Bishop Pierre Marie Théas in France was instrumental in the foundation of Pax Christi, initially to work for reconciliation between French and German Catholics. It was proclaimed by Pope Pius XII as the “international Catholic movement for peace.”
Post War The Nuremburg trials of Nazi war criminals emphasised a recognition by the Allied powers that the individual must obey a law higher than that of the state in certain circumstances. The Allied nations came under censure from theologians, belatedly, for the fire bombings of Dresden and Hamburg, and the atomic annihilation of Nagasaki and Hiroshima. These were regarded as indiscriminate assaults on predominantly civilian populations. In 1953, addressing military doctors, Pius XII said: “Let there be punishment on an international scale for every war not called for by absolute necessity. Defending oneself against any kind of injustice, however, is not sufficient reason to resort to war.”
“Peace on Earth” In his short tenure as Pope (1958-1963), John XXIII did much to advance the cause of world peace. In Pacem in Terris, he decried the arms race and called on all nations to solve their difficulties by negotiation and mutual trust. He gave strong endorsement to the United Nations.
“The Joys and Hopes ….of All” Vatican II attempted to look upon war “with an entirely new attitude.” It condemned the concept of “total war”. It declared the arms race “an utterly treacherous trap for humanity which injures the poor to an intolerable degree.” It called for a “universal public authority” which would be “endowed with effective power to safeguard security, regard for justice and respect for rights.” It urged international co-operation to end “excessive economic inequalities” between nations which are among the chief causes of war.” It foresaw a “surpassing need for renewed education of attitudes … to instruct all in the sentiments of peace.” The Council recognised the right of conscientious objection to military service. In October 1965, Pope Paul VI appealed before the UN: “No more war, war never again.” Later, he said that the modern word for peace was “development”. He called for a world fund to care for the most destitute of the world and repeated that it should be financed in part by the money “spent on arms.” In 1976 the Vatican condemned the arms race “unreservedly”, stating that it “is an act of aggression which amounts to a crime, for even when they are not used, by their cost alone, armaments kill the poor by causing them to starve.” In 1977 Paul VI initiated an annual World Day of Peace. [Peace Sunday].
The Protestant Peace Witness Through the years the World Council of Churches has consistently demonstrated a concern for peace and a just world order. The following points cover the WCC position on peace: War is incompatible with the teachings and example of Jesus Christ. Human survival can be assured only if all nations disarm themselves of atomic, biological and chemical weapons. Authentic peace can only be attained through the establishment of a world order based on international law. The just economic and political treatment of Third World nations is essential to the elimination of future global violence.
Pope John Paul II John Paul II has repeatedly called for an end to the arms race and weapons preparation and for a restructuring of global priorities to enable the poor nations to achieve justice. During the Falklands war (1982) he appealed for war itself to be abolished: “War should belong to the tragic past, to history; it should find no place on humanity’s agenda for the future.” In 1993 he said: “nuclear deterrence prevents genuine nuclear disarmament …. It is a fundamental obstacle to achieving a new age of global security.”
Source: Peace, War, and the Christian Conscience. Joseph J Fahey. Pax Christi 2003 £2.50
Commission contacts Barbara Hungin Chair 01642 784398 Nan Saeki Treasurer 01904 783621 Chris Dove Editor 01947 825043 email: dove.whitby@ukgateway.net Letters to Editor: 22 Blackburns Yard Whitby YO22 4DS website:www.writingforyou.com/middlesbroughjp
MULTIPLE CHOICE FOR PEACE— tick all that apply.
We say, “Let it begin with me” – could it begin with you by: singing Tom Paxton’s song? relaxing in front of the television? praying for peace? organising a peace vigil? becoming reconciled with your neighbour? sleeping longer?
We say, “Give peace a chance” – can you do this by: joining a demonstration against war? putting a peace banner in your window? wearing a peace badge? explaining to your neighbour why his views are wrong? reading the Daily Mail? giving in to those who advocate war —”anything for a quiet life”?
Jesus said, “Blessed are the peace makers” – do we respond by: learning