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Just Peace / QLD
Peace Network April 2009 e-Bulletin
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Dear Friends,
Welcome to the
April edition of the Just Peace e-Bulletin.
Are you aware that Australia is the only democratic
nation that does not have human rights legislative
protection?
On the 60th anniversary of the UN Declaration
of Human Rights in 2008, the Federal Labor Government
announced the establishment of a National
Community Consultation on Human Rights in Australia.
Right now we have a once in a generation opportunity
to correct Australia’s vulnerability to
human rights abuses and establish fair and just
standards of behavior enforceable by law in our
nation.
In the past decade we have seen shameful abuses
of human rights, particularly in relation to refugees,
Indigenous people, prisoners, workers and people
with mental illness or other disabilities and/or
disadvantage. These actions have tarnished the
respect for our country around the world but particularly
in our region.
In order to maximise community awareness of this
'golden moment' which could lead to a Federal
Human Rights Act and possibly Queensland legislative
protection providing a 'Fair Go' for everyone
in our communities, a forum is to be held in Brisbane
featuring community leaders speaking in support
of a Human Rights Act.
The forum - Human
Rights at the Crossroads –
is to be held on Monday 1 June and aims to encourage
dialogue in our community and maximise the number
and quality of submissions to the national consultation
dealing with peace, justice, sustainability and
equality for All.
Past Crossroads
Forums, organised by Just Peace,
Just Rights, WILPF, Catholic Justice
and Peace Commission, environmental rights groups
and the trade unions, have been very successful,
attracting large crowds and including speakers
such as Julian Burnside QC, ACTU President Sharan
Burrow, Professor Ian Lowe and other respected
community leaders.
As planning gets
underway, further details of the event will be made available in coming Just
Peace e-Bulletins and Just Peace Breaking News.
Also, don’t forget the annual Palm Sunday
rally and peace march, which was previously postponed,
has been reinstated for 19 April. Further details
are given below.
Yours in peace,
Annette Brownlie
e-Bulletin enquiries:
Stephanie Campion, e-Bulletin
Editor, Just Peace Queensland stephanie@ansteadhouse.com
All other enquiries:
Annette Brownlie, Convener, Just Peace
Queensland
annettebrownlie@optusnet.com.au
Note: Although
we do our best to ensure that all dates and times
provided for the events listed in the Just
Peace e-Bulletin are accurate, it is always advisable
to contact the event’s organisers to confirm
details before attending.
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| Palm
Sunday peace rally and march reinstated |
The
2009 Palm Sunday Rally for Peace and Nuclear
Disarmament, which was originally planned
for 5 April but postponed due to Bureau of
Meteorology rain forecasts is now on again
at the following time:
| Date: |
Sunday 19 April |
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Time: |
1 pm |
| Where: |
Queens Park, cnr
George and Elizabeth Sts, Brisbane |
The
theme for 2009 will be:
A Nuclear Free Queensland – Australia
– Pacific – the World. We can do
that!
The event will include speakers, music, songs,
satire and street theatre. Refreshments will
also be served. All are welcome.
For
further information, contact:
Joan 3855 9497 jshears@powerup.com.au
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The
Palestinian Solidarity Initiative is presenting
a concert and dinner to raise funds for the
relief efforts in the besieged Gaza strip.
All proceeds will be sent to Gaza through
Union Aid Abroad – APHEDA's Gaza Emergency
Appeal.
Performers:
Phil Monsour
Band*
Surreal MC
Includes Middle Eastern Dinner (halal).
| Date: |
Saturday 30 May |
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Time: |
6.30pm |
| Where: |
Ukranian Hall, 70 Cordelia
St, South Brisbane |
$25/$20 (children under 12 free)
Click here for flyer
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Source: www.philmonsour.com
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| * CD
Launch -Phil Monsour, Lies
and Silence
New 13-song CD Available Now from: www.philmonsour.com or www.myspace.com/philmonsour
For
bookings contact:
Hamish 0401 586 923 (RSVP
group bookings – 23 May)
Supported
by: Amarah, Justice for
Palestine, QLD Palestinian Solidarity Committee,
Fair Go for Palestine, the people movement
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| Position
Vacant - Liaison and Administration Officer, International
Day of Peace Youth Peace Parliament |
As
part of the planning for this year’s International
Day of Peace Youth Peace Parliament,
the IDPA is looking for a suitable employee
to fill the position of Youth Peace Parliament
Liaison and Administration Officer.
The position would be
offered as a six month contract with the equivalent
of about 2 full days a week although with successful
management it may become a full time position.
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Click here for
further information about the position.
Applications
by 5pm, Friday 17 April,
2009 to: YPP Employment
Position, IDPA, PO Box 3052, Newmarket QLD 4051
or email convenor@idpa.org.au
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| Free
film screening - Amongst Equals |
Amongst
Equals (dir. Tom Zubrycki) is a little-known but important
film on the history of the Australian Trade
Union movement.
The film was
sponsored in 1988 by the ACTU, who eventually
withdrew their support for the project after
disagreeing with the filmmaker's interpretation
of history.
As far as is known by the event’s organisers,
it has never been previously shown in Brisbane.
| Date: |
16 April |
| Time: |
6.30 for 7.00pm |
| Where: |
Paddington Workers Centre,
2 Latrobe Tce, Paddington |
Organised and presented by Worklife as part of the Labour Movement Film Festival.
Click here for flyer |
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| Multi-faith
forum - the Death Penalty |
The
Multi-Faith Centre at Griffith University,
in cooperation with various faith, interfaith,
and community organisations, will host the following event:
The Death Penalty:
An Interfaith Forum
Speakers:
Prof. Sarva-Daman Singh (Hinduism)-
Honorary Consul of India in Brisbane |
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Dr. Anne Nguyen (Buddhism) - Senior Lecturer,
Computer Science & Technology, Griffith
University
Peter Arndt (Christianity) - Executive Director
Catholic Justice and Peace Commission, Brisbane
Imam Dr. Tariq Syed (Islam) - Council of Fatwa,
Australian National Imams Council
| Date: |
Wednesday, 29 April |
| Time: |
7.15 – 9.30 pm |
| Where: |
Multi-Faith Centre, Griffith
University |
For further
information, email to: mfc@griffith.edu.au
RSVP
by April 25 to: 3735-7052
or mfc@griffith.edu.au
This issue is of particular importance to
the people of Brisbane, as the execution of
Scott Rush, formerly from Chelmer, draws nearer.
Other actions you can take include:
1. Contact
the Federal government. Write
to or e-mail your local MP, one of our Queensland
Senators, the Prime Minister, Attorney-General
and/or the Foreign Affairs Minister. Urge
them to take strong action to stop the executions
of Scott Rush and others on death row around
the world. Contact details for all parliamentarians
and ministers are at: http://www.aph.gov.au/
2. Amnesty
International. You can join
the Amnesty International campaign against
the death penalty. Go to: http://www.amnesty.org.au/adp/
3. Australians
Against Capital Punishment.
Keep up to date on what is happening and what
you can do at the blog of Australians against
Capital Punishment at: http://aacp.wordpress.com/
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| WILPF
Australia, National Conference (Triennial Meeting) 2009 |
The 2009 National
Conference of the Women’s International
League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) will
take place in Brisbane in May. The theme for
this year’s conference is: Women,
Peace and Sustainable Futures.
The conference will be opened by Her Excellency
the Governor of Queensland, Ms Penny Wensley
AO.
| Date: |
22 May - 24 May |
| Time: |
Friday evening to Sunday
afternoon |
| Where: |
Mercy Centre, Bardon |
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| Peace
Convergence 2009 |
The bi-annual
Talisman Sabre military exercises will be
happening again this year at Shoalwater Bay,
via Rockhampton. The dates for the 2009 Peace
Convergence to protest against the use of
Queensland as a venue for these war games,
as well as the environmental destruction they
cause, have been confirmed for the 3–26
July. Some confirmed events include:
1. Committed
to Change Festival, Byfield, 3-5 July
Come and be inspired by music, speakers, workshops
– all in the beautiful wilderness area
of Byfield. For more information on this group, go to the C2C
website.
2. Independent
Actions, 6-10 July
Individuals and groups are invited to nonviolently
protest and resist the Talisman Sabre military
training exercises as they begin at Shoalwater
Bay and around Australia.
3. Public Meeting,
Yeppoon, 10 July
Speakers include:
Judith Leblanc - American Indian
Organising Co-ordinator for US peace group
United
for Peace and Justice
Professor Jake Lynch - Head of the
Centre
for Peace and Conflict Studies at Sydney
University:
4. Peace March
& Concert, Yeppoon - 11 July
5. Action @
Shoalwater Bay Military Training Area, 12
July
6. Independent
Actions, 13–26 July
For more
information, contact: info@peaceconvergence.com
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