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PMA What's On
UN: What's On, Tonight Onwards !
Kia ora, here is the programme for the PeacePacific and other NGO meetings and seminars which will be going on from tonight (in Auckland) through until 31 March. These are the alternative events around the UN Asia-Pacific Regional Disarmament Conference which will be held in Wellington next week.
The message below is in three parts: i) Overseas resource people and speakers; ii) PeacePacific: good things happening for people in their teens and twenties in four cities; iii) Other NGO events.
If you would prefer to read this in formatted text, the programme is on the PMA website and PeacePacific webpage, the urls are:
~ this programme is included in the latest PMA newsletter - http://www.converge.org.nz/pma/mar2001.htm - which also has updates on other current Pacific issues including: protest against French warships visit in Wellington, nuclear shipments through the Pacific, nuclear protest flotillas, the NZ Nuclear Free Zone Extension Bill, new safety fears about Moruroa atoll, Bougainville women call for justice and human rights, rape as a war crime and crime against humanity, the petition against email snooping and the soon to be announced Roger Award;
~ overseas resource people and speakers - http://www.converge.org.nz/pma/unconf.htm
~ PeacePacific - http://www.peace.org.nz/peace/
~ other NGO events - http://www.converge.org.nz/pma/unconf.htm _______________________________
i) Overseas resource people and speakers _______________________________
* Peace Movement Aotearoa, with the assistance of a generous travel fund from Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand, is bringing the following resource people here for the PeacePacific and other NGO events:
Stanley Simpson - Stanley is the Editor of Pacific News Bulletin, the monthly publication of the Nuclear Free and Independent Pacific movement, published by the Pacific Concerns Resource Centre (PCRC) office in Suva. Stanley is organising the NFIP Youth Conference which will take place in October 2001.
During 2000, Stanley represented the PCRC and was a speaker at the International Youth Parliament, Sydney, Australia; INSPIRE-multi media event for peace, Auckland, Aotearoa; and spoke about Peace, Advocacy and Justice at the Pacific Youth Convention, Tonga. He was also involved in the NFIP Forum on Peace and Human Security in the Pacific on Peace Boat among other things.
Losena Tubanavau-Salabula - has been an Assistant Director at the PCRC since 1994, working on demilitarisation. This position includes campaigning, lobbying and advocacy work.
Losena’s current work focus is based on the resolutions of the 8th NFIP Conference and include: the Kwajalein missile range and the US National Missile Defence System; the growing militarisation in the Pacific, in particular internal militarisation; media coverage of Pacific militarisation; the Johnston Atoll Chemical Weapons Disposal Facility; strengthening the South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone Treaty; the aftermath of nuclear weapons testing and nuclear waste dumping; the plight of the Fiji nuclear test veterans; the impact of increasing Japanese militarism on the Pacific; and opposition to the deployment of the W-88 nuclear warhead in the Pacific.
* The NCCD, and a private donor, are bringing Associate Professor Michael Hamel Green of Victoria University, Melbourne, here for the NGO Seminar in Wellington on 29 March. Michael has specialised knowledge about the Rarotonga Treaty, nuclear weapons free zones, and is author of The South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone Treaty: a critical Assessment (Peace Research Centre, Australian National University, 1990).
* In addition, two Pacific participants in the UN Conference will speak at NGO events (depending on their flight times which the UN has not yet confirmed). They are: Hilda Lini, from Vanuatu, who is currently Director of the PCRC, who is a founding member of the NFIP movement, and was involved in the World Court Project through the World Health Assembly; and Moses Havini, International Representative of the Bougainville People’s Congress, also active in the NFIP movement.
* Judge Christopher Weeramantry, Sri Lanka, who gave the dissenting opinion following the International Court of Justice deliberations on the legality of nuclear weapons, and who argued for the supremacy of humanitarian law over any other considerations, will also be at the UN Conference and a speaker at NGO meetings. In his dissent, Weeramantry stated “A global regime which makes safety the result of terror and can speak of survival and annihilation as twin alternatives, makes peace and the human future dependent upon terror. This is not a basis for world order which this Court can endorse.”
* Senator Douglas Roche, former Canadian Ambassador for Disarmament and Chairman of the Middle Powers Initiative will also be speaking at NGO events.
_______________________________
ii) PeacePacific: putting the peace back in 'Pacific' * decolonisation * demilitarisation * disarmament _______________________________
PeacePacific: 10 to 30 March - good things happening for people in their teens and twenties in four cities. Entry to all PeacePacific events is free!
PeacePacific started in Wellington / Whanganui ä Tara on 10 March, for a report check out - http://www.converge.org.nz/pma/pphoto.htm
* Manukau: Thursday, 22 March
PeacePacific Lunchtime Forum - an opportunity to meet with Pacific peace people and discuss Pacific peace issues, 12 noon, Kete Wänanga Marae, North Campus, Manukau Institute of Technology.
* Auckland / Tamaki Makaurau: Thursday, 22 March
PeacePacific: Putting the Peace back in 'Pacific' - evening of inspiring speakers, performers and DJs, featuring Henzart and Paddy, 8pm til late, Khuja Lounge, 536 Queen St.
In the week before the UN Conference, listen out for interviews on bFM and Mai FM.
Regional PeacePacific contact for Manukau and Auckland
/ Tamaki Makaurau contact is Jen tel 021 110 0799 or
Join PeacePacific in creating and
celebrating Pacific visions of peace! * Wellington /
Whanganui ä Tara: Saturday, 24 March PeacePacific Youth
Forum - youth education and information day, an opportunity
to meet, share with and learn from experienced Pacific peace
people. The forum is a platform for youth involvement in the
UN conference and a chance to discuss the real Pacific peace
issues. From the forum, youth representatives and two
speakers will be chosen to attend the UN conference. A
statement will be developed at the forum to be taken to the
UN conference. Resource people include: Stanley Simpson,
Editor of Pacific News Bulletin and Losena
Tubanavau-Salabula, Pacific demilitarisation specialist,
both from the Pacific Concerns Resource Centre, Fiji;
Susanna Ounei, Omomo Melen Pacific, Kanaky; Abigael Vogt,
PeaceNetwork; Edwina Hughes, Peace Movement Aotearoa; Jen
Margaret, Co-organiser, INSPIRE, the mega multi media peace
dance party; Anna Parker, Women Educating Against Violence
Collective … and more! >From 9-30am to 5pm, Tapu Te Ranga
Marae. Lunch will be provided, you must fill in a booking
form to attend the forum - there’s one on the resources
order form with this mailing, or at
*
Wellington / Whanganui ä Tara: Saturday, 24 March Putting
the Peace back in 'Pacific' - evening of performance, come
and celebrate peace in the Pacific with performers,
inspiring speakers, DJs and more, 8pm til late, The Space,
Riddiford St, Newtown. In the week before and during the
UN Conference, listen out for interviews and PeacePacific
focus programmes on Radioactive, Radio Ati Awa Toa, Channel
Z, and Peace Forum on Wellington Access Radio. During the
week of the UN Conference, there will be informal meetings,
focus groups and briefing sessions at the PMA offices and
Tapu Te Ranga marae. For more info, contact PMA at
Regional
PeacePacific contact for Wellington / Whanganui ä Tara is
Abigael *
Christchurch / Ötautahi: Friday, 30 March PeacePacific:
Putting the Peace back in ‘Pacific’ music culture
extravaganza - Pacific Underground playing their unique
blend of hip hop tunes spliced with Pacific beats and
nuances, from 1pm to 2pm, Cathedral Square. Delicious
sounds, informative speakers, stalls, chalk art,
breakdancing, grafitti art, Verse 2, The Charmed One,
Jahmen, MC Peace, Sheelaroc, Esther's band, The Maestro
Cooltones, Nava, Pacific Underground and Mother Guru
feature, from 3pm til late, Outside the Dux deluxe at the
Arts Centre. Christchurch / Ötautahi: Saturday, 31
March PeacePacific: workshop - facilitated workshops for
young people on the subjects of independence and
demilitarisation in the Pacific. Morning session: education
and discussion session including guest speakers from the
Pacific Concerns Resource Centre. Afternoon session:
activity based workshops focusing on exploring involvement
in promoting peace issues, this will involve aspects of
theatre and non-violent direct actions, from 9-30am to
12-30pm and 2pm to 5pm, YWCA conference room. In the week
before, and during the week of the UN Conference, listen out
for interviews and PeacePacific focus programmes on Plains
FM. Regional PeacePacific contact for Christchurch /
Ötautahi is Anna _______________________________ iii) Other NGO
events _______________________________ * Auckland / Tamaki
Makaurau: Wednesday, 21 March public meeting with Losena
Tubanavau-Salabula and Stanley Simpson from the Pacific
Concerns Resource Centre, 7-30pm at Friends Meeting House,
113 Mt Eden Road. For more info contact Joan Macdonald,
WILPF, *
Wellington / Whanganui ä Tara: Monday, 26
March Development agencies meeting with Losena
Tubanavau-Salabula and Stanley Simpson - update on the work
of the PCRC, and to make contact with development agencies
and others whose work involves a Pacific focus, from 10am to
11am, at the Council for International Development, level 5,
PSA House, 11 Aurora Tce. For more information contact
either Louise May at Caritas * Wellington /
Whanganui ä Tara: Monday, 26 March UN Model Disarmament
Conference for secondary school students, opening by Matt
Robson, Minister for Disarmament, from 9am to 3pm, at Circa
Theatre, 1 Taranaki Street. Organised by UNA, for more info
tel (04) 473 0441 or * Wellington /
Whanganui ä Tara: Monday, 26 March NGO seminar on Pacific
perspectives on peace and disarmament - overview and
introductory session. Speakers include: representatives of
international peace groups in Aotearoa - IPB, IALANA, MPI,
IPPNW, A2000, Peace Council and WILPF - give an overview of
their Pacific peace work; speakers from the PCRC outline
their work as the Secretariat of the NFIP movement, and
discuss NFIP peace perspectives; plus Pauline Tangiora; an
NFIP speaker; and speakers from the PeacePacific Youth
Forum. There will also be an introduction to the topics of
the NGO seminar on Thursday as follows: Southern Hemisphere
Nuclear Weapons Free Zone, Llyn Richards; Landmines, Mary
Wareham; Small arms - Edwina Hughes; Militarisation of
space, Bob White. >From 3pm to 5-30pm, at Circa Theatre, 1
Taranaki Street, free. Organised by the NGO Co-ordinating
Group, for more information, or to register your attendance,
contact the NGO CG at tel (04) 385 5999 x5086 or
* Wellington / Whanganui ä Tara:
Tuesday, 27 March ‘Decolonisation, Demilitarisation, Human
Rights, and the Environment: Challenges for Pacific People
in the 21st Century’ a discussion with Losena
Tubanavau-Salabula and Stanley Simpson, from 1-15pm to
2-15pm, at Pacific Studies, 6 Kelburn Parade, Victoria
University. * Wellington / Whanganui ä Tara: Wednesday 28
March Third Erich Geiringer Oration with Senator Douglas
Roche, by invitation only, co-sponsored by IPPNW Education &
Research Trust and PADET, for more info contact IPPNW/A2000
(Wellington), tel (04) 385 5999 x5086 or
* Wellington / Whanganui ä Tara:
Thursday, 29 March NGO seminar on Pacific perspectives on
peace and disarmament - focus sessions 9-30am - The Struggle
for a Nuclear Free and Independent Pacific, Losena
Tubanavau-Salabula and Stanley Simpson (PCRC), with other
NFIP speakers; 11-15am - Southern Hemisphere Nuclear Weapons
Free Zone, Llyn Richards (NCCD) and Michael Hamel Green;
12-45pm - Landmine Treaty, Deborah Morris; 2pm - Illicit
traffic in small arms in all its aspects, Dr George Salmond
(IPPNW), with a panel of David Shearer, Stanley Simpson
(PCRC) and others; 3pm - Militarisation of Space and Missile
Defence Systems, Dr Bob White (Centre for Peace Studies),
with a panel of Bryce Harland, Dr Guy Wilson-Roberts (Centre
for Strategic Studies) and Losena Tubanavau-Salabula (PCRC);
4pm to 4-30pm - discussion. From 9-30am to 4-30pm, at Circa
Theatre, 1 Taranaki Street, $15/$5 (includes lunch).
Organised by the NGO Co-ordinating Group, for more
information, or to register your attendance, contact the NGO
CG at tel (04) 385 5999 x5086 or *
Wellington / Whanganui ä Tara: Thursday, 29
March 'Paradise or Universal Death: International Law and
Nuclear Weapons', a public address by Judge Weeramantry -
5-30pm for refreshments; 6-00pm, welcome by Pauline
Tangiora, Rongomaiwahine; introduction by Matt Robson,
Minster for Disarmament, then Judge Weeramantry to 8-00pm,
at St Andrew's on the Terrace, 30 The Terrace. Organised by
International Law Association, for more info contact Alyn
Ware tel (04) 499 3443 or During the week
of the UN Conference - there will be informal meetings,
focus groups and briefing sessions at the PMA offices and
Tapu Te Ranga marae. For more info, contact PMA at
An information
display - focussing on Pacific peace and disarmament issues,
with information about the UN Asia-Pacific Regional
Disarmament Conference will be on show in Wellington City
Library, from 22 to 30 March. * Christchurch / Ötautahi:
Friday, 23 March ‘A World without Landmines’ Mary Wareham,
a New Zealander with Human Rights Watch (USA) speaking at
6-30pm at the United Nations Association of NZ Canterbury
Branch AGM, venue and more info from Graham French, tel/fax
(03) 389 7822, or * Christchurch /
Ötautahi: Friday, 30 March 'Paradise or Universal Death:
International Law and Nuclear Weapons', Judge Weeramantry
speaks from 12 noon to 1pm at the University of Canterbury
Law School Room 108. Co-sponsored by the Law and Politics
Departments of the University and the Disarmament and
Security Centre. For more info contact DSC tel (03) 348 1353
or 348 1350. * Christchurch / Ötautahi: Friday, 30
March 'The Right to Peace and the Abolition of Nuclear
Weapons', Senator Douglas Roche speaks at 7-30pm at the Knox
Church Hall, cnr Bealey Ave and Victoria Street.
Co-sponsored by IPPNW(NZ)/Abolition 2000, PADET and the DSC.
For more info contact DSC tel (03) 348 1353 or 348 1350. *
Christchurch / Ötautahi: Saturday, 31 March Development
agencies meeting with Stanley Simpson and Losena
Tubanavau-Salabula, for more info contact Anna, tel (03) 348
1350 or For more information
about the UN Conference and associated NGO events, check out
- http://www.converge.org.nz/pma/unconf.htm For the NZ
government’s view on the UN Conference check out -
http://www.mfat.govt.nz <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
Peace Movement Aotearoa the national
networking peace group PO Box 9314, Wellington, Aotearoa
/ New Zealand. tel +64 4 382 8129, fax 382 8173,
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