6 December 2001

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NATIONAL - WHAT’S ON
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Please note: vigils, rallies and meetings for peace relating to the war against the people of Afghanistan are generally not included in these listings as they are being circulated in more regularly updated messages. Details of those vigils, rallies and meetings for peace are listed at http://www.converge.org.nz/pma/vigils.htm

*** INTERNATIONAL ***

~ 10 December - Human Rights Day, see Auckland and Wellington listings.

*** NATIONAL ***

~ ongoing to 10 December - national speaking tour with visitors from Sudan: Dr Haruun Ruun ( a recent recipient of Human Rights Watch's 2001 Global Rights Defender Awards), Mrs Anna Hoth, Bishop Paride Taban and Mr Telar Deng. Public meetings still to come: * Wellington on Thurs 6th - 7-15 pm at St John's Presbyterian Church, Willis St; * Auckland on Fri 7th - Dr Haruun Ruun will speak, 7-30 pm at St Columba Centre, Vermont St, Ponsonby; * Napier on Sat 8th - Dr Haruun Ruun and Mr Telar Deng will speak, 7-30 pm at St Patrick's Church, Munro St; * Dunedin on Sat 8th - Mrs Anna Hoth and Bishop Paride Taban will speak, 7pm at Selwyn College, 560 Castle Street. Background information: over 2 million people have been killed in 18 years of war in the Sudan. The New Sudan Council of Churches, working in the south of the country, is brokering innovative people-to-people peace processes between warring factions. In recent years there is evidence that the Sudanese Government is bombing the south to enable oil exploration by major companies. Church agencies have been heavily involved in relief efforts. The NSCC delegates are visiting Aotearoa New Zealand to build support for their actions and to meet with Government and oil companies. For further information please contact Christian World Service, P O Box 22 652, Christchurch, tel (03) 366 9274 cws@cws.org.nz

~ 8 December - John Campbell interviews Dr Haruun Ruun (see above listing) at 8-15am on National radio.

~ 8 to 10 February - Activism in Aotearoa 2002, advance early notice! To be held at Brookfield Camp, Moores Valley, Wainuiomata; more info just as soon as it is available.

***** LOCAL *****

*** AUCKLAND

~ SAT, 8 December - 'Islam and the West: The Political and Social Origins of the Current Panic' speakers include Dr Christine Dureau on 'Images of the Muslim World in the West' and Dr Asmah Rahman, Auckland Women's Organisation of FIANZ on 'The Rights of Women in Islam'; to be held at The Conference Centre, University of Auckland. $15 / $10 (includes morning and afternoon teas, please bring your own lunch). To enrol or for further info contact Marie Therese Millet, tel (09) 373 7599 x 7619, fax 373 7419, mt.millet@auckland.ac.nz

~ SAT, 8 December - Yeshua Moser-Puangsuwan, International Campaign to Ban Landmines, speaks at the celebration to mark the 10th Anniversary of the Nobel Peace Prize for Aung San Suu Kyi of Burma and the 100th Anniversary of the Nobel Peace Prize, 8pm at the Quaker Meeting House 113 Mt Eden Road, Mt Eden. Organised by the New Zealand Burma Support Group, with support from the Campaign Against Land Mines and The Peace Foundation, for more info tel Fiona Thompson (09) 828 4855.

~ MON, 10 December - Human Rights Day celebration in Aotea Square - with entertainment, stalls and information tables, from 11-30am to 1-30pm. For more info contact David Wakim tel (09) 6300 388, fax 630 1126 or Kevin McBride tel/fax (09) 377 5541.

~ MON, 10 December - ‘Bringing it home’ - how race and gender analysis allows us to more fully understand current debates in NZ for Maori, Pacific nations peoples, refugees, migrants and many others. A public forum to mark UN International Human Rights Day with speakers Gregory Fortuin, Race Relations Conciliator; Sylvia Bell, Senior Legal Advisor, RRO; Joy Liddicoat, Human Rights lawyer, Wellington; Karen Way, Network Waitangi; chaired by Ros Noonan, Chief Human Rights Commissioner - report back and discussion on the UN World Conference on Racism, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance (Durban, August 2001), from 7-30pm at St Columba Centre, 40 Vermont St, Ponsonby. For more info contact Wong Liu Shueng tel (09) 306 6713 wongls@racerelations.org.nz

~ THURS, 13 December - Take a Stand for our Community! Rally for pensioner housing, for public transport, for water as a human right, for community services in Auckland City; from 5-30pm to 6-30pm, in Aotea Square, near the Council Chambers. Convened by Marney Ainsworth and Maire Leadbeater marney@xtra.co.nz

~ TUES, 18 December - launch of the Human Rights Foundation of Aotearoa New Zealand by Dame Silvia Cartwright, 5-30pm at Totem, 100 Customs St West. For more info contact humanrightsfoundation@xtra.co.nz

~ February 2002 - Tamaki 2002, a celebration of the 30th Anniversary of the Aotearoa Traditional Maori Performing Arts Festival - information about the venue, and application forms for those interested in having a stall are now available on-line at http://www.tamaki.org.nz/

*** WELLINGTON and HUTT VALLEY

~ ongoing to SAT 8 December - 'Darkness, Not Asleep: A Dream Project', the new theatre work proudly presented by Red Mole's Roadworks. 'Darkness, Not Asleep' looks specifically at the violence of the imagination, when the mind is confronted with events too huge for it to manage; the violence of the world familiar only in dreams. There has to be a place where society’s dreams come together with our own personal dreams, otherwise, we are aliens in our own society, in a world slowly spinning out of control. The performance includes soundscapes, a cappella song, chant, mask, percussion, dance and documentary texts. 8-30pm, at The Space, 146 Riddiford St, Newtown, $10/ $6 for bookings please tel The Space (04) 970 1741

~ FRI, 7 and SUN, 9 December - Amnesty presence in remembrance of the torture victims on the Chilean ship La Esmeralda, seeking a commitment from the Chilean Government that the torturers be brought to justice and the victims given restitution; add your handprints to the 'Give human rights a hand' banner; on 7 December from 3pm to 6pm and 9 December from 9am-noon, by the Esmeralda, Queens Wharf. For more info contact TCurtis@amnesty.org.nz

~ FRI, 7 to SUN, 9 December - 'Towards Economic Democracy - creating a system with soul', a seminar to focus a movement for economic democracy within Aotearoa/New Zealand, with speakers Sohail Inayatullah on Prout Indicators; Nicky Hager on economic alternatives; Dada Jitendrananda on uncovering the oneness and bringing it to economics, education, culture, spirituality; and meditation, yoga and chanting to open inner resources. To be held on Tapu Te Ranga Marae, Island Bay, $100/$80, for more info please call Dada at (04) 382 9662 or Bruce at (03) 548 7284, bdyer@prout.org

~ MON, 10 December - peaceful gathering outside the Chinese embassy to mark Human Rights Day and the commemoration of His Holiness the Dalai Lama receiving the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989, meet at 7-30am in front of the Chinese Embassy, Glenmore Street, to demonstrate support for the Tibetan people who live very restricted lives under the oppressive Chinese rule. For more info contact Wellington Friends of Tibet, friendsoftibetwgtn@clear.net.nz

~ MON, 10 December - the 16 Days of Action against Violence culminates in the community festival against violence, bringing men and women together in condemnation of violence in our communities and will feature local musicians, marquees, food, dancing and more ... from 8pm-1am in Upper Cuba Street. For more info contact Amy on (04) 473 5358 or 021 313 603.

~ MON, 10 December - NZ multisporter Nathan Fa’avae speaks about his 900km race through Tibet. This fundraising event for the Dalai Lama’s 2002 visit is being held on Human Rights Day and the commemoration of His Holiness the Dalai Lama receiving the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989. 7pm at the City Gallery Cinema, Civic Square. Tickets only $15, please make cheque payable to 'Friends of Tibet' and send to 72 Majoribanks St, with a self-addressed envelope, before December 5th. Limited seats available. For more info tel 025 204 9934 or 021 17 17 129.

~ MON, 10 December - meeting with Refugee Action Collective from Victoria - hear about their work to oppose the racist treatment of refugees in Australia, especially mandatory detention and the denial of rights to those refugees on temporary protection visas; and discuss the similar situation here in Aotearoa/New Zealand. Meeting is at 7pm Trades Hall, 126 Vivian St; for more info contact Mark 04 385 6728 , or have a look at the website http://www.rac-vic.org/

~ TUES, 11 December - protest against Australia's racist treatment of refugees, 12 noon, at the Australian High Commission 72-78 Hobson St, Thorndon.

~ TUES, 11 December - '1984: Restructuring in Historical Perspective’, Professor James Belich (University of Auckland) speaks, one of the Treasury Guest Lecture Series, from 1-30pm to 3pm in the 14th Floor Conference Room, The Treasury, 1 The Terrace. For more info contact Dr Grant Scobie, Convener Academic Linkages Programme, tel (04) 471 5005, grant.scobie@treasury.govt.nz

~ TUES, 11 December - '11 September: three months on' - a public meeting looking at the appropriateness of the US government's response to the attacks in New York and Washington; the complexities of Afghanistan, US involvement in establishing groups such as Al Qaeda, the impact on the Middle East of the war on Afghanistan, the impact on this country (including the Terrorism Suppression Bill), the reaction from NZ churches, and were there alternatives to war? Speakers include Robert Reid (Arena), Don Carson, Stephanie McIntyre (Anglican Social Justice Commission) and Edwina Hughes (Peace Movement Aotearoa); from 6pm to 8pm, Mezzanine Floor Meeting Room, Wellington Central Public Library. Organised by Peace Action Wellington, for more info contact PAW c/o tel (04) 382 8129, pma@xtra.co.nz

~ WEDS, 12 December to SAT, 15 December - ' Joseph and his amazing technicolour dreamcoat', an Urban Vision musical to raise funds for people in Afghanistan via the TEAR Fund; at 6-30pm on 12-14 Dec, and 5-30pm on 15 Dec, in the Newtown Community Centre. Tickets are $6 adult, $3 child, $12 family; for more info contact Cat Noakes tel (04) 385 7445.

~ THURS, 13 December - Say NO to War! march and rally at Parliament, meet at 12-30pm at Midland Park, march to parliament, rally with speakers and presentation of second batch of signatures for the petition calling for peaceful resolution. Organised by Peace Action Wellington, for more info contact PAW c/o tel (04) 382 8129, pma@xtra.co.nz

~ THURS, 13 December - Free the pigs! public meeting with video and speakers about the current campaign against the dry sow stall, with Sue Kedgley (Green MP) and Hans Kriek (SPCA), 7-30pm at Turnbull House, 25 Bowen Street. For more info contact Ben tel (04) 389 8044

~ SAT, 15 December - 'Behind the News' the fortnightly programme on Wellington Access Radio (783 AM), broadcast at 12-30pm, brought to you by Jim Delahunty, producer of 'Dig'.

~ SAT, 22 December - 'Behind the News' the fortnightly programme on Wellington Access Radio (783 AM), broadcast at 12-30pm, brought to you by Jim Delahunty, producer of 'Dig'.

~ Every Sunday, ‘Peace Report’ on Wellington Access Radio (783 AM), broadcast at 11-45am, brought to you by the Peace Council, funded by PADET. If you or your group wish to make a free programme to be broadcast in this slot, please contact Des Brough tel/fax (04) 388 3173.

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If you would like your events or meetings advertised, send them to *******************************************

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Peace Movement Aotearoa
the national networking peace group
PO Box 9314, Wellington, Aotearoa / New Zealand.
tel +64 4 382 8129, fax 382 8173, pma@xtra.co.nz
website http://www.converge.org.nz/pma/
Internet Peace Gateway http://www.peace.org.nz
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