Weekly Action and News 22/03/2024
Manchester Amnesty Weekly Action and News
Please do this action and make a difference
As the situation in Gaza becomes worse and worse, with entire population at risk of starvation, the hastily taken decision by the UK and other states to withdraw funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) is adding to the catastrophic situation on the ground. The EU, Canada and Sweden have taken steps to reinstate funding. David Cameron, the Foreign Secretary, admitted in the House of Lords on 5th March that UNRWA is the only organisation that has the distribution network capable of delivering aid in Gaza. Amnesty have called for an immediate reinstatement of funding. This week’s action is a letter prepared by Palestine Solidarity Campaign addressed to the Foreign Secretary demanding an immediate reinstatement of support for UNRWA and that the UK to stops sending arms to Israel. You have the opportunity to edit the letter or can send it as it is.
Write to the Foreign Office: Israel's war on Palestinian children (eaction.online)
MANCHESTER LAUNCH OF AMNESTY’S PREVENT STRATEGY
Amnesty International UK in conjunction with Manchester Amnesty
Saturday 6th April 2-4.30pm Friends Meeting House, Mount Street, M2 5NS
LAUNCH
Amnesty UK’s new report “This is the Thought Police” on the government’s Prevent strategy
Relevant stakeholders will be invited. More information, and tickets available here.
If you would like to invite a representative of your community or faith group, union, civic society, or other campaigning organisations please email alison.wearden@gmail.com or h
You can read the Prevent report here
***THIS EVENING*** MANCHESTER AMNESTY SILENT VIGIL
Silent vigil calling for a permanent ceasefire
and the protection of all civilians in Palestine and Israel
St Peters Square, Manchester, Friday 15th March, 5pm to 6pm
Meet in front of Central Library
Please dress warmly, wear black/dark colours
and please do not bring placards, banners or flags.
We will provide placards with Amnesty’s messages and tealights. Feel free to bring your friends.
We will continue with the weekly vigils until further notice.
Our next bi-monthly appeal writing drop-in session will take place on
***TOMORROW***
Saturday 23rd March, Manchester Central Library, near café area, 2-4pm
As always we will have details of current cases and all the information you need to write an appeal letter. However, if you prefer you can also send emails and tweets (wifi is available in the Library). Do drop by for as long as you can spare - all are welcome.
It’s a great way to get involved in Amnesty work.
We are looking for members to take on the roles below.
We are very grateful for volunteers and recognise the calls on people’s time.
Role descriptions are just a guide – you can make the role fit with your time and interests:
Individuals at Risk/Write for Rights co-ordinator – Anne Walker wishes to step down. The role would involve organising bi-monthly stalls in the Central Library throughout the year, organising our Write for Rights campaign in November and December each year and providing brief updates for the quarterly bulletin. This role would suit someone who wants to know in advance Anne.Walker9@ntlworld.com for more information.
Manchester Amnesty Facebook lead – keeping our facebook group page up to date.
Fundraising coordinator – we’ve not had one recently, but the role would involve suggesting and organising fundraising activities
Iona Bruce (ifbruce99@gmail.com) has taken on the role of coordinator for our work on Human Rights in the UK, and is looking for members interested in joining a subgroup. Please email her if you are interested.
RUN FOR RIGHTS!
AIUK are looking for people to take part in Run for Rights on 13th October at various events including the inaugural Manchester Half Marathon, which starts at Old Trafford cricket ground. The aim is to raise funds and awareness about Human Rights in the UK. To take part, you will need to raise at least £350 and should apply for a place soon. This link explains what to do.
Subscriptions due now, please! Thanks to those who have already paid.
Voluntary subscriptions to the group are now due. We suggest £20 per year for those who receive a wage or a pension, and £5 (or whatever you can afford) for others. We do not want to discourage people from taking part in our meetings or activities because they cannot afford to pay subs.
In order to make a payment to the group, either do so directly by bank transfer to our account:
Manchester Amnesty Group, 68177527, 05-05-73, preferably with the reference “subs”,
or contact our treasurer Sean Dunne (sean.a.dunne@btinternet.com) for other ways to pay. You might consider setting up a standing order, so that you don’t need to think about subs each year.
AGM minutes are attached to this email.
AGM slides reviewing our work during 2023-4 are now available on our website.
Group Meetings for the forthcoming year will take place on the second Monday of each month
Online zoom meetings all at 7pm in May, September, November, January 2025, March 2025
Face-to-face meetings all at 6pm in April, June, July, August, October, December, February 2025.
Face to face meetings at Manchester Central Library except for October’s, venue to be confirmed.
Non-Amnesty events
Greater Manchester Friends of Palestine and other organisations
Honour the children of Gaza
Saturday 23rd March, 12 noon, St Peter’s Square
Bring your children!
Whalley Range Peace and Justice Stand with Palestine
Each Wednesday 4.30-5.30 at Brooks Bar (junction Upper Chorlton Rd/Moss Lane East/Withington Rd)
Please support these events, but please do not take Amnesty banners.
Thursday 28th March, 2024, 6-8.30pm, Whitworth Gallery, Manchester,M15 6ER
Music Action International and Stone Flowers (a collective of refugee survivors of torture in the North West) will present a special screening of the award winning film
“Stone Flowers – songs of Hope and Defiance”
Book your tickets here
Material Power Palestinian Embroidery exhibition
continues at the Whitworth Art Gallery until April 7th. FREE (donations to gallery welcome).
The exhibition charts the evolution of embroidery in Palestine over the past century: from rich village tradition, transformed by modernity, to its politicisation in the 1970s and commodification in the present. Over the last 75 years, embroidery has become a powerful symbol of resistance, and the embodiment of resilience on personal and national scales. The beautiful exhibits are on display in the UK for the first time in over 30 years.
VOICES OF RESILIENCE
A celebration of Gazan writing
HOME Manchester, Tuesday, 22nd April 7pm
With performances by Kamila Shamsie, Maxine Peake, Kingsley Ben-Adir and many others.
Get your tickets here.
Good news
United Kingdom - On 12 March 2024, A Palestinian citizen of Israel was granted asylum after claiming he would face persecution in his home country on the grounds of his race, his Muslim faith and his opinion that Israel “is governed by an apartheid regime”. See this Guardian article
Italy - On 13 March 2024, the Court of Appeal of L'Aquila denied the extradition of Anan Wa'eesh, a Palestinian citizen wanted by Israel, believing - and citing Amnesty International reports in this regard - that, if extradited, he would risk suffering serious human rights violations.
Italy -On March 13, 2024, the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Chamber of Deputies approved a resolution condemning discrimination and sexual violence against women in Iran. The resolution was written with the contribution of Amnesty International Italy and was based on documentation provided by the organization.
Japan - On March 14, 2024, the Tokyo District Court and the Sapporo High Court declared unconstitutional the provisions of the Civil Code and the Family Registry Law that do not recognize equal marriage.
Manchester Amnesty issue and campaign coordinators
Anti-racism –Hazel Errey hazelerrey@gmail.com
Craftivism – Lima Al-Iskalachi limazakoor@gmail.com
Europe/ Turkey Fatih Segmen - fsegmen@yahoo.com
Human Rights in the UK Iona Bruce – ifbruce99@gmail.com
Individuals at Risk (bi-monthly appeal writing drop ins and Write for Rights in Nov/Dec) – Anne Walker is stepping down. Please contact her if you are interested in taking over the role anne.walker9@ntlworld.com
Israel's Apartheid Against Palestinians - Mike Reed mikewreed101@gmail.com
LGBTQ+ and Pride – Zoe Song weiyi.zoe.song@gmail.com
Press freedom and Julian Assange – Lima Al-iskalachi limazakoor@gmail.com & Danny Jones dannyj644@gmail.com
Refugees Whatsapp group – Alison Wearden alison.wearden@gmail.com
UAE – Kathryn Fletcher bussk@btinternet.com
Our website Manchester | Amnesty International UK (managed by Alison Wearden)
X/Twitter @amnestymanc (managed by Steve Lindsay – stevenjameslindsay@gmail.com)
Facebook Manchester Amnesty Group
Instagram @amnestymanchester (managed by Sara Baptista - sarabm6@gmail.com)
Communications Secretary
Manchester Group of Amnesty International
Please contact me with items for our Weekly Action and News email, or with ideas for longer articles for the quarterly Manchester Amnesty Group Bulletin.
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