Minutes. April 2014 Meeting

Truro and Falmouth Amnesty International Group

Minutes of Meeting held on 9 April 2014

1. Present:

   Chris Ramsey,  Margaret George, Robin Sellwood, Wailim Wong ,  Lucky Kaur,  Linnea Glynne-Rule,  Amelia Scanlan, Hetty Tye.

    

2. Apologies : 

    Georgie Wong , Karen Cooper.

    

3. Matters arising from the minutes of 12 March 2014:

   1. Georgie had booked the Mayor's Coffee morning for Sat 5 July

   2. The SW Regional Conference in Exeter was considered a great success. The venue was very welcoming and the help given by the Exeter group in serving drinks was really  appreciated. Those who went thanked Chris for all the work he put into it to make it go so well.

   3. Margaret and Hetty reported continuing problems with receiving mailing from HQ by email.

   4. A theatre performance by the Belarus theatre group who are in residence at Tremough was scheduled for 15 April and several members hoped to go.

   5. We had been notified of a proposed amendment to Motion 3 for the AIUK AGM but agreed not to change the vote we had sent in

4.    Secretary's report:

1. The April monthly action concerned  the situation in Central African Republic and in particular the forced exodus of Muslim communities and attacks on civilians. A letter was signed to President Obama calling for the protection of civilians and more robust international peacekeeping forces.

2. The Spring copy of Groups News had arrived.

5.     Groups Planning Pack: 

This is an annual exercise where groups indicate which particular campaigns they wish to focus on for the year ahead. This year AIUK is planning campaigns on Women's Human Rights in Afghanistan, Stop Torture, My Body My Rights, and Crisis and Tactical Campaigns (responding to current events). There is also the ongoing group work on Individuals at Risk and Regional work.

It was agreed that our group should work on:

Women's Rights in Afghanistan (Margaret and Hetty to be the contacts)

Stop Torture (Amelia and Wailim to be the contacts)

Crisis and Tactical campaigns (Margaret to be the contact)

and continue our work on North Africa (Wailim), Central America and in particular COFADEH in Honduras and Norma Cruz in Guatemala (Georgie), former Soviet Union (Margaret) and Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories (Chris). We agreed that these commitments would be plenty for the relatively small group of activists in our group.

Hetty had contacted the Penzance group to see if we can do any campaigning in common but had not yet had a reply.

6.     Individuals at Risk Cases:

1. Hetty had brought a letter to sign on behalf of Norma Cruz

2. Wailim reported on N Africa. He had brought a photo-action to do about the reinstatement of roadsigns in Misrata, Libya. In Egypt elections are coming up and ahead of this one of the generals has reisigned his post to stand as a civilian. AI is lobbying the UN Human Rights Council with letters to sign on behalf of 5 young men allegedly tortured after their arrest. Western Sahara, an area occupied by Morocco, will be part of the Stop Torture campaign. Wailim is in contact with Mark Williams MP who went to W Sahara as part of a UK parliamentary group. He might be available to come to spaek to us sometime. In Tunisia, things are a little better but there are still historic cases that need clearing up.

3. Chris reported on Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories. In the case of Mordechai Vanunu MPs are trying to publicise his case by getting him invited to speak at the House of Commons on 14 April. Chris had brought a letter to Sarah Newton MP asking her to support this invitation.

7.   Future events:

1. 24 May is our street collection, form 10 - 2. A rota was started and it was agreed if possible to have a table at High Cross to use as a base. We may be able to have materials available on Stop Torture.

2. 5 July, the Mayor's Coffee morning at City Hall. For this we will need plants, cakes and books to sell.

3. August - it was agreed to try to have a bookstall in Lemon St Market on either 23 or 30 August. Margaret to investigate it with Giles Horne.

4. Chris will continue to liaise with the Performance Centre at Tremough about the possibility of showing the film 'Echo the pain of many' maybe with input from the film director, and/or getting the students to do a performance of the Ice and Fire play. These will probably be in the autumn.

    

   8.   Treasurer's report:

   Linnea reported that we have £951.43. She urged anyone with expenses to claim to do so.

    

   9. AOB:

   Chris reported that Cornwall College students doing a teaching degree course need sessions on Human Rights and the Equalities Act which he is going to take part in,

          10. Next meeting: this will be on Wed 14 May.