Truro and Falmouth Amnesty International Group

Minutes of Meeting held on 8 June 2016

1.Present: Margaret George, Linnea Glynne-Rule, Chris Ramsey, Wailim Wong, Georgie Wong, Chris Clarke.

2.Apologies:. Megan Bridgeland, Karen Cooper, Shirley Sweeney, Hetty Tye, Rowena Lamont.

3.Matters arising from the minutes of 11 May 2016: re Pride materials – it was agreed to order placards, stickers, balloons and action cards. The walk on 22 may was enjoyed by all 10 participants and it was proposed to do another one possibly in September.

4. Secretary's report:

1. The Monthly email for June included the good news of the release of Khadija Ismayilova, the Azerbaijani investigative journalist imprisoned for 5 years on trumped up charges. 
2. The Amnesty magazine and Groups News had arrived and were distributed.
3. Nomination papers for the post of Regional Rep had arrived. The group agreed to nominate Chris Ramsey.
4. The Human Rights badges and leaflets had arrived and would be used on the street collection

5. Treasurer’s report: Linnea reported that we had £1093.90 in the bank, plus the money collected at the walk. It was agreed to send £200 to the Burkina Faso matched funding campaign. It was agreed that our other fundraising activities through the summer (bookstall and Mayor’s coffee morning), although happening after the 18 July deadline for Burkina Faso should be included and an advance extra sum of £100 be sent.

6.    Campaigns and Individuals at Risk:

i. The Human Rights Act Chris had sent the letter to MK, the Labour Party, the Greens, the Lib Dems, the Quakers, Unison, Churches Together, Cornwall Faith Forum, Liberty, the British Institute for Human Rights, the Cornwall Law Society and the British Association of Social Workers. He had had no response as yet. Margaret reported that the letter had been favourably received by the local Labour Party and passed on with a recommendation to take action on it.

ii. Georgie reported on Central America. She had brought a letter to be signed to go to El Salvador on behalf of Maria Teresa who has been released but is threatened with a new trial.

iii.  Israel and the Occupied territories: Chris reported. a) Mordechai Vanunu has been charged with new offences of allegedly breaking the severe restrictions he is subject to – moving flat within the same block without giving notice, having a meeting with 2 American citizens, giving an interview to an Israeli broadcaster. b) AI has condemned the Hamas use of the death penalty c) Netanyahu has chosen members of his cabinet who favour his policies and appointed a very right-wing man as Defence Minister. d) 9 July will mark the 12^th anniversary of the International Court of Justice ruling that the Separation Wall is illegal. A letter was to be signed on behalf of farmers at Jayus who are cut off from their land by the wall. d) good news – a joint Arab/Jewish peace initiative has been set up and is working with children. e) the Israeli HR organisation Bt’Salem focused on Israeli military abuses of Palestinians is going to withdraw from calling for the Israeli military to hold investigations as it gives the investigations credibility.

 iv. Burkina Faso. See above in Treasurers’ Report.

7. Future activities and events

1. Street collection in Truro is 11 June, setting up at 9.30 near the cathedral, and continuing till about 1.00.
2. Georgie has booked the Mayor’s Coffee morning for 6^th August and we have permission for the bookstall in Lemon Street Market on 30^th July. It was agreed to sort books at Robin’s on Mon 11 July at 10am
3. Cornwall Pride is on Sat 27 August. We have a stall booked and materials ordered.
4. New suggestions of a venue for letter-writing were the museum café or Sambells. Wailim agreed to investigate.
5. Music evening. Discussion was deferred to next meeting.
6. Refugee week, 20-26 June. It was agreed to do a photo-shoot with ‘refugees welcome’ placards on the Moor Falmouth at 2pm on Monday 20^th June.

8.  AOB

i. Karen had sent information about the English PEN writers group who are campaigning on behalf of Raif badawi. Karen will forward the photos we took on this campaign to the PEN group. ii) Georgie had heard from Jenny Welstead about a  peace campaigner Paul Haines, who is doing a music evening in the cathedral on 21 Sept for World Peace Day. Chris would contact Jenny and the cathedral office to find out more and see is we could have a presence.

9. Date of next meeting: Wed 13 July, 7pm at the Methodist Church, Union Place, Truro