Here are the minutes of the January meeting with thanks to Karen for producing them. Notes that copies of this and previous minutes are also in ‘About us’.
Two extras links have been added to the list of organisations at the bottom of the page.
Carol singing
Last night the Salisbury group went carol singing around several streets in the city. The singing was done by members of the
Farrant Singers which meant residents were treated to high quality singing from one of the finest choirs in Salisbury. To fortify us, we started the evening with a glass of vin chaud kindly provided by Michael and Chantal and afterwards, we all repaired to their house for home made soup, cheese and mince pies. A most successful evening and thanks to Michael and Chantal for their hospitality, Jonathan and Thomas for leafleting the houses the evening before and to the Farrant Singers themselves. Also to other group members who played a supporting role.
A happy Christmas to all our readers and followers around the world.
Film, Omar
Last night the Salisbury Arts centre hosted the film #Omar in the fourth of our collaborations with the Centre. The film is a gripping story of love and betrayal in the occupied territories of Palestine and shows the grim realities of life for Palestinians living there. Many people signed our cards at the end of the showing which concerned five individuals at risk of, or who have been, tortured (but not in Palestine). A total of 103 were signed.
Several people expressed interest in the group and may come here to find out about us. Details are to be found in the ‘About Us’ tab and we look forward to seeing you again. ‘Every little helps’ is true and if you are able to help now and again at our events that is always appreciated. From time to time we post urgent actions and if you can find time to write that is also a help.
We are possibly entering a difficult time as far as human rights are concerned with a concerted attack on the Human Rights Act by sections of the media. It is fuelled often by misreporting of cases and the almost complete absence of reporting of the benefits the act has brought for ordinary people. Hence the myth has become established that it helps terrorists, mass murderers and the like and it is all to do with the European Union imposing their beliefs on us. The Conservative government have said they would like to abolish the act and replace it with a new version.
#NorthKorea video
Amnesty group makes YouTube video. The #Salisbury group of Amnesty International broke new ground today when they prepared
a short YouTube video clip to highlight the appalling situation in the North Korean prison camps. Fifteen members held up cards which spelled out the message ‘Close the Camps’ to mimic the huge displays which take place in Pyongyang. It was part of a morning spent collecting signatures which unfortunately had to be curtailed because of the heavy rain which made it impossible to continue. Despite this, in the hour or so we were able to operate, 84 people signed.
Jooil Kim (pictured) an escapee was able to attend and take part and we were pleased to have a member of the South Korean Embassy come and sign as well.
Thanks for all who came and made this a success and especially to Karen (and husband) who did all the work preparing the cards. Now watch the video …!
UPDATE: revised YouTube video
UPDATE II: link to a newspaper interview with Joo il Kim
Link to the New Malden North Korean site
Citizenship day
Jonathan, Fiona and Andrew went to Bishop Wordsworth’s school last month for the annual #Citizenship Day, an event for Year 12 students from the Bishops Wordsworth School and South Wilts Grammar. More than 50 students opted to attend our sessions – about the same number as last year – choosing over other charities, pressure groups and political parties.
Three sessions were held and following an introduction by Andrew, Jonathan got them to work thinking about human rights in general and Fiona finished with a “what you can do” chat. To judge from talking to other presenters, ours was probably one of the more interactive sessions, and the students seemed to respond well, overcoming a natural reticence. Groups had interesting thoughts about what rights consisted of, and one group even came up with a definition, although knowledge of Magna Carta was surprisingly spotty.
We hope some will take up the essay challenge and a good number of forms were taken away. Feedback has been positive, and we are hopeful of encouraging the students to take up Amnesty causes for themselves.
Group events
We have several events in the next couple of weeks and anyone free to help will always be welcome.
- Today! Saturday 8 November at the Guildhall. We shall be holding an event in aid of our #NorthKorea campaign and we will be doing a moving display at 10 o’clock and our first YouTube posting if we can manage it. If you are free at that time that would be really useful – we need people to hold some cards.
- Thursday 13 November at 7 pm (note earlier time). Normal monthly meeting followed by a talk by Kenny Latunda Dada who has been to Salisbury on two previous occasions and Bona Shin who is a South Korean activist. They will be talking about #NorthKorea.
- Saturday 15 November at the Library which will be a card signing as part of the Stop Torture campaign, #stoptorture. If you can help or come along and sign that would be appreciated.
#Nigeria #stoptorture
We held a stall in the Library tunnel on Saturday 11 October in aid of the #stoptorture campaign and in particular, to highlight the case of
Moses Akatugba in #Nigeria. He was arrested for allegedly stealing mobile phones, shot in the hand and tortured by the Nigerian Army. He has been in prison now for eight years and is on death row awaiting execution. Torture is routine in Nigeria and it is reported that police stations even have a ‘torture officer’.
We collected 189 signatures in three hours which is a good haul for a difficult subject which has received next to no publicity. We shall be sending the cards in two batches to the Governor of Delta state in Nigeria where Moses is being held. We have sent a report of the signing to the Nigerian Embassy in London (see under Update below).
If you would like to know more about this case then you can find it here: Nigeria fact sheet
We are grateful to all those who stopped to sign a card. The great majority of passers-by did not to sign it has to be noted for
reasons that are never clear or revealed. 155 countries around the world have signed the UN protocol against the use of torture but according to Amnesty International figures, it is still practised in 141 of them. In other words, they sign treaties to end it but continue to use it.
Thanks to all the Salisbury Group’s team for taking part and their help in making this a success: Michael; Jonathan; Andrew; Lesley; Peter; Fiona; Eddie; Cynthia; Tony and Karen.
UPDATE 13 October Nigerian Embassy letter
Stop Torture campaign
The local group will be manning a stand on 15 November to highlight the #stoptorture campaign which was launched by Amnesty in May this year. The practice is alive and well throughout the world and Amnesty has recently ramped up its campaigning to stamp out the practice with the Stop Torture campaign.
Ahead of its launch, Salil Shetty, Amnesty International’s Secretary General said governments around the world are “two-faced on torture” – prohibiting it in law, but facilitating it in practice”.
He added: “Torture is not just alive and well – it is flourishing in many parts of the world. As more governments seek to justify torture in the name of national security, the steady progress made in this field over the last thirty years is being eroded.”
Stop torture will be a key part of the Amnesty display as part of the Magna Carta events at the Cathedral next year.
Film: Omar
Each year we team up with the Salisbury Arts Centre and host a film which has a human rights element to it. This year the Oscar nominated film is #Omar which is set in the occupied territories of Palestine. Omar is a freedom fighter who is used to dodging bullets to cross the separation wall to visit his girl friend, Nadia. After he is captured after a deadly act of resistance he is tricked to act as an informant. The film is directed by Hany Abu-Assad.
The film will show in the evening of 4 December at the Arts Centre and early booking is advised.
Amnesty in Salisbury & South Wiltshire 