Category: Group news

Signing


We held a signing on Saturday morning and invited people to sign cards on behalf of four prisoners of conscience.  It had been held over from Christmas because we had too many other things on so we were not confident of large numbers.  Our other concern was the events in Paris which has hardened some peoples’ attitudes to terrorism in all its forms.  Some people equate human rights with ‘supporting terrorists’ and there is the occasional remark along the lines that ‘they must have done something or they wouldn’t be arrested’.

We needn’t have been worried on either count and there was a steady stream of people to sign cards all morning.  The cards are generalised greetings fashioned from Christmas cards but with anything religious removed.  The only limiting factor in fact was that the table was too small to accommodate the numbers.  We secured around 150 signatures and the cards will be posted in batches.

Thanks to all those in the local group who helped.

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January meeting


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.

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Monthly meeting


UPDATE

The last meeting was on Thursday, 8th January.  An agenda is attached.  The minutes of the December meeting are also attached.  Note that you can see all recent minutes by going to the ‘About Us’ tab on the front page.

We discussed:

  • the results of the carol singing which had been very successful
  • there was the December Death Penalty report
  • we discussed North Korea and the increasing interest in that country, and in particular the human rights situation there, was noted
  • the website numbers were given and that we now have 60 followers
  • there was an update on the Magna Carta events and there is to be a meeting soon with the Cathedral to start doing more detailed planning
  • the complete lack of interest by any of the sixth forms in the area to submit an essay was noted.  This was extremely disappointing in view of the efforts made with leaflets and contacting the schools ahead of time to promote it.
  • details on the Cathedral service are awaited

Minutes will be posted here as soon as they are available.

Agenda January 8th

December minutes

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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 in Park Street
Farrant Singers in Park Street

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.

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Korean speaker


Group welcomes speaker on #Korea.  On Thursday 13 November, the group was pleased to welcome a Korean speaker as part of our activities to keep the problems in North Korea in the limelight.  Bona Shin is a member of a large community of Koreans who live in London, the largest such community in Europe.  There are thought to be around 32,000 living in the UK and 691 of whom from North Korea.

Bona Shin
Bona Shin

Other speakers have mentioned the difference between Pyongyang and the rest of the country.  People who live in Pyongyang are the elite and they are reasonably well fed by North Korean standards.  It is the rural areas which are impoverished and where people struggle to survive.  She said there are no disabled people in the capital either: they are all moved out to the rural areas.

She mentioned the propaganda initiative recently where the North Korean embassy hosted an art exhibition.  Developments in the last week or so at the UN where there are attempts to get the regime and Kim Jong un indicted for crimes against humanity.

There are reports of the infamous Yodok camp being closed and prisoners being moved to Camp 14 or Camp 16 as part of the propaganda by the North but this cannot be confirmed at the time of writing.  Bilateral talks may begin with the EU on the question of human rights.

There are still survivors from the Korean war which Britain contributed large troop numbers second only to the USA.  There is a British Korean Veteran Association

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Landmark


This morning, 14 November, we had our 1000th hit since the site was launched earlier this year!

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#NorthKorea video


Amnesty group makes YouTube video.  The #Salisbury group of Amnesty International broke new ground today when they prepared

Jooil Kim at the signing
Joo il Kim at the signing

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

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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.

Citizenship
Citizenship

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.

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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.
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Essay competition



We have re-launched the #essay competition this year and invited members of the 6th forms in the #Salisbury area to contribute.  A pdf of the full entry details is here:

Essay competition

The competition details have been sent to the following schools with around 50 copies of the entry leaflet:

Bishops Wordsworth

Burgate School

Godolphin School

South Wilts Grammar School

Sarum Academy

6th Form College

St Mary’s School, Shaftesbury.

The title of the essay is either:

   Discuss the relevance of Magna Carta today or

   Should the Human Rights Act be abolished?

Closing date is 30 November.  There are three money prizes: £60; £30 and £15.  We look forward to receiving the essays.

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