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Lethal and
"Non-Lethal" Weapons of War
FNVW promotes a US foreign
policy based on furthering human dignity, and we are working with Lara
Lumpe and the US Campaign to Ban Landmines. For two perspectives
on how these issues are playing out right now in Afghanistan and the
UN, here are excerpts from today's New York Times, and Tuesday's
Associated Press via the Huffington Post. Humanitarian Aid as a
"Non-Lethal Weapon of War."
KABUL, Afghanistan - Senior United Nations officials in Afghanistan
on Wednesday criticized NATO forces for what one referred to as "the
militarization of humanitarian aid," and said United Nations agencies
would not participate in the military's reconstruction strategy in
Marja as part of its current offensive there.
"We are not part of that process, we do not want to be part of it,"
said Robert Watkins, the deputy special representative of the secretary
general, at a news conference attended by other officials to announce
the United Nations' Humanitarian Action Plan for 2010. "We will
not be part of that military strategy."
The American commander in Afghanistan, Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, has
made the rapid delivery of governmental services, including education,
health care and job programs, a central part of his strategy in Marja,
referring to plans to rapidly deploy what he has referred to as "a
government in a box" once Marja is pacified...
...The American military refers to its
strategy, first enunciated in Iraq in 2006, as "clear, hold and build."
Previously there were insufficient foreign and Afghan troops in Afghanistan
to pursue that strategy systematically because they were unable to hold
large areas for long periods of time. The offensive in Marja is intended
as a showcase where the strategy can work, and the coalition says it
has adequate forces now to do that.
"Clear, hold and build, it's short-sighted for two reasons," the
United Nations official said. "Territory changes hands in a conflict,
and if the services are associated with a particular group, it will
be destroyed." That has happened often with projects like schools
and clinics around the country...
...Wael Haj-Ibrahim, head of the United Nations' Office for the Coordination
of Humanitarian Affairs here, said the military should not be involved
in providing health care or schools...."Allowing the military to do
it is not the best use of resources." Instead, he said, the military
should confine itself to clearing an area of security threats and providing
security for humanitarian organizations to deliver services...
...Last month, eight leading humanitarian organizations working in Afghanistan,
including Oxfam and ActionAid, issued a joint report that was highly
critical of the International Security Assistance Force, as the American-led
NATO force is known, because of "the international militaries' use
of aid as a 'nonlethal' weapon of war."...
..."Military-led humanitarian and development activities are driven
by donors' political interests and short-term security objectives
and are often ineffective, wasteful and potentially harmful to Afghans,"
a statement by Oxfam said...
...Oxfam said the military "was going way beyond its remit" in Afghanistan,
citing an American Army counterinsurgency manual that defines humanitarian
aid as a "nonlethal weapon."...
Excerpted from The New
York Times
February 18, 2010
U.N. Rejects 'Militarization' of Afghan Aid
By ROD NORDLAND
UN Ratifies Ban On Cluster Bombs: US Still Has Not Signed Agreement
UNITED NATIONS - Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced Tuesday that
the international convention banning cluster bombs has received the
30 ratifications required and will enter into force on Aug. 1.
Cluster bomblets are packed by the hundreds into artillery shells, bombs
or missiles, which scatter them over vast areas. Some fail to explode
immediately and can lie dormant for years until they are disturbed,
often by children attracted by their small size and bright colors. A
bomblet can kill or maim someone within 10 to 50 yards (meters).
The convention prohibits all use, stockpiling, production and transfer
of cluster munitions, sets strict deadlines for the destruction of stockpiles
and clearance of contaminated land, and obliges states to support survivors
and affected communities.
Only those countries that have ratified
the convention will be bound by its provisions... But some of the world's
top military powers - including the U.S., Russia and China - and
big users like Israel, India and Pakistan, have refused to support the
convention, arguing that cluster bombs have legitimate military uses.
Faced with growing international pressure, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert
Gates announced in July 2008 that the United States would reduce its
inventory of cluster bombs that don't meet new safety requirements and
would require that after 2018, more than 99 percent of the bomblets
must detonate.
The 28 countries that have ratified the convention are Burkina Faso,
Moldova, Norway, Austria, Holy See, Ireland, Mexico, New Zealand, Albania,
Croatia, Laos, Sierra Leone, Zambia, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany,
Japan, Montenegro, Slovenia, Spain, Burundi, Luxembourg, Macedonia,
Malawi, Malta, Nicaragua, Niger, San Marino and Uruguay....
...The U.N. chief said the convention's
impending entry into force just two years after its adoption demonstrates
"the world's collective revulsion at the impact of these terrible
weapons" which are "unreliable and inaccurate" and kill
and maim civilians long after conflicts end, the statement said.
EDITH M. LEDERER | 02/16/10 10:18 PM | AP
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You are WELCOME at the FNVW Annual Meeting Sunday, February 21, 2010, 1:30-3:30 pm St. Paul Area Council of Churches 1671 Summit Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55105
Agenda: Welcome FNVW Program-Annual
Updates Interim Executive
Director Message FNVW Committee
Reports Acknowledgements
and Appreciation
Introduction
of Current Board Members
Presentation
of New Board Members 2:30-3:30
Community, sharing
and informal brainstorms about FNVW programs over snacks and drinks
No RSVP needed; call me at the office with questions: 651/917-0383 See you there! Erika Thorne Interim Executive Director
Bring a Toy for a Child in Iraq!
Playing with toys is how children grow and develop skills. Many children in Iraq have no toys at all. BRING A TOY TO THE ANNUAL MEETING! Pick one up at Savers, a discount or dollar store, or ask for one from your kid or grandkids.
Toys are distributed directly to children in hospitals and schools in
Iraq. This is a personal way to show you care about the difficulties of
the people of Iraq. Toys should be battery-free (batteries are not
available there) and dolls should be fully clothed (no swimsuits etc.).
Soccer balls are most popular. Pigs are not a good idea because of
Muslim prohibitions, but other stuffed animals are fine!
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Second Chance Day on the Hill
Monday, Feb 22, 2010, 10 a.m. State Capitol Rotunda, St Paul
Join hundreds of others and advocate for change as we demonstrate to legislators and the community that second chances are important for everyone. Hear stories of those who have struggled to move beyond their past and become contributing members of our community.
Contact information: Sarah Walker 180 Degrees, Inc. 612.813.5017 [email protected]
Second Chance Day on the Hill is sponsored and supported by a partnership of Minnesota nonprofits and companies that believe ex-offenders have paid their debt to society and deserve a second chance to become law-abiding, taxpaying citizens.
www.mnsecondchancecoalition.org
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A Season for Nonviolence,
January 30-April 4, is a national 64-day educational, media, and
grassroots campaign dedicated to demonstrating that nonviolence is a
powerful way to heal, transform, and empower our lives and our
communities. During this season, we invite you to read Terrence Rynne's
illuminating book entitled Ghandi and Jesus: The Saving Power of Nonviolence. Dr. Rynne is also available to speak in your community.
CONTACT Season for Nonviolence Headquarters: Association for Global New Thought 220 Santa Anita Rd Santa Barbara, CA 93105 tel: 805-563-7343, fax: 805-563-7344 Barbara Fields, Project Coordinator Megan Stanek, Task Force Coordinator A Season for Nonviolence
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Share Office Space with FNVW Space in 1050 Selby Ave, St Paul available immediately
* Are you or someone you know looking for office space with low monthly rent ($250/mo for 215 sq/ft)?
* Friends for a Non-Violent World (FNVW) is looking to share our office space with an organization or individual who honors our mission:
* FNVW is a Quaker-inspired organization of people who affirm the dignity inherent in each human being. We share a commitment to advancing non-violence as an ethic for honoring human dignity and a strategy for achieving peace and justice.
* $250 of monthly rent will give you 215 square feet of street-level office space and access to a large conference room. Utilities not included; charged on prorated basis. Possible access to high-speed internet and printer/copier.
* This office space is available immediately. For more information, please call Ava McCausland at the FNVW office, 651-917-0383 or email to [email protected].* Friends for a Non-Violent World 1050 Selby Ave St Paul, MN 55104 |
Erika Thorne, Interim Executive Director Friends for a Non-Violent World 1050 Selby Avenue Saint Paul, MN 55104 651-917-0383 www.fnvw.org
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