Canadian Centres for Teaching Peace Web Site December 23, 2004

This 'newsletter' is being sent out as a new feature to provide regular updates to interested people about current additions to the Canadian Centres for Teaching Peace web site.

Upcoming Events http://www.peace.ca/upcoming.htm :
January 22 & 23, 2005 Nonviolent Communication Workshop – Ottawa, Ont. with Rachelle Lamb, former president of the BC Network for Compassionate Communication. Nonviolent Communication is receiving recognition worldwide for its effectiveness as a powerful process for human dialogue that transforms even the most difficult interactions into productive experiences. NVC explores the root causes of violence in our society and provides practical tools to help people effectively resolve conflict in a variety of settings ranging from classrooms and boardrooms to war zones. For more information or to register, call 1-866-480-7122. To read Chapter 1 of Nonviolent Communication, visit www.bcncc.org.

Problem Identification Topics http://www.peace.ca/problem.htm :
New York's HIV experiment ** Vulnerable children in some of New York's poorest districts are being forced to take part in HIV drug trials. (without their knowledge or permission http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/fr/-/2/hi/programmes/this_world/4038375.stm

American War Crimes - Washington Post editorial Dec 23/04 Thanks to a lawsuit by the American Civil Liberties Union and other human rights groups, thousands of pages of government documents released this month have confirmed some of the painful truths about the abuse of foreign detainees by the U.S. military and the CIA - truths the Bush administration implacably has refused to acknowledge. http://www.peace.ca/americanwarcrimes.htm

Uninspiring and Shocking Quotes http://www.peace.ca/uninspiringquotes.htm :

In 1995, in a moment of candor, then Ambassador to the U.N. Madeleine Albright declared, "the U.N. is a tool of American foreign policy."

"Muslims do not ‘hate our freedom,' but rather, they hate our policies. The overwhelming majority voice their objections to what they see as one-sided support in favor of Israel and against Palestinian rights, and the longstanding, even increasing support for what Muslims collectively see as tyrannies, most notably Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Pakistan, and the Gulf States. Thus, when American public diplomacy talks about bringing democracy to Islamic societies, this is seen as no more than self-serving hypocrisy. ... Nor can the most carefully crafted messages, themes, and words persuade when the messenger lacks credibility. ... The United States is also connected to what many Muslims consider "apostate" regimes, but it is difficult to escape what binds us, because the U.S. needs their "tactical support." (Read: oil; military bases; intelligence.)" Ray McGovern http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/120604X.shtml

Gwynne Dyer captures war's essence when he contends that, by becoming soldiers, "Men agree to die when we tell them to."

"(What) it basically comes down to, is it my right to choose between what I think is right and what I think is wrong?" asks Pfc. Dan Felushko, 24. "And nobody should make me sign away my ability to choose between right and wrong." But Felushko had signed a contract to be with the U.S. Marine Corps. "It's a devil's contract if you look at it that way," he says.

"But you can't have an Army of free-thinkers," says CBS News Correspondent Scott Pelley. "You wouldn't have an Army."

"I have to say that my image of my country always being the good guy, and always fighting for just causes, has been shattered." Brandon Hughey

"Canadian law has changed since the Vietnam era. Back then, an estimated 55,000 Americans deserted to Canada or dodged the draft. And in those days, Canada simply welcomed them. But today's American deserters... will need to convince a Canadian immigration board that they are refugees." CBS News Correspondent Scott Pelley

Who's Who (World Level) http://www.peace.ca/whoswho.htm :
CitizenShift Free Range Multimedia for the 21st Century - Submit films/videos/articles etc. about the issues that matter to you most and use CitizenShift>> as a platform to have your voice heard! http://citizen.nfb.ca is a website for people with a social conscience and activists. It’s called CitizenShift>> and this website will house content made By The People, For The People. It’s not an exclusive place for N.F.B. productions, but rather a platform for individuals to get their message out. For example this month we have exclusive interviews with Avi Lewis, director of THE TAKE. Check it out at http://citizen.nfb.ca/onf/info?did=361 . Point your browser to CitizenShift, an NFB initiative that connects citizens for insightful, constructive online engagement with social issues. Explore this unique interactive web magazine, integrating video, audio, photos, text and other media contributed by Canadian individuals and communities. Site visitors are invited to discover the five different sections of the site: Reel Community contains short films made by active community members and emerging filmmakers. Rebels with a Cause offers behind-the-scenes interviews with filmmakers who use film as a tool for social change. Through the Lens offers a sneak preview of activist films in production. CitizenShift goes on the road with Miles from Nowhere, which contains blogs (online journals) from citizens and filmmakers abroad or in-transit providing an opportunity to exchange information and stories. Finally, Web Initiatives offers a showcase of web sites that tackle social issues and encourages site visitors to get involved. For more information: Kat Baulu - Outreach, CitizenShift >>, National Film Board of Canada, A-0120, tel: 514-283-1710, k.baulu@nfb.ca OR citizen@nfb.ca

Information Resources (World Level) http://www.peace.ca/info.htm :

Building Sustainable Peace (ISBN 0-88864-414-0)Softcover, Tom Keating, Editor, W. Andy Knight, Editor. Published: April 2004. As the world turns its attention to the reconstruction of Afghanistan and Iraq following recent conflicts in these countries, the issue of post-conflict peacebuilding takes centre stage. This collection presents a timely and original overview of the field of peace studies and offers fresh analytical tools which promote a critical reconceptualization of peace and conflict, while also making specific reference to peacebuilding strategies employed in recent international conflicts. See contents and info at http://www.unu.edu/unupress/new/ab-buildingspeace.html . Order at http://www.uap.ualberta.ca/order/Scripts/prodView.asp?idProduct=508

Counter-Recruitment Resources - see http://www.syrculturalworkers.com/catalog/catalogIndex/CatCounterRecruitment.html

How to Build Community - see http://www.ci.falcon-heights.mn.us/nlhandbook/app/buildcomm.html ; buy the poster for $14.00 at http://www.syrculturalworkers.com/catalog/catalogIndex/CatBuildingCommunity.html

How to Build Global Community - see http://www.peace.ca/howtobuildglobalcommunity.htm

NGO-Government Dialogue on Surviving the Peace: Better Canadian Responses to Post-Conflict Transition Needs in Africa: In October 2004, representatives of Canadian NGOs and Canadian Government officials met in Ottawa to discuss how to more effectively address the post-conflict transition needs of countries. The dialogue was organized by the NGO, Development Workshop with support from the CPCC, IDRC, Oxfam Canada and the United Church of Canada. Presentations on case studies from 4 African countries in transition were made and FAC, CIDA and NGO perspectives were discussed. A summary report with recommendations has been prepared. To read the report, please see www.peacebuild.ca/dw/ This site also has other important documents pertaining to the workshop. The report can also be viewed at www.devworks.org (click on "new on site").

Peace Review is a quarterly, multidisciplinary, transnational journal of research and analysis, focusing on the current issues and controversies that underlie the promotion of a more peaceful world. Social progress requires, among other things, sustained intellectual work, which should be pragmatic as well as analytical. The task of the journal is to present the results of this research and thinking in short, accessible and substantive essays. Peace Review Home Page: http://www.usfca.edu/peacereview/index.htm ; Submission Guidelines for the Peace Review: http://www.usfca.edu/peacereview/guidelines.htm . Taylor and Francis (the publisher of PEACE REVIEW) provides a free, online sample copy that you may read and review. Please go the following website to register:
http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/onlinesamples.asp

Sierra Leone: Truth and Reconciliation Commission report reflects experiences of children, by UNICEF. SOURCE WEBSITE: http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/files/TRCCF9SeptFINAL.pdf . SUMMARY & COMMENT: With UNICEF's help a version of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's findings which children can understand has been produced. Children were involved in creating some drawings in the report and in framing its recommendations for peace-building. DETAIL: "We are the children of Sierra Leone. The war was targeted against us, our families and our communities. It was a brutal conflict, which we did nothing to cause, but we suffered terribly because of it. Every child in this country has a story to tell - a heartbreaking one. Unfortunately only a handful of these stories have been told and made known to the world. The memories continue to weigh on our minds and hearts. We, the children of Sierra Leone, witnessed the worst possible human ruthlessness and terror. Children of this country were forced to fight for a cause we could not understand. We were drugged and made to kill and destroy our brothers and sisters and our mothers and fathers. We were beaten, amputated and used as sex slaves. This was a wretched display of inhuman and immoral actions by those who were supposed to be protecting us. Our hands, which were meant to be used freely for play and schoolwork, were used instead, by force, to burn, kill and destroy. We do not believe this is the end of our story. Rather, it is the beginning. We, who survived the war, are determined to go forward. We will look to a new future and we ourselves will help build the road to peace." This is an extract from the first-ever version of a 'Truth and Reconciliation Commission' report intended specifically to be accessible by children. The report details the violations which occurred during the ten-year civil war in Sierra Leone, in which children were deliberately and systematically targeted.
When the violence ended and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission was established, the children of Sierra Leone were asked to participate. With UNICEF's help a version of the Commission's findings which children could understand has been produced. Children were involved in all stages of the inquiry - from creating some of the drawings in the report to framing its recommendations for peace-building. Special care was taken to protect them, as victims and as witnesses.

Stolen Sisters: A Human Rights Response to Discrimination and Violence Against Indigenous Women in Canada. The opening paragraph of this report ought to give every resident in Canada cause for pause and deep reflection. It reads: "Canadian officials have too long ignored the threat to Indigenous women in Canadian towns and cities. Many are missing, some have been murdered and Canadian authorities are not doing enough to stop the violence, says Amnesty International in a report, Stolen Sisters: A Human Rights Response to Discrimination and Violence Against Indigenous Women in Canada". Below is the URL to that report: http://news.amnesty.org/index/ENGAMR200042004

Proposals/Solutions http://www.peace.ca/proposal.htm :

Inspiring Quotes http://www.peace.ca/inspiringquotations.htm :

President Harry Truman said, "No one nation, no regional group, can, or should expect, any special privilege which harms any other nation." Referring to World War II, Truman observed, "Out of this conflict have come powerful military nations, now fully trained and equipped for war. But," he proclaimed, "they have no right to dominate the world."

"If the United States were to put as much military might into building and establishing peace after a conflict as it puts into winning wars quickly and efficiently, the age of terrorism would soon be at an end." military futurist Thomas Barnett of the U.S. Naval War College

"It is up to government, and all the other holders of a nation's wealth, to start addressing root causes and assuming a degree of moral responsibility ... that still eludes them today." Janice Kennedy (Calgary Herald Nov 7/04)

"I don't think that anybody anywhere can talk about the future of their people or of an organization without talking about education. Whoever controls the education of our children controls our future, the future of the Cherokee people and of the Cherokee Nation." Wilma P. Mankiller, CHEROKEE

"One hundred years from now, it will not matter what kind of car we drove or what kind of clothes we wore or what our blood quantum was . All that will matter is that we tried to make a difference" ..... unknown

"A man should rely on his own resources; the one who so trains himself is ready for any emergency." --Oral Tradition, OMAHA. Man is designed to function independently and to rely on the Creator for his resources. If we build our relationship with the Great Spirit, we are ready when emergencies occur.

Frequently Asked Questions http://www.peace.ca/faq.htm :

Ballistic Missile Defence?: I would like to take this opportunity to say that I personally believe rather than labelling the program "Missile Defence" (which is somewhat innocuous and many people can support 'Defence as a right and necessity), it should be labelled what it really is: a "U.S. Pre-emptive Nuclear Offence Capability in Space Program".

I imagine that it does not matter to the Bush Administration if the defence missiles can technically actually strike down an incoming missile (or at least that is not the main reason for the initiative). Claiming that it is not a true defence system, that it only supports the military-industrial complex, that it is a waste of money, that debris will fallout on Canada, and that it will never be technically feasible - while with much merit - misses the most sinister, real and threatening motivation behind the system:

We know that the Bush Doctrine claims the right to a "Pre-emptive" Strike when it is in their National Interest (while ironically our Justice Systems deny this to persons). We know that they want to dominate the globe when it is in their National Interest ("PNAC"). They are also (and have been) researching the use of "limited nuclear pre-emptive strikes", and we know they have a huge number of nuclear weapons. And we know that they lie and use misleading information as a military tool - so anything that George Bush and his colleagues say can not be trusted (and I am starting to wonder about Paul Martin and his colleagues). A "Pre-emptive Nuclear Offence Capability in Space" is very technically feasible right now, and would most certainly be used if the U.S. Administration thought it was in their National Interest (which of course can have a very low required threshold or criteria, and does not require a vote).

Even just calling this "the Weaponization of Space" is somewhat "sanitized". A "U.S. Pre-emptive Nuclear Offence Capability in Space" is more to the point, and hopefully clears up any confusion in public minds. And Canada should not help enable a "U.S. Pre-emptive Nuclear Offence Capability in Space" - we decided long ago not to use and/or support nuclear weapons (although we still do through NATO), and it could be used against us if it is in the U.S. National Interest (eg. if they want our oil, gas, water, etc.). We know they already have an Invasion Plan of Canada sitting on the shelf, should it be necessary in the U.S. National Interest.

Canada needs to build a new relationship with the United States, based on mutual respect rather than intimidation and other characteristics of a Culture of War and Violence. However, this will be near impossible if the U.S. continues its policy of lying to get what it wants. You can not deal with liars safely. Caveat emptor.

Regards,
Bob Stewart,
Director, Canadian Centres for Teaching Peace

See the following new reports posted on our web site:

REPORT OF THIRD ANNUAL CANADIAN PEACE EDUCATION CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS: It has taken a bit of time to pull the information together, but it now gives me great pleasure to report to you. Our accomplishments at the conferences certainly exceeded my greatest expectations. You will be pleased to know that our deliberations have given birth to a 'Canadian Culture of Peace Program' - with the mission to advance a Culture of Peace and Non-violence, at home and abroad. You can read more about this in the Summary Statement linked below. On our web site at http://www.peace.ca/CanadianAgenda2004.htm , I am attaching the following Canadian Culture of Peace Program ("CCOPP") Reports for your information:
1. CCOPP Summary Statement (in HTML) (in Microsoft Word) http://www.peace.ca/CCOPPstatement2004.htm
2. CCOPP Initial Action Plan (in HTML) (in Microsoft Word) http://www.peace.ca/CCOPPaction2004.htm
3. CCOPP Leadership & Peace Workshop Report (Nov 15 - 17, 2004) (in HTML) (in Microsoft Word) http://www.peace.ca/CCOPPleadership2004.htm
4. CCOPP Organization Network (Draft) (in HTML) http://www.peace.ca/CCOPPorganization2004.htm
5. CCOPP Mobilizing Peace Resources (Nov 19, 2004) (in HTML) (in Microsoft Word) http://www.peace.ca/CCOPPresources2004.htm
6. CCOPP Open Space Technology Conference Report (Nov 22 - 23, 2004) (in HTML) (in Microsoft Word) http://www.peace.ca/CCOPPost2004.htm

and our amazing, 60 page Youth Day Report (Nov 18, 2004) (in pdf) - [we had 180 students doing an Open Space Technology conference, and they excelled] http://www.peace.ca/Youth%20Peace%20Conference%20-%20Nov18-04.pdf

A great "THANK YOU" to all the participants, peacebuilders and peace educators around the world. Without you, none of this would be possible.

SEASONS GREETING, BEST WISHES FOR THE HOLIDAYS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR

Questions? contact Bob Stewart at stewartr@peace.ca

Posted by Evelin at January 2, 2005 09:02 PM