Anita Thistlethwaite (York MM) attended this joint Woodbrooke/
NFPB event at Glenthorne last November and writes:
The first question on the evaluation sheet at the end of this
course asked us to say what had been good about the week. It was
impossible to know where to begin but I found myself writing: "There
has been so much that has been stimulating, enlightening and
challenging as well as encouraging. It has been a hopeful and joyous
week full of spiritual nourishment and nurture." Glenthorne itself, the
setting and the warmth of the welcome combined with the good food
contributed so much to a wonderful week and, at the end, I felt that as
a group (20 in all) we had truly learnt to know each other 'in the
things which are eternal'. Marion McNaughton and Brenda Rigby led us
skilfully and gently through a rigorous examination of our testimonies.
There was much humour too, especially in the session where we were
asked to envisage the Society of Friends in the year 2020. One always
hopes that one may emerge at the end of such an experience with a clear
vision of the path ahead. Of course this is rarely true but we had
learnt during the week of the importance of small steps and of the
'ripple effect' of all our actions. It is never acceptable to do nothing
because we can only do a little. Two of the new advices and queries
which we were asked to construct in what proved to be one of the most
challenging of the sessions voiced these feelings:
1) Are you able at least to take small steps to
develop a way of life that does not exploit human and natural resources?
2) Remember that our ideals are like stars.
We cannot reach them but we can steer by them if we continue to strive
and hold on despite our fears.
Writing this at home once more, submerged in day-to-day concerns, I try
to hang on to the central truths which emerged last week and find myself
focusing on two words and one phrase. 'Integrity' is a word to which we
continually returned, especially in a sometimes painful session on
Truth. Integrity, Marion suggested, is wholeness rather than scrupulous
truth- telling. Absolute truth, to keep our own consciences clean, may
hurt and damage others. Another word was 'balance', which can emerge
from the silent waiting on God's guidance. Brenda suggested that if we
stand balanced, we are poised to move forward into action. For me the
phrase 'transforming encounter' will be the most powerful idea which I
will carry forward. Such an encounter may appear trivial and
unimportant but can change our lives and have untold effects. What is
more, this can happen alongside our imperfections, but it requires a
readiness, an internal 'yes' to a question which may not be asked of us
for months or years. During the week we often returned to a quotation
from Iris Murdoch which clearly spoke to many of us:
“The moral life is not something that is
switched on at a particular crisis but is something that goes on
continually in the small piecemeal habits of living. At crucial moments
of choice most of the business of choosing is already over.”
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New Cold War or nuclear free world?
The time has come to inject renewed energy into the nuclear weapons debate.
The sheer force of this energy must penetrate the consciences of
decision-makers in the powerful states and thus transfer the nuclear
abolition debate into a whole new field of action. We must rise up
above the political, economic, social and cultural blockages to
abolition and infuse the societal and political processes with a
dynamic of action. The approach I am calling for must be based on our
overpowering love for God's planet and all humanity on it. In this call
to witness, we will find new confidence in our ability to overcome the
temporary denial by politicians and officials who do not understand the
power of this transformation moment in history.
Canadian Senator Doug Roche in response to the
latest vote at the UN on the 'New Agenda Coalition's' resolution on
nuclear weapons abolition, November 1999.
Legal Breakthrough
In October, NFPB member Ellen Moxley was one of the three Trident
Ploughshares activists acquitted in a historic judgement by Sheriff
Margaret Gimblett at Greenock, on the grounds that their disarmament
action was indeed justified in seeking to stop the deployment and use
of nuclear weapons. As we go to press a further Plough-share's trial is
to beginning in Lancaster, and Friends River and Sylvia Boyes will have
to appear in court later in the year for entering Barrow to undertake
disarmament action against HMS Vengeance before it set sail for
Faslane. The protests, direct action and legal challenges continue.
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Star Wars 2 - The Yorkshire connection
“In place of a process which trusts technology and
mistrusts humanity, we must learn and live out a process that builds
trust between people and their institutions.”.. (Star Wars, SDI: The Spiritual Challenge. Mary Lou Leavitt,
NFPB Pamphlet, 1986)
We are now facing the possible development of National Missile
Defence (NMD) in the US, the successor to the 1980's 'star wars' vision
of Ronald Reagan. At Menwith Hill near Harrogate, construction has
begun of two radomes which are planned to be an integral part of the US
National Missile Defence system. The Campaign for the Accountability of
American Bases (CAAB) has issued a claim (formerly known as a writ) to
the High Court to try to prevent the building of these new radomes at
Menwith Hill on the basis that, as part of the US NMD they will be in
breach of the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile treaty and the 1967 'Outer
Space Treaty'. The first hearing of this writ was heard at the High
Court on 13th January. It was not stuck out, as had been expected and
so there is still much work to be done. Meanwhile, on 18th January the
US carried out a test in the South Pacific which attempted (but failed)
to shoot down a ballistic missile. A further such test it to be carried
out in April, and President Clinton is due to decide on the future of
this programme in June. In a press release from the Pacific Concerns
Resource centre comes the appeal: .. “the solution to international
security is the abolition of nuclear weapons, not the development of new
weapons of mass destruction. The Nuclear Free and Independent Pacific
movement calls for an end to missile tests taking place at Kwajalein
Atoll and the Marshall Islands”.
Campaign for the Accountability of American
Bases
8 Park Row, Otley, West Yorks., LS21 1HQ
Tel/Fax: 01943 466405 or 01482 702033 email:
caab.lindis_anni@virgin.net Website: http://www.gn.apc.org/cndyorks/caab/
Newsletter and other materials available. Funds
to support the campaign, and particularly the Writ always welcome.
Quaker Meetings for Worship at Menwith Hill
on Saturdays 5 Feb. and 1 April, 2-3pm
March 4th, 12-4, Demo, at Menwith Hill
supported by CAAB and Yorks CND
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Manifesto
2000
As part of its activities for the
International Year for the Culture of Peace, UNESCO is aiming to
collect 100 Million signatures to Manifesto 2000. The key points of the
Manifesto are: 1) Respect all Life 2) Reject Violence 3) Share with
others, 4) Listen to understand 5) Preserve the Planet 6) Rediscover
solidarity. Copies of the manifesto in various shapes and sizes and
other material relating to it are available from the
United Nations Association, 3 Whitehall Court,
London SW1A 2EL Tel: 020 7930 2931
email: info@una-uk.org
National Peace Council
The one 'umbrella organisation' for the Peace Movement in Britain, took
a momentous decision last autumn. Facing steadily diminishing reserves
it had to decide whether to spend its available resources gradually and
over a period of time, keeping NPC going but in a rather low-key and
invisible way - or to spend energetically during 2000 in an attempt to
raise its profile (and therefore the peace movement's) and to attract
more member organisations (and therefore income). It decided on the
latter. Tim Wallis, working for NPC, writes: "It is the sincere hope of
all concerned that by the end of 2000, the NPC will have more members,
and be more fundable than it is at present. In other words, we mean to
continue for many years to come. Please help us".
Abolition 2000
Members of this nuclear abolition network (now around 1500 globally)
are planning a lot of co-ordinated activity around the crucial
Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference, taking place in New
York between 24 April and 15 May. Lobbying of the British government
beforehand is one of the ways you might be able to help with this.
Abolition 2000 UK 601 Holloway Road, London N19
4DJ Tel: 0171 354 9911
Email: a2000uk@gn.apc.org
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Recent NFPB Meetings
Northern Friends Peace Board members met together in Dunblane and in
Stockport during the autumn. At its meeting in Dunblane we were pleased
to be able to use the premises housing the Scottish Centre for
Nonviolence, the project which has partly grown out of Peace House.
Helen Steven told us about the hopes of the project and about the
energetic work which is already being undertaken by the team of staff.
The centre would like to see nonviolent solutions to conflict moving
into the mainstream of society. They are working with a number of
different organisations and agencies locally, nationally and
internationally. Helen also spoke about the work of the project at a
day on Beyond Violence, which we organised in Edinburgh in October.
Our other speaker there was Bob Johnson of the James Nayler
Foundation. Bob shared with us his experiences working with violent
offenders in Parkhurst Prison, where he worked as a psychiatrist. He
described his struggles with the establishment in getting recognition
for his conviction that most violent behaviour in adulthood has its
roots in violent abuse in childhood. Lynne Duggan from the Edinburgh
community police department talked about their initiatives to tackle
violence in society.
Museums were the focus of our Stockport NFPB meeting, and we were
privileged to have with us speakers from the Peace Museum in Bradford
and from the Imperial War Museum North, to be built in Trafford,
Manchester. Members were encouraged to hear that the latter will seek
to reflect the reality of war, its causes and consequences. We hope to
continue to keep in touch with both of these projects. Readers who have
material which might be of relevance for the peace museum could either
contact them directly (see below) or via Philip Austin, the NFPB
Co-ordinator.
Contacts:
- SCOTTISH CENTRE FOR NONVIOLENCE, The
Annexe, Scottish Churches House, Kirk Street, Dunblane FK15 0AJ Tel:
01786 824730
- THE JAMES NAYLER FOUNDATION, PO Box 235,
York YO1 9YY http://www.jnf.org.uk
- THE PEACE MUSEUM, Jacob's Well, Manchester
Road, Bradford BD1 5RW Tel: 01274 754009 email:
peacemuseum@bradford.gov.uk
Reconciling Divided Communities
This conference, organised by the British part of Church and Peace is
to take place at the Ammerdown centre near Bath over 9-11 June. It will
focus primarily on British and European experiences, looking at them
from urban, national and religious perspectives. An opportunity to
learn from skilled peacemakers and to take part in discussions and in
practical and creative workshops. Fee, £90.
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Don't let the Dream Die
June 3-9th, Iona. This course is being run by the Iona Community to
celebrate the World Council of Churches Programme to Overcome Violene
and the UN Decade for a culture of nonviolence. To be led by Helen
Steven, of the Iona Community and long-time peace activist and Helen
Woodcock, new generation environmental campaigner, "From the protests
of the 60s to the tunnels of the 90s we will explore ways of keeping
the nonviolent dream alive" Programme details from Helen at the
Scottish Centre for Nonviolence (see above).
Booking forms from: Booking Office, Iona
Community, Isle of Iona, Argyll, PA76 6SN
Tel: 01681 400460
International Conference on Yugoslavia
The Yugoslav Crisis: evaluating international responses and
the way forward University of Bradford, UK Saturday 25th and Sunday
26th March 2000
http://www.brad.ac.uk/acad/rusees/conference.html
Tel: +44(0)7050 615511 Fax: +44(0)7050
644569 Email: rjiggins@bradford.ac.uk
John Hamilton
As we go to press we are shocked to hear of the injuries suffered by
Board member John Hamilton following a fire at his home in Liverpool.
John will be known by many connected to the Northern Friends Peace
Board due to his long service as Representative of Hardshaw West MM. He
will be in many people's thoughts and prayers at this difficult
time.
Disarming Realities, Newcastle, 19
February 2000
The Peace Board is published by the Northern
Friends Peace Board three times a year and is sent free to all Northern
Quaker meetings. If individuals or other groups would like to receive
it they should send a cheque (for £2.00, payable to 'NFPB') to:
Philip Austin, NFPB, Victoria Hall, Knowsley Street, Bolton BL1 2AS
We welcome any news, letters, poems,
suggestions for action etc. from Friends and these should also be sent
to this address. Emails are also welcome to: nfpb@gn.apc.org
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