|
WHAT'S NEW IN INES? |
||||
|
No. 33/2002 |
Dateline: November 30, 2002 |
|||
This is the weekly electronic information service of the International Network of Engineers and Scientists for Global Responsibility
Editor: Tobias Damjanov, e-mail:
WNII is archived at: http://inesglobal.org/archive.htm
INES homepages: http://inesglobal.org http://www.inesglobal.com/
INES International Office
INES Chair: Prof. Armin Tenner [Please note that the first "1" in q18 is the number one, while the last "l" is an "L"]
CONTENTS of WNII No. 33/2002
MEMBERSHIP AND PROJECTS' NEWS
Russia: Socio-Ecological Union
On 22 November, the Irkutsk Department of the Russian Federal Security Service FSB (the former KGB) has searched the office of the environmental group "Baikal Environmental Wave" (BEW) (website*), a member of the SEU working to protect the Lake Baikal region. BEW had been mapping areas of radioactive contamination in an unrestricted area near the Angarsk Electrolysis Chemical Combine.
The formal reason for the raid were the maps of radioactive contamination of the area. However, FSB representatives took away all computer-stored information. It seems that BEW is accused of secret information disclosure.
FSB representatives refused to give any detailed reasons or to show any written documents referring to the information containing in the organization's computers as to whether this information was considered state secrets. Anyhow, the FSB action looks somewhat ridiculous: Almost a year ago the copies of the maps concerned were sent to the Irkutsk Region Administration, the RF State Nuclear Supervision Committee, the RF State Committee of Sanitary and Epidemiological Control and the state agency Radon (managing with radioactive materials).
The organization had an official agreement with the scientific agency Sosnovgeos to produce maps of radioactive contamination of water and soils around the Angarsk Electrolysis Chemical Plant".
The documents BEW had produced did not reveal locations of sensitive facilities and none was stored on computer hard drives, so the confiscation of computer data makes can not be for this reason. In addition, as the documents were circulated nearly a year ago, it is clear that there is a different motive for the raid which coincided with the public environmental impact assessment of the construction of a new oil pipeline through the Tunkinsky National Park - a proposal the "Baikal Environmental Wave" has actively opposed. The oil pipeline project belongs to the most powerful Russian oil group YUKOS. The public hearings on the project were to be held two days later. FSB confiscated all information related to the hearings. So there is a chance that YUKOS, despite its efforts to look like a civilized corporation, is linked to this case.
(*) http://www.baikalwave.eu.org
"The SEU TIMES" No 9 (31) – November 2002
The November 2002 edition is devoted to one theme: "Danube Biosphere Nature Reserve Needs Your Help" [see also WNII 32/2002] It contains, among other things, useful addresses and an Example Letter to the President of the Ukraine, UNESCO, and the Ramsar Convention Secretariat.
Editor: Sviatoslav Zabelin < > Previous issues of "The SEU Times" may be found at "The Online Gadfly": http://www.igc.org/gadfly
UK: Scientists for Global Responsibility: Report on the "Kowledge – Common Heritage, Not Private Property" meeting (see also WNII 30/2002)
The SGR discussion meeting "Kowledge – Common Heritage, Not Private Property" on 10 November marked the first UNESCO World Science Day for Peace and Development on the same day. A summary report of this event has now been disseminated by SGR member Dr Alan Cottey which you might receive either from him: < > or from the WNII Editor as an rtf-formatted email attachment.
NOTE that a draft version of the Convention on Knowledge which was discussed at this meeting is available at: http://www.sgr.org.uk/SciencePolicy/ConvKnowledge.html At this site, readers can also comment on the convention.
THE US POLICY ON IRAQ
(SPECIAL SECTION)
Call for actions on December 10 (Source: IPB mailing, 21 Nov 02)
United For Peace, an emerging US national campaign working to stop the war on Iraq, is coordinating a day of local actions on December 10th, International Human Rights Day. Hundreds of communities around the country will organize events on this day and United For Peace will publicize them as a national day of action: http://www.unitedforpeace.org
Other related websites:
Campaigning to get local city councils, student governments, unions, or other civic bodies to pass a resolution against the war: http://www.citiesforpeace.org
Hague Appeal for Peace: Iraq and Beyond
At its November 16 meeting, the Board of Directors of the Hague Appeal for Peace has adopted a statement "Iraq and Beyond". You can find it at: http://www.haguepeace.org
(INES is associated with the Hague Appeal for Peace)
"Foreign Policy In Focus" readings (Source: "The Progressive Response", 22 Nov 02, Vol. 6, No. 36)
Re: IPPNW report "Collateral Damage …" (see WNII 31/2002)
Thanks to the Secretariat of the International Peace Bureau, the report "Collateral Damage: The Health and Environmental Costs of War on Iraq" is now also available as a PDF-formatted file, which I can mail to you as an email attachment.
T. Damjanov, editor
Alternately, you can get the report from at least the following websites: http://www.medact.org/tbx/pages/section.cfm?index_id=2 or: http://www.mapw.org.au/iraq/iraq-index.html
NUCLEAR WEAPONS
Abolition 2000 homepage: http://www.abolition2000.org Grassroots News: http://www.napf.org/abolition2000/news/
The Bush Administration's Nuclear Policies and the Response of Citizens
This is the title of a recent article by Dr David Krieger, president of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, and INES Deputy Chair. It is available from the WNII Editor as an rtf-formatted email attachment.
"The India-Pakistan Conflict - Towards The Failure Of Nuclear Deterrence"
This is the title of an essay by the Pakistani physicists and anti-nuclear activists Pervez Hoodbhoy and Zia Mian which you can find at: http://www.nautilus.org/fora/Special-Policy-Forum/48_Pervez_Zia.html
Web references on current meetings covered by the "Earth Negotiations Bulletin" (Source: "Linkages Update" 23 Nov 02)
NOTE: A complete calendar of upcoming meetings can be downloaded in PDF format at: http://www.iisd.ca/whats_new/upcoming%20meetings4.pdf
International Decade for the Promotion of a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence (Source: IPB mailing, 20 Nov 02)
Four years ago, the UN General Assembly voted a resolution [A/53/25, adopted on 10 November 1998] declaring the 2001 – 2010 decade the "International Decade for the Promotion of a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence for the Children of the World". UNESCO was declared leader of this Decade inside the UN system on November 2000.
During the last two year, many local and national initiatives have emerged to promote the goals of this Decade. It is against this background that the French Coalition for the Decade is now inviting for a first preparatory meeting for the creation of an international coalition of NGOs. This meeting is to take place in Paris (at the Coordination Française pour la Décennie, 27 boulevard Saint-Michel, 85 BE 4, 3rd floor) on12 December.
For details, contact Vincent Pasquini: < >
NOTE that the French coalition has disseminated a "Presentation booklet for the creation of an international coalition for the Decade" which includes, among other things, the aims of the coalition proposed, and the wording of the underlying 1998 UN General Assembly Resolution. This booklet is available from the WNII Editor as an rtf-formatted email attachment. Please indicate if you wish to receive the English or the French version.
Information on the TRANSCEND Peace University (Source: IPB mailing, 22 Nov 02)
TRANSCEND Peace University (TPU) is the first ever global university developing skills and knowledge for conflict transformation by peaceful means, peacebuilding, and sustainable development.
Designed for experienced government or NGO practitioners as well as for students, TPU offers a range of skills and knowledge intensive courses, combining online and onsite training around the world.
TPU is the educational branch of TRANSCEND, a peace and development network. TRANSCEND is engaged in conflict transformation by peaceful means "To bring about a more peaceful world by using action, education, networking and research to handle conflicts with creativity, nonviolence and empathy". The TRANSCEND method is based on deep dialogues with the parties to a conflict one at a time, to know their goals better, to stimulate creativity and to identify outcomes acceptable to all. Rather than compromises we try something new and better, often beyond what the parties first had in mind.
TPU will offer the following six 15-weeks courses from February 2003:
The courses will start on February 3, 2003. Registration starts now and the deadline is January 20, 2003. Cost per Course: Euros 500.
For more information or to apply for registration, please contact the TPU Global Center in Cluj, Romania: < > http://www.transcend.org/tpu
CONFERENCES, MEETINGS, SEMINARS
No Star Wars: International Space Organizing Conference & Protest
For more details, mailto: http://www.space4peace.org
No new or changed email or web addresses in this issue. All INES e-mail addresses and homepages are available upon request from:
< < < < < end of No. 33/2002 what's new in ines < < < < <