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This
issue contains:
Conflict Focus of the Month (Sri Lanka)
Environmental Issue of the Month (Public Recycling
Bins)
Humanitarian Issue of the Month (UK & Torture)
Civil Liberty Focus (Tunisia)
Film of the Month (The Secret)
Book of the Month (Making Terrorism History)
Letter response of the Month (HSBC)
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FEBRUARY 2007 TRENDS (supplied by
CrisisWatch)
Deteriorated Situations
Pakistan, Somalia, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Uganda, Yemen
Improved Situations
Burundi, North Korea
Read March’s
Crisis Watch Newsletter for excellent coverage of conflict
trends over the last month, including situations that have unchanged
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Visit Warriors of Change to explore
a gateway to activist websites, allowing you to explore the extent of your
power – where you can influence policy and corporate decisions at all levels.
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Want to write a review for a book you’ve read?
Seen a film you think could raise awareness?
Have an issue you’d like raised?
Contact: Editor
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Feel WOC is missing something or is not reflecting a viewpoint? Please
contact Editor
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Welcome to the Warriors
of Change Newsletter!
This
monthly newsletter gives you a brief insight into various issues important in
February – and how you can help others with just 2 minutes of your time!
Instead of
being overwhelmed by the world's sufferings, by focusing your energy and
attention on single issues, you can make more of a difference. Download
ready-made letters – All you have to
do is sign and send!!!
Be sure to
read Response of the Month (at the
bottom) to witness how your power makes a true difference. WOC aims to raise awareness of current issues.
Whilst WOC tries not to polarise, it does attempt to emphasise our national (US
& UK) responsibility to always push for peace and withdraw from war.
Conflict
Focus — Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon)
What’s Going on? — Civil War:
Sinhalese vs Tamils
Country Profile: Ethnicity -
Sinhalese (majority), Tamil (minority)
Religion – Buddhism (majority), Hinduism, Islam, Christianity (minority)
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1815
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Britain colonises Ceylon. Majority Buddhist-Sinhalese
community resent what they see as favouritism towards Hindu Tamils. (Likely Divide & Conquer strategy
used by Britain)
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1948-56
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Britain
leaves Ceylon
to give country full independence. Country’s Sinhalese majority soon
assume power.
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1958-72
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Ceylon
changes name to Sri Lanka (Sinhalese derivative). Escalating violence following series of
anti-Tamil regulations (inc reduction in university for those of Tamil
origin as well as loss of land rights).
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1976
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Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE aka Tamil Tigers) formed.
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1983
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Black
July – Civil war begins. LTTE execute 13 Sri Lankan
soldiers. Riots: Sinhalese civilians retaliate and kill estimated 3,000
Tamil civilians, displacing tens of thousands others. Human rights groups
accuse government of allowing and organising riots.
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1987
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India
becomes involved in conflict – influencing both sides. It provides military and
financial support to Tamil Tigers and rival groups. (It
is believed India hoped to keep Tamils divided). India also supports
Sri Lankan government.
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July 1987
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Indo-Sri
Lanka Peace Accord signed by Indian Prime
Minister Rajiv Gandhi and Sri
Lankan President Jayewardene. Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) formed and tries to demobilise LTTE by
force. IPKF ends up in full-scale conflict and accused of gross human
rights abuses in Tamil-based north.
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1990
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Indian troops leave
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1991
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Assassination
of ex-Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, by LTTE woman suicide bomber, Thenmuli
Rajaratnam
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1997
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United
States declares LTTE a foreign “terrorist” organisation.
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1998
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Tigers bomb Sri Lanka's holiest Buddhist
site.
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2000
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Human Rights Watch accuse government of press
censorship and denial of access to conflict areas & accuse Tigers of
gross human rights violations. Amnesty reports on growing serious human rights
abuses by Sri Lankan state police
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2001
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LTTE
bomb Bandaranaike International Airport, costing government $350
million USD, half of Sri Lankan military budget.
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2002
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Sri Lankan government and Tamil Tigers
enter ceasefire agreement, sponsored by Norway. Both
sides agree to set up the international Sri
Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM).
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2003
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Tigers
suspend peace talks, claiming they are being marginalised.
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2004
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Commander
Karuna of
LTTE (Tamil Tigers) completely defects to create the Karuna Group, which
joins the Sri Lankan government. Karuna Group accused by Human Rights Watch of forcibly recruiting
hundreds of children in eastern Sri Lanka to join government military.
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Dec 26, 2004
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Tsunami
kills more than 30,000 people in Sri Lanka, with hundreds of thousands displaced.
Government declares a national disaster. Deal reached with Tamil Tiger
rebels to share £3bn tsunami aid among Sinhalese, Tamils and
Muslims. However, Marxist party pulls out of the ruling coalition in
protest. Tsunami aid money soon becomes a political chess game, denying crucial aid to
victims.
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2005
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Election of current President Mahinda Rajapakse who is opposed to any
power-sharing deal with Tigers, leads to deteriorating relationship.
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May 2006
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EU label LTTE as “terrorists” and freeze assets. LTTE respond by ejecting all
EU members of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM)
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Oct 2006
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Series of severe suicide bombings by
Tigers, including a convoy, killing more than 90 sailors as well as many civilians.
Peace seems distant.
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Feb 2007
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Human rights groups report Tamil
Tiger representatives are intimidating overseas Tamil ethnics (including UK, Canada and US)
into funding LTTE.
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For full BBC in-depth Timeline of Sri Lanka –
Click Here
BBC Country Profile
; New York Times Coverage
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) -
Homepage
Sri
Lankan government - Homepage
Donate to
charities involved in humanitarian affairs in Sri Lanka
UK & US Citizens – Write to your representative
calling for:
1) LTTE to
be stricken off the Western list of terrorists (so that inclusive
international peace talks & international monitoring of civilian
casualties may resume) ; 2) Also call for international diplomatic
efforts – Download Letter
Discover who and where your representative is –
click here
Live in Europe? – send the same letter to your EU
rep!
Discover more about Sri Lankan and other
conflicts – Go to WOC
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Environmental
Focus — Greenwich, UK
Public recycling bins established
throughout borough
In January 2007, Greenwich borough
introduced public recycling bins throughout the community. This now means
that residents, shoppers, visitors and the many tourists who visit
Greenwich now have the option of placing their cans, paper and bags into a
recycling bin. Does your town have the same? Get them introduced! Clean up
your town and help save the planet!
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Lobby your MP / Congressperson to
do the same! - Download
Letter template
Find out who your local representative is by clicking
here!
Learn More about
Environmental Issues – Click Here
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Humanitarian
Focus — UK & Torture
Stop UK deporting civilians to
torture states
After labeling them as threats to "national
security", the UK has recently deported two men to Algeria, a country
with a known record of torture and other ill-treatment of people suspected
of involvement in terrorism. Another "national security suspect",
known as Abu Qatada, faces return to Jordan after a UK court recently
rejected his appeal against deportation on "national security"
grounds.
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Make a Difference! – Download Letter
template – Send to Your Local MP and
ask your government to begin addressing the UK’s role in human rights.
Find out who your local representative is by
clicking here!
For the latest up-to-date Humanitarian news – Click
Here
For more
information on this issue and how Britain is ignoring human rights of
individuals – Click Here for Amnesty International’s In-depth coverage
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Civil
Liberty Focus — Tunisia
Two years behind bars for lawyer and human rights defender
March 1, 2007 marks the second anniversary of the imprisonment
of lawyer and human rights defender Mohammed Abbou. On 28 November 2005,
the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention concluded that Mohammed Abbou's
detention was arbitrary and in violation of Article 19 of the Universal
Declaration on Human Rights. Amnesty International considers him a prisoner
of conscience, who continues to be detained solely for the peaceful
expression of his opinion after he published articles denouncing torture in
Tunisia and criticizing the Tunisian authorities.
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Write a letter or email to the President! Follow
Amnesty International's simple two step action guide
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Film of
the Month — The Secret
Physicists & Philosophers
discuss power of Law of Attraction
The 'secret'
of having the ability to obtain anything you desire is discussed by
prominent physicists, authors and philosophers as being based in the
universal Law of Attraction. Fragments of ‘The Secret’ have been found in
oral traditions, literature, religions and philosophies throughout the
centuries. The film claims a number of exceptional people discovered and
understood its power: Plato, Leonardo, Galileo and Einstein. Beautiful in
its simplicity, and mind-dazzling in its ability to really work, The Secret
reveals the mystery of the hidden potential within us all. By unifying
leading-edge scientific thought with ancient wisdom and spirituality, the
riveting, practical knowledge will lead viewers to a greater understanding
of how they can become the masters of their own lives.
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Click Here for WOC synopsis, trailer and critic
reviews
Click Here to
see trailers, synopses and critic reviews for other controversial & inspirational
movies!
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Book of
the Month— Making Terrorism History
Scilla Elworthy & Gabrielle
Rifkind
In this
important new book, two experts explain: the root causes of terrorism; the
links between trauma and fundamentalism; why people become suicide bombers;
why peace processes collapse; whether non-violence is a useful response;
and what can be done. Clear, far-reaching, and extremely persuasive, their
book shows why political violence is now a major force in our world. At the
same time, it offers a range of practical actions that can be taken to
combat it, not only by our governments but also on the ground
“Terrorism and misguided policies are threatening to polarise our world.
This book offers real insight, as well as practical step-by-step
alternatives to the “war on terror” – HRH Prince El HaHassan bin Talal of
Jordan
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Click Here for Random House’s site, together with extract
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Response
of the Month – HSBC
HSBC refunds customer £750 for
excessive charges!
UK bank HSBC
has refunded a customer nearly 90% of all charges that have been
accumulated over the past 6 years! Success! All the customer did was
download a letter, sign and send. UK banks are being inundated by demands
from customers – ever since Ofcom declared that excessive charges are illegal (that’s any charge you have
incurred over £4 for the past 6 years!!!).
This customer was happy to receive £750 from HSBC. Have you been
charged over £4 for going over your overdraft, bounced cheque or any other
fine? Claim it back!
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Click Here to read HSBC’s letters to this customer
Discover more about excessive charges & what
you can do – including letter templates to send to your bank
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