Street Seen

2005-11-17T13:50:00.000Z

No More Deaths on Our Streets Protest Rally

Saturday 26 November 3pm

Assemble @ Garden Of Remembrance, Parnell Square, Dublin

A number of developers are expected to bid for the 2.05-acre former UCD Veterinary College, which fronts on to both Pembroke Road and Shelbourne Road, and which is due to be sold by tender on November 30.(1) The current market value for this land exceeds 100 million

No stamp duty is payable on the transaction because it is a government sale.(2) This amounts to 9 Million written off by the Government that could be allocated to addressing homelessness rather than an incentive to unscrupulously affluent Property Developers

The Government has allegedly earmarked the proceeds of this sale to pay for their decentralisation of local government. The Government is choosing to house well paid civil servants in plush offices in Cork or elsewhere rather than address the growing homeless crisis in Ireland.

Over the last few weeks Homeless People have maintained a presence on the streets of Dublin collecting signatures for their simple demand that central goverment releases all the monies raised by the sale of the land to Dublin City Council immediately to address and alleviate the Homeless crisis in Dublin.

A very simple solution that has found resonance with ordinary people in Dublin. To date there has been over 16, 000 people who have signed the petition, this phenomanal figure represents the growing anger on the streets to an uncaring Goverment.

Through the efforts of homeless people Dublin City Council has ratified our motion to accept the Money raised by the sale of the building at UCD to address homelessness in the City.

Last year 53 million was allocated to Homeless services in Dublin, the Cash raised by the sale of UCD would certainly make a difference.

Some examples of How this Money could make an immediate difference-

A psychiatrist - singular - chosen to work with homeless people in Dublin had his job offer withdrawn because of a row over funding. This happened a mere week after three homeless people were found dead on our streets. It seems the consultant wanted a number of specific supports to help in his job and the Health Executive Northern Area management’s excuse was that its budget could not stretch this far. The job would have involved dealing with the mental health needs of about 1,000 people.

- There are currently less than 30 detoxification beds and only 150 residential drug-free treatment beds in Ireland to treat the 14,500 heroin users here, the Merchant's Quay Project (MQI) has said in its recent report. It is understood that one of the three people who died over a weekend in Dublin died of a drugs overdose. Fr Peter McVerry, long-time campaigner for the homeless, voiced his concern about services for homeless young people, saying: ‘Three of four are dying every week in Dublin from drugs overdose. It is repeated week after week.’

The HSE Northern Area budget would have been well able to stretch if the Government, its departments and agencies were not so profligate with taxpayers’ money by wasting it on string of wasteful projects, or simply not collecting it - like the €173 million in unpaid taxes the Revenue Commissioners wrote off last year.

The attitude to public money by the Government virtually amounts to criminal negligence.

Street Seen is demanding urgent action. After our recent Sleep Out at the Dail cross party TD after TD re-inforced the view that we live in an affluent country..

The money is there to stop deaths on our Streets. They know it, we know it, its time to make our voices heard...

People are dying on Dublins Streets through indifference...

The Homeless community are revolting, join them...

Further Details:

Jon Glackin 0868885779

Mark Grehan 0877974622

Notes:

(1) http://www.sbpost.ie/post/pages/p/s...9420-qqqx=1.asp

(2) Stamp duty may be described as a general revenue tax which is imposed on various documents (and in some cases undocumented acquisitions) such as transfers, agreements to sell real estate, business assets, other property, documented gifts, policies of insurance, mortgages, and motor vehicle licence transfers.The revenue is paid into the Consolidated Fund of the State, which is used to meet the costs of public services such as education, health, law and order, and public safety.Stamp duty is imposed under the Stamp Act 1921 with supporting administrative provisions contained in the Taxation Administration Act 2003. http://www.dtf.wa.gov.au/cms/osr_content.asp?ID=178

The Homeless are Still Revolting!!

2005-10-28T18:10:00.000+01:00

An audio interview with tommy; arriving up from the country to the big city with nowhere to turn, learning from the streets, what needs to be done to resolve this problem...
http://radio.indymedia.org/uploads/homeless_still_revolting-_tommy.wav11 mins long

Pics and more details@
http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire.php?story_id=72641

More images from Street Seen's street actions:
http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire.php?story_id=72585&results_offset=120&condense_comments=false#comment125347

Big thanks to Dunk...

Homeless In Revolt!!

2005-10-06T19:20:00.000+01:00

From deaths on the streets, to a protest on the streets, to community organisation, to a sleep out, to a REVOLT

brendans view of the struggle
http://radio.indymedia.org/uploads/brendan.wav
8.07 min
brendan works with the city council community forum and has been working at a local grassroots level with the cities homeless

eddie and chris, both homeless- whats going on today
14.47mins
http://radio.indymedia.org/uploads/eddieand_chris.wav

terry and keno
http://radio.indymedia.org/uploads/terry_and_keno.wav
keno (homeless for @ 22 years) grilles senator terry leydon on what the government is doing about the problem
5.17min

jon glackin
http://radio.indymedia.org/uploads/jon_glackin.wav
founder of street seen gives the history of the development of this "revolt"
9.15min

2.00pm update from jon glackin
http://radio.indymedia.org/uploads/...n.wavr396sv.wav
44 seconds
tds chatting to the lads, lots of media focusing on it, cut short as jon went over to gerry adams who came over to the lads

SF councilor daithi doolan speaks to the lads
http://radio.indymedia.org/uploads/doolan.wav
There will be an emergency Street Seen motion that he and the homeless community wish to pass through the council

FG enda kenny and homeless
http://radio.indymedia.org/uploads/...nd_homeless.wav
he gives his reasons on how he thinks he can change matters

anthony talks with green leader trevor sergeant
http://radio.indymedia.org/uploads/trevor_sar.wav
3.32 min
a proposal to run a homeless candidate in next election??

background:

previous imc feature
No More Deaths On Our Streets
http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire.php?story_id=71896

led to the demonstration on Saturday, Sep 17 2005
No More Deaths On Our Streets
http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire.php?story_id=71897

Well Done & Report on Today's Rally
http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire.ph...k#comment121742

photos of day, part audio recording of speeches and radio interview with Theresa
http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire.ph...k#comment121985

audio:
1-members of the homeless community, politicians, punks, street seen people, social centre people addressed the crowd.
10mins
battery ran out - aplogies
http://radio.indymedia.org/uploads/speeches.wav

2-Theresa has been homeless for over 30 years on Dublins streets, she has seen the changes with the arrival of heroin, the arrival of the celtic tiger, she has seen many friends in her homeless family die
52 mins
http://radio.indymedia.org/uploads/theresa.wav

More Sounds from Homeless in Washington DC and Street Seen Dublin
by RobbieS Saturday, Oct 1 2005, 8:52pm

The first clip is a 4 minute interview with the homeless athlete and performer Gary Wilf ('Chill Will') recorded in Washington DC on Sun September 25th.

To listen on broadband (128kbps/FMQuality) click
http://radio.indymedia.org/uploads/dchomeless.mp3

The second clip is about 17 minutes and is a series of interviews with some of those attending the Street Seen sleepover at the gates of Dáil Éireann, recorded at around 11 p.m., Tuesday September 27th.

To hear this clip on broadband immediately (128kbps/FMQuality), click next link
http://radio.indymedia.org/uploads/....streetseen.mp3

Notice in this clip that some scathing things are said about authorities and charities alike, but no government bullying could ensue because; we didn't ask 'who are you?' knowing that we're all equal in our humanity.

To download via 56k modem visit the final link and right click either of the two mp3-links and "save target as"...

http://radio.indymedia.org/news/2005/10/7046.php

Special thanks to all who have helped!

Dublin Rally: The Aftermath!

2005-09-24T22:17:00.000+01:00

After a very successful rally that was held on Saturday 17th September that was attended by around 300 people, the first homeless organising street meeting was held at St. Stephens Green Bandstand.

This was a new concept whereby homeless people came together to organise future activities in the Street Seen 'No More Deaths On Our Streets' campaign. This was a new concept in so far that, for once, people directly affected by homelessness had a vehicle to communicate and organise...So far we have had 3 street meetings and will be holding them regularly

The Homeless Are Revolting!! Come Join Them..!!

It was decided that we had to raise the profile of our activities publically, loudly and target directly the decision makers that have created the conditions that confines so many people to Irelands Streets.

Our group has been invited to address the Dublin Housing Commitee meeting that will be held on Monday 26th September. Imagine that, Homeless people actually communicating directly our concerns and demands for better funding of existing services and more funds to be made available to develop real solutions!! Whatever next, they might listen!!!

Simple solutions for Complex Problems...

On Tuesday 27th September Street Seen will be holding a Solidarity Sleep Out in front of the Dail (Parliament) as it reopens from another of their long breaks. We intend to be the first people those TDs (MPs) have to face at the Dail as they come back from their holidays...We will keep this campaign to the forefront of their mind.

No more passive support we want Active Support!

On Monday 3rd October an Emergency motion is to be submitted on our behalf to Dublin City Council meeting October 3rd on behalf of Sinn Fein Group that we expect and demand cross party support..'

That this City Council calls on the government to refrain from selling the former UCD Veterinary College, Dublin 4 and instead allocate it to Dublin City Council with a view to alleviating the housing crisis in the city

The Government is to announce shortly that it is to sell the former UCD Veterinary College which stands on a site of 2.1 acres fronting on to both Pembroke Road and Shelbourne Road. It is likely to make over €100 million.
Further Details:http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/commercialproperty/2005/0914/836863847CPVET.html

Street Seen, Irish Anti-Poverty paper has now been recognised by the Dublin City Council Community Forums as the official voice of Dublins Homeless Community. We intend to make that voice heard loudly and clearly!!

We have gathered up amazing support for our campaign and this is only the start....

Some recent Press Coverage Of Street Seen Rally

2005-09-19T10:53:00.000+01:00

Continually updated Link @ Indymedia: http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire.php?story_id=71896

Irish Times:

Anti-homelessness campaigners will stage a rally in Dublin tomorrow following the death of three people sleeping rough in the city last week.A number of homeless people are due to speak at the event, which is being advertised in hostels and other emergency accommodation typically used by the homeless.

Mark Grehan of organisers Street Seen said it expected several hundred people at the event, "including a very big turnout from the homeless community" .The move follows the death of two adults and a 17-year-old youth in a 48-hour period last week, the latter having suffered a drug overdose.

Anti-homelessness campaigner Fr Peter McVerry said: "Our failure to eliminate homelessness, in this the second wealthiest country in the world, is nothing short of a scandal. "Homelessness and housing waiting lists both doubled during the 'Celtic Tiger' years when this country had more money than we knew what to do with - but giving some of it to the poor was not a choice that we were willing to make."I would encourage everyone to attend Saturday's event to show solidarity with our homeless community."

The protest will take place at 2pm at the Central Bank on Dame Street. Independent TD Finian McGrath and Socialist Party TD Joe Higgins are due to speak at the event, while Labour and Sinn Féin have also pledged their support, according to the organisers. Mr Grehan said more people would die on the streets unless action was taken. "It's only September. The weather is going to get worse," he warned, adding: "Current Government ministers are much more willing to give themselves another massive pay increase than to divert proper resources to address the issue of homelessness in Ireland. "

He said the organisers planned to hold a "street meeting" after the rally for the homeless community to give it a chance "to speak for itself".People attending the protest on Saturday have been asked to bring along "spare sleeping bags, blankets and non-perishable foodstuffs for distribution to those in need"

.A 2004 survey conducted by homeless organisations in Dublin city, and co-ordinated by the Homeless Agency, indicated that some 237 people slept rough in Dublin city centre on a regular basis, and close to 100 slept on the streets every night of the week.

Daily Ireland:

Anti Poverty Campaigners have urged the public to a attend rally in Dublin this weekend to highlight the plight of those forced to sleep rough. Three homeless people died on the streets on Dublin in recent weeks. Campaigners say a chronic housing shortage and a shambolic approach to providing support services have added to the misery of our most vulnerable citizens.Under the Slogan
–NO MORE DEATHS ON OUR STREETS!NO MORE DEATHS FROM INDIFFERENCE! –
the Anti Poverty newspaper, STREET SEEN, hopes to draw a large crowd to the Dublin demonstration.

It is estimated that 237 people sleep rough on the streets of Dublin every night. Mark Grehan of STREET SEEN said that more needed to be done to support homeless people. ‘It is a disgrace that hundreds of people are consigned to sleeping on Ireland’s cold streets every night. The recent deaths of three homeless people in Dublin acts as a tragic wake up call to the people of Ireland and to the powers- that- be, to sort out the crisis in housing and associated services.

On Saturday there will be a sizable ‘homeless’ contingent which will be voicing its anger at the current situation. Saturday will offer an opportunity for the homeless community to be heard... There are service providers that do look into the issue but they are chronically under funded. The government looks at homeless people as not being vote givers and therefore they tend to concentrate on issues that will win them votes’, said Mr Grehan.

Trade unions, anti poverty groups and church leaders have thrown their weight behind the rally. Fr Peter McVerry, who has a deep interest in the welfare of homeless people, called on people to attend tomorrow’s event. ‘Homeless people are homeless by choice. But it is a choice that others make. Our failure to eliminate homelessness, in this the second wealthiest country in the world, is nothing short of a scandal. Homelessness, and housing waiting lists, both doubled during the Celtic Tiger years when this country had more money than we knew what to do with - but giving some of it to the poor was not a choice that we were willing to make. I would encourage everyone to attend Saturday’s event to show solidarity with our homeless community"

Organisers have called on those attending the rally to take along sleeping bags, blankets and non perishable food for distribution to those in need. The event will take place tomorrow at 2pm at the Central Bank on Dame Street, Dublin 2

For more information call Mark Grehan in the Republic on 087 797 4622

Ireland online

Campaigners are calling for hundreds of Dubliners to turn out to show solidarity for the homeless at a rally today protesting against the recent deaths of three people sleeping rough in the city.Independent TD Finian McGrath is joining representatives of the Labour Party and Sinn Féin as well as members of the homeless community and protesters at the demonstration outside Central Bank at 2pm today

.Ahead of the rally, Sinn Féin spokesman on social and family affairs Sean Crowe called on as many people as possible to turn out and show solidarity with the homeless. “The recent deaths of three people sleeping rough on the streets must not be repeated,” he said.“It is totally unacceptable that homeless people should be dying on the streets of our cities in the midst of a so-called Celtic Tiger economy.“With winter only beginning there is an urgent need for the Government to address this issue and a big turnout on Saturday will go a long way in focusing them on what needs to be done. The people of Dublin need to send a message to the Government that these deaths are a blight on them and their record,” Mr Crowe said.

The ‘No more death on our streets’ rally is being co-ordinated by anti-poverty paper Street Seen and organiser Mark Grehan said he hoped around 200 people would turn up in support of the campaign. “We’re calling on the Government to put proper and effective resources in this area – it’s not just about putting a roof over people’s heads, it’s also about putting in counselling and other services,” he said.As well as helping people who were homeless, resources were also needed to prevent people becoming homeless and to stop people falling back into homelessness, he said.

Sinn Féin Dublin councillor Daithi Doolan called on the Government to establish a task force to tackle homelessness in the capital as a matter of urgency. “Many of our politicians applaud themselves at the fact that Ireland has one of the richest economies in the world.“This claim is disgraced by the fact that despite the wealth, a record number of 237 people sleep on the streets of Dublin every night.“This was brought into stark reality when three people died on our streets recently simply because they could not get accommodation on the night of their deaths,” he said.

Irish Times
( Monday)
Homeless group begins campaign

Over 200 people joined a rally in Dublin on Saturday to protest over the problem of homelessness in Ireland, particularly in Dublin city. The demonstration was organised following the death of three people sleeping rough within the space of a week in Dublin city a fortnight ago.

At the protest outside the Central Bank, Dame Street, Mark Grehan, of organisers Street Seen, said the rally signalled the beginning of a new campaign. "In two to three weeks' time we will hold a public meeting. Then we will have a mass rally before staging a sleep-out outside the Dáil," he added.

A number of speakers voiced their concerns at the rally, including politicians and anti-homelessness campaigners as well as many homeless people. The key to this new campaign, Mr Grehan said, was the involvement of the homeless community towards solving this problem.

Socialist Party TD Joe Higgins said: "Homeless people are invisible at the present time. We are not short of resources, we are short the political will to provide housing and care to all who need it."He said that in the run-up to the next general election, the political parties should make "cast-iron promises" to eradicate homelessness. "The Government looks after the super rich, the very rich and not at all the poor," he added.

Jeremy McHugh (32), originally from Kildare, is currently homeless and came out to support Saturday's demonstration. "If all homeless people come together and sleep outside Dáil Éireann, that's the only way this will be solved. We want the key to our own doors," he said.

Sinn Féin Cllr Daithí Doolan said it was a disgrace that 5,500 people in Ireland were homeless while the country enjoys such economic prosperity. He called on the Government to immediately "establish a taskforce to tackle homelessness in our capital". He also called on the Minister of State for Housing, Noel Ahern, to take responsibility and action. "People are dying for want of a home," he said. "Shame on you Noel Ahern."

The Labour Party, Residents Against Racism and other anti-homelessness campaigners also supported the demonstration.

At the end of the rally, Mr Grehan urged the assembled crowd to lobby their local TDs and councillors to take action on homelessness. A "street meeting" took place after the rally, which gave people from the homeless community an opportunity "to speak about issues that affect them," Mr Grehan said.

No More Deaths On Our Streets

2005-09-10T19:53:00.000+01:00

No More Deaths On Our Streets

Saturday 17 September @ 2pm

Central Bank

Dame Street

Dublin 2

The recent tragic deaths of two ‘homeless’ people in Dublin highlights the Governments acute inadequacies in serving its citizens. On a weekly basis people die needlessly on Irish streets due to the acute lack of housing and lack of services to those in need. In response to these recent deaths Street Seen, Irish Anti-Poverty Paper, are calling on people to protest in Dublin saying clearly enough is enough: No More Deaths On Our Streets

Numbers of people sleeping rough in Dublin city centre remain at record high levels, according to a new survey conducted by homeless organisations. Two hundred and thirty seven (237) people sleep rough in Dublin on any given night. These people are vulnerable to changes in the weather, violence, abuse and sexual exploitation. The survey co-ordinated by the Homeless Agency was carried out by Focus Ireland, Dublin Simon Community, Merchant’s Quay Ireland along with Dublin City Council and other homeless services

It was only with the introduction of the Housing Act in 1988 that any kind of national assessments of homelessness by Local Authorities were carried out. Although the early assessments were deeply flawed the most recent one (2002) found that a record 5,581 people were homeless throughout the state (according to the Housing Act definition). The majority of these were in Dublin. The Homeless Agency also co-ordinated a separate assessment for Dublin. This counted 2,920 homeless people in Dublin in 2002. There are currently 48,413 households on the housing waiting lists nationally and 5,581 people who are homeless. The vast majority of these live in emergency hostels and B&B accommodation on a night-by-night basis

Not only has the number of homeless households increased substantially over the years but the crisis in social/public housing has also deepened. The slow-down in the construction of social housing by the local authorities in the late 1980s and early 1990s, the rise in the cost of renting private accommodation and the increasing cost of purchasing a property have lead to an increased demand for social housing.

Housing charity Threshold recently called on the Government to prevent the creation of modern-day slums by radically improving living conditions in private rental accommodation. Threshold in its 2004 Annual Report, showed the number of calls from people living in unfit accommodation had risen by more than a third last year. Conditions people were reporting included problems with hot and cold running water, mould growing on walls, vermin infestations and living in windowless rooms, Threshold claimed local authorities were failing in their duty to inspect privately-rented accommodation, with only 7,232 of an estimated 150,000 dwellings checked by inspectors. According to the report, almost 30% of inspected properties were found to be falling below minimum standards.

Homelessness means more than just sleeping rough. If you are living in Ireland in a hostel or bed and breakfast or staying temporarily with friends because you have nowhere else to go, you are homeless.

Street Seen is calling on all those individuals, groups and organisations who wish to see the end of avoidable deaths on Irish Streets and homelessness to support this demonstration as a matter of urgency.

No More Deaths On Our Streets
Saturday 17 September @ 2pmCentral Bank
Dame Street
Dublin 2

Further Details:

Jon Glackin 0774 327 5533
Mark Grehan 087 797 4622

Supported by:
Street Seen
Fr. Peter McVerry
Mick O’Reilly, Reg. Sec. TGWU
Ray O’Reilly, Asst. Gen. Sec. IWU
International Homeless Forum http://www.forums.homeless.org.au/
Residents Against Racism

Organ donation: The gift of life

2005-08-27T16:35:00.000+01:00

Carrying a donor card is a great start, but to be a registered organ donor you need to join the NHS Organ Donor Register.

Today more than 6,000 people in the UK are waiting for an organ transplant that could save or dramatically improve their life. Most are waiting for a kidney, others for a heart, lung or liver transplant. But less than 3,000 transplants are carried out each year.
Transplants are one of the most miraculous achievements of modern medicine. But they depend entirely on the generosity of donors and their families who are willing to make this life-saving gift to others.

Desperate need for more donors

There is a desperate need for more donors. Last year more than 400 people died while waiting for a transplant. One in ten people waiting for a heart transplant will die and many others will lose their lives before they even get on to the waiting list.
The more people who pledge to donate their organs after their death, the more people stand to benefit. By choosing to join the NHS Organ Donor Register you could help make sure life goes on.

Organ Donor Line

If you've not signed up to the NHS Organ Donor Register, you can do so by calling the NHS Organ Donor Line: 0845 60 60 400
Lines open: 07:00-23:00 (closed Christmas Day and New Year's Day)

The NHS Organ Donor Register is a national, confidential list of people who are willing to become donors after their death. It can be quickly accessed to see whether an individual has registered a willingness to be an organ donor. It can literally be a life-saver. So that in the event of your death there's a chance that your organs could help someone else to live.
It is not known exactly how many people's organs could have been used to save life if only they and their families had given consent.

Putting your name on the NHS Organ Donor Register makes everyone aware of your wishes and makes it easier for them to agree to your donation.
Millions of people carry donor cards or are on the register. Join them. The easiest way is to join on-line.

You can also join the register when you apply for a driving licence, register with a new GP or apply for a new passport. Not sure whether you are already on the register? Sign up anyway, or check by writing to:

The NHS Organ Donor RegisterUK Transplant
FREEPOST
(SWB1474)Patchway
BRISTOLBS34 8ZZ

When you register it is important that you tell those closest to you about your decision. Even if your name is on the register, the person closest to you in life will be asked to confirm that you had not changed your mind. Putting your name on the register demonstrates your consent to the use of your organs for transplantation.

Facing up to the death of a loved one is hard. Having to make a decision about organ donation, unsure what that person would have wanted can cause extra pain.
Talk to your family now to make sure they know what you want.

Yes, I want to register as a donor

You can also carry a donor card if you wish, and you can find these in leaflets in doctors' surgeries or by ringing the Organ Donor Line on 0845 60 60 400 between 7am and 11pm seven days a week.
Calls are charged at local rate.

MPH Belfast Rally Report

2005-08-24T16:25:00.000+01:00

"I'm here because it’s about time my generation actually took some action rather than watching things on TV and thinking 'isn't that awful?' " Zoe Anderson, 26, East Belfast"

Sometimes it falls upon a generation to be great. You can be that great generation. Let your greatness blossom. Of course the task will not be easy. But not to do this would be a crime against humanity, against which I ask all humanity now to rise up. Make Poverty History in 2005. Make History in 2005. Then we can all stand with our heads held high.... Overcoming poverty is not a gesture of charity. It is an act of justice. It is the protection of a fundamental human right, the right to dignity and a decent life. While poverty persists, there is no true freedom."
Nelson Mandela

Thousands of people braved the changeable Belfast weather on Saturday 4th June to register their support for the MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY campaign at a rally organized by the NI coalition at Customs House Square, Belfast. The Rally was supported by an array of Community groups, Church leaders, Trade Unions, Aid agencies, students, Sports People and concerned individuals. Celebrity supporters of the campaign and musicians such as Gary Lightbody of Snow Patrol, Brian Houston and Talking Drum shared a platform with a broad cross-section of civil society in what proved to be the biggest rally on global poverty in Northern Ireland in recent memory.

Deborah Doherty, a spokesperson for the coalition said, “We were delighted to see a really wide range of people turn up today- there were a few thousand here. We had a colourful event- N. Ireland has truly joined the global campaign to send a strong message to Tony Blair and G8 leaders- do something in July to cancel world debt.”

People from all backgrounds and walks of life showed up at the rally at Laganside’s new development in Custom House Square. A collection of colourful banners from Amnesty, Students Against Poverty and a host of other groups added to the carnival atmosphere.

Gary Lightbody, Lead Singer of Snow Patrol, addressing the large crowd stated, “We've been heavily involved in Make Poverty History for the past year. We still see poverty still happening - you can't believe that it's still the same situation 20 years later since Live Aid. The reason is these countries are being crushed under the weight of debt. There is a solution and it's a simple one. We have to take responsibility. Our governments have to say ‘no more’. We can't go on like this. As a generation, we have to stand up and say ‘no more’. When our leaders go into the G8 summit, they have to know the whole world is demanding they pay attention to Africa and all the Third World countries.”

The rally attracted broad cross community support for the aims of MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY,

Margaret Ward, Women's Support Network said of the day "The Women's Support Network came today to support the aims of Make Poverty History because it is often women who face the harsh realities of raising families in extreme poverty. The eradication of poverty is linked to the empowerment of women and women in Northern Ireland want our voices to be heard"

"I'm here today because I think those of us who live in wealthy countries have a moral responsibility to help people in the developing world. We can't just sit back and let children die unnecessarily" Anna Lo. Chinese Welfare Association

"I'm here because it’s about time my generation actually took some action rather than watching things on TV and thinking 'isn't that awful?' " Zoe Anderson, 26, East Belfast"

We came along with our families because we think its important that we teach our children to look beyond their own lives and develop empathy with children and young people from other countries who are much less well of than they are." Anne and Hugh Moore, parents of three children, North Belfast.

"Today's older generation have had to endure ongoing poverty and discrimination and they want to show solidarity with older people across the globe who will continue to live in poverty if the aims of Make Poverty History are not met." Seamus Lynch, Help the Aged.

“Here at the East Belfast Community Development Association we deal with poverty and exclusion everyday. Of course the nature and scale of the poverty is different but the human experience is the same. We have come here to stand in solidarity with people in developing countries and to send a message to the G8 that says enough is enough" Michael Briggs, Director, East Belfast Community Development Association.

The event was addressed by a broad cross-section of Church leaders, Gary and Nathan from the Bangor band, Snow Patrol, and Binnie Mwatasungula, a representative from the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian in N. Malawi who moved the large crowd as he spoke of the reality of living with Poverty. Binnie’s words brought a hushed silence as he related his experiences of a country where 49% living in rural areas have no access to clean water. The crowd was entertained by Brian Houston and his band, Talking drum and compered by BBCs David 'Rigsy' O'Reilly.

For more information on the campaign visit our website http://www.makepovertyhistory-ni.org/

MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY NI is a broad coalition made up of : Oxfam ,Trocaire, Christian Aid, Street Seen, NIPSA, NICVA, Help The Aged , War On Want, Save The Children, Concern, C of I Bishops Appeal, Tear Fund, Comhlamh, ARN, Send My Friend to School, QUB Campaigning Group, ICTU

Threshold warns of Ireland's new slum danger

2005-08-24T15:40:00.000+01:00

The Government must prevent the creation of modern-day slums by radically improving living conditions in private rental accommodation, it was recently claimed .

Housing charity Threshold said its 2004 Annual Report, launched in Dublin, showed the number of calls from people living in unfit accommodation had risen by more than a third last year.
Conditions people were reporting included problems with hot and cold running water, mould growing on walls, vermin infestations and living in windowless rooms, the charity said. Threshold also claimed local authorities were failing in their duty to inspect privately-rented accommodation, with only 7,232 of an estimated 150,000 dwellings checked by inspectors.

According to the report, almost 30% of inspected properties were found to be falling below minimum standards, but legal action was only taken in four cases. Aideen Hayden, chairwoman of Threshold, said the wrong message was being sent out to landlords and called for local authorities to step up inspections, prosecute more cases and name and shame those found guilty of breaches of the law.
“The introduction of the new Residential Tenancies Act last year has greatly improved tenants rights in the private rented sector,” she said.“But the Government must now copper-fasten this progress by tackling the quality of accommodation, particularly at the lower end of the market.“It is totally unacceptable that people are forced to live in windowless flats, sleep in bedrooms covered in mildew or make do without hot running water.“We also have to ask is it acceptable that in this day and age people are expected to live in one room with a toilet opening off it, and that room is their kitchen, living room, dining room and their bedroom?”Ms Hayden called for the Government to ensure existing standards were enforced and to also introduce new standards which reflected current accepted living standards.

Sh also warned that the introduction of apartment-style living in inner cities did not cater for families who were being housed in them. Much of the accommodation was being let to rent supplement tenants which resulted in high concentrations of poverty, she said. “Too few apartments are designed with children in mind – living spaces are cramped with no play or study areas and often there is nowhere to dry clothes or to store children’s toys and bikes. “Unfortunately while we are following a European model of apartment dwelling, we are not following the standards of amenities that make communal living possible,” she said.“The Government needs to act urgently to make sure we are not putting in place slum clearance programmes like the Ireland of the 1930s and 1940s in the Ireland of 2010,” she said.

Threshold saw an increase in use of its services last year, with a total of 20,601 people coming to the charity for help.The return of deposits was a growing problem for tenants, and advice workers dealt with 44% more cases last year than in 2003.The number of calls about illegal evictions also grew by 41% to 271 cases.But Threshold’s Access Unit – which helps homeless people into rented accommodation – completed its second successful year, helping 127 people, including children, into a home.

Davy Carlin: 'Fill Up My Senses'

2005-08-24T15:32:00.000+01:00

Over the last few days of wonderful weather my partner and I who both hold a growing and keen interest in the environment and nature, have enjoyed our local facilities. With a ten-minute walk from our home we can sit on the side of a beautiful mountain, ‘our mountain’ {Black Mountain} and overlook the city of Belfast.

With that my partner sketches while I pen or type articles. This with the memories of our immediate childhoods just a glance away, mine having been the Murph {Ballymurphy}, while Marie’s being the Turf {Turf Lodge} as we look from Black mountain upon such. We can now trek and ramble to the top of the mountain and beyond, {now opened} and take in one of its nature trails. This while breathing in not only the fresh air, but also the splendid scenery which of course stretches over Belfast to the opposite mountains, and to the loch and sea beyond. The array of wildlife, birds, flowers, shrubbery is bountiful as you make your way up past beautiful white horses grazing in the fields. Each aspect of nature I am finding has its own independent smell and feel of touch, and each eatable berry, its own wild flavour.Yet having hauled our foldable chairs up with us, and although with the heat beating down in the hottest day of the year, we where ‘chilled’ and contended, as we breathed in the scenery, with a chat and a good book in hand – and of course an amply filled Cool box. This while keeping an eye on our wee dog who had encountered a few new friends in the form of colourful butterflies and birds which I am just beginning to put names to, as I trawl though wildlife books. In fact I have found myself stating things I would not have thought myself stating years ago such as, ‘isn’t that flower beautiful’, isn’t that tree magnificent’, isn’t that sky amazing’’ this scenery needs no words’ etc. Yet in a sense I find it hard to explain, but I feel I am ‘drawn’ to such things which where once completely unacknowledged by oneself. And indeed this has intensified as I work to finish my book about growing up in West Belfast and that of my recent activism. In fact such provides both inspiration and comfort because as I have found that as my senses become more alive and aware, then in a differing but similar sense, so do I {if persons can understand what I mean} -------------

Another five minutes and a lazy dander from our door in another direction we are inside a large open park, which holds a huge array of tended flowerbeds and shrubbery. The park also hosts a leisure centre, various pitches, play areas, bowling greens, outdoor basket ball and bike courses as well as a river lined with magnificent trees which run through it.In the evening my Partner and I frequently take a jog around the top pitch which on a summers evening is a beautiful experience in itself. On one side of the pitch one can look upon Belfast as the lights come on around the city, while on the other side one can look upon Black Mountain as the sun sets behind it. The array of colours, purple, lilac orange, yellow, red etc when the sun is setting behind the ‘Blackness’ of our mountain in all its glory, is simply amazing on these summer evenings At the bottom of our park is an award winning {UNESCO} nature reserve. Within it one can find many varieties of wildlife settled around the lake, or on the island in the middle of it, from swans to other families of various water birds busily getting on with their tasks. While on the other hand when walking around its surrounding greenery and bog meadows you can explore the numerous types of foliage abundant with many forms of life - some of which I had not been aware having even existed. For example blue and lilac luminous flies that hover above the bog meadows are a wonderment in themselves, before one even attempts to study their ‘work patterns’ Yet either sitting on our chairs over looking the lake, or simply walking around the reserve talking about life, the world, and why and how it needs changed. We are always given extra inspiration by such tranquil surroundings – even though being amongst a frenzy of activity that often had went unacknowledged to oneself. The nature reserve is a place where one can just chill out and take in the pleasure of nature static or in motion - or to actively study it closer at hand. Indeed such is our regularity there, that the swans now feed on the titbits out of our hands while other specific birds at times land on our arms or shoulders.

Even back at our home {which has enclosed garden at the front} an occasional seagull now makes its way lazily along at times in early morning to find titbits. Again sometimes we just chill in the garden to the neighbourness of hello Davy, hello Marie from all who pass, whatever the age. This with ourselves and the dog under the shade of the trees if the sun gets to hot, but usually basking in it – but still, as ever, under the watchful and inspirational shadow of Black Mountain which recalls aspects of both our childhoods like many from the surrounding area. Indeed even today when I have friends from elsewhere visiting, the view driving up the Springfield road and seeing Black mountain coming into view always rise’s comments of admiration from whomever views it. --------

Yet it is not only a situation where I have realised in a real way my senses in respect to nature, but in tandem with this I have found a growing interest in structures, architecture and history {in an artistic and thoughtful sense} ------. So across the road from the reserve’s entrance is, as stated, the Falls Park, while on each side of the road holds cemeteries, These cemeteries indeed hold an immense history and both of us {without seeming morbid} finding pleasure and intrigue touring them through seeing and discovering a whole local history emerging. Again much of what was hidden amongst overgrowth is now starting to be unveiled due to work being done. Seeing some of the masonry and the monuments from yesteryear tells of yet other stories. Over time I have found that if one lifts their heads above head level another whole history emerges through the architecture and buildings all around and above us. Indeed as with nature and the environment my interest has been drawn to such Since my late teens I have been fortunate enough to having been able to travel a lot. Indeed I have travelled to many countries in the world, including to virtually every ‘Party spot’ in Western Europe since then.

Yet again such has shifted and Marie and my travels now incorporate all those aspects as raised above. Over the last decade or so my whole outlook on life, my thoughts and understanding of the world have changed to an extent that those that I had known then would no longer {in a sense} know me now. It is said that people change; people mellow, as they grow older. Yet I have changed, although not mellowed, as there is a fire that burns ever stronger as a Revolutionary Socialist within my heart and within my mind.I had once thought though that such feelings of appreciation for such things where deemed ‘unmanly’ amongst my peer groups. Indeed at best I may have been isolated as a tree hugging hippie or may even have been warranted a kicking in youth {by some} if I had went around smelling flowers or sitting in admiration watching the sun set at the height of the conflict. Anyways, apart from that such things where the furthest from my mind and only over time have I been drawn to them, or indeed them to me.Yet in my own understanding - ever developing - there is no contradiction of being an outspoken Revolutionary and being outspoken in the appreciation of such aspects of nature. Indeed I believe to be a Revolutionary Socialist one should be at the forefront in the defence of the environment and all that goes with it.
As my interest develops and indeed as it is drawn to nature, to the environment, to architecture, to structures, to monuments and ‘artistic’ history I feel it is part of me that was always there but has been long held back. This like so many other things pushed to the back of the mind, like many other people, during those childhood and youth days living within the war.
On this issue though, my appreciation grows. And now when sitting on Black Mountain or when focusing on the hive of plant, bird and insect activity in the nature reserve with my partner, or when looking upon wondrous architecture or upon historical monuments - my senses come alive.

And with it brings both a feeling of being alive and a certain sense of freedom never before felt.Indeed when I am immersed in such it creates a growing feeling of being able to breathe – I mean – to now really really being able to breathe, from the tip of my toe to the very core of my mind. .

'Terri Hooley: The Day the Music died'

2005-08-24T15:21:00.000+01:00

THE DAY THE MUSIC DIED
...A tribute to John Peel

I first met John Peel in the late sixties when he walked into the offices of “Release” in London with boxes full of records. The boxes were of promotional discs from record companies he would not play on his show; he was donating them to the charity in the hope that they could make a little money from them.

In 1967 Radio one was set up to as part of the government’s war against the dozens of pirate radio stations broadcasting from ships around the British Isles.

John had a show called The Perfumed Garden (playing hippie music) on Radio London. In a Radical change in policy the BBC recruited many of the pirate disc jockeys like Tony Blackburn, Johnny Walker and John Peel. Nobody would have ever predicted back then that John Peel (real name John Ravenscroft) would outlast all the others.

Over the years many a head of Radio One wanted to get rid of him but he survived every DJ cull. His nightly show was to become essential listening for generations of young and not so young people, turning them on to every type of music; often in styles the listener had never thought that she or he would find appealing.

The John Peel Show was to become a national institution and he never believed he would end up being a pensioner presenter.

The seventies were a horrendous period in the history of Northern Ireland and many people stayed at home at night, rather than venture out. Consequently, like many others, part of my social ritual would be the John Peel show, through the medium of which I was guaranteed to hear all the new music first.

By 1976 I was selling records from my back bedroom and in 1977 I opened “Good Vibrations” record shop on first-floor premises in Great Victoria Street, Belfast, at precisely the time punk was giving the music industry a good kick up the ass. Punk to me was my hippie revenge, and I went to a gig featuring Rudi and The Outcasts in The Pound Club. That was the night that the Good Vibrations label was formed with Rudi being my first signing.

The scene reminded me of my youth when I first started to go to see bands playing R ‘n B music in the sixties.

That period had started as a small underground thing and soon became a beat boom explosion. Then, we had dozens of bands, with plenty of clubs to play in.

Very few of the bands ever got the chance to make a record in those days. It took THEM, featuring the incredible Van Morrison, to really make it and put Belfast on the international musical map.

Belfast had been ignored throughout “the troubles” and many musicians had left the country. Many of the old clubs and dance halls closed for one reason or another, mainly through lack of customers too frightened to come into the city centre.

But the times were a-changing and unlike the groups of the sixties (who always seemed to be waiting for some fat cat from London to sign them up) “Stiff Little Fingers” were putting out their own records like “Suspect Device” and demanding an “Alternative Ulster”

It was a time of DIY. Local fanzines were spreading the gospel, telling the world that something was happening here other than bombs and killings.

John Peel was one of the few people to champion the new music of the province and when I put out the fourth single on the label it was to change his life. “Teenage Kicks” by Derry band The Undertones was the first record in the history of the BBC to be played twice in a row and remained his all time favourite record.

Four days after he played it the band got signed up to Sire records. When John made his first pilgrimage to Good Vibes, he couldn’t believe that our offices were what he described as “a dinky toy telephone booth”.
Many of our bands got to go to London and do sessions for his show, and go on to better things.

When the label was in trouble and we had a big concert in the Ulster Hall John flew over to be with us, and got a standing ovation. If he stayed with my mother-in-law, he would send her a bunch of flowers. And if he heard that I was coming over to England he would invite me down to Peel Acres or round to the show. A few times he changed the show to include a new record that I had just discovered.

One night out drinking with my old mate Shane MaGowan, he found out that I was going down to stay with John. A bootlegger friend of Shane’s offered me £5.000 to steal a radio session tape from John’s house.

When I arrived John told me I was sleeping in the bed amongst his record collection. I asked him where the tape was “he said right beside the bed, why the interest?” When I told him how much I was offered to steal it, he laughed and said, “It wasn’t enough”.

John used to tell me off for treating him like a rock star, but to me he was bigger than most rock stars. He was a rare breed amongst radio DJs the genuine article and just the same lovable man on radio and off.
He truly was a legend in his own lifetime and he could never be replaced.
John thanks for all the great music and everything, we are all going to miss you.
When I think of you there will always be a tear in my beer.

The resistible rise of racism in NI

2005-08-24T15:09:00.000+01:00

More than five racist or homophobic attacks take place in Belfast every week, according to recent figures.

Attacks for example in north Belfast doubled between April and September this year Over the 183-day period there were 129 so-called hate crimes recorded throughout the city. In the previous year, some 226 racial incidents were recorded across Northern Ireland, resulting to date in five known prosecutions. In May, the Northern Ireland Affairs committee said police figures were underestimating "hate crime" levels by a "considerable margin" because victims were failing to report attacks.

These attacks will continue until we send a loud and clear message to those orchestrating and carrying out these attacks that we will not tolerate this behaviour. The ARN (Anti Racism Network) have been to the fore in opposing any racist attacks or behaviour
recently over 2,000 people attended a rally in Belfast's city centre, Saturday 30 October, calling for an end to racism. Marchers gathered outside the City Hall on Saturday to make a stand against race hate. The event was organised by the Anti-Racism Network and the Chinese Welfare Association under the slogan 'No Excuses'.

Speakers from the Chinese, Muslim and gay communities called for the government to do more to stop attacks against them. The organisers of the march said it was an opportunity for people to stand together to show their utter rejection of race hate. They also wanted to reassure members of ethnic minorities that they had support and solidarity. The main rally began at the University of Ulster's Art College and proceeded to City Hall. Feeder parades began in west Belfast at Roden Street, and in the south of the city at Equality House, Shaftesbury Square.
The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission strongly endorsed the rally. The commission's head of legal services, policy and research, Ciaran O Maolain, said: "Racism in Northern Ireland is not a new phenomenon, but the commission is especially concerned at the increase in racist attacks and other manifestations of intolerance in Belfast, Armagh, Dungannon, Ballymena and elsewhere. The recent attacks on gay people in Derry are equally abhorrent." He said he wanted to see policing resources directed at protecting minorities and bringing to justice those behind the recent attacks. "It is worrying that there have been only a handful of prosecutions for hate crimes which are happening at the rate of at least 300 per year," Mr O Maolain said.
Stephen Alexander of the ARN said it was encouraging so many people had come out to support the rally "Racist attacks have appalled people right across Northern Ireland, and their support for this rally clearly demonstrated that racism is something we don’t want here. The theme for the rally was `No Excuses`, he said, because people were fed up hearing lame justifications for racist behaviour. Myths about `immigrants taking our jobs` or being `a threat to local culture` are exactly that - stories with no basis in reality," he said.

There was a racist crime reported almost every day in Belfast and new police figures made "very worrying reading", he added. "Sadly, it’s not uncommon for some people to unfairly blame ethnic minorities for deprivation in their area. It is wrong to scapegoat ethnic minorities for the failures in our society that existed long before their arrival,"
Sadly after the rally there were further racist attacks in the West and the North of our city. Hospital workers from the Filipino community were targeted in the latest racist attacks in north Belfast.

Maria Maglano, who is a nurse at the Mater hospital in Belfast, said she could not understand why the families had been targeted.
"I've been here for more than three years and I never experienced this (before)," she said.
The ARN organised community responses in the areas where the racist attacks occurred, hundreds of people attended the vigils that were called within a day of each of the attacks. Politicians from across the political spectrum roundly condemned the attacks.

North Belfast DUP MP Nigel Dodds said there was no excuse for such behaviour.
"The people behind this kind of activity need to realise that they will achieve absolutely nothing except the contempt of decent law-abiding people," he said.
Belfast Lord Mayor Tom Ekin said it was the latest in a long line of attacks against the Filipino community.
"Those behind this attack are a tiny minority who represent no-one," he said.
"They certainly do not represent the vast majority of the people of the area who are outraged that this has happened."

SDLP assembly member Alban Maginness said it was a "disturbing and deplorable act which only served to intimidate the Filipino and Chinese families".
"The families who were subjected to this appalling racial abuse have lived peacefully in the area for some time. It is horrifying to think that their peace of mind has been disturbed in this way."

Sinn Fein assembly member Gerry Kelly claimed loyalist paramilitaries were trying to "export" racism from the Donegall Road area to north Belfast.
"I am calling on those with influence in the loyalist community to do whatever is in their power to stop these attacks," he said.

"To stand by and say nothing is as the equivalent to condoning racism."
Chairman of the ARN Davy Carlin told Street Seen: "Sadly the attacks we hear about through the media are just the tip of the iceberg. The ARN is concerned at how racist attacks are becoming more violent and spreading to places with no history of racist violence." ‘’Therefore we need to stand shoulder to shoulder within communities against these attacks and more especially to show solidarity with the victims of them’.’

An attack on one is an attack on all so we at Street Seen encourage people to contact the ARN and show that Racism will not be tolerated in any way in our society.

To Contact the ARN in your local area email: antiracism_ni@homail.com

The Continuing saga of North Street Arcade, Belfast

2005-08-24T15:01:00.000+01:00

THE CONTINUING SAGA OF NORTH STREET ARCADE AND ITS MANY FRIENDS.

Recently there was the launch of alternative plans for the Cathedral Quarter drawn up by Arts and Heritage groups. The launch received a fair amount of media coverage, with the main spokesperson being Martin Lynch. The launch was well attended by people from the Cathedral Quarter. Mr A Elliott turned up as representative of Ewarts PLC the property developers. Ewarts own North Street Arcade and a lot of other buildings in the area. In there plans for the massive redevelopment of the area that they wanted to knock down part of the Arcade. Just so you would be able to get to their new multi storey car park. The Friends Of North Street Arcade were one of the groups who did not get an invite, or were even aware the event was taking place. They were very sorry to have missed having a chat with Mr Elliott and hope to have a meeting with him in the near future.

This group started out as three people who wanted to have a permanent monument or wall mural erected in memory of the arcade. Just to remind people that the arcade was burnt down by arsonists using Blast Incendiary Devices on Saturday 17th April 2004, during the ceasefire. The Arcade was built in 1932 and was one of the finest examples of Art Deco in Ireland.

In the last few months the group has grown to twenty- seven members and they hope to be opening their own office next year. Like the former tenants of the arcade, the group consists of an eclectic group of people from all walks of life: everything from punks to civil servants. Its chairman is Colin Wilson a deeply committed Christian and ecologist. The one thing that they all have in common is the desire to try to keep the spirit of the arcade alive.
They also would like to see the criminals responsible for the burning down of the Arcade brought to justice as soon as possible. They are very secretive about their future plans, but do promise something special to mark the first anniversary of the fire.

One of the original aims was to have parties; nights where everyone from the arcade and their friends could get together to swap news etc. The first one was called “Burnt Out But Still Smokin’” a Sixties & Seventies night. They had six DJ’s and the Front Page donated twenty-four bottles of wine. The hundreds of invitations were everywhere and said No Arsonists or Property Developers Allowed In. The second one was called “Solidarity With The People Who Were Burnt Out”. Songclub Ernesto Che Guevara an eight piece socialist band from Dresden, Germany, played. The eight-piece band sang in eight different languages. As the band played, someone painted slogans on the new shutters that covered up the existing graffiti. The third party was called “Burnt Out But Still Singing”, another fantastic success with twelve singer songwriters. The next is the “Burnt Out But Still Rocking” party in THE JOHN HEWITT, Donegal Street on the 18th November. The bands are VELMA and TIN POT OPERATION two of the best up and coming indie bands around. All the parties are free. The next one will probably be called First Christmas Burnt Out. In the New Year the group will be organising fund raising gigs.

For the 5th of November (Guy Fawkes Night) they put up a big sign with the outline
of a man hanging on a rope. The slogan was HANG THE ARSONISTS and the people who
pay them. Patrons of the John Hewitt will tell you that tourists loved to get their photo’s taken beside it. Unfortunately it was taken down in the early hours of Saturday 13th by persons unknown. Another one is planned for December this time its. MAKE MY CHRISTMAS - HANG THE ARSONISTS.

For some reason the developers had a change of heart about their plans to build their multi storey car park. They now want to give a donation to The Cathedral Quarter Festival who lost their offices in the fire. Maybe they would like to give a donation to the many businesses
who lost everything, with no compensation from anyone? At one time they were going to sue over an article in The Sculptor arts magazine, but we haven’t heard any more about that. The police inquiry into the fire has yet to result in charges being laid. Sooner or later the law must change so that people just can’t get away with burning down this country’s heritage. They cannot be allowed to get away with it again and again.

There are now plans to redevelop the Smithfield area. By a new group calling themselves Smithfield Central Ltd. But to some of us they a not so new, its just the name is different.
And guess what there will be loads more car parking spaces. Are these people taking the piss or what? Eamon McCann has already flattened the historic Elephant Bar. He was unavailable for comment, because he was away in his house in Italy. Is nobody going to stand up to these people? The Belfast City Centre cannot be just several large shopping centres. Watch out traders in Smithfield market the developers are on their way. But when
They arrive at the gates of heaven they won’t be asked how much they saved? But how much they gave and then are told to go to hell.

Another listed building the Queens Building in Royal Avenue was also a target for arsonists recently. Fat cats get fatter, and who put the residents of North Street Arcade out in the cold? And does anybody really care.

Maybe its time we got some real politicians in the City Hall before they turn it into a shopping mall.

Half of the State's prisoners have been homeless

2005-08-23T18:45:00.000+01:00

A major report on the Irish prison system has shown that half of the State's prisoners have a history of homelessness, and that significant numbers of inmates are chronic drug-abusers who have been diagnosed as psychiatrically ill.

One in four inmates in Irish prisons were homeless when sent to prison and more than 80 per cent of these were using heroin and/or cocaine on committal, according to the report by the Department of Justice.

It confirms that disadvantaged petty repeat offenders, and not serious criminals, make up a significant portion of the prison .

The report raises doubts about the effectiveness of the judiciary's use of short prison sentences.
Its authors recommend that community-based sanctions be more fully developed, saying imprisonment should be used only as a last resort for many offenders.

The study, which involved examining the records of just over 10,000 individuals before the courts or in prison, also says that the youth justice system is having virtually no impact on helping young people escape a life of crime.

Half of the minors who served sentences in Trinity House detention centre, Lusk, Co Dublin, ended end up in St Patrick's Institution or an adult prison within six to 18 months of being released from Trinity House. While 90 per cent of the 22-strong surveyed group had reoffended within the same period.

The main findings of the report are :

25 per cent of a 280-strong sample group of prisoners interviewed were homeless on committal to prison and 54 per cent had been homeless at some time.

One-third of female inmates were homeless on committal to prison.

90 per cent of the prisoners homeless on committal were drug users, with the majority reporting serious drug problems.Some 82 per cent were heroin users, 82 per cent cocaine users and 91 per cent cannabis users.

Of the 25 per cent of the 3,200 prison population who were homeless on committal, one in three had been previously diagnosed with a mental illness and two in three had spent time in a psychiatric hospital.

Of those homeless on committal, 42 per cent were sleeping rough before prison mainly because of the poor condition of emergency hostels and the availability of drugs in such accommodation.

The report is titled: A Study of the Number, Profile and Progression Routes of Homeless Persons Before the Court and in Custody (2005).
It was funded by the Department of Justice and commissioned by the Probation and Welfare Service.

The research was conducted by the Centre for Social and Educational Research, Dublin Institute of Technology, by a team led by the report's authors, Dr Mairéad Seymour and Liza Costello.
A cycle of entrenched recidivism is identified in the report, with 59 per cent of homeless inmates stating they had been arrested at least 20 times in the five years before being sent to prison.
Some 78 per cent of those homeless on committal had spent more than two years in prison during their lives, with 54 per cent having spent five years or more in jail.
Despite these findings, the report's authors found the vast majority of homeless inmates were guilty of what they termed offences "not of a serious nature".

Over a six-week review period in mid-2003 the most common charges brought against homeless people in Dublin District Court were: intoxication in a public place, 30 per cent; threatening behaviour, 24 per cent; theft, 21 per cent; failure to appear in court, 15 per cent; begging, 6 per cent.

While the circuit courts deal with more serious offences, just 18 cases of homeless people appeared before those courts in the same six-week period.

My Truth: Kidnapped Italian Journalist Speaks Out!

2005-03-12T20:26:00.000Z

I'm still in the dark. Friday was the most dramatic day of my life. I had been in captivity for many days. I had just spoken with my captors. It had been days they were telling me I would be released. I was living in waiting for this moment. They were speaking about things that only later I would have understood the importance of. They were speaking about problems "related to transfers."

I learned to understand what was going on by the behavior of my two guards, the two guards that had me under custody every day. One in particular showed much attention to my desires. He was incredibly cheerful. To understand exactly what was going on I provocatively asked him if he was happy because I was going or because I was staying. I was shocked and happy when for the first time he said, "I only know that you will go, but I don't know when." To confirm the fact that something new was happening both of them came into my room and started comforting me and kidding: "Congratulations they said you are leaving for Rome." For Rome, that's exactly what they said.

I experienced a strange sensation because that word evoked in me freedom but also projected in me an immense sense of emptiness. I understood that it was the most difficult moment of my kidnapping and that if everything I had just experienced until then was "certain," now a huge vacuum of uncertainty was opening, one heavier than the other. I changed my clothes. They came back: "We'll take you and don't give any signals of your presence with us otherwise the Americans could intervene." It was confirmation that I didn't want to hear; it was altogether the most happy and most dangerous moment. If we bumped into someone, meaning American military, there would have been an exchange of fire. My captors were ready and would have answered. My eyes had to be covered. I was already getting used to momentary blindness. What was happening outside? I only knew that it had rained in Baghdad. The car was proceeding securely in a mud zone. There was a driver plus the two captors. I immediately heard something I didn't want to hear. A helicopter was hovering at low altitude right in the area that we had stopped. "Be calm, they will come and look for you...in 10 minutes they will come looking for." They spoke in Arabic the whole time, a little bit of French, and a lot in bad English. Even this time they were speaking that way.

Then they got out of the car. I remained in the condition of immobility and blindness. My eyes were padded with cotton, and I had sunglasses on. I was sitting still. I thought what should I do. I start counting the seconds that go by between now and the next condition, that of liberty? I had just started mentally counting when a friendly voice came to my ears "Giuliana, Giuliana. I am Nicola, don't worry I spoke to Gabriele Polo (editor in chief of Il Manifesto). Stay calm. You are free." They made me take my cotton bandage off, and the dark glasses. I felt relieved, not for what was happening and I couldn't understand but for the words of this "Nicola." He kept on talking and talking, you couldn't contain him, an avalanche of friendly phrases and jokes. I finally felt an almost physical consolation, warmth that I had forgotten for some time.

The car kept on the road, going under an underpass full of puddles and almost losing control to avoid them. We all incredibly laughed. It was liberating. Losing control of the car in a street full of water in Baghdad and maybe wind up in a bad car accident after all I had been through would really be a tale I would not be able to tell. Nicola Calipari sat next to me. The driver twice called the embassy and in Italy that we were heading towards the airport that I knew was heavily patrolled by U.S. troops. They told me that we were less than a kilometer away...when...I only remember fire. At that point, a rain of fire and bullets hit us, shutting up forever the cheerful voices of a few minutes earlier.

The driver started yelling that we were Italians. "We are Italians, we are Italians." Nicola Calipari threw himself on me to protect me and immediately, I repeat, immediately I heard his last breath as he was dying on me. I must have felt physical pain. I didn't know why. But then I realized my mind went immediately to the things the captors had told me. They declared that they were committed to the fullest to freeing me but I had to be careful, "the Americans don't want you to go back." Then when they had told me I considered those words superfluous and ideological. At that moment they risked acquiring the flavor of the bitterest of truths, at this time I cannot tell you the rest.

This was the most dramatic day. But the months that I spent in captivity probably changed forever my existence. One month alone with myself, prisoner of my profound certainties. Every hour was an impious verification of my work, sometimes they made fun of me, and they even stretch as far as asking why I wanted to leave, asking me stay. They insisted on personal relationships. It was them that made me think of the priorities that too often we cast aside. They were pointing to family. "Ask your husband for help," they would say. And I also said in the first video that I think you all saw, "My life has changed." As Iraqi engineer Ra'ad Ali Abdulaziz of the organization A Bridge For [Baghdad], who had been kidnapped with the two Simones had told me "my life is not the same anymore." I didn't understand. Now I know what he meant. Because I experienced the harshness of truth, it's difficult proposition (of truth) and the fragility of those who attempt it.

In the first days of my kidnapping I did not shed a tear. I was simply furious. I would say in the face of my captors: "But why do you kidnap me, I'm against the war." And at that point they would start a ferocious dialogue. "Yes because you go speak to the people, we would never kidnap a journalist that remains closed in a hotel and because the fact that you say you're against the war could be a decoy." And I would answer almost to provoke them: "It's easy to kidnap a weak woman like me, why don't you try with the American military." I insisted on the fact that they could not ask the Italian government to withdraw the troops. Their political go-between could not be the government but the Italian people, who were and are against the war.

It was a month on a see-saw shifting between strong hope and moments of great depression. Like when it was a first Sunday after the Friday they kidnapped me, in the house in Baghdad where I was kept, and on top of which was a satellite dish they showed me the Euronews Newscast. There I saw a huge picture of me hanging from Rome City Hall. I felt relieved. Right after though the claim by the Jihad that announced my execution if Italy did not withdraw the troops arrived. I was terrified. But I immediately felt reassured that it wasn't them. I didn't have to believe these announcements, they were "provocative." Often I asked the captor that from his face I could identify a good disposition but whom like his colleagues resembled a soldier: "Tell me the truth. Do you want to kill me?" Although many times there have been windows of communications with them. "Come watch a movie on TV" they would say while a Wahabi roamed around the house and took care of me. The captors seemed to me a very religious group, in continuous prayer on the Koran. But Friday, at the time of the release, the one that looked the most religious and who woke up every morning at 5 a.m. to pray incredibly congratulated me shaking my hand, a behavior unusual for an Islamic fundamentalist -- and he would add "if you behave yourself you will leave immediately." Then an almost funny incident. One of the two captors came to me surprised both because the TV was showing big posters of me in European cities and also for Totti. Yes Totti. He declared he was a fan of the Roma soccer team and he was shocked that his favorite player went to play with the writing "Liberate Giuliana" on his T-shirt.

I lived in an enclave in which I had no more certainties. I found myself profoundly weak. I failed in my certainties; I said that we had to tell about that dirty war. And I found myself in the alternative either to stay in the hotel and wait or to end up kidnapped because of my work. We don't want anyone else anymore. The kidnappers would tell me. But I wanted to tell about the bloodbath in Fallujah from the words of the refugees. And that morning the refugees, or some of their leaders would not listen to me. I had in front of me the accurate confirmation of the analysis of what the Iraqi society had become as a result of the war and they would throw their truth in my face: "We don't want anybody why didn't you stay in your home. What can this interview do for us?" The worse collateral effect, the war that kills communication was falling on me. To me, I who had risked everything, challenging the Italian government who didn't want journalists to reach Iraq and the Americans who don't want our work to be witnessed of what really became of that country with the war and notwithstanding that which they call elections.
Now I ask myself. Is their refusal a failure?

...................Biography..................

Giuliana Sgrena has been working at the daily Italian Paper “il manifesto” since 1988. Born on the 20th of December in the town of Masera in the state of Piedmont, Giuliana studied in Milan. During the early Eighties she worked for the weekly “Guerra e Pace” edited by Michelangelo Notarianni. At “il manifesto” Giuliana always worked at the foreign desk. A passionate expert of the Arab world she also dealt extensively with issues and stories concerning the Horn of Africa, the Middle East and the Maghreb. She covered for il manifesto the war in Afghanistan and the various stages of the Iraqi conflict: she was in Baghdad during the bombing of the city (and for this she was awarded by the President of Italy the title of merit “Cavaliere del Lavoro”) and returned many times again in order to describe the daily life of the Iraqis, documenting in a professional manner the violence caused by the occupation of the country. Together with her journalistic endeavours Giuliana also devotes her time to political issues. During the 1980's she was among the founders of the peace movement: she was one of the speakers during the first mass peace demonstration. She left for Baghdad on the 23rd of January.

Street Seen: What we stand for...

2005-03-12T20:05:00.000Z

Street Seen was established in November 2004, as a campaigning Anti Poverty paper, primarily to be sold on the streets in the North by members of the Homeless community or those affected by Poverty directly.
Homelessness is an extreme symptom of Poverty and Street Seen through its associated projects intends to tackle the root causes of poverty locally and internationally.
Street Seen is a unique social experiment based on the philosophy of self help, a model that has been practiced successfully throughout the World. It gives homeless people a hand up not a hand out, empowering them through their own actions. Helping the homeless help themselves is one of the key principles behind Street Seen breaking people from dependency, offering an alternative to begging or crime. It allows people to make choices and develops their self-esteem. It provides empowerment; money they have earned through hard graft that comes with no rules to tell them how to spend it. They control the consequences. It teaches vendors how to run their own business
From selling the paper and earning their own living homeless people are elevated above the traditional hand out culture. Homelessness undermines human dignity and hinders the ability of people to benefit from their fundamental rights. Street Seen seeks to change the relationship homeless people have with their immediate environment, through giving them the ammunition for self initiated change.
Street Seen has not just enabled them to earn a living but it has empowered homeless people through their own actions, and thereby helped them to regain their self esteem. Equally as important, support and training is available to all vendors through our social projects. The purpose of the support and training is to enable vendors to re-integrate into society

Street Seen seeks to change the relationship between homeless people and the public by directly challenging traditional stereotypes surrounding the homeless in a number of innovative ways. Firstly by keeping the issue of homelessness and poverty in the paper, as well as in the national media - press, radio and TV, challenging stereotypical perceptions in the mainstream media. Secondly by giving homeless and marginalised people a voice in the paper, editorial which is written by homeless people locally and internationally about their own experiences.

We aim to produce a good read, not a pity purchase, so that the public buy the paper on its own merits and they are not in a sense, buying the condition of the vendor. However, Street Seen is a campaigning paper, raising issues that don't get coverage in the national press and more importantly providing a platform for homeless people and those who would not normally find space to share their experiences and opinions. Street Seen contains regular contributions from Iraq, Palestine and the many groups working towards social justice here and further afield and welcomes submissions from progressive groups and individuals.

We see working with other groups that have a common aim as crucial in helping to lay the foundations for social change. As such we have built links on the ground and with those agencies that work directly with the homeless and with the various agencies and groups that tackle poverty locally and nationally.

Current and future Projects:

· Recently held an ongoing successful Sleeping Bag Appeal, gathering enough items that will last for the next few months, with items distributed to the East Belfast Mission, The Welcome Centre (W Belfast), Home Plus and other outreach groups that work directly with the homeless Community..

· Creating Photography and creative writing classes so as to increase involvement with the Homeless Community and their paper.

· Producing a documentary, made by the Homeless so as to tell their own story, to be screened on terrestrial TV.

· Supporting and developing an International Homeless Forum where members of the Homeless Community and service providers can communicate and exchange thoughts and ideas. http://www.forums.homeless.org.au/

· Developing our own web space to increase inter reaction with our readership and supporters. http://www.streetseennews.blogspot.com/

· Working on creating Belfast’s Homeless Soccer league with associated coaching, refereeing and training courses

· Working with and promoting the Make Poverty History Campaign amongst other campaigns.

· Outreach Work with the Homeless Community addressing immediate needs and concerns

We do not rely on advertising or the backing of wealthy patrons to keep Street Seen afloat; we keep our cover price low so most people can afford it. It is more important for us to get the message out from the street than profit from poverty. At the moment we come out every three weeks with the intention to go fortnightly at the earliest opportunity. This has been a large undertaking but we feel confident for the future, the success of the Sleeping Bag Appeal exemplified to us that people really do want to make a difference.
Street Seen intends to stick around and assist anyone or group who are willing to attempt making that difference, you know where to find us…..

For more info mail: streetseen04@hotmail.com 0774 327 5533

National Missing Persons Helpline

2005-03-12T19:57:00.000Z

Having been involved with the Homeless Community for quite a while now, on an almost daily basis I would receive calls from people with Missing relatives or friends. Many of these calls are in desperation as they do not who to call and there is a possibility that their loved ones are living rough on the streets. With this in mind Street Seen, as part of an ongoing campaign, profiles an organisation that exists to assist those with missing people dear to them.

It’s very hard to be precise about the amount of people who go missing every year. Opinions differ on who counts as a missing person. The police do not look for people except in cases of vulnerability or crime. According to Home Office estimates, about 210 000 people are reported missing in the UK each year. The vast majority return safe and sound within 72 hours - but thousands do not; the distress experienced during this time is when families need help most. State agencies such as the police are sometimes unable to help, leaving the National Missing Persons Helpline (NMPH) to fill the gap.

NMPH was established as a charity in 1992 to advise and support missing people and those who are left behind. It gives priority to the vulnerable - the very young, the old, the sick and distressed. NMPH has the most detailed 'missing' database in the U.K, registering both vulnerable and non-vulnerable missing people. The charity also offers its services to organisations outside the family circle; the police, social workers, hospitals, care homes, foster homes and international organisations. NMPH is like most charities dependent entirely on voluntary donations.

NMPH receives thousands of missing person’s reports every year, but on a positive note the charity helps to resolve 70% of cases it works on. Its helplines handle more than 150 000 calls per year.

Other specialised agencies, official and voluntary, deal with various aspects of the missing person’s phenomenon, but none has an overview of the problem as a whole. There is no central or single source of general or statistical information on a growing social problem which causes much distress to the absent and those they leave behind alike.

More is known about those under 18 who go missing than any other group. According to the Children's Society each year in the U.K. 100, 000 young people run away or are forced to leave home to escape problems. Of this figure 77,000 children under 16 are running away for the first time. The research suggests that around a quarter of runaways run before the age of 11. One in fourteen children who run away, first run before the age of 8.
According to research carried out for NMPH, girls are over twice as likely to be reported missing as boys between the ages of 13 and 17. The Children's Society report of 1999 states that 45% of children in care run away overnight compared to 9.5% of those living with their own families. Almost one third of children who spend time in care run away three times or more.
One disturbing indication of what happens to these young missing people is that children who have been away for a week or more have a 44% chance of being hurt while on the run and 67% of those who stayed with someone they had just met had been hurt.
Missing young people face many dangers: around 40% of young runways sleep rough while they are missing and almost one third stay with a stranger. Some young runaways experience physical or sexual assault while missing.

Some young people disappear as a result of abduction. Most incidents of abduction involve the child being taken by one of their parents due to a custody dispute. According to Reunite (The National Council for Abducted Children) the cases of parental abduction reported to them have increased by 79% since 1995. Abduction by a stranger or non-family member is rare. Whilst the police record several hundred offences of abduction and child abduction every year covering a range of scenarios (including parental abduction) there are very few offences which involve the abduction and murder of a child by a stranger.

Very little general information exists on missing adults. NMPH commissioned research in this area. The findings of the research, undertaken by the University of York, culminated in the "Lost from View" report 2002.
Males in their late 20s are more likely to disappear than any other group of adults.
Among those aged 60 years or over, the most common reason for going missing is dementia, or mental health problems.
28% of the samples of adults go missing sleep rough, as do two fifths of young runaways.
Adults are more likely to go missing if they are going through a crisis or a difficult transition, or if they are vulnerable due to chronic difficulties

WHY PEOPLE GO MISSING

Reasons for going missing vary widely. A large body of empirical information gives some clear pointers. Reasons include:
Family conflict / relationship problems
Debt
Illness or accident
Abuse
General anxiety or stress
Stress, depression or other mental illness
Amnesia, senile dementia or Alzheimer's disease
Alcohol, drug or solvent misuse
Abduction (most feared but least likely)

It should not be forgotten that people over 18 are at liberty to choose to go away and break off contact. NMPH therefore guarantees confidentiality to seekers and found alike; its commitment to confidentiality has won the respect of people around the country. It recognises the right to stay out of touch and can forward an 'alive and well' message to put relatives' minds at rest without revealing the sender's whereabouts. The Helpline believes every individual has the right to be in a safe environment and will not coerce anyone into returning against his or her will.

HOW THE CHARITY WORKS

The charity operates three nation-wide Freefone telephone Helplines manned 24 hours a day, and provides a variety of other services relating to missing persons. NMPH charges no fee because many families of missing people cannot afford one. But donations are encouraged because the Helpline now needs £4.1 million a year to provide services to the ever-increasing number of families who turn to them for help and support.

MISSING PERSONS HELPLINE 0500 700 700

The core Helpline of the charity, offering support, help and advice to families and friends of missing persons. Staff and volunteers also try to reunite families by searching for missing people via its network of contacts and sources throughout the UK, Europe and beyond.

MESSAGE HOME HELPLINE - 0800 700 740

Message Home is a 24 hour, national Freefone Helpline for those who have left home to send a message to their family or carer, to seek confidential advice, and if necessary to be helped to a place of safety, which can reduce a caller's time of vulnerability.

RUNAWAY HELPLINE - 0808 800 70 70

Another national Freefone confidential Helpline offering support and advice to young runaways. Callers can leave a message for us to pass on to a relative, social worker or carer and can request help and advice. Often young people who have run away feel that they cannot make direct contact with their family or carer, even to phone someone to say that they are alive and safe. The Runaway helpline can act as a non- judgmental intermediary.

The NMPH offers a very valuable service and Street Seen will endeavour to support their work in any manner possible. We will regularly run a missing persons section and can only hope that this will in some way alleviate the anguish that so many people are enduring. There are a number of ways that you can help too. Donations are very important for this service to survive:

How to donate to NMPH

1. Secure Online donations
http://www.missingpersons.org/

2. By Phone
Call the donations line on 0208 392 4592

3. By Post
Send a donation to:

NMPH,
Roebuck House,
284 Upper Richmond Road West,
East Sheen,
London SW14 7JE

Pitstop Ploughshares Trial begins

2005-03-10T20:15:00.000Z

PITSTOP PLOUGHSHARES TO BE PUT ON TRIAL.

On 3rd February 2003, as part of ongoing resistance at Shannon Airport, the Pitstop Ploughshares disarmed a US warplane. Within the month, three of the four companies contracted to ferry US troops and weapons had left Ireland. The Ploughshares activists Deirdre Clancy, Nuin Dunlop, Karen Fallon, Damien Moran and Ciaron O'Reilly are charged with two counts of criminal damage. The criminal damage charges of $US 2.5million to a U.S. Navy war plane and €200 to a hangar window at Shannon Airport arise out of their non-violent disarmament action on February 3rd. 2003.
(www.ploughsharesireland.org)
Following their arrests the five members of the pacifist Catholic Worker movement (www.catholicworker.org) spent over a month on remand at Limerick Prison before being released on bail. If convicted the criminal damage charges carry maximum sentences of ten years imprisonment.

The Pit Stop Ploughshares have attracted widespread international support including a "presidential pardon" from Martin Sheen of the "West Wing", a blessing from Nobel Peace Prize winner Archbishop Tutu, concert dedications from Kris Kristofferson, Joan Baez, Damien Dempsey and Liam O'Maonlai.
A spokesperson for the group stated, "We draw our inspiration from the prophecy of Isaiah to non-violently beat swords into ploughshares. We follow in the footsteps of many brothers and sisters who have disarmed nuclear and intervention weapon systems. We acted to protect the children of Iraq dying under sanctions and threatened by the mobilisation of the US war machine against them.

PLOUGHSHARES TRIAL DATE - March 7th, 2005 Please show solidarity with the Pitstop Ploughshares community as they journey towards trial through the Irish courts in Non-violent resistance to the Irish Government's complicity in the U.S./U.K. war on Iraq.

www.indymedia.ie for Trial Updates

Peace groups object as jobs go, but war stays.

Troops through Shannon up 26% on previous year. Workforce is down 50%...

That's the same workforces who were force- fed the story that their jobs depended on US military use of the airport. Other lies surround the economic arguments of US Military use of Shannon Airport. Figures released this month by the Dept of Foreign Affairs show that 158,549 US troops passed through Shannon Airport in 2004 (compared to 125,855 in 2003) The figures indicate that these troops arrived on 1,502 flights (which would be the chartered American Trans Air [ATA], North American, and World jets seen daily at Shannon) and that also there were 753 military aircraft (i.e. officially declared marked aircraft such as the Hercules, C-9s and C-40s) and also 816 'aircraft carrying munitions' which would basically cover the chartered cargo flights operated by Evergreen International and other charter companies, carrying weapons and explosives through a civilian international airport. Contrast this dramatic increase in business to the dramatic decrease in staff at Shannon, where 260 of the 520 staff are expected to lose their jobs. During the peak of the opposition of US military use of Shannon, some of the workers spoke out against servicing military aircraft, but they were told time and again by their bosses and the government, that their jobs depended on the US military dollar at Shannon. Yet, after keeping a lid on Shannon's darker activities, and watching record military business, half of them are facing the chop because of Government decisions, not the actions of peaceniks. On ex-worker described a 'climate of fear' in the airport, where workers were expected to keep quiet about what came through the airport and “just give em the food and fuel”. Some threatened to boycott work on military flights, as illegal and immoral work. According to the former worker, they were told that they would be sacked for this, and that the unions would not back them up. Another current worker, speaking on condition of anonymity "said that the US military flights at Shannon are treated like royalty". Although the troops represent only 6% of passenger figures, 95% of the security costs are from the military flights. They have their own gate at the airport - Gate 42- which is reserved for the military, and it has had special fences and guard cabins erected, and regularly has armed Garda stationed there, as well as a recently installed hi-tech 'invisible barrier' that uses microwave beams to detect motion around the perimeter near the enclosed military stand. There are also specially fenced off and illuminated parking areas in the centre of the airfield for cargo flights carrying ‘uninspected items’ for the Pentagon. These are regularly guarded by the Irish Army and Garda Siochána. The likes of Aer Lingus and Ryanair only see a security van as it passes them by going from the military cargo area to the troop flights. Official figures repeatedly refer to ‘revenue’ of over €18 million from the military business. But revenue is merely income before profit, and when the costs are removed, the military business is costing the taxpayer plenty. Firstly, there’s the €3 million euros in Air Traffic Control fees that the Pentagon refused to pay last year, and which was paid instead by the Irish Dept of Transport. Then there’s the extra security for the military. The new cameras and motion detectors are not cheap and the extra garda and army overtime cost is estimated at over 20 million (about half of which was on the weekend of the Bush visit to Clare).
When these costs are considered, the US military landings at Shannon, are sucking money OUT of the tax coffers, not putting them in. If the government’s attitude to Shannon doesn’t change it could well end up like Prestwick in Scotland. Prestwick is large modern airport, with its own train station. It was previously busy, but following government policy changes, most of its business comes from Ryanair, and the US and Israeli militar

Death of Amnesty International Founder

2005-02-27T19:53:00.000Z

Peter Benenson, 1921-2005.

The man who decided it was time for a change..

Peter Benenson remembered by Richard Reoch

The man who lit the fuse of the human rights revolution died this week, having refused all honours and leaving behind him a world changed by the countless protests and petitions he championed.

Peter Benenson, the founder of Amnesty International, was 83. He was born into a world without the United Nations. Not a single international human rights treaty was in existence. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights had yet to be written. There wasn’t a single one of today’s major human rights organizations on the political landscape. Civil society was yet to be born.

Inordinately modest and self-effacing, the one-time lawyer who launched Amnesty International in 1961 would never claim credit for the sea-change of the last 40 years. He was offered knighthoods by almost every successive British Prime Minister but he never accepted.

Each Prime Minister who wrote to him received a personal response from Benenson - who typed his own letters until late in life -- in which he would cite the current human rights violations Amnesty was confronting in the UK. He would suggest, without mincing his words, that if the government wished to take account of his work for human rights, what mattered was to redress those abuses.

In comparison with the world into which he was born, Benenson left behind him one changed so fundamentally that it is hard to conceive of the scale of the transformation. Nearly a hundred human rights treaties and other legal instruments are now in force internationally. Over ninety percent of the world’s countries are now party to the most comprehensive of these, the twin international covenants on civil/political and economic/social rights. Almost all of those states have now formally given the right to their citizens to make international complaints.

In addition to the human rights bodies of the United Nations, there are now regional intergovernmental bodies covering up to three-quarters of the world’s nations.

Women’s rights, child rights, minority rights, workers’ rights, the rights of disabled persons - all of these have been codified and strengthened by successive declarations, conventions and acts of national legislation. Torturers have become international outlaws. As we enter the 21st Century, more than half the countries of the world have rejected the death penalty - either by abolishing it altogether or ceasing to carry out executions.

However, the most extraordinary phenomenon - and the one on which Peter Benenson left his indelible mark - is the birth of what has come to be known globally as "civil society". Today there are well over a thousand domestic and regional organizations working to protect human rights. Among them, his brainchild Amnesty International, is one of the best known, with almost 2 million members, subscribers and supporters in more than 64 countries and territories.

But to think of Peter Benenson merely as the founder of one organization (indeed he started several others) is to misread perhaps the single most distinctive political feature of the period from the end of the Second World War to the present: the emergence of organized, non-violent public opinion as an increasingly powerful force in domestic and international politics. Historians may locate its origins in any number of social changes following the war. But there is one event that will incontestably be told and retold in any social history of that period.

It is the story of a man in a bowler hat reading his newspaper on the London underground in late 1960. He reads a small item about two Portuguese students being sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment for raising their glasses in a toast to freedom. He is outraged, decides to go to the Portuguese embassy in London to make a personal protest and then changes his mind. Instead he gets off at Trafalgar Square station and makes his way to the church of St Martin’s-in-the-Fields. He goes in, sits down for three-quarters of an hour, and thinks.

In his words, "I went in to see what could really be done effectively, to mobilize world opinion. It was necessary to think of a larger group which would harness the enthusiasm of people all over the world who were anxious to see a wider respect for human rights."

That man was Peter Benenson, then a barrister in London. When he came outside into the square, he had his idea. Within months, he launched his Appeal for Amnesty with a front page article in The Observer newspaper.

Nothing quite like it had ever been attempted on such a scale before. The response was overwhelming, as if people worldwide were waiting for exactly such a signal. Newspapers in over a dozen countries picked up the appeal. Over a thousand letters poured in within the first six months. And the post-bags of the world’s heads of state changed forever.

Benenson’s idea was so simple, perhaps that’s why he remained so shy of personal publicity throughout his life. Termed "one of the larger lunacies of our time" by one of its critics, a network of letter writers was set up to bombard governments with individual appeals on behalf of prisoners jailed and ill-treated in violation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

In an age of self-aggrandisement, his modesty was almost hard to fathom. He never went forward to receive the numerous accolades showered upon Amnesty, known universally by its candle in barbed wire. His mind was always fixed on what had not been accomplished and the countless victims still to be rescued.

"The candle burns not for us," he declared, "but for all those whom we failed to rescue from prison, who were shot on the way to prison, who were tortured, who were kidnapped, who ‘disappeared’. That is what the candle is for."

In later years, as Amnesty’s impact grew exponentially and went on to harness the power of the international news media, other groups began to adopt and adapt its methods in support of their causes. The extraordinary impact of the environmental movement twenty years later, the women’s rights movement and a host of other single-issue and coalition groups, working in their own countries or across national boundaries, can often be traced to the early examination they made of the methods Benenson’s organization was using.

Today we take the power of charities, voluntary groups and people’s campaigns for granted. But before that day in Trafalgar Square - the day on which a single newspaper reader decided it was time for a change - that power had yet to shake the world.

Nothing has ever been quite the same since. As he said in 1961, lighting the first Amnesty candle, "I’m reminded of the words of a 16th century man sentenced to death by burning: We have today lit such a candle as shall never be put out."

Richard Reoch, former head of public information at the organization’s International Secretariat, worked and travelled with Benenson in his later years.

www.amnesty.ie

International Homeless Forum Launched

2005-02-27T16:53:00.002Z

www.homeless.org.au

Everybody seems to be online these days, checking out the information superhighway. Information is at our fingertips. Knowledge is power!

Street Seen is delighted to be associated with a new initiative that has began in Australia that uses the power of the internet as a means of communication between homeless people throughout the world and for service providers an area to share ideas and news.

Dominic Mapstone, Social Worker in Sydney Australia and Director of Rebecca’s Community, was the bright spark behind this most needed forum. Rebeccas Community was founded in 2002, a community group whose staff and volunteers work with people who experience homelessness in Sydney, Australia.

According to ‘official’ figures there are over 100,000 houseless people in Australia and their problem seems to be growing, certainly, something one wouldn’t realise when our knowledge is mainly limited from a daily diet of Australian soaps! As they say ‘everyone needs good neighbours’ maybe we should start putting that into practice.

The Website features pictures and real life stories of homeless people, statistics, research, media coverage of homelessness and debate as to how to define homelessness. Their website has been online for 12 months and we believe it is very important to promote the site.

Street Seen caught up with Dominic and posed a few questions to learn more about their work:

So where did the idea for your website come about?

Online we found plenty of dry statistics on homelessness, some policy papers and lots of lame fundraising attempts written by the marketing consultants who know nothing about homelessness.

For students wanting to learn, for people wanting to give money and for a community wanting to understand homelessness it was quite a task to find anything of real substance online. We did manage to find some great sites, but it took a lot of searching.

So when it came to building our own website we started with the standard brochure type info about our organisation, but added a photo gallery of homeless people and the places they sleep, squats and so on Then we added some life stories that were about real homeless people. Mainly because we wanted people to realize homeless people weren’t statistics, they were real people with real stories. Traffic to the site jumped to 1,000 page views per day. We are especially pleased with this as the photos are something mainstream folk just don’t get exposed to. Not just the shocking photos but the pictures of street kids that look like any other kid that age.

Gish, one of the residents at Hospitality House added an online journal writing about his journey through life on the streets to living with us and moving towards his new life off drugs and off the streets. Then we added a directory of other homeless service providers around the world some youth ministry resources and the international homeless forum Then traffic to the site jumped to 2,000 page views per day.

Emails we receive are usually from students wanting help with school or University assignments or children thinking about running away. The emails from future runaways prompted a page dedicated to young runaways, listing some helplines and an email address they could reach us on for a confidential chat

What do you view as the most important aspect of the site?

The homeless forums are where we would like to see the most visitors stop by. A place where we would like to bring homeless people and formerly homeless people online together with the students and people wanting to learn about homelessness.

Moving off the streets and getting a new group of friends is near impossible for many homeless people. People don’t understand you or the world you came from. You feel like a foreigner and people treat you that way. Connecting with other formerly houseless people in the forum will hopefully make that journey easier and less demoralizing.

The forum has the potential to become a meeting ground where currently homeless people can connect with formerly homeless people or even another homeless person in another country.

The traffic to the site is there, we just now need to welcome people into the Forum and get ‘the word on the street’ amongst homeless people around the world (is that even possible). Surprisingly, or maybe not so, a lot of homeless people use the internet, so we will see.

Did you receive any funding for the project?

There isn’t funding for a project like this, but as soon as we realized the opportunity to bring people together we went ahead with it and funded the project ourselves.

In your experience how would you define homelessness?

The crux of homelessness, we believe is social exclusion and disconnectedness.

Houselessness is an inadequate experience of shelter. Some people living on the Streets only need shelter, and then they are back on top.

Real homelessness is intangible and has nothing to do with where you lay your head to sleep. Homelessness we believe is an inadequate experience of connectedness with family and or community.

So it’s not really of any great help if we only house the homeless. They are still completely isolated and very much alone. The feeling of a set of house keys in your pocket will never rival the feeling of connectedness with people who stick with you no matter what happens.

Families are supposed to stick by each other, neighbours and communities are supposed to pull together when a member is in need, but it doesn’t work like that anymore does it?

As a service provider that means we have to see the person that presents, not the problem they present with and seek an ongoing relationship with people after the problem is long gone. We have to develop relationships and value them as the outcome.

Is it all worth it?

After a decade of pursuing this objective of friendship with people who experience homelessness I can honestly say, it is worth it, to stop and reallylisten. That is when we can meet as fellow human beings and be present with each other.

Anyway, stop by at the forums and introduce yourself, make yourself at home and help put the word on the street. The website has also allowed us to share information with the sector on Homelessness and what we have learnt here in Australia.

The forum has the potential to be a very valuable asset here in Ireland and across the World. A Forum like this is most needed and very important so spread the word and join the discussions as soon as you can…..

http://forums.homeless.org.au/

While Poverty Exists There Is No True Freedom...Nelson Mandela

2005-02-04T23:22:00.000Z

Nelson Mandela helped launched the Make Poverty History campaign on Thursday 6 February at a rally in Central London, what follows is the full text of his speech....

I am privileged to be here at the invitation of The Campaign to Make Poverty History.

As you know, I recently formally announced my retirement from public life and should really not be here.

However, as long as poverty, injustice and gross inequality persist in our world, none of us can truly rest.

Moreover, the Global Campaign for Action Against Poverty represents such a noble cause that we could not decline the invitation.

Massive poverty and obscene inequality are such terrible scourges of our times - times in which the world boasts breathtaking advances in science, technology, industry and wealth accumulation - that they have to rank alongside slavery and apartheid as social evils.

The Global Campaign for Action Against Poverty can take its place as a public movement alongside the movement to abolish slavery and the international solidarity against apartheid.

And I can never thank the people enough for their support through those days of the struggle against apartheid.

Many stood in solidarity with us.

Through your will and passion, you assisted in consigning that evil system forever to history. But in this new century, millions of people in the world's poorest countries remain imprisoned, enslaved, and in chains.

They are trapped in the prison of poverty. It is time to set them free.

Like slavery and apartheid, poverty is not natural. It is man-made and it can be overcome and eradicated by the actions of human beings.

And overcoming poverty is not a gesture of charity. It is an act of justice. It is the protection of a fundamental human right, the right to dignity and a decent life.

While poverty persists, there is no true freedom.

The steps that are needed from the developed nations are clear. The first is ensuring trade justice.

I have said before that trade justice is a truly meaningful way for the developed countries to show commitment to bringing about an end to global poverty.

The second is an end to the debt crisis for the poorest countries.

The third is to deliver much more aid and make sure it is of the highest quality.

In 2005, there is a unique opportunity for making an impact.

In September, world leaders will gather in New York to measure progress since they made the Millennium Declaration in the year 2000.

That declaration promised to halve extreme poverty.

But at the moment, the promise is falling tragically behind. Those leaders must now honour their promises to the world's poorest citizens.

Tomorrow, here in London, the G7 finance ministers can make a significant beginning. I am happy to have been invited to meet with them.

The G8 leaders, when they meet in Scotland in July, have already promised to focus on the issue of poverty, especially in Africa.

I say to all those leaders: do not look the other way; do not hesitate.

Recognise that the world is hungry for action, not words.

Act with courage and vision.

I am proud to wear the symbol of this global call to action in 2005.

This white band is from my country.

In a moment, I want to give this band to you - young people of Britain - and ask you to take it forward along with millions of others to the G8 summit in July.

I entrust it to you.

I will be watching with anticipation.

We thank you for coming here today.

Sometimes it falls upon a generation to be great.

You can be that great generation.

Let your greatness blossom.

Of course the task will not be easy.

But not to do this would be a crime against humanity, against which I ask all humanity now to rise up.

Make Poverty History in 2005.

Make History in 2005.

Then we can all stand with our heads held high.

After Tsunami: Eyewitness Account From India

2005-02-02T21:34:00.000Z

EYEWITNESS: India’s fishing villages fight fear of the sea
Anna Jefferys works in Save the Children UK’s emergencies department. She writes from India.

The plight of the 2.7 million Indians whose lives were devastated by the December tsunami never reached the top of the international press agenda.
This is partly due to the overwhelming scale of the tragedy in nearby Indonesia and Sri Lanka, and partly because of the Indian government’s statement that it did not require any external aid.
The Indian government is no stranger to large-scale disaster – it has contended with crises in Orissa, Gujarat, Assam and Jammu and Kashmir as well as ongoing drought in Rajasthan, and is adept at mobilising relief interventions that require vast resources and high levels of organisation.
Initial efforts by the Indian government to clear bodies and debris, to deliver widescale relief, to set up water tanks and provide shelter materials have been impressive.
However, while the crisis in India lies outside the international media limelight, the enormous and complex task of helping people to rebuild their lives here must not be underestimated.
The long-term needs and priorities are clear: reconstruction, supporting people’s livelihoods, and helping communities to provide psychosocial support.
The village of Anichamkupam in Villapuram, Tamil Nadu, resembles a ghost town, with buildings lying crumbled, and others empty and coated with a layer of sand. The debris of daily life litters the floor -- a broken water pot, the remnants of a child’s book, a scrap of clothing.
A few women fan the flames of bonfires where they are burning debris. The voices of children can be heard from a sort distance away, as they sit under a tree learning Tamil, their school building destroyed.

HOT TIN ROOFS

Most of the inhabitants of this village have been evacuated to grim-looking interim shelters across the road.
The state-level government has made a huge effort to build interim shelters quickly in most of the affected villages and hamlets, but its quality is questionable in many areas.
Many of the new shelters I saw in villages along the coast were made of corrugated iron, which absorbs the sun’s searing heat.
In the middle of the day when the sun was at its strongest, most of the structures I saw were empty.
Part of the reason for using these seemingly inappropriate materials is the fire hazards associated with traditional timber and thatch construction.
However, finding a safe, ecologically friendly solution that would abide by the Sphere minumum standards in emergency relief in such a short time frame is hard to replicate on a wide scale.
Meanwhile, houses, schools, businesses, early childhood development centres, and warehouses have been destroyed all along the coast.
In the Andaman and Nicobar islands, which faced the worst of the wave’s fury, and which accounts for over half of India’s 11,000 reported deaths, almost 30 percent of the schools we assessed had been completely destroyed, and 50 percent of those remaining are damaged.
The process of rebuilding permanent structures is being complicated by a government order prohibiting new construction within 500 metres of the sea.
What, ask villagers, will happen to houses that are within the legal requirement when the rest of the village is being moved?

PEOPLE ON THE EDGE OF INDUSTRY

“They can’t just take my neighbours away,” said Fatima, from her doorstep. “What will happen to our community then?”
There is widespread fear that this will also leave planners open to pay-offs from people who are determined want to build on the beach.
Ensuring that communities participate in the rebuilding process, and have a say in the design and materials, is vital.
In the western Indian state of Gujarat, which was shaken by a severe earthquake in early 2001, houses in 11 villages still remain unoccupied because they were made with inappropriate materials and were imposed on communities.
Many members of the fishing and farming communities are helping to construct interim shelters and schools in a bid to keep themselves busy.
A rehabilitation package has been announced to replace the boats and nets of 150,000 fishermen across Tamil Nadu and to support workers associated with the fishing industry.
However, none of the communities that we spoke to had yet received this aid. In Anichamkuppam, 200 people -- a fifth of the community’s inhabitants -- worked in a small-scale jellyfish catching and packaging business with a warehouse on the beach.
The fishermen caught the jellyfish, and people of the dalit caste -- or so-called untouchables -- transported and sold it.
It is a short three-month season, beginning in January. This year, the season never began and the warehouse has all but disappeared, its remnants strewn across the beach.
Supramani, a fisherman who delivered fish to the warehouse, is worried. “I have relief for now, but all I want to do is rebuild our warehouse and start again. I need to go back to the sea. It’s all I know,” he said.
It is vital that the hidden groups and communities who are only indirectly involved with the fishing industry but whose livelihoods have nonetheless been shattered, are not overlooked in government and NGO rehabilitation initiatives.
Some of those our staff spoke to include dalits who transport fish or engage in inland fishing, women who sell fish, and “irulas” -- nomadic groups whose lives are ineitably interlinked with the fishing economy.

SALT IN THE EARTH

Meanwhile, farmers are faced with a bleak future. It will take around two years on average for soil to recover from such high levels of salt.
An immediate relief package to the tune of $375,290 has been released for their support, but people will need concerted assistance in desalinating their land for a long time to come.
The most vulnerable groups are the women who have lost partners, and have been left to run households on their own, with no source of income, and children, who risk losing their ability to return to school in a bid to support struggling family incomes.
“The concern is that we will address those with visible assets such as boats, and overlook those who lost invisible assets, such as educational or employment opportunities. We must ensure this isn’t the case,” said Mike Aaronson, Save the Children’s director, on a visit to tsunami-struck villages in India.
Likewise, rehabilitation initiatives need to address the psychological problems that these communities are facing.
Children and adolescents are particularly vulnerable in emergency settings.
Teenagers face the grim task of taking exams despite losing their notebooks, uniforms, textbooks, and in many cases, their schools.
The experiences that many of these children have been through -- including having witnessed the deaths of their friends and family and having come face to face with their own mortality -- will affect their ability to focus and participate.
In the town of Kaccal in the Nicobars, just one teacher out of 100 remains alive.
“What is so hard is that these people have come to fear the sea which was once the provider that they always trusted. This is very traumatic,” Aaronson said.
In Thirumullaivasal, a village that lost 100 people to the tsunami, I met Parvita playing alone on the beach. She was doing the same thing when the wave struck, and watched her grandmother drown.

She told me: “Even though I am afraid of the sea, I will stay here. I will not leave it.”

Peace at whose cost? Davy Carlin

2005-02-02T21:24:00.000Z

Peace at Whose Cost?

My partner and I recently travelled to the Odyssey Centre in Belfast to watch a newly released film. It was our first time travelling across to the venue, getting a 'black hack' down the Falls Road and a private taxi across to its doors. This recent venue holds Warner Village amongst other entertainments while others are still in the process of development. It also hosts a variety of restaurants, not your usual sit in cafe as in the Kennedy Centre picture house in Andersonstown but Spanish, Italian, Chinese cuisine and American diners amongst others to tempt your taste buds. Although only about 5pm, many of these restaurants were quite full with families and groups of school friends, and with meals around a tenner a touch there was still a steady flow of punters.

The centre itself was well furnished with the latest technology and designs all geared towards family entertainment, a testament one may say of the peace process. After the film myself and my partner went outside for a walk along the waterfront where we noticed immediately the cleanness and lack of graffiti as council workers busied themselves picking up the smallest of litter. As we walked past the mounted water sprinklers and watched the dazzling of lights reflect off the water along the water front, we looked also at the lines of luxurious apartments and offices that graced it with many others in construction. It was a far cry from even ten years ago and although not many persons from working class estates could afford such apartments or offices at least their kids can find the benefit of such recent venues as the Odyssey - or can they?

As we took a taxi across to a friend's house in South Belfast I started to wonder as to how many families from local working class areas could attend such a venue with regularity. For two adults and two children to watch a film, grab a hotdog, a drink and maybe some popcorn it would cost, in the Odyssey, around fifty pounds, almost a weeks shopping budget in some homes - this not including transport or sitting in for a meal. Such venues of entertainment were once out of reach to many working class children, in part for political reasons. Now ironically with the peace process such venues are still out of reach to many working class children for now increasingly economic reasons as we see still the poverty gap ever widening. Although such venues are welcomed we will still see mainly those families and communities that bore the brunt of the troubles finding it increasingly difficult to appreciate such alternative family entertainments as such are becoming already increasingly financially out of reach for many.

After a quick visit to our friend’s house we decided to dander through our city that recently did not make the 'A' list for the potential of being the City of Culture. Coming down past the infamous Ulster Hall we saw two young men wrapped in a sleeping blanket with a similar situation across the road. We stopped to briefly chat to them and to find out if they had found hostel shelter to stay in for the night. I found from the brief discussion a story of broken homes and abuse while others had more overt psychological problems. These young men in their early twenties knew neither peace or found a process that gave even a glimmer of hope.

As we then cut down by Brunswick street several other persons were lying outside the Holiday Inn again wrapped in blankets with a bowl and a sign of 'homeless please help' - a woman lay on the ground with her arms embraced in sleep to a partner. Coming then into Castle Street we looked up at our right and another young man was begging outside Primark and as we got into our taxi two men lay asleep urine soaked on a cardboard box while a woman drank from a cider bottle.

As I watched and read the fanfare of the possibility of becoming the City of Culture from nationalist politicians and press, from unionist politicians and press I believe such calls to be but a matter of hope rather than realism. As we then travelled up the Falls I saw some aspects of material change in the community in which I was raised. Where once stood the St Augustine's Youth Club were I went as a child now stood an unemployment centre. Just past that my old primary school St Finians where I attended until the early eighties stands now an education centre, and such material change was reflected in small ways all the way up the road. Yet to me it seems many important issues are given but a gloss where priorities are not based on need but directed towards ever increasingly cross party economic consensus which can cope with political differences as opposed to the once mainly political and economic discrimination with virtually no consensus - isn't it interesting though that the aspects of consensus now found is still leaving many of the same peoples behind?

To those who may be surprised that Belfast did not go forward for the City of Culture, walk through our city - see the ever increasing numbers of homeless laying on our streets with their faces getting younger and their numbers more numerous. Go through our working class estates and on 'both sides' you will find in many cases unity in poverty and social deprivation. Check out the statistics for the growing number of our youth taking their lives. The tourist guides of our city may show our new wonderful sites but I believe we have more important sights that need to be urgently addressed - that of those who eke out an existence on our city streets or those increasing numbers of children and families that live in poverty. A new tourist venue or new exhibition would mean little to them but the mindset of our process I increasingly find as one that seeks prosperity and provides development for sections and areas of our society while crumbs are waved to deprived communities and the vulnerable to be fought over - only the most in need or desperate need apply for their share.

As we got out of our taxi and entered our estate we walked down the alley, in which essential street lights remain still broken, and squeezed past the burnt out car that has lain their for several days. Again I wondered how long it would take 'a call out' if one of those dazzling lights along the water front was broken (so spoiling appearance) or indeed could we see a burnt out car lying for several days outside such apartments? I think not. And despite community activists in working class estates working tirelessly for the communities, many persons in such estates are part of the 'other two sides' within this process. That is - the lifestyles of social and economic inclusion as opposed to the life of persons, families and communities and their continual exclusion.

Whether one argues that this is not deliberate or that the peace process is not perfect it has to be said that there is a mindset amongst many within this process that such issues are of rhetorical priority only. Are those increasing numbers of youth that lie on our streets worth less that bailing out a private company? Are those increasing numbers of children and families falling into poverty worth less than looking for tax breaks for the rich? Is is right that on the one hand to continually finance venues to service those who can afford them while on the other hand continually closing local community, youth and educational centres in the most deprived areas for those that need them?

Our politicians spend much time and finance travelling and looking continually for inward investment - they seek also new and prosperous developments as is witnessed along the water front. All this may be welcomed but I wonder if maybe they could also spend more time and finance on our citizens who have benefited not from this process - could they seek new and affordable developments in areas of need, could they provide more affordable housing and facilities instead of closing down centres and cutting funding? While they marvel and speak out at the new skylight buildings that are springing up in sections of our society let them speak out and address the continual closing of vital services in working class areas.

The process as many have stated is not perfect. The political mindset of the governance of our society was for a long time dictated through a political and religious basis of bias with economic and social repercussions. Despite the political change the continued economic status quo has meant little change for many of the most vulnerable. The divide between Catholic and Protestant is often referred to as the 'two sides' yet this process has increasingly highlighted 'the other two sides' that of the 'haves' and 'have nots'. Is it not time that real and important issues that affect many of our society's somewhat 'forgotten' and vulnerable peoples are given the same attention as that of others?

Davy Carlin

Homeless Iraq Vets showing up at U.S. Shelters

2005-02-01T22:12:00.000Z

Homeless Iraq vets showing up at shelters

U.S. veterans from the war in Iraq are beginning to show up at homeless shelters around the country, and advocates fear they are the leading edge of a new generation of homeless vets not seen since the Vietnam era.

"When we already have people from Iraq on the streets, my God," said Linda Boone, executive director of the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans. "I have talked to enough (shelters) to know we are getting them. It is happening and this nation is not prepared for that."
"I drove off in my truck. I packed my stuff. I lived out of my truck for a while," Seabees Petty Officer Luis Arellano, 34, said in a telephone interview from a homeless shelter near March Air Force Base in California run by U.S.VETS, the largest organization in the country dedicated to helping homeless veterans.
Arellano said he lived out of his truck on and off for three months after returning from Iraq in September 2003. "One day you have a home and the next day you are on the streets," he said.
In Iraq, shrapnel nearly severed his left thumb. He still has trouble moving it and shrapnel "still comes out once in a while," Arellano said. He is left handed.
Arellano said he felt pushed out of the military too quickly after getting back from Iraq without medical attention he needed for his hand -- and as he would later learn, his mind.
"It was more of a rush. They put us in a warehouse for a while. They treated us like cattle," Arellano said about how the military treated him on his return to the United States.
"It is all about numbers. Instead of getting quality care, they were trying to get everybody demobilized during a certain time frame. If you had a problem, they said, 'Let the (Department of Veterans Affairs) take care of it.'"

The Pentagon has acknowledged some early problems and delays in treating soldiers returning from Iraq but says the situation has been fixed.
A gunner's mate for 16 years, Arellano said he adjusted after serving in the first Gulf War. But after returning from Iraq, depression drove him to leave his job at the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. He got divorced.
He said that after being quickly pushed out of the military, he could not get help from the VA because of long delays.
"I felt, as well as others (that the military said) 'We can't take care of you on active duty.' We had to sign an agreement that we would follow up with the VA," said Arellano.
"When we got there, the VA was totally full. They said, 'We'll call you.' But I developed depression."
He left his job and wandered for three months, sometimes living in his truck.

Nearly 300,000 veterans are homeless on any given night, and almost half served during the Vietnam era, according to the Homeless Veterans coalition, a consortium of community-based homeless-veteran service providers. While some experts have questioned the degree to which mental trauma from combat causes homelessness, a large number of veterans live with the long-term effects of post-traumatic stress disorder and substance abuse, according to the coalition.
Some homeless-veteran advocates fear that similar combat experiences in Vietnam and Iraq mean that these first few homeless veterans from Iraq are the crest of a wave.
"This is what happened with the Vietnam vets. I went to Vietnam," said John Keaveney, chief operating officer of New Directions, a shelter and drug-and-alcohol treatment program for veterans in Los Angeles. That city has an estimated 27,000 homeless veterans, the largest such population in the nation. "It is like watching history being repeated," Keaveney said.
Data from the Department of Veterans Affairs shows that as of last July, nearly 28,000 veterans from Iraq sought health care from the VA. One out of every five was diagnosed with a mental disorder, according to the VA. An Army study in the New England Journal of Medicine in July showed that 17 percent of service members returning from Iraq met screening criteria for major depression, generalized anxiety disorder or PTSD.
Asked whether he might have PTSD, Arrellano, the Seabees petty officer who lived out of his truck, said: "I think I do, because I get nightmares. I still remember one of the guys who was killed." He said he gets $100 a month from the government for the wound to his hand.
Lance Cpl. James Claybon Brown Jr., 23, is staying at a shelter run by U.S.VETS in Los Angeles. He fought in Iraq for 6 months with Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 2nd Marines and later in Afghanistan with another unit. He said the fighting in Iraq was sometimes intense.
"We were pretty much all over the place," Brown said. "It was really heavy gunfire, supported by mortar and tanks, the whole nine (yards)."
Brown acknowledged the mental stress of war, particularly after Marines inadvertently killed civilians at road blocks. He thinks his belief in God helped him come home with a sound mind.
"We had a few situations where, I guess, people were trying to get out of the country. They would come right at us and they would not stop," Brown said. "We had to open fire on them. It was really tough. A lot of soldiers, like me, had trouble with that."
"That was the hardest part," Brown said. "Not only were there men, but there were women and children -- really little children. There would be babies with arms blown off. It was something hard to live with."
Brown said he got an honorable discharge with a good conduct medal from the Marines in July and went home to Dayton, Ohio. But he soon drifted west to California "pretty much to start over," he said.
Brown said his experience with the VA was positive, but he has struggled to find work and is staying with U.S.VETS to save money. He said he might go back to school.

Advocates said seeing homeless veterans from Iraq should cause alarm. Around one-fourth of all homeless Americans are veterans, and more than 75 percent of them have some sort of mental or substance abuse problem, often PTSD, according to the Homeless Veterans coalition.
More troubling, experts said, is that mental problems are emerging as a major casualty cluster, particularly from the war in Iraq where the enemy is basically everywhere and blends in with the civilian population, and death can come from any direction at any time.

Interviews and visits to homeless shelters around the Unites States show the number of homeless veterans from Iraq or Afghanistan so far is limited. Of the last 7,500 homeless veterans served by the VA, 50 had served in Iraq. Keaveney, from New Directions in West Los Angeles, said he is treating two homeless veterans from the Army's elite Ranger battalion at his location. U.S.VETS, the largest organization in the country dedicated to helping homeless veterans, found nine veterans from Iraq or Afghanistan in a quick survey of nine shelters. Others, like the Maryland Center for Veterans Education and Training in Baltimore, said they do not currently have any veterans from Iraq or Afghanistan in their 170 beds set aside for emergency or transitional housing.

Peter Dougherty, director of Homeless Veterans Programs at the VA, said services for veterans at risk of becoming homeless have improved exponentially since the Vietnam era. Over the past 30 years, the VA has expanded from 170 hospitals, adding 850 clinics and 206 veteran centers with an increasing emphasis on mental health. The VA also supports around 300 homeless veteran centers like the ones run by U.S.VETS, a partially non-profit organization.
"You probably have close to 10 times the access points for service than you did 30 years ago," Dougherty said. "We may be catching a lot of these folks who are coming back with mental illness or substance abuse" before they become homeless in the first place. Dougherty said the VA serves around 100,000 homeless veterans each year.
But Boone's group says that nearly 500,000 veterans are homeless at some point in any given year, so the VA is only serving 20 percent of them.
Roslyn Hannibal-Booker, director of development at the Maryland veterans center in Baltimore, said her organization has begun to get inquiries from veterans from Iraq and their worried families.
"We are preparing for Iraq," Hannibal-Booker said.

Deported to be Mutilated? Make FGM Grounds for Asylum.

2005-02-01T21:54:00.000Z

Deported to be Mutilated?

Make Female Genital Mutilation Grounds for Asylum

The Irish government is currently trying to deport women and children under the threat of female genital mutilation (FGM), which frequently results in death. Asylum in Ireland can be sought on the grounds of religious or political persecution. However, the government refuse to acknowledge FGM as a political act and therefore women and children cannot apply for asylum on the basis that they have suffered or will suffer female genital mutilation if deported. Unlike other European countries, Ireland does not have legislation to protect these women as FGM is not strictly prohibited under Irish law.
This urgently needs to be addressed and Comhlamh and the well known Professor of Law Ivana Bacik presented draft legislation to the previous Minister of Health Michael Martin but this was not acted upon. The current Minister for Health Mary Harney seems to be taking the same stance on the proposed legislation as her predecessor. In an increasingly multicultural Ireland FGM is being encountered by health professionals, anti-racism groups and women's groups from women who have suffered FGM and also from others who want to know where FGM is performed in Ireland.
The group Residents Against Racism (RAR) has, over the past few years, helped women and families who have fled to Ireland due to the threat of FGM and face deportation back to their country by the Irish state. Here are just some of the stories of the people facing deportation. In 1999, Elizabeth Onasanwo left Nigeria with her children after watching her home being burnt down by tribal elders and family members when she refused to allow her daughters be circumcised. Elizabeth who witnessed her own sister die from FGM, did not want to see her daughters meet the same fate.The Minister for "Justice" ordered the deportation of the Onasanwo family. Elizabeth could not handle the stress and suffered a nervous breakdown. Since then her eldest daughter Christina has reapplied for asylum on behalf of the family but they are still awaiting a decision on their case.
Juliet Imiruaye, a Nigerian midwife, fled from persecution six years ago. Juliet is a survivor of FGM and was working in her community to try to prevent the practice of FGM. Since her arrival Juliet has worked with Comhlamh, anti-racism groups, and other NGO's to highlight the practice of FGM in Nigeria. In Ireland she has also helped raise awareness among Irish health professionals and Irish midwives who may not have dealt with FGM before. This is important as women and children are arriving in Ireland who have been mutilated and they may not wish to talk about their experiences and midwives may not be fully aware of the dangers that arise from FGM which can be life threatening.
Juliet has recently received a deportation order courtesy of Michael McDowell. Because of Juliet's amazing work in Ireland she has a lot of support behind her and RAR has vowed to help fight the unjust decision. Elizabeth Salako fled Nigeria four years ago with her children. Elizabeth feared for the safety of her children because Sharia law (based on strict Islamic principles) is in force in certain parts of Nigeria and would have subjected her daughter to early marriage and FGM. Since arriving the family have settled well into the community in Birr, Co. Offaly and despite having a large amount of local support Elizabeth still received a deportation order. Pressure from the local community and an intervention from a local TD resulted in the family being granted another three years to remain in Ireland on humanitarian grounds.

The government are treating women asylum seekers appallingly.

Women flee from persecution for many reasons but one of the most serious is FGM. It is not only a women's issue - it is an issue of human rights. Only two women have ever been granted refugee status on grounds of FGM in Ireland and this is a disgrace. Residents Against Racism has started a campaign for women asylum seekers to gain refugee status on the grounds they have suffered or will suffer FGM if deported. We hope to work with other groups and organisations to raise awareness and want people to get involved and support the campaign.

by Emma

For More Information on FGM Contact Residents Against Racism (RAR) at rar_fgmcampaign@yahoo.com

What is FGM?

Female Genital Mutilation is the removal or part removal of the clitoris. In Nigeria, where most asylum cases of FGM in Ireland are from, there are three main types perfomed. They are: Clitordectomy (also known as sunna) where the clitoral hood with part or all the clitoris is removed. Excision (the most common practice) where both the clitoris and part or all the labia minora are removed. Infibulation (the most severe form of FGM but the least common) is where the clitoris and parts or all the labia minora are removed and incisions are made on the labia majora creating a raw surface. These surfaces are sewn or pinned together leaving only a tiny pinhole opening to let out urine and menstrual blood.

What are the Dangers of FGM?

The horrendous conditions of FGM often result in death; the operation in the majority of cases is performed by an untrained midwife in the most appallingly unhygienic circumstances. Blunt and unsterile objects such as razor blades, broken glass and sharp stones are used which can lead to infection and HIV/AIDS. The age of women subjected to FGM varies from a few days old up till marriage or childbirth.

Why is FGM practiced?

It is believed FGM is a rite of passage into adulthood, often in the child's community a ceremony will take place to celebrate her transition into womanhood. It is believed that FGM will promote chastity and help maintain her virginity before marriage and prevent her from becoming sexually active.

Eyewitness report from Fallujah

2005-01-17T15:16:00.000Z

Queens Students Against the War

Eyewitness Report From Fallujah
Dr Salam Ismael
Thursday December 9th 2004

“I am a Muslim and have a beard but I am not a terrorist.” These were the words of Dr. Ismael as he began his presentation at Queens University, Belfast. It was recognition of the alarming levels of Islamaphobia in the West, in which every Muslim is viewed as a terrorist, thanks to the War on Terror.

Giving a very emotive account of his experience in Iraq, Dr. Ismael focused on the humanitarian aspect of the US and UK occupation. He highlighted the paradox of the US claiming to bring democracy to Iraq, while arresting people for no reason – effectively internment. He recalled his experience of being arrested, with four hundred other colleagues, for protesting against the occupation. They were forced to remain in the same uncomfortable position for several hours at a time - if they moved they were beaten. He also told of how his father was beaten by the military and humiliated in front of his two daughters when they came to his house looking for him.

During the April assault on Fallujah Dr. Ismael was working in the city’s hospital. He estimates that over 700 people were killed. According to his colleagues still working in Fallujah, this time the figure is much higher. It is estimated that there are over 3500 dead, with thousands more seriously injured. On average half of these casualties are children, while another third are women. There are over 300 children orphaned, including a young girl who lost twenty-five members of her family due to one cluster bomb.

The work of medical staff in the city’s hospital has been hampered by the US refusing to allow Aid Agencies, supplying food and medication, to enter the city. The situation is now so desperate that surgeons are forced to give patients a diluted form of anaesthetic before operating – it is not unusual for patients to waken up during an operation. However, this is not the first time the American’s have disrupted medical care. One of the first targets of the bombing campaign, during this assault, was the hospital “where insurgences were hiding”. Two doctors, who were “like brothers” to Dr. Ismael, were killed.

The Americans are using the tower in the Mosques to position snipers to protect themselves against “insurgences”. Not only have they taken over the Iraqi people’s country, they are taking over their religion. In showing this disrespect towards their religion, it is obvious why the resistance to growing.

Dr. Ismael dismissed claims that Iraq would descend into civil war, if the US forces pulled out, because of tension between Shiah and Sunni Muslims. He gave the example of after the April assault Shiah Muslims from across Iraq sent supplies to Fallujah, a prominently Sunni area, to help rebuilt the city. Dr. Ismael believes this has been an advantage of the occupation – Iraqis are now united in their opposition to occupation.

A recurring theme through out the talk was how Western media doesn’t get at the truth. They don’t show the horrific pictures which show the reality of the occupation, or ask the right questions. Dr. Ismael joked that he emails Jon Snow from Channel 4 everyday to tell him this.

Hearing this talk by Dr. Ismaul must encourage us to renew our efforts in protesting against this illegal, immoral and inhumane occupation. Next semester we must focus on organising the teach-in to raise awareness among other students about the dreadful reality of the occupation and build March 19th, the next international day of action, so Queens has a strong and noticeable presence on the march. There were seventy people at this talk. There clearly is anti-occupation sentiment in this university – we must tap into it so Queens can become a beckon of resistance to the imperialist agenda of our leaders.

Iraqi doctor Salam Ismael who spoke in Belfast attempted to reach Fallujah over Christmas to help thousands of refugees stranded by the US assault on their city.....
He found misery, hunger and growing anger…….

‘How can they talk about elections?’

Christmas eve, there is a cold wind, the temperatures in the desert dip below freezing. A group of us, all doctors, decide to try and reach Fallujah. There are stories of disease and hunger.

As we leave Baghdad we are stopped at three checkpoints manned by the US army and their allies in the Iraqi National Guard. They search us then let us get on our way. Three miles north of Baghdad we reach the small town of Taji; we are stopped again, but now by the resistance. Masked men brandishing assault rifles and rocket launchers ask us where we are going and examine our IDs. We tell them we are doctors on a humanitarian mission trying to reach Fallujah.
We would be stopped twice more by the resistance. Outside the cities it is they who control Iraq. We drive along the side roads that crisscross the agricultural lands to avoid US troops. By midday we reach Saqlawia, a village a few miles north of Fallujah. The area is dotted with refugee camps. I notice many children playing—most of them poorly dressed in spite of the cold weather (it was about 8C and it was a windy day). The refugees make up some of the estimated 200,000 people displaced by the US assault on the city last November.
I meet a middle-aged man who introduced himself as Mohammad Al-Esawi, he has two children—an eight year old son and a five year old daughter. He is a construction worker from the poor Golan district of Fallujah.
I ask him how long he has been waiting to return home. “I fled on the first day of the siege,” he says. “I left the day the Americans announced that all men under the age of 45 were not allowed to leave the city. The Americans are wicked. They would only allow women and children to leave, and even then they only gave families one day to pack and leave. Three of my cousins and their families were trapped in the city, and I heard that one of my cousins and his wife were killed, but I cannot be sure. I left because, during the first American siege last March, we learned the meaning of death and terror. We suffered a lot. My son was wounded in the leg by a cluster bomb. So this time I decided to leave the city and not let my family face more horror. But if I was single I would have stayed.”
I ask him what he and his family managed to take with them. His eyes fill with tears. “Only what we could carry, some clothes, some dishes and cooking pans, and a few blankets,” says Mohammad.
“What about your situation here?” I ask. “There are about 300 families in this small camp,” he says. “Some of the families are guests of the families in the nearby village of Saqlawia. But there is not enough room for everyone there, so when the houses filled the rest of us lived in the desert for a while until we got tents from aid organisations. We are suffering a chronic shortage of medication and food. And it is harder because it is winter. You see that we are in the open desert in this winter rain and wind. It is very cold here, especially at night when the temperature drops to below zero. We do not have enough heaters, and those who have heaters find it difficult to get fuel. Many of the children are complaining of respiratory infections. Where is the medicine? There is another big problem. Instead of giving humanitarian aid, the Americans came to the camp and arrested the men. We do not know where they are, or when they will be released.”
I ask Mohammad’s wife if the Iraqi provisional government were helping the refugees. She begins to shake with anger:
“What government? The one that destroyed Fallujah, that drove us from our homes? They did not give us any money to repair our houses destroyed in the first siege. Who will rebuild our houses this time?”
She tells me that every morning she wakes up to the same problems.
“Every day I ask: ‘How will I feed my family today?’ We have a small amount of rice and some flour. And without help from our relatives, the Iraqi people here and humanitarian organisations we would surely have died. My husband is not working now so from where can we get money? When there is food there is not enough water. Sometimes we have to wash the dishes with mud. And I have to think about the heating and fuel—most of the time we have to collect the wood for heating. Usually all we have are blankets. I feel pain whenever I hear my child cough. What did we do to deserve this?” she cries.
“Why are they doing this to us? I lost two sisters and a brother in the siege last March. I want to say that this situation has left us with more hatred for the occupation,” Mohammad interrupts. “Where is the justice? Saddam killed a lot of people and Bush killed more, so both have to be punished.”
I ask him one last question: “What do you think about elections planned for January?” “What elections? Tell me how we can return home, tell me about medication for my children, tell me about food, tell me about heating fuel, tell me about water! Do not ask me about elections. Prime Minister Iyad Allawi destroyed our homes and now he wants elections. I will never participate in these elections.”

Dr Salam Ismael – Chief of Junior Doctors in Iraq – ex resident of Fallujah

Street Seen Poetry

2005-01-16T15:32:00.000Z

In association with www.belfastpoets.com for the best in local poetry and events.
Check out their site regularly for the latest news, discussion and advice!!

Street Scene

Propped up in shop fronts the
bag people come to pray. Urban
scarecrows, oh, how they long to fly!
Tender a golden guinea your

purchase a guilt free trip.
While in the darkness tears
no one can see just stains on
a sleeping bag an affront to

sensitivities. Small sobs for
a nightingale silent as dawn
comes to play small tears
in a pocket
Hush!
you can blow them away.
Look for promises
to be broken.
Yes!
Harsh is the light of day.
Small tears can be dewdrops,
diamonds or a cool sea
spray. Think as you pass

these strangers just who
and what do they cry for?
And how many small tears
will form your tomorrow?

Sleep tight little boy blue.
David Smylie

Pre ATM Tension

It was a road kill sort of day.
The sun was shining on me
But not the gods.
Stopped for some goodies,
Lollypops and such like.
Needed money,
Nothing left in my stash.
Church bells are ringing.
Alarms for me to heed.
ATM not working!
Me wait in queue
For man to fix machine.
After a while my turn.
But!
Machine not take my card.
Me wipe card on sleeve.
Me try again.
But!
Bastard machine not take my card.
Me take card to man who owns shop.
He says, try cleaning card again.
Again!
Me wait in queue for my turn.
Me lick card and dry with tissue.
Still!
Machine not take my card.
Me angry!
Me want to ring bank and tell them to stuff their card.
Man who own shop ask if I have another card?
Me say yes!
Me show man other card.
Man say, no good machine not take that card.
Me wonder where to get money.
No queue.
Me lick card.
Me wipe card.
Me dry card.
Still!
Machine not take my card.
Me really f****** angry with bank, machine and card.
Me put money in bank so we have money for lollypops and things on our holidays.
Me try one last time.
Machine ask for pin number.
Machine gives me money.
Me buy lollypops.
Three days later no money.
Please God.

David Smylie

Needs a letter

I have seen you pass me
Like a bird in solitary flight
Across the Atlantic green
Not pausing
Until you have found your nest.

I have crossed your road
Stepping in tune with the morning sun
And have only found
The black of your hearth
Waiting to shun me away.

You could have caught
The next home star coming
To bring your heart
Back to the light
Or you could have walked away.

But instead, you chose to run.

Colin Dardis

Digestive Wrongs

Hungry at my desk again
I think I know
How the starving artist feels
When he cannot find
The food that he wants.

I wanted to eat a rainbow
And have that crock of gold
Rest at my ass.
I wanted to gorge on the moonbeams
Of every Friday night
That my co-workers
Felt relief on
And revel in the first sip of liquor
Rattling the teeth
With semi-precious squares of ices
Cooling the warm, warm
Poison of deliciousness.
I wanted to bite into
Every slice of toast
That my lovers had made me
The next morning
And feel the fresh margarine spread
Melt slowly over the granules
Of my tongue.
I even wanted to lick the envelopes
Of every letter I have ever sent
And see if their gum
Could satisfy the thirst within.

But all I ever really wanted
Was a place where
Home wasn’t just
A four-letter word on a lease
And I could still be free
Within myself.

I did not want to taste
The four walls of
Another person’s torture garden.

I wanted love, comfort,
Peace and security
To brick me in
Along with intelligence,
Morality, integrity and dignity
To challenge what serenity of the soul
I deluded myself with
In my laziness.

I’m still looking
For my way through the cafeteria.

Colin Dardis

The weight of the World is Light
The January wind
Has already blown
The twigs off my fingers
Heavy tree roots
Frail and failing,
Flailing pages and people
With the weight of insomnia.

I have given up my bed
And the body I sleep with.
Now I worry
About arthritis
Hitting my limbs
With the weight of the world
But I breathe in
And listen to the oxygen
Then remember
That the weight of the world
Is light.

Colin Dardis

A Geographical Reality

I saw a piece
Of rain-soaked paper
That said BEAST on it.
A step closer
Revealed it to say
BELFAST

Colin Dardis

Cries Of The Homeless

Our pleas have gone unnoticed.
Our voices are unknown.
We roam the alley's and your streets,
While searching for a home.

Our mouths do not know the taste
Of food that's off a plate.
We depend on scraps from others,
After they have ate.

While money's spent to fight our wars
And build military might,
We, the homeless, struggle on ~
With rags to warm the night.

Our brothers and our sisters
Walk by and only stare,
No kindness offered from their hearts.
The compassion is not there.

Saddened and discouraged,
From disgusted looks we receive,
We see the children laugh and point
At what they do perceive.

They are made believe that we are dirt
And have brought about our woes.
How very wrong for you to think.
How little that you know.

We are part of society, too.
But, we pay the ultimate price
Of having lonely roads to walk,
While governments roll their dice.

Politicians will not face us
Or look us in the eye.
They seem to think we don't exist
And the problem soon will die.

Know the country is turning it's back
And ignoring human rights
While we, the homeless, try to survive;
So weak we cannot fight.

Priorities appear to get mixed up
When juggled by a few.
Politicians who long for nothing,
They're so shiny and brand new.

The art museum must be given a grant
To continue its marvelous work.
The elite would not know what to do,
To satisfy their quirk.

Let's not forget the pilot study.
Should we build a road through there?
Spend that money foolishly.
Governments simply don't care.

And, don't forget to toss more money
To renovate some old house;
The importance of who lived there, once,
And the interest it would arouse.

These are a few of our misspent dollars,
Being laid and put to rest.
Sadly enough, these politicians
All think it's for the best.

The words that I am trying to say
Are meant to open some eyes.
When governments say they're doing their best,
That's nothing but a lie!

So take a look around you,
At where these grants should go.
Take the homeless off cold streets.
Let's warm their hearts and soul.

Valentyne Lang

Most Likely to suceed.. Donald Whitehead

2005-01-16T15:27:00.000Z

Most Likely to Succeed

Formerly homeless, Donald Whitehead is now the Executive Director of the National Coalition for the Homeless in Washington D.C.

My five siblings and I lived in a three family home that we occupied with other relatives. We all shared one bedroom and my parents slept in the living room. My mother was a lunchroom worker at our elementary school. She later became a teacher's aide and then a licensed social worker. She insisted that education was the top priority. This early focus on education was a lifeboat in the sea of desperation that my life would later become. My father, usually a very happy person, worked hard to care for us. For most of my early childhood he worked two jobs. One evening my father crashed his car into a tree. From the time of my father's accident things were never the same. The accident disfigured his face, leaving a visible scar. He became a tyrant. Our house became a war zone. My grandfather, who was unwilling to ignore my father's abuse, shot him. Even before the trauma and the abuse I remember feeling different. I remember feeling lonely. At home I created imaginary friends and my play-acting was so vivid that my poor mother had me tested for sanity.
When I left elementary school I went to Walnut Hills High School, one of the top public schools in the nation. I didn't stand out because everyone was smart. I also didn't fit in socially. Because of my father's progressive addiction and unwillingness to maintain employment on a regular basis we were forced to live in poverty. Most students at school were from affluent families and I always felt that I wasn't as good as everyone else. The growing dysfunction in my household began to have a negative impact and I began to experiment with drugs. I was asked to leave Walnut Hills High and for the first time I experienced academic problems. My academic problems were not related to my ability to do the work, but rather they stemmed from my newly acquired practice of skipping classes. I take full responsibility for my actions, but I place some blame on the teacher's strike of 1977 that allowed me to perfect the art of skipping class on a regular basis.
In the next three years I attended three different schools. By this time my addiction had progressed to the level of blackouts. I lived a "Jekyll and Hyde" existence. By day I was the class vice president, the prom king, most likely to succeed, a football player - I was even selected to be "councilman for a day" in Cincinnati. After school hours, I was an addict who had already tried almost every drug that didn't require needles. I knew that this was not how I wanted to live - the only problem was I just couldn't stop.
By the time I graduated high school I had tried to regulate my using. I was attending the University of Cincinnati when I realized that I had to change immediately. People were starting to say things like "you're just like your father." I decided in one of my moments of sanity that the military was the answer. I now realize that I was searching for a geographic cure for my disease. My time in the Navy was a roller coaster ride. I started out with a lot of promise, scoring in the high 80s on the entrance exam. I was selected as one of the only minorities in the Strategic Weapons System Electronic Program (SWSE). Since the program dealt with servicing ballistic missiles, I am glad that my addiction (and the many reprimands I received as a result) forced me out of that program and out of the Navy.
When I left the Navy my self-esteem was totally devastated. My addiction had caused me to fail repeatedly at things I was perfectly capable of doing. I returned to Cincinnati and experienced a period of clarity, going through several good jobs such as restaurant manager, car salesman, and environmental activist. I also held not so great jobs such as pizza delivery driver, telemarketer, and short-order cook. I got married, bought a house in the suburbs, and began living the American Dream. The dream quickly turned into a nightmare. Despite my short-term success, I failed to come to grips with my disease. I eventually lost everything - my job, my wife, my house, and my will to live. I had always been a functioning addict up until my divorce. But now I was slowly committing suicide through my addiction.
At that point I became homeless. My homelessness was not the traditional homelessness that we see in video clips and magazine articles. My homelessness was the invisible homelessness that is so prevalent in America. I lived bouncing from couch to couch, spare room to spare room. Finally exhausted by broken promises and the negative behavior associated with using, I ran out of places to go. It was then that my homelessness became more traditional. I slept in abandoned cars, abandoned houses, on fire escapes, in public restrooms, or in parks. I remember the feelings of emptiness, sadness, and loneliness. I remember sinking a little deeper into depression everyday. One of the worst things about my time on the street was how other people treated me. People passing me on the street almost never made eye contact as if I was Medusa, and if they looked into my eyes they would turn to stone. My only relief from the pain, guilt, and shame of being on the streets was from whatever drug I happened to use that day. I used to live and I lived to use.
My spiritual awakening came in three forms, all equally important. One day I saw my mother driving down the street. It was on a weekend, which is the worst when you're homeless because there's very little to do other than walk the streets. (I later found out that she had been canvassing abandoned buildings very confident that she would find my body.) Normally I could get her to buy one of my stories and she'd give me enough money to buy something to take the pain away. However, this time my mother was practicing tough love. I was stunned as I watched her drive off. (She later told me it was the hardest thing she ever did.) Suddenly, I realized that I was completely alone in this world. It was at that point that my life began to change. I went back to the shelter I was staying at and I lay down on my mat. (I always slept in the back so that no one could hear me cry. Many times I cried myself to sleep silently because after all I was "most likely to succeed.") However, on this night I did not cry silently - I cried for help. One of the workers at the shelter came to my mat and asked me to come with her. She knew what was wrong because she was a recovering addict. I told her I wanted to die and I couldn't stand living the way I was living - but I couldn't stop. She called a friend on the phone. This friend, named Courtney, took me to a meeting. It was August 25, 1995. I have not used since that day.
Today almost seven years later my life has changed a great deal. Influenced by many wonderful people at the Drop-Inn-Center in Cincinnati, Ohio, I have become a homeless advocate. People like the late Buddy Gray have taught me how to care for other human beings and fight injustice in society. I spent two years as an outreach worker at the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. In my role as outreach coordinator I helped increase public education by helping to start Street Vibes, a street newspaper, as well as a public access radio and television show.
After spending two years as outreach coordinator, I was hired as Executive Director of the Greater Cincinnati Coalition. I was then elected to the board of directors for the State Coalition for Homelessness and Housing in Ohio, and as a member of the board of directors for the National Coalition for the Homeless (NCH). I was elected board president of NCH in October of 1999. I am now the Executive Director of the National Coalition for the Homeless in Washington D.C. I am the youngest, first African-American, first formerly homeless, and first recovering addict to hold the position.
I am proud to have recently finished my second independent film, Get Right or Get Left. I received a regional "Emmy" for my first film Open the Sky. I also regularly perform as a stand-up comedian in comedy clubs throughout the country. A second chance I wish that I had enough room to name the many wonderful people who are responsible for my recovery, from counselors and cooks to co-workers and my loving family. I have tremendous gratitude for all of them. They all had one thing in common - a firm belief that miracles do happen, recovery is possible, and that any addict seeking recovery can find it if there are people willing to go the extra mile to assist them. I know today that I have been given a precious gift, a second chance, and that chance only came because beneath my smelly clothes and my dishelved exterior was a person who was most likely to succeed. I succeeded because other people took a chance and helped me. These wonderful individuals were willing to ignore my outward appearance and help me free my true character that lay paralyzed by the stranglehold of addiction.
My life today is a daily fulfillment of the dreams that were deferred by my addiction. I have been given the opportunity to pursue many other interests. I have regained the strong relationship with my family that is so critical to a healthy life for me. Today, I am far from the streets of Cincinnati, although I know that social acceptability does not equal recovery and that I am only promised one day at a time. It's been almost seven years since I last used. On this anniversary I realize I have experienced a great deal of pain during that time. I lost my daughter, my father, and my mentor - causing unbearable pain, but I know I must face it head on.
On my anniversary, I ask that if you see a homeless man or woman on the street, that you look them in the eye and let them know that they are still part of the human race. Remember - behind the shopping cart or standing on the sidewalk may be a person who's "most likely to succeed" if you give them a hand.

Formerly homeless, Donald Whitehead is now the Executive Director of the National Coalition for the Homeless in Washington D.C. For information, visit http://www.nationalhomeless.org/

Ideas and Ideologies ..Davy Carlin

2005-01-11T07:14:00.000Z

As an activist I have been involved in many campaigns over the last few years. From Anti Sectarianism, to Anti War, Anti Globalisation, to Anti Racism, Anti Privatisation to Anti Poverty and in each I have witnessed various movements, some mass, others less so. Nevertheless within each of them I had both seen and played an active part with others in initiating the coming together of not only peoples, Catholic, Protestant and Dissenter but of diverse organisations, groups and individual activists. Yet with all of these having been termed as being ‘Anti’ and against, what exactly then are we for.

Having participated in the above local campaigns and movements as well as partaking in the International protests from Genoa to Geneva. I have therefore developed a real flavour not only of the Movement, but of the Movements within the Movement. For others and me we had embraced the concept of think globally and act locally in a real and practical way through initiating and building local mass movements, as part of the wider International Movement. It is part of a developing and of a new activism that had embraced millions on the streets internationally and with it having thrown up new and old questions about the world. And through doing so, so then came discussion and debate on how we go about creating either a ‘better world’ within the present system, or indeed seeking fundamental change from the existing system. Yet despite many of the various local movements being against specific issues of concerns. They of course are not overtly socialist, although socialists had been to the fore in many of them. They are in fact broad campaigns and movements on that initial specific issue of concern that make up the movement.

Similarly the global movement in large part, in comparison with local specific movements is replicated but on a much larger scale. And therefore similarly within it, it holds the same diversity of ideas and ideologies mixed within. With that I had found that whether it was on a local issue or being on an International protest abroad, I have found engagement with others a vital component in the movement. And with that I have found within the movements at the local level that many of the participant activist’s ideas of what they are against being quite straight forward for them. This on each specific issue, although many do then begin to link them up as to the overall Global problem. It though becomes more difficult, not as much with those that hold an ideology and seeing that bigger linked picture. But in fact it is when each ‘differing ideological tradition’ sees each as a ‘competitor’ within the movement rather than a collective part of the movement.

As a Revolutionary Socialist I believe finding initial common ground and not immediate differences is where we should start. And I have found that in doing so we can, at least in part, start to move forward. Of course such points of difference need to be discussed, but should be done in that course of common struggle. This is easier done on specific local issues, but in the overall movement and the discussions on possible alliances it is more difficult. Decades of difference emerge within differing ideologies, not only on historical perspectives but similarly on past tactical and strategical perceived and real wrong doings. This where on many occasions all such ideologies are guilty as the ‘competition’ between such groups allow then little room for manoeuvre to acknowledge and admit wrongdoing. Such organisations I believe therefore have three choices. Firstly not to work in various aspects of common struggle with a differing organisation until all historical and present issues are addressed, if ever. Secondly to state that they will never work with such organisations in various areas due to that organisations history. At times in various ways ‘he who shall cast the first stone’ comes to mind. While thirdly to work from a common bond on specifics while discussing and debating issues of difference.

Yet this new movement I believe means such organisations need to then adapt, both in their organisational structure and more importantly in mindset as so to advance. Those that do not will and have greeted the present climate in a pessimistic light, while others who attempt to adapt, will tend to see the more favourable opportunities opening up. Of course with the economic situation, and a number of worker defeats, everything has not been rosy. Nevertheless specific movements some mass with others less so we have seen having sprung up, that have not been seen in decades. Such opportunities for the left, for Socialists, organised in party structure or not can only be advantageous. Yet the understanding of the actuality of the movements means a re defining of elements of organisation {within such groups} as so to actually engage with the movement.

This means an opening up to the movement access for discussion and debate for those involved within the movement, as a starting point. The Socialist Workers Party paper in Ireland has seemingly taken an initiative on this front, and this should be welcomed. It also means for some, beginning to attempt fraternal debate amongst those within the movements, party aligned or not. Due to the diversity of the movements those seeking ‘control’ of such will be shown up much more clearly in light than they had not seen to the same extent previous. Therefore the formation of the potential of any form of alliance should not see the undemocratic methods of old used. Of course all such organisations hold their own agendas within any such alliances. Yet if organisations have problems with others then it should be discussed fraternally, as an alliance and not pre decided by a un - elected minority. In addition minority organisations and individuals should have full say in important decisions, again without such decisions being pre implemented.

Such alliances on specific issues have to date delivered some successes. With that we have seen some other alliances now trying to bring together a range of issues and concerns for electoral - campaigning purposes. These in Britain and in Ireland where such alliances have already been set up, or are in discussion and debate to initiate. Again many of the concerns raised above had been raised in some such initiations. And unfortunately to date such concerns has as previous been articulated solely as the voices of sectarians, or that of other differing party aligned individuals. This for party interest. While this is the case to some extent, many were and are in fact genuine activists within the movement raising such concerns. Therein lays the need to adapt and work within the new movement as a new movement in a new time, with a new generation eager to learn

If not I believe such alliances cannot and will not reach their full potential but be simply a case of doing simply to do. So such potential alliances need to provide not only a democratic vehicle but also a fully participatory democratic voice for its activists and supporters. In doing so the alliance on whatever issue{s} will move forward in strength. There are many individuals, left and Socialists activists who are grafting away as there are small left and Socialist parties and organisations doing similar. Each of us can only do so much individually. Collectively though as has been shown in recent times we can begin in small ways to begin to effect some change. Change though needs to begin in many such organisations to no longer work of old as to attempt to work amongst the new

Therefore the initiation of the new paper Street Seen for me was and is a vitally important initiative within that context, this for two reasons. Firstly its initial reasoning for coming into existence, homelessness, is a growing issue in our society. Therefore any such support that can be given should be. Yet in doing that we could also attempt to extend that support into raising the issue of and supporting those that find them selves in the wider poverty trap. Secondly I believe that the Street Seen paper can be an additional vehicle for those who have found little space afforded to their voice and so being provided an avenue for that voice. Many of the left and Socialist papers are in fact closed doors, although some are seemingly attempting to take the positive and vital step of opening them up to debate and discussion. Such online sites from the Blanket to Indymedia have long since been set up on that basis. For the Street Seen network this can and is being helped via established grassroots activists, writers, networks, websites, trade unionists, and organisations that are also lending support to its different initiatives. In fact the diversity of the movement coming together and lending support to aspects of it.

Whether Ideas or Ideologies if we are participants within the movements we are all then indeed part of the movements. With that each of us can continue to attempt to win others to our understanding, yet this is made easier in that course of common struggle. This can be made even easier if such is initiated on the basis of democratic and accountable participation. And in doing so some barriers may slowly even begin to come down. And who knows previous competitors may even begin to find some sense of mutual respect and a collective sense of a possible shared alliance with others.

I posed the question from the onset ‘well what are we for’. Well I believe such collective answers can only be found through open, fully participatory and democratic debate, organisational methods and structures. Of course many will know what they are for as per their tradition. But that process of debate can, will and has found common ground and seeing extensive ‘collective understanding and actions’ while still acknowledging differences. Therefore such debate should not be feared, censored or isolated within the movement; in fact it should be a vital component of it. And if that were the case I believe we can then begin to pull in many of those parted and separate fingers of the left, Socialist organisations, parties, groups and individuals together into the clenching of a Fist For Change. It will take time, yet in this time, who knows, anything is possible if we set our minds to it.

I finish on this point of initiating campaigns and developing them into movements. Another important issue in the North is that of the water charges and again the debate and discussions on how they can be defeated is ongoing. Presently in the North there are a number of differing campaigns some party aligned, others not. With that, I have followed their campaigns and have spoken to some of their activists while being fully aware of what to expect of others. Although there is a broader trade union alliance lead by ICTU very little has been done on the ground by that said alliance. My experience of ICTU has shown that they have to be either moved into action from below. Or for campaigns to develop the situation where the ICTU feel that they cannot afford not to be involved.

After the murder of Daniel McColgan ,the young postal worker, the ICTU from a response from below where then moved to call rallies. Similarly as was done in the Anti War and Anti Racism Movements with their participation again gained, although at times some to a lesser extent that others. However both the Communities against the water tax campaign and the N. Ireland Anti poverty Network also of the alliance have been doing some work on the ground. As has the Socialist Party initiated campaign, the ISN campaign and others, all of which is to be welcomed. Yet to begin to develop such campaigns and more especially those that call for a mass non payment campaign this is going to be a long haul with hard graft on the ground.

With that, it is important that if one is to put their time and energy into such a campaign that they direct that activism at the campaign best suited for them. So after following the campaigns and speaking to activists, while having that experience of attempting to work with others in other campaigns. I have as an individual activist decided to throw my shoulder behind the Communities against the Water charges campaign, for the long haul. The CAWC non party aligned initiation has done some good work and it was the initial heard voice of the Anti Water Charges Campaign. Although I have heard less in the media of them than others it though is the campaign, I believe, that can move this issue forward into a movement. Therefore I will also be urging others for their involvement, while publicising both the issue and the campaign

Although I have been extremely busy to date, with working on my book {snippets of it to go up on the Blanket in time} as well as writing and engaging on websites and via papers etc. I nevertheless have been actively involved in a number of campaigns and projects. Yet one has to draw a line somewhere so therefore the ARN, Street Seen and the IPSC are the issues I as an individual activist am to prioritise in the coming year. Along with now my coming CAWT involvement, all of which I believe are for the long haul for me personally. Of course getting to the G8 protest and support to the Anti War Movements I will do. Yet therein it shows the diversity of the movement with many many more local issues that people are campaigning on and for.

So as stated whether it is held ideas or ideologues we are all involved in the movement. How such campaigns and movements develop and progress, it is for we the people to democratically discuss and debate. I believe that there are exciting and important times ahead and if we are to go forward we need to do so by engaging with the new.

Davy Carlin

Homelessness in Ireland..Fr.Peter McVerry

2005-01-10T15:30:00.000Z

Homelessness in Ireland

by Fr. Peter McVerry SJ

"This young man almost lost his life, not from lack of food, or the cold or an illness brought on by living on the streets. He almost lost his life because he had lost his dignity."

A young man threw himself into the river, about two weeks ago. He was pulled out and brought to hospital. The hospital kept him in, as he was suffering from severe depression. This young man was homeless. Some nights he got a bed in a hostel, most nights the hostels were all full and he slept on the street. During the day, he walked the streets, bored, tired and hungry. While he was in hospital, I went to visit him. He told me: "I can't go on living like this anymore". "Living like what?" I said. "I can't go on living", he said, "knowing that nobody cares".
This young man almost lost his life, not from lack of food, or the cold or an illness brought on by living on the streets. He almost lost his life because he had lost his dignity.
He felt that his life was of no value to anyone, that he was worthless, that he wasn't worth caring about. He felt useless, that really whether he lived or died would make no difference to the world or to anyone in it. His sense of his own worth was so destroyed that whether he lived or died didn't even make any difference to himself.
After visiting him in hospital, I came away feeling that we, our society, all of us in it, including myself who had known him for many years, had failed him. Not only had we failed him, we had failed our God.
If the scriptures say anything to us, they tell us of a God who is our Parent, the Parent of every person who is and ever has been and ever is to come. I love praying that image, the image of a God who loves me with the infinite and unconditional love that only the God-Parent can have. I love sitting or kneeling in quiet, just enjoying the knowledge of the love of God, just being grateful.
Then I remember that God is not just my Parent, but the Parent of this young man and the Parent of all like him. They too are the beloved children of God, they too have this dignity of being the child of God and nothing can take this dignity away from them. To God, this young man was of infinite value, just as I am, this young man was worth caring about, this young man was so loveable. But we, God's followers, the Christian people of God, had failed God, because we had failed to communicate this to him, God's child. The one commandment that Jesus had left us, we had failed miserably, "Love one another as I have loved you".
And God is the Parent who loves and cares for and cherishes those I find it hard to love, those I despise, those I can't stand, those who frighten me or those who repulse me. And as I sit or kneel and am filled with the consolation of knowing that I am loved by God, my Parent, I am also filled with embarrassment at my failure to love some of those other children of God's.
Because I work with the homeless, I am often asked "Should I give money to someone begging on the streets?" I always answer, "I don't know". And then I add, "But always have a kind word for them".
You may know the story of the priest in London who was asked by a beggar for "a few pence for a cup of tea, Father." And the priest said to him, "You're from Tipperary." "How did you know, Father?" "Because my mother was from Tipperary and you have the same accent". And the two of them had a little chat about life in Tipperary. And when the priest was moving on, the beggar took out a handful of coins from his pocket, and said "These, Father, these are from those that don't care." That priest had given that man much more than money, he had respected his dignity, he had communicated to him what the Gospel is all about, the dignity of that man as a child of God.
I remember one day on my way to court with a young person, I noticed a man lying on the footpath. I wasn't sure if he was dead or alive. So I went over and shook him. He turned over and looked up at me. "Are you alright?" I said. "I am, sir", he said, "but thanks for asking." I did nothing for that man, but he felt that someone cared. And that made a difference.
In our hostels for homeless young people, I always say that what we are trying to do is to make each of those young people feel that they are just as valuable, just as loveable, just as worth caring about as any other young person of their age. If we are not communicating that, we may as well pack up and go home. Feeding them, clothing them, giving them a bed for the night is worthless if we are not giving them back their dignity. If we fail to feed them, to clothe them or give them a bed for the night, they will not die. They will manage somehow to get food on the streets, to clothe themselves, to find some little nook or cranny to sleep in. But they will not find dignity on the streets and that is what we have to give them. And if we fail to give them back their dignity, our failure could be their death.
We are building an extraordinarily successful economy. We keep getting told that we have never had it so good. We are told that there is no end in sight to this success. But if our success leaves some people feeling under-valued, feeling left out, feeling that they have no place in this project, feeling that the rest of us are so busy that we have no time or inclination to care for them, then we are building our house on sand. And that is how many people are feeling today. We have failed them and we have failed our God.
The only house that is worth building is the house in which there are many mansions, the house that has a place for all, that welcomes all, that cares for all, that respects the dignity of each and every one of God's children. The kind word, the reaching out, the caring is the cement that binds that house together. None of us can build that house. But each of us can place a few bricks somewhere in the walls

Fr. Peter McVerry SJ began his ministry in the Inner City of Dublin in 1974. During his work there he came into contact with young people who were sleeping on the streets because of the appalling inadequacy of their home situation and the response of Irish society as a whole. The move to Summerhill was to prove a watershed event. He was galvanised into action to attempt to alleviate the deprivation and disadvantage he witnessed. In 1979 he opened a hostel for young homeless boys aged 12-16 and four years later founded the Arrupe Society to provide care and accommodation for homeless boys. Since then he has opened another three hostels for the homeless and a residential drug detox centre in Co Dublin for homeless drug users.

When he was conferred with an honorary doctorate of philosophy by Dublin City University recently, the President of DCU in his citation said,
‘Few people live to see their name become synonymous with a cause. Peter McVerry is one. For over a quarter of a century he has been a public champion of the young homeless. His is a passionate and tenacious voice for those who lack the clout, the confidence and the means to expose the scandal of young people sleeping rough on the streets of one of Europe’s most thriving capitals.
His ministry focuses on taking care of those whom society would rather forget. He is a vocal conscience prepared to challenge governments, public agencies and an increasingly affluent Irish population.’

At the time of the opening of the first hostel,the Health Board's responsibility for children ended at the age of 16 and no statutory body had any responsibility for the over-16 age group. The Arrupe Society sought to provide a service to this age group.
Since the early 1990s, in no small part due to Peter and the Arrupe Society efforts, the Health Boards have been given statutory responsibility for children up to the age of 18, but a shortage of facilities and services has meant that accommodation is sometimes unavailable to young people in this age group; a gap that Peter has attempted to fill.

Fr McVerry's Vision
Fr Peter McVerry is seeking to provide the highest possible quality care for young homeless boys living in the hostels.
"It is our policy to provide a warm, caring, safe and supportive environment for the young people living there. We try to provide stability for young people so that they can attempt to deal in a positive way with emotional or behavioural problems, which they might experience. We try to encourage and help the young people living there to develop or maintain positive relationships with their family, where appropriate. We attempt to equip the boys for independent living during their stay. We support and help them to find employment, training courses or schooling, as appropriate to each one's needs. Ultimately, our objective is to help young people to take control of their own lives and not remain as victims of forces, internal or external, beyond their control. We seek to provide an atmosphere in which young people not only receive support and encouragement from staff but also offer such support and encouragement to each other.
Our philosophy is based on current child-care thinking, namely:
to work with small numbers of young people in family-sized residential units rather than larger, more institutional buildings.
to keep young people in of close to their communities as far as possible so that they can retain whatever support structures already exist in their lives and more easily relate to their families.
In order to facilitate strong relationships between staff and young people, we are committed to using full-time staff as far as possible, occasionally using volunteers where they have a specific contribution to make."

Make Poverty History

2005-01-06T02:57:00.000Z

Poverty, like rust never sleeps.......
Street Seen has seen at first hand the devastating effects of poverty and the destructive results that it has created here in Ireland.
Homelessness is an extreme symptom of poverty and we will endeavour to fight poverty in any we can.....

Today, the gap between the world’s rich and poor is wider than ever. Global injustices such as poverty, AIDS, malnutrition, conflict and illiteracy remain rife.

Despite the promises of world leaders, at our present sluggish rate of progress the world will fail dismally to reach internationally agreed targets to halve global poverty by 2015.

World poverty is sustained not by chance or nature, but by a combination of factors: injustice in global trade; the huge burden of debt; insufficient and ineffective aid. Each of these is exacerbated by inappropriate economic policies imposed by rich countries.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. These factors are determined by human decisions.

2005 offers an exceptional series of opportunities for the UK to take a lead internationally, to start turning things around. Next year, as the UK hosts the annual G8 gathering of powerful world leaders and heads up the European Union (EU), the UK Government will be a particularly influential player on the world stage.

A sea change is needed. By mobilising popular support across a unique string of events and actions, we will press our own government to compel rich countries to fulfil their obligations and promises to help eradicate poverty, and to rethink some long-held assumptions.

MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY , supported by Street Seen, urges the government and international decision makers to rise to the challenge of 2005. We are calling for urgent and meaningful policy change on three critical and inextricably linked areas: trade, debt and aid.

1. Trade justice
• Fight for rules that ensure governments, particularly in poor countries, can choose the best solutions to end poverty and protect the environment. These will not always be free trade policies.
• End export subsidies that damage the livelihoods of poor rural communities around the world.
• Make laws that stop big business profiting at the expense of people and the environment.

The rules of international trade are stacked in favour of the most powerful countries and their businesses. On the one hand these rules allow rich countries to pay their farmers and companies subsidies to export food – destroying the livelihoods of poor farmers. On the other, poverty eradication, human rights and environmental protection come a poor second to the goal of ‘eliminating trade barriers’.

We need trade justice not free trade. This means the EU single-handedly putting an end to its damaging agricultural export subsidies now; it means ensuring poor countries can feed their people by protecting their own farmers and staple crops; it means ensuring governments can effectively regulate water companies by keeping water out of world trade rules; and it means ensuring trade rules do not undermine core labour standards.

We need to stop the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) forcing poor countries to open their markets to trade with rich countries, which has proved so disastrous over the past 20 years; the EU must drop its demand that former European colonies open their markets and give more rights to big companies; we need to regulate companies – making them accountable for their social and environmental impact both here and abroad; and we must ensure that countries are able to regulate foreign investment in a way that best suits their own needs.

2. Drop the debt
• The unpayable debts of the world’s poorest countries should be cancelled in full, by fair and transparent means.

Despite grand statements from world leaders, the debt crisis is far from over. Rich countries have not delivered on the promise they made more than six years ago to cancel unpayable poor country debts. As a result, many countries still have to spend more on debt repayments than on meeting the needs of their people.

Rich countries and the institutions they control must act now to cancel all the unpayable debts of the poorest countries. They should not do this by depriving poor countries of new aid, but by digging into their pockets and providing new money.

The task of calculating how much debt should be cancelled must no longer be left to creditors concerned mainly with minimising their own costs. Instead, we need a fair and transparent international process to make sure that human needs take priority over debt repayments.

International institutions like the IMF and World Bank must stop asking poor countries to jump through hoops in order to qualify for debt relief. Poor countries should no longer have to privatise basic services or liberalise economies as a condition for getting the debt relief they so desperately need.

And to avoid another debt crisis hard on the heels of the first, poor countries need to be given more grants, rather than seeing their debt burden piled even higher with yet more loans.

3. More and better aid
• Donors must now deliver at least $50 billion more in aid and set a binding
timetable for spending 0.7% of national income on aid. Aid must also be made to work more effectively for poor people.

Poverty will not be eradicated without an immediate and major increase in international aid. Rich countries have promised to provide the extra money needed to meet internationally agreed poverty reduction targets. This amounts to at least $50 billion per year, according to official estimates,
and must be delivered now.

Rich countries have also promised to provide 0.7% of their national income in aid and they must now make good on their commitment by setting a binding timetable to reach this target.

However, without far-reaching changes in how aid is delivered, it won’t achieve maximum benefits. Two key areas of reform are needed.

First, aid needs to focus better on poor people’s needs. This means more aid being spent on areas such as basic healthcare and education. Aid should no longer be tied to goods and services from the donor, so ensuring that more money is spent in the poorest countries. And the World Bank and the IMF must become fully democratic in order for poor people’s concerns to be heard.

Second, aid should support poor countries and communities’ own plans and paths out of poverty. Aid should therefore no longer be conditional on recipients promising economic change like privatising or deregulating their services, cutting health and education spending, or opening up their markets: these are unfair practices that have never been proven to reduce poverty. And aid needs to be made predictable, so that poor countries can plan effectively and take control of their own budgets in the fight against poverty.

MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY is a unique UK alliance of charities, trade unions, campaigning groups and celebrities who are mobilising around key opportunities in 2005 to drive forward the struggle against poverty and injustice.

http://www.makepovertyhistory.org/

Street Seen Sleeping Bag Appeal Xmas 2004

2005-01-05T23:50:00.000Z

Thank you to everyone who responded to the recent Street Seen Sleeping Bag Appeal,

This was an urgent appeal for basic essential items that we all take for granted, as the weather gets colder and colder there was a pressing need for warm clothes, blankets, sleeping bags and basic foodstuffs to be distributed out to those most in need over the Christmas period and beyond. The response was phenomenal with over 300 Sleeping bags, Duvets and blankets so far donated with 40 large bags of warm clothes and 50 sets of Scarves gloves with still more donations to be collected over the next couple of weeks

All items donated so far have already been distributed to the East Belfast Mission, The Welcome Centre (W Belfast), Home Plus and other outreach groups that work directly with the homeless Community on our Street. These groups work 365 days of the year tackling the root causes of homelessness and deserve the highest of praise and support for the work they do in all weathers and times. Street Seen, Belfast’s very own homeless paper will endeavour to support these groups as best as we can. Thanks to all who donated to the appeal we have gathered enough items that should last for the next couple of months

Jon Glackin…. We have been overwhelmed with the positive response to Street Seens Appeal, we established our paper to directly involve the local homeless community, our vendors and all associated with the paper have worked their socks off making this appeal so successful, so many people have rang with donations and help that we have managed to gather enough basic items that should last for the next couple of months. We intend to continue the Appeal all year round as Homelessness is an all year round symptom of the Poverty that exists on our streets. I have been humbled by peoples support of this campaign and Street Seen will continue to develop projects that directly involve and assist our homeless community

Davy Carlin…We would like to thank you for all your support for the Street Seen initiative taken recently to collect sleeping bags and warm clothes for homeless persons. The initiative itself was helped in part also by the large media coverage we got from the newspapers - radio and television as so to publicise and cover it. Although Street Seen is only on its second issue its print run is 10,000 copies. The publication affords space to those who may not find space afforded elsewhere for their stories, poetry etc as well as providing an avenue for more established writers to put out their message.

Special thanks to…Anthony Glackin, Terri Hooley, Frankie Connolly, All at the NIAPN, Housing Rights Service, Quality Dry Cleaners, Portadown and all who donated or helped in any way to make the Appeal a success..

Support the Simon Community Fundraising Walk 9 January

2005-01-05T22:24:00.000Z

“THESE BOOTS ARE MADE FOR WALKING”

Simon Community Northern Ireland are asking the public to start 2005 on a healthy and active note by ‘stepping out’ at Crawfordsburn Country Park on Sunday 9th January 2005. The charity are holding their annual New Year Walk and hope to raise a substantial amount to help continue their work with local homeless people.

Simon Community Director of Fundraising Paul Collins told Street Seen “2005 is the second year of our January walk, with a choice of either a six or ten mile course. This is a great way to work off those extra Christmas pounds whilst helping those who need it most.”

Commencing at 12 noon and 2pm, the walks, which have been supported by local supermarket chain SuperValu, will offer participants an opportunity to put the hustle of the festive season behind them while enjoying some of the most beautiful scenery in the country.

SuperValu Brand Manager Nicky Kelly commented,
“SuperValu as a company with very strong roots in Northern Ireland, are happy to help Simon Community with this event. Homelessness is an issue we should all be aware of and the opportunity to support the excellent work of Simon Community is one that we are glad to undertake.”

Simon Community Corporate Fundraising Committee Chairman Tommy Rodgers F.I.F.P. / MD TR Group added, “ I am delighted to be taking part in the New Year as it is a fun family event that also helps the work of Simon Community”

Members of the public who are interested in taking part in the New Year Walk, or who wish to know more about the work of the Simon Community can contact Simon Community Fundraising Manager Tracy McAfee on 028 9023 2882, appeals@simoncommunity.org or http://www.simoncommunity.com/

Housing Executive-Helping the Homeless

2005-01-05T19:29:00.000Z

Helping the Homeless

Making a Difference to People’s Lives

The Northern Ireland Housing Executive is working with others to tackle the causes and effects of homelessness by:

· Helping people to avoid homelessness
· Helping people to escape from homelessness; and
· Supporting people when they get a home.

“In Northern Ireland, as in the rest of the UK, homelessness is one of the biggest social care issues today. Tackling its causes and affects is no longer a single issue about housing.
“The biggest cause of homelessness in Northern Ireland is relationship breakdown and the breakdown of sharing arrangements and this is not something which the Housing Executive can control. The Housing Executive’s priority is to get homeless people into sustainable permanent housing as quickly as possible.

While the number of homeless people here has fallen during the first six months of this year there is no room for complacency. The fact remains that more than half of homeless households are found permanent accommodation within three months, and almost nine in ten within a year. But we are acutely aware that in some areas of particularly high demand, people are still having to wait far too long to be re-housed in permanent accommodation and that issue needs to be addressed.

The number of new social houses available is clearly a crucial factor in combating homelessness. The Housing Executive will continue to press for more funding to be made available for new social housing, and work with the Department for Social Development and housing associations to ensure the effective delivery of the new build programme.

The Housing Executive will also work to maximise the housing choices available including greater use of the private rented sector.For too long, this option has been viewed as an option of last resort and we are committed to working towards making it an option of preference.
But dealing with homelessness is about much more than finding somewhere to live. It is also about dealing with the social and personal issues that lead to homelessness. Behind these statistics are some of our most vulnerable people whose needs don’t disappear when accommodation is provided. Combating homelessness does not end when a person or a family is found somewhere to live. Many people are locked into a cycle of homelessness which needs to be broken. Homeless people need a thorough, professional assessment of their requirements, suitable accommodation and tailored packages of support.

If you are interested in learning more about how the Housing Executive is tackling homelessness, visit the website www.nihe.gov.uk