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ONGOING ACTIVITIES

The Peace and Justice Studies Association (PJSA), formed by the merger of COPRED and PSA, is holding its first annual conference in Washington, DC October 4-6, is continuing to publish the Peace Chronicle, and is continuing most of the activities of the two parent organizations. for details contact PJSA, The Evergreen State College, Mailstop SEM 3127, Olympia, WA 98505 (360)867-5230, pjsa@riseup.net, or pjsaconference@attbi.com, : http://www.evergreen.edu/pjsa/.

Many groups and individuals have been active in promoting peace and respect for human rights in Israel and the Palestinian territories despite pressure from the Israeli government for them to cease a range of antiwar and human rights activities. For example, in June, the Women in Black succeeded in bringing together a whole spectrum of peace organizations, and thousands of people, to mark the 34th anniversary of the occupation, at the time of their weekly Friday vigil at France Square, Jerusalem. Similarly, on September 22, in a demonstration called by Gush Shalom, 200 demonstrated in Tel-Aviv against Sharon's plan to eliminate Yasser Arafat. Some groups have been working with international observers and activists, who in some cases, as in Nablis on June 30, have formed human shields to block Israeli military operations, though the Israelis have been increasingly denying entry to, and expelling, activists and observers from abroad. Israeli peace groups working with internationals include Gush-Shalom: info@gush-shalom.org or gush-shalom-intl@mailman.gush shalom.org and The Other Israel: otherisr@actcom.co.il. Among the Palestinian organizations collaborating with international activists and observers coming to the occupied territories is the International Solidarity Movement, that can be contacted via http://www.rapprochement.org/, info@palsolidarity.org or through George Qassis, georgesq@yahoo.com. Other sites for news & information on Palestine include http://www.electronicintifada.org, http://www.palestinemonitor.org, and http://www.palestinechronicle.com. While the majority of peace activists operate in a secular context, an active religious community of mutual understanding continues the tradition of Muslims, Jews and Christians studying each others sacred writings and commentaries in the Holy Land and across the Middle East. A number of Rabbis and Imams work together, periodically speaking together at Mosques and synagogues, and until recent travel restrictions made it impossible, visiting victims of intercommunal violence in hospitals. On Fridays between Noon and 1:30pm, near the Temple Mount and the Western Wall, while Jews are praying at the Wall and Muslims are praying in the mosque, since the outbreak of violence in September 2000, a small interfaith group has sat in a circle praying praying and chanting for tolerance and understanding between Palestinians and Israelis. The religious movement for peace has two aspects. There are those who focus on developing people to people relationships by focusing on the common elements of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, and those who are politically active in their religious work for peace. The latter, interestingly, includes orthodox Rabbi Menahem Froman of Tekoa, a founder of the Gush Emunim settlers movement, who engaged in a peace seeking dialogue with Hamas spiritual leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin. Rabbi Froman holds that Jews can have a meaningful relationship with the land, no matter who has political sovereignty, and that "The Character of the Temple Mount is religious and to the religious teachings it is a place of peace. There needs to be shared control by the three religions with no military or political presence." Among the organizations involved in the religious work for peace are Rabbis for Human Rights, The Interreligious Coordinating Council in Israel, Oz L'shalom/Netivot Shalom, the Meimad Party, and Peacemaker Community-Israel, P.O. Box 31894, Jerusalem 91316, Israel 972-625-4648, eliyahu@peacemakingcom.org. Shalom/Wahat al-Salam ("Oasis of Peace") is an integrated Israeli village of Jewish and Palestinian Israelis. Despite the regional violence of the last 20 months, the village community remains focused on its founder's vision, namely to be a place where "people of all faiths live together in peace." The village operates two unique programs, the School for Peace and the bilingual, bicultural primary school. The Israel/Palestine Center for Research and Information (IPCRI) runs a web site for sharing views about the Israeli-Palestinian Peace Process at http://www.placew4peace.com. For information contact Gershon Baskin, Co-Director, IPCRI, P.O. Box 9321 Jerusalem 91092, 972-2-6766-9460, 052-381-715, gerhon@ipcri.org.

Search for Common Ground in the Middle East Security Working Group has begun an initiative on responding to the threat of terrorism and other incidents involving nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC) weapons, while continuing to work on the problems of Iraq and rising Israeli-Palestinian violence. The NBC response project of experts, including security specialists and retired generals from Egypt, Iran, Israel, Jordan, Turkey and the United States, working together for the last six years, reported a series of recommendations at a 2001 meeting in Istambul. The group reached a consensus that the threat is sufficient across the region as to encourage transnational cooperation in dealing with it. The group recommended those measures that could be taken now, and those that would have to wait until sufficient progress is made toward Palestinian-Israeli settlement to improve the general climate in the region. A march meeting this year, augmented by emergency response and consequence management experts, focussed on planning a response to any incident that might occur, noting that even in the face of escalating Israeli-Palestinian violence, the threat of such attacks was sufficient to promote cooperation among nations and the carrying out of a set of confidence building measures. The Common Ground News Service (CGNS), which has been an excellent source for thoughtful articles for this newsletter over the past few years, now reaches over 2,500 media outlets, policy makers, universities, NGO leaders and individuals. More than 100 of the articles it distributes have been published in major regional papers and online journals, with the number of commissioned articles increasing. One of CGNS' projects has been a series, "views on nonviolence," presenting a variety of views on alternative ways of achieving justice and peaceful resolution of difficult disputes. Selected CGNS writings are now available in arabic. To receive CGNews go to www.sfcg.org/cgnews/middle-east.cfm or contact cgnews@sfcg.org. The Dialogue of Civilizations program has been launched to address mutual fear and suspicion prevalent in the West and the Muslim world through various methods and projects. These include an American/Arab film summit to be held in U.S. and Arab cities, Convening a workshop and establishing a network of dialogue centers working to improve relations between the Muslim world and the West, and production of a video that includes interviews with media professionals, civil society leaders and prominent thinkers sharing their perceptions of the current state of Islamic-Western relations and identifying possibilities for future cooperation. The project can be reached through Ms. Jenin Assaf, Program Manager, Dialogue of Civilizations Program, at the Washington, DC office (address below) (202)777-2207, jasaf@sfcg.org.

The Morocco Conflict Resolution Program held its first training session in February, on basic conflict resolution and mediation skills. In March, seven participants from labor, management and government traveled to the U.S. with SFCG staff for training and first hand learning about the U.S. labor relations model. For more information, contact Bulletin of Regional Cooperation in the Middle East, 1601 Connecticut Ave., NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20009 (202)265-4300, bulletin@sfcg.org, http://www.sfcg.org, or European Center for Common Ground, Rue Belliard, 205, B-1040 Brussels, Belgium (32-2)732-7262, eccg@eccg.be.

MidEast Citizen Diplomacy is a U.S. based non-profit organization dedicated to promoting Jewish Palestinian reconciliation through:

1. People-to-people peace building initiatives;
2. Compassionate Listening as a tool for reconciliation;
3. Educational outreach.

Mid East Citizen Diplomacy has been leading citizen delegations to Israel, the West Bank and Gaza since 1990. Hundreds of participants have traveled to learn first-hand from citizens, religious, political and grassroots leaders, settlers, refugees and peace activists about their lives, struggles and perspectives. They have built respectful and trusting relationships at every level of Israeli and Palestinian society. "Seeking to play a greater role in Israeli-Palestinian reconciliation, we launched the Compassionate Listening Project in 1997, with the encouragement of Israeli and Palestinian NGOs. Participants in our delegations now focus on Compassionate Listening as a tool for reconciliation, based on the work of Gene Knudsen Hoffman. With the guidance of our professional facilitators and Israeli and Palestinian colleagues, trip participants deepen in their understanding of the perspectives and the suffering of Israelis and Palestinians on all sides of the conflict, and build bridges among the communities in conflict. We also hold workshops for Israelis and Palestinians in the listening technique, and invite them to come together to practice with one another. We believe that the international community has the potential to play a much more significant role in Middle East peace-building and reconciliation efforts. We also believe in the creative abilities of regular citizens to affect change at the global level. We invite you to join us on a Compassionate Listening delegation.To make our work accessible to the general public, we produced a beautiful, broadcast-quality documentary video introducing our work with Compassionate Listening, Children of Abraham." For details go to: http://www.mideastdiplomacy.org/video.html.

Psychologists for Social Responsibility (PsySR) is one of many groups concerned that the Bush Administration is over reacting to the threat of terrorism in ways that in the long run will weaken the well being, and hence the national security, of the United States, by unnecessarily (and to some extent, counter productively) limiting civil rights; threatening unilateral military action abroad and thus weakening U.S. ability to gain collaboration from other nations, when the key to eliminating terrorism is international cooperation; requesting record increases in military spending (with a $45 billion increase proposed in the defense budget for 2003) while cutting domestic spending, especially in programs affecting the economically most vulnerable people; and undertaking a wide range of environmentally damaging policies, from failure to increase automobile engine efficiency and renewable energy electricity development, to relaxing enforcement of workplace safety and environmental protection rules and opening sensitive protected areas to energy mining and drilling. PsySR invites its members to use the Community Dialogue Guide, posted on the Public Conversations Project web site: www.publicconverations.org, to facilitate discussion of these issues in their communities.

Meanwhile, PsySR, in collaboration with the Disaster Mental Health Institute of South Dakota and the University of Maine, held, in July, an international Conference on Personal and Community Reconstruction, Resilience and Empowerment in Times of Ethno-Political Conflict, aimed at improving the effectiveness of psychological humanitarian assistance programs in ethno-conflict areas. The Conflict Resolution Action Committee has been researching the the intersection of peace psychology and international relations and will soon begin a dialogue on this topic. For Information, contact Aaron Wessela@georgetown.edu, or call PsySR (202)745-7084. Committee member Chris Stout is editing a series on the psychology of terrorism, and can be contacted at cstout@ix.negteam.com. The committee's resolution on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict can be accessed on the PsySR web site or from Steve Fabick, stevefabik@aol.com (248)258-9288.

The Global Violance and Security Action Committee (which also serves American Psychology Association Division 48, Peace Psychology), supports signing on to the Abolition 2000 letter, seeking to restore commitment to nuclear disarmament in the wake of the India-Pakistan confrontation. PsySR joined several hundred organizations world wide in writing to the presidents, prime ministers, and foreign ministers of Pakistan and India, urging the two nations not to respond militarily to violence relating to Kashmir, and recommending a dialogue to develop mutual understanding. Section members have recently authored a number of papers on various topics relating to psychology and violence, including terrorism and nuclear threats and conflict. For information contact Diane Perleman (610)667-6703, ninedots@aol.com and Marc Pilsuk (510)526-0876, mpilsuk@saybrook.edu.

The Social Justice Action Committee has a new list serve: psysr-sj@yahoogroups.com. The International Peace Practitioners Network, a joint project of PsySr and the Society for the Study of Peace, Conflict and Violence: APA Division 48, has been distributing literature for education to avoid anti-Muslim harassment. Activities by PsySR members include, publication of the National Violence Index by James Brumbaugh-Smith, Neil Wollman [(219)982-5346, njwollman@manchester.edu], Brad Yoder. New York PsySR joined Say No to War and the History Department at John Jay College put on a discussion of the roots of the current international situation. David Hartsough, Executive Director of the Nonviolent Peace Force and project director Mel Duncan announced the availability of the Nonviolent Peaceforce Feasibility Study, a comprehensive study of nonviolent third party intervention (www.nonviolentpeaceforce.org or Christine XSchweitz@aol.com).

In Peru, members working with Amnesty International have had cooperation from the government in setting up a human rights education program for police, due to a high number of incidents of police violence and torture. In Pakistan, a group of 20 women has formed a human rights organization focussing on women, Roshni Women's Desk (Lubna Akhter, Chairperson, Roshni Resources Center, Near Darbar Sakhi Sultan Suraj Miani Multan, Pakistan, roshni_wd@yahoo.com).

The Culture of Peace News Network has several contact points: for China, Taozi, 2002, 4, 5, News Center, Nankai University, 300071, China, Ph./FAX: 86-22-23508737, liut@office.nankai.edu.cn; for Japan, Takehiko Ito, cpw@wako.ac.jp; for France, Michel Cibot, mcibot@ville malakoff.fr. For more information about all aspects of PsySR contact PsySr, 2604 Connecticut Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20008 (202)445-0051, psrsrusa@cs.com or psyssripn@aol.com, www.psysr.com.

Dialogue Webpage for Conflicts World Wide, the Japan Center for Preventive Diplomacy and the Japan Times recently put on the Second e-Symposium on Conflict Prevention, bringing together global experts world wide and involving wide public participation, in a low cost discussion of the role conflict prevention might play in building peace. The Symposium's web site is www.dwcw.org/e-symposium/.

Friends National Committee on Legislation (FCNL) is concerned that "the greatest threats to U.S. society are not coming from 'terrorists' or 'rogue nations' abroad. They are coming from the words and actions of elected officials here at home. Actions of the Department of justice - emboldened by the USA-Patriot Act passed by Congress last fall - threatens to turn the U.S. into a permanent security state. Likewise the greatest threat to global peace-and to human development and security world wide - are coming from U.S policy makers carrying out their lawful duties. The current administration and its congressional allies have raised military spending to heights never seen before...which means even less support for the poor and vulnerable in our society. The U.S. is turning away from international cooperation in arms control and disarmament...tearing apart decades of work, alienating U.S. allies, and increasing the chances of regional or global warfare. The subtle shifting of diplomatic responsibilities from civil society to military control may lead to even less accountability by government to the people." Concerned about legislative proposals from the White House, FCNL joined with 47 other national organizations, in April, asking Congress to" Maintain existing human rights conditions for countries receiving U.S. military aid; maintain control of military foreign aid within the State Department, not the Pentagon; Address real humanitarian problems, by funding peacekeeping and reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan, as well as providing funding for issues of global concern such as HIV/AIDS; Maintain congressional control of the purse strings and oversight of foreign aids programs. As a result, the bill passed by Congress included many of the human rights restrictions on foreign aid that the 48 NGO's had advocated.

In addition, FCNL has joined with the Peacefull Tomorrows (formed by survivors of victims of the September 11 Attacks, seeking peaceable alternatives to war and terror) and Global Exchange to promote establishment of a fund to provide modest compensation to Afghan civilians killed, injured or displaced as a result of U.S. military operations in their country. Estimates of Afghan civilians killed run from a few hundred to several thousand. Considerably more have been wounded or displaced. For more information about this and other FNCL concerns, contact FCNL, 245 2nd St., NE, Washington, DC 20002 (202)547-6000, (800)630-1330, fcnl@fcnl.org, http://www.fcnl.org.

The Interhemespheric Resources Center (IRC) and the Institute for Policy Studies (IPS) are concerned that the U.S. emphasis on military might, and threats to act unilaterally, to counter terrorism and pursue other policy goals is extremely misguided. Their analysis concludes that "Retaliatory strikes against suspected terrorist targets are strategically ineffective and invite further retaliation from terrorists. Unilateral military actions are illegal under international law and often result in civilian casualties. The fact that the U.S. itself has sponsored terrorist attacks undercuts its credibility in trying to combat terrorism." IRC and IPS recommend, "America needs to make effective international measures a higher priority, but it must avoid sweeping reforms that unduly curb civil liberties or target particular ethnic groups. Washington should support international conventions and institutions intended to track, punish and curb terrorism and to curb the trade in small arms and chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons and materials. The U.S. needs to cooperate with the United Nations and other multilateral agencies to be effective in combating global terrorism." A more complete analysis and a list of related resources is to be found in the revised September 2001 issue of Foreign Policy In Focus, obtainable along with other publications from IRC, PO Box 4506, Albuquerque, NM 87196 (505)842-8288, tom@irc-online.org, http://www.fpif.org/. IPS can be contacted at (202)234-9382/3, ipsps@igc.org.

In Argentina, amidst a national crisis, UNIDA, a Baha'a inspired NGO, is working to strengthen civil society through training programs and by promoting participatory development. With the collapse of the Argentine economy, UNIDA has fostered the launching of neighborhood assemblies to talk about what they can do to solve their own problems, such as community purchasing of food at reduced prices and organizing neighborhood banks. For more information, contact One Country, Baha'i International Community, Suite 120, 866 United Nations Plaza, New York, NY 10017, 1country@bic.org, http"//www.onecountry.org.

Amesty International (AI) is concerned that the "war on terrorism" has led to an increase in human and civil rights violations around the world. The summer 2002 edition of Amnesty Now lists 43 countries in which rights violations occurred, or would be allowed under new regulations, justified as being necessary to fight terror. For more details contact Amnesty International USA, 322 8 Ave., New York, NY 10001, tallen@aiusa.org.

Conflict Resolution Center International has been publishing Conflict Resolution Notes for 20 years now. For subscriptions and more information on CRCI's doings contact Conflict Resolution Center International, 204 37 St., Pittsburgh, PA 15201 (412)687-6210, Paul@ConflictRes.org, www.ConflictRes.org.

The U.S. Network for Global Economic Justice is very concerned that the policies of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have been extremely damaging to third world nations and people, with beneficial results only for some multinational corporations. For more information, contact 50 Years is Enough: U.S. Network for Global Economic Justice, 3628 12 St., NE, Washington, DC 20017 (202)463-22654. 50years@50years.org, www.50years.org.

The Carter Center focusses on "the growing chasm between the rich and the poor....Our mission is to alleviate human suffering by waging peace, fighting disease, and building hope around the world." The Center operates from the highest levels of government to the grass roots, working closely with local people in 65 nations. The Center is near to proclaiming victory in the struggle to wipe out Guyinea worm disease, which cripples victims who ingest the microscopic worms in impure drinking water in 20 African and Asian nations. Through the provision of water filters, the disease has been reduced by 98% since 1986, dropping from 3.5 million to 60,000 cases. In Ethiopia, within two years of the Center introducing new methods to local farmers, the national grain harvest has been more than doubled. Similar efforts are ongoing by the center in eleven other countries. In the past year, the Center has monitored elections to check that they are free and fair in East Timor, Bangladesh, Peru, Nicaragua, Guyana and Zambia, and has been strengthening electoral processes in small villages in China, where some 600 of the 900 million villagers are experiencing "some form of real democracy." The Center is currently helping to negotiate a lasting peace between Uganda and the Sudan. For more information contact the Carter Center, One Copenhill, Atlanta, GA 30307, http://www.cartercenter.org.

Peace Action is the nation's largest grassroots peace and justice membership organization. Peace Action works to abolish nuclear weapons, to stop U.S. weapon sales, particularly to countries that abuse human rights, and to redirect Pentagon spending toward community investments. A major concern of Peace Action is that the Bush Administration's Nuclear Posture Review "recklessly expands the scope of circumstances in which nuclear weapons would be used," no longer reserving them as a weapon of last resort, preparing to resume nuclear testing, and keeping up to 8000 nuclear warheads on reserve, in addition to the 1700- 2200 ready for use. Peace Action seeks the continued reduction and ultimate elimination of Nuclear weapons with verification; redirecting Pentagon spending (some of which Peace Action sees as wasteful) to domestic investment in education, health care and the environment; ending the international weapons trade, and all types of military aid; and conducting nonviolent conflict resolution through international institutions such as the UN and the International Criminal Court. For information contact Jason Smith, Peace Action, 1819 H Street NW, Suite 420, Washington, DC 20006 (202)862-9740 ext.3033, jsmith@peace action.org.

The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) reported in July that the "Patriot" movement continues to decline, with 158 anti-government Patriot groups functioning in 2001, 19% less than the previous year, in the fifth consecutive year of decline from 858 such organizations in 1996. At the same time, the number of Patriot web sites increased from 155 in 2001 to 175 in 2001, which SPLC interprets as a retreat into cyber space rather than a propaganda effort. For more details on SPLC's work toward a tolerant society, contact SPLC, P.O. Box 548. Montgomary, AL 36101 (334)956-8200.

The National Peace Foundation, celebrating its 20th year, has moved to 666 11 St., NW, Suite 202, Washington, DC 20001 (202)783-7030, npf@nationalpeace.org.

Fourth Freedom Foundation has a new area code and may now be reached at 803 N. Main St., Goshen, IN 46528 (574)534-4937.

Jubilee USA Network is one arm of the international debt cancellation movement, and is pushing forward the Jubilee Congregations program hands to break the chains of debt. For more information contact Marie Clarke Brill, National Coordinator, Jubilee USA Network, 222 East Capitol Street, NE, Washington, DC 20003 (202) 783-0215, marie@j2000usa.org, www.jubileeusa.org.

Psychologists for the Promotion for World Peace (PPOWP) in Australia has begun a newsletter and launched a web site. Contact them via Tamsin Whaley, P.O. Box 38, Flinders Lane PO, Melbourne VIC 8009, Australia (03)95172401, tnt@com.net.au, http://www.psyschsociety.com.au.

Creative Response to Conflict (CCRC) is celebrating its 30th anniversary. CCRC has one of the 9 Anti-Bullying Programs that recent Connecticut Legislation requires all public schools to choose from in initiating an anti-bullying program. Since 1998, CCRC has carried out the Youth Development Project, bringing young people from Georgia and Abkhazia to a summer peace camp, followed up by programs through the academic year in both countries to facilitate cross cultural exchange and build friendship across both sides of the central Asian conflict. For more information contact CCRC, P.O. Box 271, 521 N. Broadway, Nyack, NY, 10960.

The Center for International Development and Conflict Management (CIDCM) at the University of Maryland is offering an intensive program in the field of appropriate dispute resolution (ADR), to provide experiential learning and multiple perspectives on ways to bring about conflict transformation and peace-building. The aim is to develop the knowledge and professional skills necessary to facilitate the resolution of protracted ethnic, nationalist or religious conflicts, as well as conflicts over borders, water or other common-pool resources, using in particular the techniques of "second track" or citizens' diplomacy. These techniques, as exemplified in CIDCM's Innovative Problem-Solving Workshops, provide an essential complement to official, or "first track," diplomacy especially for conflicts involving non-state actors. For more information on the Workshop or on how to register (either on line or through mailing in an application), go to the CIDCM Web site http://www.cidcm.umd.edu/multi-track diplomacy.htm) or contact Joanne Manrique at 301-314-7707, jmanrique@cidcm.umd.edu.

Nonviolent Peaceforce (NP) is looking for volunteers for its pilot project explorations in September 2002 to Israel/Palestine, and to Sri Lanka. NP is an international project being currently developed to mobilize and train an international nonviolent, standing intervention force. NP will be sent to conflict areas to prevent death and destruction and to protect human rights, thus creating the space for local groups to struggle nonviolently, enter into dialogue, and seek peaceful resolution. Three potential pilot projects are being researched in Colombia, Israel/Palestine, and Sri Lanka. NP anticipates launching the first Nonviolent Peaceforce team of 100-200 trained, civilian internationals by July 2003. For information, contact Christine Schweitzer, Research and Planning Director, xschweitz@aol.com, www.nonviolentpeaceforce.org.

The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) has replaced its old magazine Nucleus with a more substantial one, Catalyst, whose first issue was this Spring. UCS finds the Bush Administration's decision to leave the Anti Ballistic Missile treaty a blow to arms control that will substantially hinder efforts to reduce nuclear arsenals. The Union believes that the Bush Administration needs to change policy to support development of greater automobile fuel efficiency and increased use of renewable energy (such as wind turbines to generate electricity) to protect the environment and increase energy safety. "With only 2% of the world's proven oil reserves but 26% of the world's consumption, the United States cannot significantly reduce the costs of oil dependence by drilling at home. Saving oil is the most secure strategy we can take to insulate the U.S. economy from price shocks, counteract the market power of OPEC, and reduce the amount of money we send abroad." UPS also believes it is necessary to curtail logging to preserve plant and animal species. They are also urging Congress to end the misuse of antibiotics in animals that develops antibiotic resistant strains that infect people as well as animals.

UCS has produced its second report in a series designed to assist citizens and policy makers understand and respond to the threats of global warming, Confronting Climate Change in the Gulf Coast Region. The report is available on line and in print. For more information contact Union of Concerned Scientists, 2 Brattle Square, Cambridge, MA 0238 (617)547-5552, ucs@ucsusa.org, www.ucsusa.org.

Oceana is an International Conservation organization dedicated to restoring and protecting the world's oceans. They note that growth of dead zones where no fish live, the growth of algae blooms (killing fish an other marine life), the sharp reduction in the number of pollock, Stellear sea lions, sea otters and other ocean species, the decline of coral reefs, from over fishing, indiscriminate fishing methods and pollution are signs that the world's oceans are in serious trouble. Oceana favors changes in fishing methods, many of them simple, reduction of fishing to sustainable levels, and reduction of aquatic pollution to preserve ocean ecosystems. For details, contact Oceana, 2501 M. St., Washington, DC 20037. www.Oceana.org.

CARE reports extreme drought causing and threatening famine across Southern Africa, while for two years well below average rains fall have caused more than 37,000 families in Nicaragua and Guatemala to loose half of their harvest. In addition to providing emergency aid, CARE has been helping third world people develop sustainable agriculture and provides micro economic services to promote stable, sustainable income. For more information contact CARE, 151 Ellis St., NE, Atlanta, GA 30303 (404)681-2552, info@care.org, www.care.org.

The East Timor Action Netwok (ETAN) has continued to oppose Pentagon efforts to restore military aid to Indonesia, whose military continues to inflict human rights violations and has yet to be held accountable for past massive human rights abuse. ETAN is seeking increased economic aid for East Timor, whose lean budget is not sufficient to reconstruct the nation. ETAN reports that East Timorian refugee repatriation from harsh camps in West Timor increased significantly in early 2002, with 7100 people returning home in March and April. But approximately 60,000 refugees are yet to be repatriated. For more information contact East Timor Action Network, P.O. Box 15774, Washington, DC 20003 (202)544-6911, etan@etan.org, www.etan.org.

The International Campaign for Tibet (which publishes Tibet Press Watch) is concerned that, while China has made some moves to reduce international criticism of its policy toward Tibet, such as releasing some political prisoners, including Tanak Jigme Sangpo, first jailed in 1960, China's overall behavior remains harsh toward Tibetans. The Campaign complained that Chinese authorities demolished traditional Tibetan houses in Lhasa, evicting the residents in April, and have arrested other leading Tibetans, such as the Lama Delek Rinpoche. In general, The Campaign sees China as being less overtly suppressive, while tightening economic and educational control over the life of Tibetans. For more information, contact the International Campaign for Tibet, 1825 K. St., Suite 520, Washington, DC 20006 (202)785-1515, info@savetibet.org, www.savetibet.org.

Doctors without Borders has released a list of the 10 most underreported humanitarian crises of 2001:

Burundi: a devastating malaria epidemic, of more than 3 million cases, in a nation where 800,000 people, one-sixth of the population, have been displaced by war;

Chechnya: 150,000 displaced people living in horrible conditions;

hundreds of thousands of North Korean refugees fleeing famine into China have been forced to return to North Korea where they face persecution;

Colombia: Civil war has left much of the civilian population caught in the middle, with huge displacement, with health care destroyed or inadequate;

Congo: Brutal war and breakdown of health care with 2.5 million displaced; Death toll from neglected diseases on the rise, with 14 million people dying from communicable diseases, 90% of whom are in the developing world; Protection of refugees and the displaced increasingly violated, with currently 21.8 million refugees and 20-25 million internally displaced persons, world wide;

Enduring needs in war ravaged Somalia, with almost no health or other service infrastructure;

Sri Lanka: 20 year civil war killed 60,00 and displaced hundreds of thousands, seriously effecting health and well-being;

Massive crises of displaced persons from conflicts in West Africa.

For more information contact Doctors Without Boarders, 6 E. 39 St., 8th Floor, New York, NY 10016 (212)679-6800, docrors@newyork.msf.org, www.doctorswithoutboarders.org.

Listen For Peace "is a grassroots organization inspired by the teachings of the Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh. We hope that after reading the 'Proposal to Listen for Peace and Security,' you would join us as a partner in the compassionate listening process that the proposal strives to create. Read and sign this most excellent proposal at: http://www.listenforpeace.org>http://www.listenforpeace.org

We recognize that the well-being and safety of the people within the United States and the well-being and safety of the rest of the world are inseparable. In order for harmony and safety to exist among nations in the world, we must first nourish harmony and safety in our own country. Peace begins with each one of us. Therefore, we propose a process of listening, understanding, and reconciliation on both a national and an international level.

The Peace Education Commission (PEC) of the International Peace Research Association (IPRA), facilitates international exchanges about peace education and research related to peace education. Twice a year PEC produces a newsletter, Peacebuilding which is mailed to its members. It also compiles, Directory of peace educators and updates it every two years. PEC is also planning to publish an International Journal of Peace beginning in April 2004. For information contact Naresh Dadhich, Dept. of Political Science, University of Rajasthan, Hony.Sec., Jaipur Peace Foundation, Jawahar Nagar, Jaipur-302004, Tel: 91-141-652846, ndadhich@datainfosys.net.

In response to more than 25 years of violence and armed struggle in the province of Aceh, Indonesia, a group of academics and activists have undertaken the task of creating Islamic Peace Education in Aceh in a curriculum grounded in the core Islamic peace beliefs and rooted in the Acehnese social and cultural values. Islam, derived from the word salaam, peace, is at the core of its very name, a religion of peace. Many times misunderstood as a religion of vengeance and retribution, Islam on a global scale has received defamatory attention in recent times. Yet its truest practitioners continue to quote the Qu'ran as a book of peacemaking directives. Inequity, violence and a highly traumatized population serve as the backdrop for this curriculum and the accompanying teacher and student trainings. Many rural Acehnese are under-educated, while the city of Banda Aceh is experiencing a rapid rate of urbanization. These factors contribute to a level of dissatisfaction with the centralized Indonesian government, and cause the Acehnese to become further entrenched in the separatist movement. In the past year alone more than 600 people have been killed in Aceh. Nearly every Acehnese has a story of witness to violence. Few are untouched by the bloody struggle. For the past three decades, violence has been the modus operandi for resolving conflicts in Aceh. The GAM (Free Aceh Movement) and Indonesian military routinely and aggressively perpetrate acts of violence which often catch civilians in the cross fire. Like many international conflicts, the blame and frustration is so deep and the feelings so hot that this power struggle has assumed a life of its own. Recognizing that violence only perpetuates more violence, the curriculum team began developing a peace education program for high school-aged students as well as teachers, and over the past year has conducted trainings and workshops which have reached both private and public schools throughout Aceh. Six basic principles form the foundation for the curriculum: Introspection and Sincerity, Rights and Responsibilities, Conflict and Violence, Democracy and Justice, Plurality of Creation, and Paths to Peace. For more information, contact Leah C. Wells, who serves as Peace Education Coordinator for the Nuclear Age Peace
Foundation, education@napf.org.

Landegg University has been undertaking the Education Peace Project in Bosnia and Herzogvinia, teaching concepts of peace education in six schools in ethnically diverse communities. The focus is on present and future generations of young people learning to become peacemakers, overcoming prejudices in order to break the cycle of violence. Parents are involved as well as children in developing a culture of peace. The project is funded by the government of Luxembourg and is supported by the High Representative of the civilian agency overseeing the Dayton Peace Accords in Bonia Herzogovinia. For more information contact One Country, Baha'i International, Community, Suite 120, 866 United Nations Plaza, New York, NY 10017.

The University of Tromoso Center for Peace Studies in North Norway is developing its policy statement as it begins offering a two year masters degree. The program will facilitate mediation as well as undertake education and research. For information contact Vidar Vambheim, Tromoso Peace Studies, Universityof Tromoso, 9037 Tromoso, Norway, +47-7764.5249, vidarv@peace.uit.no, www.peace.uit.no.

Peace Research Centre Cameroon (PEREC) is an NGO created in 1999, whose objectives are to build a civil social culture of world peace, combat racism, xenophobia, intolerance, etc.; to advance peaceful settlement of disputes and encourage conflict resolution and peace building. The Centre conducts interdisciplinary research into the conditions of peace and causes of war and other violence; on community disputes; and on the economic social and humanitarian consequences of war. PEREC produces publications and proposes practical solutions to problems in various forms. It invites cooperation and networking with like minded organizations. For information contact PEREC, Cameroon, c/o High Court BUI Division, Kumbo (Bamenda), N.W.P. Cameroon (237)3481145, (237)8711984, perec2004@yahoo.co.uk.

Among its various international exchanges, People to People Ambassador Program is sending a Medical Alumni [of previous People to People trips] Delegation to Cuba in December. For more information contact People to People Ambassador Program, Dwight D. Eisenhower Building, 110 S. Ferrall St., Spokane, WA 99202 (509)534-0430. info@ambassadorprograms.org, www.ambassadorprograms.org.

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