Rebuilding Gaza - Saturday the 1st May-Scottish Action for Gaza

IN THIS NEWSLETTER:

1) Rebuilding Gaza - FUNDRAISER - Saturday the 1st May-Scottish Action for Gaza

2) Children of Gaza - FILM - watch it online

Rebuilding Gaza
Saturday the 1st May-Scottish Action for Gaza

Garage, G2 Sauchiehall Street, Doors open 7pm ,
Tickets £5.00

2 great Glasgow bands, and some supporting speeches Redshift -8pm – covering Kings of Leon- Cold Play – Kaiser Chiefs Red Scot Chile Peppers -9pm Raffle -10.15pm

The Project- “Homes for Gaza”:A pilot project to rebuild 10 homes in the poorest parts of Gaza.Following a successful delivery of medical aid last year (under the name "Scottish Medical Aid for Gaza") the group is now investigating how it can help Gaza rebuild. The people of Gaza themselves have found a way to rebuild in spite of Israel and Egypt’s restrictions on building materials. The rubble from destroyed buildings is ground up, and mixed with a very little cement is reconstituted into building blocks!Scottish Action for Gaza will send a delegation to Gaza soon, to lay the groundwork for a pilot project to rebuild 10 homes. This will requires substantial funding - around £200,000. If successful, the group will apply for major funding from international donors for a significant number of houses, in districts where the poorest people live and the worst destruction occurred.

Contact :pauline.mcneillmsp@scottish.parliament.uk on 01415897120Carrah Nimmo on carra.nimmo@scottish.parliament.uk

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Children of Gaza
Directed by Jezza Neumann

In January 2009 over 1300 Palestinians were killed in Gaza. Around 300 of them children. When the ceasefire was declared, film-maker Jezza Neumann arrived to follow the lives of four children over the course of a year. Through their eyes, and in their words, Children of Gaza gives us a unique insight into the impact of war on vulnerable young minds. Despite the horrors they witnessed, Amal 9, Mahmoud & Omsyatte 12, and Ibraheem 11 still have hope and humour whilst living in the ruins of the Gaza Strip. Increasingly isolated by a blockade that prevents anyone from rebuilding their homes and their lives, Children of Gaza is a shocking, touching and uniquely intimate reflection on extraordinary courage in the face of great adversity.

WATCH THE FILM HERE: http://stopwar.org.uk/content/view/1810/268/

Please cut and paste the following link to your facebook, twitter etc. http://www.glasgowstopwar.blogspot.com/ and spread the word.

They all agree on one thing: don't mention the war

STOP THE WAR COALITION
Email glasgowstopwar@gmail.com
Web: http://stopwar.org.uk
Twitter: http://twitter.com/STWuk

IN THIS NEWSLETTER:
1) STEPPING UP STOP THE WAR'S ELECTION CAMPAIGN
2) NATIONAL TOUR – GLASGOW MEETING: WHY THE TROOPS SHOULD BE OUT OF AFGHANISTAN
3) ASTOUNDING RESPONSE TO ELECTION SURVEY
4) SPECIAL ELECTION RESOURCES
5) CRUEL PRISON TREATMENT OF SOLDIER JOE GLENTON
6) IT'S OFFICIAL: THROWING SHOES AS A PROTEST IS ALLOWED
7) WATCHING THIS VIDEO ANGER CALCIFIES THE HEART - Wikileaks

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1) STEPPING UP STOP THE WAR'S ELECTION CAMPAIGN

Hardly any of the politicians vying for our votes in this
election have mentioned the war in Afghanistan, even as the
country sinks further into a quagmire of destruction and
wasted lives, with the rate of British soldiers being killed
double what it was a year ago.

We are stepping up our campaign to raise the profile of the
war as an election issue and to get the candidates to state
their views publicly on Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran and other
anti-war issues, which many people will want to know when
deciding how to cast their vote.

Stop the War now has available a range of election special
resources (see below). Our Cost of War briefing card has
proved so popular that it sold out within a few days and is
now being reprinted.

They all agree on one thing: don't mention the war http://stopwar.org.uk/content/view/1817/1/


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2) GLASGOW PUBLIC MEETING:
WHY THE TROOPS SHOULD BE OUT OF AFGHANISTAN?

WEDNESDAY 21 APRIL, 7.30 PM
STUC, 333 WOODLANDS ROAD, GLASGOW

Participants include:

Jane Shallice, UK Stop the War Coalition
Joan Humphreys, whose grandson whose grandson Kevin Elliott, a 24-year-old Black Watch private, was killed in Afghanistan in 2009, speaks from Military Families Against War
Mohammed Asif, Scottish Afghan Society

Candidates from all parties standing in the forthcoming election will be invited to participate from the audience.

HELP FUND THE COSTS OF THIS MEETING AND GENERAL ELECTION MATERIALS BY MAKING A DONATION AT http://glasgowstopwar.express.iristickets.co.uk/
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3) ASTOUNDING RESPONSE TO ELECTION SURVEY

In just a few days, we have had an astounding response to our
Election Candidates Survey. Close to 4000 emails to candidates
have been sent already, asking where they stand on
Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran and other anti-war issues.

This is a reflection of the anger many voters must feel seeing
all the main parties ignore what should be a key issue in the
election.

If you haven't sent a message to your local candidates yet,
requesting they tell you what their view is of this country's
current war policies, we urge you to do so now. It takes just
1-2 minutes here: http://bit.ly/8X35fk

The more people pressure candidates, the more they will feel
they have to respond. Please forward the link to or Candidates
Survey to everyone you know and encourage them to send their
message.

As we get the responses from candidates, they will be
publicised on the Stop the War website, and we will name and
shame those who have remained silent.

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4) SPECIAL ELECTION RESOURCES

Stop the War has produced a range of election special
resources for our campaign to force the war in Afghanistan
onto the election agenda. These are all available from the
national office: Tel: 020 7801 2768

* AFGHANISTAN: THE COST OF WAR This briefing card has proved
so popular that it sold out within days. It is now being
reprinted.

* PETITION: DON'T THEY KNOW THERE'S A WAR ON - BRING THE
TROOPS HOME A petition for downloading to print and collect
signatures in your work, school, college, community etc.
Download here:

* AFGHANISTAN: 10 REASONS WHY THE TROOPS SHOULD COME HOME
A new pamphlet written by Steve Bell with a preface by Paul
Flynn MP. £2.50 incl p&p. BUY ONLINE: http://bit.ly/bGJTi3

* STOP THE WAR'S PRINTED NEWSLETTER We produce a by-monthly
printed edition newsletter, the latest issue of which is an
election special (50p. Reduced rate for 5 or more copies). If
you've not seen the printed newsletter before, back issues are
available here: http://bit.ly/c4r9Ot

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5) CRUEL PRISON TREATMENT OF SOLDIER JOE GLENTON
.
Joe Glenton, the British soldier who refused to return to
fight in Afghanistan because he believed the war to be
unjustified and unwinnable, is receiving cruel treatment at
the hands of military prison staff, following his court
martial and sentence to nine months imprisonment.

The prison authorities are trying to force him to sleep under
an unwashed or dirty blanket - a punishment that often leads
prisoners to get body lice - and to wear boots despite the
fact he has broken his toe. This follows a disciplinary
hearing following what his legal team say is the trumped up
claim that Joe insulted an officer.

Please send complaints about the way Joe is being treated in
prison to: mctcwelfare@hotmail.com.

To send Joe a message of support and for background and
updates on his case, go to: http://bit.ly/dgLAck

Joe's legal team is lodging an appeal against his jail
sentence, at which Stop the War will be organising a protest
calling for his immediate release.

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6) IT'S OFFICIAL: THROWING SHOES AS A PROTEST IS ALLOWED

Seventy protestors face imprisonment for their involvement in
the demonstrations in January 2009 against Israel's onslaught
on Gaza, but one after another the cases are falling apart.

In the latest, Student Aquib Salim, 21, was likely to face
prison for throwing a shoe at the Israeli Embassy but, as the
Sunday Times reported (see http://bit.ly/b6b2h0 ), not now it
has been revealed that the Metropolitan Police had said
previously that throwing shoes as a sign of protest was
permitted.

For background and updates to the Gaza Protestors Defence
Campaign, see: http://bit.ly/d1FqIA

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7) WATCHING THIS VIDEO ANGER CALCIFIES THE HEART

The video released by Wikileaks showing airmen in US
helicopters slaughtering Iraqi civilians with unrestrained
glee, is shocking enough in itself, but it is only unique in
the footage we can now watch and hear which makes the atrocity
irrefutable, unlike the countless occasions when Iraqis -- and
Afghans -- have reported equivalent atrocities and were
ignored.

See the video and the comments of Haifa Zangana, Iraqi
novelist and former prisoner under Saddam Hussein, who tells
how watching it made anger calcify in her heart:
http://bit.ly/9iUnkT

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LOBBY YOUR ELECTION CANDIDATES HERE: http://bit.ly/8X35fk

Demonstrate Against the English Defence League – March 20 2010

Glasgow Stop the War Coalition newsletter……

1. Demonstrate Against the English Defence League – March 20
2. Film Screening & Discussion, March 25
3. A message of thanks from Joe Glenton's family
4. Help fund the activities of Glasgow Stop the War Coalition



1 Demonstrate Against the English Defence League

Stop the War Coalition is supporting the call by MPs, trade union leaders, Unite Against Fascism and many other organisations for a demonstration in Bolton on Saturday 20 March against a march by the racist English Defence League, which aims to spread fear and terror within Muslim communities.
Demonstrate Against the English Defence LeagueSaturday 20 March 2010 Assemble 9.00am Victoria Square, Bolton
More details……… http://www.uaf.org.uk/news.asp?choice=100306
Coaches travelling to the demonstration from across the country... http://www.uaf.org.uk/resources/1003boltoncoachlist.pdf

CALL 07920 403 766 TO BOOK YOUR SEAT ON THE GLASGOW COACH, LEAVES 6.30AM, GEORGE SQUARE, GLASGOW.

Statement of support by MPs, trade union leaders and many others:
We the undersigned completely oppose plans by the English Defence League to hold an anti-Muslim protest in Bolton on Saturday 20 March.
The EDL is a group of racists and football hooligans with close links to the fascist British National Party. When the EDL came to Manchester in October, Muslim graves in the area were desecrated. When the EDL came to Stoke-on-Trent in January, the words "Islam scum" and "EDL" were daubed on a local mosque.
Islamophobia – bigotry against Muslims – is as unacceptable as any other form of racism. Its aim is to divide us by making scapegoats of one community, as the Nazis did with the Jews in the 1930s.
Today they threaten mosques, tomorrow it could be a synagogue, temple or church. Today they threaten Muslims, tomorrow it could be Jews, Hindus, Sikhs, black, Asian or Eastern European people, travellers or lesbian, gay and transgender people.
We have beaten fascists and racists before by standing up in unity against them. We cannot stand by and let these racists attack any section of our community.
Let's gather in such large numbers that we make it clear to these fascist and racist thugs that they are not welcome here. Let's protest against the racists and fascists, oppose their politics of hatred and defend Bolton’s diverse and united community.
We call on everyone to support and attend the protest against the EDL in Bolton on Saturday 20 March.

Signatories include: Ruth Kelly MP, John Leech MP, Sir Gerald Kaufman MP, Tony Lloyd MP, Margaret Hodge MP, Dawn Butler MP, Beverley Hughes MP, David Chaytor MP, Graham Stringer MP, Ken Livingstone, Christine Blower (NUT), Billy Hayes (CWU), Hugh Lanning (PCS)


2 FILM SCREENING AND DISCUSSION

End detention without trial
No impunity for torturers
Troops Out of Afghanistan
Close Guantanamo Now

Thursday 25 March 2010

Outside the Law: Stories from Guantanamo

7.30 pm (doors open 7pm), Adelaides, 209 Bath Street, Glasgow, G2 4HZ

Organised by SACC, supported by Glasgow Stop the War Coalition

Admission free - all welcome

Screening of the documentary Outside the Law - Stories from Guantánamo, followed by a discussion with Omar Deghayes (former Guantánamo prisoner), Andy Worthington (co-director of the film, with Polly Nash) and Aamer Anwar (human rights lawyer). Chaired by Nicola Fisher (chair, Glasgow Stop the War Coalition).



3 A message of thanks from Joe Glenton's family
Lance Corporal Joe Glenton has been court martialled and sentenced to nine months imprisonment for refusing to fight in Afghanistan. His wife Clare Glenton and mother Sue Glenton have sent this message of thanks:
Dear All,
A note to say how grateful we are for your wonderful messages of support for Joe. He is in Colchester Military prison and would appreciate further cards, letters etc. The appeal against his sentence has gone in and we are hoping for an early release. He is well and defiant, and is supported by the thousands of people who have contacted us.
Thanks again,
Clare and Sue Glenton

Messages of support to:
Lance Corporal Joe GlentonMilitary Corrective Training Centre, Berechurch Hall Camp Colchester CO2 9NU, UKEmail: defendjoeglenton@gmail.com

Sign the petition to Gordon Brown calling for Joe Glenton's release - http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/freeobjectors/


4 Help fund the activities of Glasgow Stop the War Coalition

Continue to check out http://www.stopwar.org.uk/ for campaign updates.

Please help fund the activities of Glasgow Stop the War Coalition by donating online at http://glasgowstopwar.express.iristickets.co.uk/

DEMONSTRATE: EDUCATION NOT WAR

Education not bombs

Saturday 6th March 2010

EIS National Demonstration Against Budget Cuts in Education, Why Must our Children Pay?
Assemble 10.30am Saturday, March off 11am, Kelvingrove Park, Glasgow.

Buses leave Edinburgh, Waterloo Place at 9am.
More info: http://www.eis.org.uk/campaign/

With the latest polls in the UK stating that 64% say the war in Afghanistan is unwinnable it is time the troops withdrew. http://stopwar.org.uk/content/view/1757/1/

Stop the War believes that the money spent on the Afghanistan war would be better spent on teachers, schools and books.

Join the STW Education not Bombs contingent on the march on this Saturday.

WHAT GORDON BROWN COULD HAVE DONE WITH £8.5BN
Gordon Brown happily signed the cheques for the Iraq war. In2005 he said, "I would have behaved exactly like Tony over thewar."As Chancellor of the Exchequer, Brown was the paymastergeneral for the Iraq war. Instead of spending £8.5 billion onmass slaughter of Iraqis, Brown could have funded:

* The recruitment and retention of over 25,000 new teachersfor ten years.* All NHS maternity care for four years.

* All NHS Accident and Emergency provision for four and a halfyears.

* All government spending on the railways for five years.(SEE http://bit.ly/avwT4v) But not content with this astronomical waste, Brown is nowspending sums on the war in Afghanistan which -- at £12billion and rising fast -- dwarf his Iraq spending. (SEEhttp://bit.ly/4bRSM)

continue to check out http://www.stopwar.org.uk/ for campaign updates.

Please help fund the activities of Glasgow Stop the War Coalition by donating online at http://glasgowstopwar.express.iristickets.co.uk/

A MESSAGE TO ALL STOP THE WAR COALITION SUPPORTERS

STOP THE WAR COALITION
NEWSLETTER

IN THIS NEWSLETTER:
1) A MESSAGE TO ALL STOP THE WAR SUPPORTERS
2) REMEMBER GAZA: GEORGE SQUARE & NELSON MANDELA PLACE, 27 DECEMBER
3) VIVA PALESTINA CONVOY GAZA 27 DECEMBER
4) STOP THE WAR'S SONGS FOR CHRISTMAS WEEK

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1) A MESSAGE TO ALL STOP THE WAR SUPPORTERS

Dear Friends,

We are writing to thank you for all your work and support over
the past year.

The Stop the War Coalition began 2009 by mobilising to stop
the attack on Gaza, which included the biggest demonstration
for Palestine ever held in Britain, when over 100,000
protested on 10 January.

We have ended it campaigning to get the troops out of
Afghanistan and remembering Gaza on the anniversary of
Israel's attack.

Over this week alone we organised a protest by military
families at Downing St, where we handed in our petition
calling for British troops to be withdrawn from Afghanistan;
we held a successful Beats Beat Bullets gig for Gaza, and --
together with PSC, CND and BMI -- we will be holding a vigil
at the Israeli Embassy in London on 27 December (see below).

Over the year we have organised -- both nationally and locally
around the country -- a series of demonstrations, vigils,
meetings, rallies, cultural and fundraising events. We will
begin the new year with two important initiatives.

In London on 28 January, Gordon Brown has convened an
international conference to discuss further escalation of the
war in Afghanistan. Stop the War will be organising a protest,
details of which will be available at the beginning of
January.

Also in January or possibly February, it is expected that Tony
Blair will appear at the Chilcot inquiry on Iraq. We want to
mobilise the biggest possible protest against the man now
widely regarded as having broken international law in taking
Britain to war.

There is likely to be a major national demonstration in March
as part of an international day of action, calling for all
foreign troops to be withdrawn from Afghanistan.

A general election will be called in the first half of 2010
and Stop the war will be organising a campaign to ensure that
the war in Afghanistan is a prominent issue.

Our priority for 2010 will be to intensify the pressure on the
government to bring the troops home, reflecting the view of an
ever increasing majority of people in Britain. The recent US
and British troop surge, the extension of the Afghan war into
Pakistan and Yemen, and the threats against Iran, make our
campaign more important than ever.

The coming year is clearly going to be as busy for Stop the
War as any in our eight year history. Please continue to
support our work and our activities.

We rely entirely on contributions by our supporters to fund
all of our campaigns. If you are not
already a member of Stop the War, we urge you to consider
becoming one now, or make a donation to help us sustain our
anti-war work as effectively as we can. You can join or donate
online, here: http://glasgowstopwar.express.iristickets.co.uk

We wish you a happy holiday and new year, and we hope that by
active opposition to our government's war policies, together
we can help make 2010 more peaceful than the year just ending.

Best wishes,

Glasgow Stop the War Coalition

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2) REMEMBER GAZA: ISRAELI EMBASSY 27 DECEMBER

To mark that anniversary of Israel's attach and to protest at
the continuing siege of Gaza, there will be a vigil in George Square& Nelson Mandela Place, 3.45 - 5.00pm 5pm

REMEMBER GAZA: END THE SIEGE
SUNDAY 27 DECEMBER 2009 345-5PM
GEORGE SQUARE & NELSON MANDELA PLACE, GLASGOW.

Sunday 27th December marks one year on from the beginning of Israel's 22-day bombing campaign on Gaza.

It is also the day of Ashura when Sunni Muslims believe that Moses delivered the Jews from Pharaoh, when the sea was parted. It is a day laden with symbolism given the oppression of the Gazans. Who will deliver the Palestinians now?

Ashura is marked by fasting from sunrise to sunset, and members of the Jewish and others will this year be joining with Muslims in this act to draw attention to the situation in Gaza.

Those fasting should join us to break fast in Glasgow's George Square (break fast is at 15:56, suggest we meet around 15:45) (prayer facilities available at Strathclyde Uni mosque). Please bring some simple food!

VIGIL

16:30 at Nelson Mandela Place for a candle lit vigil, where we will hear from those on the Gaza Freedom March, so we can send our messages to Gaza, Pauline McNeill MSP, Cross-Party Group on Palestine and Barry Levine from Jews for a Just Peace (other speakers to be confirmed!)
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3) VIVA PALESTINA CONVOY GAZA 27 DECEMBER

The Viva Palestina convoy taking 100 vehicles full of aid from
Britain to break the siege plans enter Gaza on 27 December,
when it will be joined by convoys from Turkey and the United
States. For updates on the convoy,
http://www.vivapalestina.org or Twitter: viva_palestina

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4) STOP THE WAR'S SONGS FOR XMAS WEEK

We've chosen two songs for Christmas week.

Christmas in the Trenches by John McCutcheon, which is about
Christmas Day 1914 when all sides in World War I laid down
their weapons and made peace by playing a game of soccer.

Barra Barra by Rachid Taha is the soundtrack to a video called
Israel - An Apartheid State, which powerfully captures life
for Palestinians under Israeli occupation and siege. Plus
we've included a bonus video of Rachid Taha and Brian Eno
performing Barra Barra live at the great benefit concert they
did for Stop the War in 2005.

FOR BOTH SONGS, GO TO: http://bit.ly/6vnfKN