Cuban Justice

As many of you know, and we'll be discussing at this morning's meeting at Redeemer, CLAC Solidarity has been working very hard on behalf of several political prisoners in Cuba. 75 men were rounded up in a matter of hours, 9 of whom were working for nothing more than to organize and independent trade union. This activity is something you and I simply take for granted, but in a totalitarian regime like Cuba, the work comes with great risk. Today, March 18 2005, is the second anniversary, to the day, of that event. The United States invaded Iraq on March 16 and the Castro regime used the distraction of the world to make the arrests. It was several weeks before the attention of the world was refocused on other matters and the arrests came to light. By that time, all had been tried in one-day trials and sentenced to terms ranging from 8 to 26 years.

As you go through your daily activities remember the prisoners.

-Posted by Allan R. Horton Ontario Provincial Solidarity Organizer Christian Labour Association of Canada

World Youth Alliance

A few people have asked me about the World Youth Alliance, directed by Cole Siemion. Briefly, the organization's mission is to promote the dignity of the person at the international level, for example at instiutions at the UN.

The World Youth Alliance is a global coalition of young people and youth organizations committed to promoting the dignity of the person at the international level and building solidarity among youth from developed and developing countries. Founded in 1999, it now embraces members of at least 100 nationalities. A small team of World Youth Alliance members works directly at the United Nations and European Union to protect human life and dignity in international agreements. Other World Youth Alliance members are engaged at the grassroots level, building a culture of life through charitable service projects or innovative cultural events. -http://www.worldyouthalliance.org/index.shtml

As we are an allied organisation with WYA, there is a possibility that we can participate in a basic workshop which would introduce the human rights, diplomacy, and cultural aspects of the WYA, with a specific discussion of one of the US commissions or conferences.

Keep watch for any updates about the above information.

I thought this would interest some of you. Please note that the following timeline, a tentative schedule of events to take place in 2005: (Posted by Local 777: Redeemer University College), is by no means definitve, continually changing, and groaning to be filled up...

January:

Movie Night
Title: Manufacturing Consent (1992)
When: Thursday, February 10, 7:30pm
Where: RUC Black Box
Representative: Al Horton and Andrea Hensen

Movie Night
Title: On the Waterfront (1954)
When: Thursday, February 27, 7:30pm
Where: RUC Black Box
Representative: Andrea Hensen

February:

Petition Signing, Letter Writing:
Cause: Campaign to gain support for CLAC representatives to attain a hearing with the MP’s in Ottawa, re: Cuban Imprisonments
When: Wednesday, February 2, 10:00am-4:00pm
Where: Front Foyer
Table Representatives: Al Horton and Andrea Hensen

Chapel hosted by OSSL:
When: Wednesday, February 23, 11:00am
Where: RUC auditorium
Representative: Al Horton
Speaker: Paul Morris (Meeting House)

Jubilee 2005
When: Friday-Sunday, February 25-27
Where: Pittsburgh, PA. Hilton
Representative: Al Horton
Theme: When Faith and Life Collide: http://www.ccojubilee.org/jubilee/

(*reading week: February14-18)

March:

Movie Night
Title: Bread and Roses (2000)
When: Wednesday, April 6, 7:30pm
Where: RUC Black Box
Representative:


Protest (re: Anniversary day of Castro’s unjust imprisonment of…)
When: Friday, March 18
Where: Ottawa
Representative:

April:

Movie Night
Title: The Corporation (2003)
When: Wednesday, March 9, 7:00pm
Where: RUC Black Box
Representative:

(*exams: April 19 -27)

May:

Protest (re: Cuba)
When: Friday, May 20
Where: Ottawa
Attendees:

Christian Poverty and Justice
Micah Declaration on Integral Mission

The Micah Challenge is..a global Christian campaign that: challenges us to deepen our engagement with the poor; and challenges leaders to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, and so halve absolute global poverty by 2015!

A Redeemer student has just informed me that they would like our OSSL chapter to become aware of and possibly involved in The Micah Challenge. This is a project that works towards the debt relief of third world countries. I am told that Canada has forgiven all of its bi-lateral debts (I assume this also includes interest) with third world countries. Now, the challenge is to promote the relief of multi-lateral debts (mostly with the G8) that third world countries have incurred. I believe that this is a great issue for discussion and one in which we should work towards promoting justice in.

At the very least we could get involved in The Micah Call.