Minutes. October Meeting

Truro and Falmouth Amnesty International Group

Minutes of Meeting held on 12 October 2016

1. Present: Rosy Bott, Wailim Wong, Margaret George, Chris Ramsey, Karen Cooper, Georgie Wong, Shirley Sweeney, Tony Walder-Harding.
2. Apologies:, Linnea Glynne-Rule, Chris Clarke, Hetty Tye
3. Matters arising from the Minutes of the meeting held on 14 Sept 2016: 4. Chris has arranged to do a session at Truro College on 15^th and 16^th November. 6. Chris agreed to investigate whether we could hold a letter-writing stall in Sambells café at the Methodist Church. 6. World Peace Day- we attended with a stall. Wailim will contact the person who organised it to see if any more such events are to be held.
4. Secretary’s report: the October action included a letter to the local MP calling for support for child refugees in Britain to have the right to bring in family members, as adults do. It was agreed to send this to Sarah Newton, amended appropriately, and include an invitation to her to attend one of our Xmas stalls. Groups news had arrived and copies were distributed. An Urgent Action had come in for Zeinab Sekaanvand Lokran, a child bride who was found guilty of murdering her husband when she was 17. She is under threat of execution in Iran. Georgie had put an action on this case in the cathedral. Margaret read out a letter from Devon and Cornwall Refugee Support which she had received in a personal capacity.
5. Treasurer’s report: Linnea had sent a report stating that we have £956 to which we need to add the street collection money (£89.07 collected in Falmouth on 24 September). Shirley also donated £10. We will owe the next rent of £100 and will be getting the Xmas card money in. Our position is about the same as usual for this time of year.
6. North Africa – no report

Central America – Georgie had had a letter from the coordinator as asking if we would be willing to take on actions re the 43 disappeared students in Mexico. It was agreed that we would do this.

Former Soviet Union – we held a successful stall at the production ‘Burning Doors’ by the Belarus Free Theatre at Tremough with a good number of signatures on our petitions.

Israel and the Occupied Territories – Chris reported that it would be Mordechai Vanunu’s birthday the next day. The Israeli High Court has decided to uphold the use of force-feeding of Palestinian prisoners on hunger strike. The Gaza Strip has now been under siege for 10 years. There have been 20 cases of unlawful killings in the Occupied Territories. Chris had brought a letter to sign on behalf of Hassan Safardi who is in administrative detention.

AI Refugees Welcome Campaign – no update but Wailim hoped to hear more when he attended a meeting for media representatives.

1. Future events:

• 30 October – social walk starting from Par station. After the success of the last one it was agreed to have another walk, again organised by Karen. The time will be 11am. Margaret would send out a reminder.
• Letter-writing event – it was agreed that Chris would approach the Methodist Church to see if we could hold a stall at Sambell’s café
• Xmas stalls are scheduled for 26^th Nov (High Cross), 3^rd Dec (High Cross) and 10^th Dec (Mayor’s Charity event in a marquee on the Piazza) This last date is on Human Rights Day so it was agreed to have a cake and ask if the Mayor would cut it.

1. Links with the Quakers:

Tony Walder-Harding came to the meeting and spoke about the fact that the Quakers in St Austell want to send money out to refugees via a trusted person. He suggested that we may want to link up with the group and maybe exchange speakers. Chris agreed to liaise with him.

1. AOB:

1. Plymouth Amnesty are holding a festival ‘Love Diversity’ at Freedom Fields on 15 Oct, 12-7pm
2. Wailim had been contacted about a group mentoring young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. They would be viewing the Malala film and asked us to send someone to facilitate a discussion. Wailim would send the details on to Chris who would follow it up.
3. Early next year there is to be a production on Human rights at Truro School. We are asked to help with the organisation of this event.
4. Wailim reported that he had sent an article to the Western Morning News and a letter to the West Briton on the refugee crisis, which had both been published.
5. Chris reported that Plymouth Humanists are keen to do some of our action letters. If we send any we do to Chris he will forward them.
6. Chris suggested that we follow the example of the Lyme Regis group and spend half a meeting (next year) to see how we can improve our meetings and attract more people.

1. Next meeting

This will be on Wed 9^th November, 7pm at Sambell’s Café, Truro Methodist Church.