I was sent some more pictures of the stall, which include a close-up of our very own hand made cage + pipe cleaner figure. These may go on sale again in the future, but be sure to get there quickly when they do – they are very popular!

(click on the pictures for a larger image)

Cage close-up:

Another shot:

As you all should be aware, we recently had a stall to raise awareness of Guantánamo Bay being open for six years, and as part of the raise-off. The event involved distributing leaflets and giving out information on Guantánamo and unsubscribe; selling cakes and confectionary; and selling hand-made mini-cages (which were very popular!).

It also involved me (robert) and Jonny (see what we do) going down Byres Road to talk to people about it – and sell more cakes! The novel part was me being dressed in a bright orange jumpsuit and blindfolded for the journey. The response was surprisingly good, although Jonny informs me that a few people scattered when they saw us coming! Those that we talked to were very receptive, although perhaps they were a little perturbed by the blindfolded man casually chatting away about unsubscribe and Guantánamo. It was good fun though.

Thanks to everyone who took part in the stall and made it possible.

Minutes of meeting

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As the situation in Pakistan grows more difficult, President Musharraf is in the UK over the weekend, and Amnesty has issued a press release explaining its concerns over the political difficulties and human rights violations which are ongoing in Pakistan.

Human rights violations are undermining prospect of free and fair elections

Amnesty International delivered a stark warning to Pakistan’s President Pervez Musharraf today (25 January 2008), stating that the country was on the brink of ‘political catastrophe’. Musharraf begins a four-day visit to the UK today, which is set to culminate with a meeting with Gordon Brown on Monday.

Pakistan is due to hold elections on 18 February, however, an Amnesty International delegation, which spent the last month in the country, has uncovered a worsening human rights crisis despite the lifting of the State of Emergency last month.

The situation has deteriorated to such an extent that Amnesty International believes it represents a serious threat to the political process in Pakistan.

Find the press release here
And Amnesty’s previous statement here

Don’t forget about Darfur, crisis is still happening. Check out Amnestys new report (out January 22nd)

www.amnesty.org.uk/crisis

and spread the word.

“GUANTANAMO BAY NAVAL BASE, Cuba (AP) – The chief of the U.S. military said he favors closing the prison here as soon as possible because he believes negative publicity worldwide about treatment of terrorist suspects has been “pretty damaging” to the image of the United States.

“I’d like to see it shut down,” Adm. Mike Mullen said Sunday in an interview with three reporters who toured the detention center with him on his first visit since becoming chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff last October….”

Full Article: http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0%2C%2C-7223489%2C00.html

Ceilidh
 - Star meeting Monday 6.30
– Sinead and possibly Jonny to go
– Ceilidh planned for March/mid Feb?

Film night
– problem with Boyd Orr?
– Rachel to srot out

Speakers
– SVAW plus one other
– SVAW for valentines?

Ethical investments
– Speaker?
– public declaration of interest?

Raise off – Helen to look at Raise off financing stuff.

Website – Robert to change members

New Internationalist – ?promotion

GUU – possibility of affiliation

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7198837.stm

Prime Minster Gordon Brown is pressing ahead with controversial plans to extend the time terror suspects can be held without charge to 42 days.

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith is due to meet backbench Labour MPs on Monday to try to win over opponents.

But Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg has said his party will join forces with the Tories in the Lords to defeat the move.

Mr Clegg predicted Mr Brown would suffer the first defeat of his premiership on the issue.

But the prime minister said he believed it was still possible to reach a cross-party consensus when the government publishes its Counter Terrorism Bill later this week.

He claimed all the main parties accepted there could be circumstances in which suspects would need to be detained beyond the current 28-day limit.

It’s good to see that people are resisting, at least. Keep up the fight, guys! www.unsubscribe-me.org

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7198435.stm

The Canadian foreign minister has apologised for including the US and Israel on a list of states where prisoners are at risk of torture.

Maxime Bernier said the list, which formed part of a manual on torture awareness given to diplomats, “wrongly includes some of our closest allies”.

Mr Bernier insisted the manual was not a policy document and did not convey the official views of his government.

The listing was criticised by the US and Israel, who demanded it be changed.

“We find it to be offensive for us to be on the same list with countries like Iran and China. Quite frankly it’s absurd,” said the US ambassador to Canada, David Wilkins.

…

The manual lists US interrogation techniques such as forced nudity, isolation, sleep deprivation and the blindfolding of prisoners under its “definition of torture”.

It also refers to the US detention camp at Guantanamo Bay, where a Canadian man, Omar Khadr, is being held. Critics say it ridicules Ottawa’s claims that he is not being mistreated.

Other countries on the watch list include Afghanistan, China, Iran, Israel, Mexico, Saudi Arabia and Syria.

The document was mistakenly provided to the human rights group, Amnesty International, as part of a court case it is bringing against the Canadian government over the treatment of detainees in Afghanistan.

Forgive the bias of opinion, but I would have applauded Canada for recognising the risk posed to prisoners in the US, if only they had not been so quick to back down.

Hello everyone, and happy new year!

We’ve had a great start to the new term, our Raise Off stall on Friday raised around £130, which is a great kick off! Thank you to everyone who helped with that.

The aim for this month is £200, so we are hoping to have a film night, possibly next Wednesday, showing Taking Liberties and hopefully running a stress position challenge. It’ll be fun, so come along! More details to follow.