[WCUSP] Program Update: August 31, 2007

[Kate Zaidan]

WILPF

Program Update!  A look at What's Happening In WILPF Program
Next Update Due: Thursday, Thursday, September 13

*****************************
Women Challenge US Policy: Building Peace on Justice in the Middle East 
Campaign
Save the Water Campaign
DISARM Issue Committee
*****************************

*Women Challenge US Policy: Building Peace on Justice in the Middle East *
WCUSP leadership team has conferred with our sections in the Middle East 
regarding what will be the most useful to them in their quest for peace 
and justice.  Two LT members, Yvonne and Barbara, were at congress in 
Bolivia, attending meetings of the International Middle East Committee, 
helping to draft a resolution on the region, which is being added to 
Middle East resolutions from International.  We also expect to work with 
the water campaign and disarmament issue committee to arrange a 
fact-finding tour to the region.  This third year of the campaign should 
see branches becoming more active in lobbying, calling for a real and 
lasting peace in the Middle East.
*
Save the Water *
One of the campaign leadership team members, Yoshiko Ikuta attended the 
29th International Congress of WILPF held in Santa Cruz, Bolivia from 
July 20 to July 27.  She made unofficial report on the Save the Water 
Campaign of the US Section , reporting the recent activities of the 
campaign.  In addition, some of the posters were displayed at the 
entrance to the large conference room where most of plenary sessions and 
workshop took place.

Fast Track Trade Agreement It was defeated.  However, there are some 
loopholes.  Four trade bills to allow fast tack agreement with Peru, 
Panama, Colombia and South Korea are in congress and they might pass 
unnoticed by legislators.

Mayor Gavin Newsome of San Francisco has issued executive order banning 
city department from buying bottled water, even for water coolers.  The 
ban went into effect on July 1 and the ban will be extended to water 
coolers as of Dec.  1. In the press release, the mayor cited the 
environmental impact of making, transporting and disposing of the 
bottles.  He stated that more than a billion of them end up in the 
state's landfills each year. There are many open public debate against 
bottled water in the recent media outlets and it was reported that sale 
of bottled water is coming down.

Preparation for Blue October events, the international month of action 
to challenge corporate control of water and to protect water as shared 
natural resources has begun.  Check WILPF.org website fore more info.

Olivia Zink had a speaking engagement at the Goffstown NH Women's group 
on water.  She will be speaking on water related concerns on Trade at a 
conference at UNH in October.  For detail contact Olivia at ozink at yahoo.com

Fabric display material of RIVER I"The River sewn for Atlanta USSF is 
available for water related environmental exhibits.  It is 27' long ny 
52" with sea creatures facing out along either side.  Colors are 
periwinkle crinkle polyester, with golden yellow and bright green fish, 
blue crabs, variegated sea colored yarns for squids and seaweed.  
Contact Detroit Branch, Terry Futvoye-Micus.  (terfumic at aol.com)

Recommended Reading "Price of Fire" -- Resource Wars and Social 
Movements in Bolivia -- by Benjamin Dangl , published by AK press.  
Paperback available.  The book describes the role of US-backed Trade 
agreements affecting lives of people in Bolivia, Paraguay, Argentina and 
other South American countries, and resulting people's revolts in very 
vivid paragraphs.  It is very helpful to gain insight into the role of 
privatization, Free Trade Agreements backed by the US leaders, and how 
such actions precipitate the revolt and change of governments.  It is a 
good case study of privatization, trade agreements and free trade 
affecting people of the land.


*DISARM!*
Plan now for Keep Space for Peace Week events October 4 to 13.  For this 
50th anniversary of the Outer Space Treaty WILPF will report events to 
the UN Space agencies as well as to Global Network.  Access information 
from WILPF home page or 
http://disarm.wilpf.org/JulyAugust07/KS4PresourcesAug.htm .  Also join 
Carol Urner of DISARM in Congress September 10 to 14, or in October or 
November to lobby on nuclear or any other WILPF issues.  Details at 
www.disarm.wilpf.org .



*/Not a member? Need to renew? Join WILPF! Your membership dues support 
WILPF's work for racial and economic justice, "save the water", women's 
rights, disarmament, and ending U.S. intervention.
Go to http://wilpf.org/get-involved/join.htm

WILPF is a grassroots organization. /* */We deeply appreciate your 
support of the United States Section of the Women's International League 
for Peace and Freedom. http://wilpf.org/get-involved/donate.htm


/*






-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://wilpf.org/pipermail/wcusp_wilpf.org/attachments/20070831/83fb9dac/attachment-0001.html 
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: not available
Type: image/gif
Size: 20942 bytes
Desc: not available
Url : http://wilpf.org/pipermail/wcusp_wilpf.org/attachments/20070831/83fb9dac/attachment-0002.gif 
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: not available
Type: image/gif
Size: 10788 bytes
Desc: not available
Url : http://wilpf.org/pipermail/wcusp_wilpf.org/attachments/20070831/83fb9dac/attachment-0003.gif