Region

High school students of St. Paul College of Pasig City form and document human peace and nonviolence signs as part of their preparation to the World March for Peace and Nonviolence. This is an anticipation of the “Million Human Signs for Peace” campaign which officially starts on September 21 (International Day of Peace) promoted by Genevieve Kupang.

At the summit of the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) to be held in the city of Bariloche, Argentina, Evo Morales, the President of Bolivia, will propose a continental referendum on the establishment of US military bases in Colombia. In recent declarations he has called for a defence of the interests of Latin American peoples.

Two days from the start of the UNASUR meeting in Buenos Aires, where a regional interest in dealing with the US military presence in Colombia has been announced, President Chavez is preparing to sever relations with Colombia. President Evo Morales has expressed his opposition in a different manner by stating that “we must save Colombia from this intervention”.

If the world military expenditure were distributed between all the people living at this moment on the planet, each one would receive US$146,40.
Theses numbers will probably attract youngers’ attention but they are not less shocking for adults. Figures as such can be found at the educational booklets created by Margaux Verdier and Henry de Boisseguin, for Montreal students.

An attempt to mediate in Honduras by the Organization of American States (OAS) is being resisted by the interim government of Honduras. The OAS sent a delegation of top officials to negotiate the return of the ousted president Manuel Zelaya. The OAS proposed Tegucigalpa to install a government of national unity with Manuel Zelaya at its head until the November elections.

Peace proponent Cindy Sheehan calls all peace leaders to come sail with her aboard ‘SS Camp Casey’ anchored in Martha’s Vineyard for a shipboard peace summit from August 27 to 29. Cindy, who is sometimes referred to by the media as “the peace mom” lost her son Casey in the Iraq War when he was killed in action on April 4, 2004.

A delegation of foreign ministers from the Organization of American States is in Honduras this week to seek the return of ousted President Manuel Zelaya. The delegation is hoping to revive a Costa Rica-brokered proposal that would restore Zelaya to office but limit his authority. On Monday, the head of the coup government, Micheletti, reiterated his opposition to the plan.

Honduran civil society organizations have called for a World day of protest on 28 August against the coup d’ètat and the complicity of US intelligence corps with the de facto regime. “We exhort all people committed to democracy and solidarity to join the protest against the dictatorship set up by the Honduran oligarchy”, the organizing body said.

Chief Palestinian Negotiator, Saeb Erakat, said today, 25th August, that a just and lasting peace between Palestinians and Israelis was possible. “International law and United Nations resolutions clearly outline how to resolve this conflict. The Road Map and the Arab Peace Initiative provide a clear way forward”, said Erakat.

The official list published Saturday of winners in elections to the Revolutionary Council of the Palestinian Fatah movement included 67-year-old Dr. Uri Davis, a Jerusalem-born Jew. He was elected number 31 of 80 members. When his name was announced, members in the auditorium of the Bethlehem school where the conference was being held, applauded long and loud.