Press enter after choosing selection

F.y.i.

F.y.i. image
Parent Issue
Month
November
Year
1996
Copyright
Creative Commons (Attribution, Non-Commercial, Share-alike)
Rights Held By
Agenda Publications
OCR Text

AGENDA is interested n receiving tama from you torF.Y.I. Proas cJippings, press raleases, summahes of local eventa and any other ideas or suggestíons are wecome. Just mail them to: F.Y.I. Editor, AGENDA, 220 S. Main St, Ann Arttor, MI 48104. With the signing of the fifth substantive peace accord on Sept. 19, it seems more possible than ever that a final agreement may be reached by the end of the year. This would bring an end to Guatemala's civil war, Central America's longest-running civil conflict. The 36-year war in Guatemala has claimed 100,000 lives, displaced more than 1 million people and has left a weak and ineffective state in its wake. The recent accords include: the right of displaced people to return to their homes, recognition of the identity and rights of indigenous people, social and economie issues and land reform, strengthening civilian society and examining the role of the army. They cali for a 33% reduction of the army as well as elimination of civil patrols and the military pólice. President Arzu, who took office in January, seems committed to challenging corruption as well as to negotiating an end to the war. In 10 months as president, he fired more than 118 naiional pólice, abolishedacorruptmilitarycourt, and fired more than four dozen top officials involved in a crime and contraband ring (estimated to be raking in $20 million a year - the equivalent of 10% of Guatemala's national budget). Business and financial sectors' interest in peace in Guatemala lies in developing trade agreements with other Central American countries. The accords give popular sector activists and civilian society new tools to work for peace - however these sectors are request ing ongoing international attention and solidarity to pressure the govemment to ensure compliance and implementation. Andrea Walsh and Randall Shea will be in Ann Arbor this month to talk about the situation of retuming refugees. Walsh, a former Washtenaw County commissioner, no w works with the Guatemala Accompaniment Project. She will be showing slides of her work in Guatemala on Tues., Nov. 12 at 7:30 pm, at the First Baptist Church (comer of Slate and Washington). The programisentitled. "Guatemala: Seedsof Hope," and is sponsored by Interfaith Council for Peace and Justice. Randall Shea, who is the director of a secondary school that has a theatregroup in Santa Maria Tzeja, Quiche, Guatemala, will be showing slides of the winning play he developed with his students about the 1982 massacre in their community. The ICPJ-sponsored program, on Mon., Nov. 18 at 7:30 pm (location TBA) is entitled, "Guatemala: Nothing Hidden That WiU Not Be Made Known." For more information about these events, and a potluckfundraiser for the Guatemala Accompaniment Project, cali ICPJ at 663-1870. Human Rights Ordinance Strengthened The Ann Arbor Human Rights Ordinance prohibits discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodations on the basis of race, gender, sexual orientation, religión, source of income, national origin, handicap, marital status, family responsibility, educational association, pregnancy, age, height and weight. This ordinance was one of the first in the country to cover sexual orientation and source of income when it was enacted in the 1970s. Now, based on the actions of the Ann Arbor Human Rights Commission, victims of discrimination would have a much more powerful tooi at their disposal. The Commission recommended amendments to the ordinance which would impose penal ties of up to $500 a day for those guilty of violations, provide for reinstatement of jobs, lease or sale of housing, and back wages for victims of discrimination, and provide for admissions to a place of public accommodation. The current ordinance only provides for a one-time $500 fine. City Council unanimously approvedinOctober a first reading of these amendments, sponsored by Chris Kolb (D) and Elizabeth Daley (D) 5thWard,andTobiHanna-Davies(D) lstWard. The Human Rights Commission also recommended an amendment that would allow victims of discrimination to go to court on their own, independent of action by agovernmental agency . The question of whether or not the "private right of action" amendment will remain will be debated at Council's 2nd reading of the ordinance, scheduled for Nov. 18. For more information about this ordinance and the proposed amendments, cali Julie Steiner at 994-4856. Nov. is Nati ve American Heritage Month "Our teachings teil us that we are much like a basket or vessel. When we enter Turtle Island from the East (New Life), our empty vessels are given the Seven Gifts qf Life: Bravery, Honesty, Humility, Love, Respect, Truth and Wisdom. Throughdirection fromthe Gifts, our life's work is to gather experiences which will fill our vessels, thus making us who we are and contributing to our own unique composition." This month we all have the opportunity to add to our own life vessels in celebrating Native American Heritage Month. The U-M Native Programs Task Force and Multi-Ethnic Student Affaire will be presenting "Woven by Traditions," a month-long celebration featuring Native arts, lectures, readings, comedy, a grand harvest feast and more. Among the cornucopia of events is a Mini POW WOW on Sun. Nov. 3 from noon to 5 pm in the Michigan Union Ballroom. There will be a showing of "POW WOW Highway" at Trotter House, 1443 Washtenaw, Nov. 5 at 7 pm. Lectures will be given by high officials, attorneys, health workers and historians throughout the month. Acclaimed novelist, Leslie Marmon Silko will appear at Rackham Aud. at 7:30 pmon Nov. 21. There will be an art exhibition at different places around campus that will culminate in an honoring reception on the last day, Fri. Nov. 22 at 4 pm in the Michigan Union Art Lounge. Historically, the Fall Feast was a celebratory gathering that signified the end of the harvest and hunting seasons. It was a chance for family and friends to get together one last time before the arri val of a long winter. On Nov. 3 the tradition continúes in A2 with an annual feast with food, song, dance and stories for the whole community. Please bring a dish to pass. For more info. about tese events, cali the Multi-Bhnic Student Affairsoffice at 763-9044. Canada Comes to Ann Arbor According to anti-violence activist and Central Harlem educator, Geoffrey Canada, who spoke to an A2 audience last month about violence in American cities: "In 1993, more preschoolers were lost to gun violence in the U.S. than pólice officers." Canada told the gathering, organized by ICPJ and the First Unitarian Universalist Church of A2, that his own experience in the South Bronx and Central Harlem spoke to that truth. But it was Manan Wright Edelman who convinced him that it was a national problem and enlisted his help in the Black Community Crusade for Children. This led to the writing of his book, "Fist, Stick, Knife, Gun: A Personal History of Violence in America." Canada spoke abou t how things have changed since his youth. Only a generation ago kids believed that rules existed; there was a code of violence, he said, that dictated that fights were after school and you only picked on someone your o wn size. Adul ts were respected and feared. Now, he said, when there' s an altercation, even a look can result in a gun being pulled. Canada said the violence is not about poverty or broken homes and believes the lack of respect for rules and authority has to do with the loss of religious grounding, a lack of extended family support, inconsistent role models - from the government on down - drugs, and the marketing of alcohol and handguns to children. Canada gave a list of three things any adult can do to help. The first is to "start close." Bring a child with you on vacation, to a museum, anywhere, he suggested. "Each one of us can save one child." Second, he said, is to make sure younotdoanythingthatcoulddestroyachild.He says adults don't realize how much power they have over children: "What you say cou ld change a child ... Be compassionate." Third, he advised that a full menu of opportunities be laid out for children. No one knows, he said, what will save a child. "Give them everything so they can piek and choose how to save themselves." M-DOC Holding Up Parole Assistance The American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) and M-CURE have published a booklet to help prisoners understand the parole process and have also developed a workshop for the female population to prepare for parole readiness. The pamphlet's distribution was "banned" fromthe state'sprisonsalong with the workshop, however, by the Mich. Department of Corrections. AFSC says in a letter sent to legislators in Oct. that this is part of the isolation systematically imposed upon prisoners and has been the precursor to prison disturbances. To find out more, or to get in vol ved, contact Penny Ryder at AFSC, 761-8283.

Article

Subjects
Agenda
Old News