IFIAS Institute for International Assistance and Solidarity

IFIAS Institute for International Assistance and Solidarity

Map of IFIAS' activities and projects

May 2008

Elias Wolff, a German artist from Königsberg in Bavaria offered his
paintings and etchings for an exhibition at IFIAS Art Galerie in Brussels to
contribute for more dialogue between Israeli and Palestinian artists and
writers. He is working since the 90s with Ella STERNBERG in Tel Aviv on
motives and texts for his etchings on mice, bears and dogs in human daily
business and turbulences. A number of his works will move this summer into
the new office of IFIAS in Jerusalem and be shown in the Bethlehem social
center in autumn.

SERBIA

A Delegation from Serbia by invitation of the Brussels office of the Heinrich Boell Stiftung visited IFIAS and discussed civil society programs that might ameliorate the situation in this country. Funding professional NGOs and leaving local NGOs aside is not an effective strategy, group members said. In fact Serbia is missing an independent civil society as most of those being active today are funded from abroad.We need to build a real political partnership with local groups active in the field and similar goals not only searching for funds but searching for a better and participatory society..

February 2008

In time for the unilateral declaration of independence of Kosovo, foreseen for the 17 February, IFIAS Board members Jelena von Helldorff and Susanne Drake have jointly prepared a discussion paper on the issue: Multiethnic states and minority independence tendencies in the Global World. The aim of the paper is to show that Kosovo independence can not be seen as a unique example in the world but corresponds to an urging need for a new and reliable international legislation, ending the flamingly unjust double standards. Please download the text as a .pdf file here.

January 2008

The chairman of IFIAS Rheinland Pfalz (Germany) Ferhat CATO met the chairman of the Social Democratic Party Kurt BECK on January 10. IFIAS requested further peace initiatives on the Balkans and in the Middle East. Also further steps for disarmament, particularly nuclear disarmament, were on the agenda. Kurt BECK thanked IFIAS for its activities in Palestine, in Turkey and in Syria.

January 2008

Susanne Drake, IFIAS Director since 1997, decided to change life in the New Year. Following an irresistible offer to join the German NGO forumZFD, she will be taking leave from IFIAS on 1st February 2008. Susanne, who for a long time aspired to live some years out of Europe, will move to Jerusalem for three years as regional coordinator for Palestine. Of course she stays very much attached to IFIAS and will also stay on the advisory Board but resigns from her administrative duties. These will be in interim handled by IFIAS President Gerd Greune. If you want to contact Susanne in her new position, here are her coordinates:

Susanne Drake

Regional coodinator Palestine

forumZFD

Wesselstraße 12

53113 Bonn

drake@forumzfd.de

November 2007

Farid Ghrich, IFIAS Vice-President, returned from a training session in Syria where he trained - by invitation of the Syrian Union of Journalists - high ranking personalities about European standards of Media law, professional journalism, investigative journalism and self-regulation. Among the participants were:

Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA): Suad Gomaa, Head of Archive; Walid Alaiseme, Engineering Director; Essam Qablan, Director Legal Administration; Ashraf Samman, Director Internal Affairs; Haifa Zainuddin, Editor Special Bulletin; Mahmoud Mohammed, Chief Economic Division and Head of Professional Unit; Nasser Said, Director Political Departmen; Mohammed Sweidan, Director International News; Mahmoud Shibli, Director Foreign News; Nouri Farhan, Director Inland News; Nadia Happiest, Director Public Relations; Ammar Aldgli, Editor Economic Bulletin; Ismail Ulkipri, Assistant Director-General; Print media: Mohammad Mohiuddin, "October" Managing Editor; Ale Kassem, "Revolution" Secretary of Culture; Arif Ali, "October" Chief Investigation; Ahmed Hamadeh, "Revolution" Political Secretary; Samir Al-Zoubi, "Peasants Struggle" Chief Investigation; Shaaban Ahmed, "Revolution" Prime Investigation Service; Kprael Shami, "October" Director of Sports; Radio and Television: Hisham Amran, Radio News Director; Violet Bashour, Director Radio Voice of the People; Diana Jabbour, Director Syria Television; Ahmed Tawfik, Associate Director-General Syria Television; Ms. Sarmini Ajub, Female Television Channel One; Adel Abdel Wahab, Director Radio Broadcasters; Ahmed El, Director Broadcasting Program; Nabil Slogan, Director Radio Broadcasting; Fuad Issa Director Radio News Radio Voice of the People; Izzat Al Manager 2nd Syria Television Channel; Kamal Jamal, Director Cultural Programmes Syria Television, leh Ibrahim, Director of Internet Syria Television; Ghassan Samman Director Radio Services; Khalid Ani, Radio Director; Saadallah, Director Television and Radio Centres; Ahmed Farraj, President Radio Damascus - Voice of Youth; Walid Krbotali; Program Director Voice of the People; Munir Died, Director Radio Syrian Radio Abroad

November 2007

Diyarbakir has seen clashes between participants of manifestations and the police. Every day Turkish army and PKK are in fights in the mountains near S,irnak and the Iraqi boarder. IFIAS Diyarbakir is continuing the campaign for a “Civil dialogue” to strengthen non-violent build up of civil society and cooperation with the state authorities instead of aggression and also a to return to the path of reforms. With a poster campaign (see photo) the population is requested to support democratic reforms and reconciliation.

IFIAS Bonn has circulated an appeal (in German) to end violence in Turkey addressing particularly Turkish and Kurdish diaspora which has seen mutual confrontation since a couple of weeks in Germany and Belgium.

download: appeal (in German) .pdf

download: appeal (in German) .doc

Oktober 2007

On 15 October, the solemn inauguration oft he PRIDE center in the Al Azzeh refugee camp in Bethlehem was celebrated. The formal inauguration had been postponed until after the summer, for reason of heat and after Ramadan, as everybody wanted to really make a big party! The attendance of the event was overwhelming. The people from the camp came so numerous, the doors had to stay open to allow for those who did not find a seat to attend anyway. Two members of the Palestinian chamber of deputies graced the meeting with their presence. The European Commission was represented through the Head of Operations, Mr Roy Dickinson. In his very applauded speech he stressed the need to solidarity and commitment for the displaced people in Palestine. The deputy mayor of Bethlehem, Dr. George Sa’adeh expressed his respect for the work of the Popular Committee for the development of the camp. The Head of the Popular Committee of the Al Azzeh camp thanked the European Commission and IFIAS for their support, as they had never before benefitted from international solidarity in this size. The long-term-trainings in the PRIDE center will continue until the end of January, when the project will be finished, but a number of other activities will continue to go on, such as activities for women, sports activities and of course the internet café.

Oktober 2007

IFIAS supports the European Marches in Belarus. IFIAS president Gerd Greune declared:

“The European March for Freedom in Belarus is a milestone for our neighbours expressing their will to be connected to Europe without this frontier, which still divides our continent. On the occasion of the international conference “Civil society and conflict resolution” we requested the abolition of visa for the citizens in our neighbourhood to speed partnership and cooperation. The Belarusian authorities have not yet proven that they are ready for such a partnership. On the contrary they seem to be afraid of the peaceful preparation of the European March for Freedom. “If governments are not moving, people have to move”, said Gerd Greune, IFIAS President. IFIAS and its members are sending greetings of friendship to the organisers of the European March.”

September 2007

On September 20st IFIAS celebrated their 10-year anniversary with an International Conference that focused on the role of civil society in resolving conflicts. Thanks to the generous support of the Socialist Group in the European Parliament, we benefited from premises in the Eastman building, as well as EN/DE/FR interpretation and lunch. Opened by Jo Leinen MEP (morning) and Ana Gomes MEP (afternoon), the panels featured speakers from Belarus, Russia, Ukraine, Serbia, Syria, Palestine and Morocco and the people in attendance were treated with the rare opportunity to hear first person accounts of the work and struggles of civil society organizations in these regions. The lively discussions led to the conclusion that civil society needs political support and not only material support from the EU and human rights should be of top priority when the EU deals with its neighboring countries. Also the conference stressed civil societies’ right to exist without registration and emphasized that it needs not to be stopped through bureaucracy. A list of the twelve requests of the institutions of the European Union was drawn up and can be accessed through this link. In the evening, a memorable party brought many of speakers and participants again together, with much food and drink and laughter. A tombola was organized where three paintings were won by participants. The next morning, IFIAS Board started a two-days-brainstorming and decision making about necessary adaptations of working together on new challenges, which concluded in the changes you can now see in the who’s who part.

Civil society and conflict resolution
Contributions by the speakers of the conference on 20 September 2007
in the European Parliament, Brussels

Civil society and conflict resolution - placard

The picture shows one of the first meetings at IFIAS in 1997.
July 2007

IFIAS is happy to commemorate its 10th Anniversary in September 2007. Current activities reach from Belarus, the Caucasus, the Balkans, Turkey, to Middle East and Maghreb countries. In order to give a forum for all the devoted and hard working partners and associates which work with us in projects and policy making, we are organising an international conference (Civil Society and Conflict Prevention) at the European Parliament thanks to the help of MEPs Jo Leinen and Ana Gomez on 20th September 2007. Please find the full agenda attached. If you are interested to participate, please
register now, as you may need an entry badge to the EP and we have to deliver the list of participants latest by August. The conference will be followed by a party at IFIAS Gallery...

June 2007

The beautiful social center for refugees in the Azzeh Camp in Bethlehem is now finished and fully furnished. IFIAS' PRIDE-project with funds from the EC Partnership for Peace program was able to contribute 6 computers online for an internet café, a sportsroom including toilets and showers for men and women, renovation and equipment for the kindergarden, and is currently organising a number of longterm trainings to foster employability of young people. These trainings will continue the whole summer and fall. They include English classes, Creative writing, Conflict preventing, Pedagogy and basic Accountancy. A number of possible follow up activities are planned in order to permit the sustainability of the offer for the mostly unemployed
and poor people of the the refugee camp. Working groups have been created in order to train self-organisation and leadership and assure a feeling of ownership of the cam population. In the picture, local IFIAS manager Ahmad Al'Azzeh is showing the use of the computers to the youngest internautes of the camp, who now of course are on holiday and have little possibility for useful occupation. Older inhabitants are most pleased by the sportsroom and the large meeting room allowing for chess turnaments or film screening. From the youngest to the oldest people in the camp, all are benefiting from the social center.

May 2007

In the framework of the the Human Rights Project in Turkey, five trainings aimed particularly at women's rights have been held in various locations: Saadet Karabulut and Gerd Greune spoke about "Women's rights and Kurdish Language" in Dersim , Sarah Avci and Bercem Akkoc trained "Kurdish women meeting Europe" in Mardin, Bingöl and Batman and Susanne Drake and Zozan Ozgokce informed about "International women's struggle for equal rights" in Van. All meetings were very well attended and showed women's great capacities and huge problems in South East Anatolia.
The Human Rights Training Center in Diyarbakir has now moved to Aliemri Cad. Haci Hasan Deger Apt. 7/24 21100 Yenisehir - Diyarbakir (Tel./Fax: 0412 223 68 83). Local Manager NEVROZ GÜNES (on the right in the back of the picture, at the Van Seminar) is organising computer classes for better networking of local NGOs with international NGOs as well as an EUROPEAN CLUB for discussion and training in English language. A libraray is in preparation. Free legal advice to women is given on a daily basis by lawyer EVIN BARTAN. The next trainings will be aimed at journalists. Several newsletters to issues in relation with Human Rights have been published and can be called under this links:

NEWSLETTER
GÜNEYDOGU ANADOLU'DA
MEDENI HAKLAR

NEWSLETTER
CIVIL RIGHTS IN SOUTHEAST ANATOLIA
March - April 2007

NEWSLETTER
CIVIL RIGHTS IN SOUTHEAST ANATOLIA
February/March 2007

On the picture he is shown on the panel of a meeting in Amman in April
April 2007

The NGO Coordination Committee in Iraq - NCCI - is an independent initiative launched by a group of NGOs, intended to establish the basis of a neutral aid coordination highlighting the priorities for intervention and optimising the responses to the needs of the Iraqi population. In 2007, NCCI is a network of about 80 International NGOs and 200 Iraqi NGOs and has pursued its initial objectives and developed into a wide forum where NGOs can exchange information regarding humanitarian activities and policy decisions in Iraq. NCCI role in Emergency coordination requires NCCI to ensure that
basic needs relating to crisis situations are met.
Within a volatile context, facing severe constraints and working on a very low profile, NGOs are amongst the only reliable actors able to deliver aid to the most vulnerable Iraqis on the field on a daily basis. IFIAS local manager Bestoon Hamzah Nameq is representing IFIAS at NCCI and participates actively in their activities.

Jean Pierre Lemouel
Jean Pierre Lemouel

Jean Pierre Lemouel,Opfer der französischen Atomtests von Muroroa 1968 , starb nach jahrzehntelangem Kampf gegen den Krebs am 17. April im Hospiz von Sainte-Foy-la-Grande in Südwestfrankreich. Im Sommer 1968 war er als Marine-Ingenieur der französischen Seestreitkräfte zwei Monate lang in der Südsee stationiert und erlebte insgesamt ein Dutzend überirdische Atomwaffenversuche an Bord seines Schiffes "in Sichtweite", "ohne besonderen Schutz". 1988 erkrankt er an Knochenkrebs und wird 1991 aus der Armee entlassen. Alle Bemühungen mit rechtlichem Beistand die Anerkennung als Atomtestopfer zu erreichen scheitern. Hunderte französischer Soldaten und Tausende von Einwohnern der betroffenen Inseln in Polynesien kämpfen noch um ihr Recht.

Jean Pierre Lemouel, victim of the French nuclear tests on Muroroa in 1968, died after decades of cancer on April 17 in the hospital of Sainte-Foy-la-Grande in Southwest France. In summer 1968 he served as Engineer in the French Marine and experienced for two months near the Polynesian island a dozen of atmospheric nuclear explosions on board of his ship. "In sight distance", he said, "without special protection". 1988 he got sick with bone cancer and leaves the army in 1991. All attempts to get recognition as a victim of nuclear testing by the French army have been in vain. Several hundred French soldiers and thousands of inhabitants on the Polynesian islands are still struggling for compensation.

The photo shows the eldest participant (81 years)
March 2007

From 11 to 15 March IFIAS organised a training seminar and workshop for some 40 women and girls in Tunceli (Kurdish: Dersim) in the centre of Southeast Anatolia in cooperation with the Kurdish Institute and with the active support of the local women organisation “Tunceli Anafatma Kadin Dayanisma Dernegi”. The seminar “Women’s rights and Kurdish language” was conducted in Turkish and Kurdish language. The local community are mostly Kurdish Allevites with high level education and strong European commitments. The meetings have been interrupted by local security claiming specific registration needs for public meetings with foreign participation in this “crisis region”. In fact on the road to Tunceli three checkpoints had to be passed including passport control and registration. The Kurdish town of Dersim has lost half of its population during the civil wars in the 30s and 80s most of them in exile in Germany and other parts of the world. This has been one of the first international gatherings in town for years.

On the photo: Voters registration through birth certificates in Vlora
February 2007

Election monitoring in Albania

IFIAS director Susanne Drake has been invited to participate at a monitoring mission of OSCE/ODIHR for the local government elections in Albania on 18 February 2007.

The elections had to be postponed for one month due to shortcomings in administrative preparation capabilities. Albania civil society needs urgently support fro the European civil rights movement. The people in this country are living mostly in a devastating economic and social situation.

A preliminary report about the election monitoring has been published by the OSCE and the Council of Europe.

See: http://www.osce.org/documents/odihr/2007/02/23347_en.pdf

Rudi Gutendorf
January 2007

IFIAS Palestine project started

The German trainer legend and “soccer ambassador” Rudi Gutendorf has agreed to be the patron of this campaign

“I know what sports can achieve. I have brought together in a soccer team Hutu and Tutsi in Rwanda.

Therefore I want as a “soccer ambassador” to bring together Palestinians and Israelis .

Where stubborn politicians fail, joint playing can make a difference.

That’s why I support the IFIAS project”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Ich weiss, was der Sport bewegen kann.

Ich habe im Fußball in Ruanda die verfeindeten Stämme der Hutu und Tutsi zusammengeführt.

Deshalb möchte ich auch gerne als Fußballbotschafter Palästinenser und Israelis zusammenbringen.

Was sture Politiker oft nicht erreichen, kann durch das gemeinsame Spielen erreicht werden.

Deshalb unterstütze ich das Projekt von Ifias."

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info & webmaster: drake@ifias.net

		May 2008 Elias Wolff, a German artist from Königsberg in Bavaria offered his paintings and etchings for an exhibition at IFIAS Art Galerie in Brussels to contribute for more dialogue between Israeli and Palestinian artists and writers. He is working since the 90s with Ella STERNBERG in Tel Aviv on motives and texts for his etchings on mice, bears and dogs in human daily business and turbulences. A number of his works will move this summer into the new office of IFIAS in Jerusalem and be shown in the Bethlehem social center in autumn.

		SERBIA A Delegation from Serbia by invitation of the Brussels office of the Heinrich Boell Stiftung visited IFIAS and discussed civil society programs that might ameliorate the situation in this country. Funding professional NGOs and leaving local NGOs aside is not an effective strategy, group members said. In fact Serbia is missing an independent civil society as most of those being active today are funded from abroad.We need to build a real political partnership with local groups active in the field and similar goals not only searching for funds but searching for a better and participatory society..

		February 2008 In time for the unilateral declaration of independence of Kosovo, foreseen for the 17 February, IFIAS Board members Jelena von Helldorff and Susanne Drake have jointly prepared a discussion paper on the issue: Multiethnic states and minority independence tendencies in the Global World. The aim of the paper is to show that Kosovo independence can not be seen as a unique example in the world but corresponds to an urging need for a new and reliable international legislation, ending the flamingly unjust double standards. Please download the text as a .pdf file here.

		January 2008 The chairman of IFIAS Rheinland Pfalz (Germany) Ferhat CATO met the chairman of the Social Democratic Party Kurt BECK on January 10. IFIAS requested further peace initiatives on the Balkans and in the Middle East. Also further steps for disarmament, particularly nuclear disarmament, were on the agenda. Kurt BECK thanked IFIAS for its activities in Palestine, in Turkey and in Syria.

		January 2008 Susanne Drake, IFIAS Director since 1997, decided to change life in the New Year. Following an irresistible offer to join the German NGO forumZFD, she will be taking leave from IFIAS on 1st February 2008. Susanne, who for a long time aspired to live some years out of Europe, will move to Jerusalem for three years as regional coordinator for Palestine. Of course she stays very much attached to IFIAS and will also stay on the advisory Board but resigns from her administrative duties. These will be in interim handled by IFIAS President Gerd Greune. If you want to contact Susanne in her new position, here are her coordinates: Susanne Drake Regional coodinator Palestine forumZFD Wesselstraße 12 53113 Bonn drake@forumzfd.de

		November 2007 Farid Ghrich, IFIAS Vice-President, returned from a training session in Syria where he trained - by invitation of the Syrian Union of Journalists - high ranking personalities about European standards of Media law, professional journalism, investigative journalism and self-regulation. Among the participants were: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA): Suad Gomaa, Head of Archive; Walid Alaiseme, Engineering Director; Essam Qablan, Director Legal Administration; Ashraf Samman, Director Internal Affairs; Haifa Zainuddin, Editor Special Bulletin; Mahmoud Mohammed, Chief Economic Division and Head of Professional Unit; Nasser Said, Director Political Departmen; Mohammed Sweidan, Director International News; Mahmoud Shibli, Director Foreign News; Nouri Farhan, Director Inland News; Nadia Happiest, Director Public Relations; Ammar Aldgli, Editor Economic Bulletin; Ismail Ulkipri, Assistant Director-General; Print media: Mohammad Mohiuddin, "October" Managing Editor; Ale Kassem, "Revolution" Secretary of Culture; Arif Ali, "October" Chief Investigation; Ahmed Hamadeh, "Revolution" Political Secretary; Samir Al-Zoubi, "Peasants Struggle" Chief Investigation; Shaaban Ahmed, "Revolution" Prime Investigation Service; Kprael Shami, "October" Director of Sports; Radio and Television: Hisham Amran, Radio News Director; Violet Bashour, Director Radio Voice of the People; Diana Jabbour, Director Syria Television; Ahmed Tawfik, Associate Director-General Syria Television; Ms. Sarmini Ajub, Female Television Channel One; Adel Abdel Wahab, Director Radio Broadcasters; Ahmed El, Director Broadcasting Program; Nabil Slogan, Director Radio Broadcasting; Fuad Issa Director Radio News Radio Voice of the People; Izzat Al Manager 2nd Syria Television Channel; Kamal Jamal, Director Cultural Programmes Syria Television, leh Ibrahim, Director of Internet Syria Television; Ghassan Samman Director Radio Services; Khalid Ani, Radio Director; Saadallah, Director Television and Radio Centres; Ahmed Farraj, President Radio Damascus - Voice of Youth; Walid Krbotali; Program Director Voice of the People; Munir Died, Director Radio Syrian Radio Abroad

		November 2007 Diyarbakir has seen clashes between participants of manifestations and the police. Every day Turkish army and PKK are in fights in the mountains near S,irnak and the Iraqi boarder. IFIAS Diyarbakir is continuing the campaign for a “Civil dialogue” to strengthen non-violent build up of civil society and cooperation with the state authorities instead of aggression and also a to return to the path of reforms. With a poster campaign (see photo) the population is requested to support democratic reforms and reconciliation. IFIAS Bonn has circulated an appeal (in German) to end violence in Turkey addressing particularly Turkish and Kurdish diaspora which has seen mutual confrontation since a couple of weeks in Germany and Belgium. download: appeal (in German) .pdf download: appeal (in German) .doc

		Oktober 2007 IFIAS supports the European Marches in Belarus. IFIAS president Gerd Greune declared: “The European March for Freedom in Belarus is a milestone for our neighbours expressing their will to be connected to Europe without this frontier, which still divides our continent. On the occasion of the international conference “Civil society and conflict resolution” we requested the abolition of visa for the citizens in our neighbourhood to speed partnership and cooperation. The Belarusian authorities have not yet proven that they are ready for such a partnership. On the contrary they seem to be afraid of the peaceful preparation of the European March for Freedom. “If governments are not moving, people have to move”, said Gerd Greune, IFIAS President. IFIAS and its members are sending greetings of friendship to the organisers of the European March.”

		September 2007 On September 20st IFIAS celebrated their 10-year anniversary with an International Conference that focused on the role of civil society in resolving conflicts. Thanks to the generous support of the Socialist Group in the European Parliament, we benefited from premises in the Eastman building, as well as EN/DE/FR interpretation and lunch. Opened by Jo Leinen MEP (morning) and Ana Gomes MEP (afternoon), the panels featured speakers from Belarus, Russia, Ukraine, Serbia, Syria, Palestine and Morocco and the people in attendance were treated with the rare opportunity to hear first person accounts of the work and struggles of civil society organizations in these regions. The lively discussions led to the conclusion that civil society needs political support and not only material support from the EU and human rights should be of top priority when the EU deals with its neighboring countries. Also the conference stressed civil societies’ right to exist without registration and emphasized that it needs not to be stopped through bureaucracy. A list of the twelve requests of the institutions of the European Union was drawn up and can be accessed through this link. In the evening, a memorable party brought many of speakers and participants again together, with much food and drink and laughter. A tombola was organized where three paintings were won by participants. The next morning, IFIAS Board started a two-days-brainstorming and decision making about necessary adaptations of working together on new challenges, which concluded in the changes you can now see in the who’s who part. Civil society and conflict resolution Contributions by the speakers of the conference on 20 September 2007 in the European Parliament, Brussels Civil society and conflict resolution - placard

The picture shows one of the first meetings at IFIAS in 1997.		July 2007 IFIAS is happy to commemorate its 10th Anniversary in September 2007. Current activities reach from Belarus, the Caucasus, the Balkans, Turkey, to Middle East and Maghreb countries. In order to give a forum for all the devoted and hard working partners and associates which work with us in projects and policy making, we are organising an international conference (Civil Society and Conflict Prevention) at the European Parliament thanks to the help of MEPs Jo Leinen and Ana Gomez on 20th September 2007. Please find the full agenda attached. If you are interested to participate, please register now, as you may need an entry badge to the EP and we have to deliver the list of participants latest by August. The conference will be followed by a party at IFIAS Gallery...

		June 2007 The beautiful social center for refugees in the Azzeh Camp in Bethlehem is now finished and fully furnished. IFIAS' PRIDE-project with funds from the EC Partnership for Peace program was able to contribute 6 computers online for an internet café, a sportsroom including toilets and showers for men and women, renovation and equipment for the kindergarden, and is currently organising a number of longterm trainings to foster employability of young people. These trainings will continue the whole summer and fall. They include English classes, Creative writing, Conflict preventing, Pedagogy and basic Accountancy. A number of possible follow up activities are planned in order to permit the sustainability of the offer for the mostly unemployed and poor people of the the refugee camp. Working groups have been created in order to train self-organisation and leadership and assure a feeling of ownership of the cam population. In the picture, local IFIAS manager Ahmad Al'Azzeh is showing the use of the computers to the youngest internautes of the camp, who now of course are on holiday and have little possibility for useful occupation. Older inhabitants are most pleased by the sportsroom and the large meeting room allowing for chess turnaments or film screening. From the youngest to the oldest people in the camp, all are benefiting from the social center.

		May 2007 In the framework of the the Human Rights Project in Turkey, five trainings aimed particularly at women's rights have been held in various locations: Saadet Karabulut and Gerd Greune spoke about "Women's rights and Kurdish Language" in Dersim , Sarah Avci and Bercem Akkoc trained "Kurdish women meeting Europe" in Mardin, Bingöl and Batman and Susanne Drake and Zozan Ozgokce informed about "International women's struggle for equal rights" in Van. All meetings were very well attended and showed women's great capacities and huge problems in South East Anatolia. The Human Rights Training Center in Diyarbakir has now moved to Aliemri Cad. Haci Hasan Deger Apt. 7/24 21100 Yenisehir - Diyarbakir (Tel./Fax: 0412 223 68 83). Local Manager NEVROZ GÜNES (on the right in the back of the picture, at the Van Seminar) is organising computer classes for better networking of local NGOs with international NGOs as well as an EUROPEAN CLUB for discussion and training in English language. A libraray is in preparation. Free legal advice to women is given on a daily basis by lawyer EVIN BARTAN. The next trainings will be aimed at journalists. Several newsletters to issues in relation with Human Rights have been published and can be called under this links: NEWSLETTER GÜNEYDOGU ANADOLU'DA MEDENI HAKLAR NEWSLETTER CIVIL RIGHTS IN SOUTHEAST ANATOLIA March - April 2007 NEWSLETTER CIVIL RIGHTS IN SOUTHEAST ANATOLIA February/March 2007

On the picture he is shown on the panel of a meeting in Amman in April		April 2007 The NGO Coordination Committee in Iraq - NCCI - is an independent initiative launched by a group of NGOs, intended to establish the basis of a neutral aid coordination highlighting the priorities for intervention and optimising the responses to the needs of the Iraqi population. In 2007, NCCI is a network of about 80 International NGOs and 200 Iraqi NGOs and has pursued its initial objectives and developed into a wide forum where NGOs can exchange information regarding humanitarian activities and policy decisions in Iraq. NCCI role in Emergency coordination requires NCCI to ensure that basic needs relating to crisis situations are met. Within a volatile context, facing severe constraints and working on a very low profile, NGOs are amongst the only reliable actors able to deliver aid to the most vulnerable Iraqis on the field on a daily basis. IFIAS local manager Bestoon Hamzah Nameq is representing IFIAS at NCCI and participates actively in their activities.

Jean Pierre Lemouel		Jean Pierre Lemouel Jean Pierre Lemouel,Opfer der französischen Atomtests von Muroroa 1968 , starb nach jahrzehntelangem Kampf gegen den Krebs am 17. April im Hospiz von Sainte-Foy-la-Grande in Südwestfrankreich. Im Sommer 1968 war er als Marine-Ingenieur der französischen Seestreitkräfte zwei Monate lang in der Südsee stationiert und erlebte insgesamt ein Dutzend überirdische Atomwaffenversuche an Bord seines Schiffes "in Sichtweite", "ohne besonderen Schutz". 1988 erkrankt er an Knochenkrebs und wird 1991 aus der Armee entlassen. Alle Bemühungen mit rechtlichem Beistand die Anerkennung als Atomtestopfer zu erreichen scheitern. Hunderte französischer Soldaten und Tausende von Einwohnern der betroffenen Inseln in Polynesien kämpfen noch um ihr Recht. Jean Pierre Lemouel, victim of the French nuclear tests on Muroroa in 1968, died after decades of cancer on April 17 in the hospital of Sainte-Foy-la-Grande in Southwest France. In summer 1968 he served as Engineer in the French Marine and experienced for two months near the Polynesian island a dozen of atmospheric nuclear explosions on board of his ship. "In sight distance", he said, "without special protection". 1988 he got sick with bone cancer and leaves the army in 1991. All attempts to get recognition as a victim of nuclear testing by the French army have been in vain. Several hundred French soldiers and thousands of inhabitants on the Polynesian islands are still struggling for compensation.

The photo shows the eldest participant (81 years)		March 2007 From 11 to 15 March IFIAS organised a training seminar and workshop for some 40 women and girls in Tunceli (Kurdish: Dersim) in the centre of Southeast Anatolia in cooperation with the Kurdish Institute and with the active support of the local women organisation “Tunceli Anafatma Kadin Dayanisma Dernegi”. The seminar “Women’s rights and Kurdish language” was conducted in Turkish and Kurdish language. The local community are mostly Kurdish Allevites with high level education and strong European commitments. The meetings have been interrupted by local security claiming specific registration needs for public meetings with foreign participation in this “crisis region”. In fact on the road to Tunceli three checkpoints had to be passed including passport control and registration. The Kurdish town of Dersim has lost half of its population during the civil wars in the 30s and 80s most of them in exile in Germany and other parts of the world. This has been one of the first international gatherings in town for years.

On the photo: Voters registration through birth certificates in Vlora		February 2007 Election monitoring in Albania IFIAS director Susanne Drake has been invited to participate at a monitoring mission of OSCE/ODIHR for the local government elections in Albania on 18 February 2007. The elections had to be postponed for one month due to shortcomings in administrative preparation capabilities. Albania civil society needs urgently support fro the European civil rights movement. The people in this country are living mostly in a devastating economic and social situation. A preliminary report about the election monitoring has been published by the OSCE and the Council of Europe. See: http://www.osce.org/documents/odihr/2007/02/23347_en.pdf

Rudi Gutendorf		January 2007 IFIAS Palestine project started The German trainer legend and “soccer ambassador” Rudi Gutendorf has agreed to be the patron of this campaign “I know what sports can achieve. I have brought together in a soccer team Hutu and Tutsi in Rwanda. Therefore I want as a “soccer ambassador” to bring together Palestinians and Israelis . Where stubborn politicians fail, joint playing can make a difference. That’s why I support the IFIAS project” ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ "Ich weiss, was der Sport bewegen kann. Ich habe im Fußball in Ruanda die verfeindeten Stämme der Hutu und Tutsi zusammengeführt. Deshalb möchte ich auch gerne als Fußballbotschafter Palästinenser und Israelis zusammenbringen. Was sture Politiker oft nicht erreichen, kann durch das gemeinsame Spielen erreicht werden. Deshalb unterstütze ich das Projekt von Ifias."