Amnesty G48 September Meeting
Present: Markus (new member), Rita, Soeun, Tom
Apologies: Angela, Ingrid, Joe, Layne
1. July and August Meetings
Meetings went well, but had small attendance due to many members being away on Summer vacation. Please remember to respond to meeting attendance requests (with a simple ‘Yes, I’ll be there’ or ‘No, I can’t make it’) so that the coordinator is able to plan the meetings accordingly.
We have been informed by the head office that we are unable to use their meeting room facilities for the time being due to a lack of security, but may be able to claim some expenses for meetings. For future meetings Soeun is going to secure a room in Sincheon which will provide us with meeting facilities such as a whiteboard, projector and unlimited refreshments (at a low cost). Further information will be circulated in the near future.
2. Petitions
No petitions were presented for signing. In future, head office will send us any Korean language petitions for us to sign.
3. Linking up to international campaigns
Rita would like more information on Control Arms campaign. Tom to e-mail her more information.
We decided that everyone should adopt a focus (area of interest). This means that Tom will know who to involve when a certain campaign, issue or activity comes up. From those present at the meeting the following was decided.
Area of interest G48 member
North Korea Rita, Markus
Migrant workers Soeun
Asia Pacific Youth Network (UDHR DVD Project)
Amnesty Korea’s youth representatives are putting together a DVD segment for the Asia Pacific Youth Network (APYN) to mark 60 years since the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). Korea has been allocated articles 6, 22 and 25 of the declaration to present in a 60-minute segment. Jungju from Head Office is currently in charge of this project, and Tom and Suyeon Jang will meet with her on Monday to discuss this further. Soeun would like to be involved in the DVD work and also involved in future campaigning for APYN. Tom to discuss this further with AI Korea.
4. Brainstorming Session
Volunteer Korean Language Program for Migrant Workers
Soeun to lead this program as head volunteer. Tom to help with coordination. Markus may be able to volunteer some time to run classes also. Others are more than welcome and encouraged to help out. Need to advertise for volunteers and approach AI for funding, etc. It was decided that volunteers will have to travel to migrant communities so make lessons as accessible as possible. Contact MTU and other migrant organisations to find out where different halls and other meeting/teaching venues are in heavily-populated migrant areas.
Minorities in Asia Profile Database
Tom to start compiling information about minority ethnic groups facing human rights abuses in Asia in order to eventually produce a database as a reference tool for G48. Information will be collected from the major human rights organisations in the region as well as smaller organisations specialising on specific minority groups. This tool will then be used to help inform members about the different issues facing minorities in Asia and one new group will be focused at each monthly meeting. Tom is to lay the groundwork and Markus has offered to do some research, time permitting.
5. Global Mala Yoga Day of Peace (Notification previously circulated)
Joe and Angela are organising this event to be held at Seoul National University from 12pm on Sunday, September 21.
6. Hmong Campaign
Michael, Ann and Tom put together an international campaign proposal for the Hmong refugees facing forced repatriation in Thailand, which was unsuccessful. They are planning to continue working on a campaign idea in the hope that it will be adopted by individual country sections.
If you are interested in helping us come up with ideas, please e-mail Tom and ask him for a copy of the proposal for you to look over.
7. Other Actions
The Herald advertisement is no longer being printed in the community section of the newspaper. Need to get this back up and also get an advertisement in other newspaper community columns.
Need to scrap the old Facebook page (as it is so outdated) and set up a new one with Soeun as the moderator (and Mickie, if she is still interested in running it). Need to contact Mickie to ask her to confirm this.
Next Meeting: G48 October Meeting, Saturday, October 4, 2008, Shincheon (exact location details TBC) 4 – 6pm
