Check out this event: iPeace Day - 1st annual Peace celebration day

Hosted By: David Califa / www.iPeace.me
When: Sunday Dec 07, 2008
at 10:00 AM
Where GLOBAL EVENT
WHERE EVER YOU ARE
31TH OF DECEMBER 2008 10:00 local time,
Germany
Description:
David Califa / www.iPeace.me

I Have Found

As a Peace worker I struggle with the concepts

of what it is we do, what it is we represent

and how we go about our business.
But I have found some things are set in stone,

I have found the end does not justify the means
the means must always be compatible with the end.
If we want peace we must seek peaceful ways to it.
There is no room within my heart for revenge, fire or hate.

I have found that I do not permit others to commit violence on my behalf,
I am indeed prepared to die for others and for the cause of peace
but I will never ever find a cause for which I can kill.

I have found love in places they said there was none
because I went offering only friendship and myself,
and I have found rejection in the very places I expected love,
among those that said they stood for love but didn't.

I have found comfort from strangers that I didn't know,
who are moved by simple acts of forgiveness and love
when they might have expected an anger I never showed
for deeds done by those blinded by their own anger.

I have found a world ready for our message of Peace
hungry for human compassion, respect and caring;
a world ready for the change that is coming with us
and all because I refuse to hate those that hate me.

David October 2008

Background

Muslims are being victimised, intimidated and discriminated at HMP Manchester on a gross scale. We had previously addressed some issues regarding HMP Manchester including threats of violence, and it seems that after subsiding slightly, these incidents have now flourished towards institutionalised racism. All of this is seemingly being allowed to continue by the Prison service through their inaction with a renewed venom.

The following details have been provided which offer a horrific insight into the situations that muslims are facing daily at the prison :-

a. Muslims are prohibited from wearing any religious material. This includes the muslim skullcap which is recommended for all those adhering to the Hanafi madhab to wear.

b. No more than three islamic books are allowed to be in the possession of an inmate. In contrast, it is our understanding that inmates may have more than 3 books provided they are not about Islam or Muslims

c. Muslims are placed immediately into the segregation unit for basic infringements, whilst white non-muslims for the same infractions are left unpunished.

d. Staff frequently make racist and derogatory comments towards muslim inmates.

e. Mail is returned from HMP Manchester if addressed to muslim inmates with the claim that the inmate is “Unknown”, despite a prison number being provided.

f. An inmate was prohibited from wearing civilian clothes to his court appearance, even though this is expressly permitted within the prison rules. His clothes were confiscated, together with his prayer mat, and was told by staff in a derogatory manner “Ramadans over”. He was forced to attend court in prison overalls.

g. Prisoners prayer mats were confiscated on the way to court, even though these are also permitted

With correspondence from prison rights organisations being deliberately frustrated, it makes one wonder what other secrets HMP Manchester are hiding which they are not disclosing. This is surely only the tip of the iceberg.

The prison service have an obligation to be transparent and to allow muslims to practice their religion freely.  This is expressly stated as follows :-

"the prison service is committed to racial equality. Improper discrimination on the base of colour, race, nationality, ethnic or national origins, or religion is unacceptable, as is any racial abuse or insulting language or behaviour on the part of any member of staff, prisoner or visitors, neither shall be tolerated".

- PSO 2800

It is clear that HMP Manchester is in breach of these guidelines through their rules which are directly applied to muslims alone. We call on HMP Manchester to immediately cease their discriminatory treatment of muslim prisoners.


Actions Required

Please send a letter to HMP Manchester expressing your disgust at the treatment of muslims at the prison.

Please send a copy of the letter to Anne Owers of the Prison Inspectorate as well as your MP, asking why there continues to be no action taken against the islamophobic and racist behaviour of staff at HMP Manchester

Key Contacts

Governor Richard Vince
HMP Manchester
1 Southall Street
Manchester
M60 9AH

Fax: 0161 817 5601

H M Prison Service
Parliamentary, Correspondence & Briefing Unit
Room 536
Cleland
Page Street
London
SW1P 4LN

FAX: 0207 217 6403 

Anne Owers, Prison Inspectorate
Ashley House
2 Monck Street
London
SW1P 2BQ
Tel 020 7035 2876
Fax 020 7035 2860
Email: mail@ppo.gsi.gov.uk


Sample Letter

Dear <NAME>,

I am writing to you to express my disgust by the discriminatory treatment being applied to muslims within HMP Manchester. Examples of this include prohibition of relgious headwear, being forced to attend court in prison uniform, mail failing to be delivered, racist and derogatory remarks being made to muslim inmates, restrictions on religious books and many other examples that for the sake of brevity I have omitted from this letter.

The prison service have an obligation to be transparent and to allow muslims to practice their religion freely.  This is expressly stated as follows :-

"the prison service is committed to racial equality. Improper discrimination on the base of colour, race, nationality, ethnic or national origins, or religion is unacceptable, as is any racial abuse or insulting language or behaviour on the part of any member of staff, prisoner or visitors, neither shall be tolerated".

- PSO 2800

It is clear that HMP Manchester is in breach of these guidelines through their rules which are directly applied to muslims alone.

I would therefore urge you to ensure that HMP Manchester adheres to the rules of the prison service and to ensure that muslim inmates are treated fairly and with respect.

I look forward to hearing from you to see what steps HMP Manchester will now take to eradicate the Islamophobic treatment that muslim inmates suffer on a daily basis.

Regards,
--------------------

http://www.candle4tibet.org

http://candle4tibet.ning.com

http://www.candle4tibet.org/en/pr4

info@candle4tibet.org  David Califer

Robert Thurman, whom the New York Times called "The Dalai Lama's man in America," officially supports Candle for Tibet, the biggest single action in the world for a free Tibet.

Tel Aviv, August 1 2008

Robert A. F. Thurman, close personal friend of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama and father of renowned actress Uma Thurman, has officially joined the Candle for Tibet (CFT) campaign. He will speak and open CFT's public candle lighting in Union Square, NYC, on Thursday August 7th.

"The Candle for Tibet initiative is a most wonderful thing," said Thurman, president of Tibet House US, in a statement sent to Candle for Tibet. "We seem powerless to ameliorate conditions on the ground in the present crisis moment. This peaceful prayer vigil, since it focuses the minds of many millions on the different sufferings of tormented and tormentor alike, is a powerful way to intervene. And it does not preclude anything else we can think of and do further on. I hope everyone who reads this will join in this important effort."

CFT recently received official support from His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and Thurman's participation adds yet another prominent name to the effort. The New York Times has referred to Thurman as "The Dalai Lama's man in America" and Time magazine has named him one of the "25 Most Influential Americans."

The CFT action, named "The Greatest Light Protest on Earth," will start on Thursday, August 7th, 2008 at 9:00 p.m., when at least 100 million people all over the world will light a candle in public, with friends or at their homes. People can join the action at http://www.candle4tibet.org
.

The event will then continue with light shows all over the world performed by light artists.

CFT organizers also encourage all freedom lovers in the world to drive their cars with headlights on during the entire day of Friday, August 8th, 2008, the day of the Beijing Olympics opening ceremony - in appreciation of their own freedom.

CFT is additionally calling on all people attending the opening ceremony in Beijing to light candles, lighters, flashlights and cell phones at the moment the Chinese delegation enters the Olympic stadium.

Synchronized with the beginning of the opening ceremony, teams from "Sad Smoky Mountains" will flare the skies with red smoke from skyscrapers, monuments and major buildings In major cities, and from the summits of more than 100 mountains on three continents. (For more information on Sad Smoky Mountains, visit http://www.sadsmokymountains.net/

"Mr. Thurman's support of our efforts is very encouraging and inspiring" said David Califa, who created the Campaign for Tibet four months ago. "It reinforces the importance of our non-violent action and the power it will have for the people of Tibet."

More about Robert A. F. Thurman from his website:

A scholar, author, former Tibetan Buddhist monk, co-founder with Richard Gere of Tibet House in New York City, a close personal friend of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, and father of five children including the actress, Uma Thurman, he is the Jey Tsong Khapa Professor of Indo-Tibetan Buddhist Studies at Columbia University. Time magazine named him one of the "25 Most Influential Americans." He has lectured all over the world; his charisma and enthusiasm draw packed audiences

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