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COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND CULTURAL DIVERSITY IN CROYDON

See Centre Pages to find out more about exciting community work in Croydon

Issue 120 October 2006 Quarterly

2 The Dispatch

REFORMS to the UN achieved by the General Assembly last Septem-ber did not remedy the problem of an unrepresentative Security Council. Its membership is too small; its membership does not reflect the growth in UN membership since 1945. While the ten two-year tenure members speak for their regions, the permanent five, armed with a veto, speak only for themselves.

In the present Middle East crisis, the UN does not have the authority to make decisions and recommend a course of action on behalf of the re-gion, supported by the world commu-nity. Although a majority of the Coun-cil voted to demand an immediate ceasefire in Lebanon, the US vetoed it. A week later at a meeting in Rome the same thing happened.

The Charter of the UN was in-tended to promote peace and secu-

rity but the world body has never been allowed to look at the broader picture in that region. An informal conference should be called by the UN to look at the legitimate interests of each state as well as the region as a whole. Outsiders, who for decades have dominated the region's affairs, should stay away. This proposal is intended as a practical suggestion to assist the process of reconciliation and reform. That is what the UN should be about. Action for UN Re-

newal aims to sway ministers, MPs and the media to support the UN and work to remove the institutional ob-stacles to its working.

It was formed in 2000 from two groups that began in 1993, just be-fore the 50th anniversary of the UN. It is affiliated to UNA-UK of which it is a s trong suppor ter. W e have always had strong support from members of UNA-UK at the annual conference, especially for resolutions on government policy.

Until this year the UNA Board has also included such decisions in its annual forward-looking statement to the Government. We welcome new members. We have valued this as it showed that the members are fulfill-ing their duty to support the Govern-ment when it works with the grain, yet are not afraid to criticise when lapses occur.

Jim Addington, Chair, Action for Renewal, of UN Reform, argues that the world body has never been allowed to look at the broader picture in the Middle East conflict

You may wonder what a Secretary General of the United Nations is doing writing about football. But in fact, the World Cup makes us in the UN green with envy. As the pinnacle of the only truly global game, played in every country by every race and religion, it is one of the few phenomena as universal as the United Nations. You could even say it’s more univer-sal. FIFA has 207 members; we have only 191. But there are far better reasons to be envious. �FIRST, the World Cup is an event in which everybody knows where their team stands, and what it did to get there. They know who scored and how and in what minute of the game; they know who missed the open goal; they know who saved the penalty. I wish we had more of that sort of competition in the family of na-tions. Countries openly vying for the best standing in the table of respect for human rights, and trying to outdo one another in child survival rates or enrol-ment in secondary education. States parading their performance for all the world to see. Governments being held accountable for what actions led them to that result. �SECOND, the World Cup is an event which everybody on the planet loves talking about. Dissecting what their team did right, and what it could have done differently — not to mention the other side's team. People sitting in cafés anywhere from Buenos Aires to Beijing, debating the finer

points of games endlessly, revealing an intimate knowledge not only of their own national teams but of many of the others too, and expressing them-selves on the subject with as much clarity as pas-sion. Normally tongue-tied teenagers suddenly be-coming eloquent, confident, and dazzlingly analyti-cal experts. I wish we had more of that sort of con-

versation in the world at large. Citizens consumed by the topic of how their country could do better on the Human Development Index, or in reducing the number of carbon emissions or new HIV infections. �THIRD, the World Cup is an event which takes place on a level playing field, where every country has a

chance to participate on equal terms. Only two com-modities matter in this game: talent and team work. I wish we had more levellers like that in the global arena. Free and fair exchanges without the interfer-ence of subsidies, barriers or tariffs. Every country getting a real chance to field its strengths on the world stage. �FOURTH, the World Cup is an event which illustrates the benefits of cross-pollination between peoples and countries. More and more na-tional teams now welcome coaches from other countries, who bring new ways of thinking and play-ing. The same goes for the increasing number of players who between World Cups represent clubs away from home. They inject new qualities into their

World Cup mania is over for another four years. But the UN family can learn from the global game, says Kofi Annan

Shackled by the five powers COMMENT

The Dispatch

new team, grow from the experience, and are able to contribute even more to their home side when they return. In the process, they often become heroes in their adopted countries — helping to open hearts and broaden minds. I wish it were equally plain for all to see that human migration in general can create triple wins — for migrants, for their countries of origin, and for the societies that receive them. That migrants not only build better lives for themselves and their fami-lies, but are also agents of development — eco-nomic, social, and cultural — in the countries they go and work in, and in the homelands they inspire through new-won ideas and know-how when they return. For any country, playing in the World Cup is a matter of profound national pride. For countries qualifying for the first time, such as my native Ghana, it is a badge of honour. For those who are doing so after years of adversity, such as Angola, it provides a sense of national renewal. And for those who are cur-rently riven by conflict, like Côte d'Ivoire, but whose World Cup team is a unique and powerful symbol of national unity, it inspires nothing less than the hope of national rebirth. Which brings me to what is per-haps most enviable of all for us in the United Na-tions: the World Cup is an event in which we actually see goals being reached. I'm not talking only about the goals a country scores; I also mean the most im-portant goal of all — being there, part of the family of nations and peoples, celebrating our common hu-manity. I'll try to remember that when Ghana plays Italy in Hanover on 12 June. Of course, I can't prom-ise I'll succeed. (Ed’s note: Ghana was the only Afri-can side to reach the knockout stage, eventually los-ing to Brazil 3-0.)

THERE are more than 90,000 UN peacekeepers serving in 18 UN operations on four con-tinents today. They comprise 64,000 troops and military ob-servers, 7,500 police, 5,000 international civilians and more than 11,000 local staff.

Women peacekeepers serve in the military (1%), police (4%), international civilian staff (30%) and nationally recruited civilian staff (28%). 108 na-tions are contributing military and police personnel, making the UN the largest multilateral contributor to post-conflict sta-bilisation worldwide; only the US deploys more military per-sonnel. In 2005, UN peace-keeping operations involved 161,000 military and police personnel using 864 flights on

200 long-term charter aircraft, moving 700,000 p a s s e n g e r s . The UN de-p loyed 220 medical clinics and 21 military hospitals in the name of humanity. More than 2,200 peacekeepers from 114 nations have lost their lives in service; 95 were British.

The first International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers was observed on 29th May 2002, the date in 1948 when the first UN peacekeeping mis-sion began operations in Pal-estine. On this day, we pay tribute “to all the men and women who have served and continue to serve in UN peace-keeping operations, as well as to honour the memory of those who have lost their lives in the cause of peace.”

The Peacekeepers Day Cenotaph Ceremony (above) was organised by the West-minster Branch of UNA-UK.

90,000 and growing

IT was “the best-ever” conference in the view of everyone I spoke to. It wasn't just the water, or the beer: having a con-ference outside London always gives a fillip. There were other factors too: it was Durham. A warm welcome awaited the more than 130 attendees at Trevelyan College in the University of Durham. The accommodation was excellent, and the facilities first class. If there was one criticism, it was of the food: far too good! Less lavish next time, perhaps?

Lord Hannay of Chiswick, the new chair of UNA-UK, gave a stirring address. It was good to be reminded about the value, and values, of the UN, and to have a first-class, in-sider's critique of where it was going. Without UNA, the UN would be weaker. He paid tribute to his predecessor, Sir Richard Jolly, for his stewardship in troubled times.

UNA has made progress in seven areas — funding; govern-ance; its public profile; membership and outreach; attracting younger members; engaging NGOs on UN matters; and a new feeling of professionalism, as evinced by New World, UNA-UK's reports, new membership form and website.

Sam Daws gave a characteristically modest address. He has done an amazing job in turning round the organisation; the grants secured from the Rowntree Trust and the Fergu-son Trust bode well for the future of UNA-UK..

A trip to the spectacular cathedral in Durham to hear Shashi Tharoor was another highlight. The Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information re-minded us of the more than 300 international treaties the UN had engineered, thus massively reducing the threats of conflict; of its record with refugees and health; of its record — second to none — in dealing with disasters. The master of anecdote recalled his visit to Washington where he asked an official why the US Administration was being so hostile to the UN. “Was it ignorance, or apathy?” he asked. The re-sponse was illuminating: "I don't know, and I don't care!"

The conference featured two plenary sessions on UK for-eign policy and the environment, and four "policy commis-sions" on Peace and Security, Development, Human Rights and Institutional Reform, running concurrently. The plan to focus on issues rather than protocol ensured a proper de-bate. To echo one of Mr Tharoor's anecdotes, it worked in practice, though a French diplomat might have cavilled, and queried as to whether it worked in theory! The motions put forward by London and SE Region on institutional reform of the Security Council and human rights abuses at Guan-tanamo Bay were well-received.

So, could anything be improved? From the London and South-East Region's point of view, yes. It is sad that the committee still has no secretary — and partly as a result of this, we – the biggest region — did not table a report of an-nual activities when almost every region did so. However, a copy of the past year’s The Dispatch was available to all. Also, it was disturbing that many branches, including ours, sent individual members but failed to send representatives with branch voting rights. This demonstrates a certain or-ganisational shortcoming at grassroots level.

The message of Durham 2006 is that UNA-UK is alive and well, and, allows for maximum participation by members in framing policy. We hope that branches will continue to send delegates to future conferences, confident that attendance counts — Neville Grant.

Spirit of Durham

FACT REPORTAGE

4 The Dispatch

AFTER the successful trip to Sierra

Leone in December 2005 (The Dis-patch, Issue 119) it was felt that another visit would be beneficial for a

number of reasons. Primarily, Work-ing Partners was keen to learn that equipment had arrived safely which it had sent to various organisations, such as the Sierra Leone United Na-tions Student Association (SLUNSA) Skills Training Centre; the Christian Faith Rescue Orphanage; Freetown Cheshire Home; and the Ministry of Health, especially the X-Ray Depart-ment of Connaught Hospital.

Other aims were to set up an ethical bus iness ar rangem en t w i th SLUNSA; liaise with the Sierra Leone United Nations Association (SLUNA); visit senior officials of the police force; learn from various min-istries rules regarding duty on ship-ments of humanitarian goods; and identify a project for Bexley Branch of UNA. It was also vital to maintain contact with SLUNA and its Secre-tary-General, Sam Hollist.

Wednesday, March 15th 2006

We depart Heathrow early morning on Bellview Airline. The flight is prac-tically empty. At 40,000ft the views of the Atlas Mountains and western Sahara are spectacular. Otherwise the flight is uneventful. On arrival Ibrahim Kanu, liaison officer, guides me to the helicopter flight to Free-town. Unlike the throng of people arriving for Christmas, all from the London flight comfortably fit into the 40-year-old former Ukrainian Navy Mi8. The crew is Ukrainian.

The flight to Freetown takes 15 min-utes and I am met by Sgt Abdul Dumbayu. His police vehicle bumps its way to Kimbima Hotel. I email Aruna Turay, SLUNSA youth co-ordinator, about arrangements for the next five days. He confirms a vehicle and driver will be at the hotel at 9.30 am. A refreshing cold shower is followed by a meal on the hotel terrace overlooking the sea.

Thursday, March 16th 2006

The car arrives on the dot. Fofanuh, the driver, takes me to Bathurst

Street where Frank Kosia, the Health Ministry’s Chief Radiologist, has a private clinic. At a later date I visit the Connaught Hospital where he is delighted to show me the mobile X-Ray Unit. The traffic has worsened since my last visit; it takes an hour to travel the few miles between the ho-tel and the clinic where Aruna is waiting. We leave to see the SLUNSA Project via a craft market.

The craft market is inside a large two-storey wooden building near the shoreline in Freetown. Batik, jewel-lery and carvings, in which we are interested, are on the first floor. To any expert of contemporary African art this place is the motherboard be-cause the selection is vast. The sight of an European creates hysteria and I am mobbed by women pulling me in every direction to buy something. Unbeknown to them I have a good idea about the price of the batik on offer. Their asking price is thrice the figure in my head. In the frenzy it is impossible to examine the wares or haggle. I understand their despera-tion. There are no tourists and little in the way of sales. The jewellery is predominantly sold by men though I doubt they make it – their hands are just too big! By UK standards the price is reasonable but here it is overly expensive. If I am a local I would be charged less.

Time to visit the Skills Centre Pro-ject. Traffic on Kissey Road is grind-ingly slow and we are mostly at a standstill. Refusing the hawkers ped-dling sweets, drinks, matches, mo-bile phone covers, earphones, cloth, cigarettes, pocket calculators among others along the queue of stalled cars, becomes second nature.

We eventually reach the end of Kis-sey Road and turn right on to Bai Bureh Road. This is a dual carriage-way that runs west out of Freetown.

The road is named after a warrior who fought against the British in co-lonial times, He was defeated and banished. I ask myself why Sierra Leoneans had to pay taxes to a colo-nial power when they were unrepre-sented in the British Parliament?

A few miles on we turn down a dirt track that takes us to Bottom-Oku, a village inhabited by native Sierra Leoneans. Further down the track, by the sea, it is predominantly popu-lated by the Aku, of the Yoruba tribe, who originate from Nigeria. Their migration began after the Second World War when Nigerian soldiers found themselves in this part of Si-erra Leone and settled as a fishing community. The civil war has been traumatic for both Aku and native Sierra Leoneans. It is against this background of a community under stress plus idle and frustrated youth that the SLUNSA Project was born.

I am finally approaching this little industrious oasis. I cannot miss the building, for outside it there is a huge

hoarding announcing ‘Greetings to George Palmer of Bexley UNA and Gill Mackilligin of Working Part-ners from SLUNSA Project’. It is a heart-warming welcome. After the obligatory photo session, it is down to business.

In the weeks before my visit the cen-tre has been working all out. Hun-dreds of carvings and jewellery items have been collected from the prov-inces. Artisans were advised to pro-duce contemporary style mahogany pieces and colourful wood beads and clay jewellery. Batik is in the fi-nal stages of production. Prices have to be agreed. It is important not to undervalue the goods. They have to profit on this initial sale and gamble on an even better return when the goods are re-sold in the UK. The carvings are brought out first. There

Sierra Leone can carve a In December 2005 George Palmer led a relief aid mission to Sierra Leone to deliver vitally needed neo-natal resuscitation units, a mobile X-Ray

unit, computers, and wheelchairs. In March he returned to Freetown. The focus this time was on skills building...

TRAVEL

DIARY

Jeanne Marie-Eayrs and Susan Beresford are community

artists in Croydon. They are passionate about the poten-

tial of community art as a vehicle towards enhanced

community relations and cohesion. So, about a year

ago, the Vision Heritage Project—under the ‘One World

Week’ umbrella, was visualised. Since then, as a conse-

quence of a unique vision and hard work—an amazing

Mural has sprung up in the centre of Croydon. But that’s

not all! Some fantastic work has been going on with vari-

ous community groups—which will culminate in a major

exhibition in Croydon, between 21st October and 21st

November.

One of Croydon’s oldest multi-cultural institutions is One

World Week. Croydon UN Association has a long-

standing link with One World Week through one of its

founding members—Stephen Harrow. Stephen, is cur-

rently National Treasurer of One World Week, and has

also been an intrinsic part of UNA in Croydon since (dare

I say) the 1960s. Stephen has always tried to cultivate a

harmonious relationship between the two groups. Croy-

don UNA is proud to be associated with One World in

Croydon—and although did not actively participate in

the Vision Heritage Project —would like to thank and

congratulate One World in Croydon (especially Susan

Beresford and Jeanne-Marie Eayres) for their hard work

and perseverance in making this unique project a reality.

Susan and Jeanne Marie explains their overall vision and

basis for the project:

“Access to the arts can be seen in a number of differ-

ent ways. It might be understood as physical access for

old or infirm people. There has been significant legislation

in the UK over the past ten years to ensure that those less

able to cope physically can gain access to venues and

opportunities. Access is also taken to mean the inability

of people to take advantage of opportunities because

of their poverty. Financial exclusion is increasingly recog-

nised as being only part of the problem; often people

feel excluded because arts establishments are per-

ceived as middle class and “not for us”. Often young

people who want to use their creativity to build a career

are discouraged by parents who do not see the value of

such an enterprise. At other times access is restricted

because arts are too easily understood only in a Western

context and don’t make provision for multicultural nature

of UK society.

Over the past twenty years the number and variety of

ethnic arts organisations that have come forward and

the breadth of multicultural arts organisations that have

emerged, have changed the nature of the UK’s creative

scene immeasurably.

All of these issues are recognised within government

and within the arts community. The difficulty is not only

around opening up opportunity but also around then

encouraging people to make the most of those oppor-

tunities and ensuring that the opportunities are relevant

to their situation.

Art is an instrument of social change. Art can develop

the individual, build groups and improve communica-

tion. Art is about communication, creativity and col-

laboration. Art in public spaces goes a long way to im-

proving our environment.

Our project is designed to enable the community to get

really involved in conserving and enhancing their heri-

tage. It will celebrate the good things about being part

of one diverse yet interconnected legacy. By uplifting

our surroundings and portraying harmony we are bring-

ing into existence feelings of self worth, friendship and

pride. The general public of all ages will benefit from this

positive and educational statement of the “ Vision” mu-

ral.

Our overall aim is to develop the use of art in Croydon

as a way of empowering and engaging all of the com-

munity in their rich heritage”.

Launch of the Mural, Reception at The Town Hall, Croydon. 24th June,

2006. (l-r) Stephen Harrow, Susan Beresford, Jeanne Marie Eayres and

Mayor of Croydon, Clr. Janet Marshall. (Photo by Joe DeSuza)

With grateful thanks to WizJones for opening the launch.

''I said I would go and look at the mural. I finally

got round to it yesterday. It was easy to spot as I

walked into the cul-de-sac. I was already in a 'guey'

mood for some reason, and I was surprised to find myself

slightly moved by the mural. I think this is because I found it

powerfully evocative of the past, with a collection of historical

items, some familiar to me and others less so, most or all of them

with some local relevance, each triggering their own sense of mys-

tique. Each was depicted with clarity and a sense of authenticity,

and I found that they were successfully assembled into a montage

without any obvious awkward joins. At the same time, though, the

separation into different jigsawpieces gave me the impression of

disconnection: as if the shards of Croydon's past were strewn in

obscurity, still awaiting proper recognition.

The mural has made me think about howCroydon is and should

be perceived. I don't knowthe answers, but I am

thinking that

past &present cultures, landmarks, icons etc should play a part.

Finding the best imagery &values with which to define the town

could influence the way it develops, for example which of its heri-

tage aspects are salvaged and presented anewin a modern con-

text, and what sort of urban textures newdevelopers are aim-

ing for.'' (Croydon Resident Peter Davis)

The Mural is in Dingwall Road in Croydon, behind Croydon’s main shopping Centre, The Whitgift Centre—on a wall

which stands at over 1,100 sq. ft. The ‘Vision Mural’ has transformed the experience of Crodyon, and captures a vision

of that aliveness and vibrancy. Croydon appears to be much like any other town in the south east of England. Tall of-

fice blocks, busy shopping centres, smoky industrial estates. Market chain stores, bars and clubs dominate the town

centre and the atmosphere is focused on consumerism and nightlife.

The town which sustained much damage in the two World Wars, has undergone an impressive redevelopment which is

reflected today in the tall office blocks of concrete and glass. But it has a heritage and a history we can trace back to

pre-historic times. It was named Croydon by the Saxons in the 8th Century. By the time of the Norman invasion Croydon

had a church, a mill and around 365 inhabitants as recorded in the Domesday Book. King Henry VIII and Queen Eliza-

beth 1 visited the Archbishop of Canterbury Archbishop Lanfranc, in Croydon at his palace, which still stands today.

Surrey Street market was granted a Royal Charter by Henry III in 1276 over seven hundred years ago.

Croydon carried on down through the ages as a prosperous market town they produced charcoal, tanned leather and

brewed beer. Croydon became the terminus of two important commercial links, the first was the horse drawn Surrey

Iron Railway opened in 1803 and the second was the Croydon Canal. The canal closed in 1836 and little of it can be

seen today. The route of the canal was taken over by the London and Croydon Railway (steam Powered) and opened

in 1836.

The Vision Mural commemorates Croydon’s rich history and development. From its Early Years, (celebrating, amongst

others, John Whitgift, the 73rd Archbishop of Canterbury in 1583) to Industry; Transport; Famous People (who were born

or resided in Croydon); Culture and Entertainment; The Airport; The Old Town—and right up to modern day community.

Of course, the mural would not be complete without a celebration of Croydon’s rich

and diverse cultural identity, as illustrated on the front page. And no grand illustra-

tion of Crodyon can be complete without the Sea Cadets, Dot Cotton, the Flower

Fairies and Crystal Palace FC The Eagles as well as its oldest pub, The Greyhound—

which are represented by individual pieces—separate, but fitting into the commu-

nity as a whole.

The mural is illustrated in the form of a jigsaw—each tell-

ing a separate story—but at the same time, each section

is interconnected.

Jeanne-Marie and Susan’s ultimate aim was

to ensure maximum community involve-

ment—and that communities were empow-

ered to research and develop their own

separate, but interlinked projects, and to

bring a wider audience through a range of

activities— be it music, walks, activities, inter-

action, research, etc. A total of fifteen differ-

ent community groups were involved. Each

community saw their own ideas evolve and

take shape.

Medieval Croydon was the first of the series.

Forty school children from across the borough

made a historic visit to Old Palace (the only

medieval remains left in Croydon); Children

made shields in an art workshop and put them to use on Tournament day at Lloyd Park in February. Nick

Checksfield, from 'History Matters' led the jousting from his 'Bergundian' tent. He demonstrated use of arms, maile

making, costumes, knighting ceremony and how to joust!

On Easter Monday, Families (shown here in picture) worked together on a mosaic, based on the geological

strata of Croydon. It is a fantastic work of art, which is now displayed at the Hilton Hotel in Croydon. A local

schoolteacher, Debbie Daintith, who took part with her husband Brendan and grand daughter Amy, com-

mented: ‘It is a source of considerable pride and satisfaction to my family that this one small part of work is ours’

‘Poets Anonymous’ worked on the transport theme with poems soon to be published. The Immigrant Women’s

project was around food in the form of cooking and sharing recipes—demonstrating how food can break down

barriers and bring people together. Refugee women sewed a quilt together which will hopefully be displayed at

the Home Office. Sea Cadets undertook a project on Morse Code. There were inspirational memories and rec-

ollections from Elders in Croydon. Many other communities, including the Croydon Korfball Club took part in

various projects.

Croydon’s Natural History and Scientific Society will bring the exhibition together. Linking their own artefacts

based on the project as well as the work from the communities, the exhibition— entitled Rediscovering Croydon,

will be open between Saturday 21st October and continues until 21st November. Falling during One World Week,

it will take place at The Architecture Art and Design Centre, 43 Tamworth Road, Croydon.

Entry is free, and all are welcome!

“This has been so much fun. Our initial aims

were surpassed. The project had a far bigger

impact than we could ever have dared antici-

pate” (Susan Beresford)

“It has taken two years and two rejections from ap-

plication to successful acceptance—proving that no

is not forever, it’s just for now” (Jeanne Marie, on

the application to the Heritage Lottery Fund. They

finally succeeded in getting an award of £50,000)

(above) A section of the tapestry by the women refugees

(right) Children participating in Medieval Croydon.

andandandand

UNA London and SE Region AGMAt the beautiful Victorian Town Hall, Katharine Street,

Croydon (next to the ClockTower)

and a Celebration of FaithsPROGRAMME

12.30—1.15. AGM. Regional Business and a roundup

of A Year in the Region.

1.15—2.00. Address from the Region’s Presi-

dent, Mr. Tony Colman

2.00—2.15. Susan Beresford on the

Vision Heritage Project

2.15—3.00. Break and refreshments.

An opportunity to visit the Vision Mural -

5 minutes walk away

3.00—5.00. A Celebration of Faiths. Join

the ‘party’ !

5.00– 5.20. We invite visitors to register their

interest in getting involved with UNA Croydon and

One World week

There has been a bit of a lull in activity in Croydon UNA

Branch recently, and we want to put an end to it! We

are going through a process of revitalisation, and are

appealing for people in the community who strongly

believe in the UN ideals, as contained in the Charter (in

a nutshell—peace, harmony and development in our

world via. the UN). We believe that it is we, the peoples

who can, through grassroots campaign

and activities—help to strengthen and

nurture a strong system. Governments

must work co-operatively for the good of

the world!

The AGM of UNA London and SE Region is

going to be held at the Town Hall in Croy-

don on Saturday 4th November. Apart

from hearing from our inspirational Presi-

dent, Mr. Tony Colman, and welcoming

our new Chair—we will be celebrating One World

Week and UN ideals by holding a Multi-faith celebra-

tion. These events have always been a success in

Croydon, and we will be demonstrating how—through

celebrating different faith traditions—it can bring us

closer together rather than drive us apart. There will be

music, dance, readings and art from a variety of

faiths—and fantastic food to boot!

Please come along—Join UNA—and get involved!

We are immensely grateful to Croydon Branch for being the main sponsor of this edition, and also for the donations from the individual members and

Branches —without whose support it would have been impossible to publish at this time.

United Nations Travelling Roadshow

at the Canterbury Festival

Please join us in Canterbury for the Opening Ceremony

of the Travelling Exhibition on UN Day on 24th October,

between 4.30—9 p.m; or for a Workshop on the follow-

ing 3 days.

Opening Ceremony

Welcome Address. Dramatisation of how the UN relates

to ordinary people. Finger Buffet Reception. Open Dis-

cussion and Networking.

RSVP to Sheila Kesby on 01227 454080 or e-mail

s.kesby@btopenworld.com

This is a 4-day event, and there will be a series of impor-

tant workshops on the 3 days following the Opening

Ceremony.

You can also visit the Exhibition on any of these 4 days

Please check out the Regional website for further de-

tails, or contact Sheila Kesby

Thanks to Amina, who has been the

Dispatch Editor for the past 3 years.

We are immensely grateful to her

for creating some fantastic editions,

and for her continued support! We

wish her well in Kashmir, and hope

to have a log of her work there on

the website soon.

Thanks to Matt George, journalist

and copy editor formerly on The

Times for editing this copy of The

Dispatch. Matt has stuck with us

and has been tremendously pa-

tient— regardless of the uncertainty

of whether we could go to print at this time. Thanks for

sticking with us Matt, and thanks for such a well-produced

edition!

Amina Rawat at the Regional

event in Ealing earlier this

year.

Dartford and District Branch cordially invite you to a talk by Det. Sgt.

J. Milne from the Kent Police, on The Trafficking of Women and Child

Slavery in the UK. The talk will be held on Monday October 8th at

‘The Large Meeting Room’, Enterprise House, 8 Essex Road, Dartford.

(entrance via the car park) (meeting starts at 7.30) All Welcome!

Please remember to send your nominations for the new

committee by 7th October. (contact Bruce Robertson –

member to be nominated so Join UNA now!

details on back page). Remember, you have to be a

The Dispatch 5

are over 300 in varying sizes. I choose more than 100 carvings of the style that my wife Debbie asked for. Aruna and I agree on a fair price. The batik samples are produced – the designs and colours are simply superb. A fair price is negotiated.

It is mid-afternoon and it is time to meet Fume Grant-Davis, shipping agent of Freetown Shipping and Supply Services, to arrange the ex-port of the purchased goods. Fume explains the export system; it is sim-pler than my experience of importing aid items into Sierra Leone.

Back to the hotel and a swim before a quiet evening. It was in the pool that the Secretary-General of the Sierra Leone United Nations Asso-ciation found me! Dr Sam Hollist is a delightful gentleman and scholar and on behalf of SLUNA sends greetings to UNA-UK members. He informs me the Government has re-instated its grant to SLUNA which had been terminated during the war and it had received a sum of Le 8,922,000,240 or $2,974.08. He is keen that his book ‘ECOWAS and

the Liberian Crisis’ be given to UNA-UK HQ. The hotel runs off a copy at his expense.

Friday, March 17th 2006

Today promises to be a busy day. Last night I had a long conversation with Alpha Mohamed Bah, the res-taurant and bar Manager at Kimbima Hotel. He tells me about the Mana Tree School in Crabtown, which I hope will be the project for Bexley UNA Branch to focus on.

The Hon. Revd. Marie Yansaneh, MP, joins me for breakfast. Alpha, Revd. Marie and I drive to the school on Beach Road. The school is Al-pha’s vision. It opened on 12th De-cember, 2005 with a grant from the Manacare Foundation, a UK charity. My short search for a project is over.

Crabtown gets its name from crab fishing. The village came into exis-tence during the war when displaced persons occupied some partly fin-ished buildings. Others sprang up. There is no school nearby and the

bright future with a little help People skills: One room in the SLUNSA Project building houses the com-puters donated by Working Partners. These are powered by a small gen-erator. There is no phone line in Bottom-Oku so computer training is func-tional. Hairdressing is taught by Koroma Aminat. In another room gara art or batik making is taught. Fayiah Lenoh teaches tailoring and dressmak-ing: about 20 women are engaged in producing children’s clothes on trusty Singers. The students have endured much hardship. Fatmata Conteh, 34, and Annieta Sandy, 29, both single mothers, were peddlers on Kissey Road. Now Fatmata produces batik and is a tailoress. Annietta is proficient in tailoring, weaving and embroidery. Both are self-sufficient. A woman formerly in the sex trade and with three children has learned tailoring and gara art. Fatmata Turay, 20, an orphan, was rescued from the slums by SLUNSA; she is eager to learn a trade. Outside the building Aminata Ta-rawalie, 30, married with three children and no formal education, is dex-trously working a flimsy weaving contraption with her hands and feet. These are a few examples of how the SLUNSA Project has made a big difference. The students pay no fees and food is provided during the day.

The principle: The Project is based on the axiom that development of the country depends upon the youth of today. The demography: There is an estimated one million youth in the 15-24 age category. They represent 20 per cent of the population. If their potential is harnessed they represent a formidable workforce.

Post-war realities: Responsible parenthood has disintegrated: Aids, ma-laria and polio have killed many adults and left the upbringing of children almost entirely in the hands of women who lack the time and resources. This is one area of SLUNSA’s focus. Other concerns include caring for the health of young people — if rates of HIV/AIDS rise to the level in neighbouring countries up to one in three young people may be affected; poor nutrition resulting in stunted growth; drug abuse leading to promiscu-ity; female genital mutilation; childbearing at an early age, suspension of vaccination programmes; and disability as a result of war.

The aims: The SLUNSA Project aims to: create awareness of their plight and potential; involve youth in issues affecting them; teach skills so they can earn a living; teach rights and responsibilities; and encourage an inter-est in the United Nations — now part of the curriculum — by GP.

We have made a difference: I met Aruna Turay in April 2004 and encour-aged him to make his dream of a Skills Training Centre come true. He and his five siblings, in their teens and twenties, were orphaned in the war. He wanted to transform his family home into a centre to give young people like him and women a chance of a productive life. Almost two years later I was privileged to observe the graduation of the first 15 students in tailor-ing, embroidery, dressmaking, gara arts and hairdressing. The certificates were designed by Tumain Magila who has supported the centre by up-grading the majority of the donated computers which facilitate running of the IT course. The graduation gowns were made in the United States and personally taken by me for the ceremony. The certificates were given by various people, including the Hon. Revd. Marie Yansaneh, MP. The com-munity was there en masse. The UN was represented by J Victor Angelo, Resident Co-ordinator of the United Nations Integrated Office in Sierra Leone (UNIOSIL). On behalf of Kofi Annan, he praised the “fantastic re-sult” achieved by the Centre. We (UNA-UK, Working Partners, SLUNA) have made a difference…We can bask a little in the glory of these gradu-ates and we shall go on together to help the centre achieve more gradu-ates each year. Thank you all. — Margaret Sesay, Project Co-ordinator, Working Partners.

6 The Dispatch

the villagers cannot afford to send children to the nearest school. So the children ended up harassing people along the beaches, especially Lumley Beach. Enter Alpha and his vision for his village. The Mana Tree School building is so flimsy it will not survive an April shower in the UK, let alone the rainy season in Sierra Leone. There is one standpipe for water in the village, which means a queue of 80 kids waiting to wash before going to the school. So class starts late and many kids attend the school on empty stomachs.

Alpha and the school committee’s efforts have led to a plot being se-cured from the government to erect a permanent structure. The cost of site clearance, foundations, provision of water supply/WC’s, furniture and p r o f e s s i o n a l f e e s t o t a l Le11,414,000.00 — between £2,000

and £3,000. Bexley UNA is going to try to find the £3,000 required for this building and provide other essential

equipment. UNA members or other readers who wish to help us please make your donation payable to “Mana Tree School Project” and

send it to George Palmer.

On to the Christian Faith Rescue Orphanage (see box below). We then revisit SLUNSA Project to com-plete the purchases and arrange transportation to Fume. The batik will not be ready until late on Monday. I am leaving on Tuesday morning so this is cutting it rather fine, but the work cannot be rushed.

Fume tells me the shipment can leave Freetown on 4

th April to arrive

at Tilbury within three weeks. (At the time of going to press we are still awaiting customs clearance.)

I return to my hotel where the recep-tionist hands me a note: “Francis Munn, Assistant Inspector-General was here to see you. He says he’d like to talk to you on behalf of the Inspector-General.” Aruna rings the contact number and an appointment is made to meet Mr Munn at 10.30am on Monday.

Saturday, March18th

, 2006

It is the weekend and trying to meet ministers to see about duty-free im-ports of humanitarian aid is all but impossible. Offices are closed. It is my fault for losing track of days. I have to make an effort on Monday. We go to the offices of Leonard Cheshire International to see Teddy M’bayo, the selfless director who did so much to make Working Partners’ December 2005 aid project a suc-cess. His office is shut. We drive to the Freetown Cheshire Home. There is hardly any activity here either. It is time to flop on the beach.

Sunday, March 19th,

2006 We drive to Lumbley Beach. Sierra Leone is renowned for its sandy

coastline. It has been described as

THE ORDEAL OF THE INNOCENT: All

the 65 children, 40 girls and 25 boys, at the Christian Faith Rescue Orphanage have a shocking tale to tell.

Osman Kamara, 14, came to the orphanage in 1996, a year after RUF rebels attacked his village in north Sierra

Leone and killed his parents. Animata Kamara, 12, was captured when rebels raided her village; her parents were murdered, she was raped. The Red Cross eventu-

ally rescued her. Yeabu Conteh, 8, came to the orphan-age after rebels entered Freetown and amputated her

parents’ arms. Isatta Bangura, 6, saw her father tor-tured to death allegedly by ECOMOG Peacekeeping Force after being accused of collaborating with rebels.

Alimamy Koroma, 10, calls ECOMOG soldiers “devils” after they shot his father and five relatives “for no good

reason”. Martha Koroma, 14, was sent to the orphan-age by her cousin after her father died following amputa-tion of his limbs. Her mother and baby sister were burnt

to death. Luba Mansaray, 4, was rescued by govern-ment forces after her parents were burnt alive; the re-bels tortured her by dripping burning plastic on her body.

This litany is a microcosm of the scale of the tragedy that befell this country. The orphanage is a two-storey building in the New England Ville suburb of Freetown. The top floor is open plan to be divided into dormitories when money is found. The children sleep on bare mat-tresses. The sick bay is a nicely decorated bedroom that

wouldn’t shame the average UK teenager. It will not cost much to provide mattresses, sheets and blankets. A lick of paint would enhance the feel of the dormitories. There is a kitchen and WC facilities. Funds are short. Feeding the children is a struggle. Bedding and linen and educa-tional items are needed. The staff of three pastors, Moses Serry, Baishiru Fofanah and Prince Atuna, and Revd. Marie, the founder, welcome any support.

The orphanage was first established in 1992 as a direct result of the war. It was originally based in Allen Town. In February 1999 the children and staff were forced to flee to Conakry in neighbouring Guinea because of the fighting. The home in Allen Town was razed. Because of the rebel threat in Guinea in 2000 and adverse feelings toward Sierra Leone the orphanage was forced to move to Freetown. Temporary accommodation was found until the present premises were rented. The orphanage pro-vides primary school education; a number of the chil-dren go to secondary schools. Vocational training for the older children includes tailoring, gardening, soap-making, gara arts, carpentry and bakery. The soap and bread that are produced are sold in the community, no-tably to inmates in Freetown prison.

Send donations in cash and kind, such as bedding, to Barbara Browne Universal Church of God, 107-109, Ormside Street, Peckham, London, SE15 1TF. Tel: 0207-7358 1866; email barbarabrowne43@yahoo.co.uk

Bexley UNA:

this is

your project

Teach the children: for £3,000 the

school will have a solid foundation

The Dispatch 7

having the best beaches in West Africa. The Atlantic breakers that roll in every 20 seconds are five foot high. The water is luxuriantly warm and the sand soft and white. I swim and sunbathe and laze like a hippo.

Monday, March 20th

2006 Sgt Abdul is on time and we reach the police headquarters early. Fran-cis Munn, Assistant Inspector Gen-eral, greets us. I introduce Aruna and Rev Marie. We have an informal chat. We meet Brima Acha Kamara, Inspector General of Police. I pre-sent him with a Metropolitan Police plaque and a New Scotland Yard paperweight. He comments that his collection of Met Police memorabilia has bourgeoned since December! We return to Mr Munn’s office and he explains about UN Adjustment, Drawdown and Withdrawal (ADW) — the military component of UNAMSIL (United Nations African Mission to Sierra Leone) — and the role of the Sierra Leone Police.

UK’s Department for International Development (DfID) contributes to-wards transport and communications and public order equipment. UNAM-SIL is regarded as the biggest and most successful UN mission to date. Working in co-operation with the po-lice it has succeeded in ridding Si-erra Leone of weapons on the streets. The police require more equipment; Francis asks if I can ex-

plore the possibility of making any Met surplus available to them. I promise I will make representations. As a police officer I have seen how surplus equipment from European police were well deployed in Bosnia.

We visit the Ministry of Development to see Mrs Konah Koroma, but she is in a meeting. I am dropped off at the hotel. At 5pm Fofanuh picks me up to return to the SLUNSA Project. The batik is ready. I dearly hope I will be back here to see this project grow.

Driving through Freetown after dark is a nervy experience. There are few generators and the gas and kero-sene lamps and candle light cast an eerie gloom inside the houses on both sides of the road. Farther ahead it is an inky blackness. A dangerous place for a stranger, I think. Hell of a difficult place for police to operate in.

Back at the hotel by 8pm. Dr Sam Hollist and his team from SLUNA have come by after we left for Bot-tom-Oku. They had waited for over an hour. Sad to miss them.

It is time to say goodbye to Aruna and Fofanuh. We enjoy a few drinks and a meal. Aruna has acquitted himself well. There are many ifs and buts in building up the business. I know Aruna will not let the side down. I intend to resell the goods in Greenwich and at other market stalls. Profits will be recycled to the

Skills Training Centre. More items will be bought for sale in the UK.

Sgt Abdul is not scheduled to pick me until 10 am tomorrow. With that prospect and well lubricated on Star Lager, it was altogether too late when I retire for the night.

Tuesday, March 21st, 2006

The telephone is jangling. It cannot be 9am I think. It is not my mobile phone alarm...It is the telephone in the room jangling. It is 7 am. I groan and answer it. It is Sylvia, daughter of Sylvia Blyden, Lewisham UNA member and former head of SLUNA. She is flying back with me today. In an agitated voice, she says: “There is only one helicopter today and it leaves the heliport at 8am. Less than an hour to get there.” I ask: “What about the hovercraft?” The attempt to rescue my lie-in is in vain. “Broken down,” comes the reply.

A telephone call to Sgt Abdul brings him to the hotel within 30 minutes, enough time to snatch a cup of cof-fee. My plan to buy a large wood carving from a shop near the hotel is dashed – the shop is closed this early in the day. The chopper takes off on time from the heliport.

There is a long wait at Freetown air-port as the flight is not scheduled to leave until 3.20pm. I fight off the bag-gage handlers and settle into a seat in the terminal building. I strike up a conversation with Sgt Abass of the airport police and we chat about the nature of our work for a couple of hours. When the flight is called Ibra-him Kanu, the liaison officer, guides me through Customs and Immigra-tion. The flight takes off on time. Along with my luggage I carry back loads of fond memories of Sierra Leone and its inspirational people.

(George Palmer is the chairman of Bexley Branch, UNA.)

This is an edited version of George Palmer’s diary of his exhaustive trip. Copies of the fuller version and other articles and data can be obtained from:

working.partners@virgin.net; Tel: 07760-154 841 tuckersesay@yahoo.co.uk Tel: 079396-312 284 georgepalmer99@yahoo.co.uk Tel: 07890-802 245.

Battered but not

beaten: Aruna

Turay and the

Skills Training

Centre offer a

lifeline for the

youth of Sierra

Leone

Memory overload!

8 The Dispatch

FANCY the MP for Ealing signing up tojoin UNA’s latest branch — West London— and at of all places its inauguralSpring Council. Formerly Ealing branch,the reincarnated body with youth at thehelm demonstrated its dynamism by fo-cusing on controver-sial issues affectingthe welfare of womenin the UK and world-wide. More than 80people attended theevent that kicked offto the beat of drums.Djandark Wali, right,the chair, also tookthe opportunity to paytribute to veteran Harold Stern for hissupport in setting up the branch.

Speakers at the event were Unifem’s UK

President Juliet Colman, paediatricianDr Jenny Loudon, development consult-ant Margaret Sesay, UNA-UK fundraiserKatherine Ronderos, and Nick Thorne,the British Ambassador to the UN in Ge-

neva. Speaking via a video link was Bar-oness Scotland. The event was chairedby Dr Alexandra Xanthaki, lecturer oflaw at Brunel university and research

assistant to the UN Special Rapporteuron Indigenous Peoples. Getting StevePound, the MP, who also addressed themeeting, to sign up as a member was acoup! Shows what youth and determina-tion can do. Ealing’s mayor opened andspoke too.

The medical,psychologicaland the socialconsequencesof FemaleGenital Mutila-tion (FGM);forced mar-riage and “honour” killings; women’spoverty and exclusion; domestic vio-lence; HIV/Aids; the consequences ofinternational trade on women andwomen’s roles in decision making proc-esses were among the topics discussed.The issues are broad, complex and inter-linked; and it is this linkage that is criticalfor developing countries and for anyhope of future international har-mony. (Since space is at a premiumhere go to our www.unalondonandse.orgwebsite for a fuller write-up of the eventand do contribute to the debate.)

Ambassador Thorne explained the Brit-ish approach to issues of trade and de-velopment. The audience questionedhim hard on the implied universality ofthe benefits of open markets, especiallyfor the least developed countries (LDCs),and whether the G8 had done enough tosecure the rights of the LDCs to a protec-tion that the developed countries hadenjoyed during their own emergence.

The lively, informative and enriching af-ternoon closed at around 5pm — LindaMcCulloch. Additional reporting byRoger Hallam and Neville Grant.

The new branch held its AGM recently,electing a fresh committee. And it has

doubled its membership to around 70!The growth is in part due to its affiliationwith Brunel university. Sarah MacDou-gal, the secretary of the branch, is alsopresident of UNYSA at Brunel. Thebranch aims to support the work ofGeorge Palmer and Working Partners(see centre pages) to raise funds forSierra Leone, starting with a multicul-tural event on 26th October — check re-gion’s website. It also wants to work withBrunel on hosting other forums — LMcC

A BABY gets into the act in bidding atthe second International Art Auctionorganised by Blackheath and Green-wich UNA branch in July. NevilleGrant, wearing a kurta, chair of thebranch and auctioneer, was assistedby Laszlo Kovats. The event hosted

by Jane Grant was held in aid of Uni-cef’s East African Children's CrisisAppeal: in southern Ethiopia, Somaliaand northern Kenya the drought hasbeen catastrophic. Last year’s auctionraised £3,000 for UNHCR's work inChad and West Darfur. The picturesand other artefacts came from a num-ber of generous donors. They variedfrom high quality reproductions of

great masters to originals by a num-ber of well-known Greenwich artists,and items such as oriental carpets.Although most are trying to de-cluttertheir walls and homes, there was briskbidding for some items. The auction,together with a raffle, donations and a£3.00 admission fee (which boughttea, cake, and a catalogue with a luckynumber) raised around £1,300.00.

Art of bidding

THANK YOU to Rev D K Havergal Shaw (WL), Miss J Stocks (Putney), Bruce Robertson (EL), Mrs I Ruth (EL), Roger Hallam (Enfield), Dr David Hall(Bexley), Ann Strauss (SW20), David Blaber (Seaford), Keith Hindell (Westminster), K Doughty, Michael Hyland (Richmond), J&D Chitty (Purley), L & MRoberts (Croydon), Linda Leung (Unesco), Amanda Webster (Twickenham), St Albans Branch, and Croydon Branch for helping with the cost of publish-ing this edition of The Dispatch. LONDON RAILWAY COLLECTIONS: There are three remaining collections this year — Tuesday, 26th September @Westminster (LU); Friday, 29th October @ Victoria (Mainline); and Friday, 24th November @ St James’s Park (LU). If you are able to spare an hourplease contact Bruce Robertson. NOTICES: Now calling for nomination of members to the Executive Committee for 2006/7. UNA “Lobby of Parlia-ment” on 24th October. CONTACTS: UNA L&SE Region Chairperson: Linda McCulloch Tel: 07884-366 360 Email: linda@unalondonandse.org;Regional Development Officer: Bruce Robertson Tel: 020-7766 3444 Email: info@una-uk.org; UNA L&SE website: www.unalondonandse.org;Editor: Matt K George Email: matt@mattersmedia.net

Newest branch recruits MP

New age: youth power