January 2006

Thank you to 150 Nonviolent Peaceforce (NP) supporters who have expressed interest in response to our call for election monitors in Palestine. Strategic Liaison Director David Grant and International Governance Council (IGC) Member Renad Qubbaj of NP Member Organization Grassroots International Protection for the Palestinan People (GIPP) are in Ramallah preparing for our delegation of 12-18 including coordinating training which will given by the United Nations Development Program for all monitors and separate violence prevention training for the NP monitors.

David, Renad, and new IGC Member Israel Naor also attended the International Nonviolent Conference in Palestine last month. David is networking in Jordan, Syria and Lebanon in preparation for the hiring of a NP Middle East Region Coordinator.

We also thank the 181 individuals from 55 countries who applied to become NP Field Team Members in Sri Lanka. Eighteen of these will be invited for assessment and training in April and 12-15 will begin training in Sri Lanka in June.

Violence in Sri Lanka increased dramatically last month. Our team is working hard to adapt to the changing context and respond most effectively. Program Director Christine Schweitzer and I will arrive in Sri Lanka on Jan 17 th for a strategic consultation and visits to all of the field sites.

For additional news from Nonviolent Peaceforce including our new partnership with UNICEF in Sri Lanka be sure to read the latest Rumors of Peace Newsletter in the mail or download from our website in English , French and Spanish .

If you live in the U.S and do not receive a copy in the mail by January 17th, please send your name and current mailing address to info@nonviolentpeaceforce.org . To stay current with NP we need both your email and postal address.

As we continue to wait for news and pray for the safe release of our four Christian Peacemaker Team (CPT) brothers held captive in Iraq since November 26, we are implored to carry on by the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.”

With this in mind we encourage supporters of nonviolent conflict intervention around the world to join the CPT Jan 15-29 in their effort to "Shine the Light" on hostage-taking and abuse of detainees . Read More .

With hope and resolve,

Mel Duncan
Executive Director