| Subject: |
News from the British Campaign to Free Mordechai Vanunu |
| Date: |
Thu, 7 Oct 2004 21:49:52 -0700 |
| From: |
U.S. Campaign to Free Mordechai Vanunu
<freevanunu@mindspring.com> |
| To: |
Recipient List Suppressed:; |
Free Mordechai Vanunu - Info & Action Alert #35 -
>From the U.S. Campaign to Free Mordechai Vanunu
www.vanunu.com
** PLEASE FORWARD TO SYMPATHETIC LISTS **
1) U.S. and U.K. Campaigns Need Funds
2) News from the British Campaign to Free Mordechai Vanunu
- September 30 action at Israeli Embassy in London
- Letter and update from the British Campaign
3) Write to Mordechai Vanunu
===================
1) U.S. and U.K. Campaigns Need Funds
DONATIONS NEEDED!
The U.S. and U.K. campaigns are in need of funds as they continue to
work for Mordechai Vanunu's freedom. People are urged to make
contributions of any amount they are able. When Mordechai's
restrictions are lifted and he is able to leave Israel, remaining
campaign funds will be given to him to help him rebuild his life.
Donations also continue to be collected for Mordechai's trust funds.
For more information on how to contribute to the campaigns and/or
trust funds, please contact the U.S. Campaign at
freevanunu@mindspring.com and the U.K. Campaign at
<campaign@vanunu.freeserve.co.uk>
Donations can be made online via Paypal at both campaign websites as well -
U.S. Campaign - www.vanunu.com
U.K. Campaign - www.vanunu.co.uk
===============
2) News from the British Campaign to Free Mordechai Vanunu:
-September 30 action at Israeli Embassy in London
Dear Friend and Vanunu Supporter,
The small demonstration at the Israeli Embassy in London, on
September 30th, went well and we now have a good photograph of the
event. If you would like to see a report and the photograph of the
action please look at our website
<http://www.vanunu.freeserve.co.uk>. We must keep up the pressure for
Mordechai's release whatever and whenever we can. Don't forget
Mordechai's 50th birthday is on October 13th.
With my best wishes,
Ernest Rodker,
Coordinator
> Six people chained themselves to railings outside the Israeli
>embassy in central London on September 30 in protest against the
>refusal of the Israeli government to allow the nuclear whistleblower
>Mordechai Vanunu to leave the country.
Photo at http://www.vanunu.freeserve.co.uk/htdocs/pressReleases.htm
Vanunu supporters in embassy protest
Duncan Campbell
Friday October 1, 2004
The Guardian
Six people chained themselves to railings outside the Israeli embassy
in central London yesterday in protest against the refusal of the
Israeli government to allow the nuclear whistleblower Mordechai
Vanunu to leave the country.
The six - members of the Campaign to Free Vanunu - acted on the 18th
anniversary of the day Mr Vanunu was grabbed by members of the
Israeli security forces in Rome, after which he was returned to
Israel and jailed.
The action came a week before Mr Vanunu is due to be awarded the
Lennon Ono peace prize in absentia.
"Vanunu has served his full sentence," said Ernest Rodker, one of the
six. "He is not charged with any new offence and yet he is not a free
man and he continues to be treated like a criminal. His life is also
in danger from far-right groups as shown by many death threats made
against him."
The campaigners, all wearing Vanunu masks, called on the Israeli
government to halt their "vindictive and vengeful efforts to destroy
Mordechai". The Israeli embassy had no comment yesterday. Police cut
the protesters from the gate with boltcutters and they were released
without charge.
Mr Vanunu, who will be 50 next month, is living in St George's
cathedral in Jerusalem after his planned post-release accommodation
in an apartment block in Jaffa was exposed in the Israeli media and
became the subject of threats.
At St George's he acts as a bell-ringer, something that his
supporters say gives him great pleasure as the bells can be heard in
the nearby district court where he was jailed for 18 years.
While he has received death threats, he has also had support from a
variety of people when he has ventured out. The woman in the local
post office had written "good luck" on his transaction sheet, and an
elderly Jewish couple approached him in a restaurant and thanked him
for his work, according to the latest Vanunu campaign newsletter.
On October 7, his adoptive parents, Nick and Mary Eoloff, an American
couple, will receive on his behalf the 2004 Lennon Ono award at a
dinner in the United Nations building in New York. The other award
this year will go to Seymour Hersh, the New Yorker journalist, who
exposed abuse of Iraqi prisoners.
As a technician at the Dimona nuclear plant in Israel from 1976 to
1985, Mr Vanunu discovered that nuclear weapons were being secretly
produced.
The following year he gave details of the plant to the Sunday Times,
and was lured to Italy by a female Mossad agent, kidnapped and
smuggled back to Israel to stand trial.
He was jailed for 18 years, most of which he served in solitary
confinement. He was released in April. Mr Vanunu is currently
forbidden from leaving the country until at least next April. He
would like to visit Britain and the United States, where his adoptive
parents live.
Campaign to Free Vanunu
and for a Nuclear Free Middle-East
185 New Kent Road, London SE1 4AG Tel/Fax: +44 20 7378 9324
e-mail: campaign@vanunu.freeserve.co.uk web site: www.vanunu.freeserve.co.uk
Press Release
30 September 2004, 3 pm
Subject: Nonviolent protest at Israeli Embassy in London on behalf of
Mordechai Vanunu
At 3 pm today six supporters of Mordechai Vanunu will chain
themselves to the gate and fence of the Israeli Embassy in London and
then put on masks depicting the face of Mordechai Vanunu.
Their message is: Let Vanunu Go!
The six people are: Ernest Rodker, David Polden, Dan Martin, Adeline
O'Keeffe, Angela Broome, Hope Liebersohn.
Mordechai Vanunu, Israel's nuclear whistleblower, was released from
Ashkelon prison on 21 April this year, after 18 years of brutal
confinement. But the Israeli government continues to impose harsh
and archaic restrictions on his freedom, most notably by not allowing
him to leave the country and begin his life of freedom in another
country.
Vanunu has served his full sentence; he is not charged with any new
offence and yet he is not a free man and he continues to be treated
like a criminal. His life is also in danger, from far-right groups,
as shown by the many death threats made against him.
The six people and the Campaign call on the Israeli government to
stop its vindictive and vengeful efforts to destroy Mordechai and to
admit the truth that he revealed of Israel's secret nuclear weapons
programme.
Today, 30 September, is the 18th anniversary of Mordechai Vanunu's
life-threatening kidnapping from Rome (in 1986) by agents of Israel.
The use of chains at the Israeli Embassy symbolizes the restrictions
imposed on Mordechai by the Israeli government. Every day that
Mordechai Vanunu is denied full rights of citizenship is a day of
danger for him and a day of shame for the Israeli government.
----ENDS---
-Letter and update from the British Campaign -
Dear Friend and Vanunu Supporter,
When we wrote to you at this time last year we expressed the hope
that we might be nearing the end of Mordechai's ordeal and our
lengthy campaign to free him. Regrettably our hopes were not realized
and Mordechai, as you know, despite being released from prison, is
still being held in Israel against his wishes. And at present, we
have no idea when the security services, outrageously backed by the
Israeli Supreme Court, will reduce or remove the worst restrictions
and allow Mordechai to leave Israel. It is very likely that Mordechai
will be forbidden to leave Israel before April 2005 when his
"conduct" and the restrictions will be reassessed. So the Campaign to
achieve Vanunu's full freedom continues, as does the support he will
need while he is kept in Israel.
For the time being Mordecahi is able to stay at St. George's
Cathedral, which is a great relief and which he has found comfortable
and friendly - see enclosed report. He has constant visitors and he
also meets with tourists and pilgrims visiting the church.
However, we do need to keep pressing for his full freedom and if you
can make the time, please write to your MP, MEP and/or the Foreign
Office and the Israel Ambassador to remind them that Mordechai Vanunu
is still being severely punished despite having finished his original
prison sentence. Of course any other initiative you can take, that
you think might help, should not be discouraged. Mordechai is facing
no new charges except being accused of having an exceptional memory.
Using this argument the Israeli authorities could keep him in Israel
indefinitely; until he either loses his memory or all hope of
freedom. We must not let this happen.
Though we have stopped our weekly vigil, since Mordechai's release,
we are still holding an annual benefit [in London]. This year's is on
Saturday, November 20th from 7.00 till 9.30pm, as usual at Conway
Hall). As always we have a good programme, ending, we hope, with a
recently made short film of Mordechai in Jerusalem and some footage
of his release from prison. We are also thinking of having a live
link, if possible, with Mordechai at the end of the evening.
We hope you will come to the benefit for an enjoyable evening, but
also to show support for Vanunu as well as to raise as much money as
possible. As I've already mentioned we will need to keep assisting
Mordechai while he is held in Israel and continue to put aside money
for his future. If you cannot come to the benefit perhaps you could
send us a donation to match what you might have spent. In truth, our
most recent bulletin appeal raised less than usual, and we did not
fully expect to need finance for Mordechai for another year in Israel
as well as for the continuing Campaign. If you can make a
contribution towards these expenses we would be very grateful.
We look forward to seeing you on the 20th - tickets are now
available. With my best wishes,
Ernest Rodker
** If anyone has an item that would make a splendid prize for the
benefit raffle please contact the office. We are also hoping to get a
pair of tickets for the Royal Opera Covent Garden worth £150 each.
The tickets will be for Puccini's 'La Rondine' starring Angela
Gheorghiu or Jonathan Miller's production of 'Don Pasquale'. If we
can get these tickets we will give them to the person who makes the
highest bid between now and the closing date. Please send your
written bids to the office. Bidding will close on Friday, November
12th so we can inform the winner in good time (no bids received after
the post arrives on November 12th will be included). Best of luck
with your bid.
Forthcoming Peace Award: On October 7th Nick & Mary Eoloff will
receiveMordechai's most recent peace award: The 2004 Biennial
LennonOno Grant For Peace. The award ceremony will take place during
a private dinner in the United Nations delegates dining room and will
be attended by UN ambassadors, government officials, dignitaries,
international journalists and friends. Both recipients, the other
recipient is Seymour Hersh, the New Yorker investigative journalist,
were chosen by Yoko Ono.
Mordechai's birthday: Mordechai will be 50 on October 13th. Messages
and cards can be sent to him at his e-mail address
vanunumvjc@hotmail.com or at St. Georges Cathedral, PO Box 19018, 20
Nablus Road, Jerusalem 91190, Israel.
Most recent report from East Jerusalem, September 6th:
Adeline O'Keeffe. A member of the British Campaign Committee,
recently visited Mordechai in Jerusalem and found him to be in great
spirits, fit and healthy. He swims every day for an hour and has
made some friends locally who are supportive and caring towards him.
He has many visitors at St. George's where he is most welcome. One
of his regular responsibilities is to ring the Cathedral bells, which
he takes great delight in doing, because he knows the chimes can be
heard by the people in the neighbouring District Court - which is
where he was sentenced 18 years ago - and that they know he is now
the bell ringer. However, he is longing to leave Israel and meet his
supporters from all over the world; Mordechai especially wants to
come to England to walk the streets of London unhindered and finally
lay the ghosts of the kidnapping to rest.
Mordechai is adept at working with technology and has 2 mobile phones
as well as an apple mackintosh laptop computer purchased by the
Campaign. He is kept busy answering phone calls and emails as well
as giving interviews to international media, both over the phone and
in person. The restrictions forbid him to do this, but Mordechai is
clearly determined to uphold his right to free speech.
When walking in the streets of East Jerusalem he is constantly
greeted warmly by Palestinians and often invited into shops for
coffee. He seems not to be fearful of leaving the Cathedral despite
the many threats he has received. Once in the post office the woman
behind the counter wrote "good luck" on his transaction sheet and on
another occasion an elderly Jewish couple approached him in a
restaurant and thanked him for all he had done and the courage he had
shown. The love he receives is palpable.
So, Mordechai is enjoying the life he has made for himself since
leaving prison on 21st April this year; he is making the best of his
current situation even with the many restrictions placed on him.
There is a feeling of quiet urgency about his efforts to leave Israel
and most of Mordechai's day is focused on any communication that will
help him attain that goal. He constantly looks outwards and forwards
to the real freedom that will come when he leaves Israel.
===================
3) Write to Mordechai
Mordechai would love to hear from his friends and supporters. You
can write to him at:
Mordechai Vanunu
c/o Cathedral Church of St. George
20 Nablus Road
PO Box 19018
Jerusalem 91190
Israel
and email him at <vanunumvjc@hotmail.com>
===============
end
Felice Cohen-Joppa
Coordinator
U.S. Campaign to Free Mordechai Vanunu
POB 43384
Tucson, AZ 85733
Phone/Fax 520-323-8697
freevanunu@mindspring.com
www.nonviolence.org/vanunu
*****************************************************************
11 Inspections, Diplomacy Can Help Keep Nuclear Proliferation In Check - Iaea Chief
Date: Thu, 7 Oct 2004 16:00:51 -0400
X-Temp-Whitephrase: YES NUCLEAR
INSPECTIONS, DIPLOMACY CAN HELP KEEP NUCLEAR PROLIFERATION IN CHECK
- IAEA CHIEF
New York, Oct 7 2004 4:00PM
Verification of a country's nuclear activities, used together with
diplomacy, can be a very effective way of ensuring compliance with
the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), but the international
community must be prepared to take action in the event of non-conformity,
the head of the United Nations atomic watchdog has
said.
"We cannot afford not to act in cases of non-compliance," Mohamed
ElBaradei, Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency
(<"http://www.iaea.org/index.html">IAEA), said yesterday in
reference to the way the international community has been dealing
with the situation in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea
(DPRK).
<"http://www.iaea.org/NewsCenter/Statements/2004/ebsp2004n010.html">Speaking
at the Pugwash <"http://www.pugwash.org/reports/rc/ea/EA2004/seoul2004.htm">Conference
on Science and World Affairs this
week in Seoul, Mr. ElBaradei recalled the many instances where
Pyongyang failed to carry out its obligations under the <"http://www.un.org/Depts/dda/WMD/treaty/">NPT,
capped by withdrawing from
the accord in January 2003.
"Naturally, all of these actions were promptly reported by the Agency
to the Security Council - but with little to no response," he
noted.
"This type of reaction by the Council may be setting the worst precedent
of all, if it conveys the message that acquiring a nuclear
deterrent, by whatever means, will neutralize any compliance mechanism
and bring about preferred treatment."
By contrast, he said, verification and diplomacy have been part of
the success so far in Iran and Libya, "and in that sense I can
only hope that the continuation of the six-party talks on the DPRK
nuclear programme will yield results that will include full IAEA
verification."
2004-10-07 00:00:00.000
________________
For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news
To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/news/dh/latest/subscribe.shtml
*****************************************************************
12 Times of India: Time not right to sign NPT - Manmohan
[http://www.indiatimes.com]
IANS[ THURSDAY, OCTOBER 07, 2004 03:49:43 PM ]
NEW DELHI: Declaring that India is a responsible nuclear power,
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said Wednesday that the time was
not right for New Delhi to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation
Treaty (NPT).
"We are a nuclear power. We are a responsible nuclear power,"
Manmohan Singh said in response to a question whether or not
India would sign the NPT.
He was addressing a press conference along with German Chancellor
Gerhard Schroeder following their summit-level talks here.
The prime minister said India acted with restraint and noted that
its nuclear doctrine was based on "no-first use".
"We have an impeccable record in export control and we would like
to work with like-minded countries on non-proliferation issues,"
he said.
The circumstances were not right to sign the NPT, he said. "India
in any case fulfilled the commitments of a nuclear power."
Schroeder, who concludes a two-day visit here Thursday, said
Germany would support India to have closer relations with the
Group of Eight (G-8) industrial nations.
"This is part of the strategic partnership with India," he said,
when asked if Germany would support India's inclusion in the
exclusive club.
Schroeder's visit was part of the annual summit-level interaction
the two countries institutionalised during his last visit to
India in 2001.
Copyright © 2004 Times Internet Limited. All rights reserved. |
*****************************************************************
13 Xinhuanet: Brazil agrees on IAEA inspection of its nuclear facilities
www.xinhuanet.com
www.chinaview.cn 2004-10-07 11:31:02
VIENNA, Oct. 6 (Xinhuanet) -- Brazil has agreed to allow the
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to inspect some of its
nuclear facilities and an accord will be signed this week,
diplomats said Wednesday.
The tentative compromise would allow inspectors to see parts
of the centrifuges in mid-October to vindicate Brazil's claim
that ithas neither enriched uranium to weapons-grade levels nor
diverted the nuclear material to other places.
The compromise will end months-old differences over Brazil's
access to technology that can be used to build nuclear weapons,
diplomats said.
Brazil has refused to allow IAEA inspectors to view its
centrifuges at its plant in Resende, about 60 km northwest of Rio
de Janeiro, saying that the plant's advanced technology could be
stolen by other countries should outsiders be allowed into it.
US Secretary of State Colin Powell on Tuesday told Brazilian
business leaders in Sao Paulo that Washington is not worried
aboutBrazil's nuclear program, but urged Brazil to resolve its
disputeswith the IAEA as soon as possible.
Brazilian Foreign Minister Celso Amorim has said his country
did not hide any nuclear activities to the UN nuclear agency and
its enriched uranium will be used for peaceful purposes only.
Enditem
Copyright ©2003 Xinhua News Agency. All rights reserved.
*****************************************************************
14 Las Vegas SUN: Russia Rejects Nuclear Criticism
By MARA D. BELLABY ASSOCIATED PRESS
MOSCOW (AP) - Russia shrugged off U.S. criticism over nuclear
issues Thursday, saying it had made progress in reducing its
tactical weapons in Europe and would continue cooperating with
Iran's program despite concerns Tehran might be trying to
develop atomic weapons.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Yakovenko said a 1991-1992
initiative to reduce tactical nuclear weapons and implement
other disarmament measures was being "completely fulfilled."
"All of these weapons, unlike the situation in the United
States, are exclusively located on our national territory,"
Yakovenko said in a statement. "They are located under strict
control ... there is no reason to be concerned."
His remarks came a day after Stephen G. Rademaker, an assistant
U.S. secretary of state for arms control, reportedly said the
United States was concerned that Russia had not entirely
fulfilled its post-Soviet commitment to reduce the battlefield
weapons that would be used in a potential European war.
"First of all, the word 'commitment' in this context isn't
correct," Yakovenko said. "We are talking about a unilateral
initiative in 1991-1992 that was a goodwill gesture on the side
of Russia."
Yakovenko noted that Russia announced in May it had eliminated
more than 50 percent of nuclear ammunition for tactical sea and
air-based rockets.
Rademaker also said former President Bush made a similar
commitment in 1991 to remove and dismantle tactical nuclear
weapons from Europe, adding that the United States removed those
warheads years ago and dismantled them last year, according to
the Interfax news agency.
Separately, Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Alexeyev said
Russia "will continue to cooperate with Iran in the peaceful
usage of nuclear energy," another project that has drawn concern
from the United States.
Russia is completing a $800 million deal to build a nuclear
reactor at Bushehr in southern Iran.
"It does not matter if there is pressure or not, but it does
matter that we will comply with all legal commitments in
cooperation with Iran," Alexeyev said, according to Interfax.
"Russia has said more than once that cooperation with Iran will
be developed in line with the well-known norms."
The International Atomic Energy Agency, the U.N. nuclear
watchdog agency, is investigating nearly two decades of covert
nuclear activity by Iran. Tehran maintains its program is meant
to generate electricity, but Washington claims it is a weapons
program.
Russia says Iran has the right to develop a peaceful nuclear
energy program but has urged Iran to voluntarily halt all
efforts to enrich uranium as a sign of goodwill and to show
greater openness to IAEA inspectors.
--
*****************************************************************
15 [NukeNet] As of Dec. 31, 2002, over 47, 000 metric tons of
Date: Thu, 07 Oct 2004 14:32:14 -0700