CPT INTERNATIONAL: Autumn 2011 through 2012 delegations announced.

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CPTnet
27 July 2011
CPT INTERNATIONAL: Autumn 2011 through 2012 delegations
announced.


CAMPAIGN AGAINST DEPLETED URANIUM WEAPONS (Jonesborough,
Tennessee, USA)

DATES: 21-30 October, 2011

Depleted Uranium (DU) significantly increases the
penetrating ability and lethal explosive power of conventional military
weapons.  It has lingering radioactive
and toxic effects that have been implicated in long-term and disastrous health
consequences for military personnel and civilians in Bosnia-Herzegovina and
Iraq. The use of DU weapons is also suspected in Afghanistan, Gaza, and Libya.

The CPT delegation is part of a campaign to halt the
production of DU munitions.  The
delegation will be based in Jonesborough, Tennessee, location of one of the
main DU weapons production facilities in the U.S.  Delegates will participate in a press conference highlighting
the environmental impact of DU weapons production.  They will meet with those impacted by the production and use
of these weapons, which may include religious leaders, government officials,
plant employees, military veterans, and others. They will also plan and carry
out a nonviolent public witness challenging the production of DU munitions.

FUNDRAISING EXPECTATION: $300 (US or Canadian dollars).  In addition, delegates arrange and pay
for their own transportation to Knoxville, Tennessee (or by car directly to
Jonesborough).

ABORIGINAL JUSTICE DELEGATION to Treaty #3 Territory
(Northwestern Ontario)

DATES: 24 September-5 October, 2011.

Corporate clear-cut logging of Asubpeeschoseewagong
traditional territory has destroyed hunting, trapping, food and medicine
gathering activities. Indian
Residential Schools have deeply impacted families and communities.  Mercury contamination discovered over
forty years ago continues to poison residents.  Explore what it means to live in right relationship with the
earth and each other.  Find out
what it means to be an ally to indigenous communities engaged in healing,
resisting colonialism, and struggling for sovereignty.  From a base in the city of Kenora, and
visits to Asubpeeschoseewagong traditional lands, the delegation will meet with
Indigenous and non-Indigenous community leaders and residents.  Delegates will develop an analysis of
colonialism, participate in undoing racism training, and plan a public
witness/nonviolent action as appropriate to confront issues of structural
violence.

FUNDRAISING EXPECTATION: $525 (Canadian or US dollars).  In addition, delegates arrange and pay
for their own transportation to 
Kenora, Ontario.

COLOMBIA
DATES: International delegations:  22 September – 5 October, 2011; November 2011 (special for
Latin American church leaders—tentative); 24 May – 6 June,  12-25 July,  20 September – 3 October, 2012; National delegation (for
Colombians)*: 31 March – 7 April, 2012

In Colombia, an insurgency-counterinsurgency war has left
over 200,000 people dead since 1964 and displaced over four million others from
their homes.  CPT delegations will
meet with church, human rights, and social justice organizers in Bogotá and in
Barrancabermeja, the industrial city in the Magdalena Medio region where CPT’s
full-time team has been based since 2001.  In addition, delegates will spend several days in the
countryside.  A special focus for
each delegation will be announced later.

FUNDRAISING EXPECTATION: $2100 US / $2400 Canadian, which
includes round-trip airfare from a designated U.S. or Canadian city. **

*National delegations are primarily for Colombians, and will
be conducted in Spanish. Others with substantial on-ground experience in
Colombia and Spanish language fluency may be considered.  Contact CPT Colombia at ecapcolombia@edatel.net.co.

IRAQ (Kurdish North)
DATES: 13-26 October, 2011; 12-25 April and 4-17 October,
2012

 The Kurds of northern Iraq faced discrimination, terror ,and
death under the regime of Saddam Hussein. After the 1991 Gulf War, they gained
a measure of autonomy and safety under U.S. protection.  Therefore, as the security situation
deteriorated in rest of Iraq following the U.S.-led invasion in 2003, thousands
of displaced persons fled to the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) area in the
north, where it seemed safer. However, northern border villages have recently
been the site of military attacks by Turkey and Iran.

 CPT’s delegation will be based in Suleimaniyah, in the KRG.  Delgates will meet with representatives
of non-governmental organizations, human rights groups, displaced persons, and
others.  They will gain a
perspective on the challenges facing people in northern Iraq and the impact
there of violence in other areas of Iraq and along the borders of the KRG.  The delegation will participate in the
work of CPT’s longer-term project of reporting on human rights abuses and
supporting local reconciliation.

 CPT has had a presence in Iraq since October 2002, first in
Baghdad and since November 2006 in the Kurdish north.

FUNDRAISING EXPECTATION: $3100 US or $3300 Canadian, which
includes round-trip airfare from a designated U.S. or Canadian city.**

PALESTINE / ISRAEL
DATES:  6-19
September (German language delegation), and 15-28 November, 2011; 10-23
January, 13-26 March, 22 May- 4 June, 4-16 July, 2-15 October, and 6-19
November, 2012.

The recent mass participation in popular movements in
Tunisia and Egypt has brought the Arab world and the region lots of hope.
Although the situation for many Palestinians living in the West Bank, Gaza, and
Israel remains grave, the Palestinian and Israeli nonviolence activists
continue to stand firm in their steadfastness.  They continue to build a nonviolence movement of hope,
resilience and active love.

Road closures, home invasions, checkpoints, and the presence
of militant Israeli settlers near Palestinian villages continue to threaten
Palestinian human rights, and Israel’s separation barrier (much of it built on
confiscated Palestinian land) continues to separate Palestinian communities
from each other and ordinary Israelis and Palestinians seeking to come together
for peace.  CPT delegation members
will gain a perspective on how these issues affect daily life, and will
experience the power of Palestinian and Israeli citizens overcoming what seem
to many to be permanent obstacles.  Delegates will meet with Palestinian and Israeli human rights
representatives and peace workers in Jerusalem and Bethlehem.  They will visit Palestinian families
whose home and livelihoods are threatened by expanding Israeli settlements.  They will travel to the city of Al
Khalil (Hebron) and the village of At-Tuwani in the South Hebron Hills and
experience firsthand CPT’s work alongside Israeli and Palestinian partners.
They will challenge the structural violence of the Occupation through
nonviolent public witness.

CPT has had a continuous presence in the West Bank since
1995.

FUNDRAISING EXPECTATION: $2950 US / $3150 Canadian, which
includesround-trip airfare from a designated U.S. or Canadian
city.**

 ***********

FOR ALL DELEGATIONS:

CPT is a faith-based group that seeks participants who are
interested in human rights work, committed to nonviolence and to undoing
racism, and willing to participate in team worship and reflection.  Delegates should have plans to share
about the trip upon return to their home communities and congregations.  Round-trip airfare from a designated
U.S. or Canadian city (except as indicated above)**, all on-ground travel, two
to three meals a day, simple accommodations, and all honorariums and delegation
fees are covered.

Most CPT delegations involve some physical rigors, such as
hiking in mud or in mountainous, rough terrain, heat, strenuous transportation,
and generally long days. Contact CPT delegation coordinator, Claire Evans at
delegations@cpt.org, if you have questions about your physical readiness to
participate.

 English language fluency is required for full participation,
except for the Colombia national delegation (Spanish) and the Palestine/Israel
delegation in September 2011 (German.)

 Funding support: CPT has limited funds available to assist
applicants who otherwise could not participate.  CPT is committed to undoing racism and will give preference
for funding support to applicants from communities that have been disadvantaged
by racism.

 For more information or to apply, contact CPT, PO Box 6508,
Chicago, IL 60680; phone 773-376-0550; fax 773-376-0549; e-mail
delegations@cpt.org, or see CPT’s website at:
https://cpt.org/participate/delegation.

 

**Those planning to join the delegation from countries other
than the U.S. or Canada, contact the CPT office for more information on travel
and fundraising expectations.

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