Genesee Valley Citizens for Peace

P.O. Box 363 Geneseo, NY 14454

FAX: 716-243-4002

Web Site: <www.gvcp.org>

"HUMAN RACE NOT ARMS RACE"

July 2, 2000

NEXT GVCP MEETING: SATURDAY, JULY 22nd, 2:00 PM 5848 OLD ORCHARD POINT, LIVONIA. [Although the address is "Old Orchard Point," this home is actually on East Lake Rd. at the corner of the southern entrance of Old Orchard Point. The house is approximately 3 miles south of Route 20A and is on the west (lake) side of East Lake Road. Call 346-2530.]

Save the Dates: Sunday, July 16^th, 12:00 noon, Mendon Pond Park, Southview Shelter (note new location), Ciudad Hermana/ROCLA PicNica. This event is no longer a fundraiser—it’s a celebration of the triumph of the Sandinista revolution, and a chance to have a potluck picnic with friends. For more information about PicNica, call Michael Argaman at 716-262-5600 or Peter Mott at 716-381-5606.

Saturday, August 5^th through Monday, August 7^th, Washington, D.C., National Mobilization to End the Economic Sanctions against Iraq. Info: 914-358-4601.

Wednesday, August 9^th, Rochester, Hiroshima/Nagasaki Observance. GVCP will organize this action. Time and location TBA. We will reach out to other regional peace groups with the hope that they will join us for a large and visible activity.

Saturday, October 14^th through Monday, October 16^th, "Day Without the Pentagon" activities. Break the military addiction—What you plan for is what you get—War is the enemy. War Resisters League: 1-800-975-9688 <wrl@igc.org>.

GVCP RECOGNIZES GRADUATING PEACEMAKERS Sam Edmonds of Piffard won the first annual GVCP Peacemaker Award. Sam has acted locally in the "Kick Ash" campaign to keep toxic waste out of our area. He has acted nationally in demonstrating to close the School of the Americas. An honorarium of $200.00 accompanies Sam’s award. Three other local high school seniors won Honorary Mention Awards ($50.00). Melissa Davies of Perry has been deeply involved in Peer Mediation; Krista Lyons of Wayland has been a leader of Students Against Destructive Decisions; Lukas Tonne of Germany has been openly discussing Germany’s role in WW I and WW II. (Lukas is an exchange student who has lived in Cohocton and is graduating from Wayland Cohocton CS.) Congratulations to these young peacemakers. Thank you for a job well done to GVCP members Tom Taylor and Susan Bailey!

THIS MONTH’S LETTER: SUPPORT UN PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS. Senators Gregg and Hollings are blocking the U.S. government from paying $368 million for UN Peacekeeping Operations (UNPKO). This money has already been appropriated—it is for operations in Congo, East Timor, Kosovo, and Sierra Leone. The UN peacekeepers are often the only force capable of preventing a bloodbath in these areas; the two senators have started on a disastrous course.

Sen. Gregg is particularly critical of the UNPKO in Sierra Leone. This UN operation has been—and still is—flawed. However, the major reason for this flawed performance has been the UN’s lack of material, personnel, and funds. (Sen. Gregg’s argument is analogous to breaking someone’s legs, and then criticizing that person for not running quickly enough.)

WRITE to Sens. Schumer and Moynihan. Urge them to ensure that the U.S. pay its assessments to the UN peacekeeping operations. In particular, ask them to push Sens. Gregg and Hollings to lift the hold on the $368 million already appropriated. If the U.S. does not fulfill its promise to support these missions, peace agreements will probably fall apart, and there will even more deaths among both military and civilian populations. [U.S. Senate, Washington, DC, 20510] [Excerpted from the excellent FCNL website < http://www.fcnl.org/>]