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"Just
a Second!"
"You
cannot build or evolve or develop through armaments. You can
only stockpile them. Or you can use them. Once only, in most
cases. And only to destroy".
(J. Ralston Saul)
AFrI has recently
launched the 'Just a Second!' Campaign, the aim of which
is to make people stop and reflect on the huge amounts of money
being spent globally on weapons, while over 840 million people
are living in absolute poverty.
The global military budget is currently estimated at £13,000
per second. The goal of the 'Just a Second!' Campaign is to
raise the equivalent of one seconds military spending, over
three years, and to use this money to fund projects which will
demonstrate, in a clear and practical way, what could be achieved
if the resources, currently being wasted on weapons of destruction
were, instead, spent on nurturing humanity and our environment.
We plan to hold two Development Education seminars in October
2000 and a 'Just a Second!' Day also in October for the students
involved in the campaign. The Just a Second!' Day will give
the students the opportunity to take the campaign into the public
arena and to network with other participating students.
AFrI has also produced a new education pack entitled "The
Arms Trade - Sowing the Seeds of War", which is suitable
for use with CSPE (3rd Years), TY, Religion, Geography and History.
The education pack deals with issues such as the human cost
of the arms trade, in relation to human rights. It contains
case studies on Kosovo, Iraq and East Timor with suggestions
for further discussions and actions for the students. It also
contains thought provoking activities around the issue of military
spending and poverty. And finally, it deals with the issue of
Irelands growing involvement in the global arms trade and suggests
campaign actions that the students could get involved in.
If you are interested in getting a copy of the education pack
or would like a speaker to come and talk to you and your students
about the campaign please contact AFrI at afri@iol.ie
'Just a Second!' Campaign focus points:
· Ireland and PfP
· The United Nations Security Councils economic sanctions on
Iraq
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IRELAND
& PfP
"The price of entry to NATO is
not cheap. A US Congressional study warned that membership
could increase the defence expenditure of an East European
country by as much as 60%. NATO estimates the total
cost of expansion as 3 billion while the US Defence
Department estimates between 17 - 22 billion"
T. Webb.
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SANCTIONED
MURDER -THE CASE OF IRAQ
"We are in the process of destroying
an entire nation. It is as simple and as terrifying
as that. It is illegal and immoral."
( Dennis Halliday, Former United Nations Humanitarian
Co-ordinator in Iraq.)
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