FREE KHADER ADNAN
Palestinian hunger striker Khader
Adnan has now been without food in Israeli
detention for more than sixty days. In December
2011, Khader was kidnapped from his home in the
West Bank in a night raid carried out by Israeli
soldiers. He is currently being held under
administrative detention, without charge or
trial. As Amnesty International have pointed
out:
"Administrative detention is a
procedure under which detainees are held without
charge or trial for periods of up to six months,
which can be renewed repeatedly. Under
administrative detention, detainees' rights to a
fair trial as guaranteed by Article 14 of the
International Covenant on Civil and Political
Rights (ICCPR) are consistently violated."
Khader Adnan started his hunger strike on 18
December, protesting at being detained without
charges or being notified of the reason for his
detention. He is one of hundreds of Palestinians
held under administrative detention orders
without charge or trial.
Israel is currently holding 309 Palestinians in
administrative detention, including one man who
has been held for over five years, and 24
Palestinian Legislative Council members.
Israel’s practice of administrative detention as
a tool of political oppression is a grave
violation of the fourth Geneva Convention as
well as the Convention on Civil and Political
Rights, and the Convention Against Torture.
You can urge the Foreign Secretary to make
immediate representations to the Israeli
Government to save the life of Khader Adnan by
clicking on the following
link.
RCT UNISON 2012 AGM
This year's Branch AGM will take
place from 6:00pm on Thursday 1st March at
Pontypridd Rugby Club. It is your chance to hear
what's been happening during the last year
within the branch & to catch up on all the
latest pensions-related news. A buffet will be
provided from 5:30pm and the evening will be
rounded off with a prize quiz.
RCT UNISON Strike Deal to Sponsor
Community Radio Station
Rhondda Cynon Taff Local
Government branch of UNISON have agreed a year
long sponsorship package with community internet
radio station Dapper FM, based in Penywaun in
the Cynon Valley. The deal will mean adverts for
UNISON being heard throughout the day but more
specifically the branch will be sponsoring a
fortnightly programme, ‘The Peppermint Iguana
Radio Show’, which is broadcast every other
Tuesday from 8 till 10pm and is co-hosted by
UNISON activist Terry Evans.
Peter Crews, RCT Branch secretary, stated; “Trade unions have always
been about far more than the struggle for
workers rights, they have also been proactive in
the communities in which their members work and
live. In South Wales there has been a proud
tradition of community work such as building
Miners’ Institutes and the setting up of
organisations like the Workers Education
Association. We see this sponsorship as
following this fine tradition. Through this deal
we hope we can help this community station grow,
both through funding and helping to raise their
profile. Hopefully we can help spread the word
of trade unionism at the same time.”
In a prelude to the partnership
Pete ‘the punk’ Crews will co-host the
Peppermint Iguana Radio Show on Tuesday 24th
January from 8 till 10pm.
Pete will be lining up a varied
selection, likely to include The Dead Boys, The
Foo Fighters, Bob Marley, Rhondda legends the
Missive and – in a demonstration of his
dedication to public services - 999.
Terry will be making the UNISON
Regional Convenor feel at home by including
union friendly tracks by the Redskins and
Captain Ska, playing tracks by local bands such
as Aberdare’s Broken Vinyl Club and previewing
some bands playing locally in the next week,
including Radical Dance Faction, Tribazik and
Llwber Llaethog.
For more information on Dapper
FM, including how to listen and how the station
serves the community - visit
http://www.dapperfm.co.uk/
For more on the Peppermint Iguana
Radio Show, including the schedule and past play
lists - visit
http://www.peppermintiguana.co.uk/radio.html
