Monday July 26

Israeli Peace Activist And International Human Rights Lawyer To Speak On Occupied Palestinian Territories

Jeff Halper, Jewish-Israeli anthropologist and co-ordinator of the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions and Dianne Luping, New Zealander and international human rights lawyer, will speak on Sunday 1 August in Wellington immediately following the premiere of New Zealand made documentary “REFRAME”. They will go on to speak in Auckland, Hamilton, Christchurch and Dunedin.

“REFRAME” is a feature documentary film which looks at the Palestinian-Israeli situation in two parts. Directed and produced by New Zealander Jo Luping, the film follows Dianne Luping, as she works in the occupied Palestinian territories during 2001 and 2002. Part one focuses on the importance of international law, in the second the viewer is introduced to the complementary action of a number of Jewish and Palestinian peace activists, including Jeff Halper, who carry out essential work at a grass roots level.

Jeff Halper is the Coordinator of the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions and a Professor of Anthropology at Ben Gurion University. Jeff grew up in the United States before moving to Israel in 1973.

As the Coordinator of the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions, Jeff has forged an entirely new mode of Israeli peace activity, one that is based on non-violent direct action based on civil disobedience to the Israeli Occupation authorities and close cooperation with Palestinian organizations. “I am currently working with grassroots Palestinian and Israeli peace-makers to define a "viable and just peace" and turn it into an effective political movement” says Mr Halper.

As a human rights lawyer, Dianne Luping worked in the occupied Palestinian territories investigating violations of international human rights, humanitarian and criminal law from January 2001 to August 2003. Initially she worked as the International Legal Officer and Coordinator of International Legal Advocacy & Lobbying for LAW, The Palestinian Society for the Protection of Human Rights & The Environment. Later she held the position as Chargée de Mission – Palestine for Avocats Sans Frontières-Belgium (Lawyers Without Borders). “Unless human rights are put squarely back at the centre of every discussion and respect for fundamental human rights, we're not going to get anywhere" says Ms Luping.

Dianne was born In Malaysia but completed most of her schooling and tertiary education in New Zealand. She has recently completed a Masters in Public International Law at Leiden University in The Netherlands, and will soon begin work as an international criminal law investigator in other parts of the world.

“REFRAME” will be screening, and Jeff and Dianne will be speaking at: Wellington, Victoria University Memorial Theatre, Sun 1 August, 2.45pm – 5.45 pm Hamilton, Waikato University, theatre L5, Mon 2 August, 6.00pm-9.00pm Auckland Art Gallery Toi O Tamaki, Tues 3 August, 6.00pm – 9.00pm Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetu, Wed 4 August, 6.00pm – 9.00pm Dunedin, Otago University, theatre Castle 2, Thurs 5 August, 6.00pm – 9.00pm

The screenings are supported by:

Wellington - School of English, Theatre and Film, Victoria University Hamilton - Department of Screen and Media Studies, Waikato University Christchurch - Department of Theatre and Film Studies, Canterbury University Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhethu Dunedin - Department of Communications Studies, Otago University

ENDS

© Scoop Media

Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>