URGI Minutes 2/8/10

This month’s theme: Haiti

HIGHLIGHTS
- Awareness Mixer, TOMORROW February 12th at 10:30pm, the floor above MIF
-Museum of play February 13th! 4pm at ITS
- if interested in volunteering contact us! first session is open, no need to commit upfront

Awareness Mixer
o Feb. 12th at 10:30 pm in the floor above MIF

Museum of Play – Julia
- February 13th
- Meet at 4pm outside ITS
- $8.50 a person

NEON Party – Adge, Luke, Bridget
- Feb. 20th
-Alpha Del will print/design flyers
-decorations: Casey will speak with the brothers (budget: $75)
-flex machine/cashbox (Luke!)
-no tickets, just donations at the door

Movie in Gleason
- 03/04 7:45pm-10pm
- possibly showing the investigative report on DR Congo’s tin mine workers entitled “Congo’s Tin Soldiers”

Refugee tutoring – Suresh
- Every Saturday 2pm-ish?
- Robert! Check Sig Ep ad Sig Nu
- Possible volunteers: Brinda, Luke, Danielle, Adrienne
+ Volunteer sign-up (AEPI – Luke!)

Next Douglass Advocacy event:
- 02/18/10.
- TOOP?
- addressing issues in the DR Congo

CCC
– Elena! Add some pizzazz
- Event updates also (FB & CCC)


STAND’s Refugee CAMPus
-Concept: living like a refugee for a week.
- co-sponsor with Emergency?
-meet with Emergency- ask how we can support them and work together
- this is part of our mission statement!
Want more information? Email Joe!

Awareness Discussion

Luke on politics/economy of Haiti:
-Government is semi presidential republic (President elected popularly and PM appointed by president)
-democratic on paper, authoritarian in practice
- Cite Soleil is largest slum in capital city (UN declared as most dangerous place on earth)
-2008 government issues- PM removed from office, proposed replacement reje! cted and then long period without governing figure
** High price of food is main political issue!***
- economy: poorest in Western Hemisphere
- susbsistence farming (mostly)
- MANY college graduates emigrate.
- Top 1% own nearly half of the nation’s wealth- results in extreme poverty.
- Average Haitian lives on $2 a day.
- Militia is dismantled, only national police force
- National knowledge that nation was only successfully established country by slave rebellion and that leader is authoritarian not democratic

02/02- ICC reversed decision not to charge Bashir with genocide. He is being charged now.

General Fonseka of Sri Lanka(who led the extinguishing of Tamils) was charged with plotting to overthrow the government and was arrested.

! Next week: effectiveness of aid to Haiti/ health care- Suresh?

Ongoing projects:
* Refugee crafts – Joe with Emergency
* Banaa.org – Bridgette and Joe and Luke