Dear Oxford Hub member,

6th week already?! Which unfortunately means it's the last of our Oxford Hub Series events for this year before we wind down for the end of term. It should be a cracker though, with an excellent panel discussing refugee and asylum seeker issues. I'm sure you can spare a bit of time off to get down to it.

Natasha is back with the news this week, there is some inspired fundraising going on prompted by an amazing email from the Proctors the other week, Oxford Hub and OxFID committee roles will be getting released at the end of the week, and we've an exciting Oxford Hub social coming up in 7th week. There was a rumored garden party, but unfortunately we're not yet endowed lavishly to afford venue hire charges, so that might have to wait for another year… Come along next Tuesday for what should be great fun instead!

Finally, if anyone would like details about a paid internship in Action Aid's campaigns team this summer then send me a reply and I'll forward over the details.

Have a good week,

Adam

Contents

1. Oxford Hub Series: The Treatment of Refugees and Asylum Seekers in the UK Today
2. CALL TO ACTION: Christian Aid: Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories - the human cost of conflict
3. The Oxford Hub's Charity Cocktail Crawl - because everyone loves alliteration (and cocktails)
4. Why not?
5. THE ROAD TO HELL - GOOD INTENTIONS AND INTRACTABLE CONFLICTS IN AFRICA
6. Unique opportunity to teach English in Asia this summer (2008) with OCEP!
7. Hands up for Darfur NOW RECRUITING!
8. WORLD NEWS THIS WEEK

1. Oxford Hub Series: The Treatment of Refugees and Asylum Seekers in the UK Today

Wednesday 6th Week (28th May), 8pm, Magdalen College Auditorium

Taking the launch of the first Independent Asylum Commission report as a starting point, this question-time style panel discussion will tackle the many issues surrounding the treatment of refugees and asylum seekers in the UK
today, both in terms of policy and public response.

Chair:

Anthony Bradley, research fellow, Institute of European and Comparative Law, University of Oxford.

Panel members:

• Commissioner Canon Nick Sagovsky, Independent Asylum Commission
• Professor Roger Zetter, Director, Refugee Studies Centre, Department of International Development (QEH), University of Oxford
• Sushila Dhall, Counsellor, Refugee Resource
• Ghislaine Safari, Oxfam worker and interpreter for Refugee Resource
• Rt Hon Evan Harris, Member of Parliament

Refreshments will be available after the event.

See www.independentasylumcommission.org.uk to download a copy of the latest IAC report, Fit for Purpose Yet

This event is bought to you by STAR (Student Action for Refugees) and Refugee Resource.

2. CALL TO ACTION: Christian Aid: Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories - the human cost of conflict

This week saw Nigel Varndell from Christian Aid discuss what life is like ordinary Palestinians under occupation and what Christian Aid is doing to help.

• To find out more about Christian Aid's work in the region go to http://www.christianaid.org.uk/stoppoverty/conflict/middleeast/index.aspx (includes a resources section with downloadable reports)

• To take a quick email action on Gaza go to http://www.christianaid.org.uk/stoppoverty/conflict/middleeast/actions/gaza.aspx

• To find out about the work of one of Christian Aid's partners East Jerusalem YMCA - go to www.ej-ymca.org <http://www.ej-ymca.org/> which includes details of their Keep Hope Alive and Free Palestine campaigns.

• To get more involved with Christian Aid and find out how you could volunteer locally or take a gap year with us, contact Sarah Clay in the Oxford Office on 01865 246818 or sclay@christian-aid.org

3. The Oxford Hub's Charity Cocktail Crawl - because everyone loves alliteration (and cocktails)

Trinity might be turning into a bit of a washout but what better charity fun is there to be had than an indoors cocktail crawl? If you're jealous of all those rowing socials then come along to the ultimate charity crew date and have a great time with people from all parts of the Oxford charity scene on Tuesday of 7th!

Purely in the name of essential research, we've visited all the best cocktail bars in Oxford and devised a stunning itinerary around happy hours so the cocktails will be nice and cheap too - feel free to join us on random parts of our tour, or partake in the mysterious Challenge by turning up at the start and finishing down in Cowley….

5-6.30pm: Giraffe in George St for food to go with their cocktails - we're working on discounts right now.
6.30 - 7.30: Duke of Cambridge on Little Clarendon St
7.30 - 9.00: Angels on Little Clarendon St
9.00 - 11.00: The Grand Café, High Street
11.00 onwards: Cocos on Cowley Road

Email Laura & Polly at events@oxhub.org for more details/witty banter xxx

4. Why not?

"Instead of turning up with food to throw, why not form a student group to help the homeless or disadvantaged? 3000 students contributing £10 each…would raise £30,000."
The Proctors, May 2008.

We're taking them seriously. Exams are over: trashed or not, pop a tenner in a bucket or pidge us a cheque. All the money raised is split between homeless charities in Oxford, Oxfam, Christian Aid and Oxford Development Abroad.

If we raise over £5000 the proctors have promised to contribute too.

There'll be people with buckets standing outside exam halls (if you'd like to hold a bucket, please get in touch)

If you can't find a bucket, take 5 minutes away from the party and pidge a cheque, made payable to 'the Oxford Hub' (who are coordinating donations), to William Davis, University College.

Congratulations. You've finished.

5. THE ROAD TO HELL - GOOD INTENTIONS AND INTRACTABLE CONFLICTS IN AFRICA

Public Lecture: "The Road to Hell: Good Intentions and Intractable Conflicts in the Horn of Africa," by Dr. Alex de Waal, with special guest Patricia Parker, founder and director of Kids for Kids.

Friday 7th Week (6 June), 5:15-7pm, the Mure Room, Merton College

Alex de Waal is a peominent researcher, writer and activist on African issues. He is a fellow of the Global Equity Initiative, Harvard; director of the Social Science Research Council program on AIDS and social transformation; and a director of Justice Africa in London. Dr. de Waal received his DPhil in social anthropology from Oxford University in 1988. He has worked with numerous international NGOs and authored several books on Darfur.

In this lecture, Dr. de Waal will focus on the intersection of Britain and the United States's enthusiasm for the responsibility to protect and the challenges of north-east Africa.

The event is cosponsored by the Marshall and Rhodes Scholars Greater Darfur Initiative and Merton Global Directions Group. The lecture free and open to all. Refreshments from local restaurants and businesses provided. Donations appreciated and will be used to fund the development plan of the village of Kerkera in Darfur. More information available at http://www.marshallscholarsforkerkera.org/. For more information, please contact Lyric Chen at lyricinc@chch.ox.ac.uk or Tarun Chhabra at tarun.chhabra@merton.ox.ac.uk

6. Unique opportunity to teach English in Asia this summer (2008) with OCEP!

+No plans for the summer?
+Want to go travelling but have no money?
+Want to gain valuable experience but not slave away all summer in London?

We are looking for enthusiastic students to teach on summer camps in China and Vietnam.

• No experience necessary!
• £350-£500 flight funding!
• Accommodation and Food Included
• Travel opportunities

Places Available from
- 25th June - 9th August (Hong Kong and Guangdong)
- 1st July - 14th August (Jiangsu Province, China)
- 28th June - 30th July (Hanoi, Vietnam)

Apply by email to thomas.hayward@ocep.org.uk

Find out more about OCEP and teaching on our website http://www.ocep.org.uk/

7. Hands up for Darfur NOW RECRUITING!

After an extremely successful year organising a critical and interactive 'Question Time' Darfur debate at Magdalen
Auditorium and the fashion show we are now RECRUITING! There's a number of positions on offer for next year within marketing, events, sponsorship. and we're looking for enthusiastic and engaging people to continue our work of raising AWARENESS and FUNDS. We've already got some exciting new ideas for next year with more of a focus on awareness of the conflict..

If you're interested in being part of our dynamic and innovative team please email: president@handsupfordarfur.co.uk with a brief paragraph of your previous experience and what area you would like to get involved in.

8. WORLD NEWS THIS WEEK

- Health/Natural Disasters

China: Earthquake death toll exceeds 62 500, with strong aftershocks continuing. An aftershock measuring 6.4 hit the city of Guangyuan Sunday, as aid agencies are still trying to reach victims of the massive 12 May earthquake. Nearly 25 000 people are still missing, 5.47 million people have been left homeless, and 11 million displaced.

http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5hhuTfEyKXkIwPw9RVxHOPu2b-ONA

Myanmar: UN opens vital air hub in Bankok; aid reaching survivors slowly. In association with the Association of East Asian Nations, the Don Mueang Air Hub in Bankok will allow flow of much needed aid from the UN, Red Cross and NGOs to the worst hit Irrawaddy delta. Latest UN estimates say up to 2.4 million people are in need of assistance and more than 100 000 may have been killed. Whilst aid is now reaching hard hit areas the relief effort is still being hampered by visa restrictions imposed by the Burmese authorities.

http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=26755&;Cr=Myanmar&Cr1= http://www.un.org/News/briefings/docs/2008/080514_Holmes.doc.htm http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=26789&Cr=myanmar&Cr1=

- Violence/Conflict

South Africa: Ruling party holds rallies to stem xenophobic violence. The African National Congress leaders have organised rallies in an attempt to curb violence against foreign migrants which erupted on 11 May. As many as 50 are reported to have been killed in the unrest with more than 25 000 having been driven from their homes.

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L25622567.htm

Lebanon: Fighting ceases as vacant presidency filled with Lebanese general. The Lebanese government and Hezbollah rebels reached an agreement last week, electing General Suleiman as president. Suleiman has good ties to Syria and Hezbollah, and the Hezbollah rebels have been given more power in the government.

http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/05/25/mideast/lebanon.php

India: Caste demonstrations turn bloody; 37 killed. Violent protests in the western state of Rajasthan turned deadly as the police repeatedly opened fire on protesters. Those demonstrating were part of the Gujjar cast, who want to reclassify their caste to a lower level to qualify for government jobs and university places. The government has so far refused, but has opened talks since the incident.

http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/05/25/asia/india.php

- Food Crisis

Italy: World Food Programme exceeds $775 million appeal with significant donation from Saudi Arabia. Thirty-one countries have donated over $460 million, but The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has donated $500 million, leaving the WFP with an additional $214 million for food aid. The urgent appeal was made to cover the increasing costs of food and fuel due to soaring prices in recent months.

http://www.wfp.org/english/?ModuleID=137&Key=2854

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