New play goes to New York

CULTURE PROJECT

EPIC THEATRE ENSEMBLE

presents the New York Premiere of 2008 Susan Smith Blackburn Prize WINNER

PALACE OF THE END by Judith Thompson
Directed by Daniella Topol

"A major work. Don't miss." - The Toronto Star

"a richly textured portrait that surveys the guts and bile of human oppression and contains a rare, eerie beauty." - L.A. Weekly

The Peter Jay Sharp Theatre @ Playwrights Horizons
416 West 42nd Street

Wednesday, June 25, 7pm

Featuring an AWARD-WINNING CAST including TERI LAMM (Habitat), HEATHER RAFFO (Author/Performer of Nine Parts of Desire), and ROCCO SISTO (Quills)

INCENDIARY, OUTRAGEOUS, and HAUNTING, Palace of the End is a triptych of monologues that tell the stories of three people forever impacted by the wars in Iraq: "PVT. LYNNDIE", a U.S. soldier convicted of abusing detainees at Abu Ghraib prison; DR. DAVID KELLY, the British weapons inspector who allegedly committed suicide after being involved in a government scandal, and NEHRJAS AL SAFFARH, a leading member of the Communist Party of Iraq who suffered the greatest of losses during the Baathist coup that led to Saddam Hussein's rise to power.

EPIC THEATRE ENSEMBLE commissioned and developed Palace of the End, which is based on the monologue play, My Pyramids by Judith Thompson, first read at the Toronto political cabaret, The Wrecking Ball. The premiere production of My Pyramids was subsequently produced by Volcano at the Traverse Theatre in Edinburgh in August, 2005. In addition to Epic, Palace of the End was developed with the Canadian Stage Company in Toronto where it received its Canadian Premiere in February, 2008.

www.epictheatreensemble.org

John Howard reported to ICC

Howard war charges bid

BRENDAN NICHOLSON

June 3, 2008

AN AUSTRALIAN doctors' group is pushing to have former prime minister John Howard charged with war crimes for sending troops to Iraq.

The Medical Association for the Prevention of War said the war was illegal because it was not backed by the United Nations.

Association spokesman Robert Marr said Mr Howard committed Australian troops to the war on the basis of misleading information about weapons of mass destruction. He said the medical group was supporting a legal brief prepared by International Criminal Court Action Victoria that would be sent to the court. Dr Marr said more than 650,000 Iraqi citizens had died as a result of the war.

Mr Howard said last week that while the war's cost had been heavy he believed it had been right. He said he would not have brought the troops home at this point.

http://www.theage.com.au/national/
howard-war-charges-bid-20080602-2kwg.html


Doctors want Howard in court over Iraq

June 2, 2008 - 1:39PM

Former prime minister John Howard could face the International Criminal Court for sending Australian troops to Iraq, under a plan backed by a doctor's group.

Some 550 Australian troops based in southern Iraq have formally ended their mission and begun preparations for withdrawal.

The move fulfils a Labor election promise to bring home combat troops by mid-year.

The NSW division of the Medical Association for the Prevention of War on Monday welcomed "the end of Australia's combat role in the illegal war in Iraq".

The professional not-for-profit organisation claims on its website to promote peace and disarmament and wants Mr Howard to face court action.

"Mr Howard committed Australian troops to the illegal non-UN approved war in Iraq on the basis of misleading information about WMD (weapons of mass destruction)," association spokesman Dr Robert Marr said in a statement.

"As a result of the illegal war in Iraq, over 650,000 Iraqi citizens have died unnecessarily.

"We believe it is important that Australians not blame returning Australian soldiers for their involvement in the war but hold politicians like Mr Howard fully accountable for their decision to send Australian troops to the illegal war in Iraq.

"We understand a legal brief has been prepared by ICCACTION (International Criminal Court Action) Victoria to forward to the International Criminal Court."

About 300 troops will remain inside Iraq, including the 110-member security detachment guarding Australian diplomats and others in Baghdad.

A further 500 will remain in the region, including 200 sailors aboard the frigate HMAS Stuart in the Persian Gulf.

http://news.smh.com.au/national/doctors-want-howard-
in-court-over-iraq-20080602-2kqd.html

John Howard Formally Reported To International Criminal Court


**** STOP PRESS JUNE 1 2008 ****

We wish to advise the 55 page document to the ICC Chief Prosecutor, which we feel builds the prima facie case

‘alleging’ John Howard has committed war crimes; was sent to The Hague Friday May 30 2008

We have now placed this full wordfile document on this website,

***please note it is a very large 4.35mb file and the first download will take 4 or 5 minutes,

however once downloaded it will be immediate for all future downloads

Press link >> http://www.iccaction.com/ICC BRIEF JUNE 4 2008.doc

http://www.iccaction.com/