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<DIV>I would also like to thank those who have worked so hard over the past
several months on the transition process. I am looking forward to the new energy
and opportunities this change will bring.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I read the responses to the transition report in the last Exchange and
offer the following comments:</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>1. As a member of the coordination of the PHM circle in the USA, I would
like to acknowlege the remarks of Mohammed Ali Barzgar from Iran - "It means the
ongoing war in Iraq and Afghanistan ,incomming war of US against Iran and
long-standing issue of occupation and aggression against great people of
Palestin became the centre of concern of PHM." Since the last assembly, the US
circle has been getting somewhat more organized and we now have an
Antimilitarism interest group that has been supporting the work of Doctors for
Iraq Society. In cooperation with a number of other NGOs, we organized a
conference at the University of Iowa, "The Medical Consequences of
War". </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I think I can speak for the US coordination group when I say that we
understand that we have a unique relationship and responsiblity to this issue,
being that it is our government that is the principle agent of
military aggression in the world at this time, and our collaboration
with the PHM circles and NGOs in countries where the US military has a
presence is crucial. Please do not hesitate to contact me or the Antimilitarism
interest circle with your ideas about how we can work
together. The contact information is available at <A
href="http://www.phm-usa.org/activities.html">http://www.phm-usa.org/activities.html</A></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>2. I strongly agree with Maria Herrera on the importance of
developing the local level organization and her suggestions are excellent -
"to reinforce the membership sense to PHM, to renew their adherence to
principles of PHM, to disseminate the work and experiences from regional
networks (as Latinamerican Health Network work), to consult popular opinion, to
enroll more NGO's, to make a virtual members directory by NGO, to offer a
document membership (at least virtual)". As an example of how
implementing a virtual members directory would be helpful, I did not know until
the last Exchange that there are PHM circles in Turkey and Iran. Having a list
of affiliated NGOs and country circle contact information available on the
website (in other words, making information now concentrated in the
secretariat available to all) would greatly facilitate our networking
capabilities. I would also add that in implementing a "social network strategy"
we must pay attention to how to connect with/involve those who lack access to
the internet.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Laura</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>*************************************************<BR>Laura Turiano, MS,
PA-C<BR>Right to Health Campaign<BR>People's Health Movement - US
Circle<BR>Oakland, California<BR><A
href="mailto:phm@turiano.org">phm@turiano.org</A><BR><A
href="http://www.phm-usa.org/">http://www.phm-usa.org/</A><BR>*************************************************<BR></DIV></BODY></HTML>