Report Back from Human Rights Volunteer
Peace House Volunteer, 25.04.2009 00:00
Local humanitarian volunteer Joshua Hough, 33, recently returned home to Oregon after nine months living with Palestinians and Israelis in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Hough was living and working in a Palestinian village in January, during Israel's bombardment of the Gaza Strip, and in March when Israeli forces shot another volunteer, Tristan Anderson, from Oakland, CA, critically injuring him.
Hough was born in Oregon, graduated from the University of Oregon and worked several years as a technology specialist for local school districts before he joined Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) in 2007. The Chicago-based organization offered a month of intensive training in grassroots community organizing and conflict transformation strategy. Hough then studied Arabic language for six months in Damascus, Syria.
In the West Bank, Hough serves on a team of volunteers from several countries, living in a house built for them by Palestinian shepherds in the South Hebron Hills. Surrounding their village of At-Tuwani are several outposts built by ultra-orthodox Israeli Jews. The settlers regularly harass and attack the shepherds, who are unarmed and participate in a nonviolent campaign, asking the Israeli occupation authorities to remove the outposts, which are illegal under international and Israeli law.
Hough and his colleagues coordinate a daily escort for Palestinian children who must pass near the settlers on their walk to school. The children fear the settlers, who routinely throw rocks, chase, beat and insult them. CPT publishes video footage of the worst violence that occurs within their reach. The organization was founded in the 1980s by a consortium of Christian “peace churches,” and also serves communities in Iraq, Colombia, the Congo, the US-Mexico border region, and Ontario, Canada.
Hough will resume his language study in Syria at the beginning of May. Until then, he is living in Ashland, and is available throughout Western Oregon to give presentations or to meet informally. Hough will give the following presentations in Southern Oregon:
• Wednesday, April 29, 7:00-9:00 pm, Ashland Public Library, 410 Siskiyou Blvd., Ashland 97520
• Thursday, April 30, 7:00-9:00 pm, Medford Congregational United Church of Christ, Lidgate Chapel, 180 East Jackson St., Medford 97504
These are free, open to the public, and include light refreshments.
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Josh will be radio guest Thur. Apr. 23 22.04.2009 - 06:23 
Joshua Hough will be guest on the Brain Labor Report Radio show. Thursday, Apr. 23 "live" at 7AM KSKQ 94.9fm in Ashland Streams at  http://www.kskq.org B R A I N * L A B O R * R E P O R T>  Homepage:: http://www.kskq.org/blr
Tristan Anderson 24.04.2009 - 01:02 For folks that are not familiar with the story about Tristan Anderson you can find out more at http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2009/03/13/18576814.php Liisa> Homepage:: http://
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