Amnesty International, Eastern PA

“Torturing Democracy”, a documentary on U.S. interrogations in the war on terror, will be shown at 7 p.m., September 30 at Central Moravian Church’s Christian Education Building in downtown Bethlehem. This evening of film and discussion is sponsored by Amnesty International Group 347 of Bethlehem.

Dr. Christian Rice, visiting assistant professor of Philosophy and Religion at Ursinus College, will moderate the discussion following the showing.

The 90-minute documentary examines how coercive interrogation methods were used by the CIA and then adopted for military interrogations at Guantanamo Bay and in Iraq. Amnesty International USA is sponsoring showings of the film across the country as part of its “Counter Terror with Justice Campaign”, to help stop the use of torture in American’s fight against terrorism. Amnesty International is calling for an independent commission of inquiry to investigate the use of torture in America’s “war on terror” and for those responsible to be held accountable.

This documentary is particularly relevant since in late August US Attorney General Eric Holder opened a “preliminary review” of whether CIA operatives broke the law in their use of coercion when interrogating suspected terrorists after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. Bill Moyers of the Bill Moyers Journal says, “You’ll see and hear some things hard to bear but you’ll also meet some government insiders who refused to go along, who stood up and said, ‘This is wrong.’”

A discussion of the pros and cons of calling for an investigative commission will follow the film. “We are very pleased to share this film with the Moravian community and to have Dr. Rice guide the follow-up discussion,” says Karen Berry of the Amnesty group which has been meeting at Central Moravian since 1998.

Refreshments will be served. The Christian Education Building is on the Church campus between Church, Market and New streets. Access to the building is from New Street, a half block north of the Bethlehem Library, on the left. Call 610-866-2655 for more information. All are welcome.

Amnesty International supporters in Bethlehem held a vigil on May 15 in support of Troy Davis. Thanks to Dan Laxar, Allentown group coordinator and PA legislative coordinator, for sending these pictures.

Many thanks to all who were able to support Bethlehem Amnesty group 347 at Friendly’s Restaurant Family Night last night. The group earned $121 from dinners and take-outs and $28 in donations. Many group members came out, as well as friends and former members.

Members of the Bethlehem group will also be visiting the offices of Senator Specter and talking to his district assistant, Justin Porembo, in Allentown on April 22. They have a 10 am appointment and will meet beforehand to prepare. Please contact Karen if you are interested in going along.

Tomorrow afternoon, LV CASK (Lehigh Valley Committee Against State Killing) and PA-Amnesty International are hosting an interactive discussion about the death penalty and different religious perspectives.

Where: Maginnes 260, Lehigh University
When: April 2
Time: 4pm
Cost: Free – open to the public

Refreshments will also be provided. If you have any questions please contact CalvinJohn Smiley, Pennsylvania death penalty abolition coordinator, at cjs719@gmail.com

Death Penalty and Religion Panel Flyer [Word format]

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL GROUP 347: MONDAY 3/23 /09 7-9:00 PM!

April 14, Tuesday—Fundraiser –come to dinner at Friendly’s Family Restaurant between 5 and 8—we get 10 percent—we need 100 customers—3099 Wm. Penn Highway (Plaza). Bring friends!

Guests: Calvin Smiley—PA Death Penalty & Lara Boffey and Arlette Ngoubene of Lehigh “Women of Liberia: Fighting for Peace ” more of this DVD next meeting.

1. Dan Laxar called for members to join Dr. Mike Sinclair of the Allentown AI group ASAP (610-439-6150) to help lobby in early April local offices of US senators and Rep. Dent. The issues are the stemming improper methods for fighting terrorism.

2. Calvin Smiley, PA Death Abolition Coordinator has a major push this week with programs at Lehigh University—please support. PA has the 4th largest death row population. NM abolished it this month; now 15 states have no penalty. He expects a circuit court ruling on GA’s death penalty case Troy Davis soon.

3. A 100 days petition- closure of Guantanamo, ban on torture, independent inquiry into interrogation practices for President Obama was signed by all present and mailed on 3/24.

4. Letters went to Sec. of State Hillary Clinton on Gaza, (as in January) and to the Chinese Prime Minister on the imprisonment of Shi Tao, arrested in 2004 for e-mailing about Tiananmen Square anniversary. Tony Marino

5. Lara Boffy of Lehigh University asked members for interviews for her study of AI in her Social Movements Class. She will attend the AGM this weekend.

6. Richard LaDuke presented an urgent letter for a death penalty case in the Caribbean.

7. Sarah Snider, recently returned from presidential elections in El Salvador described how she and Joe DeRaymond saw voting as international observers in the elections where the FLMN won over the Arena party, it’s the first upset in the history of El Salvador. (Also call her at 997-3886 if you will need 94 cent stamps for the meeting. )

8. A letter from our Group 341 supporting US legislation for prevention International Violence Against Women mailed was sent to Sen. Specter recently. A letter was distributed for Democratic Republic of Congo’s Justine Masika Bihamba (coordinator for Synergy of Women for Victims of Sexual Violence).

9. Pam Bauman and Nancy Kelley accepted actions for Equatorial Guinea—for the group.

10. Darfur: Note the op-ed piece by Hans Wuerth published 3/22. The LV Darfur Coalition met Monday with Rep. Dent. April is Genocide Prevention Month, through the Genocide Prevention Network.

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL GROUP 347: MONDAY 3/23 /09 7-9:00 PM!
Central Moravian Church, Christian Ed. Bldg., Basement Door, Bethlehem

Draft AGENDA
1. Welcome, Introductions, Pass the Hat, signatures for the Obama 100 days petition- closure of Guantanamo, ban on torture, independent inquiry into interrogation practices

2. Lobbying week in April with Dan Laxar—counter terrorism

3. Tony Marino—Gaza & China letters

4. Calvin Smiley—Death Penalty, Troy Davis and New Mexico’s Abolition of DP

5. Richard LaDuke: Death Penalty Haiti

6. Report on Elections in El Salvador and Joe DeRaymond—Sarah Snider (just back from El Salvador)

7. International Violence Against Women legislation—
a. Group 347 letter to Sen. Specter.
b. letter to Democratic Republic of Congo–Justine Masika Bihamba is coordinator for Synergy of Women for Victims of Sexual Violence (Synergie des femmes contre les violence sexuelles), a women’s human rights organization working in the DRC
c. DVD—“Women of Liberia: Fighting for Peace”

8. Lara Boffy, Social Movements Class, study of AI members

9. Darfur—Karen

10. Your vote on AGM resolutions (we’ll review 3 or 4 of these resolutions to get your opinions)

Local Dues–$10 annual—mail to Karen Berry at 3505 Dartmouth Drive, Bethlehem, PA 18020). Join AIUSA for $25 annually (AIUSA, PO Box 98234, Washington, DC, 20077-7015 )

UPCOMING EVENTS
March 25 (local poverty) and April 1 (creation—the environment). Dinner and discussion at Central Moravian Church—Start time is 6 p.m. Call Mike Pragheimer—610-867-4665

March 27-29: Annual General Meeting in Boston—Karen & Lara Boffey are attending

April 14—Fundraiser – just come to dinner at Friendly’s Family Restaurant between 5 and 8—we get 10 percent—we need 100 customers.—3099 Wm. Penn Highway (Plazas)

Mid-April—Gaza Talk, AI Group at Moravian College, Instructor Faramarz Farbad—more later

April 28—Allentown AI 531 Group—St. Timothy Evan. Church—140 S. Ott St.

May 4—Friendly’s Family Restaurant; 2952 Lehigh St., Allentown-across the street from the Brass Rail, near the intersection of Oxford Dr. (24th St. in Allentown) and Lehigh St. May 5—Moravian Academy AI Group, last meeting, 2: 45 p.m. presentation to their group of book on child soldiers. Call Karen if you would like to attend.

May 26 (TUESDAY) – 7 p.m. Next AI Group 347 meeting

Death Penalty Events at Lehigh University –Maginnes Hall, Room 101 comments, concerns about any of these events, particularly directions please do not hesitate to contact me, Calvin John Smiley, SDPAC-PA : cjs719@gmail.com

March 24, 7 p.m. Film “Juan Melendez-6446.” Mr. Melendez was on death row in Florida for seventeen years before being exonerated

March 26, 7 p.m- Jim Moreno- Legal Perspective. Mr. Moreno is a Federal Public Defender who strictly handles capital cases. His practice is based out of Philadelphia where he defends many people in the 3rd District Circuit courts.

April 2, 5 p.m.- Panel– The Religious Perspective with.Chaplain Dr. Lloyd Steffen, Director of Hillel Society Rabbi Seth Goren, and Catholic Chaplain Father Wayne Killian,

April 20, 4 p.m. Teach In featuring students perspectives of working on the death penalty. Students CalvinJohn Smiley, Luke Miller, Claire Sullivan and Jacqueline Scully will offer their perspectives of why they became involved in working on the death penalty, what they have gotten out of this experience and what they would like to see happen in the future with the death penalty and prison system in the U.S.

Though bad weather kept some people away, six Lehigh Valley volunteers participated in a Global Write-a-Thon event on December 6. Together we sent 23 letters on behalf of prisoners of conscience and human rights defenders. Pictured are four of the participants, hard at work.

Amnesty International Group 347, Bethlehem, is preparing for its annual gift wrapping fundraiser. Group members will be wrapping gifts at Barnes & Noble at Lehigh Valley Mall, Whitehall. They will be there on Friday, December 12 from 9am to 10pm, and again on Friday, December 19 from 9am to 6pm. Please stop by their table to show your support of Amnesty International!

Also, the group still needs to fill a few shifts – please contact them if you can pitch in.

Amnesty International Group 347, Monday, 22 September 7 to 9 p.m.

Central Moravian Church, Christian Education Bldg, Basement Door, Bethlehem
Connect – the monthly magazine is at http://takeaction.amnestyusa.org/connect

1. Ed S. reported $800 in the treasury. Bill F. provided the 2008 Lehigh Valley Government Directory (League of Women Voters).

2. On Colombia, Joe D. circulated the report “Assisting Units that Commit Extrajudicial Killings: A Call to Investigate US Military Policy toward Colombia. It is from AI and the Fellowship of Reconciliation. US. Rep. Dent supports Free Trade Agreements which have hurt poor people in South America as well as some US businesses. Joe will ask the office of Sam Bennett, opposing Dent in this election, what her stand is.

3. Arlette N., Lehigh University doctoral candidate, described refugee problems in Spain and Belgium where she interned recently with the World Health Organization. Spain has a national policy of helping victims of terrorism—many are from southern Africa. The refugee center in Belgium has political issues and may close soon, she said. Her PhD is in this area.

4. Letters to Burundi’s President and Vice President were distributed to help Jean-Claude Kavumbagu, a journalist arrested on 9/11 for criticizing government spending on the Olympics.

5. Marie W. urged e-mail and fax protests of Georgia’s execution TONIGHT of Troy Davis, whose prosecution for murder has been flawed for years. Contact the GA Bd. Of Pardon and Parole (404-656—5712). NOTE the case of Jimmy Dennis of Philadelphia is expected to be very similar—see www.jimmydennis.com for details. A Lehigh student is the new death penalty coordinator for PA.

6. Hans W. discussed conditions in Darfur and Dem. Rep. of Congo that make human rights impossible due to geography, corruption, and politics. For example, no helicopters have been committed to help patrol Sudan, where 1,000 die monthly. In the DRC 5.4 million died in recent years. Both situations get little world attention. We discussed House resolution 1227 and Rep. Dent. – more information soon. (Also see AI report “Blood at the Crossroads: Making the Case for a Global Arms Treaty” , 9/17/08 This report covers countries from Colombia to Sudan—available on-line under “Latest news” on website. Actions are available on the website.)

7. Mary M.—Barnes and Noble Gift Wrapping—LV Mall–December 12 (9 a.m. to 10 pm.) and on December 19 (9 a.m. to 6 p.m.) (Volunteers to date: Elke R. of Bethlehem, Monica M. of Easton, and Mary M. and Barbara S. of Allentown)

8. The 9/27/08 Dorney Park fundraiser participations: Bill F., Pam B., Tony M., Ed S., Dave S., Karen and the following AI members from Moravian Academy: Sarah T., Elena M., Ian G. and Kelshik

UPCOMING EVENTS
9/27 to 10/2: Banned Books Week
10/28: Group 531 of Allentown at St. Timothy’s Church on Ott Street
11/14-16: Mid-Atlantic Regional Conference in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia

Four Lehigh County area Amnesty International groups will be working once more at Dorney Park to raise money for Amnesty.

On Saturday, September 27, from 10:45 am to 7:00 pm, ten Amnesty activists from Bethlehem Group 347, Allentown Group 531, Freedom High School, and Moravian Academy will be working at Dorney Park on the Halloween Trick-or-Treat Trail. The volunteers will don costumes, give out candy to youngsters and help with mask-making. In return they receive $500, which these groups are contributing to our AIUSA Mid-Atlantic Region.

Thanks to all of these volunteers and their respective groups for their work!