Amnesty International, Eastern PA

I’ve been away for a week, so I will be catching up on posting lots of news from area Amnesty International groups today. First, Karen Berry wrote the following about a briefing of members of AI Bethlehem.

Amnesty International Staff Member Renata Rendon gave an informal briefing to a few members of Group 347 about Amnesty work in Colombia and Mexico. She said that Amnesty has partnered with the Fellowship of Reconciliation group in its important work to get the Colombia government to challenge the relationship of the military and paramilitary groups in harassment of trade union groups, peace communities, women’s rights groups and others. She discussed how Amnesty has been working with US legislators regarding funding of US aid to Colombia as well as AI verification meetings with Colombiian officials. Renata was among Amnesty members who met with the Colombian vice president late last year in efforts to verify information about human rights violations and improvements.

She said AI work in Mexico continues arduously but that research and support of human rights in Mexico is extremely difficult because of corruption at all levels. She said US funding to Mexico was legislated after difficult negotiations regarding the inclusion of human rights language in the agreement with Mexico in May.

Her informal remarks came at a breakfast meeting with Tony Marino, Joe DeRaymond, Sarah Snider and the writer. Renata visited Joe and Sarah this weekend. Both Joe and Renata were in Colombia during the time of the massacres in the peace community, San Jose de Apartado. This spring 15 Colombia army soldiers were arrested for participating in the killings. The Colombian government originally blamed the killings on the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (the FARC). In the last 10 years, about 170 members of the San Jose de Apartado community have been assassinated despite the efforts of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights to protect them.

Joe also mentioned the perilous situation in El Salvador which he says is ripe for violence depending on the outcome of elections early next year. He said youth leader Hector Antonia Vasquez was stabbed to death in May following his acquittal on terrorism charges for protesting the privatization of public water supplies.

April 21, 7:00 pm
Sinclair Auditorium
Lehigh University
Bethlehem, PA

Jacqueline Murekatete is coming to speak at Lehigh University this Monday at 7pm in Sinclair Auditorium.  She survived the 1994 Rwandan genocide and now works for the nonprofit organization Miracle Corners of the World. She has made it her mission to inform others about what it is like to survive such an event and what needs to be done to prevent future genocides.

Thanks to Amnesty International at Lehigh University for this news.

April 22, 7:00 pm
Great Room
Seegers Union
Muhlenberg College
Allentown, PA

*This is not an Amnesty International event, but may be of interest to AI supporters.

Professor Ingrid Mattson will present a lecture, “Framing Muslim Women: Islam, Gender and Human Rights in the Global Media” on Tuesday, April 22 at 7p.m. in the Great Room, Seegers Union. The event is free and open to the public.

In her talk, Dr. Mattson will address the case of Pakistani rape-survivor Mukhtar Mai and how her situation was helped or distorted and her story told and re-framed by various groups such as Pakistani and international women’s groups, international journalists and other media and politicians.

Ingrid Mattson, Director of Islamic Chaplaincy and Professor at the Macdonald Center for Islamic Studies and Christian-Muslim Relations at Hartford Seminary in Hartford, CT, is the first convert to Islam and the first female to lead the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA).

She earned her Ph.D. in Islamic Studies from the University of Chicago in 1999. Her research focuses on Islamic law and society; among her articles are studies on slavery, poverty and Islamic legal theory. Dr. Mattson was born in Canada, where she studied Philosophy at the University of Waterloo, Ontario (B.A. ’87). From 1987-1988 she lived in Pakistan where she worked with Afghan refugee women. In 2001 she was elected Vice-President of ISNA and in 2006 she was elected President of the organization.

Aside from her many other accomplishments, you might have heard her as a guest on NPR’s Speaking of Faith just recently.

Muhlenberg College gratefully acknowledges the Christian A. Johnson Endeavor Foundation’s support of the Center for Ethics.

*This is not an Amnesty International event, but may be of interest to AI supporters.

From State Death Penalty Abolition Coordinator Maria:

I hope you will consider attending the following event organized by two Lehigh students who have interned this semster with the Lehigh Valley Committee Against State Killing as part of their class on Community Activism and Democracy.

Sunday, April 13, 7PM at Lehigh University, Maginnes Hall, Room 101 there will be a public forum on the death penalty sponsored by the Black Student Union, the College Democrats, the College Republicans, and the Lehigh Patriot.

This debate/discussion will feature attorney Jim Moreno and State Rep. Doug Reichley.

Jim Moreno is a capital defense attorney with the Defenders Association of Philadelphia. He lives in Macungie and was one of Dennis Counterman’s appellate defense attorneys. Jim was instrumental in having Dennis’ capital conviction overturned, and in having Dennis released from prison.

Doug Reichley is a state representative from Emmaus. He is also a former DA, and represented the state of PA against Dennis Counterman at the appellate level.

This is a great opportunity to take part in a thoughtful and informative discussion of the death penalty. Hope to see you there!

Amnesty International, Group 347, Minutes for 24 March, 2008 Meeting

In Attendance: Mary M., Bill B., Karen B., Bill F., Hans W., Ed S., Mike P., Maria W., Tony M.

Treasurer’s Report: February 1, 2008 Beginning Balance: 1,143.54
Total Deposits: 30.00
Total Debits: 248.60
Ending Balance: 924.94

There were 3 checks written:
1006 $60.60 to Mary Mesaros for Stamps
1007 $50.00 Gratuity to Moravian Church Janitor
1008 $138.00 to Allentown Group for Gift-Wrapping Fundraiser

• Ed will call all non-dues paying members to inquire if they are still interested in membership
• Part of Group 347 went to local US Senate offices to ask for support of Darfur
• Karen sent follow-up letters to the Senators & called them, but no reply was received
• Hans gave an update on the Darfur situation journalist Nicholas Kristof has said that Southern Sudan may become “Africa’s Next Slaughter”
• The San Francisco Chronicle will run a two page ad on April 4 asking China to “Extinguish the Fire in Darfur”, the emphasis is now on China to save Darfur
• Karen had 2 letters:
• The first to Sudan concerning the Death Sentences imposed on 9 Men and One Boy in the murder of Mohammed Taha, a newspaper editor. Their confessions were extracted by torture
• The Second letter is on the behalf of Kakule Kahemu age 16, he’s a former child soldier in the Democratic Republic of Congo who is now in prison.
• Maria passed out a list on upcoming Death Penalty Action speaking engagements
• The Georgia Supreme Court voted against a new trial for Troy Davis despite there not being any material evidence & 7 of the 9 witness have now recanted. He now has one more appeal left, before the US Supreme Court. Right now there are letters before Davis’ parole board asking for clemency.
• Mary gave an update on the situation in South Africa and the spread of HIV many women fall victim because they cannot refuse their partners or get them to use condoms.
• Tony gave a report on China he had a letter supporting Tibet, group members debated if the the term Genocide may be applied to Tibet
• Thanks to Tony’s daughter delivering her DVD player the group view a 60 Minutes report about rape as a weapon in the Congo conflict

On December 22 and 23 the Allentown and Bethlehem Groups 531 and 347 combined their fundraising efforts by wrapping books at the Barnes and Noble in the Lehigh Valley Mall, Whitehall. The total raised for their two days was $276.07 which the two groups shared equally. Former Bethlehem Group Coordinator, Karen Berry, has always spearheaded the yearly fundraiser with great success.

The Bethlehem Group also wrapped gifts on December 16 in the Sage store at the Promenade Shops in Saucon Valley. Despite terrible weather members Nancy Kelley and Tony Marino still netted $65.00.  

From Karen:
Tomorrow at 7 pm (Tuesday, November 13), the Sudanese Ambassador to the United Nations will lecture at Lehigh University on his views on Darfur, namely that there is no genocide. The lecture will be held in Perella Auditorium, located in Rauch Business Center room 184. Rauch is on the SE corner of Taylor and East Packer Avenue. It is next to the Zoellner Auditorium.

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL GROUP 347, MONDAY, 11/26/07, 7-9:00 PM

Draft AGENDA

1. Introductions, letter count, “pass the hat” We are meeting in a new facility tonight with the courtesy of the Lehigh Dialogue Center–An introduction to the Dialogue Center.
2. Darfur: Hans Wuerth—either in person or by report
3. Burma
4. Maria Weick: Death Penalty in PA—Senate Bill 751 & House Bill 1370 & Update
5. Colombia Update & letter: Tony Marino?
6. Mary Mesaros: Turkey
7. Some African concerns– Report on Central African Republic: K. Berry
8. Report on Sameh Khouzam of Egypt—deportation.
9. Mid-Atlantic Conference and Dorney Park fundraiser–$450 for AIUSA (follow-up report)
10. Election/confirmation of 2008 Group 347 Coordinator Mary Mesaros & Treasurer Ed Simons

UPCOMING EVENTS

11/16 thru 18: Regional Conference in Baltimore
12/10 Human Rights Day
12/22 and 12/23: Barnes and Noble Gift wrapping, 9 am -1:30 and evening on Sat. and all day on Sunday
4/25-28/08: Annual General Meeting in Washington, D.C.

November 8, 7:30 pm
Lafayette University, Colton Chapel
Easton, PA

This is not an Amnesty International event, but may be of interest to AI supporters.

Nicholas Kristof, renowned author, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, and columnist for The New York Times, will present “Genocide in Darfur” 7:30 p.m. Nov. 8 in Colton Chapel.

Free and open to the public, the lecture is sponsored by the Policy Studies program. A reception and book signing will follow the talk.

For complete information, see the press release here.

Karen from the Bethlehem group writes:

“Amnesty sent two Urgent Action requests earlier this fall concerning death threats in Colombia, where it appears paramilitary groups are still terrorizing people and little or nothing is being done to stop this aggression or to find the violators. Another group which has found the situation to be almost lawless is Fellowship of Reconciliation, which has a formal report on this situation.

“To save you time, I have written letters combining the two cases below. The cutoff for the first case is Nov. 9 and the second case in November 16. … The postage is 90 cents to Colombia.”

Urgent Action Files:

• Urgent Action for José Manuel Gómez (UA 251/07)
• Urgent Action for Javier Correa (UA 256/07)

Sample Letters:

• Colombia Letter 1
• Colombia Letter 2
• Colombia Letter 3
• Colombia Letter 4