AI Bethlehem members briefed on human rights in Colombia and Mexico
Posted July 9th, 2008 by April | Amnesty News, Bethlehem
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.
The Cell arrives in Philadelphia in just a few days
Posted May 27th, 2008 by April | Amnesty News
A replica of a Guantánamo Bay prison cell is on its way to Philadelphia.
Amnesty International is bringing a life-size model of a maximum security cell from Guantánamo to cities across the USA. The tour is a way to enable people in the United States to get a glimpse of the harsh realities of illegal detention and prolonged isolation. Visit Amnesty International’s replica of a Guantánamo cell and join us in calling on the U.S. government to charge detainees and give them fair trials, or release them.
When:
Friday, May 30th, 1pm – 7pm
Saturday, May 31st, 9am – 7pm
Sunday, June 1st, 10am – 5pm
Where:
Dilworth Plaza, 1400 JFK Blvd, Philadelphia, PA
Special Event:
Saturday, May 31st, Noon – 2pm
Keynote Speaker: Ellen Dorsey, Chair, Amnesty International USA Board of Directors
Also featuring: The Late Night Drifters and singer-songwriter Tom Mullian
The cell will be traveling around on the back of a truck on Thursday, before it makes its debut in Dilworth Plaza on Friday… watch out for it in the Philadelphia and Valley Forge areas…
Amnesty International UK’s new film “Stuff Of Life” depicts waterboarding
Posted April 22nd, 2008 by April | Amnesty News
Amnesty International in the UK has produced another enlightening and disturbing short film about the use of torture, in this case waterboarding. The film was released today at unsubscribe-me.org, and will be shown at British cinemas. Unsubscribe-me.org encourages Amnesty UK supporters to reject, or unsubscribe from, the use of torture.
Guantanamo Bay Cell Tour – Philadelphia Stop
Posted April 16th, 2008 by April | Mid-Atlantic Region
Experience Guantánamo in Philadelphia
Dilworth Plaza, 1400 JFK Blvd., Philadelphia PA
May 30, 1:00 – 7:00 pm
May 31, 9:00 am – 7:00 pm
June 1, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Visit Amnesty International’s replica of a Guantánamo cell and join us in calling on the U.S. government to charge detainees and give them fair trials, or release them. Indefinite detention without charge or fair trial is illegal and violates American principles of justice.
There will also be a special event on Saturday, May 31st from noon to 2pm. Details are forthcoming. Free admission to the exhibit and the special event.
Guantanamo Bay Cell Tour – Save the Date!
Posted April 16th, 2008 by April | Amnesty News
Volunteer to help with the Philadelphia Cell Tour Event
The lack of human rights and the assaults on human dignity present in Guantanamo Bay must end. This year Amnesty International’s Denounce Torture Campaign will be traveling the United States with a life size replica of a Guantanamo Bay prison cell to raise awareness about the torture and abuse that takes place and to demand an end to Guantanamo Bay. The event will give participants the opportunity to enter the cells experience the conditions of isolation and then comment on your experience.
The Philadelphia stop will be between May 27- June 2. Volunteers are needed to help plan smaller events leading up to the cell tour stop in Philadelphia to help educate the community about this issue and to help with the actual cell tour stop in Philadelphia (final location details coming soon).
If you’re interested in volunteering either to help plan a pre-tour event or during the cell tour stop, please e-mail Jen Horwitz at jhorwitz@aiusa.org
The power of the flower
Posted April 16th, 2008 by April | Take Action
Turn flowers into power for Native American and Alaska Native women. Tell the incoming Indian Health Service (IHS) Director that we need to ensure that survivors of rape and sexual assault receive the proper healthcare they deserve.
Take Action!
-
Organic Bouquet
For every ten emails sent, Amnesty International USA will send a flower to Robert G. McSwain, who any day now will step into the official role of IHS Director. Our goal is to fill the IHS office with so many flowers that IHS officials recognize that their actions (and lack thereof) to protect Native American women are being observed by hundreds of dedicated advocates around the country. Take meaningful action and ensure proper healthcare for Native American and Alaska Native women. -
Get Crafty!
A fun way to send a message for women’s human rights is to make paper and origami flowers! Get your friends together and get creative. Learn how to make flower-themed crafts and help women’s rights bloom.
Lecture: “Latin America in Crisis – Roots of Immigration,” Frazer*
Posted April 2nd, 2008 by April | Other Human Rights News
*This is not an Amnesty International event, but may be of interest to AI supporters.
Lecture: “Latin America in Crisis: Roots of Immigration!”
Presenter: Ben Beachy of Witness for Peace
Where: Frazer Mennonite Church, 57 Maple Linden Lane, Frazer, PA 19355
When: Tuesday Evening, April 15, 2008, 7:00 p.m.
Ben’s Bio: Has degrees in Peace, Justice and Social Issues, resided in Nicaragua for 3 years, bilingual, Eng/Sp, author of numerous articles on the impact of U.S. economic polices on Latin America, leader of frequent delegations to Central and Latin America and international labor union organizer. Bro. Beachy who works with the Witness for Peace office in Washington, D.C. is a member of the Community Mennonite Church in Harrisonburg, VA.
Sponsors: This lecture is co-sponsored by the Frazer Mennonite Church and the Chester County Peace Movement, as a part of the Chester County Peace Movement’s annual Peace Week activities.
Two cases from Colombia combined into one letter
Posted November 7th, 2007 by April | Bethlehem, Take Action
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:
Sample Letters:
Urgent Action files for October 23, 2007
Posted October 24th, 2007 by April | Take Action
AIUSA issued 5 Urgent Action files yesterday, on behalf of people in Brazil, Iran, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, and Tunisia. Current postage rates for a letter: within USA $.41, to Canada and Mexico $.69, all other countries $.90
Express Concern for Fear of Imminent Execution in Iran (UA 271/07) – Soghra Najafpour is currently believed to be in hiding. If she is taken into custody, she could face imminent execution for a murder committed when she may have been only 13 years old. Please send appeals by December 4.
Halt Fear for Safety for Indigenous Families in Brazil (UA 270/07) – Around 50 Guajajara families, in the remote Arraiboia reservation in the central west of Maranhao state, are at risk of attack from local gunmen allegedly contracted by illegal loggers. Please send appeals by December 4.
Protect 3 Unnamed Men from Torture in Saudi Arabia (UA 273/07) – AI has received reports that 2 men have been sentenced by a court in al-Baha in Saudi Arabia to 7,000 lashes each for sexual intercourse. A third man was said to have been sentenced to 450 lashes for drug related offenses by the same court. Please send appeals by December 5.
Stop Fear of Torture for 5 Men in Tunisia (UA 15/07) – Ousama Abbadi, Mohammed Amine Jaziri, Ramzi el Aifi, Oualid Layouni, & Mahdi Ben Elhaj Ali were allegedly tortured by the prison guards in Mornaguia Prison around 16 October. Some of them need urgent medical treatment. AI fears that may be subjected to further torture/other ill-treatment. Please send appeals by December 4.
Defend Journalists from Death Threats in Mexico (UA 260/07) – Journalists for El Imparcial del Istmo, a regional newspaper based in Oaxaca, have been receiving death threats, apparently as a result of the newspaper’s coverage of a drug-trafficking gang’s activities in the state. 3 of their colleagues were shot dead earlier this week. Please send appeals by November 22.
Urgent Action files for October 19, 2007
Posted October 22nd, 2007 by April | Take Action
AIUSA issued 4 new Urgent Actions on Friday, on behalf of persons in Mexico, Turkey, Colombia and Yemen. For all of the cases below, please send appeals by November 30, 2007.
Aid Prisoner of Conscience Magdalena Durán in Mexico (UA 268/07) – Mazahua Indigenous activist Durán has won a third federal injunction against her detention, but authorities may continue to avoid releasing her.
Halt Incommunicado Detention of Tekes in Turkey (UA 265/07) – Ihsan Tekes, an alleged member of the armed separatist group, the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), was reportedly detained by the Turkish Army on September 19. He may be at risk of torture or other ill-treatment.
Condemn Death Threats of Journalist in Colombia (UA 267/07) – Journalist Hollman Morris, director & presenter of the investigative television program CONTRAVIA, has received email death threats; AI fears that his life could be in danger.
Protect Mohammed from Fear of Torture in Yemen (UA 266/07) – Former Guantánamo detainee Mohammed Ali Nasser Mohammed was handed over by the US to the Yemeni authorities on October 1. He hasn’t been allowed to see his lawyers and is in grave danger of torture. It is not clear why he is being detained.