Amnesty International, Eastern PA

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.

Group #531 (Allentown, PA), met on Aug. 26 with nine people in attendance, including two newcomers. Members reported sending 48 letters in the last two months. Florence Applebaum shared a letter to the editor she sent to the Morning Call, which was published on the 23rd, concerning the use of torture at Guantanamo and elsewhere. Many opportunities for action were discussed, including the Summer Solidarity Action, the cases of the Uighurs imprisoned in Guantanamo, and the deaths of immigrants in custody of the Department of Homeland Security, which were reported in the N.Y. Times and the Wall Street Journal. Also discussed were two fundraisers which are in the process of being organized. A copy of AI’s 2008 Annual Report was given to members Mike and Phyllis Sinclair, who presented it to the Allentown Public Library for their reference collection (see picture).

The agenda for the meeting follows.

- Dan Laxar (with thanks to Bill Frederick for chairing the June meeting while I was on vacation).

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL GROUP #531
St. Timothy Evangelical Lutheran Church
140 S. Ott St., Allentown, PA
Agenda for August 26, 2008, 7-9 PM

Group Coordinator: Dan Laxar (570-668-5753); Treasurer: Phyllis Sinclair
Dues: $10/year (or what you can afford)

• Sign in (letter/postcard/phone call—count), Introductions, “pass the hat” for the facility
• Recap of last meeting (+ government contact directory distribution) Bill F.
• Treasurer’s report—Phyllis S.
• Dues—national and local
• Fundraisers—“Halloween Haunt” at Dorney Park (Sept. 27) and Friendly’s Family Fun Night
• Summer Solidarity Action (formerly Summer Postcard Action) and postage distribution
• Counter Terror with Justice Campaign (formerly Denounce Torture)-Bill F. and Florence A.
• Immigration issues—Erol U.
• Annual Report donation to Allentown Library (need two volunteers)/ Annual Report CD available for loan to group members
• Letters-to-the-Editor—Florence on Guantanamo
• AIUSA Strategic Update

Upcoming
Sept. 22—Group #347(Bethlehem) meets 7-9 PM, Central Moravian Church
Sept. 27—“Halloween Haunt” fundraiser at Dorney Park
Oct. 19—Dan’s birthday
Oct. 28—Next meeting of Group #531 (Allentown) 7-9 PM
Nov. 14-16—Mid-Atlantic Regional Conference, Harper’s Ferry, WV
Dec. 10—Anniversary of the UN UDHR

Our June 24 meeting will be held as originally scheduled, 7-9 PM. Bill Frederick has volunteered to chair the meeting in my absence. A draft agenda follows. Please let Bill know if there are additional items you would like to hear discussed. Dan Laxar, Group #531 Coordinator

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL GROUP #531
St. Timothy Evangelical Lutheran Church
140 S. Ott St., Allentown, PA
Meeting of June 24, 2008 - 7-9 PM
Group Coordinator: Dan Laxar (570-668-5753); Treasurer: Phyllis Sinclair
Dues: $10/year (or what you can afford)

AGENDA

Sign in (letter/postcard count), “pass the hat” for the facility, introductions
Recap of last meeting
Report on the Treasury- we need to decide how we’ll spend our money: postage for our letters? Other ideas?
Summary of resolutions adopted at the 2008 Annual General Meeting
Denounce Torture Campaign - two actions
Government Directory handout - courtesy of the Lehigh County League of Women Voters
Prepaid postcards for domestic mailings on AI issues
DVD on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights available for loan - a concise discussion by Irene Kahn on why we undertook this work, and three illustrative cases which demonstrate that necessity; plus a Q & A with Ellen Dorsey. Approx. 50 minutes total running time
AI’s Annual Report on DVD may be available for loan at the meeting
Celebrate the release of our Prisoner of Conscience, Rev. Bienvenido Samba Momesori, from prison in Equatorial Guinea! Bring a treat or drink to share!

Upcoming

June 30-July 3 - AIUSA In-district Lobby Week on Guantanamo Bay/torture issues
July 28 - Group #347 (Bethlehem, PA) meets at Central Moravian Church
July-August - Summer postcard action
Nov 14-16 - Mid-Atlantic Regional Conference, Harper’s Ferry, WV

AI Allentown Agenda-06-24-08.doc

From Dan Laxar, Allentown PA group coordinator:

Hi Folks! I received a call tonight from Tom Gill, AI’s Country Specialist for Africa, who informed me that Rev. Bienvenido Samba, Group #531 (Allentown)’s adopted prisoner of conscience has been released! His release comes as a pardon for some 25 prisoners in Equatorial Guinea, 14 of them POCs, on the occasion of the birthday of the President of the country. AI has been in touch with Rev. Samba, and he is apparently in good health, and elated to be free. He told AI that he was aware that we were working on his behalf, both because he received letters via his lawyer from AI activists and because he heard his name mentioned on the Spanish World Wide Service (shortwave radio, I believe) as an adoptee of AI. He thanks all of you who wrote letters, and sends his deep gratitude.

Often we write letters which seem to disappear into a “black void” of uncaring. And while we can’t know for sure that our letters had an effect on Rev. Samba’s imprisonment, it seems likely that they were part of the reason his name was included on this pardon. Congratulations to all of you!

Monday, April 21, 2008
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.

Tuesday, April 22, 2008
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.

Sunday, April 13, 2008
7:00 pm
Lehigh University, Maginnes Hall, Room 101

*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

Following is the agenda for Group 531’s regular bimonthly meeting on Feb. 26, 2008.

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL GROUP #531
St. Timothy Evangelical Lutheran Church
140 S. Ott St., Allentown, PA
February 26, 2008, 7-9 PM
Group Coordinator: Dan Laxar (570-668-5753); Treasurer: Phyllis Sinclair
Dues: $10/year (or what you can afford)

1. Sign in, letter (phone call, email) count, “pass the hat, for the room, introductions
2. Eastern/Central PA State Meeting report—Dan
3. Lobbying report—Phyllis and Bill
4. Treasurer’s report–Phyllis
5. International Violence Against Women Act (S.2279)—petition, issue brief, flyers
6. Post card handout
7. Urgent Action—Individual at Risk in Turkey<
8. AIUSA National Priorities—discussion
9. MARO Membership Survey results—Dan
10. Letter from Republic of Colombia
11. Economic, Social and Cultural Rights DVD for loan

Upcoming Events
3/7-3/14—IVAWA call-in to Sen. Specter
3/24—Meeting of Group #347 (Bethlehem, PA), 7-9 PM
4/25-427—Annual General Meeting, Crystal City, VA (across the river from DC)

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.