Meeting Notes: Allentown
Posted November 7th, 2007 by April | Allentown, Amnesty News
Dan from the Allentown group writes
Hello all, a brief recap of our last meeting:
- A somewhat smaller than usual group welcomed visitor April Zappaterrini, the new Eastern PA Area Coordinator, who outlined the resources her position can offer us as a group.
- In addition, we were joined by two Lehigh U. students who are filming a documentary on social justice movements.
- I shared with the group a summary of decisions arrived at by last August’s International Council Meeting (ICM) in Morales, Mexico. The ICM meets every two years and is the highest grass-roots decision-making body in the organization.
- We agreed to send a letter I wrote on behalf of our group’s Prisoner of Conscience, Rev. Bienvenido Samba Momesori, who remains in prison in Equatorial Guinea.
- We also agreed to subsidize the registration fee of any group member who attends a Regional Conference or Annual General Meeting (next one to be held in DC in April) from our group’s treasury.
- our next meeting will be Dec. 18 at the St. Timothy, since the fourth Tuesday of the month falls on Christmas
- we need volunteers for 3 or 4 hour shifts wrapping books at our Barnes and Noble fund-raiser–this on Dec. 22 and 23 at the Lehigh Valley Mall store in Whitehall. Please get in touch with Karen Berry at norberry@fast.net if you can participate.
- And finally, the Bethlehem group will be meeting Nov. 26, but at a new (temporary) meeting place–the Lehigh Dialogue Center on Avenue A, across Airport Road from the Airport–please request directions from Karen (as above) or Mary Mesaros at msmesaros@msn.com.
Thanks to all who attended the Group 531 meeting–those who didn’t, you were missed! Hope to see you all Dec. 18. Dan Laxar, Group 531 Coordinator
West Chester Group Minutes Sep. 19
Posted October 2nd, 2007 by April | Amnesty News, West Chester
- Review of minutes form last meeting:
- These have been approved.
- Good News
- Governor Perry of Texas has granted a commuted sentence to Kenneth Foster. He no longer is on death row.
- Actions
- To His Excellency Abdeloziz Bouteflika of Algeria in support of Salah Saker. He was part of an Islamic front and was arrested without a warrant and knowledge of his whereabouts has been kept from his family since that time.
- To President Susilo Bambang Yudhyono of Indonesia in support of Filep Karma and Yusack Pakage. They were arrested for raising the flag of Papaun independence during a rally and have been detained since that time.
- To Ayatollah Mahomoud Hasemi Sharoudi the minister of Justice of Iran in support of Kain Tajbakhsh and Ali Shakeri who were two peace activists arrested for “spying” in May of 2007. They have been held since that time.
- To Governor Bob Riley of Alabama in support of Tommy Arthur who is on death row. Alabama is the only State that does not provide an attorney for Death Row inmates.
- Old Business
- Group 342 Regime Change – Jeff Singleton will take over as coordinator for group #342. April Zappaterrini will move on to become the Area Coordinator. She will still try to be involved on a lesser level with our local chapter. We wish her luck in her new role.
- Tabling – We tabled at the following events:
- Swingin’ Summer Thursday in West Chester 9/6
- Tredyffrin Community Day 9/15
These went well, although we have had more success at events where people are predisposed to have views that fit AI’s mission (gay pride event, Peace Event)
- Discussed maybe having something at Downingtown Friends Meeting Fall Festival
- New Business
- Magdalena Garcia Duran case file – Barbara Quintiliano has agreed to follow this for our chapter.
- Treasurer Duties – It was agreed that Tilo Stahl would take over these duties. Jeff Singleton will be a secondary signatory agent on the account.
- “Action Committee” Stationery – Everyone liked the stationery with the AI logo that Jeff Singleton had drawn up.
- Suggestions for Upcoming Meetings – Discussed the potential of changing venues for our meeting. Jeff Singlton agreed to contact Danielle at Sprazzo’s in West Chester about possibly using their second floor room on a regular basis.
- Events
- Mid Atlantic Regional Conference Nov 16-18 in Baltimore
- “Ghosts of Abu Ghraib”- film Wednesday October 24, 2007, 7:30 PM, First Presbyterian Church, Minor and Darlington Streets in West Chester.
Our next meeting will be Wednesday October 17, 2007 at 7:30 PM at West Chester Friends Meeting.
Bethlehem Group Meeting Report September 24, 2007
Posted September 26th, 2007 by April | Amnesty News, Bethlehem
From Karen Norvig-Berry, Bethlehem Group Coordinator
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL GROUP 347, 9/24/07 Meeting Report
NEXT MEETING 11/26
Please send support notes to: 1) Maureen Kademaunga, Zimbabwe National Student Union, P.O. Box 3951, Harare, Zimbabwe, and 2) Sakit Zahidaw, Dash karxanasi building 202, Boyuk Shor, Baku, rayon Neriman, Azerbaijan. (Write to Sakit Zahidaw in the Azeri language, “We are thinking of you! “Biz sizin haqqinizda fikirlashirik.” (Postage is 90 cents, even post cards.)
- We extend a warm welcome to first-time attenders Mo George & Shannon and Murat Syma. We hope they join us again!
- Members were urged to join the national organization in addition to supporting Group 347—giving them the quarterly magazine “Amnesty” & voting rights at the regional conference ($25 to AIUSA, PO Box 98234, Wash., D.C. 20077-7015). Group 347 will subsidize ($100) for attendance at the November 16-17 Mid-Atlantic Regional Conference in Baltimore at the Best Western Hotel. The theme is exploring beliefs that we all hold that motivate our Amnesty work. (A flier was distributed with the agenda.)
- Death penalty work (Maria Weick) is at a high point—the African nation of Gabon has abolished it, the UN expects to take up the issue, & recently Moravian Bishops endorsed its abolition, according to Mike Pragheimer. Faith groups are urged to discuss the topic the weekend of October 19th. Maria collected petition signatures for Troy Davis of GA whose death sentence is being appealed. About 15 letters were mailed to TN Gov. Phil Bredesin for Edward Harbeson, to have been executed today (9/26). He now has a stay of execution for a short period. Members also signed Maria’s letters to Israel about Gaza Sanctions and to the Hamas leadership about the quassam rockets hitting Israel. Both letters will be faxed.
- Darfur information from Hans Wuerth painted a continuing bleak picture. The Lehigh Valley Darfur Coalition (which includes our group) lobbied Sen. Browne about PA divestment from pension money in Darfur. Hans, Tony Marino & Karen participated in a Northampton Com. College fundraiser on 9/14 for Darfur. Erol Ulucakli noted that NYT articles this week on Sudan mentioned oil & peacekeeping tensions.
- On Colombia, Tony distributed letters to Assistant Sec.of State Christina Rocca about the Justice & Peace law in Colombia, which carries only an 8-yr. sentence for cases like the Mapiripan massacre where 100 paramilitary members killed 30 people and dumped their bodies, some still alive, in the Guaviare River.
- Mary Mesaros, who will take AI leadership training this weekend in DC, had letters for both US senators on the women’s protection convention, CEDAW, which the US has not yet signed. Also, on Sept. 25, Phyllis Sinclair & Pilar Fritzinger lobbied the Sen. Specter’s Allentown office on this issue.
- About 18 letters went to the President of the Central African Republic with a copy to the Embassy in D.C. about human rights violations by government forces. The deportation of Egyption Sameh Khouzam is being fought by a staff of attorneys. Khouzam fears torture if returned to Egypt. Amnesty supports him.
- Guest speaker Rita Corriel, area writer & psychotherapist, says AI took a courageous step at its International Council Meeting in Mexico (Aug.) in supporting abortion rights in cases of sexual violence despite opposition from the Catholic Church. Our group had an animated discussion following her remarks. The article is on line in an 8/26 article found at CommonDreams.org. Rita joined Group 347.
9/29: Trick or Treat Fundraiser at Dorney Park (2 Volunteers needed & 2 back-up)
10/23 Tuesday: Allentown Amnesty Group at 7 p.m.—St. Timothy’s Church, Ott St.