show your thanks: stand against torture and host a ghosts of abu ghraib house party...

i'm pretty sure that you like a nice, intimate party at your or a close friend's home...there's no pressure to be someone you're not, the conversation is comfortable, and a little wine helps most people there unwind a notch...

and if you're reading this i'm pretty sure you oppose the use of torture if for no other reason that it's an unreliable method of obtaining accurate information...

so why don't you combine the two of these factoids and throw an anti-torture party...

"If there were no photographs, there would be no Abu Ghraib," a guard stationed at the infamous detention facility commented...so yeah, that's right, that's what i said, host a "Ghosts of Abu Ghraib" house party...

images are the only evidence for an american conscience that the unimaginable horrors of abu ghraib were real...so i ask you to join me in hosting a "Ghosts of Abu Ghraib" house party as november's "86 days" campaign action and help educate your community about this tragic truth...

through extensive interviews and documentation, "Ghosts of Abu Graib" demonstrates that the president and his senior advisors are responsible for the abuses at the prison...

when congress passed the military commissions act one year ago, the u.s. abandoned its core founding principles...the administration continues to give a green light to policies that place guilt before innocence, imprisonment without charge, and fear above all else...when a government sanctions the use of torture tactics, it disposes of justice and the rule of law, and thereby, discards our freedom...

so join with with me and other amnesty international advocates in new ways each month to call attention to these violations as a part of our "86 days" campaign...invite your neighbors and help educate your community by hosting a special screening of the documentary "Ghosts of Abu Ghraib"...witness how poor policies against the "war on terror" breed tragedies like the human rights abuses at abu ghraib...

images shouldn't be the only proof of abu ghraib's existence...our conscience reminds us that abu graib exists when the principals of decency and democracy do not...

peace out <3

burmese youth leader zaw htet ko ko under threat of torture...

Ko Ko never believes in violence. He believes in fighting for human rights in a non-violent way. I'm very proud of my son."

U Aung Myint, father of Zaw Htet Ko Ko, speaking to Amnesty International shortly after his son's arrest on 13 October...

zaw htet ko ko is a young member of the 1988 generation students group...the 26-year-old father of one was arrested along with five other individuals on 13 october in a continuing crackdown by the military authorities...amnesty international has no information on where they are being detained, but is seriously concerned for their safety as they are at grave risk of torture and ill-treatment...

zaw htet ko ko, htay kywe, mie mie, aung thu, and aung gyi and were involved in the early protest marches in august, but were soon forced into hiding as the authorities launched a manhunt for those they perceived as the leaders of the protests...on 21 august, 13 key activists of the 88 generation students group were arrested in an overnight operation...

during august and september, the authorities were reported to have raided zaw htet ko ko's home up to five times and repeatedly threatened and harassed his family in yangon...

according to his father, u aung myint, zaw htet ko ko has a quiet demeanor and has always been interested in human rights...

"Ko Ko is low-profile, he stays in the background. I've never really talked to him about politics because I've had bad experiences about politics. However, my son is very interested in politics and human rights. I used to send him e-books on these subjects and he'd in turn share the books with his friends."

working against heavy censorship of all forms of information flow in myanmar, zaw htet ko ko was an internet enthusiast, keen to access world news and to communicate with the outside world about what was happening in his country...

u aung myint, a refugee who has settled in the netherlands after leaving myanmar in the aftermath of the brutal crackdown on the 1988 pro-democracy demonstrations, recalled once asking zaw htet ko ko whether he had considered the consequences of his activism...

the answer from his son was as absolute as it was brave: "Yes, I've considered everything, about dangers. If I don't do what I'm doing, who will do it for the Burmese people?"

u aung myint is now very worried his son's situation in detention...

"I've told him to take care of himself, to be prudent, but I think he's being tortured."

take action now:
release all prisoners of conscience and all individuals detained under the crackdown...

tomorrow - the ghosts of abu ghraib...

peace out <3

u khun htun oo is serving a 93-year prison sentence for taking part in a private discussion...

u khun htun oo, 64, is an elected parliamentarian and is the most senior political representative of the shan, the largest of myanmar's ethnic minorities...he is serving a 93-year prison sentence for taking part in a private discussion of official plans for political transition...he is being held in one of the most remote prisons in myanmar...

oo is chairman of the opposition group the shan nationalities league for democracy and had taken part in a private meeting of senior political representatives to discuss the authorities' plans for political transition over a meal...the meeting took place in taunggyi, the capital of shan state, on 7 february 2005 which was shan national day...

at the meeting, shan political representatives were reported to have given members of ceasefire groups political advice on attending the national convention, which was the first stage of the authorities' plans for political transition...the national convention excluded many important political groups and was conducted with legislation criminalizing criticism of the process...

at the time, some ceasefire groups were expressing dissatisfaction that their concerns were not being discussed, including about the national convention's sixth objective, which is to guarantee the future participation of the military in the state...

the authorities soon arrested the leaders present at the meal and denied them access to family members, in some cases for up to nine months...they were not allowed lawyers of their choice, and were sentenced to extraordinarily lengthy prison terms in november 2005...

u khun htun oo was sentenced under multiple charges, reports say these included law 5/96, which stipulates imprisonment for up to 20 years for anyone who is found guilty of expressing opinions that disrupt the stability of the state or "undermine, belittle and make people misunderstand the functions being carried out by the National Convention,"...

amnesty international has called for repeal of this law, on the basis that it criminalizes the right to freedom of expression as proclaimed in article 19 of the universal declaration of human rights...

after they were sentenced, they were sent to prisons very far from their homes, without official notification to their families...u khun htun oo is being held in puta-o prison in kachin state in the north of myanmar where conditions are reported to be very harsh...

khun htun oo is also a member of the committee representing the people's parliament, a coalition of mps elect from the 1990 elections...

take action now: release all prisoners of conscience and all individuals detained under the crackdown...

tomorrow - the story of zaw htet ko ko...

peace out <3

u win tin has suffered ill treatment by the burmese military regime for 18 years...

this is the second personal story of four high profile prisoners of conscience held by the repressive military regime of myanmar also known as burma...

u win tin, 77, has already spent the past 18 years in jail on account of his peaceful opposition to the myanmar military authorities and his acts in defence of human rights and freedom of expression...he is myanmar's longest serving prisoner of conscience...

a journalist, former editor and senior opposition party official, u win tin was arrested in july 1989 in a crackdown on political party members...he is believed to have been arrested because of his senior position with the national league for democracy (nld), the main opposition party in myanmar, which won 82% of seats in general elections in 1990, but to whom the military authorities did not hand over power...

detained since 1989, u win tin has been sentenced three times to a total of 20 years' imprisonment...u win tin was most recently sentenced in march 1996 to seven years' imprisonment for communicating with the united nations while in jail about prison conditions and for writing and circulating articles in prison...authorities characterized this as "secretly publishing propaganda to incite riots in jail,"...

the letter to the united nations was reported to have been titled "The testimonials of prisoners of conscience from Insein Prison who have been Unjustly Imprisoned, Demands and Requests regarding Human Rights Violations in Burma" and detailed a lack of medical treatment and torture in prison...while authorities investigated the incident, u win tin and others were ill-treated...he was held in a cell designed for military dogs, without bedding and deprived of food and water and family visits for long periods...

u win tin has suffered from spondylitis and heart disease in prison...his health is believed to have suffered under the poor conditions in which he has been held...he has also spent much of his imprisonment in solitary confinement...

in july 2005, the authorities were reported to have told u win tin that he would be released with more than 200 political prisoners, but then returned him to his prison cell...

he is held in insein prison in yangon, myanmar's main city...his sentence expires in july 2009, but he is already eligible for release with time off for good behaviour...

there - so now you know...

take action now: release all prisoners of conscience and all individuals detained under the crackdown...

tomorrow - the story of u khun htun oo...

peace out <3

18 years of house arrest for burma's most well known prisoner of conscience aung san suu kyi...

yesterday we spoke, you and i, about the long years of anti-democratic persecution under the military regime in burma...in order to humanize the depth of the issue this is the first of four personal stories of long-time participatory-democratic advocates who have become prisoners of conscience in myanmar...

even a plurality of westerners have heard of aung san suu kyi...

daw aung san suu kyi's political party won the general elections in myanmar in 1990...but, instead of taking her position as national leader, she was kept under house arrest by the military authorities and remains so today...

at 62, aung san suu kyi is the general secretary and a co-founder of myanmar's main opposition party, the national league for democracy (nld)...she was put under house arrest for the first time in july 1989 following the brutal crackdown of the 1988 pro-democracy protests...a year later, her party won the elections by an overwhelming majority...but the military rulers declared the results null and void and continued to deny aung san suu kyi her freedom...

aung san suu kyi is generally not allowed any visitors, and is held in increasing isolation and permitted only infrequent visits by her doctor...her current detention order expires on may 27 2008...she has been detained on and off on since 1989, with extended periods of unofficial detention, house arrest under administrative detention laws and restrictions on her movement...

she has most recently been detained since 30 may 2003, after a violent attack on her and other party members during a trip through upper myanmar...the attack is believed to have been carried out with the involvement of the state and state sponsored civil organizations and still has not been independently investigated...

aung san suu kyi and her entourage were stopped on the road at night between villages near depeyin in a remote part of sagaing division...they were set upon in a violent coordinated attack...men with sharpened bamboo sticks, iron rods and stones, attacked vehicles, pulling individuals out of cars and beating them repeatedly on the head and body...

nld youth members and others attempted to protect the leaders, including aung san suu kyi and her deputy u tin oo...at least four persons were killed, and scores more seriously injured...aung san suu kyi and her security detail escaped, but they were soon taken into detention and held incommunicado...

after the attack, the authorities stated that aung san suu kyi was being held in protective custody and that measures against the detained leaders would be lifted as the situation normalized...they promised in july 2003 that she would be released “when the time comes” and that they were waiting for a “cool down” and in august 2003 urged “let us not call it detention…we don't have any kind of intention of animosity against aung san suu kyi...that is why we have not taken any legal action against her and her party”.

after being held incommunicado in a military camp, aung san suu kyi was transferred to her house in september 2003 and held under de facto house arrest...in november 2003, the authorities handed down a one-year detention order under an administrative detention law that has been regularly extended since...

aung san suu kyi was previously held under house arrest on account of her prominent role in opposition politics between 1989 and 1995, and 2000 to 2002...during her time in house arrest, the authorities twice amended the legislation under which she is held to allow for a longer period of detention without charge or trial...

even when she was not under official house arrest, aung san suu kyi still had her freedom of movement heavily restricted: the authorities blockaded roads, often arrested those seeking to meet her and denied family members, including her critically ill husband, permission to visit the country to see her...

take action now: release all prisoners of conscience and all individuals detained under the crackdown...

tomorrow - the story of u win tin...

peace out <3

four stories reveal 18 years of persecution in myanmar...

as of yesterday 24 october (and united nations day) daw aung san suu kyi will have spent 12 of the last 18 years under detention...she may be the best known of myanmar's prisoners of conscience, but she is far from the only one...

amnesty international believes that, even before the recent violent crackdown on peaceful protesters, there were more than 1,150 political prisoners in the country...

prisoners of conscience among these include senior political representatives of the ethnic minorities as well as members of the national league of democracy and student activist groups...

to mark the 18th year of aung san suu kyi's persecution by the myanmar military, amnesty international is working, through bloggers like myself, to draw the world's attention to four people who symbolise all those in detention and suffering persecution in myanmar...these include aung san suu kyi herself; u win tin, myanmar's longest-serving prisoner of conscience; u khun htun oo, who is serving a 93 year sentence; and zaw htet ko ko, who was arrested after participating in the recent demonstrations in the country...

because telling the stories of actual prisoners of conscience is a very powerful way to connect you to the reality of the repression in myanmar i will bring them to you over the next four days, one at a time, to help humanize the headlines, and hopefully, move you to take action...

so come back each day through monday to "hear" their stories...

peace out <3

stand in solidarity with burmese protesters: violations continue against peaceful advocates...

"It is now we are most fearful. It is now we need the world to help us."

this is the plea of one burmese woman, who has heard screams in the night as her neighbors have been dragged away by the military for alleged involvement in the recent pro-democracy protests, led by 30,000 red-robed monks, and violently put down by security forces...

burma's military government is reported to be waging a campaign of fear against its own people, detaining thousands of monks and civilians in deplorable and filthy conditions, subjecting them to beatings and terrifying them and their families--even young childen and people who were merely bystanders to the peaceful protests...

using military intelligence cameras and other technology, to identify anyone who was anywhere near the scene of the protests, the government is creating an environment of terror, such that some are even afraid to leave their houses...

ask president bush to urge a u.n. security council mission to burma

read amnesty international's letter to the u.n. security council

download these urgent actions for burma (pdf)

detained protesters

injured detainee

fear of forcible return

risk of torture

health concerns in detention

thank you on united nations day...

peace out <3

what good is progress in darfur without the security to maintain it...

earlier this year, with your help, the united nations security council (unsc) agreed to send 26,000 au/un peacekeepers into sudan to help bring peace to a war torn region...a well-trained, fully-resourced peacekeeping force will bring much-needed stability and security to a land of over 2 million displaced people...however, at this point, support is only a promise, not a guarantee...

it falls to us to ensure that the unsc fully implements their plan of action in order to bring peace to darfur...without swift action, civilians will continue to be pawns in violent war games...the killing, rape and abduction will not stop until order is restored and accountability enforced...

tomorrow is united nations day and has been declared a national day of action on darfur by amnesty international...on october 24 amnesty international usa’s executive director and the advocacy director for africa will deliver half a million global petition signatures directly to the white house...by mobilizing on u.n. day you will be reinforcing the urgent message we are sending to the white house:

There can be no more delays, the U.S. government must take immediate and effective action to ensure the full deployment of UN peacekeepers into Darfur by early 2008, including adequate funding for peacekeepers and humanitarian assistance in Darfur, Chad and Central Africa Republic.

so please remember to sign the global petition for darfur by october 24th and your signatures will help send the message to the white house that the violence in darfur will not be tolerated...

between october 24 (united nations day) and the end of november, amnesty international usa will continue to gather signatures on the global petition and amnesty international usa will deliver a second round of signatures to the u.s. administration on december 10 (international human rights day), to underscore our urgent demands...signatures must be received by amnesty international usa’s washington office no later than november 30 to be included in the second and final delivery...

i send a big thank you to the over 466,000 people who have already joined me in signing the petition, including the members of the 400,000 faces for darfur facebook group (y'all rock!)...

peace out <3

this jew reports on the suffering of palestinian refugees in lebanon...

just as i continue to expose white, male privilege as a jew i am compelled to educate about the plight of palestinians, especially the internally displaced and refugees, so long as they are exposed to the degradation of human rights violations...

and so i report to you that palestinian refugees in lebanon face discrimination in employment and a lack of access to adequate education and housing...

a new amnesty international report: exiled and suffering: palestinian refugees in lebanon, examines the wide range of restrictions that continue to impact on the lives of hundreds of thousands of palestinian refugees...

more than half of the 300,000 palestinian refugees residing in lebanon live in 12 official palestinian refugee camps...the area of land allocated for these camps has remained largely unchanged since 1948 despite significant population growth...in some households, families of 10 share a single room...

they continue to be denied the right to adequate housing, due to unacceptable levels of habitability and restrictions on property ownership...

in camps in the south of lebanon, unreasonable restrictions have been imposed on refugees' right to repair or improve their homes...some refugees have been intimidated, fined and detained simply for seeking to build a brick wall to protect their home from the elements...

palestinians continue to suffer discrimination and marginalization in the labour market, contributing to high levels of unemployment, low wages and poor working conditions...

the lebanese authorities recently lifted a ban on 50 of the 70 jobs not permitted to palestinians, but refugees continue to face obstacles finding employment in such jobs...

this lack of employment prospects has led to a high drop-out rate for palestinian schoolchildren, who also have limited access to public secondary education...the resultant poverty is exacerbated by restrictions placed on their access to social services...

the lebanese government must take concrete steps to end all forms of discrimination against palestinian refugees and to fully protect and uphold their human rights...

the international community must also attempt to find a durable solution for refugees that fully respects and protects their human rights, including their right of return...this may involve providing financial and technical assistance to lebanon, helping it provide the best possible human rights protection to its palestinian refugee population...

check this out:

lebanon: end discrimination against palestinian refugees...press release, october 17 2007

lebanon: exiled and suffering: palestinian refugees in lebanon...report, october 17 2007

palestinian refugees in lebanon: six decades of exile and suffering ...focus sheet, october 17 2007 - pdf version

peace out y'all <3

the spigot of u.s. aid to colombia should be summarily shut off...

yesterday while my brother was celebrating his 45th birthday - at work - amnesty international usa (aiusa) and human rights watch (hrw) called on members of congress to question colombian defense secretary juan manuel santos during his two-day trip to washington about the steep rise in reports of extrajudicial executions by the colombian military...

these two stalwart human rights organizations urged congress to maintain a hold on $55 million in military assistance until substantial progress is made in addressing key human rights concerns...colombian defense secretary santos is currently in washington on a two-day visit...the groups jointly stated that,

"Colombia's Defense Secretary must explain to Congress why there has been a dramatic rise in reports of extrajudicial executions of civilians by the armed forces over the past several years, and why these killings continue to this day. By maintaining the hold on military aid, Congress will continue to send a clear signal that US money will not flow freely to the military until these reports are thoroughly investigated and appropriate remedial action is taken."

last march, secretary of state condoleezza rice certified the release of $55.2 million in military funds to colombia after vouching for the country's progress in human rights in a 56-page "memorandum of justification,"...only one paragraph in the document made reference to cases of extrajudicial executions...

condi, condi, condi...i shouldn't be surprised at your chutzpah but yet i am...

to show that my disappointment in ms. rice is warranted consider that earlier in the month the u.n. high commissioner for human rights reported that the executions were not isolated events but rather were occurring "in various units over a large area of the country" and were becoming "increasingly common,"...the u.n. high commissioner demanded "far-reaching measures,"...congress then put a hold on the release of the funds...

some of the executions are reportedly being committed by military units that have received u.s. military aid and by units operating under the guidance of u.s. military advisers, according to amnesty international...

an international mission of legal experts accompanied by colombian organizations recently traveled to different parts of the country to examine the reports of extrajudicial executions and impunity for members of the security forces...a coalition of colombian human rights groups had previously documented the serious human rights violations...aiusa and hrw have also gathered information on such cases...

"This is an extremely delicate time in Colombia. Congress needs to send the clear message that, consistent with U.S. law, the release of the funds will depend on Colombia making substantial progress on human rights."

reports of extrajudicial executions are thought to be in the hundreds annually...various reports show a pattern of soldiers allegedly killing civilians and presenting them as guerrillas killed in combat...investigations, when pursued, are often done under military jurisdiction, and more often than not, are inadequate...

aiusa and hrw said the u.s. government, which has advised colombia on reforming its military justice system, must now tell the colombian government that cases implicating the security forces in human rights violations must once and for all be excluded from military courts...

rather than take the issue of extrajudicial executions seriously, colombian president alvaro uribe in a july speech claimed that "the guerrillas have another strategy: every time there is a casualty in the guerrillas, they immediately mobilize their chorus leaders in the country and abroad to say that it was an extrajudicial execution,"...

uribe has repeatedly made statements attempting to link human rights groups to colombia's guerrilla groups, which for decades have been responsible for serious and repeated violations of international humanitarian law...

aiusa and hrw also noted that there has been no significant progress in a number of high-profile cases of human rights violations implicating the military...for example there is the case of general rito alejo del rio, whose u.s. visa was revoked several years ago due to evidence that he had collaborated with paramilitaries in human rights violations when he commanded the 17th brigade of the colombian army...early in the uribe administration, the investigation was summarily closed...paramilitary commander salvatore mancuso has recently stated in hearings before prosecutors that del río had, in fact, collaborated with his group...prosecutors have yet to reopen any investigation into the allegations against del río...

is it any wonder that uribe's protestations have no basis in reality???

another example of concern to the organizations is the february 2005 massacre of eight people in the peace community of san josé de apartado...aiusa and hrw welcome the decision of the attorney general?s office to call on 69 soldiers to testify in connection with the massacre...however they noted,

"Unfortunately, instead of fully supporting this serious investigation, Minister of Defense Santos questioned the prosecutors' decision."

concerns also remain about the over 160 killings of peace community members since 1997, most of which were reportedly committed by paramilitaries and the security forces who have not been prosecuted...

given concerns about military aid and the critical human rights situation in the country, the colombian government should fully comply with repeated u.n. human rights recommendations...

we should expect no less as u.s. taxpayers as these human rights violations are funded with our tax dollars...

peace out <3

in myanmar witchhunt popular comedians back inside prison...

monks and activists in myanmar have told amnesty international of the brutal repression suffered by anti-government protesters in the country....

and those insufferable social critics that the comedy channel refers to as comedians are not exempt from the repression...

par par lay, also known as u pa pa lay, was arrested on 25 september 2007 in the city of mandalay during the crackdown by security forces on anti-government protesters...he was arrested after leading a group of opposition party members in offering donations to buddhist monks...it is not known where he is now detained...

par par lay is a popular comedian in myanmar...this is not the first time that he has been imprisoned...

on 4 january 1996, the 48th anniversary of myanmar’s independence from the u.k., a group of entertainers including par par lay performed for a celebration at the home of daw aung san suu kyi, leader of the opposition party, the national league for democracy (nld)...in their routine, par par lay had joked that government cooperatives were thieves, and sang a comic song about myanmar’s ruling generals...

following the performance, he and other entertainers from the group, known as the moustache brothers, were arrested...most were released after a month but par par lay, another comedian and two nld members were charged with causing or intending "to spread false news, knowing beforehand that it is untrue"...when nld party members and their lawyers tried to attend the trial, they found the courtroom closed...they later learned that a judge and a prosecuting lawyer had gone to mandalay prison to conduct the trial there...the defendants were not allowed any legal representation...

on 18 march 1996, par par lay was sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment...for part of his sentence, he was held in a labour camp, where he was forced to work with iron bars across his legs...

thousands of amnesty international supporters around the world, including famous fellow comedians, called for the release of par par lay and his friends...

par par lay was released on 13 july 2001, though he was kept under close surveillance thereafter by military intelligence...it is not known where he is now being held...

and then there is zargana, also known as thu ra, who is a trained dental surgeon and a famous comedian in myanmar...he has produced and acted in a number of films, having been banned from performing in public several years ago...

zargana was arrested on 25 september 2007 in the city of yangon...he is reported to have been organizing celebrities from the entertainment industry in myanmar in support of the demonstrations...it is not known where he is detained...

zargana was first arrested on 2 october 1988, after taking part in the largely peaceful mass demonstrations that took place in yangon in august 1988...these demonstrations called for an end to military control of myanmar’s government and for the establishment of a multi-party democratic system under a civilian administration...zargana reportedly appeared at several demonstrations satirizing the interim government of dr. maung maung, claiming the military controlled it behind the scenes...he was released on 21 april 1989...

his next arrest came in may 1990 after he reportedly impersonated a government official at an event attended by thousands of people...he was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment, and was released on 25 march 1994...

read the latest news on the situation in myanmar

then call on the myanmar authorities to release the comedians...please do it now...

beware the dreaded comedians and their secret weapon - humor...

peace out <3

the anniversary of the military commissions act is nothing to celebrate...

it was one year ago today...

yes, one year ago today that congress passed the military commissions act...with it, founding principles of the u.s. constitution were discarded in the name of fighting terror...the act made it lawful to hold prisoners indefinitely without charge or trial, to assume guilt before innocence, to blur the definition of torture, and to use information obtained through brutal treatment as "evidence,"...

this does not represent the america i believe in...does it for you???

86 days separate this now infamous day from another: january 11th marks the anniversary of the first detainee transferred to guantánamo bay...both dates represent all that is wrong with this administration's policies in the "war on terror,"...it's time to "86" the administration's failed policies and restore our nation's reputation as a leader on human rights...

get more info about our "86 days" campaign, and download the action guide (pdf)...

tear down a piece of guantánamo bay at tearitdown.org...

and sing these words from dan fogelberg with me to this u.s. administration:

I can see you in the distance
And you’re heading for a fall
Sinking deeper by the minute
You’re about to lose it all...
You better change
Before the sun goes down
You better leave
Before you are the last in town.
You better raise
Your fortresses or tear them down...
Tear them down.You gotta tear them down.
Tear them down.You better tear them down.
Tear them down!

peace out <3

collaborative action: tell your senators to support the security contractor accountability act...

collaborate: col·lab·o·rate
pronunciation: \kə-ˈla-bə-ˌrāt\
function: intransitive verb
inflected form(s): col·lab·o·rat·ed; col·lab·o·rat·ing
1 : to work jointly with others or together especially in an intellectual endeavor
2 : to cooperate with an agency or instrumentality with which one is not immediately connected

amnesty international is excited to be partnering with working assets' actforchange to urge the senate to make private military contractors in iraq accountable for their actions...

so now, just imagine you are driving or walking through nisour square, baghdad...suddenly repeated shots come from vehicles protecting a u.s. convoy...your sister or your father now lay bleeding and dying in the street...it makes it even more painful to know that, even if they were unprovoked, the guys with the guns might never see a day in court, let alone spend a day in jail, for what they have done....

yet that's what could happen with blackwater employees who, after reportedly firing shots that killed at least 11 iraqis, might never face criminal charges because loopholes in u.s. law mean that civilian contractors are practically free to treat iraq and afghanistan like the wild west...

congress is trying to do something about this...one bill has already been passed in the house and its companion is awaiting a senate vote...

take action now and tell your senators to support the security contractor accountability act to make sure this doesn't happen again...

peace out <3

arrests continue in myanmar amid grave fear for safety of detainees...

four people have been detained overnight in yangon as part of a continuing crackdown by the military authorities...

the four detainees include prominent activists htay kywe (39), mie mie (f, 35 also known as thin thin aye), and ang thu (43) who are members of the 1988 generation students group...all have been imprisoned previously for their peaceful activism for human rights and democracy...

as members of amnesty international i and my colleagues are seriously concerned for the safety or htay kywe, mie mie and aung thu, who are at grave risk of torture and ill-treatment...

continued arrests fly in the face of the promises made this week by the myanmar authorities to cooperate with the united nations...on thursday the u.n. security council strongly deplored the violent crackdown and called for the early release of all political prisoners...instead, arrests continue amid grave fears for the safety of those detained, including torture and ill-treatment...

you can join the international community in insisting on concrete action from the myanmar authorities - for an end to the arrests of peaceful protesters, for guarantees for the safety of all detained, including access to the detainees by independent observers, and for the immediate release of all prisoners of conscience...

to take this action click here :take action: release myanmar protesters...

video stories are available here:
footage of the repression in myanmar, 27 sept. demo in london and amnesty international's call (realplayer version)...

footage of the protests in myanmar (realplayer version)...

amnesty international activists demonstrate in london (27 sept.) (realplayer version)...

peace out <3

join me and include your children in demanding equal education for romani children...

as human beings, children are entitled to all the rights guaranteed by the universal declaration of human rights, but children also need special protection and care...children's human rights are the blocks with which we build a human rights culture in societies and secure human rights for future generations...

unfortunately the romani children in bosnia and herzegovina, croatia and slovenia are effectively being excluded from education which is the gateway to a fulfilling and engaging life of dignity...

extreme poverty, discrimination in schools and the lack of truly inclusive and multicultural curricula violate the right to education of romani children in bosnia and herzegovina, croatia and slovenia, found an intensive amnesty international report released last november...the governments of these three countries have so far failed to address the needs of romani children...

the report, False starts: The exclusion of Romani children from primary education in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Slovenia can be found by clicking here...

the governments of the three countries featured in the report have adopted special programs and action plans aimed at the inclusion of the romani population in education...however, governments and non-governmental organizations alike admit that access to education for romani children is partial at best...

• free meals, textbooks and transportation are sometimes provided to romani children, but even getting to school can be impossible when the school is too far away to reach on foot and children's clothes are not warm enough to cope with a bitter winter...
• children are often unable to study or do homework in cold, overcrowded homes...
• romani children are in some cases discriminated against by their own teachers...

in bosnia and herzegovina, only 15 percent of all romani children complete elementary school, according to some estimates...in croatia, only 27 percent of romani children do...in dolenjska region of slovenia, only 39 percent of romani children attend school regularly...

but you can help by demanding equal education for romani children...just click here to tale action on-line and send letters or emails on their behalf...please do it because they can not do it alone...

the same link will lead you to post cards you can print out and distribute to school classes, either faith-based or secular, so hat children can become active agents for children...

peace out <3

remembering slain russian journalist anna politkovskaya...

the following is an acknowledgement of the life of anna politkovskaya who was slain one year and one week ago today...

anna politkovskaya, the russian human rights defender and journalist, was found dead in a lift in the block of flats where she lived in moscow at 5.10pm on 7 october 2006...she had been shot...

amnesty international and all of our members and supporters were shocked, saddened and deeply angered by her murder...the organisation believes that she was targeted because of her work as a journalist, reporting on human rights abuses in chechnya and other regions of the russian federation...

russian federation: tribute by irene khan, amnesty international's secretary general, to murdered russian journalist anna politkovskaya...

amnesty international has called on president vladimir putin to condemn the murder and show that there can be no impunity for such crimes...in a letter to president putin, irene khan, amnesty international's secretary general, said:

"We believe that it is crucial for such a strong political statement of support to come from the highest authority in Russia, the President. The statement should make clear that attacks on independent journalists and human rights defenders are unacceptable and that perpetrators of such attacks will face vigorous investigation and prosecution."

russian federation: president putin must condemn the murder of anna politkovskaya

amnesty international members all over the world expressed our condolences to anna politkovskaya's family and her colleagues and staging memorial events...we are calling for a thorough and impartial investigation into her death and continue to campaign for the right of independent journalists and human rights defenders in russia, including in the north caucasus region, to be able to work without fear of harassment or intimidation and, above all, without fear for their lives...

for a current review of politkovskaya's case and moving quotes from around the world at her remembrance ceremony last saturday click here...

rest in peace anna...

peace out <3

george w bush called out by ronald reagan in the gipper's diaries...

this is very much out of character for this blog but i couldn't pass this up...

when we blog about a state actor committing a human rights violation it is directed at a policy or departmental) decision that results in such a violation...it is not about personal or politically partisan attacks...

but governmental policy comes from somewhere and that is usually from individuals inhabiting seats of power and wielding that power in such a way as to deny a person or group(s) of people the opportunity to live their life with dignity...

insofar as the current administration of the united states is responsible for policy decisions that result in human rights violation they are often a product of the person sitting in the highest seat of power...

all that is to say that this quote of ronald reagan's from his recently published diaries was found in some quarters to be illuminating:

"A moment I've been dreading. George brought his ne're (sic)-do-well son around this morning and asked me to find the kid a job. Not the political one who lives in Florida. The one who hangs around here all the time looking shiftless. This so-called kid is already almost 40 and has never had a real job. Maybe I'll call Kinsley over at The New Republic and see if they'll hire him as a contributing editor or something. That looks like easy work."

...sometimes even the president of the united states has to stand naked...

peace out <3

community march for fairness in savannah goes deeper than the case of troy davis...

this rally like the one for the jena 6 in mississippi is a rallying cry for fairness and justice...it is not about special treatment or special rights...in fact white people like me have far too often forgotten that fairness has remained an abstract legal concept because people who look like me have been the ones receiving special treatment...calls for fairness, like the one for this saturday, are ones that are seeking to create the balanced playing field purported to be the goal of those promoting so-called race-neutral policies...

amnesty international usa (aiusa), the national association for the advancement of colored people (naacp), the american civil liberties union (aclu) and other coalition members in savannah georgia will gather for a "community march for justice" on saturday, october 13, to raise issues of concern with the criminal justice system in georgia...the groups are also calling on georgia authorities to hear evidence in the case of death row inmate troy davis that has not yet been examined by any court, and will be gathering to demonstrate that fairness matters to the savannah community...

the rally begins at noon at bolton street baptist church in savannah...speakers will include martina correia, sister of troy davis, rev. james shipman, pastor of the bolton street baptist church and sue gunawardena-vaughn, director of aiuswa's program to abolish the death penalty...shareef cousin, an exonerated death row inmate, and ronald cotton and darryl hunt, two former prisoners who were wrongfully convicted and later exonerated, will also address the rally...

we are calling for a full and fair examination of the evidence in the case of troy davis, who has been on death row since 1991 for the murder of mark allen macphail, a police officer...seven of nine non-police witnesses for the prosecution have recanted or contradicted their testimony...

on july 16, the georgia state board of pardons and paroles granted davis a temporary stay of execution, pending further review of the case...on friday, august 3, the georgia supreme court agreed to hear davis' appeal to present evidence that could demonstrate his strong case for innocence; that hearing is scheduled for november 13 in atlanta...

peace out <3

the u.n. human rights council agrees: burmese repression deplorable...

while i was celebrating my birthday yesterday and contemplating themes such as man's inhumanity to man the u.n. human rights council was busy adopting a resolution strongly deploring the violent repression of peaceful demonstrations in myanmar...the resolution, which was supported by all 47 members of the council, urges the government of myanmar to ensure full respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms...

the council called on the government of myanmar to release without delay all political detainees and those arrested or detained as part of the recent repression...it urged the government to ensure full, safe and unhindered humanitarian access throughout the country...

the council has asked the council's special rapporteur on myanmar to assess the current situation and monitor the implementation of its resolution...he is to report to the resumed sixth session of the human rights council in early december and the u.n. general assembly at its current session...

at the very minimum the repressive military regime is not conducting its inhumane acts without being under the closely watched eyes of the rest of the world...i can not stress to you how important that is as a fact unto itself...

my colleagues at amnesty international were fortunate enough to have a spokesperson address the meeting of the council (see the vid below)...tim parritt, deputy director of the organization's asia-pacific programme, stressed that,

"...it is the duty of the Myanmar government to account for all those detained by its law enforcement agents, military and other security forces. Detainees should not be held in secret places of detention, and must be granted access to independent lawyers, medical personnel and to family members. Those detained for participation in peaceful assemblies must be released immediately, including at least 150 persons arrested in August at an early stage of the current crisis, unless they are charged with a recognisably criminal offence."

amnesty international also calls for the release of all prisoners of conscience among the 1,150 political prisoners detained before the current crisis...

check out these videos...

watch footage from the human rights council session

watch amnesty international's speech to the session

keep the faith...

peace out <3

take a step and join me in challenging an america that still tortures...

long after the scandal at abu ghraib and the administration’s denouncement of all that happened there, the new york times reported last week that in 2005, the justice department issued a secret internal memo that endorsed "the harshest interrogation techniques ever used by the central intelligence agency,"...

and i'm angry: the america i believe in does not torture people...and in response, amnesty international is mounting a national fall campaign to "86" these policies once and for all....

86 days separate two infamous dates: october 17th marks the first year anniversary of the military commissions act and january 11th marks the anniversary of the first detainee transferred to guantanamo bay...

join me on october 17th as i stand with my brothers and sisters and protest the wrong-headed policies these two dates represent: torture, indefinite detention, guilty until proven innocent...

help us kick-off our "86 it" campaign by:

• hosting your own protest by downloading our action guide (pdf)....
• attending an event that’s already happening in your area by contacting us via email at dtorture@aiusa.org ...this'll put you in touch with the right people locally...
• taking pictures of your actions to "86" torture and sending them to dtorture@aiusa.org...

my homies at amnesty international will be showcasing demonstrations on amnestyusa.org so be sure to report back and let us know how your events went (as well as send us any pictures you take)...

stand with me against an administration that publicly decries torture, but privately continues to perpetrate it...stand with members of amnesty international for the america you believe in by joining the 86 days of action today...

peace out <3

the taliban hang to death a 15 year old boy in afghanistan - without an iota of due process...

what do i think about the hanging of a 15 year-old afghani boy by the taliban on 30 september 2007???

well it's stupid and futile at best and criminal at worst...

zainullah was taken from the bazaar where he worked as a key-maker in sangin district, helmand province southern afghanistan, by taliban fighters who accused him of being a spy...they hanged him from an electrical utility pole with a note warning that others caught spying would suffer the same fate...

beyond the question of state killing there's the matter of due process...or the lack of even the facade thereof...

as a member in good standing i join amnesty international in condemning all unlawful killings, particularly of children, and calls for all such attacks to be investigated, promptly, independently and thoroughly, and for those responsible to be brought to justice in accordance with international standards of fairness...

article 3 common to the four geneva conventions, which is binding on all parties to the armed conflict in afghanistan, prohibits "violence to life and person, in particular murder of all kinds," a prohibition which applies in all circumstances...hanging a child is a clear violation of this provision...

as it does no matter the country identified as a site of human rights violations amnesty international calls for the afghan government to investigate the unlawful killing and for the taliban to publicly renounce the use of illegal actions such as kidnapping and unlawful killings, including those following quasi-judicial proceedings which flout international humanitarian law...

peace out <3

world day against the death penalty seeks a worldwide moratorium on executions...

at the u.n. general assembly (unga) 62nd session in october 2007, a resolution calling for a global moratorium on executions will be introduced as a step towards the abolition of the death penalty...this resolution is expected to be supported by countries from all regions of the world...

endorsement by the unga of a global moratorium on executions would be a significant milestone towards achieving the goal of a death penalty-free world...

amnesty international is mobilizing support for the resolution, along with the world coalition against the death penalty (wcadp) and other non-governmental organizations, at the unga 62nd session in new york this month...

the wcadp will highlight this intitiative on the annual world day against the death penalty on 10 october: the slogan this year is "stop the death penalty: the world decides"...

the wcadp is running a global petition, based on the 2000 u.n. petition launched by community saint egidio and amnesty international...that petition has gathered 5 million signatures so far...sign the petition....

download the amnesty international poster

download the focus sheet

for further information, please see:

the death penalty v. human rights - why abolish the death penalty?

executions now

the death penalty is the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment...it violates the right to life...it is irrevocable and can be inflicted on the innocent...it has never been shown to deter crime more effectively than other punishments...

amnesty international works for an end to executions and the abolition of the death penalty everywhere...progress has been dramatic...in 1977 only 16 countries had abolished the death penalty for all crimes...today the figure stands at 90...

that's steady progress...

peace out <3

guantanamo bay: tear it down one pixel at a time (reprise)...

you can make guantanamo bay disappear --

YOU CAN make guantanamo bay disappear...and help tear down detention camps that have become synonymous with torture, injustice, and an utter betrayal of human rights...

tearitdown.org is a powerful new amnesty international project dramatically visualizing the commitment of 500,000 people to tear down guantanamo bay...

go check it out for yourself: act right now to tear down a piece of guantanamo bay!

tearitdown.org builds on amnesty international's long history of showing how one individual can make a difference...you have the power to tear down guantanamo bay one pixel at a time...once 500,000 people have expressed their determination to end this human rights disgrace -- "our" image of guantanamo-style injustice will disappear...

and, more importantly, we'll have the power and strength needed to tear down the real guantanamo bay....

one person, one pixel is all it takes...get your pixel and express your power to end this human rights abomination....

from across the political spectrum, across the globe, calls are mounting to shut down guantanamo bay and either charge and try those imprisoned or release them...

so please join me and all my bud-members over at amnesty international in this powerful display of commitment to human rights...strike the final blow to the administration's failed policies at guantanamo bay...get your pixel today. !

peace out <3

lethal injection: a quarter of a century of state poisoning...

in lethal injection executions, prisoners are commonly injected with lethal doses of three chemicals: sodium thiopental to rapidly induce unconsciousness, pancuronium bromide to cause muscle paralysis and thus respiratory arrest, and potassium chloride to stop the heart...

doctors have expressed concern that if inadequate levels of sodium thiopental are administered (for example, through incorrect doses of thiopental, faulty attachment of the line, or precipitation of chemicals) proper anaesthetic depth will not be achieved or the anaesthetic effect can wear off rapidly and the prisoner will experience severe pain as the lethal potassium chloride enters the veins and he or she goes into cardiac arrest...due to the paralysis induced by pancuronium bromide, they may be unable to communicate their distress to anyone...

professionals who work with these chemicals overwhelmingly think this is cruel and unusual - this is not to mention those who believe that apart from their professional concerns believe that it is morally repugnant...

check out the stance of these profesional organizations and then check out amnesty international's report released today!

Medical ethical standards:

The World Medical Association - http://www.wma.net/ "It is unethical for physicians to participate in capital punishment, in any way, or during any step of the execution process", Resolution adopted in 2000.

The World Psychiatric Association -- www.wpanet.org/home.html "Under no circumstances should psychiatrists participate in legally authorized executions nor participate in assessments of competency to be executed." Declaration of Madrid, 1996.The International Council of Nurses -- www.icn.ch"

The International Council of Nurses (ICN) urges its member national nurses' associations (NNAs) to lobby for abolition of the death penalty; to actively oppose torture and participation by nurses in executions; and to develop mechanisms to provide nurses with confidential advice and support in caring for prisoners sentenced to death or subjected to torture."

American Medical Association -- http://www.ama-assn.org/ "A physician, as a member of a profession dedicated to preserving life when there is hope of doing so, should not be a participant in a legally authorized execution. Physician participation in execution is defined generally as actions which would fall into one or more of the following categories: (1) an action which would directly cause the death of the condemned; (2) an action which would assist, supervise, or contribute to the ability of another individual to directly cause the death of the condemned; (3) an action which could automatically cause an execution to be carried out on a condemned prisoner."

American Nurses Association -- http://nursingworld.org/ "The obligation to refrain from causing death is longstanding and should not be breached even when legally sanctioned. Nurses should refrain from participation in capital punishment and not take part in assessment, supervision or monitoring of the procedure or the prisoner; procuring, prescribing or preparing medications or solutions; inserting the intravenous catheter; injecting the lethal solution; and attending or witnessing the execution as a nurse. The fact that capital punishment is currently supported in many segments of society does not override the obligation of nurses to uphold the ethical mandates of the profession."

National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians -- http://www.naemt.org/ "The National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT) is strongly opposed to participation in capital punishment by an EMT, Paramedic or other emergency medical professional. Participation in executions is viewed as contrary to the fundamental goals and ethical obligations of emergency medical services."

American Society of Anesthesiologists -- http://www.asahq.org/ "Although lethal injection mimics certain technical aspects of the practice of anesthesia, capital punishment in any form is not the practice of medicine. Legal execution should not necessitate participation by an anesthesiologist or any other physician."

is that enough challenge and opposition from health care professionals for you??? if not then i ask you humbly not to procreate...

yes, that was unapologetic snarkiness...

peace out <3

burmese military stamps out mass protests in massive human rights attack...

it has not been a good 2 days to be a human rights and democracy activist in myanmar...(check out the videos and slideshow at the bottom)...

a heavy military presence on myanmar's streets, combined with mass arrests, has stamped out the massive protests of the past week...huge numbers of troops are visible on street corners across yangon, the focal point for the demonstrations, and fear is widespread...

the u.n. human rights council yesterday adopted a resolution strongly deploring the violent repression of peaceful demonstrations in myanmar...the resolution, which was supported by all 47 members of the council, urges the government of myanmar to ensure full respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms...

further, the council called on the government of myanmar to release without delay all political detainees and those arrested or detained as part of the recent repression...it urged the government to ensure full, safe and unhindered humanitarian access throughout the country...

finally, the council has asked the council's special rapporteur on myanmar to assess the current situation and monitor the implementation of its resolution...he is to report to the resumed sixth session of the human rights council in early december and the u.n. general assembly at its current session...

a spokesperson for amnesty international addressed the meeting of the council...tim parritt, deputy director of the organization's asia-pacific programme, stressed that,

"it is the duty of the myanmar government to account for all those detained by its law enforcement agents, military and other security forces. Detainees should not be held in secret places of detention, and must be granted access to independent lawyers, medical personnel and to family members. Those detained for participation in peaceful assemblies must be released immediately, including at least 150 persons arrested in August at an early stage of the current crisis, unless they are charged with a recognisably criminal offence."

amnesty international also calls for the release of all prisoners of conscience among the 1,150 political prisoners detained before the current crisis...

video: u.n. human rights council debates myanmar

video: repression in myanmar and amnesty international's response

video: watch footage of the protests in myanmar

video: amnesty international activists protest in london
slideshow: amnesty international joins demonstrations across the globe
take action: call on myanmar leaders to release protesters
country profile: myanmar (updated)

peace out <3

human rights education hooked high schooler allyson brown to fight malaria...

learning about human rights is the first step toward respecting, promoting and defending those rights...thus teaching about human rights means both conveying ideas and information concerning human rights and nurturing the values and attitudes that lead to the support of those rights...

when allyson brown first learned about malaria as a high school junior, she was shocked to learn that the mosquito-borne disease still claims the life of a child every 30 seconds, making it the number one threat to children in africa...the impact of the disease was even harder for brown to comprehend, in light of the fact that malaria is entirely preventable and treatable using tools as simple as a protective bed net...

in the face of such a devastating global killer though, brown found herself wondering, 'what can one person do?'

she answered her own question one-year later by launching stayin' alive, and turning her high school valentine's day dance into a fundraising event for life-saving bed nets...said brown:

"I believe that by getting knowledge out to the students about malaria, and raising money for bed nets in a fun, engaging way, students will want to help out and feel part of something bigger than themselves."

students responded with an overwhelming show of support for the program, raising $3,600 at her high school alone...

now, with the support of malaria no more, a non-profit organization focused on ending all deaths due to malaria, the stayin' alive program has become a national campaign with global reach...over the course of the next three years, stayin' alive will encourage 10,000 high schools from across the country to host stayin' alive events, and pledge $1,000 of their events' proceeds to support the fight against malaria...ultimately, the program will enable malaria no more to purchase and distribute 1 million bed nets, and help protect 2 million children...beyond the bed nets though, the program empowers high school students to take a leading role on an issue of global significance, and provides them with the opportunity to save lives through something as simple and fun as a dance...

learn more about how your school can get involved in this program...

amnesty international's human rights education program (hre) was established in order to facilitate the teaching of human rights...designed to support teachers of kindergarten through college as well as educators working in non-formal settings such as community associations and cultural forums, hre is dedicated to promoting the human rights principles and positive value system that are set forth in the universal declaration of human rights...

for teaching guides, lesson plans, projects and more click here...

peace out <3

economic activism is another tool at your fingertips to protect the people of darfur...

this is a follow-up to sunday's post on using economic tools to leverage for justice on behalf of the people in darfur...please check this out because the link below will allow you in 30 seconds to send e-mails or print out custom letters to send to 10 chairpersons or ceos asking them to use their investor power to support human rights in darfur...

if you're reading this blog then i don't have to tell you that corporations hold immense power in our world...and as amnesty international mobilizes on many fronts to protect the people of darfur, we invite you to learn more about our newest tool for change - economic activism...

an excellent opportunity awaits you if you read the transcript from the recent live web chat, which was hosted by sudan country specialist denise bell and b usiness and human rights campaigner amy o'meara this past thursday, and find out how you can use economic activism to press for security and human rights in darfur...

as a participant in the chat i learned about amnesty's new innovative plan of action, which includes mobilizing leading u.s.-based investment firms to press top oil companies operating in sudan to leverage their unique influence to support the full and speedy deployment of a u.n. peacekeeping force to protect the people of darfur...amnesty international, along with key partners, is leading this creative form of economic activism to approach top institutional investors with shares in companies operating in sudan...

you can check out the chat transcript now...more importantly this link enables you to call on investors to stand up for human rights in darfur...

peace out <3