Weary refugees are trying to reach home

in the Democratic Republic of Congo amid a fragile cease-fire. They have been caught between the government and Laurent Nkunda's rebel movement.

The conflict is fueled by left-over tensions from Rwandan genocide. Nkunda claims that the government has not done enough to protect Tutsis from the Hutu militia that fled to the Congo at the end of the war. It's believed that all sides are funded by the vast mineral riches found in the Congo, leaving them no incentive to stop.

According to the United Nations, more than a millions people have been displaced, 220,000 since August. While the UN convoy is currently the largest in the world, it has requested backup to contain the violence. The EU has refused to send soldiers, hoping instead to end the fighting by diplomatic means.

In the meantime, people have lost their homes, belongings, family, and basic human rights such as healthcare and food. Please urge your representatives and leaders to remember the fighting in the DRC and not to allow it to reach the proportions that it did in Rwanda. We cannot keep making the same mistakes.

Read the full story here.

u.n. discusses crucial step on economic, social and cultural rights...

the u.n. general assembly will this month discuss taking a crucial step to secure access to justice for everyone whose economic, social and cultural rights are violated and who is denied a remedy at the national level...

in the coming weeks, u.n. member states convening in new york at the general assembly session will consider the adoption of an international instrument – the optional protocol to the international covenant on economic, social and cultural rights (optional protocol)...once in force, this instrument will provide access to justice for victims of violations of economic, social and cultural rights who cannot get a remedy at the national level...

the peeps over at amnesty international has said that, sixty years after the adoption of the universal declaration of human rights (udhr), in which the international community recognized that everyone, everywhere has civil, cultural, economic, political and social rights, this step is long-overdue...said duncan wilson, amnesty international’s senior policy expert on economic, social and cultural rights:

"This is clear and concrete action to implement the declaration made fifteen years ago at the Vienna World Conference that 'all human rights are universal, indivisible and interdependent and interrelated. The international community must treat human rights globally in a fair and equal manner, on the same footing, and with the same emphasis. Amnesty International emphasizes the importance of using this historic moment to rectify the imbalance between civil and political rights and economic, social and cultural rights, which has particularly denied marginalized groups and those living in poverty the ability to demand an effective remedy when their rights are violated. Many of those who have suffered violations of their rights, including rights to adequate housing, food, water and sanitation, health, education and decent work, are denied the ability and power to hold those responsible to account."

amnesty international has called on all members of the u.n. to celebrate 60th anniversary of the udhr with the adoption of the optional protocol, in its current form, by the general assembly on the 10th of december 2008...

the elaboration and adoption of the optional protocol is the culmination of five years of negations by an intergovernmental working group...the final agreed text is a compromise and has the support of an overwhelming number of u.n. member states...

amnesty international is a member of the international ngo (non-governmental organization) coalition for an optional protocol to the international covenant on economic, social and cultural rights...

peace out <3

take action: demand proper protection of womens’ rights in sonora state, mexico...

one in four women in mexico has suffered physical, and sometimes sexual, violence at the hands of their partner...thousands are put at risk of repeated abuse because weak or ineffective protection measures fail to ensure their safety...

domestic violence can have physical, psychological, and emotional effects, as well as serious economic and social consequences on women and their families...many face a range of obstacles when trying to report cases, such as the refusal of officials to accept complaints, inadequate investigations, and poor enforcement of protective measures...

a number of factors also deter women from filing complaints, such as fear of reprisals, and entrenched social attitudes which excuse violence against women, and undermine women’s role in the family and society...official restraining orders are rarely issued and in many cases, there are no dedicated police resources to enforce them if they are issued...

following her divorce in 1993, marcela blumenkron made numerous emergency calls to the police to report threats and harassment from her former husband...time and again, she was advised by prosecutors to resolve the issue directly with her former husband...

on one occasion, marcela was told, “if you come back with a bruise, we’ll do something”...in 2005, marcela’s former husband broke into her home and stabbed her, leaving her paralyzed for four months, with long-term nerve damage and limited mobility...

although mexico recently passed a law to counter violence against women, and many states have followed suit, more still needs to be done or these changes will make little difference to women at risk...

take action to demand that womens’ rights in Mexico are properly protected!

peace out <3

in final days before troy davis execution date, concerned public worldwide demands action ...

as the scheduled execution date for troy anthony davis fast approaches, national and international support for davis is on the rise, with the public demonstrating its outrage over the refusal to hear evidence in davis’ favor...

amnesty international has mobilized its worldwide membership during its “global days of action for troy davis” from now through oct. 27...to date, rallies are scheduled to be held in 15 cities across the united states, including atlanta; tempe, az; palm springs, ca; colorado springs, co as well as in canada, france, the united kingdom, belgium, finland and italy (for the complete list, please visit www.amnestyusa.org/troy)...said larry cox, executive director of aiusa, as he prepared to address hundreds at a rally in atlanta thursday evening...

“This upsurge of support is proof-positive that conscientious citizens will not back down in the face of adversity when a gross injustice is about to be committed. They can see through the detractors who are attempting to muddy the waters in Davis’ final days, and refuse to accept the notion that, in the United States of America, evidence indicating a man’s innocence does not matter.”

the rallies, which have been planned throughout the week, come as the troy davis legal team has requested to file a second habeas petition in the 11th circuit, and clergy from georgia and beyond are signing an appeal to georgia governor sonny perdue, urging him to exert his influence with the georgia board of pardons and paroles and ask them to grant clemency in this case...

troy davis is scheduled to be executed on monday, oct. 27, 2008 at 7:00 p.m. davis was convicted in 1991 of killing savannah police officer mark allen macphail...authorities failed to produce a murder weapon or any physical evidence tying davis to the crime...in addition, seven of the nine original state witnesses have since recanted or changed their initial testimonies in sworn affidavits..in march 2008, the georgia supreme court decided against a new evidentiary hearing for davis in a narrow 4-3 ruling, and earlier this month, the u.s. supreme court denied his petition for a writ of certiorari...added jared feuer, southern regional director of aiusa at the rally:

“There are obvious questions of potential innocence that demand attention. The state of Georgia must understand the seriousness of this case and prevent the execution of Mr. Davis if it is to preserve the public’s faith in our justice system.”

since the launch of its february 2007 report, where is the justice for me? the case of troy davis, facing execution in georgia, amnesty international has campaigned intensively for clemency for davis, collecting well over 300,000 petition signatures and letters from across the united states and around the world...to date, internationally known figures such as the pope, archbishop desmond tutu and jimmy carter have all joined the call for clemency, as well as lawmakers from within and outside of georgia...

help prevent the execution of a juvenile in saudi arabia
thank new jersey leaders for supporting abolition
urge clemency for troy davis

peace out <3

victory: contested land in brazil handed to state...

a long standing land dispute in brazil between landless workers movements and a swiss multinational, which led to the deaths of two men, has been brought to a conclusion...

agrochemical business syngenta has handed over its experimental farm in paraná state to the state government, marking an end to violent conflict over the site...

syngenta gave the land to the paraná state government on 14 october 2008...the government has promised to use the land for the production of native seeds for distribution to small holder farmers and impoverished countries who have suffered devastation from hurricanes...

the 127-hectare farm in santa tereza do oeste was used by syngenta to field test its genetically modified (gm) crops...this was contested because it potentially contravened an environmental zoning law and because it was identified as a possible site for the settlement of landless agricultural workers...

two men were killed after the landless workers movements mst and via campesina occupied the farm in protest on 21 october 2007...an illegal and violent eviction by 40 armed employees of nf segurança, the private security company hired by syngenta to protect the farm, led to the deaths of mst leader valmir motta de oliveira (known as keno) and security guard fabio ferreira...

human rights groups and land activists in the state of paraná have previously suffered threats and intimidation from a number of groups formed by landowners...in a public hearing on 18 october 2007, local rights groups presented a dossier of evidence to the state human rights commission that highlighted the activities of armed men hired by landowners and agricultural companies...according to the report, they act with no legal controls, often using violent and illegal methods to forcibly evict, threaten and attack land activists...

several investigations into irregular and illicit behaviour by nf segurança, including the investigation into keno’s murder, have led to its licence being revoked...the company continues to operate pending its appeal...

amnesty international has said it is vital that steps are taken by federal and state authorities across brazil to control the flood of irregular and/or illicit security companies, many of whom are effectively acting as illegal militias in the service of landowners or agro-industry...said susan lee, amnesty international’s america’s director:

"It is essential that the state and federal authorities investigate individuals, organizations or companies which use security companies that commit human rights violations or criminal acts. Those found to have failed in their duty to adequately vet or oversee their security company must be held to account.”

with the trial of the suspects of the killings of keno and fabio ferreira about to begin in november amnesty international calls on the authorities to ensure that it meets international standards for fair trials...continued lee:

“It is vital that those individuals truly responsible for these deaths are brought to justice, ending the long history of impunity for rural killings and the protection of vested economic and political interests.”

peace out <3

zimbabwe activists beaten, arrested and detained...

the leaders of one of zimbabwe's main activist movements have been remanded in custody by the courts in bulawayo since friday...jenni williams and magodonga mahlangu, leaders of women of zimbabwe arise (woza), were arrested on thursday in bulawayo after leading a peaceful protest of about 200 activists demanding immediate access to food aid in zimbabwe...

police used excessive force to break up the protest. magodonga mahlangu was beaten by police during her arrest and is reported to be in pain...

nine activists were initially arrested, including jenni williams and magodonga mahlangu; seven activists were released on the same day...

jenni williams and magodonga mahlangu were held at bulawayo central police station over night and taken to court on friday morning...they were denied bail...they will be held in remand prison until tuesday, when they are set to come to court again...

they have been charged under section 37 1(a) of the criminal law (codification and reform) act for "disturbing the peace, security or order of the public"...

amnesty international has urged the zimbabwean authorities to release jenni williams and magodonga mahlangu, immediately and unconditionally, as they have been detained solely for the peaceful exercise of their rights to freedom of association and assembly...the organisation also expressed fears about the women’s safety while in remand prison, considering the long history of ill-treatment of human rights defenders while in custody in zimbabwe...said erwin van der borght, director of the africa programme:

"Amnesty International considers Jenni Williams and Magodonga Mahlangu to be prisoners of conscience. Their arrest is part of the government of Zimbabwe’s clampdown on human rights defenders who are campaigning to highlight the suffering of the people of Zimbabwe."

jenni williams and magadonga mahlangu were last arrested in may 2008, and spent 37 days in remand prison...

demand an end to impunity for soldiers who rape and proper care for rape-survivors in the drc
defend freedom of expression in china and urge shi tao's release
free school teacher ma khin khin leh

peace out <3

iran ends child offender executions!

iran is currently the only country in the world known to have executed a juvenile offender in 2008...on october 16, hossein zabhi, assistant attorney general for judicial affairs in iran announced that he had instructed all courts to cease the execution of juvenile offenders...many thanks to the thousands of amnesty and other activists whose action helped end this terrible practice!

read about more successes here
peace out <3

poverty day to address human rights and dignity...

"Change cannot be realised if people cannot be given time to express themselves and talk of the problems they are facing."

- Michael Nyangi, Kibera, Nairobi -

this year's international day for the eradication of poverty is a call to everyone, from policy makers to the public, to recognise the rights and dignity of people living in poverty...

amnesty international, other ngos, civil society organizations, people living in poverty and supporters around the world will mobilize to raise their voices and demand action from governments...

poverty day is held on 17 october every year...its aim is to promote awareness of the need to eradicate poverty in all countries and the importance of the right to participation...

people living in poverty are far too frequently excluded from decisions about how to improve their lives...amnesty international said that the vicious cycle of poverty and human rights abuse could only be broken if people living in poverty were able to speak out and be heard...the organization is calling on all states to recognise the right to participation...widney brown, amnesty international's director of international law and policy, said:

"A key focus of this year's International Day is ensuring that people living in poverty are no longer denied the power to control their lives. All too often, living in poverty excludes people from making decisions about the things that affect them. Other people decide on their behalf, ignoring their needs, beliefs and opinions. Not only does this result in ill-informed decisions, but it also robs people of their right to participate, and to learn from the process, in order to be change makers and retain control over their own lives.”

events planned for the day include street exhibitions, film premieres, public testimonies and concerts...

at the united nations headquarters in new york, widney brown will take part in a major discussion on poverty, which is set to be webcast on www.un.org...

the event brings together representatives of the u.n., world bank and leading ngos working on poverty and human rights...a number of local activists from grassroots civil society organisations will also be attending, including michael nyangi...

michael lives in kibera, one of the biggest slum areas, which is home to 1.5 million people and runs the lomoro microfinance organization...a qualified accountant, he created lomoro five years ago when he was 23...it now has 150 members and helps people to start small, income-generating projects...

michael is attending the event with the intention of sharing the perspective and thoughts of kibera’s residents...

other amnesty international supporters will also take part in the stand up against poverty gatherings organized by the global call to action against poverty...

the stand up event encourages millions of people to simultaneously stand up at the same time in protest against poverty and inequality...this year, over one per cent of the population is expected to take part...

peace out <3

An excellent article from the Reuters Foundation

MILLIONS UPROOTED BY FEAR AND VIOLENCE

Refugees are often in the headlines yet the reality of their lives is frequently misunderstood.
Tens of millions of people have been uprooted from their homes because of violence or persecution.
But not all these people are refugees. Villagers in Sudan's violent Darfur region who have fled to camps within Darfur are strictly speaking known as internally displaced people because they haven't left Sudan. Darfuris in camps in neighbouring Chad are refugees because they've crossed an international border.
The definition of a refugee is someone who "owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality..." (1951 Refugee Convention)
Although the convention doesn't specifically deal with people fleeing war, or conflict-related conditions such as famine, the United Nations considers them refugees.

ARE NUMBERS RISING OR FALLING

Contrary to many media reports, the global refugee population has fallen dramatically since the early 1990s when it hit a peak - over 17.8 million - partly due to the break-up of the former Yugoslavia.
However, this is not quite the good news it seems. The mass exodus from the Iraq war saw figures begin to creep up again in 2006 and 2007.
And with more and more internal conflicts replacing interstate wars, the number of internally displaced has risen significantly in recent years.
By the end of 2007, there were around 11.4 million refugees, according to the U.N. refugee agency, UNHCR - the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees.
Roughly 26 million others were displaced within their own countries because of violence or persecution, according to a U.N.-backed report by the Norwegian Refugee Council. And UNHCR says another 25 million were uprooted because of disasters like quakes and floods.
Aid workers call these internally displaced people "IDPs" for short, sometimes distinguishing between conflict IDPs and disaster IDPs.
The media often employs the term refugee incorrectly to describe economic migrants or illegal immigrants.
Economic migrants leave a country voluntarily to seek a better life. If they returned home they would continue to receive the protection of their government. Refugees would not.

REFUGEES AND IDPs- WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE

Refugees and IDPs have often fled for the same reasons, but there are crucial differences in how the two groups are treated.
Once they cross an international boundary refugees will normally receive food, shelter and a place of safety. They are protected by international laws and conventions.
The U.N. refugee agency and other humanitarian organisations work within this legal framework to help refugees restart their lives or eventually return home.
By contrast, IDPs have little, if any, of the protection and help that refugees get. The domestic government, which may view them as enemies of the state, retains control of their fate. They may also fall prey to rebels and militias operating inside or outside the camp.
There are no specific legal instruments relating to IDPs and no U.N. body dedicated to their needs. Donors may also be unwilling to offer help if it means intervening in internal conflicts.
There's widespread debate on who should be responsible for IDPs. UNHCR is not specifically mandated to cover their needs, but as they face many of the same problems as refugees, the agency oversees their protection and shelter in some places.

DANGERS

Arriving at a camp for refugees or IDPs does not ensure safety. Violence may come from militias and rebels operating inside or outside the camps.
After the 1994 Rwandan genocide large numbers of Hutus fled into Democratic Republic of Congo. It took a while for aid organisations to realise that Hutu militia leaders blamed for the massacres of Rwandan Tutsis virtually controlled the camps.
Another example is the camps in West Timor for refugees who fled the violence sparked by East Timor's independence vote in 2000. These camps were teeming with pro-Jakarta militia. Attacks and intimidation got so bad that UNHCR was forced to suspend its work. The militia also stopped refugees who wanted to return home to East Timor from leaving the camps.
Militias are not the only problem. Camps may also come under attack from troops targeting rebels they think are sheltering inside. This has happened in Darfur.
Refugees may also end up in a country that is itself far from safe. In a horrifying case in 2004, armed men attacked a camp for Congolese refugees in Burundi, setting huts ablaze and killing around 160 people, mostly women and children.
Cross border attacks are another danger. Agencies often try to make sure camps aren't too close to borders, but refugees may want to be near the border so that they can go home as soon as it seems safe.

read the rest of the article here.

civil liberties - not throwing the baby out with the bath water...

the house of lords rejected proposals on monday that would allow the period of pre-charge detention in terrorism cases to be extended up to 42 days...

amnesty international welcomed the house of lords’ vote, by 309 votes to 118, and called on the u.k. government to respond by abandoning once and for all these misconceived proposals...said david edwards, amnesty international researcher on the u.k.:

“Today’s vote should mark a turning point in the UK’s approach to the question of terrorism. Rather than seeking to extend further and further the length of time for which people can be held without being charged with any offence, the UK should recognize that the dangerous notion that security can be bought at the expense of individual rights has been thoroughly discredited. Security and human rights are not – and never have been – mutually exclusive. Although today’s vote is a crucial and welcome development, it by no means marks the end of the rigorous scrutiny which the Counter-Terrorism Bill requires. It is vital that the attention given to the pre-charge detention proposals should not allow other deeply concerning elements of the Bill to pass unchallenged."

amnesty international has drawn attention, in particular, to sections of the bill relating to coroners’ inquests...these sections, if enacted, would allow a government minister to order that part of an inquest should be held in secret, in the absence of the family of the person whose death is being investigated, whenever a minister thinks it in the ‘public interest’ to do so...continued edwards:

"Coroners’ inquests in the UK have a vital role to play in investigating deaths in violent or suspicious circumstances, including deaths for which it is alleged that agents of the state are responsible. These proposals would seriously undermine the ability of inquests to conduct the full and independent investigations which are needed."

the house of lords is expected to vote on the proposals relating to coroners’ inquests later this week...

u.k. house of lords to vote on 42-day detention
u.k. mps vote to extend pre-charge detention
amnesty international’s briefing on the counter-terrorism bill 2008

peace out <3

last rites? -- supreme court refuses to hear troy davis appeal!

an execution warrant has been issued for troy davis for the week of october 27...this follows the refusal on tuesday by the u.s. supreme court to hear troy davis' appeal...

the court had been asked to rule whether the death penalty is barred for an individual with a strong claim of innocence...by refusing to hear this case, the supreme court clearly demonstrates the immorality of the death penalty system...

mr. davis' serious claims of innocence, which include the recantation of 7 out of 9 witnesses, have never been heard in court...further, no murder weapon was found and no physical evidence linked davis to the crime...

over 200,000 petitions have been collected from all over the world demanding justice for troy davis...

urge the georgia board of pardons and paroles to grant clemency to mr. davis
learn more about troy davis
read amnesty international's press release
read troy's message to his supporters

peace out <3

once is never enough - turkey expels refugees for second time...

turkish law enforcement officials have expelled the same group of uzbekistani refugees into Iranian territory for the second time in one month...at least twenty-four uzbekistani nationals are believed to have been rounded up by turkish police in van in eastern turkey on saturday and taken to an unknown location...

despite the efforts of human rights organisations in turkey throughout saturday night and sunday, it was not possible to secure their release...the united nation's refugee agency (unhcr) in turkey confirmed on monday that the group had been deported to iran...

a month ago, on 12 september, 21 of the 24 uzbekistani refugees were forced into iranian territory by turkish law enforcement officials...during this first deportation, members of the group were alleged to have been beaten up and women and girls threatened with rape unless they left turkey...

the refugees were subsequently held hostage by an unnamed group in Iran that threatened to kill them...they were released after a week following the payment of a ransom of u.s.$5,000, allowing them to return irregularly to turkey...

amnesty international has described the actions of the turkish officials as a "flagrant disregard for international standards protecting the rights of refugees and asylum-seekers,"...

the human rights organization has called on the turkish authorities to conduct a prompt and impartial investigation into the circumstances of the illegal deportation of the refugees, including children, from van to iran, and expressed deep concern at the lack of information regarding their whereabouts and wellbeing...said nicola duckworth, europe and central asia programme director at amnesty international:

"This illegal deportation has gone ahead in violation of international standards, which grant protection to recognised refugees and asylum seekers whilst their claims are determined. The government should make sure this kind of deportation does not happen again. After all that they have been through, these refugees returned to Turkey in the belief that they would be safe. Instead they are again in danger in Iran. The Iranian authorities must undertake to ensure their safety in Iran. Furthermore, the authorities must not send them back to Uzbekistan where they are at risk of torture and other ill-treatment."

peace out <3

satellite images reveal civilian victims...

"We were just civilians. They must have made a mistake--why else would they bomb us?"

—A man from Karbi, South Ossetia, describing the bombing of his village —

the evidence is clear...new images released today by amnesty international usa reveal that all parties to the conflict between georgia and russia committed serious human rights violations...

photographs from satellites and amnesty international missions to the conflict zone reveal indiscriminate attacks against civilians, extensive looting, and damage to property of ethnic georgians...

only a full investigation can bring accountability for the perpetrators and justice for the victims...

protect civilians affected by the georgia-russia conflict
slideshow of images from the ground
more on georgia and the satellite images

peace out <3

amnesty international salutes nobel peace laureate, 2008...

amnesty international today paid tribute to martti ahtisaari, the winner of this year’s nobel peace prize, recognized for his important work around the world in conflict resolution in places where grave human rights abuses were taking place...

“We welcome and celebrate the decision to award the Nobel Peace Prize to Martti Ahtisaari,” said. This recognises the great work he has done to resolve conflict around the world. In places like Aceh this has been vital to the work of Amnesty International in enabling us to confront the grave human rights abuses that are a mark of such conflict zones.”

- Irene Khan, Secretary General of Amnesty International -

amnesty international has worked with martti ahtisaari over the years, particularly on aceh in indonesia where abductions, torture and unlawful killings took place on a daily basis prior to the resolution of the conflict in this troubled region...

amnesty international was awarded the nobel peace prize in 1977...the organization is a worldwide movement of more than 2.2 million members in more than 150 countries and regions who campaign for internationally recognized human rights for all...

peace out <3

pro-democracy activists in syria face 15 years in prison...

twelve pro-democracy activists, currently on trial in syria, face up to 15 years in prison for calling for democratic reform and respect for human rights...

the activists were arrested in december 2007 and january 2008, after taking part in a meeting of the broad-based opposition coalition, the damascus declaration for democratic national change (dddnc)...tens of other participants were arrested but later released without charge...

the 12 activists are being charged with "weakening national sentiment", "broadcasting false or exaggerated news which could affect the morale of the country", joining "an organization formed with the purpose of changing the financial or social status of the state" and "inciting sectarian strife"...they are being tried before the damascus criminal court and a verdict is expected on 29 october...

trial proceedings so far have been marked by serious irregularities...the 12 activists were initially held incommunicado in damascus by the state security branch for up to several weeks, during which time most have said that they were beaten and coerced into signing false "confessions"...their access to lawyers has been restricted, while the lawyers themselves have been denied copies of the case file...

amnesty international is among several organizations to have voiced concern over the allegations of torture and other ill-treatment, but no official investigation has been conducted by the syrian authorities...

the organization considers all 12 to be prisoners of conscience detained solely for peacefully exercising their rights to freedom of expression and to freedom of assembly and association...the organization calls for them to be released immediately and unconditionally and for all charges against them to be dropped...

the dddnc, established in october 2005, is an unauthorized coalition of political parties, human rights organizations and pro-democracy activists. It brings together groups of different tendencies, including arab nationalist, islamic, kurdish, leftist and liberal...

on 1 december 2007, around 170 members held a meeting to elect the leadership of the dddnc national council; feda'a al-horani was elected president, while akram al-bunni and ahmad to'meh were both elected to the senior position of secretary...

these three were arrested along with dr walid al-bunni; arabic literature teacher and literary critic jabr al-shoufi; journalist 'ali al-'abdullah; journalist and writer fayez sarah; dr yasser al-'eit;, people’s democratic party member muhammed haji darwish; geological engineer marwan al-‘ush; former independent member of parliament riad seif and artist talal abu dan...

the dddnc has called on the syrian government to suspend the state of emergency in force since 1963...the coalition has also urged the authorities to release all political prisoners; to allow the safe return of syrian exiles; to abolish law 49, which makes membership of the muslim brotherhood punishable by death; and to uphold the universal declaration of human rights...

syria: repressing dissent: pro-democracy activists on trial in syria

peace out <3

in case you missed this temporary good news on t davis...

just two hours before troy davis was to be executed on september 23, the u.s. supreme court issued a stay of execution to consider his appeal...their decision is expected very soon...

this followed a stunning refusal by the georgia board of pardons and paroles to grant clemency in this case...mr. davis' serious claims of innocence, which include the recantation of 7 out of 9 witnesses, have never been heard in court...further, no murder weapon was found and no physical evidence linked davis to the crime...

over 200,000 petitions have been collected from all over the world demanding justice for troy davis...

add your name to the list of those urging clemency for mr. davis
learn more about troy davis
read amnesty international's press release
read troy's message to his supporters

peace out <3

moroccan blogger freed...

on 18 september 2008, the court of appeal in agadir, morocco, overturned the two-year sentence imposed on blogger mohamed erraji by the court of first instance for "lack of respect for the king,"...the court dropped all charges against him on the grounds of procedural irregularities in the previous trial...

amnesty international has welcomed the decision by the court of appeal...the organization stressed that mohamed erraji should never have been charged in the first place...

amnesty international has called on the moroccan authorities to promptly abolish all provisions in moroccan law that violate the fundamental right to freedom of expression...

mohamed erraji became the first blogger to be sentenced to two years imprisonment on monday 8 september...he was also fined 5,000 dirhams (us$625) for “lack of respect due to the King,”...

read more...

moroccan blogger jailed for peacefully expressing his views

peace out <3

southern regional conference: our rights, our history, our ision...

40 years ago, dr. king went to memphis to support black sanitation workers organizing for just labor conditions...tragically, he was assassinated there, but his legacy and our human rights movement continues...king knew that for people to have dignity, they needed all their rights-not just civil rights, but also economic rights...

60 years ago, the universal declaration of human rights was proclaimed at the united nations. It's the foundation of the international human rights framework, enshrining the full spectrum of our rights - civil, political, economic, social and cultural...

please join us this year for our annual southern regional conference...we will explore the connections between these indivisible rights, celebrate our history of struggles, study today's global and domestic rights issues, learn skills to make change and build stronger ties with each other to advance our vision of universal human rights for today and tomorrow...

save the date! plan ahead!

conference brochure click here

peace out <3

no truth, no justice 40 years after mexico city massacre...

forty years ago, the mexican army opened fire on students peacefully demonstrating in tlatelolco, mexico city, on 2 october 1968...estimates vary on how many people were killed, but the massacre remains one of the worst incidents of mass killing in mexico’s history...

1968 was a year where students and activists around the world rose up to change their reality and, in many places, they clashed with the authorities...

students shut down campuses across the usa as riots and anti-war marches spread across the country. 80,000 marched against the vietnam war in london and the civil rights movement in northern ireland gained impetus...in may, students in paris rose up, followed by a huge public strike...there was widespread popular opposition in czechoslovakia as soviet troops suppressed political reforms...

and, in downtown mexico city, just days before the 1968 olympics opened, police, military and unidentified armed men surrounded la plaza de las tres culturas, tlatelolco...the square was full of people demonstrating against police brutality as part of a general student strike that followed the beating of students by the anti-riot police "los granaderos" in july...

at about 6pm, they opened fire, from armoured vehicles using heavy weapons and soldiers on foot carrying bayonet rifles...they fired on the square packed with students and on surrounding residential buildings...forty-four bodies were eventually released by the government – ten have still not been identified...

and, four decades later, the mexican government still hasn’t given answers to questions surrounding the massacre that took place in mexico city, according to amnesty international...javier zúñiga, now a special advisor at amnesty international, then a lecturer at the national school of agriculture, had brought his wife and two-year-old daughter to what was expected to be a peaceful event...they witnessed the arrival of government troops from a nearby bridge overlooking the square...said javier zúñiga:

"Forty years on from the Tlatelolco massacre, so many disturbing questions remain unanswered - Who ordered the massacre? For how long had it been planned? How many were killed? Who are those whose bodies still have not been identified? It was getting dark at the time the gunfire started, so it was difficult to see exactly what was happening, but I remember, as clearly now as at the time, that the army moved into the square before the gunfire started and not as a consequence of it, as many government sources have maintained. People panicked and started running in different directions crying ‘the army is coming, the army is coming!’ Before long, it seemed as if the square was full with bodies. I went back early the following morning and saw piles of belts and shoes. Pools of blood remained on the ground despite obvious efforts to wash them away. I also saw large bullet holes on concrete pillars at adult head height."

despite continuous efforts by victims, relatives and participants in the student movement to establish the truth of what occurred that night, the full facts have never been established and those responsible have not been held to account...added kerrie howard, deputy director of the americas programme at amnesty international:

"The failure of the Mexican government to establish the truth of what happened on the night of 2 October 1968 has left a deep scar in Mexican society that can only be healed by full disclosure, bringing the perpetrators to justice, and providing reparations to the victims or their families. President Calderón’s government has been all but silent on this dark chapter in Mexico’s history. We challenge this administration to open all relevant archives and records, establish a new and independent inquiry, and lift the obstacles preventing those responsible for this horrific crime being brought to justice."

the organization called on mexican president felipe calderón to establish once and for all the truth behind the massacre that took place in la plaza de las tres culturas, tlatelolco, mexico city, just days before the 1968 olympics opened...it also urged the government to provide justice and reparations for the families of the victims...

peace out <3

update: u.n. promises for human rights...

nearly 200 people came out during the u.n. general assembly (ny) to remind u.n. member states of their commitment to protect the people of darfur...

despite previous promises made by the u.n. security council and many u.n. member states to provide enough resources to darfur, critical equipment is lacking and not even half of the approved troops are on the ground...every day u.n. member states delay, more die in darfur...

all u.n. member states also pledged to achieve u.n. millennium development goals (mdg) - eight big picture goals aiming to improve social conditions in developing countries - by 2015...of all the mdgs, the least progress has been made to improve maternal health...

tell the un security council: delays are killing darfur
see pictures from the ny demonstration
the senate is about to act on the right to maternal health -- help ensure they pass senate resolution 616
read amnesty international's letter to president bush on the mdgs
peace out <3

call on prime minister of bosnia and herzegovina to protect sarajevo lgbt community...

the first sarajevo queer festival began on 24 september 2008...it included exhibitions, performances, public discussions and films...however, the attacks at the end of the first day left eight people injured and forced the organizers, a non-governmental organization udruzenje q, to close the rest of the festival to the public and eventually cancel the whole event...

in the run-up to the festival, some politicians and certain parts of the media in bosnia and herzegovina created an atmosphere of hostility that legitimated attacks against the organizers and participants of the festival...a number of websites have called for the organizers of the festival to be lynched, stoned, doused with petrol or expelled from the country...appeals have also been made to the public to disrupt the festival. It had been feared that this could incite violence around the event...

in a letter to the prime minister of bosnia and herzegovina nikola spiric sent before the festival began,..amnesty international expressed concerns at the increasing atmosphere of intimidation against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in the country and called on him to ensure that their rights are protected...

to date, amnesty international has not received an answer...the apparent lack of adequate measures by the authorities to guarantee an atmosphere free of intimidation and violence for the festival shows that the organization’s recommendations have not been heeded...

amnesty international is concerned at the death threats that have been continually issued on the internet against individual gay rights activists, including a youtube film showing digitally manipulated images of one of the organizers to make them look as if they were beheaded...the safety of the participants has been put in danger by the local media, including dnevni avaz, nezavisne novine and oslobodjenje, after they published the names of all individuals who were injured during the attacks...

amnesty international calls on the authorities to promptly and thoroughly investigate the attacks and bring those responsible to justice...the organization also calls on the authorities to provide adequate security for the organizers and participants of the festival even after the festival has finished...

to take action click here...

peace out <3

it's said to be a theatrical masterpiece...

it's said to be a theatrical masterpiece...

friday & saturday, october 17 & 18 7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.

capital hill arts workshop
545 seventh st, se
washington, dc

the improbable bravery and beauty of survivors of torture in abu ghraib prison is told through the artistic eyes of jennifer schelter using the medium of yoga...from real life interviews of iraqi detainees, jennifer has created a powerful one-woman, one-act theatrical masterpiece...

peace out <3