Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Human Rights Action Update April 23-29

Miriam, human rights defender, 1947-2012

A FEW CHANGES

In light of the retirement of the Titan and Pollyanna blogs, we are moving the CHARITY CORNER to this blog and will ask you each week to consider donating to a chosen charity. We will refer you to those we consider relevant to the thrust of this blog and who meet standards of efficiency and transparency as reviewed by reliable monitoring agencies. We will also send this blog to the readers of Titan and Pollyanna. There will be some unavoidable overlap, so if you receive this blog link twice, we apologize.

EMBASSY FINDER Survival International provides a useful tool for locating the embassy of any country in your country.

CHARITY CORNER 

This week the overriding need is for aid to the victims of the devastating earthquake in Nepal.  Please help out with a donation. We recommend the Mercy Corps who are usually the first to respond and are already on the ground there.
A massive 7.8 earthquake in Nepal has shattered hundreds of thousands of people’s lives. Homes and buildings were reduced to rubble by the worst quake to hit the region in 80 years. 

INDIGENOUS PEOPLE


Indigenous tribes do not simply die out. They are killed by the actions of so-called civilized nations. Survival International provides a long list of cases in which a letter from you can and will make a difference. Please open this link and write at least one letter. This link will be a permanent feature on our blog and we would be grateful if you gave it a bit of attention each week. We suggest going down the list in the order given. The letters are pre-written for you. All you need to do is send them. It would be nice also if a donation to Survival International could be forthcoming.
Palawan planting upland rice in the Philippines.
Palawan planting upland rice in the Philippines.
© Dario Novellino

This week we focus on the the Palawan who live in the south of Palawan Island in the Philippines, both in the mountainous interior and in the lowlands. There are around 40,000 Palawan in total. Some of those in the interior are very isolated and have little contact with outsiders. They are under severe threat from mining interests. Please write to the Philippine government, with a copy to your local Philippine embassy,  on their behalf. A letter text is available on the site.


MEXICO 

Mexican police tortured Adrián Vasquez Lagunes in order to accuse him of serious crimes. He has been detained since September 2012 in the northern city of Tijuana. All the evidence against him was obtained under torture and on other violations of due process. On 7 April 2015 three of the possible torturers were charged. The authorities must release Adrián Vasquez and bring all responsible to account. Please act on his behalf.

COLOMBIA 

Members of the Indigenous community of Cerro Tijeras in northern Cauca Department, south-western Colombia, have been killed and others possibly forcibly disappeared. Further death threats against Indigenous Peoples in the area have also been reported. Please join the outcry.

Israel/OPT: Palestinian parliamentarian charged

The Israeli military brought 12 charges against Palestinian parliamentarian Khalida Jarrar on 15 April. They will review her eligibility for bail on 29 April but she is also being held under a system allowing indefinite detention without charge which precludes release on remand.  Please act.

EUROPEAN UNION 

EU migration policies are putting lives at risk


Every year millions of people around the world are forced from their homes by conflict, persecution and poverty.  Only a small proportion of these seek sanctuary and a better life in the European Union.  But EU countries are increasingly determined to keep them out.  In the last few years they have been busy building fences, real and invisible, that have raised the stakes for those still desperate enough to risk the journey.

Every year hundreds of people die trying to reach Europe’s shores. Countless others are violently pushed back at Europe’s borders or trapped in neighboring countries that do not respect their rights. Please sign the petition to the leaders of Europe.

MAKING A DIFFERENCE FOR WORKING PEOPLE

Eric Lee sums up the last year for Labor Start. Thanks to all who helped.

Reza Shahabi, a leader of the bus workers' union in Tehran.  Jailed since 2010.  Over 8,000 of you sent messages demanding his release in a LabourStart campaign last year.  Please support our campaigns by making a donation today --








Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Human Rights Update

Miriam, human rights defender, 1947-2012
The blog has been silent for a few weeks because of vacation in Canada and the USA. The human rights violators never take vacation, alas.

EMBASSY FINDER
Survival International provides a useful tool for locating the embassy of any country in your country.


GOOD NEWS

USA 

Celia Ismalej and her 18-month-old son have been released from detention after being granted asylum protection in the USA.

INDIGENOUS PEOPLE

Indigenous tribes do not simply die out. They are killed by the actions of so-called civilized nations. Survival International provides a long list of cases in which a letter from you can and will make a difference. Please open this link and write at least one letter. This link will be a permanent feature on our blog and we would be grateful if you gave it a bit of attention each week. We suggest going down the list in the order given. The letters are usually pre-written for you. All you need to do is send them. It would be nice also if a donation to Survival International could be forthcoming.
Khanty-profile_cropped
This week we focus on the Khanty people of Russia. They are semi-nomadic, as are most herding peoples. In their homeland, the Siberian taiga, temperatures can reach as low as -50 degrees Celsius, and little grows. Traditionally, the Khanty have moved around with their reindeer, sometimes staying in ‘chum’ (reindeer-skin teepees), and sometimes in log houses in which a fire is kept burning at all times. They need your help badly. The Khanty were persecuted under the Soviet regime in the 1930s – their children taken and put in boarding schools and their shamans killed – but today it is oil companies which threaten them. Oil exploitation on Khanty land is polluting their forests and sacred lakes, killing the reindeer and scaring off other game. Please take action in accordance with the suggestions of Survival International at the bottom of the page. There is no pre-written letter this week.

UZBEKISTAN 

The horror of the regime is indescribable. Please read the link and sign the petition of Amnesty International.

 

RUSSIA 

On 15 April 2015, the Kirsanovskii District Court in Tambov Region rejected Yevgeniy Vitishko’s request for parole. His defence team is going to appeal the decision.  Please join the protest.

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO

Four human right activists were arrested in Goma on 7 April, when they were encouraging bystanders to take part in a symbolic action to demand the release of their colleagues held in secret detention in Kinshasa. Please act.
 

CAMEROON 

Foudama Ousmane has been detained for more than six months without charge. He has lost sight in both eyes and contracted pulmonary tuberculosis while in custody. He is not receiving the health care that he needs. Please write on his behalf.
 

SWAZILAND

Attacks on trade unionists intensify.  Please act. Erase my details and insert your own.