Wednesday, April 5, 2017

Human Rights Action update March 29-April 5

Miriam, human rights defender, 1947-2012


 WE WISH ALL OUR JEWISH AND CHRISTIAN READERS AND FRIENDS A HAPPY PASSOVER AND EASTER.

Disclaimer: Any ads or commercial material appearing with this blog have been placed there without permission of the owner of the blog. Please ignore them.

 

HE WHO PERMITS OPPRESSION PERMITS CRIMES.-Erasmus (1466-1536)

Holbein-erasmus.jpg
Desiderius Erasmus in 1523 as depicted by Hans Holbein the Younger. The Greek and Latin words on the book translate to "The Herculean Labors of Erasmus of Rotterdam".
    

EMBASSY FINDER 

Survival International provides a useful tool for locating the embassy of any country in your country. http://embassy.goabroad.com/ You can also find embassies at https://embassy-finder.com/

CHARITY CORNER

This week we recommend Unitaf, a charity that provides services for migrant and refugee children who lack official status in Israel.
More than 4000
children and babies spend their lives in neglected  warehouses in south Tel Aviv. Unitaf was created to give them a better future.
Please donate to this worthy cause.

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.
This week we raise the issue of enforced "progress." and its deadly effect on uncontacted tribes.  For example:


Please open the links and post them wherever you can.

THE STRUGGLE AGAINST SLAVERY

We have added this section to the blog in order to join the struggle against slavery worldwide. This week we refer you to the the ILO’s Protocol on Forced Labor which is all about modern slavery. We call your attention to the anti slavery campaign. There you can sign up for action updates.The importance of checking your sellers' supply chains cannot be overemphasized.
tackling-modern-slavery-preview
You can download this book

Look for these logos:

 













  Find a campaign to work for. Light must be made to shine in the darkest of places.  Think of
Uzbekistan when you shop for clothing.

Forced labour. Old woman picking cotton in Uzbekistan
Over a million people are estimated to be forced to pick cotton in Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan by their own governments every year.

CUBA 

Urgent Action Update: Prisoner Of Conscience Siblings Released

A family of four human rights defenders were arrested in HolguĂ­n, south-east Cuba, following the death of Fidel Castro. The three siblings, who began a hunger strike on 7 March, have been set free under conditional release. Their mother, Maydolis Leyva Portelles, currently under house arrest, remains a prisoner of conscience and must be released immediately and unconditionally. Please call for her release.

CHINA 

Urgent Action Update: Risk of Unfair Trial for Forcibly Returned Activist

Chinese activist Dong Guangping will be tried in April 2017 for “subverting state power” and “crossing the national border illegally”. Detained since his forcible return to China in November 2015, he has had no access to his family or a lawyer of his choice and is at risk of an unfair trial. Please act on his behalf.












USA

Urgent Action: Juror's And Victim's Parents Oppose Execution

Paul Storey, aged 32, is scheduled to be executed in Texas on 12 April. Among those who are calling for clemency are the parents of the man he was convicted of killing in 2006. One of the jurors who voted for the death sentence also opposes the execution. Please call for clemency. 

WORLD 

Stand with Rajendra - demand action on chrysotile asbestos now

    In partnership with Union Aid Abroad APHEDA, the global justice organization of the Australian union movement.


Rajendra Pevekar is a victim of the deadly global asbestos industry. His father worked in an asbestos company. As a result, both he and his mother now suffer from asbestos-related disease from secondary exposure.
 


Rajendra will speak out on behalf of the 107,000 people who die annually from asbestos-related disease. In May, the meeting of the Rotterdam Convention will take place in Geneva and Rajendra will face representatives from countries who are blocking asbestos from being added to the list of hazardous chemicals. Click and stand with Rajendra and all the other victims of asbestos-related disease.