Human Rights Action Update Jan. 14-21

Miriam, human rights defender, 1947-2012

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

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 focus on the Baka or so-called "pygmy" people of Cameroon. The development of protected areas in southeast Cameroon has progressively robbed the Baka “Pygmies” of access to their ancestral lands. They are regularly harassed, arrested and even tortured by wildlife officers and the soldiers that accompany them. The World Wildlife Foundation is responsible for these actions. Please click on the site and go to the email action to call for the cessation of abuse of the Baka people. To help arouse your outrage, we quote "A government official has openly admitted that torture is not only acceptable but necessary in the fight against poaching."

Wildlife officers attacked this woman with pepper spray and destroyed her cooking pots.

© Survival International

COLOMBIA 

This week we have two UA requests from the same country. Both deal with harassment of human rights defenders. One is about woman harassed for fighting sexual violence

Two men forced their way into the home of human rights defender Blanca Nubia Díaz, demanding to see one of her daughters. Both women have faced threats and intimidation as they campaign for justice in a case of sexual violence. Please protest.
The other deals with death threats by paramilitary forces against dozens of human rights defenders, as well as trade unionists and land restitution claimants who have been threatened by the Black Eagles paramilitary group in Northern Colombia. The group has also labelled them guerrillas. Please protest on this issue as well.

NIGERIA 

Please sign a petition by AVAAZ against the reign of terror imposed by Boko Haram.

WORKERS RIGHTS

The world’s two largest cement makers, Lafarge and Holcim, recently announced they would merge. They have made it clear that the merger will benefit shareholders, however they have refused to make any commitments to the workers, many of whom will be spun off into another company or made redundant. They have also refused to allow workers and unions to be heard in the merger process. Now workers are fighting back. Unions at Lafarge and Holcim have launched a global campaign and want your support. Please join the campaign.