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| 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.
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| 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 -- |
