Human Rights Action Update September 24-30

Miriam, human rights defender, 1947-2012

HE WHO PERMITS OPPRESSION PERMITS CRIMES.-Erasmus

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 this link. https://embassy-finder.com/

CHARITY CORNER 

In the wake of the closing of the Titan and Pollyanna blogs, we are continuing the charity corner here. This week, we return to the Afya Foundation, which serves as a funnel to move usable health equipment and supplies from hospitals in the US where it is surplus to institutions in the Third World that need it. We quote their mission statement: "Afya’s Vision Afya aims to provide an environmentally responsible solution to the dire shortage of healthcare supplies in underserved communities globally. How it works?Afya collects and delivers critically needed surplus medical supplies, hospital equipment, and humanitarian provisions for acute and ongoing health crises worldwide." Please donate.

THE STRUGGLE AGAINST SLAVERY  

We have added a new section to the blog in order to join the struggle against slavery worldwide. We refer you to the site of Walk Free where you can find a large number of campaigns against manifestations of slavery in different countries. The number of people living in slavery is of the order of 35 million, which indicates the extent of the problem. We suggest that you look up the Fair Trade movement in your country and make an effort to avoid buying slave-produced products.   Look for this logo:

Please join the call for a world without slavery!

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 want to confront the wrong assumption that tribal people benefit from being brought into the so-called mainstream. In fact, the opposite is true. When  left to their own devices on their own land, the prosper and thrive, as do the forest animals with which they have coexisted for countless generations. Please join the campaign to protect the land and resources of the tribal people of India, who are being evicted in the name of protection of the tiger. As you can see, the tourists harass the tiger much more than its natural neighbors.

Tiger and tourists

EL SALVADOR 

Stand in solidarity with women imprisoned in El Salvador! Show your support for women in El Salvador who have been jailed after experiencing complications with their pregnancies.

USA 

Kimber Edwards is due to be executed in Missouri on 6 October. He was sentenced to death in 2002 for the murder-for-hire of his former wife. The man who shot the victim and who is serving a life sentence now claims that Kimber Edwards was not involved. Please act on his  behalf.

CHINA 

Call on China’s President to release Liu Ping immediately © Private

Human rights campaigner, Liu Ping, has been sentenced to six-and-a-half years in jail for her work trying to expose corruption in China. Please call for her release.

SAUDI ARABIA 

Ali al-Nimr is facing execution for offenses he allegedly committed when he was just 17 years old. Police arrested Ali and then tortured him to secure a signed confession. His offenses were demonstrating against the government, attacking security forces and possessing a weapon.

Not only was Ali's investigation and trial unfair, but he wasn’t allowed to see his lawyer. Facing the real prospect of death, he has now exhausted all appeals and has no one to turn to but us. Please act in any way that you can. There is also an AVAAZ petition that you may sign. 

RUSSIAN FEDERATION 

Tatar activist and outspoken government critic, Rafis Kashapov, was sentenced to three years in prison on 15 September for criticizing the Russian government. Please take action.

Human Rights Action Update, Sept. 17-23

This is a week of holidays. We are just winding down Yom Kippur


and Eid el Adha is coming up the next day:


Succot is also coming up.  Happy holidays to all who celebrate.

HE WHO PERMITS OPPRESSION PERMITS CRIMES.-Erasmus

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 this link. https://embassy-finder.com/

CHARITY CORNER 

In the wake of the closing of the Titan and Pollyanna blogs, we are continuing the charity corner here. This week we are referring you to the Dalit Freedom Network of Canada. This charity is engaged in helping the lowest caste, Dalit, people of India. Their mission statement:
"We are a group of Canadians joining hands with an international network of people who care about India’s oppressed Dalits. We strive to free the Dalits through education and empowerment." 
The charity is highly rated and we recommend that you support 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 ask you to help the Guaneri tribe of Brazil. Members of one of Brazil’s most persecuted tribes have been kidnapped by the ranchers who occupy their land, who have also attacked their community and forced women and children to flee. The Guarani Indians of Pyelito Kuê community reoccupied a fraction of their ancestral land two days ago, and have been under attack ever since. One Guarani woman was reportedly raped and beaten up, and is now in hospital.

The community of Guarani leader Lide has been brutally attacked by ranchers' gunmen.

© Survival International, 2015

Please open the link and take whatever steps you can of those suggested to help.

THE STRUGGLE AGAINST SLAVERY  

We have added a new section to the blog in order to join the struggle against slavery worldwide. We refer you to the site of Walk Free where you can find a large number of campaigns against manifestations of slavery in different countries. The number of people living in slavery is of the order of 35 million, which indicates the extent of the problem. We suggest that you look up the Fair Trade movement in your country and make an effort to avoid buying slave-produced products.   Look for this logo:

Estimates show that in the United States, over 1.6 million children under age 18 experience homelessness in a given year, and more than 46,000 children and young people can be found living on the streets on any given night.
 

Too often, they go unnoticed, quietly trafficked into forced labor or the commercial sex industry. Please support the continuation and strengthening of The Runaway and Homeless Youth and Trafficking Prevention Act (H.R.1779, S.262), which ensures life-saving housing, food, and support reaches these children and young people, and helps protect them from traffickers.

GOOD NEWS Yes our protests work!

 KENYA 

The planned forced eviction of thousands of residents from the Deep Sea informal settlement in Nairobi has been halted temporarily. The European Union (EU) has agreed to dialogue with Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA) to ensure that the eviction of the residents, to allow for the construction of a road project, is done in compliance with international human rights standards.

INDIA 

The Supreme Court in India has ordered the Delhi police to provide protection to two sisters and their family after they fled their village in Baghpat, Uttar Pradesh, fearing for their safety. The sisters had been ordered to be raped by the unelected all-male village council, which led to an international outcry and a huge number of appeals from Amnesty International activists.

URGENT ACTION CASES

VENEZUALA

 Opposition leader Leopoldo López has been sentenced to 13 years and 9 months in prison. He is a prisoner of conscience and must be released immediately and unconditionally. Please act on his behalf.

MYANMAR 

Prominent student unionist Nandar Sitt Aung is being detained for his role helping organize student protests in Myanmar. He faces up to fifteen years and six months’ imprisonment. He is a prisoner of conscience. Please act to demand his release.

TAJIKISTAN

Thirteen members of the Islamic Renaissance Party of Tajikistan (IRPT) whom the authorities accuse of links to armed violence are at risk of torture and unfair trial, following their arrests on 16-17 September. Their arrests follow years of harassment of IRPT members and the Ministry of Justice’s order to disband it in August. Please act to protect them from torture and ill-treatment. Also call for the enforcement of freedom of association in Tajikistan.

Human Rights Action Update September 9-16

Miriam, human rights defender, 1947-2012

HE WHO PERMITS OPPRESSION PERMITS CRIMES.-Erasmus

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 this link. https://embassy-finder.com/

CHARITY CORNER 

In the wake of the closing of the Titan and Pollyanna blogs, we are continuing the charity corner here. This week, we are again overwhelmed by the refugee crisis in Syria and Europe. We recommend that you donate to help these unfortunate people via Mercy Corps who have a wonderful record of crisis help. Please donate.

Mariam and her family had a house and a comfortable life in Syria. But now, as refugees in Lebanon, they face a very different reality — each day they struggle to stay safe and healthy in the tent settlement they now call home. Photo: Corinna Robbins/Mercy Corps

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 want to confront the wrong assumption that tribal people benefit from being brought into the so-called mainstream. In fact, the opposite is true. When  left to their own devices on their own land, the prosper and thrive. Please join the campaign to protect the land and resources of the tribal people of India

Soliga children, Karnataka. The Soliga told the government that they would rather be poisoned than leave their land. Their rights to their forests are now protected.

THE STRUGGLE AGAINST SLAVERY  

We have added a new section to the blog in order to join the struggle against slavery worldwide. We refer you to the site of Walk Free where you can find a large number of campaigns against manifestations of slavery in different countries. The number of people living in slavery is of the order of 35 million, which indicates the extent of the problem. We suggest that you look up the Fair Trade movement in your country and make an effort to avoid buying slave-produced products.   Look for this logo:

Clothes, phones, even the food we eat – every aspect of our modern lives could be tainted by modern slavery at some point during the production process. If you want to be sure the goods you buy are slavery free, take action now.




 

RUSSIA 

Good news for all! The three activists of the pilots union, Alexei Shlyapnokov, Valeriy Pimoshenko and Sergei Knyshov, have had their convictions overturned and are now free, albeit awaiting a new trial. This is not a complete victory, but it shows what international pressure can achieve. Cheers!!

MALAYSIA 

An opposition parliamentarian, and eight other politicians and activists, have been charged by a Malaysian court for taking part in peaceful protests in February and March. Please act if possible.

BRAZIL 

The right to life is fundamental to all humans. At least two people were killed and one seriously injured in police operations in favelas in Rio de Janeiro on 8 and 9 September. Two boys, aged 13 and 16, were shot dead and a 33-year-old woman was shot in the face and is in grave condition. Residents of one favela report that police operations are still ongoing, with heavy shooting. Please act.

ECUADOR 

Ecuadorian organization Fundamedios is at risk of being closed down by the authorities. This NGO focuses on freedom of expression. The action appears to be an attempt to restrict freedom of association and expression in Ecuador and interfere with the legitimate work of Human Rights Defenders and NGOs. Other organizations are at risk of being closed down. Please raise your voice.

KYRGYZSTAN

In an unprecedented union busting attack Chinese-owned oil company Zhongda, operating in Kyrgyzstan, has fired an elected trade union leader and blocked his access to the company in violation of the national legislation. LabourStart and IndustriALL are launching a campaign to reinstate the union leader and stop union busting. Please join the campaign.
 

FINLAND 

Finland's new right-wing coalition government has announced plans to unilaterally cut pay and benefits negotiated through collective bargaining through legislation which violates basic trade union rights, Conventions of the ILO and international and European human rights instruments. They are asking for solidarity and support. Please help.

Human Rights Action Update September 4-10

Miriam, human rights defender, 1947-2012

SHANA TOVA We wish all our Jewish readers a Shana Tova, a happy New Year. The Hebrew Calendar New Year falls on Monday Sept. 14 and Tuesday Sept. 15.

HE WHO PERMITS OPPRESSION PERMITS CRIMES.-Erasmus

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 this link. https://embassy-finder.com/

CHARITY CORNER 

In the wake of the closing of the Titan and Pollyanna blogs, we are continuing the charity corner here. This week, we are overwhelmed by the refugee crisis in Syria and Europe. We recommend that you donate to help these unfortunate people via Mercy Corps who have a wonderful record of crisis help. Please donate.

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 want to discuss an urgent case of an emerging community that requires protection. Brazil’s Indian Affairs Department has announced that a highly vulnerable group of uncontacted Indians has emerged from the forest on the Peru-Brazil border and made first contact with a settled indigenous community, having fled from illegal logging in Peru. Uncontacted Indians in this region face imminent “tragedy” and “death”, according to experts.

Contact could be disastrous for the Indians, as they lack immunity to common diseases spread by outsiders. They are some of the most vulnerable people on the planet and they depend entirely on their land for their survival.

The 'Man of the Hole's' house and garden where he grows manioc and other vegetables, Brazil.
© J. Pessoa

Please write to the Peruvian and Brazilian governments urging them to immediately implement measures to ensure the Indians’ lands and lives are protected.

THE STRUGGLE AGAINST SLAVERY  

She should not be in a brothel

We have added a new section to the blog in order to join the struggle against slavery worldwide. We refer you to the site of Walk Free where you can find a large number of campaigns against manifestations of slavery in different countries. The number of people living in slavery is of the order of 35 million, which indicates the extent of the problem. We suggest that you look up the Fair Trade movement in your country and make an effort to avoid buying slave-produced products.   Look for this logo:

This week we focus on the exploitation of children for prostitution in Kenya. Please call upon the government of Kenya to declare zero tolerance of commercial sexual exploitation of children, backed by regular monitoring and law enforcement.

TURKEY 

We call for solidarity with human rights defender Kemal Ördek who was raped, robbed and assaulted in Ankara, Turkey and ask you join Turkish and international human rights organizations to demand an immediate, effective and impartial investigation into the attacks against Kemal.

Kemal Ördek is one of the founders of the Red Umbrella Sexual Health and Human Rights Association, an organization promoting and advocating for the rights of sex workers and documenting grave abuses in Turkey.
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NIGERIA 

Thousands are at risk of forcible eviction in Kaduna state in Nigeria, after receiving demolition notices giving them just 21 days to demolish their own houses. If they fail to do so, the state will carry out the demolitions and they will be liable for reimbursing the cost. Ninety-two houses have already been demolished, 267 more are at risk. Please act.

UZBEKHISTAN 

Muhammad Bekzhanov has spent the last 16 years in prison following an unfair trial which sentenced him on the basis of a confession he gave under torture. Muhammad Bekzhanov was beaten, suffocated, and given electric shocks. No effective investigation into any of these allegations of torture has ever been conducted. Please join the protest.

MEXICO 

In Mexico torture is out of control and victims are failed by a government that does not guarantee effective investigations. In most cases, forensic experts fail to document physical and mental signs of torture. When they do, they often reach unfounded conclusions which tend to rule out torture and stop any further investigation. Please call for action and for objective forensic medicine.

CHINA 

Lawyer Zhang Kai has long been a staunch advocate for the Christian community on the mainland. Photo Simon Song

Persecution of Christians continues. A prominent human rights lawyer and his two assistants have been detained in China as part of a wider crackdown on activists who are resisting the
removal of crosses from churches. Please speak up for religious freedom and human rights.