The Miriam Shlesinger Human Rights Action blog: October 2015

Wednesday, October 28, 2015

Human Rights Action update, October 21-28

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

Photo: REUTERS/FAYAZ AZIZ

In the wake of the closing of the Titan and Pollyanna blogs, we are continuing the charity corner here. This week, the humanitarian scene is dominated by natural disaster rather than human inhumanity. A massive 7.5 magnitude earthquake has struck in Afghanistan causing widespread loss of life and destruction. There are many ways you can help such as the Mercy Corps or Oxfam. The need is great--please make an effort to help.

INDIGENOUS PEOPLE

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:

This week we look at slave produced components of electronic devices. Most electronics devices contain minerals that originate in the mines of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, often called “conflict minerals.”

And as you read this, men, women and children are being threatened with force – often at gunpoint –to work in Congolese mines where conflict minerals for our electronics devices come from. Nintendo has yet to take steps to keep conflict minerals out of its supply chain. Please join the call to Nintendo to understand that slavery is not a game.

USA

Ernest Johnson, aged 55, is due to be executed in Missouri on 3 November. He was convicted of three murders committed during a robbery in 1994. There is evidence that he has intellectual disability, which would render his execution unconstitutional. Please call for Ernest Johnson’s execution to be stopped and for his death sentence to be commuted.

SINGAPORE

On 19 October the President of Singapore rejected the clemency petition of Malaysian national Kho Jabing. He is now at imminent risk of execution. Please join the call for clemency and for a an official moratorium on executions with a view to abolishing the death penalty, and commutation of all existing death sentences.

MYANMAR

Again we have two cases from Myanmar, where presumably totalitarian rule was supposed to be coming to an end. Five journalists have been sentenced to long prison terms for writing an article in a newspaper about an alleged chemical weapons plant.

Five reporters from Myanmar are in jail for doing their job © Amnesty International

In another case, a young student activist, the head of a students' union, along with other students has been arrested for "unlawful assembly." Please open the links and act for them.

Phyoe Phyoe Aung. © Private

RUSSIAN FEDERATION

Shop assistant Yekaterina Vologzheninova is facing trial on 27 October for “inciting hatred and enmity” against the Russian government and Russians fighting in eastern Ukraine. The charges stem from her posts on social media criticizing Russia’s annexation of Crimea and Russia’s involvement in Donbass, eastern Ukraine. Please call for a halt to the prosecution and for protection of the basic right of free expression.

AUSTRALIA

A 23-year-old Somali refugee, allegedly raped in July on the island nation of Nauru, in the Central Pacific, is now 15 weeks pregnant. She is in urgent need of an abortion and mental health care. After bringing her to Australia to terminate her pregnancy, which was not carried out, the government of Australia unlawfully returned her to Nauru, where her safety and health are at risk. Please call upon the government of Australia to protect and help this rape victim.

ESTONIA

Shop steward Sergey Mastepan has been fired from his job with Estonian stevedoring services company Transiidikeskus AS. He's been involved in raising awareness about poor working conditions and anti-union discrimination inside the company, including speaking out in a newspaper article and most recently giving a picket line speech. Please call for his reinstatement.

Wednesday, October 21, 2015

Human Rights action update October 15-21

Miriam, human rights defender, 1947-2012

HE WHO PERMITS OPPRESSION PERMITS CRIMES.-Erasmus

EMBASSY FINDER

ACQUITTAL IN ETHIOPIA

The acquittal of three bloggers by an Ethiopian court after 539 days in detention must not be dressed up as a victory for freedom of expression, said Amnesty International today. Natnael Feleke, Atnaf Berhane and Abel Wabela, who were tried on terrorism charges, were acquitted by the federal court today in Addis Ababa but have yet to be released. The fourth, Befeqadu Hailu, was also acquitted of terrorism charges but trial hearings on an incitement charge will continue. A fifth blogger, Soliyana Gebremichael, in exile in the USA, was also acquitted. Read more about the state of human rights in Ethiopia

CHARITY CORNER

In the wake of the closing of the Titan and Pollyanna blogs, we are continuing the charity corner here. This month as violence and counter-violence continue in Israel and the Occupied Territories, we refer you to the Palestine Children's Relief Fund.

Former Palestinian Cancer Patient Begins Treatment in North Carolina for a chance to walk again

Their mission statement speaks for itself: The Palestine Children's Relief Fund (PCRF) is a non-political organization established in 1991 by concerned people in the U.S. to address the medical and humanitarian crisis facing Palestinian youths in the Middle East. The main objective of the PCRF is to identify and treat every child in the Middle East in need of specialized surgery not available to them locally. We locate, sponsor and run volunteer medical missions to the Middle East in adult and pediatric cardiac surgery, pediatric cardiology, plastic and reconstructive surgery, maxillofacial surgery, pediatric urology, ophthalmology, vascular surgery, pediatric orthopedic surgery, occupational therapy, and other specialties. Since our founding, over 800 children have been, or currently are being treated, outside of the Middle East through the PCRF. They have a high rating from Charity Navigator.

INDIGENOUS PEOPLE

In the Brazilian Amazon, a tiny group of uncontacted Indians teeters on the brink of extinction. For years Survival has been pressing for their land to be recognized, but now loggers are invading. The tribe is forced to live on the run, fleeing violence from outsiders. Attacks and disease have killed their relatives. The loggers are getting closer. These are the Last of the Kawahiva. And their genocide will be complete unless their land is protected. You can help us secure it for them: Together, we can give the Kawahiva a future.

THE STRUGGLE AGAINST SLAVERY

This week we turn the spotlight on child slavery in Ghana. According to the International Labour Organization, a large proportion of victims of forced labour worldwide are trapped in domestic servitude. This includes Ghana where about 1.2 million children are forced to undertake hazardous child labor, some of whom are in child domestic servitude. Please open the site and send your protest to the Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection of Ghana.

MYANMAR

We have two cases from Myanmar this week. Both cases involve Facebook posts about the army, which is very thin-skinned.

1) A Kachin peace activist in Myanmar, Patrick Kum Jaa Lee, has been detained in connection with a Facebook post mocking the army. He is a prisoner of conscience, who must be released immediately and unconditionally. Please act on his behalf.

2)A 24-year-old woman in Myanmar, Chaw Sandi Tun, has been detained in connection with a Facebook post mocking the army. She is a prisoner of conscience, who must be released immediately and unconditionally. Please act for her.

CHINA

A 16-year-old whose parents are detained as part of a crackdown on legal activists in China has been placed under house arrest. He had crossed the border into Myanmar along with two activists, and all three were taken away by a group of uniformed officials on 6 October. The teenager was returned to China where he remains under house arrest. There has been no information about the whereabouts of the two activists. Please write to demand information about them and to protest the arrests.

FRANCE

A group of 150 people, mostly Roma migrants from Romania, including pregnant women and children, have been camping in front of the town hall of La Courneuve, Parisian region, since September. On 27 August, they were forcibly evicted from the informal settlement “Le Samaritain”. In the run-up to winter, these men, women and children must be immediately rehoused. Please call upon local officials to provide proper housing for these unfortunate people.

A Roma, also known as a Gypsy, argues with a French policeman as police dismantle the sprawling Roma camp in La Courneuve, on the outskirts of Paris, Aug. 27, 2015.

Wednesday, October 14, 2015

Human Rights Action update October 8-14

Miriam, human rights defender, 1947-2012

HE WHO PERMITS OPPRESSION PERMITS CRIMES.-Erasmus

EMBASSY FINDER

GOOD NEWS

United Kingdom

The strike at the National Gallery of Art in London has ended with success for the union and the reinstatement of the union leader. Thanks to all who participated in this campaign. Note that there are other campaigns mentioned in the announcement, please join them.

ECUADOR

Ecuadorian authorities have abandoned their plans to shut down freedom of expression organization Fundamedios. This is a welcome move which will allow Fundamedios to continue carrying out their legitimate human rights work. No further action is requested from the UA network. Many thanks to all those who took action.

CHARITY CORNER

In the wake of the closing of the Titan and Pollyanna blogs, we are continuing the charity corner here. In the wake of the closing of the Titan and Pollyanna blogs, we are continuing the charity corner here. This month as violence and counter-violence square off at one another we refer you to Btzelem, the The Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories. The site is self-explanatory and we call on you to hit the donation tab.

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 return to actions on behalf of specific tribes and peoples. We ask you to write to the President of the Philippines expressing your concern for the Batak tribe of the Philippines who are at risk from land loss. Government legislation banning their traditional farming methods has had a devastating impact. Survival’s campaign helped to partially lift this ban but the Batak still face food shortages.

Apropos indigenous people, we note that "Columbus Day," which commemorates the landing of Columbus on October 12, 1492, is being replaced by many cities and states in the US by Indigenous People Day. The arrival of Europeans in the Western Hemisphere brought in an era of genocide and enslavement and the sufferings of the native peoples should be remembered.

IndigenousPeopleDay

THE STRUGGLE AGAINST SLAVERY

This week we call your attention to slavery at sea. Isolated at sea or on lakes, fishermen do not have access to the protections available in landside workplaces. Their isolation leaves them trapped, unable to escape for years at a time, whilst being forced to work. At worst, a disagreement with those in charge can result in summary execution and being thrown overboard. Please act on behalf of enslaved fishermen, as in the ship shown here.

USA

Shooting in public places just goes on and no one seems to have the will to stop it. Mike Lukovich predicts when it will happen.

SUDAN

Government forces in Sudan have committed war crimes in South Kordofan by attacking people, using indiscriminate weapons and denying people humanitarian assistance. Please join the protest against targeting of civilians in this civil war.

GUINEA

Several opposition figures in Guinea have been arbitrarily arrested ahead of the 11 October presidential elections. This includes union leader Jean Dougou Guilavogui and at least 35 other political opponents, who were arrested following a violent episode in Koundara, northern Guinea. Some of the detainees were not involved in the violence and actively called for peace. Please call for their release.

MOROCCO

Dual Belgian-Moroccan national Ali Aarrass was beaten and verbally abused on 29 September at Salé II prison, near Rabat. He has been on hunger strike since 25 August. He is at risk of further ill-treatment. Please call for his protection.

TURKEY

Two Palestinian refugees coming from Syria, Ali Fares and Mohammed Fares, and Syrian refugee Abdalsalam Sakal, have been detained in Turkey since 22 September and are facing deportation. If deported they are at risk of serious human rights violations. Please call on the Turkish government to halt these deportation.

INDIA

Global snack and beverage giant PepsiCo is violating the rights of a courageous group of workers in West Bengal, India who formed a trade union and were fired as a result. Please tell Pepsico to stop squeezing its workers.

Wednesday, October 7, 2015

Human Rights Action update October 1-7

Miriam, human rights defender, 1947-2012

HE WHO PERMITS OPPRESSION PERMITS CRIMES.-Erasmus

EMBASSY FINDER

CHARITY CORNER

In the wake of the closing of the Titan and Pollyanna blogs, we are continuing the charity corner here. This week, in the wake of the bombing by the US of a hospital of Doctors without Borders, we call on you to support this worthy group in their hour of need. The location of the hospital was known to all combatants in the area. Someone must be held accountable for this terrible act.

GOOD NEWS

The governor of Missouri has commuted the death sentence of Kimber Edwards. Thanks to all who participated in this action.

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 return to actions on behalf of specific tribes and peoples. We ask you to write to the Prime Minister of Australia to call upon him and his government to address the issue of health of the aboriginal people of his country. Please note that although the Survival letter template lists Mr. Abbott as PM, in fact, Malcolm Turnbull was sworn in as the 29th Prime Minister of Australia on 15 September 2015.

THE STRUGGLE AGAINST SLAVERY

This week we focus on the forced labor used by the government of Uzbekhistan every year at the time of the cotton harvest.

Drugged, beaten and detained by police – this was the fate of Elena Urlaeva when she dared to document state-sponsored slavery in the cotton fields of Uzbekistan.

In Uzbekistan, the whole country suffers because of the government’s dependence on revenue from the cotton harvest. The government operates the world’s largest state-run system of forced labour where activists like Elena are brutally repressed, pensioners are being forced to pick cotton or submit 50% of their pension, and education and health care are undermined for two months every year due to the mass mobilisation of teachers and doctors. Please sign the petition to the World Bank to withhold loans to Uzbekhistan until this policy is changed.

COLOMBIA

Paramilitaries killed Ernesto Guzman, a peasant farmer with close links to the Peace Community of San José de Apartadó in north-western Colombia. Other peasant farmers in the area have been labeled guerrilla fighters and may therefore be at risk. Please call for an investigation of the murder and protection for the Peace Community.

TAJIKISTAN

Buzurgmekhr Yorov, a lawyer representing members of the arbitrarily banned Islamic Renaissance Party of Tajikistan (IRPT), has been arrested on fraud charges and is at risk of torture and ill treatment. The timing indicates that the charges are likely to be politically motivated and designed to deny the arrested members of the IRPT access to legal counsel. Please act on his behalf.

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Omani blogger Muawiya al-Ruwahi was put on trial in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on 14 September, on charges that include “ridiculing the State and its leaders”. He suffers from bipolar disorder and has attempted suicide six times. Please call for a mental health assessment and removal of the charge “ridiculing the State and its leaders”. This destination is unavailable for Israeli activists, but we hope that those who can will pick up on this.

TURKEY/UK

Mulberry Leather answered the 10,000 messages we sent to it with the old tired excuses. Please continue to apply the pressure. If you have already protested the worker abuse in the Mulberry supply chain, pass the message on to friends and family. If you have not sent a message, please open the link and act.
Click here to send your message.

SPAIN

Hunting dogs that have outlived their usefulness are legally abused and put to death, often by torture in Spain. Please join the call to stop this barbaric practice.