Human Rights Action blog November 18-25

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/

WRITE FOR RIGHTS 

In December, in connection with World Human Rights Day, December 10, Amnesty International sponsors this campaign of letter writing for human rights. You are invited to join in.

 GOOD NEWS USA

Los Angeles ends arrests of minors trafficked into sex trade

CHARITY CORNER 

In the wake of the closing of the Titan and Pollyanna blogs, we are continuing the charity corner here.  This week, the we refer you to Water for People, a non-profit based in Denver, Colorado, USA. We quote their vision and mission statement:
Vision

"We envision a world where every person has access to reliable and safe drinking water and sanitation."
Mission

"​Water For People exists to develop high quality drinking water and sanitation services, accessible to all, and sustained by strong communities, businesses, and governments."
The charity has a high, four star, rating from Charity Navigator.

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.

The Jarawa thatch their shelters with leaves from the forest.

© Survival

This week we call on you to help the Jawara tribe of the Great Andaman Island of India. The principal threat to the Jarawa’s existence comes from encroachment onto their land, which was sparked by the building of a highway through their forest in the 1970s. The Andaman Trunk Road (ATR) brings outsiders into the heart of their territory.
The ATR has also encouraged ‘human safaris’, where tour operators drive tourists along the road in the hope of ‘spotting’ members of the tribe.
Illegal hunting, fishing and gathering, from both local and foreign poachers, remains a serious threat to the Jarawa’s survival. The theft of the food they rely on risks robbing them of their self sufficiency and driving the tribe to extinction. Please take action as listed at the end of their page.

THE STRUGGLE AGAINST SLAVERY  

Domestic workers protest abuse

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 call upon you to support the International Domestic Workers Federation. You will find there several campaigns. The most recent is a call to the Indian government for justice for Nepali workers abused by Saudi diplomats.

UZBEKISTAN

Stop Harassing Uktam Pardaev (UA 264/15)
On 18 November, Uzbekistani human rights defender Uktam Pardaev was charged with fraud and bribery. He is facing 10 years in prison. He is being targeted for his legitimate human rights work. Please act on his behalf.

BANGLADESH 

TWO PRISONERS AT RISK OF IMMINENT EXECUTION

Despite serious fair trial concerns, on 18 November the highest court in Bangladesh upheld the death sentences of Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujaheed and Salauddin Quader Chowdhury. This was the last judicial remedy available to them. They are now at risk of imminent execution unless the President commutes their death sentences to terms of imprisonment. Please write to call for stopping the executions.

TURKEY  

REFUGEES IN TURKEY RISK EXPULSION TO SYRIA

About 80 Syrian refugees who were held in Erzurum Removal Center are believed to have been deported to Syria since 18 November, and are at risk of serious human rights violations there. Syrians among the 50 refugees still at the Center continue to be at risk of deportation. Please act for them.

CHINA 

Two Chinese activists recognized as refugees by the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) are at risk of torture and other ill-treatment after being deported from Thailand, most likely to China. Please act on their behalf. The source of this action is AI Switzerland. If it comes up in German, you can easily switch to English or French with a click.

Human Rights Action update November 11-18

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/

FRANCE/LEBANON/NIGERIA

We are totally shocked and outraged at the vicious and vile attack on innocent people in Paris by madmen who claim to be acting in the name of God.  We are equally outraged by the bombs in Beirut 

The site of Thursday's twin suicide bombings in the Burj al-Barajneh neighborhood of Beirut, Lebanon. Credit Bilal Hussein/Associated Press

 and   Yola

The armed group Boko Haram has attacked Yola with suicide bombs and improvised explosive devices in the past [Reuters]

All decent people and nations of all faiths must unite to put a stop to this rampaging monster, the so-called Caliphate, that is trying to ravage the world in the name of a religious ideology which distorts the fundamentals of the Islamic faith that it claims to profess. Nonetheless, we must not let the acts of terrorists anywhere drive us to their level, to surrender to fear and hatred and destroy our own society. Terrorists act to divide us, to stoke fear, and amplify hate. They aim to break our bonds of humanity. We cannot give in to fear.

GOOD NEWS SUDAN  

The Court of Appeals in Sudan has overturned the sentence of Fardous Al Toum, one of the 10 female Christian students charged with “indecent dress”. She had been sentenced to a fine of 500 Sudanese pounds and 20 lashes.

CHARITY CORNER 

In the wake of the closing of the Titan and Pollyanna blogs, we are continuing the charity corner here.  This week, the we refer you to the African Mission Healthcare Foundation, where Dr. Tom Catena a Catholic missionary physician in the rebel-held Nuba Mountains of Sudan provides medical care for nearly a million people in the Nuba Mountains. The government of Sudan regularly bombs the area and has even bombed his hospital; the hospital grounds have foxholes to shelter in when bombers appear overhead. The donations are matched by AMHF chairman Mark Gerson and his wife Rabbi Erica Gerson. Please go to the site and give.
"Donations to Dr. Tom’s hospital through amhf.us are now matched by a New York couple, Rabbi Erica and Mark Gerson. And that in itself is beautifully heartwarming this hol.iday season: A rabbi matches gifts by atheists or Muslims to support the work of a Catholic missionary doctor."

Nicholas Kristof

New York Times

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 call on you to help the Innu people of Canada. They have been nomadic for millennia, but in the last century have been forced to settle in villages by the Canadian government with the connivance of the Catholic Church. Their herds of reindeer upon which they depend are diminishing. The UN Human Rights Committee has described the situation of tribal peoples as ‘the most pressing issue facing Canadians’, and condemned Canada for ‘extinguishing’ aboriginal peoples’ rights. Please open the site and act, in particular with a letter to Canadian diplomats accredited to your country.

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 call upon you to join the Global March Against Child Labor. You will find in this site a wide choice of actions that you can take to help put an end to child labor and to get it out of the supply chains of products that we use. We need to get these children out of the factory or field and into school. FYI we append some information about girls and schools.

This is better than carrying water

WRITE FOR RIGHTS 

Yorm Bopha, a jailed activist in Cambodia who was released in 2013 after supporters wrote 253,000 letters to the authorities.

In December, in connection with World Human Rights Day, December 10, Amnesty International sponsors this campaign of letter writing for human rights. You are invited to join in.

GREECE 

In August 2014, Costas and his partner were badly beaten up by thugs in a violent homophobic and racist attack in central Athens. Please sign the petition calling on the Greek authorities to investigate the attack and prosecute the perpetrators.

SOUTH KOREA 

Two human rights defenders in South Korea are at risk of being imprisoned for their role in protests calling for justice for the victims of the Sewol ferry accident and their families. Their trial began on 14 October, with a sentence expected in December. Please call for the charges to be dropped and for freedom of expression to be respected.

USA/INDONESIA 

Phillips Seafood, a US company with a chain of seafood restaurants on the US East Coast, which also has outlets in airports and casinos and markets processed seafood products, relies on brutal exploitation and disposable jobs for their Indonesian crabmeat. Please act on behalf of these abused workers, most of them poor women with no job security.

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LIBYA

Nermin Al-Sharif is a passionate and determined internationalist who has fought for women's rights across the Arab world, at Qatar Airways and for the rights of the dockers and seafarers she represents. She has continued this increasingly dangerous work despite the civil war in oil rich Libya.  She is now recovering from an assassination attempt. Please call on the Prime Minister of the Interim Government in Libya, Abdullah al-Thinni, to protect trade unionists and human rights activists.

Human Rights Action update November 5-11

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/

USA GOOD NEWS

The United States Supreme Court issued a stay of execution in the case of Ernest Johnson shortly before he was due to be put to death in Missouri on 3 November.

EU/TURKEY 

The European Commission says criminal cases against journalists have curtailed media freedom

We note with approval that the European Union has issued a report highly critical of the status of democracy and human rights in Turkey. In particular, it notes considerable backsliding in the area of freedom of expression. If Turkey has hopes of becoming part of Europe, it indeed must improve its human rights and democracy position.

CHARITY CORNER 

In the wake of the closing of the Titan and Pollyanna blogs, we are continuing the charity corner here.  This week, the we refer you to the Deworm the World Initiative, a foundation that seeks to fight parasitic illness in developing countries. The Deworm the World Initiative is led by Evidence Action; its aim is to advocate for and provide technical assistance for the implementation of deworming programs for preschool- and school-aged children.

DtWI was founded in 2007,2 and is currently active in Kenya, India, and with a nascent program in Vietnam, while looking to expand to other countries in Sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia.
Its program in Kenya is fully supported by the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF) and the Ending Neglected Diseases (END) Fund through 2016. The charity is highly rated by  GiveWell, an NGO that evaluates charities. Please peruse the site and 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.

Amongst the Baka, childcare is shared with fathers spending approximately half the day near their babies.

This week we call on you to help the so-called "Pygmy" people of Central Africa. The name is a collective term for several hunter-gatherer tribes who live in the forests of central Africa. They are also called ‘forest peoples’. Their future is threatened by logging and agriculture which is destroying their forests, and conservation schemes which evict them from the forests that remain. Please write to the President of Cameroon on behalf of these tribes

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 call your attention to trafficking for sexual exploitation. On this page, you will find several important campaigns. Chose one or all of them and join the struggle against this pernicious form of abuse of human beings.

UZBEKISTAN 

 In 2005 Dilorom Abdukadirova, a farmer,  joined thousands at a protest to voice her concerns about the economy.
 










When the police opened fire on the protesters she ran for safety to the border where she received a refugee visa for Australia. Upon her return she was imprisoned and is subject to torture. Please help free a prisoner of conscience.

MYANMAR 

After almost eight months in hiding, prominent student unionist Lin Htet Naing has been detained for his role in organizing student protests in Myanmar. Over 50 students are currently in detention for taking part in the protests.
 
 Lin Htet Naing is a prisoner of conscience who must be immediately and unconditionally released. Please act.

GREECE

As weather worsens, thousands of refugees and asylum-seekers are facing inhumane conditions after arriving on the Greek Aegean islands following dangerous and life threatening journeys. They are also at risk of violence by police and members of far-right groups. Please call upon the Greek government to enhance its efforts to protect and to help them.

VIETNAM 

Blogger Nguyen Huu Vinh and his assistant Nguyen Thi Minh Thuy have been held without trial in Viet Nam since May 2014, in excess of the time allowed under national law.
 
 Following a visit in late October by his family and lawyer, there are increasing concerns for Nguyen Huu Vinh’s health and conditions of detention. Please act on their behalf.

USA 

Act now: Demand fair, safe working conditions for poultry workers. They work for very low wages under unsafe conditions. Join the Oxfam petition.

Human Rights Action Update October 28-November 4

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/

EGYPT: GOOD NEWS

An appeals court has upheld the acquittal of women’s human rights defender Azza Soliman and 16 others who witnessed the killing of Egyptian activist Shaimaa Al-Sabbagh. Read more.

CHARITY CORNER 

In the wake of the closing of the Titan and Pollyanna blogs, we are continuing the charity corner here.  This week, the we refer you to Rabbis for Human Rights. The head of the organization Rabbi Arik Ascherman was nearly murdered by a settler last week while protecting the Palestinian olive harvest. Please read his description of the incident and make a generous donation to this worthy cause.

The attack  on Rabbi  Ascherman

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 call on you to help the Nukak tribe of Colombia. Over half the members of the tribe have died since contact in the 1990's. They have been granted a reserve, but it is not respected by coca growers who supply the cocaine trade. Campaigning for the Nukak’s rights has already made a huge difference. After campaigns led by Survival and local indigenous organisations, the Colombian government created a Nukak reserve in 1993 and enlarged it in 1997.

Nukak boy in Colombia

What the Nukak want now is for the boundaries of their reserve to be respected and for them to be able to live there in peace.Please open the link and act on their behalf.

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 call your attention to child slavery. Please open this link and act on one or more of the cases provided. Estimates suggest a quarter of those in slavery are children. Among other abuses, these children are sexually exploited, forced to work, and even made to participate in armed conflict. All children deserve protection and the right to a childhood. Take action now to help end child slavery.

MYANMAR 

The return to democracy in Myanmar appears to be a fraud. On Sunday 8th November the people of Burma go to the polls in what has been billed as a landmark election. Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy is expected to win and so could form the next government.

Does this mean democracy has finally come to Burma? Should we be celebrating? Sadly not. As you might expect with the Burmese military, all is not as it seems.

Burma Campaign UK has published a detailed briefing paper with everything you need to know about the election. Here is an example of what we may expect to continue: After almost eight months in hiding, prominent student unionist Kyaw Ko Ko has been detained for his role in organizing student protests in Myanmar. He is a prisoner of conscience who must be immediately and unconditionally released. Please act.

MOROCCO 

This is a second UA on Ali Aarrass, who is on hunger strike. Ali Aarrass was admitted to hospital on 27 October, two weeks after prison medical staff first recommended this. He is now back in Salé II prison, near Rabat, and is still in poor health. Please act.This may not be possible from Israel.

ECUADOR 

On October 20, 2015, members of the Frente de Mujeres Defensoras de la Pachamama (FMDP, Coalition of Women Human Rights Defenders of Pachamama), an organization of rural women defending mother earth and human rights, along with Lina Solano, president of the Latin American Women’s Union (ULAM), were physically and verbally assaulted and arbitrarily detained by dozens of police and government security agents.
Please act.

INDIA 

Dalit folk singer and activist S Sivadas, popularly known by his stage name Kovan, was arrested on 30 October over two satirical songs which criticize the Tamil Nadu state government and chief minister.

 

Kovan faces charges including sedition, provocation with intent to cause a riot and public mischief. If convicted, he could face a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. Please act and explain to the government in India that suppression of freedom of expression is not consistent with claiming to the be world's largest democracy.