Human Rights Action Update June 22-29

Miriam, 1347-2012

HE WHO PERMITS OPPRESSION PERMITS CRIMES.-Erasmus (1466-1536)

Desiderius Erasmus in 1523 as depicted by Hans Holbein the Younger. The Greek and Latin words on the book translate to "The Herculean Labors of Erasmus of Rotterdam".

 

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 https://embassy-finder.com/

CHARITY CORNER 

This week your attention is drawn to  Breaking the Silence, the organization of Israeli soldiers who expose war crimes. They were supposed to receive an award from Ben Gurion University, but the university canceled the 20,000 NIS award because of concerns that Breaking the Silence is outside of the Israeli s "national consensus" Months of aggressive campaigns from inside and outside of the Knesset against Breaking the Silence and other anti-occupation groups is clearly having an impact. Afraid that it might be the target of the next campaign, Ben Gurion University backed down.

This is the work of a few people with a loud voice – including especially loud donors. We hear the 30 shekels clinking... In any case, the New Israel Fund has started a campaign to make up the award and we call for you to join it. Use this link to 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. We send you to the campaign page and urge you to choose a cause to support.

THE STRUGGLE AGAINST SLAVERY

We have added a new section to the blog in order to join the struggle against slavery worldwide. This week we refer you to the the ILO’s Protocol on Forced Labor which is all about modern slavery. We call your attention to the anti slavery campaign. There you can sign up for action updates.The importance of checking your sellers' supply chains cannot be overemphasized.
Look for these logos:

 

 Blast it out and make it go viral. Find a campaign to work for. Light must be made to shine in the darkest of places.

CHINA 

Lin Zuluan, 72, a village chief in Wukan village in Guangdong province, has been detained right before a planned village assembly and protest related to illegal land grabs. He is at risk of torture and other ill-treatment and unfair trial.

Please act on his behalf.

 

 

 

 

Guatemala: 

Protect Impunity Watch 

 The offices of Impunity Watch in Guatemala were ransacked by unidentified armed men on 21 June. All persons working in the organization need immediate protection. Please call upon the government to act.

USA

Papahānaumokuākea: The largest swath of protected ocean ever (!) could be created in weeks, simply with President Obama's signature.

Sea Turtle

But Hawai'i's powerful fishing lobby is ferocious and is working hard to stop the deal from closing and without a wave of voices supporting the dolphins, sharks, turtles, and more who depend on this sea, everything could be lost.

Insiders say that Obama wants to hear from the international community, knowing that protecting the ocean is a global task, and a failure not only threatens the majestic creatures in the sea, it threatens all of our survival. Add your name to show him we're all in this together -- when enough people have signed we'll deliver our voices directly to the White House and to the local leaders in Hawai'i who need our support.

KOREA 

Friday 24 June marks 100 days since 41-year-old Han Kwang-ho, a union organizer at a Hyundai auto supplier in South Korea, died by suicide. Act that his death should not be in vain.


Han, an elected official for a branch of the Korean Metal Workers’ Union, suffered five years of intimidation, repression and attacks in retaliation for his trade union activities at YooSung Enterprise, a key supplier for Hyundai Motor Company.

Mexico: 

Release Ildefonso Zamora 

 
A federal judge in Mexico has ruled in favor of Indigenous rights defender Ildefonso Zamora who has been in prison since November 2015. The Mexico State Attorney General should now accept that the case against Ildefonso Zamora is baseless and refrain from appealing the ruling. This will be a key step towards securing Ildefonso Zamora’s release. Please call upon the judicial authorities to refrain from appealing this decision.

Human Rights Action Update June 15-22

 

Miriam, human rights defender, 1947-2012

HE WHO PERMITS OPPRESSION PERMITS CRIMES.-Erasmus (1466-1536)

Desiderius Erasmus in 1523 as depicted by Hans Holbein the Younger. The Greek and Latin words on the book translate to "The Herculean Labors of Erasmus of Rotterdam".

 

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 https://embassy-finder.com/

CHARITY CORNER

This week your attention is drawn to the Urgent Action Fund for Women's Human Rights. Their rapid response grant program is described as follows:"Our Rapid Response Grantmaking program supports activists to seize unanticipated opportunities to make change and to protect themselves when in immediate danger. Activists may apply in any language, on any day of the year, and are guaranteed a response within 72 hours. Funds can be wired within a week." The charity is rated highly by Charity Navigator.
We are with their statement on Orlando:
In Support of Love

We stand with the dancers, the music makers, the friends, and the lovers, who find solace in nightclubs in Orlando. We stand with the peace makers, the open hearted, those who do not succumb to fears, but instead look for constructive pathways forward. We stand with the activists, with those who make the safety of the whole community their concern.
Read More

GOOD NEWS! - 

For the moment. Strong mobilization by a wide coalition of citizen groups including trade unions has succeeded in temporarily blocking renewed EU authorization of glyphosate, the world's most widely-used herbicide and the active ingredient in Monsanto's Roundup. This is a most worthy struggle. Put the word on this on all your social media.

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. We send you to the campaign page and urge you to choose a cause to support.

 

THE STRUGGLE AGAINST SLAVERY

We have added a new section to the blog in order to join the struggle against slavery worldwide. This week we refer you to the the ILO’s Protocol on Forced Labor which is all about modern slavery. We call your attention to the anti slavery campaign. There you can sign up for action updates.The importance of checking your sellers' supply chains cannot be overemphasized.
Look for these logos:

 

 Blast it out and make it go viral. Find a campaign to work for. Light must be made to shine in the darkest of places.

KAZAKHSTAN

Drop Charges Against Activists

Following the wave of arrests of activists in May to prevent their participation in peaceful demonstrations across different cities in Kazakhstan, three remain in detention and now face criminal charges. They are prisoners of conscience detained solely for peacefully exercising their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.  Please act.

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO (DRC)

Release Bienvenu Matumo, Marcel Heritier Kambale Kapitene, and Victor Tesongo

Bienvenu Matumo, Marcel Heritier Kambale Kapitene, members of Lutte pour le Changement (LUCHA), and another activist Victor Tesongo were sentenced by the Peace Tribunal of Kinshasa/Gombe to a year in prison and fined 100,000 Congolese Franc each (approximately 100 USD). The Peace Tribunal made the decision on 20 May. Their lawyers will appeal this decision. The three youth activists had been charged with “spreading rumours” and “incitement to disobedience”. Please call for their release.

ITALY

PROTECT ROMANI FAMILIES FROM HOMELESSNESS

Around 300 Roma people living in the Masseria del Pozzo camp in Naples, in southern Italy, are at imminent risk of being moved to poor and inadequate housing. The camp has been deemed hazardous for human habitation by judicial authorities and will be closed. The municipal authorities have so far failed to offer adequate alternative housing to the Roma families Please write for them.

TURKEY 

AVON, the global cosmetic company, has a warehouse located in the Gebze industrial zone, on the outskirts of Istanbul. The workers there, mostly women, are subject to abuse, exploitation and denial of union rights.  Please click on the call to remedy this situation. 
If the site comes up with my details, erase them and fill in your own. Sometimes IUF is overeager to be user-friendly.

Human Rights Action update June 1-8

Miriam, human rights defender, 1947-2012

HE WHO PERMITS OPPRESSION PERMITS CRIMES.-Erasmus (1466-1536)

Desiderius Erasmus in 1523 as depicted by Hans Holbein the Younger. The Greek and Latin words on the book translate to "The Herculean Labors of Erasmus of Rotterdam".

 

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 https://embassy-finder.com/

CHARITY CORNER 

This week your attention drawn to the AFYA Foundation which donates supplies to hospitals and health facilities in the Third World. In particular, we recommend the  Birth Kits For Safe Deliveries Campaign. You may donate via the site.

We are personally connected to the volunteers and staff of this charity and vouch for its integrity and effective performance.

GOOD NEWS! -

Stop Action! - United Arab Emirates: Four Libyan Men Acquitted And Released

On 30 May the State Security Chamber in the Federal Supreme Court in Abu Dhabi acquitted US-Libyan Kamal Eldarat and his son Mohammed Eldarat, Canadian-Libyan Salim el-Aradi and Libyan ‘Issa al-Manna’ of all charges. They were released from al-Wathba prison in Abu Dhabi late at night on 31 May.  No further action is requested from the UA Network. Many thanks to all who sent appeals.

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.

Home in the jungle, theatened with extinction

This week we call your attention to three ongoing campaigns the Bushmen, the Guarani and the natives of the Andaman Island, all on the same page. Please click and act.

THE STRUGGLE AGAINST SLAVERY

We have added a new section to the blog in order to join the struggle against slavery worldwide. This week we refer you to the the ILO’s Protocol on Forced Labor which is all about modern slavery. We call your attention to the anti slavery campaign. There you can sign up for action updates.The importance of checking your sellers' supply chains cannot be overemphasized.
Look for these logos:

 

 Blast it out and make it go viral. Find a campaign to work for. Light must be made to shine in the darkest of places.

GREECE

Halt the Return of Asylum-Seekers and Refugees to Turkey

Two Syrian refugees are the first at risk of being forcibly returned to Turkey under the illegal EU-Turkey deal, after their asylum applications were dismissed by the Greek authorities. They are currently in police custody in the Greek island of Lesvos and at imminent risk of return to Turkey, where their safety and protection is not guaranteed. Please take action for them.

 

 

 

EGYPT  

Release Malek Adly

Lawyer and human rights defender Malek Adly was arrested and ill-treated by Egyptian security forces on 5 May. He is a prisoner of conscience and one of hundreds of people detained in connection with protests in Cairo on 25 April. Please raise your voice.

 

 

 

ANGOLA

Drop All Charges Against  Arão Bula Tempo

 The Angolan Supreme Tribunal acquitted human rights defender José Marcos Mavungo on 19 May and he was released the following day. He is now home with his family. Human rights lawyer Arão Bula Tempo still risks 5 to 12 years in jail if the court allows his case to proceed to trial.  Please act for him.

Human Rights Action Update May 25-June 1

Miriam, human rights defender, 1947-2012

HE WHO PERMITS OPPRESSION PERMITS CRIMES.-Erasmus (1466-1536)

Desiderius Erasmus in 1523 as depicted by Hans Holbein the Younger. The Greek and Latin words on the book translate to "The Herculean Labors of Erasmus of Rotterdam".

 

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 https://embassy-finder.com/

CHARITY CORNER 

This week your attention is drawn to Doctors Without Borders (MSF) which was founded in 1971 as a new brand of humanitarianism.

Women's health is central

 They are committed to remaining neutral, impartial, and ethical in their work around the globe. MSF was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1999. It is now of particular importance to donate to them because they have refused to accept EU money on ethical principles in the wake of the deal cut with Turkey on the refugee crisis.
They have a very high rating with Charity Navigator and are certainly worthy of support of all people of good will. You may donate via either the home page or the Charity Navigator evaluation.

GOOD NEWS! 

Syrian Refugees Released

Seven of the 12 Syrian refugees detained in Düziçi camp, Osmaniye province, in southern Turkey, were released on 20 May. The other five, a woman and her four children, requested to be voluntarily returned to Syria and were taken to the Syrian border on 19 May.
No further action is requested from the UA Network. Many thanks to all who sent appeals.

 

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 your attention to the native peoples of the of the Sierra Nevada: four unique, related tribes who live on the slopes of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta in northern Colombia. Unfortunately the natural wealth of their land is attracting damaging “development” projects.

A meeting amongst the lush landscape of the Sierra Nevada

© Danilo Villafañe

The Sierra Indians call themselves ‘the older brothers’, and believe that they have a mystical wisdom and understanding which surpasses that of others. They refer to outsiders as ‘the younger brothers.’ The older brothers believe it is their responsibility to maintain the balance of the universe. When there are hurricanes, droughts, or famines around the world it is said that they are the cause of human failure to keep the world in harmony. Please act as indicated on the Web page by raising your voice to the government of Colombia.

Balance is achieved by making offerings to the sacred sites to give back to the earth what is taken out of it. We have something to learn from them.

THE STRUGGLE AGAINST SLAVERY
We have added a new section to the blog in order to join the struggle against slavery worldwide. This week we refer you to the the ILO’s Protocol on Forced Labor which is all about modern slavery. We call your attention to the end slavery now campaign. There you can download a slave-free buying guide and also sign up for action updates.The importance of checking your sellers' supply chains cannot be overemphasized.
Look for these logos:
 
 

The Australian Walk Free Foundation has come out with a new report on modern slavery that deserves to be read carefully. They show an illustrative map of the prevalence of slavery in the world.
 
Blast it out and make it go viral. Light must be made to shine in the darkest of places.

EUROPE AND WORLDWIDE  

An EU official has told AFP that a meeting has been scheduled for 6 June, in which the member states will try to come to a consensus on whether or not to reauthorize the use of the controversial chemical. An option that is currently on the table is to extend the existing authorization period until the middle of next year.

Spraying crops. (photo: Getty Images)

Glyphosate is one of the most used ingredients in pesticides in the EU, but its potentially carcinogenic nature has brought its use under close scrutiny. A decision on whether to grant it a multi-year extension has already failed to materialize twice because of disagreements between member states. Please EU people, let your government know that you are against buckling under to Monsanto. In a study in the US, glyphosate was found in the urine of 91% of the subjects tested. This stuff must be banned!

CHINA 

Two Chinese activists, Jiang Yefei and Dong Guangping, are at risk of torture and other ill-treatment and unfair trial. The two were recognized as refugees by the UN’s Refugee Agency, but were forcibly returned to China from Thailand in violation of international law. One had been held in incommunicado detention for more than six months and the  whereabouts of the other remain unknown. Please act to help them.

Jiang Yefei

 SOUTH AFRICA:

Investigate the Killing of Sikhosiphi Rhadebe 

Sikhosiphi Rhadebe, land rights activist and chairperson of the Amadiba Crisis Committee (ACC), was shot dead in March. Shortly before his death he learnt that his name was on a ‘hit list’ and so were those of two other leaders of the ACC. There are concerns over how the investigation of Sikhosiphi Rhadebe’s murder is being handled and for the safety of the two ACC leaders and other anti-mining activists in Xolobeni. Please call for an investigation.

MOZAMBIQUE: 

Protect Benedito Sabão 

Benedito Sabão was arbitrarily arrested, detained and shot by suspected secret service police, allegedly for supporting RENAMO, the main opposition party in Mozambique. While he survived the attempt and is now receiving medical care in a private clinic in Maputo, the capital, he is still subject to threats. Please write on his behalf at once.

INDIA 

Global drink and snacks giant PepsiCo is complicit in ongoing human rights violations by a warehouse provider in the Indian state of West Bengal. Since 2013, IUF members have been supporting a courageous group of warehouse workers who are unemployed as a consequence of insisting on their right to form a trade union. The company which dismissed them - Radhakrishna Foodland Pvt. Ltd (RKFL) -operates a warehouse contracted exclusively to PEPSICO.   Please join the protest to Pepsico.