Wednesday, June 29, 2016

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.
Penan-quote_cropped

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.

Wednesday, June 22, 2016

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
websitecover.loveislove

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

THE STRUGGLE AGAINST SLAVERY

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.

Wednesday, June 8, 2016

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

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

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.

Wednesday, June 1, 2016

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

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.

Wednesday, May 25, 2016

Human Rights Action Update May 18-25

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 Human Rights Watch whom we last featured just a year ago. This is a most effective human rights organization. We quote:

MISSION STATEMENT

Human Rights Watch defends the rights of people worldwide. We scrupulously investigate abuses, expose the facts widely, and pressure those with power to respect rights and secure justice. Human Rights Watch is an independent, international organization that works as part of a vibrant movement to uphold human dignity and advance the cause of human rights for all.
They have a very high rating with Charity Navigator and are certainly worthy of support of all people of good will. We might also mention that Charity Navigator who supply us with the information we need to donate intelligently are a nonprofit and need support as well.

Good News! - Oman: Sulaiman Al-Ma'mari Released

Omani writer, journalist and human rights activist Sulaiman al-Ma’mari was released without charge on 19 May, following 22 days detained in solitary confinement. The Omani authorities have yet to give a reason for Sulaiman al-Ma’mari’s arrest. 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 forest people of Central Africa, the so-called Pygmy people. They are very diverse, but all of them share the problem of their homes being taken away from them and the denial of their ability to maintain their traditional hunter-gatherer culture.

Elders report that they cannot teach their children the traditional skills - because they cannot go into the forest.

Please blast this story out on all your networks and write to the World Wildlife Foundation calling on them to cease their persecution of the people of the forests.

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 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:

In addition, we call your attention to the exploitation of children in the tobacco farming industry in Indonesia. Thousands of children in Indonesia, some just 8 years old, are working in hazardous conditions on tobacco farms, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. Indonesian and multinational tobacco companies buy tobacco grown in Indonesia, but none do enough to ensure that children are not doing hazardous work on farms in their supply chains.

A young girl ties tobacco leaves onto sticks to prepare them for curing in East Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara.

BELARUS

Halt Execution of Siarhei Khmialeuski

Siarhei Khmialeuski, who was sentenced to death in Belarus in February, is at imminent risk of execution. Please act.

RUSSIA

Prominent human rights defender Valentina Cherevatenko has been repeatedly summoned by an investigator and may become the first to be criminally prosecuted under the “foreign agents law”. If convicted, she could face up to two years in prison. Please act on her behalf.

CHINA

Imprisoned Chinese human rights campaigner Yang Maodong (better known by pen-name Guo Feixiong) started a hunger strike on 9 May to protest his humiliating and threatening treatment by the authorities. He is in ill health and is desperate need of adequate medical care. Please act for him.

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

Tens of thousands of people remain stateless in the Dominican Republic. They have no country. They have no rights. Imagine one day you wake up and discover that YOUR country took away your nationality. Your past erased, your rights snatched away. Please sign the petition.

TURKEY

In February thousands of people gathered to protest against the mining plans of the company Cengiz Holding. The demonstration was violently beaten down by police and authorities are threatening union members at the local forestry directorate who joined the protests to be transferred to other regions of the country if they don’t give up. The forestry union TARIM ORMAN-IS has now turned to us with an urgent request for help. Please click and lend your support

People of the Cerattepe region in Turkey are fighting to stop their land from being destroyed by a mining company that wants to cut down the forests and pollute the water to mine gold, silver and copper.

Wednesday, May 18, 2016

Human Rights Action Update May 11-18

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 NALA, a foundation devoted to fighting Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD's) in Africa.

It was founded by Professor Zvi Bentwich of Ben Gurion University and has had great success. Two years ago Prof. Zvi Bentwich, head of the Center for Emerging Diseases, Tropical Diseases and AIDS (CEMTA), of Ben Gurion University, and its executive arm, the NALA Foundation, were awarded the grand challenges grant for their initiative that promotes behavioral change in order to eradicate parasitic worm infections in Ethiopia. This past week Prof. Bentwich lost his beloved wife, Tirza. It would be nice if you would donate to NALA in memory of Tirza Bentwich.

Good News!

Russian Federation: Activist Released Dimitry Vorobyovsky (UA 109/16)

Activist Dmitry Vorobyovsky, who had been taken to a psychiatric hospital on 6 May and subjected to involuntary psychiatric treatment, was released following a court order on 12 May. No further action is requested from the UA Network. Many thanks to all who sent appeals.

BRAZIL

A small group of Amazon Indians has been celebrating success after a 30-year quest to protect their lands from thousands of illegal settlers and loggers. Brazil’s president signed the decree establishing the Arara tribe’s reserve earlier this month.

Survival has been campaigning for the rights of the Arara for decades

Survival has campaigned for the Arara tribe since 1993, and legal recognition of the territory was a condition of the controversial Belo Monte dam being built further downstream.

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 events in India surrounding the preservation of wildlife and the possible connections between the guards and the poachers. Locals, many of them tribespeople who were illegally evicted from their land to create the reserve, report that people have been killed while entering the park in search of stray cattle, or to collect firewood.

Park guards in Kaziranga, India, are armed and encouraged to shoot intruders in the reserve.

Others allege that some are murdered as scapegoats to cover up the failure of the park guards to catch the real poachers – criminals conspiring with corrupt officials. Please blast this story out on all your networks.

THE STRUGGLE AGAINST SLAVERY

RUSSIA

Overturn Yekaterina Vologzheninova’s Conviction (UA 232/15)

Yekaterina Vologzheninova’s appeal was rejected on 26 April and she must serve 320 hours of “corrective labour”. She was convicted for criticizing online the Russian annexation of Crimea and Russia’s military involvement in Donbass, eastern Ukraine. She will be appealing her sentence. Please act for her and demand respect for freedom of expression

UZBEKISTAN

Defend human rights activist Uktam Pardaev. He is a labor rights and human rights activist and has been arrested on trumped up charges. Please click to join the protest.

Uktam Pardaev

Malawi: Stop the Killing of People with Albinism

Thousands of people with albinism live in fear of being abducted or killed in the country, where their body parts are being sold for use in rituals and witchcraft. Authorities do little to protect people with albinism or prosecute perpetrators of attacks against them. Speak up against this crime.

SINGAPORE

Halt Kho Jabing’s Execution (UA 103/15)

The execution of Kho Jabing has been set for 20 May. The Court of Appeal in Singapore rejected the appeal of Kho Jabing on 5 April and upheld his death sentence. Please call urgently for clemency and the abolition of capital punishment.

RUSSIA

Investigate the abduction of film producer and asylum-seeker

Mirsobir Khamidkariev, a young film producer, was seeking asylum in Russia when he was abducted in broad daylight and sent back to Uzbekistan where he was tortured. Please act and call for an investigation