Human Rights News: 8/31

Last week marks the third mass killing of Colombia's indigenous Awá people this year. On August 26, unidentified gunmen entered the Gran Rosario reservation and murdered 12 people thought to be in the same family, including four children and three teenagers.

According to Amnesty International, over 50 members of the Awá communities of Nariño have been killed since September 2008 by guerrillas, security forces and their paramilitary allies. These factions are vying for control of the region, linked to cocaine production and the drug trade. The Marxist Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, better known as FARC, alone have been tied the deaths of at least 27 indigenous people earlier this year.

Due to the raging chaos and violence in the region, human rights abuses run rampant and often target vulnerable communities like the Awás. In addition to murders, the indigenous people have been constantly inundated with torture, "death threats, the use of antipersonnel landmines in their territory, recruitment of children to serve as combatants in armed groups and massive forced displacement by various armed actors". Up to 4 million people, roughly the population of Kentucky, have been displaced as fighting between rebels and government forces continues. This makes Colombia home to the second largest number of internally displaced people in the world, surpassed only by Sudan.

While President Alvaro Uribe issued a statement saying the violence against the Awá people "pains our soul," little has been done by the Colombian government to investigate or stop the targeted violence against the Awá community. Susan Lee, Americas Program Director for Amnesty International, recently asked, "How many more have to die before the government acts to protect these communities?"

The Colombian Army itself may have been involved in the massacre. Tulia García maintained that the Army was involved in the murder of her husband Gonzalo Rodríguez earlier this year. She was among those killed in the latest attack. "Initial reports suggest that members of the Army may have massacred these people, with the purpose of eliminating and intimidating witnesses of atrocities," said José Miguel Vivanco, Americas Director at Human Rights Watch. "The government needs to make sure there is an effective investigation of this horrific crime."

Both Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch strongly suggest an investigation into the recent violence. Vivanco states that "In Nariño, as in many parts of Colombia, the conflict rages on and abuses are rampant, yet often civilians feel ignored by the state. Instead of pretending the conflict doesn't exist, the national government needs to do much more to protect civilians, ensure accountability for abuses, and provide assistance to the victims."

For more on this story, check out Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and CNN.

To protect human rights in Colombia, click here.

Human Rights News: 8/29, #2

This graffiti, found in Najaf, Iraq, is a visible reminder of the recent onslaught of anti-gay violence at the hands of violent militias. It reads "Death to the People of Lot", a derogatory term, derived from the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, for homosexual men.

Militias, including the Mahdi army, have been targeting suspected gay men, or men not "masculine enough", with a systematic brutality. According to Human Rights Watch, "armed gangs have kidnapped men and tortured them, leaving castrated and mutilated bodies dumped in the garbage or in front of morgues". Death threats, blackmail, midnight raids, and abductions are not uncommon.

Mashal, a shopkeeper from Baghdad, was kidnapped, beaten, interrogated, and raped by a group of armed men this past April. He escaped with his life when his family sold all their possessions to gather enough ransom money. Many others, including several of Mashal's friends, have not been so lucky.

Many have identified the Madhi army of Moqtada al-Sadr, an Iraqi theologian and political leader known for his brutal aggression against opposition, as the driving force behind the killing campaigns. This group, the largest Shia militia in Iraq, defends its extreme homophobic violence as a moral crusade. However, the bloodshed is deeply rooted in politics. When the US deployed its military surge, the Madhi army retreated and lost much of its credibility. It now aims to recoup its legitimacy by murdering homosexuals and casting itself as the "defender of Iraqi manhood and morality".

Adding to the terrifying chaos, police and prosecutors have largely ignored the violence. Sometimes, they have even assisted the militias. Interior forces kidnapped one 21-year-old, suspecting that "gay people had access to western money". During his incarceration, he was raped and tortured, and saw the bodies of five other gay men killed by the police.

While some Iraqis agree with the brutalization of the homosexual community, most others fear a revival of sectarian and ethnic violence. "The same thing that used to happen to Sunnis and Shias is now happening to gays." The murders highlight the failure of the US-supported government to respond appropriately and effectively to this targeted violence, often perpetrated in the light of day. As of now, the rule of guns and hatred is trumping the power of fledgling democracy in the streets and neighborhoods of Iraq.

To read more on this story, check out Human Rights Watch.

To take action against similar anti-LGBT violence in Honduras, click here.

Human Rights News: 8/29

This week, a report by the CIA inspector general called for a full criminal investigation into post-9/11 detainee abuse by the Bush administration. US Attorney General Eric Holder announced on Tuesday his plans for a preliminary review of torture allegations.

The CIA report, analyzing detention and interrogation activities, was actually completed in April 2004 but was suppressed from publication, despite the Freedom of Information Act. Some sections still remain "top secret" and shielded from public eyes. The report covers the period from September 2001 to October 2003, detailing a range of CIA abuses that constitute torture under US and international law.

According to Rob Freer, Amnesty International's researcher on the USA, this investigation cannot come soon enough. "The USA needs to ensure that every case of torture is submitted for prosecution, whether or not perpetrators claim to have been following orders, and those who authorized or ordered the commission of torture or other criminal abuse of detainees must also be brought to justice." He also calls for the establishment of an independent commission of inquiry to probe detainee treatment throughout the "War on Terror". He maintains that the commission "must not be used to block or delay the prosecution of any individuals against whom there is already sufficient evidence of criminal wrongdoing," including senior officials who authorized or inspired the use of torture by lower-level CIA operatives.

The report includes descriptions of various abusive practices, such as exposing prisoners held in secret to mock executions, the brandishing of guns and electric drills, threats to kill other prisoners' children, waterboarding, and other forms of torture. According to Human Rights Watch, the US's track record for punishing these types of prisoner abuse has been "abysmal", despite plentiful evidence. No CIA operative has ever been held accountable, and only a few military personnel have been held to justice.

For more on this story, check out Human Rights Watch, CNN, and Amnesty International.

Take action and call on President Obama and Congress to hold allegations of torture accountable here.

Calapalooza!

Thanks to everyone who stopped by the Amnesty table at Calapalooza today! We loved meeting you all!

For those of you who entered our raffle, we will announce the winners over the weekend.

And just a reminder: Our first general meeting is on September 1 at 7:00 p.m. in 201 Wheeler Hall. We can't wait to see you!

FIRST General Meeting!

FIRST Amnesty meeting of the semester... FIRST of September...Because it's time to put human rights FIRST!

Please join Amnesty International on Tuesday, September 1 at 7:00 p.m in 201 Wheeler Hall for an amazing meeting kicking off an exciting semester of campaigning for human rights education, advocacy, and action!

Included will be an overview of the organization, detailing possible campaigns, events, and leadership positions.

RSVP to the Facebook event, and feel free to invite your friends! See you there!

Amnesty@UCB: M.I.A.?

Sorry for the recent lack of Human Rights News updates... I was moving, and temporarily computer-less. Look forward to a valiant return of daily blog updates starting tomorrow!

Human Rights News: 8/18

As Afghanistan prepares for this Thursday's presidential and provincial council elections, the country faces many severe security and human rights challenges.

Afghanistan's Independent Election Commission has invited more than 440 foreign officials to oversee the August 20 elections, hopefully helping to prevent fraud and violence. However, as there are more than 26,000 polling stations and between 15 and 17 million registered voters, this international presence is modest at best. NATO, with the help of Afghan commanders, has fielded more than 300,000 troops to bolster security and ward off terrorist attacks.

A strong emphasis on security is essential due to the constant threat and aggression of the Taliban. While the Taliban's official regime ended in 2001, the Sunni fundamentalist organization continues to hold enormous power in the region. It has pledged to disrupt the elections using suicide bombings and attacks, threatening to kill any voting Afghan. Since Sunday, insurgents have attacked NATO convoys in the capital of Kabul and the southern and eastern provinces, killing dozens of civilians and several US and coalition troops. Today another attack occured in Kabul, when a suicide car bomb killed at least seven people and wounded over 50 more. Much of the violence has resulted from the troops' focus on clearing out the Taliban stronghold of Kandahar in order to enable citizens to vote.

This voting access is a primary concern for Human Rights Watch. "While holding elections is an achievement under the circumstances, questions remain about whether Afghans will really be able to exercise their right to vote," said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch.

The participation of women is a chief issue, due to "cultural obstacles and the risk of attacks against women by the Taliban and other insurgent groups". Security arrangements for both women voters and candidates have been poorly managed, limiting the access of women to the ballot. Another concern is the abundant pre-election violence. In addition to the mounting civilian casualties, electoral officials, candidates, and campaign workers have been abducted, threatened, and killed. In an effort to scare voters and candidates into submission, the Taliban recently threatened to "cut off any finger that is stained with the indelible ink that is used to identify people who have cast their ballots". Human Rights Watch states that "the overall security situation than during the last elections, in 2004-2005", which was the first election since the overthrow of the Taliban. The recent and bloody resurgence of the Taliban has caused much of this instability, along with the turmoil and chaos inflamed by the US War in Afghanistan.

Other problems include the hasty and inefficient creation of armed tribal militias by the government, a biased electoral commission, abuse of government power, unequal media access for candidates, the risk of electoral fraud, and limited voting access for citizens in rural or Taliban-controlled areas. Envoys of donkeys, trucks, and helicopters will deliver ballots to more isolated locations, while international watchdog organizations will aid in election monitoring.

Despite the mounting challenges, many Afghans remain undeterred. As one female voter stated, "It's in our destiny to take our rights. We should not be scared of anyone." NATO maintains that it will ensure the security of "85 to 90 percent of registered voters to access election sites" by Thursday. Millions of Afghan voters are expected to turn out for this monumental election, hoping to change the nation's many problems, including corruption, poverty, illiteracy, gender inequality, and war.

To learn more about this story, check out NPR, Human Rights Watch, and CNN.

Take action and urge the Obama administration to end international violence against women here.

Human Rights News: 8/17

Today, the U.S. Supreme Court ordered a new evidentiary hearing for Troy Anthony Davis, a man convicted of killing Georgian policeman Mark Allen MacPhail in 1991.

Davis maintains his innocence, and as of today, no physical evidence nor murder weapon has been found to support his death sentence. The case against him is based solely on inconsistent witness testimonies. Since the original trial, "all but two of the state's non-police witnesses from the trial have recanted or contradicted their testimony," according to Amnesty International. Many of these individuals have signed affidavits stating that they were "pressured or coerced by police into testifying or signing statements against Troy Davis". One of the two remaining witnesses against Davis is the defense's principle alternate suspect, Sylvester "Red" Coles, against whom nine individuals have signed implicating affidavits.
Because of the questionable evidence against Troy Davis, and due to the organization's strong stance against capital punishment, Amnesty International has rallied around Troy Davis and his family in the past years. Thanks to global activism, Davis has been issued three stays of execution. He will now have another chance to prove his innocence. In today's press release, director of AIUSA's Death Penalty Abolition Campaign Laura Moye said, "For years Amnesty International has maintained that this man's compelling case of innocence needs to see the light of day. Finally it will."
Troy Davis's situation is just one of many death penalty cases fought by Amnesty International. According to the organization, "The death penalty is the ultimate, irreversible denial of human rights... a system riddled with economic and racial bias and tainted by human error." Since 1973, over 130 people have been released from death rows throughout the country due to evidence of their wrongful convictions, with 10 releases in 2003 alone. A recent legislative audit in Kansas found that "the estimated cost of a death penalty case was 70% more than the cost of a comparable non-death penalty case." Amnesty International calls for the abolition of capital punishment worldwide and states that "two-thirds of the countries in the world – 137 – have now abolished the death penalty in law or practice."

For more information on Troy Davis, check out Amnesty International.

To take action and stop the execution of Jason Getsy in Ohio, click here.

Human Rights News: 8/16

In wake of the June 12 Iranian presidential elections, Iran's Revolutionary Court is trying its third round of detainees today. Prosecutors read out charges against more than two dozen defendants.

Over 1000 people were arrested in the mass protests following the disputed re-election of incumbent President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, an election steeped in possible fraud and conspiracy. Protesters, including politicians, journalists, and lawyers, were arrested for allegedly attempting to overthrow the government. This brutal crackdown by the Iranian authorities led to a massive global protest, and has created a lasting instability in the country.

The controversy has continued with emerging torture allegations. Both during and after the chaotic aftermath of the elections, police, prison guards, and the volunteer paramilitary Basij forces have used an alarming scale of force. Joe Stork, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch, believes this violence to be coordinated against primarily peaceful protesters. "The number and scale of the abuses by both the police and Basij make it pretty clear that they must have been following orders...Investigation into the abuse needs to go right to the top to find out who gave the orders."

This abuse hasn't stopped after the protesters' arrest. According to Irene Khan, Amnesty International’s Secretary General, “Reports emerging from Iran allege that both men and women detainees have been raped and tortured in other ways, in some cases causing their deaths." Although Ali Larijani, Speaker of the Iranian Parliament, maintains that no evidence of torture or rape has been found, the Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei earlier ordered the closure of Kahrizak detention center and dismissed several guards and prison chiefs for prisoner abuse. Due to this suspicion of torture, Khan demands an immediate and independent investigation of the Iranian prison system with the help of international experts.

For more information on this story, check out Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and CNN.

To encourage President Obama to take a strong stand against torture, click here.

Human Rights News: 8/15

Diplomacy works! Just ask Senator Jim Webb, a Democrat from Virginia, who today won the release of political prisoner John Yettaw.

Senator Webb met with Senior General Than Shwe, leader of the Myanmar military junta, and negotiated Yettaw's release. According to NPR, Yettaw, a 53-year-old American, had been sentenced to seven years of hard labor in prison for swimming to the home of detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and staying there for two nights in May.

The senator also met with Suu Kyi during his two day visit to Myanmar, also known as Burma. The Nobel Peace Prize Laureate has been sentenced to a year and a half under house arrest, a sentence that was reduced from the originally mandated three years in prison. The pro-democracy opposition leader, a prisoner of conscience held solely for her political beliefs, has frequently been detained for the past 20 years. In addition to this "Ambassador of Conscience", the Myanmar military junta holds over 2100 other political prisoners, often in terribly poor conditions.

Senator Webb's visit to Myanmar, demanding the release of Yuttaw and exposing the plight of other political prisoners, is virtually unprecedented. He is the first member of US Congress to visit the country in more than a decade, representing a new commitment to foreign policy by the Obama administration. "It is my hope that we can take advantage of these gestures as a way to begin laying the foundations of goodwill and confidence building in the future."

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has also been promoting this type of foreign policy during her visit to Africa this week, notably raising awareness of the use of rape as a weapon and conflict minerals in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

For more on this story, check out NPR and CNN.

To take action and demand the release of Aung San Suu Kyi, click here.

TOMS Campus Club at Berkeley

In addition to my role as coordinator of Amnesty International, I moonlight as a campus representative for TOMS Shoes at Berkeley.

What is TOMS Shoes, you ask? Started by American traveler and humanitarian extraordinaire Blake Mycoskie in 2006, TOMS Shoes gives a pair of shoes to a child in need for every pair purchased, "One for One". So far, the One for One movement has given over 140,000 pairs of shoes to children worldwide, and plans to distribute over 300,000 pairs this year alone!

For all you fashionistas out there, TOMS Shoes gives an added perk. In addition to challenging and expanding traditional notions of consumerism, the company is also making waves in the fashion community. TOMS and its founder have been featured in countless fashion publications, including Vogue, Elle, Nylon, Teen Vogue, C, In Style, Seventeen, and more. Styles feature bold prints, classic colors, artist collaborations, and vegan materials, all at an affordable price.

If you're interested in being a part of this fantastic movement, check out TOMS Campus Club at Berkeley on Facebook and Twitter. We're planning lots of exciting activities and events for this year! And, who knows? There might be a 10% discount in it for you...

Amnesty International is on Twitter!

For all those tweeters on Twitter without a serious case of Twitanoia, check out our twitterrific tweets as we tweet them... Just try not to be a twit.

Our Twitter account!