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Group 133's Electronic Newsletter for January 2007
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Next Meeting: Tuesday, January 9th, 2007
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THE STATUTE OF AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
Adopted by the 25th International Council Meeting,
Dakar, Senegal,
August 17-25, 2001
VISION AND MISSION
Amnesty International's vision is of a world in which every person enjoys all of
the human rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and
other international human rights standards. In pursuit of this vision, Amnesty
International's mission is to undertake research and action focused on
preventing and ending grave abuses of the rights to physical and mental
integrity, freedom of conscience and expression, and freedom from
discrimination, within
the context of its work to promote all human rights.
CORE VALUES
Amnesty International forms a global community of human rights defenders with
the principles of international solidarity, effective action for the individual
victim, global coverage, the universality and indivisibility of human rights,
impartiality and independence, and democracy and mutual respect.
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CALENDAR
*Monday, January 8th: Business Action Team meeting, @ Northeast Regional Office
*Tuesday, January 9th: Monthly Meeting, 7pm @ Northeast Regional Office
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GROUP CONTACTS
(NOTE: To avoid potential spamming, your newsletter editor has replaced
searchable parts of email addresses with words.)
Group Coordinator:
Kelly Turley, kellyturley-AT-excite-DOT-com
Newsletter Editor:
Tamara Jenkins, 617-267-7262, tamara_ann_jenkins-AT-yahoo-DOT-com
Business, Human Rights & the Environment Action Team Coordinator:
David Airey, davidairey01-AT-cs-DOT-com
Refugee Action Team Co-Coordinators:
Eric Aronson, 617-576-5558 earonson-AT-earthlink-DOT-net
Christine Aquilino: ChrisAquila-AT-comcast-DOT-net
Urgent Action Letter Coordinators:
Kirsten Burt, kirsten.burt-AT-comcast-dot-net
Tamara Jenkins, 617-267-7262, tamara_ann_jenkins-AT-yahoo-DOT-com
Tabling Coordinator and New Member Coordinator:
Becky Ticotsky, rticotsky-AT-wesleyan-DOT-edu
Treasurer:
Kevin Mouchantaf, kevinmouch-AT-hotmail-DOT-com, 617-620-587
Secretary:
For questions about the following issues, please contact these individuals:
Tibet Actions:
Rick Roth, roth-AT-igc.apc-DOT-org
Death Penalty Actions:
Molly Johnson,mollykj-AT-email-DOT-com or dp-AT-amnesty133-DOT-org
GLBT Actions:
Kevin Mouchantaf, kevinmouch-AT-hotmail-DOT-com, 617-620-587
Stop Violence Against Women Campaign
Kelly Turley, kellyturley-AT-excite-DOT-com
Amnesty International USA
Northeast Regional Office
58 Day St, Davis Square
Somerville, MA 02144
617-623-0202
aiusane@aiusa.org
www.amnesty133.org
Available Positions:
* Tibet Action Team Co-Coordinator
* Death Penalty Abolition Team Co-Coordinator
* Human Rights & the Environment Co-Coordinator
* Media Coordinator
* Communications Coordinator
* Tabling Coordinator
* Web Site Coordinator
* Secretary
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GROUP 133 MONTHLY MEETING AGENDA
Please join us for the January meeting of Amnesty International Group 133!
Tuesday, January 9, 2007, 7 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Agenda
* Letter Writing
* Introductions and Amnesty Mandate
* Voices for Africa: Alive with Hope
Sarah Ireland will join us to talk briefly about the work of Voices for Africa,
a student group at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. She will speak
about their upcoming conference on education, human rights, and health care in
Africa. The conference, "Alive With Hope: Best Practices in Education in
Africa", will be held on February 3. See below for more information about the
conference and tabling opportunities.
* Get on the Bus 12 Update
* Action Team Updates
* Past and Future Events
The meeting will be at the Amnesty International Northeast Regional Office, 58
Day Street, 4th floor, in Davis Square, Somerville. (If the door is locked when
you arrive, please ring the door bell to the right of the door, at the end of
the building, or call 857-523-0293.)
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AI133 ANNOUNCEMENTS
REFUGEE VOICES: CURRENT PERSPECTIVES ON REFUGEES & ASYLUM IN THE UNITED STATES
Tuesday, February 13 at 7:30 PM, 58 Day Street (Suite 409) in Davis Square,
Somerville. You are invited to attend this free small panel discussion involving
US refugees and asylees in the Boston area. Please note that this event will
take place during the monthly meeting of AIUSA Group 133 of Arlington &
Somerville, MA. For additional information, please contact Eric at (617)
512-7526.
GUANTANAMO BAY VIGIL
January 11th 2007 marks the fifth anniversary of the transfer of the first
detainees to the US Naval Base at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. Five years later,
despite widespread international condemnation and evidence of torture, cruel,
inhuman and degrading treatment, hundreds of people from more than 30
nationalities remain imprisoned. Amnesty International will be hosting a
vigil/rally in front of the Cambridge City Hall (Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge,
MA) from 5-6pm on January 11th. Our goal is to educate the public and demand
that the US government end this dark chapter in US history by closing the
facilities in Guantánamo Bay and disclosing the rest of the detention
centers.Here is the direct link to the close GTMO action guide to help you if
you plan to make posters, etc...
http://www.amnestyusa.org/stoptorture/pdf/closegitmo.pdf
If you are planning an action on 1/11/07 with your local student/local group
please let me know what actions you plan to take. For questions related to any
of the suggested actions above, or if you encounter any problems, do not
hesitate to email or call. Cynthia Gabriel, Membership Program Coordinator,
Amnesty International Northeast Regional Office, 617-623-0202
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REFUGEE ACTION TEAM
For information on participating in human rights work concerning refugees and
immigrants, contact Eric at 617-512-7526.
MORE HMONG ASYLUM-SEEKERS IN THAILAND FACE DEPORTATION, TORTURE: In addition to
the group of 16 Hmong asylum-seekers in danger of forcible return to Laos by
Thai authorities, which December's refugee action focused on, Amnesty
International believes a separate group of 152 Hmong, including 85 children, may
now also be in imminent danger; this group has been transported to the border
area where the group of 16 asylum-seekers have been held. They reportedly risk
torture and other serious human rights violations if returned to Laos. (Some of
the 27 Hmong refugees deported from Thailand to Laos one year ago, including 22
children, may have been tortured, according to AI.) Please amend the urgent
action letter in December's newsletter to reflect this updated information.
THREE ASYLUM-SEEKERS DETAINED IN CONGO (BRAZZAVILLE) MAY BE IN DANGER: This
month's urgent action (elsewhere in this newsletter) concerns three
asylum-seekers from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) who have been
detained in Brazzaville (Republic of the Congo) at the request of DRC
authorities. At least one is believed to have been persecuted because of
testifying about human rights violations in the DRC. According to Amnesty
International, some detainees in Brazzaville are reported to have been subjected
to torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment, in violation of
international humanitarian law, and other asylum-seekers returned to the DRC
from Brazzaville have reportedly been tortured. Your letters can help protect
these individuals.
DEVAL PATRICK VOWS TO OVERTURN ROMNEY'S DECISION ON TROOPERS: Massachusetts
Governor-Elect DEVAL PATRICK announced in December that he plans to overturn a
decision by outgoing Governor Mitt Romney, which authorized Mass. state troopers
to arrest undocumented immigrants at routine traffic stops and in the course of
other duties.
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Amnesty International Group 133
Monthly Minutes from 12-12 meeting
The focus of last months meeting was to choose our actions for Get On the Bus.
1. Tina Huang presented an idea for an action against US torture, following “The
America I Believe” campaign. Possible target could be the US Mission to the UN.
2. Aquene presented an Action for Bhopal. The target would be TIAA-CREF at 730
3rd Ave. AIUSA has already engaged in TIAA-CREF in a dialogue about supporting a
shareholder resolution in 2007. They also presented ideas for speakers.
3. The MIT Amnesty group presented an idea for an action on Darfur. They would
like to target China, because China is blocking a UN Vote.
4. Kelly Turley proposed an action to bring ex-president of Guatemala General
Rios Montt to justice for his crimes against humanity.
We had a unanimous vote to have 2-4 be our primary actions, and then to collect
signatures for the first proposal
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His Excellency
Denis SASSOU N'GUESSO
Président de la République
Présidence de la République
B.P. 2006, Brazzaville, RÉPUBLIQUE DU CONGO
Your Excellency:
I am writing in order to express concern about the safety and well-being of
three asylum-seekers from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC): Germain
Ndabamenya Etikilome (a former military magistrate), Médard Mabwaka Egbonde (a
former army chaplain) and Bosch Ndala Umba (a former police captain).
These three men have been held for nearly three years without charge or trial at
the headquarters of the DCRM military security service. They were arrested on 29
March 2004 by members of the DCRM in Brazzaville, reportedly at the request of
the DRC government. According to Amnesty International, they had allegedly fled
persecution in the DRC. Mr. Ndabamenya is reported to have fled to Brazzaville
after he received threats for testifying to a DRC commission of inquiry into
allegations of military and other offences allegedly committed by former
military court prosecutor, army colonel Charles Alamba Mungako.
I respectfully ask you to ensure that Germain Ndabamenya Etikilome, Médard
Mabwaka Egbonde and Bosch Ndala Umba are either charged with recognizable
criminal offences and promptly given a fair trial or are released without
further delay. I would like to remind you that The UNHCR Guidelines on
applicable Criteria and Standards relating to the Detention of Asylum Seekers
state the general principle that asylum-seekers should not be detained, and that
there should be a presumption against detention.
I respectfully request that these detainees be given access to legal counsel,
professional medical care, adequate food and visits from family members. I would
like to express my concern that, according to Amnesty International, some
detainees in Brazzaville are reported to have been subjected to torture and
cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment, in violation of international
humanitarian law.
I would also like to express concern that other asylum-seekers in Brazzaville,
including Césaire Muzima Mwenyezi, Fils Murhanzi and Hassan Alfani were recently
deported to Kinshasa, in violation of international humanitarian law, and were
allegedly tortured there. I respectfully urge you to ensure that the three
asylum-seekers from the DRC are not deported. I would like to remind you that
forcibly returning asylum-seekers to countries where they would face torture or
other serious human rights abuses is a violation of the principle of non-refoulement,
enshrined in the 1951 UN Convention relating to the Status of Refugees. Thank
you for your attention to this important matter.
Sincerely,
Copies to:
Monsieur Gabriel Entcha EBIA,
Ministre de la Justice, Garde des Sceaux et des Droits Humains
Ministère de la Justice, BP 2497
Brazzaville, RÉPUBLIQUE DU CONGO, FAX : +242 2 814167
Monsieur Rodolphe ADADA
Ministre des Affaires étrangères, de la Coopération et de la Francophonie
BP 2070 Brazzaville, RÉPUBLIQUE DU CONGO Fax: +242 2 814161
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Senator Edward M. Kennedy
317 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Fax: 202-224-2417
January 8, 2007
Dear Senator Kennedy:
As a constituent, I would like to thank you for your past efforts to protect the
rights of immigrants in the United States. Now, as the Senate prepares to
consider new legislation on immigration issues, I respectfully urge you to
ensure that any immigration bill you introduce or support includes strong
protections for undocumented asylum-seekers.
Massachusetts has a long history of offering assistance to refugees seeking
asylum. With Bush administration policies that have severely eroded the legally
protected right to asylum, that assistance - your assistance - is now needed
more than ever.
Refugees who seek asylum are often undocumented, since it may be both unsafe and
impractical for them to wait for a U.S. visa while fleeing for their lives, or
to apply for a passport to the very government that has tortured or otherwise
persecuted them. The REAL ID Act of 2005 requires of asylum-seekers an
unrealistic degree of proof, restricts judicial review in asylum cases and makes
it likely that many thousands will be wrongly deported to dangerous places.
I'd like to remind you that international conventions to which the United States
is a signatory party guarantee the right of individuals to seek and obtain
asylum (Universal Declaration of Human Rights) and prohibit the forcible return
of refugees to countries where they would face torture or other serious human
rights abuses (Convention relating to the Status of Refugees).
According to Amnesty International, immigration legislation you proposed in 2006
did not make specific reference to due process rights for asylum-seekers,
including those who have arrived in the U.S. with false or inadequate
documentation. I strongly hope that you will correct this oversight and include
such protections in any immigration bill you introduce or lend support to in
2007. Thank you, and please tell me how you intend to act on this serious
matter.
Sincerely,
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