tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83651068763256132782024-03-18T19:58:06.049-07:00Amnesty International Volunteer Group 536-- Adams Morgan, Washington, DCAmnesty International Volunteer Group 536-- Adams Morgan supports Amnesty Interational USA's vision. We organize events-- such as concerts, protests and vigils-- that raise awareness of human rights violations and inform the public about what can be done to oppose these violations. We also advocate on behalf of prisioners of conscience and other victims of human rights violations at every meeting by participating in Amnesty's ongoing urgent action letter writing campaign.Amnesty 536http://www.blogger.com/profile/01112134775121152473noreply@blogger.comBlogger25125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8365106876325613278.post-26753696296635743912009-05-05T12:06:00.000-07:002009-05-05T12:08:44.440-07:00Rally at Indonesian Embassy on 9 May 2009<span style="font-family:Comic Sans MS;"><br /><span style="color:blue;"><br /><center><br /><a href="http://www.amnestyusa.org/individuals-at-risk/priority-cases/filep-karma-and-yusak-pakage/page.do?id=1101238"><br /><b>Topic: Jailed for Raising a Flag in Indonesia</b></a><br /></center><br /><center><br /><img alt="Filep Karma and Yusak Pakage" src="http://jeffwilley.com/AI536/Indonesian_Human_Rights/Karma_Pakage_photos.jpg" /><br />For peacefully raising a flag, Filep Karma and Yusak Pakage may spend the next decade or more in prison in Indonesia!<br /></center><br /><br />Please join us and AIUSA at the <a href="http://www.embassyofindonesia.org/aboutembassy/mapdirection.htm"> <b>Indonesian Embassy </b></a>for <a href="http://www.amnestyusa.org/events/mid-atlantic/rally---free-filep-and-yusak/page.do?id=1092146"><b>a rally on Saturday, May 9 2009</b></a>, 3:00pm - 5:00pm, to Free Filep and Yusak.<br /><br />Location:<br />Embassy of Indonesia<br />2020 Massachusetts Ave NW<br />(Dupont Circle)<br />Washington, DC 20036<br /><br /><br /></span></span><span style="font-family:Comic Sans MS;"><span style="color:blue;"></span></span>Amnesty 536http://www.blogger.com/profile/01112134775121152473noreply@blogger.com73tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8365106876325613278.post-29530691715660328372009-04-29T13:55:00.000-07:002009-05-05T12:06:43.774-07:00Event Cancelled: 5 May 2009<span style="font-family:Comic Sans MS;"><br /><span style="color:blue;"><br /><center><br /><b> Event Cancelled </b><br /></center><br />Free Film, Discussion, Desert & Social Networking on 5 May 2009<br /><center><br /><a href="http://www.amnestyusa.org/individuals-at-risk/priority-cases/filep-karma-and-yusak-pakage/page.do?id=1101238"><br /><b>Topic: Jailed for Raising a Flag in Indonesia</b></a><br /></center><br /><center><br /><img alt="Filep Karma and Yusak Pakage" src="http://jeffwilley.com/AI536/Indonesian_Human_Rights/Karma_Pakage_photos.jpg" /><br />For peacefully raising a flag, Filep Karma and Yusak Pakage may spend the next decade or more in prison in Indonesia!<br /></center><br /><br /><p>Please join <a href="http://ai536.blogspot.com/"><b>Amnesty International Group 536 (Adams Morgan)</b></a> for a free film, discussion, and social networking at <a href="http://www.busboysandpoets.com/"><b>Bus Boy's and Poets</b></a>, a really cool coffee shop located at 14th and V Street NW. Enjoy some comfort food, a drink, and a free desert as we learn about the case of deteriorating human rights in Indonesia with a focus on Filep Karma and Yusak Pakage, Prisoners of Consience.<br /><br />Invited speakers include:<br /><br /><ul><br /><li type="DISC">Kate Vandermade, Country Specialist for <a href="http://www.amnestyusa.org/"><b>Amnesty International, USA</b></a><br /></li></ul><br /><br />Also hang out with our group,<br /><img alt="International Justice Day Poster" src="http://jeffwilley.com/AI536/Intnl_Justice_Day/Guzman_Wrapup_dcp_7780small.jpg" /> afterward as we discuss the film, and do some social networking.<br /><p></p><br /><br />What: Free Film, Discussion, Desert, Social Networking, and more<br />When: Tuesday, 5 May 2009, 6:30-8:00pm<br />Where: <a href="http://www.busboysandpoets.com/"><b>Bus Boy's and Poets</b></a>, 2021 14th St. NW, Washington, DC 20009<br />Why: The sad case of human rights in Indonesia!<br /><br />Free. Sponsored in part by <a href="http://ai536.blogspot.com/"><b>Amnesty International Group 536 (Adams Morgan)</b></a>.<br /><br />As a follow-up to this event, please also join us and AIUSA at the<br /><a href="http://www.embassyofindonesia.org/aboutembassy/mapdirection.htm"><br /><b>Indonesian Embassy </b></a>for <a href="http://www.amnestyusa.org/events/mid-atlantic/rally---free-filep-and-yusak/page.do?id=1092146"><b>a rally on Saturday, May 9 2009</b></a>, 3:00pm - 5:00pm, to Free Filep and Yusak.<br /><br />Location:<br />Embassy of Indonesia<br />2020 Massachusetts Ave NW<br />(Dupont Circle)<br />Washington, DC 20036<br /><br /></span></span><span style="font-family:Comic Sans MS;"><span style="color:blue;"></span></span>Amnesty 536http://www.blogger.com/profile/01112134775121152473noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8365106876325613278.post-47170464796280637152008-11-03T20:02:00.000-08:002008-11-03T20:03:37.283-08:00Nov 3, 2008 Meeting Recap and Regional Conference InfoIn attendance: Chris, Tara, Marissa, Jeff, Allie, Anne and Jackie<br /><br />I. "State of Human Rights in the U.S." event recap<br />AI536 organized and sponsored this event onTuesday, Oct 28 @ <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1225771336_0">Busboys and Poets</span> (City Vista)<br />The general consensus of those who attended was that the speakers did a good job; however, the low turnout (19 people participated, including the speakers and organizers) was disappointing. Factors that may have contributed to this low turnout were: a fire on the Red Line, unpleasant weather, the annual High Heel Race on 17th St., and a lack of adequate promotion. <br /><br />II. Jeff suggested AI consider raising awareness about <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1225771336_1">violence against women</span> through a visual display on a prominently-located billboard or large screen. Several members expressed interest in exploring this idea further. Marissa suggested the group consider looking into running the piece on large screens at/near the <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1225771336_2">Verizon Center</span> in <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1225771336_3">Chinatown</span>. Jeff promised to look into the screens further and to ask Jen @ Amnesty about legal issues that could arise. Allie committed to researching human rights-related dates on which such an ad or public service announcement could be run. <br /><br />III. Meeting venues: All Souls Church came up as a meeting place possibility; the group will consider it for an event in the future but not as our regular meeting place. Chris suggested looking into meeting at Timberlake's just north of Dupont. Jackie promised to following up with that restaurant about the cost, if any, of meeting there.<br /><br /><u>IV. <span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family: arial black,sans-serif; color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">Mid-Atlantic Regional Conference, <span style="border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(0, 102, 204); cursor: pointer;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1225771336_4">November 14-16, 2008</span>, Quality Hotel Conference Center, Harper's Ferry, WV</span></span></u><br /><br /><span style="font-family:sans-serif;font-size:130%;">The pre-registration deadline has been extended to <span style="border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(0, 102, 204); cursor: pointer;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1225771336_5">Monday,<b> November 10th</b></span>. <b>Register now at: </b></span><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://tinyurl.com/MAROConferenceRegistration"><span style="font-family:sans-serif;font-size:130%;"><b><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1225771336_6">http://tinyurl.com/MAROConferenceRegistration</span></b></span></a><span style="font-family:sans-serif;font-size:130%;"><b> </b></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:sans-serif;font-size:85%;">Pre-registering for the regional conference helps us ensure that we have enough materials and resources for all attendees and <b><u>it saves you $10 </u></b>off of the on-sight registration fee.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:sans-serif;font-size:100%;"><b><u>We've got an exciting, inspiring and fun-filled Regional Conference planned for you! Check out our agenda (</u></b></span><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://tinyurl.com/MARCAgenda"><span style="font-family:sans-serif;font-size:100%;"><b><u><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1225771336_7">http://tinyurl.com/MARCAgenda</span></u></b></span></a><span style="font-family:sans-serif;font-size:100%;"><b><u>) and these other ways to make the regional Conference great:</u></b></span><br /><br />One AI536 group member who plans to attend the entire conference has space available in her car and is willing to carpool. If you're looking for a ride, email Jackie at <a rel="nofollow" ymailto="mailto:aiusa536@gmail.com" target="_blank" href="mailto:aiusa536@gmail.com"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1225771336_8">aiusa536@gmail.com</span></a>.<br /><br /><span style="font-family:sans-serif;font-size:100%;"><b><u>Looking for ways to make the conference more affordable? Here are some ideas:</u></b></span><br /><span style="font-family:sans-serif;font-size:100%;color:#00a1e0;"><b>AI536 is offering subsidies to members interested in attending the conference<br /></b><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:85%;" >Contact Jackie at <a rel="nofollow" ymailto="mailto:aiusa536@gmail.com" target="_blank" href="mailto:aiusa536@gmail.com">aiusa536@gmail.com</a> for more info.</span><b><br /><br />Get Your Regional Conference Fee Waved if you Volunteer</b></span><br /><span style="font-family:sans-serif;font-size:85%;">The success of the conference is greatly due to the generous help from those who volunteer at the conference. To compensate you for your hard work, we will be waiving the registration fee for all those who are able to volunteer 5 or more hours during the duration of the conference. To get your fee waived in exchange for volunteering please fill out this form: </span><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://amnestyusa.org/events/mid-atlantic/pdf/08marcvolunteersignup.pdf"><span style="font-family:sans-serif;font-size:85%;"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1225771336_9">http://amnestyusa.org/events/mid-atlantic/pdf/08marcvolunteersignup.pdf</span></span></a> For more info, c<span style="font-family:sans-serif;font-size:85%;">ontact Kelly at <span style="border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(0, 102, 204); cursor: pointer;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1225771336_10">202.544.0200 ext.245</span> or by email at </span><a rel="nofollow" ymailto="mailto:knilsson@aiusa.org" target="_blank" href="mailto:knilsson@aiusa.org"><span style="font-family:sans-serif;font-size:85%;color:blue;"><u><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1225771336_11">knilsson@aiusa.org</span></u></span></a><br /><span style="font-family:sans-serif;font-size:85%;">**All volunteers must be available <b><u><span style="border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(0, 102, 204); cursor: pointer;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1225771336_12">Monday November 10th</span></u></b> in the evening for a training call.</span><br /><span style="font-family:sans-serif;font-size:85%;color:#ffbf18;"><b> </b></span><br /><span style="font-family:sans-serif;font-size:100%;color:#00a1e0;"><b>Find a Roommate for the Regional Conference</b></span><br /><span style="font-family:sans-serif;font-size:85%;">Looking for a roommate for the 2008 Mid- Atlantic Regional conference? We have set up a <span style="border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(0, 102, 204); cursor: pointer;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1225771336_13">Google</span> group's account for this very purpose. You don't need to have a Google group's account, just login using your e-mail address and create a password. </span><br /><span style="font-family:sans-serif;font-size:85%;">Go to the link </span><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://groups.google.com/group/find-a-roommate"><span style="font-family:sans-serif;font-size:85%;color:blue;"><u><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1225771336_14">http://groups.google.com/group/find-a-roommate</span></u></span></a><span style="font-family:sans-serif;font-size:85%;"> to access the <i>2008 Mid-Atlantic Regional Conference Room Share</i> group and find your roommate for the regional conference!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:sans-serif;font-size:100%;color:#00a1e0;"><b>Bring a group to the Regional Conference</b></span><br /><span style="font-family:sans-serif;font-size:85%;">For every 4 people that register from a group, the 5th person is free. To get this discount, fill out and send in this form: </span><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.amnestyusa.org/events/mid-atlantic/pdf/marc08grpregistrationform.pdf"><span style="font-family:sans-serif;font-size:85%;"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1225771336_15">http://www.amnestyusa.org/events/mid-atlantic/pdf/marc08grpregistrationform.pdf</span></span></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family:sans-serif;font-size:100%;color:#00a1e0;"><b>Be a member and Register NOW!</b></span><br /><span style="font-family:sans-serif;font-size:85%;">Registration costs non-members $10 more than members. And on-site registration is $10 more than pre-registration. So don't wait! <b> </b></span><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://tinyurl.com/MAROConferenceRegistration"><span style="font-family:sans-serif;font-size:85%;">http://tinyurl.com/MAROConferenceRegistration</span></a><span style="font-family:sans-serif;font-size:85%;"> </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:sans-serif;font-size:100%;color:#00a1e0;"><b>MARO Special Focus Case Flag Action</b></span><br /><span style="font-family:sans-serif;font-size:85%;">Filep Karma and Yusak Package were arrested during a demonstration in <span style="border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(0, 102, 204); cursor: pointer;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1225771336_16">Indonesia</span>, during which a flag was raised. To show support for them, we will be making our own flags before and at the regional conference. The flags should have messages that embody human rights, freedom, peace and solidarity. We will incorporate the flag action into your events, and bring them to DC in May for the rally (date TBD). So come to the conference with a flag in hand or ideas about how you can make a flag with meaning.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:sans-serif;font-size:85%;">If you can, please make your flag before you come to the regional conference. Flag making tips…</span><br /><span style="font-family:sans-serif;font-size:85%;">· Use any kind of cloth to create your flag, your flag can be any size</span><br /><span style="font-family:sans-serif;font-size:85%;">· Include messages about human rights, freedom, peace, solidarity, and ENCOURAGEMENT</span><br /><span style="font-family:sans-serif;font-size:85%;">· DON'T design flags that are representative of any country</span><br /><span style="font-family:sans-serif;font-size:85%;">· <span style="border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(0, 102, 204); cursor: pointer;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1225771336_17">Amnesty International</span> does not take a position on Papuan independence, so please make sure your flag design does not refer to Papua or any form of separatism</span><br /><span style="font-family:sans-serif;font-size:100%;"><b><br />If you have any questions about the regional conference please contact us at <a rel="nofollow" ymailto="mailto:aiusama@aiusa.org" target="_blank" href="mailto:aiusama@aiusa.org"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1225771336_23">aiusama@aiusa.org</span></a> or <span style="border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(0, 102, 204); cursor: pointer;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1225771336_24">202-544-0200</span>.</b></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:sans-serif;font-size:100%;"><b>See you in Harpers Ferry! </b></span><span style="border-bottom: medium none; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; cursor: pointer; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1225771336_27"><br /></span>Amnesty 536http://www.blogger.com/profile/01112134775121152473noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8365106876325613278.post-44302199300718560052008-09-15T21:23:00.000-07:002008-09-15T21:25:46.857-07:00September 15th Meeting RecapIN ATTENDANCE<br />Tara, Nadia, Anne, Cassie, Moira, Elizabeth, Chris and Jackie<br /><br />ANNOUNCEMENTS AND UPCOMING EVENTS<br />1. HOPE: Living and loving with HIV in Jamaica-- poetry reading and interactive multimedia project. Monday, Sept 22, 6-8pm @ Busboys. Visit www.livehopelove.com for more info.<br />2. Rally in support of Zimbabwean human rights defenders-- Thursday, September 25th, 5:30pm-6:30pm @ Zimbabwean Embassy, 16th St & New Hampshire Ave., NW<br />3. Night of 1,000 conversations-- Thursday, Sept 25. More details coming soon via email!<br />4. Educate to Activate: 2008 AIUSA Mid-Atlantic Regional Conference, November 14-16, Harpers Ferry, WV. A great opportunity to connect with Amnesty and meet other human rights activists in the Mid-Atlantic region! For more info: http://www.amnestyusa.org/regional-conferences/mid-atlantic/page.do?id=1091660&n1=5&n2=48&n3=785 .<br /><br />ACTIVITY PLANNING<br />We are now planning an event for mid-late October focusing on human rights violations under the Bush administration (focused on the so-called War on Terror policies), human rights violations affecting poor people in the U.S. (possibly with a focus on Katrina), and new member recruitment for AIUSA. Busboys and Poets was selected as the 1st choice for the event location. The event would feature time for mingling and new member recruitment, a panel presentation with three speakers (most likely two professors from AU and one staff person from AI's MARO), a question and answer period, and desserts provided by Amnesty. Commitments made by group members to get the planning process moving were:<br />-- Jackie will write to Folabi and Cecili about a speaker for the event and funding.<br />-- Anne will check Busboys and Poets' availability and will check into the cost of doing the event at Rumberos.<br />-- Nadia will float the idea by a potential panelist (Clovis Mauksoud (sp?) )<br />-- Moira will also float the idea to one, and possibly two, potential panelists (Jamie Raskin and Steve Hormeal (sp?) )<br /><br />URGENT ACTION<br />The group completed an urgent action demanding clemency for Troy Davis. For more information about this case, including letters to help you take action, visit http://www.amnestyusa.org/death-penalty/troy-davis-finality-over-fairness/page.do?id=1011343&n1=3&n2=28&n3=1412 .<br />Thank you, Chris, for preparing and mailing the Urgent Action!<br /><br />And thanks to everyone who attended! We are excited about this upcoming event and welcome your input and ideas.<br /><br />NEXT MEETING<br />Monday, October 6, 2008, 7-8pm, 1634 I (Eye) St., NW, Suite 1000Amnesty 536http://www.blogger.com/profile/01112134775121152473noreply@blogger.com39tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8365106876325613278.post-68754934001876233182008-07-30T20:36:00.000-07:002008-07-30T21:07:12.496-07:00Photos from AI Rally at Indonesian Embassy<span style="font-size:6;"><br /><center><br /><img src="http://jeffwilley.com/AI536/Indonesian_Embassy/100_1106r.jpg" /><br /><a href="http://www.jeffwilley.com/AI536/Indonesian_Embassy/default.htm"><br /><b>Click here for more photos</b></a><br /></center><br /></span>Amnesty 536http://www.blogger.com/profile/01112134775121152473noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8365106876325613278.post-16923529364433606052008-07-27T10:50:00.000-07:002008-07-27T10:53:08.392-07:00Rally at the Indonesian Embassy, 30 July 2008<span style="font-family:Comic Sans MS;"><span style="color:blue;"><span style="font-size:6;"><center><b>Join us at a Rally at the Indonesian Embassy</b><br /></center><center><img alt="Vigil Photo Collage" src="http://jeffwilley.com/AI536/Indonesian_Embassy/Vigil_Photo_Collage.jpg" /></center><center>(Our group and friends at a July 2006<br />Vigil against Torture at the Vice-President's house.)</center></span><br /><span style="font-size:6;"><p>Please join us,<a href="http://ai536.blogspot.com/"><b>Amnesty International Group 536 (Adams Morgan)</b></a>,at a rally at the <a href="http://www.embassyofindonesia.org/aboutembassy/mapdirection.htm"><b>Indonesian Embassy</b></a>in Washington, DC, to call for the release of <a href="http://www.amnestyusa.org/Prisoners_of_Conscience/Filep_Karma_and_Yusak_Pakage/page.do?id=1101238&n1=3&n2=34&n3=53"><b>Filep Karma and Yusak Pakage</b></a>.<br /><br />Police arrested Filep and Yusak in connection with a December 2004public raising of the Morning Star flag, a symbol of independence forIndonesia's Papua province. The two men were convicted of treason inMay 2005 for their role in the flag-raising and sentenced to 15 and 10years in prison, respectively.<br /><br />All people have the right to peacefully express their political orreligious beliefs. All governments are obligated to uphold and protectthat right. <a href="http://www.amnestyusa.org/Prisoners_of_Conscience/Filep_Karma_and_Yusak_Pakage/page.do?id=1101238&n1=3&n2=34&n3=53"><b>Amnesty International</b></a> believes Filep Karma and YusakPakage have been imprisoned solely for the peaceful expression oftheir beliefs and urges the Indonesian government to release them.<br /><br /><br />What: Rally at the Indonesian Embassy<br />When: Wednesday, July 30, 2008, 5:30pm-6:30pm<br />Where: <a href="http://www.embassyofindonesia.org/aboutembassy/mapdirection.htm"><b>Indonesian Embassy</b></a>,2020 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20036<br />Why: Indonesian's Inprisonment of Filep and Yusak<br /><br />Organized in part by<a href="http://ai536.blogspot.com/">Amnesty International Group 536 (Adams Morgan)</a>.<br /><br /></span><br /><br /></p><br /></span></span><span style="font-family:Comic Sans MS;"><span style="color:blue;"></span></span>Amnesty 536http://www.blogger.com/profile/01112134775121152473noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8365106876325613278.post-87487138427000968382008-07-09T10:43:00.000-07:002008-07-09T10:54:31.243-07:00International Justice Day: July 17th 2008<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijiRStTsoGw8zWl1wbLJBUJ-xcm_Mn81yZ3uM9hzn_hf55_ml7KQSpXSzC0fyUh480e1C_bPe7fLRTdzj9IBmN6bP9Ol6BWs4_XtDJLNB0UaudSABay-uh3PjYm51QPLgajvuDwvqBd1RX/s1600-h/justice+wo+borders.gif"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5221073903222402482" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijiRStTsoGw8zWl1wbLJBUJ-xcm_Mn81yZ3uM9hzn_hf55_ml7KQSpXSzC0fyUh480e1C_bPe7fLRTdzj9IBmN6bP9Ol6BWs4_XtDJLNB0UaudSABay-uh3PjYm51QPLgajvuDwvqBd1RX/s320/justice+wo+borders.gif" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br /><div>Join us for a free film, discussion and socializing at Busboys and Poets for International Justice Day.</div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div>Please join us for a free film, discussion, and social networking at <a href="http://www.busboysandpoets.com/">Bus Boy's and Poets</a>, (14th and V Street NW). Enjoy some comfort food and a drink as we watch <a href="http://www.amnestyusa.org/justice/page.php?id=1011417">Justice Without Borders</a>, a 35 minute documentary film by Amnesty International. The film explores the global movement seeking justice and accountability for the most grave human rights abuses. An invited speaker (TBD) will lead a discussion after the film.</div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div><strong>What</strong>: Free Film, Discussion, Social Networking, and more</div><br /><div><strong>When</strong>: Thursday, July 17, 2008, 8:30-10:30pm</div><br /><div><strong>Where</strong>: <a href="http://www.busboysandpoets.com/">Bus Boy's and Poets</a>, 2021 14th St. NW, Washington, DC 20009 </div><br /><div><strong>Why</strong>: Some Crimes Do Not Have BordersFree. Sponsored in part by <a href="http://ai536.blogspot.com/">Amnesty International Group 536 (Adams Morgan)</a>. </div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div><a href="http://www.amnestyusa.org/justice"></a></div></div>Amnesty 536http://www.blogger.com/profile/01112134775121152473noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8365106876325613278.post-53342372607138907312008-03-20T11:27:00.000-07:002008-03-20T11:34:29.995-07:00Happy Hour!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFtaeGzIRR2QAsnOo9ZlNFfcNR_kAUzq-_tYSAsaUP4mT6Qg4T7DAOI1aO8C16YucB6UamSqw7wKrvLx-7eW7NDAo7SMgLW4jT49oY466itHIwD34uSWl1T-5e8K1PNZ79CMEw1ZjOuIcD/s1600-h/sangria.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5179893709289689794" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 156px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 182px" height="158" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFtaeGzIRR2QAsnOo9ZlNFfcNR_kAUzq-_tYSAsaUP4mT6Qg4T7DAOI1aO8C16YucB6UamSqw7wKrvLx-7eW7NDAo7SMgLW4jT49oY466itHIwD34uSWl1T-5e8K1PNZ79CMEw1ZjOuIcD/s320/sangria.jpg" width="156" border="0" /></a><br /><div><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;"><span style="color:#000099;">Amnesty International Young Professionals of the Greater DC Area Happy Hour for Human Rights</span><br /></span></strong><br /><span style="color:#33cc00;"><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">Café Citron*<br />Wednesday, March 26th<br />from 6:30 PM-8 PM</span></strong><br /></span><br />* 1343 Connecticut Ave NW<br />DUPONT CIRCLE SOUTH exit<br /><br />Come to mingle, enjoy free tapas and complimentary drink specials, and learn more about the Amnesty International USA Annual General Meeting (April 25th-28th, 2008 at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City, VA) and AIUSA Lobby Day (April 28th)!<br />All are welcome!<br /><br /><br />* Sponsored by the AI AGM ProgramCommittee(www.amnestyusa.org/agm), AI536, and the AI National Youth </div>Amnesty 536http://www.blogger.com/profile/01112134775121152473noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8365106876325613278.post-4281817029562668322008-02-20T06:06:00.000-08:002008-02-20T06:11:03.111-08:00International Day of Action for Kenya<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnWzjx3zKKYTMBZVAA2eyCNwiONH7iuQOHUaPj7WPxn3iGIcsRh6ZNSgWHhnXlLVYRLlP7_uvIs1VsjmdHS8vNIFHPZIhmcPH-tl1MDh4XgfQv9Z5YJ8dMuebafzC8nylcbEgy267BZDgJ/s1600-h/IMG_1543.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5169064499165971042" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnWzjx3zKKYTMBZVAA2eyCNwiONH7iuQOHUaPj7WPxn3iGIcsRh6ZNSgWHhnXlLVYRLlP7_uvIs1VsjmdHS8vNIFHPZIhmcPH-tl1MDh4XgfQv9Z5YJ8dMuebafzC8nylcbEgy267BZDgJ/s320/IMG_1543.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaiMVVB14VA8Mwk-qHAgj5xnzTKNZrwlSNBlcPtNi2l4k0SN4e84KLsmILdQ82Rk_HT8jzydadH_O7h-6X5VosqXbGB2s1_cgW05LFTnbPwlrJV2lhc4ddmOm4k8bNG1OgSeQuXgb2pfre/s1600-h/Reach+Out+for+Kenya.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5169064202813227602" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaiMVVB14VA8Mwk-qHAgj5xnzTKNZrwlSNBlcPtNi2l4k0SN4e84KLsmILdQ82Rk_HT8jzydadH_O7h-6X5VosqXbGB2s1_cgW05LFTnbPwlrJV2lhc4ddmOm4k8bNG1OgSeQuXgb2pfre/s320/Reach+Out+for+Kenya.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div align="center"><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">Kuwafikia Wakenya ~ Reach Out for Kenya<br />Vigil at the Kenyan Embassy </span></strong></div><br /><br /><div><br />2249 R St. NW (in Dupont Circle)<br /><strong>Date: February 27, 2008<br />Time: 4:30-6:30 PM</strong></div><br /><br /><div><br />The purpose of this international day of action is to express solidarity with the people of Kenya and to exert pressure on the Government of Kenya, Kenyan political leaders and the international community to strengthen efforts to stop the human rights violations that have occurred since the disputed elections of December 27, 2007.<br />Come to the vigil at the embassy! But if you can’t make it, you can still participate by:</div><div><br />Taking action to protect Kenyan human rights defenders:<br /><a href="http://takeaction.amnestyusa.org/siteapps/advocacy/index.aspx?c=jhKPIXPCIoE&b=2590179&template=x.ascx&action=9790" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://takeaction.amnestyusa.org/siteapps/advocacy/index.aspx?c=jhKPIXPCIoE&b=2590179&template=x.ascx&action=9790</a> </div><div><br />Sending a message of hope to Kenyans through the AIUSA blog:<br /><a href="http://blogs.amnestyusa.org/urgentaction" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://blogs.amnestyusa.org/urgentaction</a> </div><div><br />Joining the Reach Out for Kenya Facebook group: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=8721569146" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=8721569146</a> </div><div><br />Uploading a digital photo or video to the Reach Out for Kenya Flickr page: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/reachoutforkenya" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.flickr.com/photos/reachoutforkenya</a> </div><div><br />Please send your photos to <a href="http://www.amnesty.org/en/appeals-for-action/cold27south@photos.flickr.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.amnesty.org/en/appeals-for-action/cold27south@photos.flickr.com</a> and be sure to<br />cc: <a href="http://us.f322.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=nyamalo@comcast.net" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" ymailto="mailto:nyamalo@comcast.net">http://us.f322.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=nyamalo@comcast.net</a> and <a href="mailto:ikelly@aiusa.org" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" ymailto="mailto:ikelly@aiusa.org">ikelly@aiusa.org</a> </div><div><br />For updates, check the AIUSA Kenya page: <a href="http://www.amnestyusa.org/By_Country/Kenya/page.do?id=1011181&n1=3&n2=30&n3=931" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.amnestyusa.org/By_Country/Kenya/page.do?id=1011181&n1=3&n2=30&n3=931</a></div></div>Amnesty 536http://www.blogger.com/profile/01112134775121152473noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8365106876325613278.post-44437563626765997362008-01-15T15:18:00.000-08:002008-01-15T15:47:15.374-08:00Tahirih Justice Center<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNeG8cixDLH1KyWoauddkXBK78rAg9okjEqEO4_HraHbPzm1ndrtt6pveORUYCHkQX_XGyKUgS2SvoLXGDpuj30FuVwJOoG7f8lpo6gudAtOYNndwbJ5-MG9GPgU6wAA72TkbYjHNyDZYS/s1600-h/images.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5155854044748456834" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNeG8cixDLH1KyWoauddkXBK78rAg9okjEqEO4_HraHbPzm1ndrtt6pveORUYCHkQX_XGyKUgS2SvoLXGDpuj30FuVwJOoG7f8lpo6gudAtOYNndwbJ5-MG9GPgU6wAA72TkbYjHNyDZYS/s320/images.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Thanks to Mazna Hussain for coming to our last chapter meeting to talk about the work of the Tahirih Justice center. Truly inspiring and important work.<br /></div><br /><br /><div><a href="http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://tahirih.org/app/img/pool/centerclient1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://tahirih.org/%3Ftemplate%3Dvawa&h=208&w=259&sz=11&hl=en&start=12&um=1&tbnid=TD5ZMHmzIp9PIM:&tbnh=90&tbnw=112&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dtahirih%2Bjustice%2Bcenter%26svnum%3D10%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Dactive%26rlz%3D1T4DKUS_enUS212US212%26sa%3DN"></a>Also see this fascinating 10 minute film about Layli (the founder of the center) and her work. <a href="http://www.doubletake.tv/cms/inspirationbeyondborders-english">http://www.doubletake.tv/cms/inspirationbeyondborders-english</a></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div>Amnesty 536http://www.blogger.com/profile/01112134775121152473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8365106876325613278.post-52660389855248058572008-01-05T11:10:00.000-08:002008-01-16T11:17:07.341-08:00Day of the Disappeared Vigil<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLl7Zmwsi_HBT-09kmngYdjNQ2H_zTL6MH1HIlz1AE8ezpchAXoMZ8QOEY694VaTCB2whribTfSm94oHlvzssb9S3_CoyR0FtUM4OTeUf8D7yGSQuXuGuGJhEQWQh_CP-zU6xDj0cDswcB/s1600-h/s639353533_273133_5455[1].jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5156155538567734290" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLl7Zmwsi_HBT-09kmngYdjNQ2H_zTL6MH1HIlz1AE8ezpchAXoMZ8QOEY694VaTCB2whribTfSm94oHlvzssb9S3_CoyR0FtUM4OTeUf8D7yGSQuXuGuGJhEQWQh_CP-zU6xDj0cDswcB/s400/s639353533_273133_5455%5B1%5D.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ8HR24jJ3zFm5XXd24LxoTaHGBTyXIZ2Q0VKkX59LVAnYeAWhszycA3-LHABI4b5xer41L1rel9FUZqkhublJl3ge36HXk_fbUmtswGiJjCM-IOrUFvv_iclAWi7sZ6PPx36lLCdG8Dx9/s1600-h/s639353533_273130_4835[1].jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5156155491323094018" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ8HR24jJ3zFm5XXd24LxoTaHGBTyXIZ2Q0VKkX59LVAnYeAWhszycA3-LHABI4b5xer41L1rel9FUZqkhublJl3ge36HXk_fbUmtswGiJjCM-IOrUFvv_iclAWi7sZ6PPx36lLCdG8Dx9/s400/s639353533_273130_4835%5B1%5D.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcGdAmci7kwu6Pt5f-9W2MraTFrmIxIZ7Rcb7sGwRguS5piu4J-gpNP-LbNI-gsrJEG9KB2_PonPOpzzYeGPb_QREdnNzptojLbEnFSFKNlgVnSyZ-9yFK9ABH_1pF08F2lYG88VEaS8uh/s1600-h/s639353533_273120_2302[1].jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5156155439783486450" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcGdAmci7kwu6Pt5f-9W2MraTFrmIxIZ7Rcb7sGwRguS5piu4J-gpNP-LbNI-gsrJEG9KB2_PonPOpzzYeGPb_QREdnNzptojLbEnFSFKNlgVnSyZ-9yFK9ABH_1pF08F2lYG88VEaS8uh/s400/s639353533_273120_2302%5B1%5D.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqRfWNUsLP3G35yGzjLlmvr0tNeEYn2aaJBIzqXr3DCObGr0IBeIlyrl1y2M89-cjsHyvZ4OOibqI8THutsnwhQtYleDxcrr6_h2P0C9GamATuOVrLNiTm3lANO2NTbwvpnAhZnwh6hgfg/s1600-h/s639353533_273117_1606[1].jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5156155379653944290" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqRfWNUsLP3G35yGzjLlmvr0tNeEYn2aaJBIzqXr3DCObGr0IBeIlyrl1y2M89-cjsHyvZ4OOibqI8THutsnwhQtYleDxcrr6_h2P0C9GamATuOVrLNiTm3lANO2NTbwvpnAhZnwh6hgfg/s400/s639353533_273117_1606%5B1%5D.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div>Some pictures from our Day of the Disappeared Vigil in Dupont Circle last fall. Thanks to Jackie for supplying them!! </div><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br /></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div>Amnesty 536http://www.blogger.com/profile/01112134775121152473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8365106876325613278.post-64935527716377570942007-06-21T18:04:00.000-07:002008-01-15T15:18:21.865-08:00Darfur benefit concert<em><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMUFJB7m7ZoImLZTykHDLqE-9OUKfS-YyvPfwwWosD4aEKe6uRXcuxu89QsNeqvCDXkG2WW1pwAYV1WbU20RZsE3EZ_tEK6zXwP5xl_oahs6fJZ3f4xnabu626u87kot1MwyMBQEifx0gA/s1600-h/John+Stone.jpg"></em></a></div>Hello everyone! Here are some pics from the concert; hope they bring back great memories and other warm and fuzzy feelings. :) -- Jackie<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghrfow_DYWctbERlJxyxEq9l0DQCcS58vEDlt_x0WUMQokq4Zdzz0IJNIFC3WINNH29Hsb5lxUQRXXRFLx7ImRfySMszilEdPEHsWHIQi-2rIuB-GEc_DnepqgzvNGiXgK13ufAi00QfL4/s1600-h/John+Stone.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5078691869382134690" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghrfow_DYWctbERlJxyxEq9l0DQCcS58vEDlt_x0WUMQokq4Zdzz0IJNIFC3WINNH29Hsb5lxUQRXXRFLx7ImRfySMszilEdPEHsWHIQi-2rIuB-GEc_DnepqgzvNGiXgK13ufAi00QfL4/s400/John+Stone.jpg" border="0" /></a><em>John Stone Roots Reggae </em><br /><br /><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTKNyKXnGEWeVMK2oqZRqlX34HN6wDmc4mPSTyULex6WcDVp__OlfsLZR7A9DOgCnSJwnYcFI4hyphenhyphenWS09Sja1GsN5EcZVxddqTIyK0Wv40-vmWFvFvm55YEQajAC9jMOetwYl1MSScc453T/s1600-h/Silent+auction+1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5078691332511222674" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTKNyKXnGEWeVMK2oqZRqlX34HN6wDmc4mPSTyULex6WcDVp__OlfsLZR7A9DOgCnSJwnYcFI4hyphenhyphenWS09Sja1GsN5EcZVxddqTIyK0Wv40-vmWFvFvm55YEQajAC9jMOetwYl1MSScc453T/s400/Silent+auction+1.jpg" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center"><em>Silent auctioning</em></p><p align="center"><br /></p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOtXA_Q3UF4DdF46OOMh_9nOQn-vfPFPG80pgdDO9ZawT5PqtCCib2Sl2qBKT7fbkVfWA9INmaBxqdK8C-2H8mtZcSVwzf4QetmH8VWvnmUDExBepMSO8kde3jw5jTea_DoTlBgngCnrYC/s1600-h/Outside+w.signs.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5078691268086713218" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOtXA_Q3UF4DdF46OOMh_9nOQn-vfPFPG80pgdDO9ZawT5PqtCCib2Sl2qBKT7fbkVfWA9INmaBxqdK8C-2H8mtZcSVwzf4QetmH8VWvnmUDExBepMSO8kde3jw5jTea_DoTlBgngCnrYC/s400/Outside+w.signs.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"></a></p><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI5uJoA52QG3SvXF7vXwhFrFwsovqfwcohq1KYt-x6SRMpVVtp_mt-u_hu9UhjaMvh_gn62VJLWR-QCiqKmUm_GprnSELVjxuayMoXUJVaFHiCQZqCCQ6lBHokBz6HtPiDJhU4akp7FSSx/s1600-h/Jaume+and+Lynn+setting+up.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5078691212252138354" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI5uJoA52QG3SvXF7vXwhFrFwsovqfwcohq1KYt-x6SRMpVVtp_mt-u_hu9UhjaMvh_gn62VJLWR-QCiqKmUm_GprnSELVjxuayMoXUJVaFHiCQZqCCQ6lBHokBz6HtPiDJhU4akp7FSSx/s400/Jaume+and+Lynn+setting+up.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq27G0YGX2nfYbdG-OC9Cz0qQZ6jhWKL-zdinjA-G7Z43tVgDwzl4uJgCd19HBUym7oeNurEsaFRSxz9ki2Efo_p9k0riTc5stz6LYxyzl0URal4JQSH6IMQYEIbN1RAMwilFxplNuIDlz/s1600-h/Info+table+1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5078691130647759714" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq27G0YGX2nfYbdG-OC9Cz0qQZ6jhWKL-zdinjA-G7Z43tVgDwzl4uJgCd19HBUym7oeNurEsaFRSxz9ki2Efo_p9k0riTc5stz6LYxyzl0URal4JQSH6IMQYEIbN1RAMwilFxplNuIDlz/s400/Info+table+1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5078690035431099186" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN9UkqeBDzyuCZQ_miR-Yh6r6NI4Lh8UtD2WLBurMn-2HesmjGBdsfFFmumtjNJgk-B53zN6ZIu9_C9MiBu9ju2mboncHrHfZWEKmoo7VJobpORsj4_K6_lwQ3jFnHq8SFkLSTotQRJxWn/s400/Getting+down.jpg" border="0" /> <em>Get down, get down</em><br /><br /><p><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR08bJ3JfSAgJp6oEIBh-mVdrF9nvl3pVISTggBWOxHk4gyD18fGumek5KtS9L43ssuvBZLO5SndmQXL7qMtYsnTfmxGl_YV7B7Vt7Sch8bR_CucaVUCQ3WXcgju-BildhrwQ5r5dZnwW6/s1600-h/Checking+people+in.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5078690808525212498" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR08bJ3JfSAgJp6oEIBh-mVdrF9nvl3pVISTggBWOxHk4gyD18fGumek5KtS9L43ssuvBZLO5SndmQXL7qMtYsnTfmxGl_YV7B7Vt7Sch8bR_CucaVUCQ3WXcgju-BildhrwQ5r5dZnwW6/s400/Checking+people+in.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /></p></div></div>Amnesty 536http://www.blogger.com/profile/01112134775121152473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8365106876325613278.post-13535395783180759922007-06-21T16:46:00.001-07:002007-06-21T16:49:09.799-07:00Guantánamo to close?<span style="font-size:130%;"><strong>W.H. decision near to close Guantanamo</strong></span><br /><br />By MATTHEW LEE, Associated Press Writer<br /><br />WASHINGTON - The Bush administration is nearing a decision to close the Guantanamo Bay detainee facility and move the terror suspects there to military prisons elsewhere, The Associated Press has learned.<br /><br />President Bush's national security and legal advisers are expected to discuss the move at the White House on Friday and, for the first time, it appears a consensus is developing, senior administration officials said Thursday.<br /><br />The advisers will consider a proposal to shut the center and transfer detainees to one or more Defense Department facilities, including the maximum security military prison at Fort Leavenworth in Kansas, where they could face trial, said the officials. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were discussing internal deliberations.<br /><br />Officials familiar with the agenda of the Friday meeting said Vice President Dick Cheney, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Defense Secretary Robert Gates, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, Homeland Security chief Michael Chertoff, National Intelligence Director Mike McConnell and Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Gen. Peter Pace were expected to attend.<br /><br />It was not immediately clear if the meeting would result in a final recommendation to Bush.<br />Previous plans to close Guantanamo have run into resistance from Cheney, Gonzales and former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. But officials said the new suggestion is gaining momentum with at least tacit support from the State and Homeland Security departments, the Pentagon, and the Intelligence directorate.<br /><br />Cheney's office and the Justice Department have been dead set against the step, arguing that moving "unlawful" enemy combatant suspects to the U.S. would give them undeserved legal rights.<br /><br />They could still block the proposal, but pressure to close Guantanamo has been building since a Supreme Court decision last year that found a previous system for prosecuting enemy combatants illegal. Recent rulings by military judges threw out charges against two terrorism suspects under a new tribunal scheme.<br /><br />Those decisions have dealt a blow to the administration' s efforts to begin prosecuting dozens of Guantanamo detainees regarded as the nation's most dangerous terror suspects.<br />In Congress, recently introduced legislation would require Guantanamo's closure. One measure would designate Fort Leavenworth as the new detention facility.<br /><br />Another bill would grant new rights to those held at Guantanamo Bay, including access to lawyers regardless of whether the prisoners are put on trial. Still another would allow detainees to protest their detentions in federal court, something they are now denied.<br /><br />Gates, who took over the Pentagon after Rumsfeld was forced out last year, has said Congress and the administration should work together to allow the U.S. to permanently imprison some of the more dangerous Guantanamo Bay detainees elsewhere so the facility can be closed.<br /><br />Military officials told Congress this month that the prison at Fort Leavenworth has 70 open beds and that the brig at a naval base in Charleston, S.C., has space for an additional 100 prisoners.<br /><br />The Guantanamo Bay prison, where some 380 alleged terrorists are now detained, has been a flash point for criticism of the Bush administration at home and abroad. It was set up in 2002 to house terror suspects captured in military operations, mostly in Afghanistan.<br /><br />Because the facility is in Cuba, the administration has argued that detainees there are not covered by rights and protections afforded to those in U.S. prisons.<br /><br />Human rights advocates and foreign leaders have repeatedly called for its closure, and the prison is regarded by many as proof of U.S. double standards on fundamental freedoms in the war on terrorism.<br /><br />Some of the detainees come from countries that are U.S. allies, including Britain, Saudi Arabia and Australia. Each of those governments raised complaints about the conditions or duration of detentions, or about the possibility that detainees might face death sentences.<br />Rice has said she would like to see Guantanamo closed if a safe alternative could be found. She said during a trip to Spain this month that "the United States doesn't have any desire to be the world's jailer."<br /><br />"I don't think anyone wants to see Guantanamo open one day longer than it is needed. But I also suspect nobody wants to see a number of dangerous people simply released out onto the streets," she said.<br /><br />On Thursday, two Democratic lawmakers, Rep. Alcee Hastings of Florida and Sen. Benjamin Cardin of Maryland, told a human rights commission that Guantanamo must be closed if the United States is to regain credibility and authority on human rights.<br /><br />"The damage done to the United States goes beyond undermining our status as a global leader on human rights," Cardin said. "Our policies and practices regarding Guantanamo and other aspects of our detainee policies have undermined our authority to engage in the effective counter-terrorism measures that are necessary for the very security of this country."<br /><br />Officials say that Bush, who also has said he wants to close the facility as soon as possible, is keenly aware of its shortcomings.<br /><br />His wife, Laura, and mother, Barbara, along with Rice and longtime adviser Karen Hughes, head of the public diplomacy office at the State Department, have told him that Guantanamo is a blot on the U.S. record abroad, particularly in the Muslim world and among European allies.<br /><br />Bush has said the United States first has to determine what to do with the detainees there. The administration says some countries have refused to accept terror suspects from their territory.<br /><br />Earlier this month, former Secretary of State Colin Powell called for the immediate closure of the prison, saying it posed an untenable foreign policy risk and was irreparably harming the U.S. image abroad.<br />___<br />AP Diplomatic Writer Anne Gearan contributed to this report.Amnesty 536http://www.blogger.com/profile/01112134775121152473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8365106876325613278.post-29436611400042366492007-06-11T11:05:00.000-07:002007-06-11T11:06:32.078-07:00Powell would close Guantánamo "not tomorrow but this afternoon"Monday, June 11, 2007<br /><br />Colin Powell says Guantanamo should be shut<br /><br />By AFP<br /><br />WASHINGTON, June 10 (Reuters) - Former U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said on Sunday the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay for foreign terrorism suspects should be immediately closed and its inmates moved to the United States.<br /><br />Powell, who in a 2003 speech to the U.N. Security Council made the case for war against Iraq for possessing weapons of mass destruction that were never found, said the controversial prison in Cuba had become a "major problem" for the United States' image abroad and done more harm than good.<br /><br />" Guantanamo has become a major, major problem ... in the way the world perceives America and if it were up to me I would close Guantanamo not tomorrow but this afternoon ... and I would not let any of those people go. I would simply move them to the United States and put them into our federal legal system," Powell told NBC's Meet the Press.<br /><br /> "Essentially, we have shaken the belief the world had in America 's justice system by keeping a place like Guantanamo open and creating things like the military commission. We don't need it and it is causing us far more damage than any good we get for it," he added.<br /><br />The United States is holding about 380 foreign terrorism suspects at Guantanamo .<br /><br />Rights groups and foreign governments have called for the prison to be closed, saying holding prisoners there for years without trial violated legal standards. But Washington says the prison is legal and necessary to hold dangerous individuals.<br /><br />"I would get rid of Guantanamo and the military commission system and use established procedures in federal law," Powell said, saying some leaders around the world were using Guantanamo to hide their own misdeeds.<br /><br />"It's a more equitable way, and more understandable in constitutional terms," he added.Amnesty 536http://www.blogger.com/profile/01112134775121152473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8365106876325613278.post-85579365636670173432007-05-27T13:00:00.000-07:002007-05-27T13:21:27.427-07:00U.S. Security Contractors Open Fire in Baghdad<h2>Blackwater Employees Were Involved in Two Shooting Incidents in Past Week</h2><p><span style="font-size:85%;"> <div id="byline">By <a href="http://projects.washingtonpost.com/staff/email/steve+fainaru+and+saad+al-izzi/" title="Send an e-mail to Steve Fainaru and Saad al-Izzi">Steve Fainaru and Saad al-Izzi</a></div>Washington Post Foreign Service<br />Sunday, May 27, 2007; Page A01</span></p><p>Employees of Blackwater USA, a private security firm under contract to the <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/related-topics.html/U.S.+Department+of+State?tid=informline" target="">State Department</a>, opened fire on the streets of <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/related-topics.html/Baghdad?tid=informline" target="">Baghdad</a> twice in two days last week, and one of the incidents provoked a standoff between the security contractors and Iraqi forces, <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/related-topics.html/United+States?tid=informline" target="">U.S.</a> and Iraqi officials said.</p><p>A Blackwater guard shot and killed an Iraqi driver Thursday near the Interior Ministry, according to three U.S. officials and one Iraqi official who were briefed on the incident but spoke on condition of anonymity because of a pending investigation. On Wednesday, a Blackwater-protected convoy was ambushed in downtown Baghdad, triggering a furious battle in which the security contractors, U.S. and Iraqi troops and AH-64 Apache attack helicopters were firing in a congested area.</p><p>Employees of Blackwater USA, a private security firm under contract to the <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/related-topics.html/U.S.+Department+of+State?tid=informline" target="">State Department</a>, opened fire on the streets of <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/related-topics.html/Baghdad?tid=informline" target="">Baghdad</a> twice in two days last week, and one of the incidents provoked a standoff between the security contractors and Iraqi forces, <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/related-topics.html/United+States?tid=informline" target="">U.S.</a> and Iraqi officials said.</p><p>A Blackwater guard shot and killed an Iraqi driver Thursday near the Interior Ministry, according to three U.S. officials and one Iraqi official who were briefed on the incident but spoke on condition of anonymity because of a pending investigation. On Wednesday, a Blackwater-protected convoy was ambushed in downtown Baghdad, triggering a furious battle in which the security contractors, U.S. and Iraqi troops and AH-64 Apache attack helicopters were firing in a congested area.</p><p>Blackwater confirmed that its employees were involved in two shootings but could neither confirm nor deny that there had been any casualties, according to a company official who declined to be identified because of the firm's policy of not addressing incidents publicly.</p><p>Blackwater's security consulting division holds at least $109 million worth of State Department contracts in <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/world/countries/iraq.html?nav=el" target="">Iraq</a>, and its employees operate in a perilous environment that sometimes requires the use of deadly force. But last week's incidents underscored how deeply these hired guns have been drawn into the war, their murky legal status and the grave consequences that can ensue when they take aggressive action.</p><p>Matthew Degn, a senior American civilian adviser to the Interior Ministry's intelligence directorate, described the ministry as "a powder keg" after the Iraqi driver was shot Thursday, with anger at Blackwater spilling over to other Americans working in the building.</p><p>Degn said he was concerned the incident "could undermine a lot of the cordial relationships that have been built up over the past four years. There's a lot of angry people up here right now."</p><p>Details about that incident remained sketchy. The Blackwater guards said the victim drove too close to their convoy and drew fire, according to the three American officials. Concerned about a possible car bomb or other threat, the guards said they tried to wave off the vehicle, shouted, fired a warning shot into the radiator, then shot into the windshield when the driver failed to pull back, the officials said. Such steps are recommended under the rules for the use of force by contractors in Iraq specified in Memorandum 17, a set of guidelines adopted in 2004 by the <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/related-topics.html/Coalition+Provisional+Authority?tid=informline" target="">Coalition Provisional Authority</a>, the U.S.-led occupation government, and still in effect.</p><p>The Iraqi official said the driver encountered the Blackwater convoy after leaving a gas station just outside the Interior Ministry. Some witnesses said the shooting was unprovoked, the official said. He said the driver had wounds in his shoulder, chest and head.</p><p>The Blackwater employees refused to divulge their names or details of the incident to Iraqi authorities, according to two of the U.S. officials and the Iraqi official. The officials described a tense standoff that ensued between the Blackwater guards and Interior Ministry forces -- both sides armed with assault rifles -- until a passing <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/related-topics.html/U.S.+Armed+Forces?tid=informline" target="">U.S. military</a> convoy intervened.</p><p>Anne Tyrrell, a Blackwater spokeswoman, said the company did not discuss specific incidents. In a statement via e-mail, she wrote: "Blackwater investigates any reports of hostile action in Iraq. Per the terms of our US Government contracts, as a matter of routine, Blackwater is required to file after action reports on any such incidents."</p><p>Dan Sreebny, a U.S. Embassy spokesman in Baghdad, said: "The security contractors are an important part of our embassy here. We expect all people within the mission to conform to the rules and procedures of professional behavior. We take allegations of misbehavior very seriously, and when there are such allegations we investigate thoroughly."</p><p>Blackwater, which is headquartered in Moyock, <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/related-topics.html/North+Carolina?tid=informline" target="">N.C.</a>, gained national attention in March 2004, when a mob killed four of its employees in the city of <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/related-topics.html/Fallujah?tid=informline" target="">Fallujah</a> and hung their charred corpses from a bridge. Blackwater is now the most prominent of dozens of security companies working in Iraq, with hundreds of guards and a fleet of armored vehicles and helicopters.</p><p>The Interior Ministry, which regulates security companies for the Iraqi government, has received four previous complaints of shooting incidents involving Blackwater in the past two years, according to Hussein Kamal, undersecretary for intelligence affairs. But in an interview before last week's shootings, Kamal said Iraqi authorities have been hampered by a Coalition Provisional Authority order granting contractors immunity from the Iraqi legal process.</p><p>Interior Ministry officials said Blackwater has not applied to operate as a private security company in Iraq. That process has been completed by several security firms with U.S. government contracts, including ArmorGroup International and Aegis Defense Services, two British companies.</p><p>Tyrrell wrote that Blackwater is "working lawfully in Iraq," adding, "We comply with all contractual obligations, including obtaining all appropriate registrations in the very dynamic environment in Iraq whose requirements for registration and licensing are always evolving."</p><p><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/related-topics.html/The+Pentagon?tid=informline" target="">The Pentagon</a> and company representatives estimate that 20,000 to 30,000 armed security contractors work in Iraq, although there are no official figures and some estimates run much higher. Security contractors are not counted as part of the coalition forces and are prohibited from taking part in offensive operations. But their convoys are often attacked, drawing guards into firefights and ground combat.</p><p>The Blackwater convoy involved in the Wednesday incident was ambushed at 11 a.m., according to the U.S. military, while escorting State Department employees participating in the reconstruction effort. U.S. officials and bystanders said the Blackwater vehicles were struck by a well-coordinated attack, with insurgents unleashing a barrage of small-arms fire from surrounding rooftops.</p><p>A statement released by the military said that the "security unit" requested assistance and that Apache helicopters attached to the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/related-topics.html/U.S.+Army?tid=informline" target="">1st Cavalry Division</a>, arrived before ground forces.</p><p>Mohammed Mahdi, 37, an employee at a veterinary drugstore, said the combined American forces unleashed a fury of gunfire near the Amanat, the municipal headquarters located in the heart of downtown Baghdad. Before taking cover in his store, Mahdi said, he saw two people killed and one wounded near the city's legal registry.</p><p>A U.S. Embassy official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Blackwater contractors "did their job," enabling the State Department employees to be extracted without injuries. The U.S. military said no American soldiers were killed or wounded during the attack.</p><p>Mahdi said that the battle lasted for nearly an hour and that when he emerged he saw four mini-buses, a taxi and an Opel sedan containing dead and wounded. He said that he saw "at least four or five" people "who were certainly dead" but that he did not know how the people were killed, who killed them or whether they were civilians or combatants.</p><p>"There were people yelling: 'There's someone dead over here! Come!' " he said. "And another saying: 'There's someone wounded over here. Come and get them.' "</p><p><i>Izzi reported from Baghdad. Correspondent John Ward Anderson in Baghdad and staff researcher Julie Tate in Washington contributed to this report.</i></p><p>Source: www.washingtonpost.com<br /></p><p><i><br /></i></p>Amnesty 536http://www.blogger.com/profile/01112134775121152473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8365106876325613278.post-86191988237073494022007-05-08T14:07:00.000-07:002007-05-08T14:18:08.238-07:00IMF and World Bank Face Declining Authority as Venezuela Announces Withdrawalby Mark Weisbrot<br />May 03, 2007<br /><br />Venezuela's decision this week to pull out of the IMF and the World Bank will be seen in the United States as just another example of the ongoing feud between Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and the Bush Administration. But it is likely to be viewed differently in the rest of the world, and could have an impact on both institutions, whose power and legitimacy in developing countries has been waning steadily in recent years.<br /><br />Other countries may follow. President Rafael Correa of Ecuador announced last week that it was kicking the World Bank's representative out of the country. It was an unprecedented action, which President Correa punctuated by stating that "we will not stand for extortion by this international bureaucracy." In 2005, the World Bank withheld a previously approved $100 million loan to Ecuador to try to force the government to use windfall oil revenues for debt repayment, rather than the government's choice of social spending.<br /><br />This is the way these two institutions have operated for decades. With the IMF as leader, and the U.S. Treasury department holding veto power, they have run a "creditors' cartel" that has been able to exert enormous pressure on governments over a wide variety of economic issues. This pressure has not only generated widespread resentment, but has also often led to economic failure in the countries and regions where the IMF and World Bank have had the most influence. Over the last 25 years Latin America has had its worst long-term economic growth performance in more than a century.<br /><br />Venezuela also has specific grievances against the IMF, which are likely to generate sympathy in other developing countries with democratic, left-of-center governments. On April 12, 2002, just hours after Venezuela's democratically elected government was overthrown in a military coup, the IMF stated publicly that it was "<a href="http://www.cepr.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1159&Itemid=77">ready to assist the new administration [of Pedro Carmona] in whatever manner they find suitable</a>."<br /><br />This instantaneous show of financial support for a newly installed dictatorship - one which immediately dissolved the country's constitution, general assembly, and Supreme Court - was unprecedented in the IMF's history. Typically the IMF does not react so quickly, even to an elected government. It is no wonder that this move was seen in Venezuela and elsewhere as an attempt by the IMF to support the coup itself. Washington, which dominates the Fund, had advance knowledge of the coup, supported it, and funded some of its leaders - according to <a href="http://www.cepr.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=649&Itemid=45">U.S. government documents</a>.<br /><br />In additions, Venezuela has not been happy with the <a href="http://www.cepr.net/documents/publications/imf_forecasting_2007_04.pdf">IMF's consistently under-projecting its economic growth</a> in recent years, as the Fund has also done with Argentina. The IMF's forecasts are widely used and can therefore influence investors.<br />But the resentment against the IMF and World Bank, and demands for change, are worldwide. The scandal over Paul Wolfowitz's leadership at the World Bank, which is about to topple the Bank's most unwanted president ever, is just the tip of the iceberg. Last month the IMF's Independent Evaluation Office stated that since 1999, nearly three-quarters of aid to the poor countries of Sub-Saharan Africa are not being spent. Rather, at the IMF's request, it is being used to pay off debt and accumulate reserves. This is a terrible thing to do to some of the poorest countries in the world, who desperately need to spend this money on such pressing needs as the HIV/AIDS pandemic.<br /><br />Venezuela's decision is likely to strengthen the hand of developing nations within the IMF and World Bank who are demanding serious reforms. Right now the United States, with less than 5 percent of the world's population, has more votes in the IMF than countries representing the majority of the planet. The world's developing countries, which bear the brunt of these institutions' mistakes, have little or no voice in their decision-making. Venezuela's move - and any other countries that follow - will show the IMF and World Bank that the option of quitting these institutions altogether is a real one.<br /><br />Whether this will spur reform that can actually change the colonial relationship that these institutions maintain with their borrowers remains to be seen. More likely, they will simply continue to become less relevant to the developing world, as has happened drastically over the last decade.<br /><br /><em>Source: HuffingtonPost.com</em><br /><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mark-weisbrot/imf-and-world-bank-face-d_b_47562.html">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mark-weisbrot/imf-and-world-bank-face-d_b_47562.html</a>Amnesty 536http://www.blogger.com/profile/01112134775121152473noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8365106876325613278.post-52800274003253025142007-04-23T11:02:00.000-07:002007-04-23T11:18:44.025-07:00A Funny Thing Happened at the AI529 "Arts for Amnesty"536ers--<br /><br />I'm pretty sure I was the only one to attend the AI 529 Arts for Amnesty and I'm glad I did. I got there and not only were there no members from our group there, but my friend bailed on me too.<br /><br />Nonetheless, I introduced myself as a member of the Adams Morgan group and they said another member of the group was there earlier and left. Then the 529ers said that the Adams Morgan group was DEFUNCT! As in no longer a group. Apparently a "member" of our group had been spreading the word that we don't exist anymore to others at an amnesty benefit! Pretty sh!tty thing to do if you ask me.<br /><br />This man was described as about my height, white and very weird. While this could describe me, I can assure you that it was not and I have an alibi.<br /><br />There was a picture of the man taken while he was sitting in the audience, below:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP4-aY-cAbi73EmVvByN49D4Cqr764LA7FTaAq_8Qq9ATGkGfBwntfTrLcClWYkd25-5MUOTjEGP7yElsNPz7lCgtqX9uPhXCUVXoYdMsrEBSQWSfbaoeLomjz73n2XsNl9iYfLRYzMgIR/s1600-h/mysteryman.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP4-aY-cAbi73EmVvByN49D4Cqr764LA7FTaAq_8Qq9ATGkGfBwntfTrLcClWYkd25-5MUOTjEGP7yElsNPz7lCgtqX9uPhXCUVXoYdMsrEBSQWSfbaoeLomjz73n2XsNl9iYfLRYzMgIR/s320/mysteryman.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5056688519887937618" border="0" /></a><br />Just kidding. But the rest is serious, and the 529ers will confirm this if necessary.<br /><br />And put me on next Monday's agenda, I have some other stuff re: the 529 show to talk about.<br /><br />DAmnesty 536http://www.blogger.com/profile/01112134775121152473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8365106876325613278.post-1545931741899878402007-04-16T18:11:00.000-07:002007-04-16T18:19:19.392-07:00Hold Contrators Accountable!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://takeaction.amnestyusa.org/atf/account11681/images/contractor-2.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://takeaction.amnestyusa.org/atf/account11681/images/contractor-2.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 51, 0);">Hey everybody--</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 51, 0);"><a href="http://takeaction.amnestyusa.org/siteapps/advocacy/index.aspx?c=jhKPIXPCIoE&b=2590179&template=x.ascx&action=8371">Here's the link</a> I mentioned at tonight's meeting. It's a very easy email Action directed towards Congress (and you can email Eleanor Holmes Norton if you live in DC!) I imagine that quite a few congresspeople will be receptive and at least this can raise awareness.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 51, 0);">D</span>Amnesty 536http://www.blogger.com/profile/01112134775121152473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8365106876325613278.post-6163763768883764732007-04-16T08:05:00.000-07:002007-04-16T14:51:25.537-07:00Pictures from Darfur Benefit<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSL1IOIUKG3atnDJaEwPtKnyJHCqTKQG0j83SmdO8kfXOpjGS7LpQJKqy3RzvcD3dgXtNgyLlr8OC7imhGHh98pDm72PdUdLdAmijV4qA852opbJl_Xf4ff27EiPa8nDUmn6Qv6KQySebD/s1600-h/IMG_0099.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5054044846896046290" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSL1IOIUKG3atnDJaEwPtKnyJHCqTKQG0j83SmdO8kfXOpjGS7LpQJKqy3RzvcD3dgXtNgyLlr8OC7imhGHh98pDm72PdUdLdAmijV4qA852opbJl_Xf4ff27EiPa8nDUmn6Qv6KQySebD/s320/IMG_0099.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div><br /><div>Hi all, Here are some phots from our benefit for Darfur at the end of March...</div><br /><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjteg6ZoRbpAn7JEVwBO0xHIpg8_BqfdzSuWaYBV3FoQKEDkGkAATwJLiorO5bR0-SXIQqTEMvmrRBjmy06vrsd-pr7xfhpTkDY9ParPJnywpxQERBdhM9NTSwWdHMgIbX34sH-gBrlc4G/s1600-h/IMG_0099.JPG"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjteg6ZoRbpAn7JEVwBO0xHIpg8_BqfdzSuWaYBV3FoQKEDkGkAATwJLiorO5bR0-SXIQqTEMvmrRBjmy06vrsd-pr7xfhpTkDY9ParPJnywpxQERBdhM9NTSwWdHMgIbX34sH-gBrlc4G/s1600-h/IMG_0099.JPG"></a></div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHAApxOb-mhyOZd2TGzONTxdT199kTL18jm_yv1qkNkLFAgq04oMRGamk3L6OMNrnoXL1U5U5SfN2ZhRull5eBHpn_D2z-MVymKy6NtEIUfu45Mx_4D41FnyvH2yzrHXzma_zdpnGaqNaR/s1600-h/IMG_0101.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5054043721614614706" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHAApxOb-mhyOZd2TGzONTxdT199kTL18jm_yv1qkNkLFAgq04oMRGamk3L6OMNrnoXL1U5U5SfN2ZhRull5eBHpn_D2z-MVymKy6NtEIUfu45Mx_4D41FnyvH2yzrHXzma_zdpnGaqNaR/s320/IMG_0101.JPG" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTWGQ-DByZVby7mgJ_1Jbu6XAveymgn5z4cIr-cs5Tf_X3ftrx_WWIk8_S6ik0WS83aBE1xfQDo86Gn4aScjga72tm-k8ZCgN1zOzXDv5Wzz48ERzLkr-F5ud5_VcOXSXksbuL-4YK8Wf6/s1600-h/IMG_0104.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5054044155406311618" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTWGQ-DByZVby7mgJ_1Jbu6XAveymgn5z4cIr-cs5Tf_X3ftrx_WWIk8_S6ik0WS83aBE1xfQDo86Gn4aScjga72tm-k8ZCgN1zOzXDv5Wzz48ERzLkr-F5ud5_VcOXSXksbuL-4YK8Wf6/s320/IMG_0104.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjteg6ZoRbpAn7JEVwBO0xHIpg8_BqfdzSuWaYBV3FoQKEDkGkAATwJLiorO5bR0-SXIQqTEMvmrRBjmy06vrsd-pr7xfhpTkDY9ParPJnywpxQERBdhM9NTSwWdHMgIbX34sH-gBrlc4G/s1600-h/IMG_0099.JPG"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgdXR70NwC8QIok6uMNnOjunqt5EpYu78n8C4QCCf1OESr63eT-0VDomyc_FXE6rVVdEP0bTgC4fiSZluSjvCR3aCWGlR1F8iPA5f927HKYXGizjw1p_OqKKWFs7ou0I9mEKD-N0dUkoH0/s1600-h/IMG_0100.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5054043498276315298" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgdXR70NwC8QIok6uMNnOjunqt5EpYu78n8C4QCCf1OESr63eT-0VDomyc_FXE6rVVdEP0bTgC4fiSZluSjvCR3aCWGlR1F8iPA5f927HKYXGizjw1p_OqKKWFs7ou0I9mEKD-N0dUkoH0/s320/IMG_0100.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div>Amnesty 536http://www.blogger.com/profile/01112134775121152473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8365106876325613278.post-4023123150851115662007-03-29T12:18:00.000-07:002007-04-04T08:18:41.181-07:00Rock and Reggae for Darfur<strong><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">DONATIONS</span></strong><br /><span style="font-size:130%;color:#ff0000;">[All donations are exempt under 501 (c)] </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;color:#660000;">Thanks to everyone for making the benefit concert a smashing success. We raised more than $2,000 for Genocide Intervention's effort in Darfur and to Amnesty International 536 human rights campaigns. We are still accepting donations for Darfur and Amnesty, so if you couldn't make it to the benefit you can still help a worthy cause!(Again, ignore the shipping information, this is a tax-exempt donation).</span><form action="https://checkout.google.com/cws/v2/Merchant/824439982186425/checkout" id="BB_BuyButtonForm" method="post" name="BB_BuyButtonForm"><br /> <table cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" width="1%"><br /> <tr><br /> <td align="right" width="1%"><br /> <select name="buyButtonCart"><br /> <option value="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//separator//vdVLWA+WIxjGRgoQWPXBqCfg36M=">$25.00 - 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Thoughts?<br /><br />DCAmnesty 536http://www.blogger.com/profile/01112134775121152473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8365106876325613278.post-9505677274008365382007-03-18T19:00:00.000-07:002007-03-18T19:09:50.879-07:00Human Rights Council Article Sadly Amerocentric<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Posters please cite sources. (This Human Rights Council article appeared in the NY Times)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;">What about US Human Rights violations? I don't see anything in this article about the Human Rights Council addressing gross violations like renditions, Guantanamo, torture, Military Prisons, etc. etc.. Trying to point a finger at North Korea and Iran seems like building a case for war, which is a major human rights violation in my opinion. <br /></span><br /><br /></span>Amnesty 536http://www.blogger.com/profile/01112134775121152473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8365106876325613278.post-48911161371968586082007-03-11T09:25:00.000-07:002007-03-11T09:32:05.951-07:00Controversy over the UN Human Rights Council continues to grow<span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">March 11, 2007<br /></span><br /><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/11/world/11rights.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin"><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">Dismay Over New U.N. Human Rights Council </span><br /></a><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">By </span><a title="More Articles by Warren Hoge" href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/h/warren_hoge/index.html?inline=nyt-per"><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">WARREN HOGE</span></a><br /><br /><a title="More articles about the United Nations." href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/organizations/u/united_nations/index.html?inline=nyt-org"><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">UNITED NATIONS</span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">, March 9 — The United Nations Human Rights Council begins a three-week session in Geneva on Monday amid expressions of frustration from rights advocates at its early performance and alarm over proposals that might weaken it further.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">“So far it’s been enormously disappointing, and the opponents of human rights enforcement are running circles around the proponents,” said Kenneth Roth, the executive director of </span><a title="More articles about Human Rights Watch" href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/organizations/h/human_rights_watch/index.html?inline=nyt-org"><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">Human Rights Watch</span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">The council was created in a 170-to-4 vote of the </span><a title="More articles about General Assembly" href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/organizations/g/general_assembly/index.html;United%20Nations?inline=nyt-org"><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">General Assembly</span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"> a year ago to replace the Human Rights Commission, which had been widely discredited for allowing participation by countries like Sudan, Libya and Zimbabwe who used membership to prevent scrutiny of their own records.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">The commission was long a major embarrassment to the United Nations, with former Secretary General </span><a title="More articles about Kofi Annan." href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/a/kofi_annan/index.html?inline=nyt-per"><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">Kofi Annan</span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">, who first proposed its replacement in 2005, commenting that it “cast a shadow on the reputation of the United Nations system as a whole.”<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">When the 47 members of the new council were elected last March, tighter entry requirements succeeded in keeping the most notorious rights abusers off the panel, and there was some hope of less politicized behavior.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">But member countries from Africa and the Organization of the Islamic Conference, an association of 57 states promoting Muslim solidarity, have dashed those hopes by voting as a bloc to stymie Western efforts to direct serious attention to situations like the killings, rapes and pillage in the Darfur region of Sudan, which the United Nations has declared the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">Most notably, as happened with the commission, the council has focused its condemnation almost exclusively on Israel. It has passed eight resolutions against Israel, and the Islamic group is planning four more for the current session. The council has cited no other country for human rights violations.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">The United States voted against creating the council last year on the basis that it was not a sufficient improvement over the commission. This past week, it decided for the second straight year not to seek membership on the panel, and R. Nicholas Burns, the under secretary of state for political affairs, linked the decision to the council’s focus on Israel.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">“It spent the entire year slamming Israel,” Mr. Burns told the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Tuesday. He noted that the council had conducted formal hearings against Israel “but not against Burma and not against Zimbabwe and not against North Korea and not against Iran.”<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">Mr. Annan’s successor, </span><a title="More articles about Ban Ki-moon." href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/b/ban_ki_moon/index.html?inline=nyt-per"><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">Ban Ki-moon</span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">, told a human rights gathering in December that he was “worried by its disproportionate focus on violations by Israel.” The council, he said, “has clearly not justified all the hopes that so many of us placed on it.”<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">The new session is the fourth formal meeting in the last nine months, and an immediate issue attracting attention as a measure of the council’s purposefulness is what it will do about an assessment mission to Darfur that was barred from entering Sudan last month. The options are to publish a factual report, publish a report with recommendations or take no action.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">“What they do with the Sudan mission will be a bellwether for the future of the council,” said Peter G. Splinter, the </span><a title="More articles about Amnesty International" href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/organizations/a/amnesty_international/index.html?inline=nyt-org"><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">Amnesty International</span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"> representative in Geneva. He indicated that he was not optimistic.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">“Sudan took the floor last week and said they rejected the mission entirely, and they are going to have the backing of the Organization of the Islamic Conference,” he said. “If the council ducks the situation in Darfur, that’s not going to speak highly to its credibility.”<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">The Islamic group is expected to cite the fact that Israel barred an assessment mission from entering the Gaza Strip in December and that its leader, </span><a title="More articles about Desmond M. Tutu" href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/t/desmond_m_tutu/index.html?inline=nyt-per"><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">Desmond Tutu</span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">, the former South African archbishop and antiapartheid campaigner, decided to make no formal recommendations.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">“It was a mistake for that mission not to write a report, but if you allow governments to prevent a report by simply not admitting a mission, then you’re giving them a way of silencing the council,” Mr. Roth said.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">In another potential blow to the council’s effectiveness, a proposal is circulating that would do away with many of the council’s 41 rapporteurs, the experts who produce sometimes graphic reports of abuses in individual countries. The proposal specifically ensures the continuation of the mission that monitors the Palestinian territories.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">Hillel Neuer, executive director of UN Watch, a Geneva-based organization that follows United Nations human rights activities, said, “The situation is grim, and one example is that the one aspect that has always been thought of as a bright spot — the experts — may be eliminated.”<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">The United States, though not able to vote or offer a resolution, can make speeches, exercise the right of reply and apply diplomatic pressure.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">Mark Lagon, the deputy assistant secretary of state for international organizations, said the United States would be working to persuade democratic nations now participating in regional bloc voting to “vote their consciences.”<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">He said, “I think there are some members of the African and Asian groups who resent being told what to think.”<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">The United States is intent on ensuring that no rights violators join the panel when elections for 14 new members are held in the General Assembly in May, Mr. Lagon said. “It’s essential that this council be manned by firefighters rather than arsonists,” he said.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">Despite the disappointment with the council’s early performance, Mr. Splinter said that it was premature to give up on the panel because it was still setting up its rules and procedures. It is supposed to resolve these institutional matters by the first anniversary of its opening session, in mid-June.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">“It’s going through its adolescence, and it’s awfully painful, but we have to get past it and see what we have in the end,” he said.</span>Amnesty 536http://www.blogger.com/profile/01112134775121152473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8365106876325613278.post-50102101525256337912007-03-08T06:36:00.000-08:002007-03-08T06:45:52.363-08:00International Womens Day<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHAkbklrSJ2K4Yh9sHNvbygBIDczBkVUeaBNAu80k97tQk2KWpcfpZHbSuPohghJnVSJJABBJ72aMa3k4Y2hmkeNI4moanXNbJABJ8is9-XaeIJNbI3ZEJqF6fnnH6-JI9Le0NPL3n_er4/s1600-h/IWD.gif"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5039564502985771938" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHAkbklrSJ2K4Yh9sHNvbygBIDczBkVUeaBNAu80k97tQk2KWpcfpZHbSuPohghJnVSJJABBJ72aMa3k4Y2hmkeNI4moanXNbJABJ8is9-XaeIJNbI3ZEJqF6fnnH6-JI9Le0NPL3n_er4/s320/IWD.gif" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="color:#006600;">Hi all! Just wanted to say "Happy International Women's Day" and show you link that provides a bit of history on how this day came to be:</span> <a href="http://http://www.un.org/ecosocdev/geninfo/women/womday97.htm">http://http://www.un.org/ecosocdev/geninfo/women/womday97.htm</a><br /><br /><span style="color:#006600;">Also thought this was a good time to share with you that one of AI's priority campaigns for this year is Stop Violence Against Women. Learn more here:</span> <a href="http://web.amnesty.org/actforwomen/index-eng">http://web.amnesty.org/actforwomen/index-eng</a><br /><br />KimAmnesty 536http://www.blogger.com/profile/01112134775121152473noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8365106876325613278.post-13048335584861786292007-03-07T10:45:00.000-08:002007-03-07T11:00:50.650-08:00Let's wikify<span style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0);"><span style="font-family:georgia;">Hi group members, friends, bored workers of the world. I'm posting to get the ball rolling on the website. Obviously the benefit is our focus and the info is to the right. I'm also hoping that this can be a place of discourse, fun, weirdness, conspiracy theories and everything else that makes the internet so great. You can post pictures (here's JohnStone's new release):<br /></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.johnstonereggae.com/images/cover_single_final.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 175px; height: 175px;" src="http://www.johnstonereggae.com/images/cover_single_final.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 0);">And links <a href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2246631072&ref=mf">(like this one to our Facebook group that everyone needs to join!)</a><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 51, 51);">So post anything, this is a free-speech site and let freedom ring!<br />DC<br /></span></span></div></div>Amnesty 536http://www.blogger.com/profile/01112134775121152473noreply@blogger.com1