Firestorm over Amnesty's report

New Action:

From Amnesty USA:

f you've seen the news over the last week, you know about the release of Amnesty International's Annual Report and our criticisms of human rights abuses by the U.S. government in Guantánamo, Iraq, Afghanistan, and other detention camps around the world. You may have heard me on NPR or seen me on CNN, NBC, or Hardball.

We've exposed widespread abuses. Now we need your help to build momentum for an independent commission and appointment of a Special Counsel to investigate fully what happened in these detention centers and hold anyone responsible accountable. Please click here.

Thank you,

Bill Schulz
Executive Director
Amnesty International USA

Ask Congress to say No to Unfair Trade

New Action:

From Oxfam America:

It has been one year since the US and Central American
governments signed CAFTA. But due to widespread opposition, the
Bush Administration and Congressional leadership have been
unable to bring it to a vote -

Until now.

The Bush Administration has stepped up its campaign to get CAFTA
passed, and the latest word is that the US House and Senate will
try to bring it to a vote as early as next week.

Increased trade can reduce poverty and encourage development.
But CAFTA is the wrong way. This trade agreement would harm the
economic future of Central America's poor. In fact, Oxfam
analysis shows that the agreement is likely to create more
poverty-especially among poor farmers.

Please email your Representative and Senators today. Urge him or
her to vote NO on CAFTA and make this position public:

http://ga0.org/campaign/cafta_05/u633d84a5xjk7x?

Help us spread the word and stop this devastating trade
agreement by forwarding your message to your friends. Ask them
to join you in promoting Make Trade Fair:

http://ga0.org/campaign/cafta_05/forward/u633d84a5xjk7x?

Thank you again for all your help.

Sincerely,

Vicky Rateau
Trade Campaign Manager
Oxfam America

Immediate Action Needed to Help Women Around the World!

New Action:

From Feminist Majority:

Women around the globe need your help. Today, Representatives Carolyn Maloney (NY-D) and Joseph Crowley (NY-D) are offering an amendment to the FY06 Science-State-Justice-Commerce Appropriations bill that would prohibit any funding in the bill from being used to prohibit or restrict funding for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). The effect of the amendment would be to ensure that badly needed funds will be released to help women, children, and men in nearly 150 poor countries around the world.

The UNFPA supports developing countries to advance access to the quality of reproductive health care, economic opportunities, and education all of which provide women with opportunities to determine the size and spacing of their families. The UNFPA is the second largest source of population assistance to developing countries and is a key source of assistance in poor countries for family planning services. Since July 2002, the Bush Administration has withdrawn $34 million annually from the UNFPA.

We need you to ensure that poor women, children, and men have access to health care, education, and other opportunities around the world. Call your Representative today at (202) 224-3121, and urge her or him to support the Maloney-Crowley amendment.

For Equality,

Eleanor Smeal
President, Feminist Majority

Your Action Needed Now to Support Pakistani Women's Rights Activist

New Action:

From Defender Alert Network:

The Pakistani government is trying to silence human rights
defender Mukhtar Mai, whose courage and refusal to be silenced
has increased international attention to abuses against women in
Pakistan.

In 2002, Mukhtar Mai was gang-raped on orders of a traditional
village council as punishment for acts allegedly committed by
her younger brother. She courageously testified in court against
the men responsible for her rape, and using compensation money
built schools for girls and boys and started a shelter for
abused women. She has emerged as a powerful symbol of the
brutality and blatant inequality of the justice administered by
tribal councils in rural Pakistan.

Earlier this month, Mukhtar Mai was put on Pakistan's "exit
control list," notorious for preventing government critics from
leaving the country, in response to her plans to speak about her
experiences in the United States. On Thursday June 9, Mukhtar
Mai was placed under strict police watch and prevented from
leaving her home, and was later taken to an undisclosed location
by government officials.

At a June 14 press conference, a government representative
announced that restrictions on Mukhtar Mai's movement would be
lifted, but that a police squad would accompany her for her own
protection. She tearfully told Pakistani human rights activists
that she had faced significant pressure from the Pakistani
government to sign a letter withdrawing her visa application to
the United States.

Human Rights First condemns the silencing of Mukhtar Mai. Join
us in taking action to demand that Mukhtar Mai's rights are
protected, and that she be free to travel to speak about her
experiences.

Click Here to Take Action:
http://action.humanrightsfirst.org/ct/Op2EMVn1Xqu7/

Click here to learn more about Mukhtar Mai:
http://action.humanrightsfirst.org/ct/W12EMVn1Xquu/

A Victory in Cancelling International Debt

New Action:

From American Jewish World Service:

magine a world free of poverty, where every child has the opportunity to go to school; every family has access to clean water and health care. Debt relief for poor countries is one of the keys to making this vision a reality, and last week President Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair brought 18 countries a step closer to this vision. However, there is still work left to do.

Take action now to thank the President for taking a huge step towards making poverty history, but remind him that the work is not finished.

Many countries are forced to spend millions of dollars to pay interest on decades-old debts, spending six times as much on debt service as they do on health care and education combined. Canceling their debt would allow poor countries to focus on lifting themselves out of poverty instead of giving money to international creditors. Limited debt relief programs have already achieved impressive results: Mozambique introduced free immunizations for children; Tanzania abolished primary school fees; and in Uganda, over 2 million people have gained access to clean water.

Last week, we won a huge victory when President Bush and Prime Minister Blair agreed to 100% debt cancellation for 18 countries. However, they left out dozens of countries equally in need of debt relief. Among the countries that were left out are Haiti - the poorest country in the Americas, Sri Lanka - which is struggling to rebuild following the tsunami, and South Africa - a nation that is paying back billions of dollars of apartheid era debt even as it races to treat the largest HIV+ population in the world. Please take a moment to thank the President for his leadership, but at the same time remind him that there is still much work to do.

Darfur Weekly News Update

New News Updates:

From Save Darfur Coalition:

Save Darfur Coalition
Weekly News Update

This week's newsletter is divided into the following sections: Announcements, Darfur political developments, International news, Making a Difference, Opinion.

Announcements

National Weekend of Prayer and Reflection for Darfur
July 15th, 16th, 17th.
The Save Darfur Coalition invites you to participate in an interfaith weekend designed to call national attention to the crisis in Darfur. Congregations across the United States will include a prayer and information about the crisis in their services. We ask that you join us in promoting this initiative in your faith community. To request a faith action packet, please e-mail martha@savedarfur.org.


Darfur political developments

Darfur talks tackle draft declaration
June 14, 2005 – Reuters
Peace talks on the conflict in Sudan's Darfur region progressed at a snail's pace in Nigeria on Tuesday with the opposing camps considering a draft declaration of principles that has yet to be discussed face-to-face.


Sudan war crimes court to open
June 14, 2005 – BBC News
Sudan has set up a special court to try those accused of war crimes in the Darfur region. Justice Minister Ali Mohammed Yassin said the court would be an alternative to the world court which has started to investigate alleged atrocities. Mr. Yassin said that more than 160 suspects had already been identified but he did not give any more details, beyond saying they were from Darfur and that they included rebels. The United Nations envoy to Sudan, Jan Pronk, welcomed the special court but said it could not be a substitute for the ICC.

National court for crimes in Darfur lacks credibility
June 14, 2005 – Amnesty International
Tomorrow's opening of a special court set up by the Sudanese Government to try alleged Darfur war criminals is "doomed to failure," Amnesty International said today, unless the country undergoes serious legal reforms ensuring independence of the judiciary and brings about an end to the current climate of intimidation. "We fear that the establishment of the special court may just be a tactic by the Sudanese government to avoid prosecution by the International Criminal Court,“said Kolawole Olaniyan, Director of Amnesty International's Africa Programme.

For more please visit http://www.savedarfur.org