Take Action Urgently at Tomorrow’s Letter Writing Meeting
Enjoy great weather, great coffee, and great company at the letter writing meeting!
Tomorrow is our chapter’s monthly letter writing meeting at Hartford Coffee Company! Arrive at 7 p.m. to take action on a variety of issues, includimg the arms trade, VAWA, our prisoner of conscience in Burma, and others in need of Amnesty International’s help all across the world.
We hope to see you there as this week is a critical time to be taking action on these different issues. VAWA is up for a vote any day now, and the arms treaty is something that will be debated in the United Nations in July. There’s even movement toward democracy in Burma, as there’s been a submission of legislation to release all prisoners of conscience in the country. If there’s a letter meeting writing to attend, and a time to take action urgently, that meeting is tomorrow and that time is now. Our action will have the most impact at this very crucial time.
More Prisoners Could be Set Free in Burma
Those who think that all the letters that Amnesty International writes on behalf of prisoners of conscience don’t do anything are dead wrong. The St. Louis chapter has been sending letters to Burma for years, most recently on political prisoner Khun Kawiro, and all that work will be paying off. A motion will be put forward in Parliament for the release of ALL remaining political prisoners in the country. Parliament reconvenes on Monday.
Estimates say that there are between 300 and 1000 political prisoners remaining behind bars. Although that seems like a lot, Burma released over 600 prisoners in January, plus another 6000 in October 2011. This motion, if it passes, will be a big step forward in human rights, and will definitely be a direct result of the activism our chapter and many other chapters have done on the thousands of prisoners of conscience that are, and ever were, in Burma.
For those who participated in the effort to seek justice for these prisoners, we thank you for your dedication and hard work. We know that it pays off if we are persistent. No justice, no peace!
Human Rights News You May Have Missed
Amnesty International isn’t the only source of human rights news (although it is a very good one), and it’s very possible we might’ve missed some good tidbits over the past few weeks. Here’s a roundup of human rights news to catch up on and to educate ourselves further about human rights.
Shocking Facts about Who’s Arming Human Rights Abusers - Really cool infographic
The Released - This is a PBS Frontline from 2009 about the mentally ill in our prison system. Thought this would be appropriate to share since we discussed the topic at our last meeting.
Human Rights in Bahrain, a Casualty of Obama’s Double Standard
In Hostile Terrain: Human Rights in Immigrant Enforcement in the US Southwest - New report from Amnesty International
Let’s Put Birth Control Back on the Agenda - Great talk by Melinda Gates
AI Praises Vote to Repeal Death Penalty in Connecticut
Amnesty International USA praised the Connecticut House of Representatives for voting to abolish the death penalty this week, and urged Gov. Daniel P. Malloy to keep his promise and sign Senate Bill 280 into law, making Connecticut the 17th U.S. state to abolish the death penalty.
With Governor Malloy’s signature, Connecticut will join two thirds of all nations (141) and nearly one-third of the U.S. states (currently 16) that have eliminated this cruel and irrevocable punishment. Amnesty International’s recent global death penalty survey placed the United States among the top five countries that continue to execute prisoners, with China, Iran, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia. The vote was 82-62.
“The death penalty is the ultimate affront to human rights – an inhuman and irreversible punishment in a mistake-prone judicial system,” said Suzanne Nossel, executive director, Amnesty International USA. “The Connecticut Legislature has shown great political courage and leadership by abandoning a practice that most countries that respect human rights reject. We are confident more states will follow its lead. If we say a government is wrong to torture, how can we then justify giving our governments the power to kill prisoners?
Amnesty International said Connecticut could better use funds spent in capital trials on policies that make the public safer by preventing and solving crimes support the families of victims.
“Millions of dollars are wasted every year on capital punishment,” said Nossel. “This money is desperately needed to prevent and solve crimes, especially given that about one-third of all homicides in the United States go unsolved every year.”
In the lead up to the legislative vote, Amnesty International activists statewide called, wrote and visited lawmakers in Connecticut in support of the bill.
Studies show that capital punishment in Connecticut is plagued by bias and imposed in an arbitrary way. The relatives of 179 murder victims signed a letter of support for the bill.
Amnesty International said repeal of the death penalty in Connecticut is part of a clear trend away from capital punishment in the United States and throughout the world. Death sentences in the United States have plunged in the last decade to historic lows – largely due to the public’s increased awareness about glaring flaws inherent to capital punishment. One hundred and forty people have been exonerated from U.S. death rows.
Stop Arming Human Rights Abusers with the Arms Trade Treaty
Did you know that there is a multilateral Arms Trade Treaty that is in motion right now in the United Nations? Under the right circumstances, this treaty could pass and begin regulating the global trade of weapons. It is to be negotiated at the UN in July 2012, so now is the time to take action and to urge the Obama Administration and others in our government to support this global treaty and to prevent weapons from getting into the hands of human rights abusers like Syria and the Sudan.
Did you know that there is more global regulation on the trading of bananas and dinosaur bones than there is on guns and bullets? Did you also know that the global weapons market is worth $55 billion dollars, and that one person dies every minute as a result of armed violence? This is why we need to urge the Obama Administration TODAY to support an Arms Trade Treaty now. The administration is in support of this treaty, but the administration needs to know that U.S citizens are in support of this treaty, so that this treaty is a strong one and one that will be supported by our Congress as well.
Take action by sending a letter similar to this example about the Arms Trade Treaty to President Barack Obama. If you’d like to take extra action, letters can also be sent to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and to Susan Rice, the U.S Ambassador to the UN. Here are the addresses for Clinton and Rice:
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
US Department of State
2201 C Street NW
Washington, DC 20520
Ambassador Susan E. Rice
U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations
United States Mission to the United Nations
799 U.N. Plaza
New York, N.Y. 10017
The arms trade has always been an issue of focus for Amnesty International, but only now is the issue getting attention as the violence continues in Syria and other countries around the world. With a treaty and regulation finally a serious topic of discussion, let’s not lose this opportunity to stand up for human rights.
4 Easy Ways to Get More Out of Your Amnesty Membership
We have lots of people who are members in lots of different ways. Some of us attend our meetings on a regular basis. Some of us only attend our big events. Others just receive our email notifications. A few are just members of the national organization. Whatever place your in, there is always a way to get more out of your membership and to do more for Amnesty International. Here are four easy ways to get more out of your membership that won’t leave you burnt out over human rights:
- Take Action Online - Taking action online is one of the easiest things to do as an Amnesty member, as it doesn’t require anything more than a computer and an Internet connection. New actions are posted everyday, but if you haven’t yet taken action on Reggie Clemons or the prisoners in Myanmar, do so right now! These are two cases that our chapter in particular is spending time on, so taking action on them is an important part of being a member of the St. Louis group.
- Join Our Facebook Group - If you aren’t yet part of our chapter’s Facebook Group, then join now! It’s a great place to network with other members, get reminders about upcoming meetings and events, and even find out about non-Amnesty issues that folks are interested in. There’s always a lot happening on our page, so check it out!
- Attend a Meeting - We’d love to see some new faces (and some of the old faces. You know who you are) at our meetings. You don’t have to come to every single one, or stay for the whole thing, but attending meetings is one of the best ways to meet other members and to know what’s going on with the group. We just had our general meeting yesterday, but our next letter writing meeting is on April 24th. Hope to see you there!
- Participate in an Event - Twice a month may be a huge commitment for some people, but we’re sure that an event every few months can’t be all that much to ask for. Some of our past events include a movie showing, tabling and petitioning at concerts, lobbying politicians, hosting/co-hosting speakers, and participating in marches and protests. Our group just attending Amnesty’s annual general meeting last month, and we are planning a few tabling and petitioning events for the summer and fall. If anything, be an active member by attending or helping out (or both).
Overall, the St. Louis chapter hopes to increase its membership in the coming months, and to be more active as a local group. We are one of two groups in the state of Missouri, so there’s a lot to do, and a lot to be done. No justice, no peace!
What to Bring to the Amnesty General Meeting Tomorrow
Help fill up our meeting tomorrow with your able, engaged, self!
As with every second Tuesday of the month, we will be having our general meeting at Bethel Lutheran Church, right next to Washington University’s campus, at 7 p.m. So, just what is it that you will need to bring?
Yourself, obviously. And, if you happened to attend the Annual General Meeting in Denver at the end of March, then make sure to bring what you’ve learned and anything else you might want to share with the group. If you didn’t go to Denver, then bring some event ideas, as we will also be doing some event planning for the summer and fall.
If you haven’t attended a general meeting in a while, or at all, then THIS is the meeting to attend. The group will be caught up on where Amnesty International is going as a whole, and where we as a local chapter ought to go as well. We will get started on event planning, so tomorrow is the best time to start getting involved, or to start getting back involved.
And all you have to bring is yourself to Bethel Lutheran Church, on the corner of Forsyth and Big Bend, at 7 p.m. The meeting will run until 8:30 p.m. Hope to see you there!
Sen. Roy Blunt on the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA)
Previously, we discussed the importance of renewing the Violence Against Women Act, and how important is it to talk to our representatives about this issue. We’ve done just that, and received a response from Senator Roy Blunt (R-MO) about VAWA. Here’s what he had to say:
Thank you for contacting me regarding programs to protect women from domestic violence and abuse.
Our homes should be places of safety- not violence. Legislation proposing a federal response to the problem of violence against women was first introduced in 1990 and enacted in 1994 under the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act.
Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) programs support community efforts to effectively respond to domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking and dating violence. As a member of the House of Representatives, I supported measures that increased the protection of women and children against violent crimes, including expansions of the VAWA.
Every individual has the right to live a life of dignity, free from abuse. As a nation, we have a responsibility to ensure that our vulnerable are cared for and that abusive individuals are punished to the fullest extent of the law.
In the Senate, the process of funding violence prevention and prosecution programs occurs through the Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations Subcommittee. As a member of the Appropriations Committee, I voted to protect funding levels for these programs for 2012.
This fall, I joined Senator Chris Coons of Delaware in launching the bipartisan Senate Law Enforcement Caucus. My goal is to bring Missourians’ concerns to the table as we work to improve America’s law enforcement organizations. An effective law enforcement structure is a key element in protecting women and children from domestic violence.
As the VAWA reauthorization is considered in the Senate, I will keep your thoughts in mind.
Again, thank you for contacting me. I look forward to continuing our conversation on Facebook and Twitter about the important issues facing Missouri and the country. I also encourage you to visit my website to learn more about where I stand on the issues and sign-up for my e-newsletter.
Sincere regards,
Roy Blunt
United States Senator
We need to continue to take action on VAWA, and make sure that our other representatives in Congress know where Missourians stands when it comes to women’s rights.
Tell Congress to Pass the DREAM Act Today
We’d had a lot of discussion about the death penalty, the Violence Against Women Act, and our prisoners of conscience. That’s plenty to focus on as a grassroots human rights group, but another issue that our group is passionate about is immigration. This brings us to the DREAM Act, a piece of legislation that Amnesty supports and that we as the St. Louis group are doing our best to bring into law.
Urge Congress to pass the DREAM Act without delay.
As supporters of human rights, it’s up to us to stand strong in the face of these attacks and secure this important reform to our immigration system. More information about the DREAM Act is below:
For 11 long years, Congress has debated the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act, a bipartisan bill that offers a path to citizenship for young immigrants.
The DREAM Act protects responsible young adults from the constant threat of deportation and removes barriers to their rights to work and education. President Obama has promised to sign the bill into law.
The DREAM Act has sparked hostile opposition from an emboldened anti-immigrant movement that has fueled a spate of dangerous and xenophobic laws that trample immigrants’ rights and jeopardize the rights of minority and indigenous communities.
All immigrants, irrespective of their legal status, or which side of the border they are on, have human rights. Yet — as documented in Amnesty’s new report, “In Hostile Terrain: Human Rights Violations in Immigrant Enforcement in the U.S. Southwest” — those rights are under threat from federal, state and local authorities.
Our research shows a pervasive view among law enforcement officials of all immigrants as criminals — even when immigrants are victims of crime, such as survivors of trafficking and domestic violence. Raped then deported? It happens so often that many immigrants don’t even report these crimes.
Passing the DREAM Act is a small but important step towards a fair and just approach to U.S. immigration policy reform. As anti-immigrant fervor reaches a fever pitch, we’re counting on people like you to speak up in support of U.S. immigration policy that respects human rights.
Let 2012 be the year we finally secure the DREAMers’ future. Urge your members of Congress to vote “Yes” for the DREAM Act.
Letter to Myanmar Regarding Our New POC
Our chapter has a brand new prisoner of conscience, since our previous prisoners have been released. Our new focus case, Khun Kawiro (pictured left), is also a Burmese prisoner, and there’s no better time than right now than to take action to get him released.
Myanmar has released hundreds of political prisoners over the past 12 months, but there are still hundreds more political prisoners who remain behind bars. One of them is Khun Kawiro, and we have a sample letter below that you can use to help us get him released as well. This letter is slightly different than the one in our previous post, and if possible, send both letters!
If unable to send a letter, then take action online. If possible, do both! Just keep in mind that the letters refer to our specific prisoner, while the online action refers to all prisoners of conscience currently held in Burma.
Lt. Gen Ko Ko
Ministry of Home Affairs
Office No. 10
Nay Pyi Taw
REPUBLIC OF THE UNION OF MYANMAR
Dear Minister;
I applaud your government’s January 2012 release of political prisoners.
However, I am concerned that Khun Kawrio remains in prison, serving a
sentence of 37 years for his non-violent advocacy of a “no” vote in the 10
May 2008 referendum for a new constitution. While in custody, he has been
subjected to torture and ill-treatment, and has been transferred to a prison far
from his family.
The continued imprisonment of Khun Kawrio violates the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights, which guarantees the rights to freedom of
expression and association. He should be immediately and unconditionally
released.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Respectfully yours,
Cc;
Embassy of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar
2300 S. Street NW
Washington, DC 20008
U Wunna Maung Lwin
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Building 19
Nay Pyi Taw
Republic of the Union of Myanmar
