Speaking out against Human Rights Violations

I am a member of Amnesty International and I believe they are a great organization. Below is a letter from the President, Bill Schulz, in regard to the various human rights violations that have been committed by the American government throughout the conflict in Iraq. There is overwhelming evidence, confessions and other indications of widespread abuse of Iraqi prisoners by American troops and guards. This administration is ruining the credibility and reputation that the United States once had as a champion of human rights and the value of life and humanity. It is certainly true that in certain specific situations lines may need to be crossed to access information from specific individuals. But the widespread abuse, torture and humiliation that we've been made aware of is quite simply unacceptable. It is WRONG. It stems from hatred and it is uncontrolled. Granted, some of the prisoners may be defiant, guilty of murder, spiteful and hateful toward Americans. Even this should not sentence them to boundary-free mistreatment. And what about the innocent people? Many are ultimately set free because no charges are warrented. This means that people guilty of nothing besides being middle eastern are being imprisoned and treated inhumanely at the hands of power-drunk Americans.

Please read Bill's letter below and consider getting involved. You can give financially or simply be better informed so you can be an intelligent advocate. And everyone should be an advocate, really.

"In its 40-odd years speaking truth to power, Amnesty International has incurred the wrath of many despotic governments -- whose human rights violations, political prisoners and other abuses came to light through Amnesty's painstaking field research.

But few assaults by governments have been more disturbing than Washington's attacks on our recent Annual Report findings about widespread use of torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment by U.S. troops and federal officers. This reaction is especially troubling considering our nation's long-standing history as a champion of human rights.

Recent revelations of abuse by our own government of detainees in Iraq and Guantanamo are simply shocking.

They violate bedrock American values.

They violate the Geneva Convention.

These actions are destroying U.S. credibility in the world.

When the United States helped draft the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the U.S. was a beacon of hope and justice for millions struggling against tyranny. Our leadership - in word and deed - is no less important today.

Amnesty is in the final stages of launching one of the most ambitious mass mobilizations in our history - to demand, as American citizens, an end to torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment by our own government.

This mobilization is taxing our already stretched resources. Please consider making a substantial donation right now using our secure Web page.

Make a donation:
https://secure3.ctsg.com/amnestyusa/donation/index.asp?item=1&ms=DF

And this month only, your donation will go twice as far. Thanks to generous anonymous donors, all gifts to this emergency mobilization will be matched dollar-for-dollar.

The facts are ugly. Witnesses to abuse of detainees in Iraq and Guantanamo report hooding, beatings, placement of lit cigarettes into prisoners' ear canals, and sleep deprivation. Amnesty has compiled a list of 60 techniques authorized or used by the U.S. during the "war on terror."

Eyewitness reports from FBI agents read like the stuff of horror films. One agent described coming into an

"unventilated room probably well over 100 degrees. The detainee was almost unconscious on the floor, with a pile of hair next to him. He had apparently been literally pulling his own hair out throughout the night."

And these are not the acts of a few bad apples, as U.S. officials have claimed. Evidence is mounting that officials at the highest level of the U.S. government approved brutal interrogation techniques.

Under the Geneva Convention and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, torture and cruel inhuman and degrading treatment is NEVER permissible. We need to send the Administration an unmistakable message - that Americans did not give the government a mandate last November to violate international law by engaging in acts of barbarism. Nobody voted for that.

Amnesty USA is determined to mobilize a vocal, diverse and massive constituency throughout this country that will stand with our 320,000-strong U.S. membership in demanding an end to the use of torture by all agencies at all levels of government in the United States.

Thanks to years of grassroots activism, Amnesty has a corps of volunteers ready to carry out this urgently needed mobilization And it's the most motivated and inspired citizen force you could hope to find.

But mobilizing people also takes money. And that's why I'm asking you for your help. Please donate now using our secure Web page and have your gift matched dollar-for-dollar through June 30th.

Make a donation:
https://secure3.ctsg.com/amnestyusa/donation/index.asp?item=1&ms=DF

If we're to rescue our country from the taint of being branded a practitioner of torture, then we must confront the Bush Administration head-on with this issue. With your help, I believe justice will prevail."

Thanks for all your help.

Sincerely,

Bill Schulz
Amnesty International USA

Good News for Indebted Countries

I love good news. Especially this kind. I tip my hat to President Bush for his (at times reluctant) leadership in this issue as well as Tony Blair. This is a phenomenal step in the right direction.

DEBT CANCELLATION FOR THE WORLD'S POOREST COUNTRIES

The world's wealthiest countries agreed today to write off more than $40 billion of African debt. The deal, struck by finance ministers from the Group of Eight industrialized nations, would wipe out the debts owed by 18 of the world's poorest countries immediately and up to 38 in total, most of which are in Africa. The debt cancellation deal covers debts to international lending agencies such as the World Bank, African Development Bank and International Monetary Fund.


REACTION FROM BONO, U2 LEAD SINGER AND CO-FOUNDER OF DATA, A FOUNDING MEMBER OF ONE:

The journey of equality took another step today, and broke free millions of people in some of the poorest countries from the bondage of immoral and unjust debts.

The leadership of the jubilee campaigners is bearing fruit once more, we really owe those people, from church basements to national treasuries who have worked so long and so hard for this day.

There's long nights ahead of us all to build up the speed and accelerating for a comprehensive debt-aid-trade deal for the poorest people in the poorest countries at the G8 Gleneagles.


REACTION FROM SETH AMGOTT, SPOKESPERSON FOR ONE: THE CAMPAIGN TO MAKE POVERTY HISTORY:

Americans asked for leadership in canceling the poorest countries' debts, and we got it from the Bush Administration: this agreement cancels the debts of 18 countries today and up to 38 countries in short order, and it frees up more than $1 billion in the first year and rising -- for more schools, health clinics and farm-to-market roads.

This agreement is a down payment on the historic breakthrough the ONE campaign seeks at the G8 in Gleneagles: more and better development assistance, 100% debt cancellation and trade justice. ONE, with the help of the Live 8 concerts, will keep turning up the volume.

The ONE Campaign

As you all know, I think Bono is great. I think his organization DATA (Debt, AIDS, Trade, Africa) is great. The latest project of this social justice powerhouse (bono) and a bunch of great organizations, including DATA is The ONE Campaign. The interesting thing is it's not a fundraiser. It's a MOVEMENT. It's alerting people to the AIDS issue in Sub-Saharan Africa and the extreme poverty there and elsewhere. It's getting people on board. Showing people, ONE step at a time how to be an activist. Here, below is the pledge that people are being asked to sign.

"“WE BELIEVE that in the best American tradition of helping others help themselves, now is the time to join with other countries in a historic pact for compassion and justice to help the poorest people of the world overcome AIDS and extreme poverty. WE RECOGNIZE that a pact including such measures as fair trade, debt relief, fighting corruption and directing additional resources for basic needs – education, health, clean water, food, and care for orphans – would transform the futures and hopes of an entire generation in the poorest countries, at a cost equal to just one percent more of the US budget. WE COMMIT ourselves - one person, one voice, one vote at a time - to make a better, safer world for all.”

Please visit www.one.org to sign this pledge and get more info.