Human Rights Month Video

Always a good time to count our blessings as the year ends and rededicate ourselves to fighting for justice..."No one is free when others are oppressed." Mahatma Gandhi.

International Tribunal Takes Up Case Of Innocent Victim Of CIA Extraordinary Rendition Program

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) has accepted a petition filed by the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of Khaled El-Masri, an innocent victim of the CIA's extraordinary rendition program. The U.S. government has two months to respond to allegations of kidnapping and torture summarily rejected by U.S. courts in 2007.

"The United States has an opportunity to reverse one of the most shameful legacies of the Bush administration and finally give an innocent victim of the extraordinary rendition program his day in court," said Steven Watt, senior staff attorney with the ACLU Human Rights Program. "The State Department should fully engage in this process and comprehensively address the gross violation of El-Masri's human rights, including his forcible disappearance and torture. To date, the United States hasn't so much as acknowledged its involvement in El-Masri's extraordinary rendition."

In 2003, El-Masri, a German citizen, was kidnapped and flown to a CIA-run "black site" in Afghanistan, where he was secretly detained and tortured for months. Although his innocence was clear soon after his detention, the CIA continued to hold El-Masri for four months before flying him to Albania and abandoning him on a hillside in the dead of night. El-Masri has never been charged with a crime.

In 2005, the ACLU sued former CIA Director George Tenet and three U.S.-based aviation corporations that owned or operated the aircraft used by the CIA to render El-Masri to Afghanistan. The lawsuit charged Tenet and others with violating the U.S. Constitution and universal human rights laws. In March 2007, a federal appeals court dismissed the lawsuit because of the government's assertion of the "state secrets" privilege. The U.S. Supreme Court let that decision stand when it refused to hear the case in October 2007.

"The United States, which has historically been a leader in ensuring access to justice for human rights violations around the world, has effectively closed the courtroom door to all victims of the Bush administration's torture regime," said Ben Wizner, staff attorney with the ACLU National Security Project. "To date, not a single victim of torture by the U.S. has had his day in court. A review of Mr. El-Masri's case by the IACHR will shed much-needed light on the abuses perpetrated against him and will finally offer a victim of the U.S. torture and rendition program a venue in which his claims can be meaningfully addressed."

The Obama administration recently announced that it will continue to render individuals it suspects of involvement in terrorism to detention in other countries, but that it will monitor all cases to ensure that suspects are not mistreated.

"Any transfer of detainees in U.S. custody to other countries must fully comply with domestic and international human rights law," said Jennifer Turner, researcher with the ACLU Human Rights Program. "Examining the Bush administration rendition program and holding accountable those who broke the law will help to ensure that the same mistakes aren't repeated by the Obama administration."

The IACHR is an autonomous body created by mandate of the Organization of American States to promote and protect human rights in the Americas. The ACLU petition asks that the IACHR declare that the extraordinary rendition program violates the American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man; to find the U.S. responsible for violating El-Masri's rights under that declaration; and to recommend that the U.S. publicly acknowledge and apologize for its role in violating El-Masri's rights through forcible disappearance, arbitrary detention and torture.

Attorneys filing the petition on El-Masri's behalf are Watt, Turner and Jamil Dakwar of the ACLU Human Rights Program and Wizner and Melissa Goodman of the ACLU National Security Project.

The ACLU's petition is available online at: www.aclu.org/safefree/torture/34837lgl20080409.html

Iran: Human Rights - 30th Anniversary of the Islamic Revolution

Video by Amnesty International made just prior to the election that provides some background into Human Rights in Iran.

Economic Crisis Reveals Deeper Human Rights Problems

More than six decades of human rights failures by governments have been exacerbated by the world economic crisis, which brought the problems of poverty and inequality to the fore, according to Amnesty International’s Secretary General.

"It’s not just the economy, it’s a human rights crisis: the world is sitting on a social, political and economic time bomb," said Irene Kahn as she launched Amnesty International’s annual report on the state of the world’s human rights.

Billions of people are suffering from insecurity, injustice and indignity around the world. In many cases, the economic crisis made matters worse, with millions more sliding into poverty.

Increased poverty and deprivation have led to denial of economic and social rights – including food shortages and the use of food as a political weapon; forced evictions; abuse of rights of indigenous peoples. Yet human rights problems have been relegated to the backseat as political and business leaders grapple with the economic crisis.

2008 saw massive rises in the price of the most basic of necessities – food – which had the effect of making the poorest people in the world even poorer. People took to the streets across the world and, in many countries, were faced with violent repression.

In Zimbabwe, more than five million people were in need of food aid by the end of 2008, according to the UN. The government has used food as a weapon against its political opponents. Across the country, political opponents, human rights activists and trade union representatives were attacked, abducted, arrested and killed with impunity.

Hundreds of activists protesting against economic decline and social conditions were arrested and detained without charge.

Across Africa, people demonstrated against desperate social and economic situations and sharp rises in living costs. In a taste of what could lie ahead, some demonstrations turned violent; the authorities often repressed protests with excessive force.

Social tensions and economic disparities led to thousands of protests throughout China. In the Americas, social protest at economic conditions increased in Peru; in Chile there were demonstrations throughout 2008 on Indigenous People’s rights and rising living costs.

In the Middle East and North Africa, the economic and social insecurity was highlighted by strikes and protests in several countries, including Egypt. In Tunisia, strikes and protests were put down with force, causing two deaths, many injuries and more than 2,000 prosecutions of alleged organizers, some culminating in long prison sentences.

"The events we’ve seen in 2008, with the world economic crisis at the top, demand a new kind of leadership from world leaders," said Irene Khan. "They must take real action, centred on human rights, to tackle growing poverty around the world, and they must invest in human rights as purposefully as they invest in economic growth."

Read more: Amnesty International Report 2009

Ick: Child Sex Trafficking is a Growing Problem in Wichita

Police and social workers have investigated four cases this year in which young teenage girls from Wichita have been forced into sexual slavery -- and they suspect more are at risk.

Street gangs began to pursue sex trafficking in Wichita a few years ago, according to police.

They say sex trafficking of Wichita children, many of them runaways, is more extensive than they originally thought and that street gangs have expanded the scope and sophistication of the crime significantly here.

Based on what they've seen, they believe that 300 to 400 Wichita-area children every year are significantly at risk to become victims of sexual exploitation.

Gangs trade and sell children like slaves, said Mike Nagy, an officer with the Wichita-Sedgwick County Exploited and Missing Child Unit.

But this type of crime is so hard to investigate that local authorities can't say how many are taken. It could be dozens or hundreds, police and social workers said.

They agree it's getting worse. They will join other social workers and law enforcement officers at a conference this week to coordinate a stronger and more coordinated response to the problem.

The gangs often target runaways and homeless children, luring them with food, money, shelter and promises of romance, police said.

Detectives and other investigators with the Exploited and Missing Child Unit said gang members train their victims in sex acts, often using pornographic movies as "training films."

They then either force them into the sex trade locally or traffic them on the Internet or to larger cities -- Dallas, Memphis, Las Vegas and elsewhere.

Karen Countryman-Roswurm, a social worker and Ph.D. candidate who has studied the problem and interviewed hundreds of these victims, says the pimps involved can make hundreds of thousands of dollars off one child.

Full article from the Wichita Eagle here.

Rain of Fire: Israel's Unlawful Use of White Phosphorous in Gaza

During Israel's 22-day military operations in Gaza, from December 27, 2008 to January 18, 2009, the IDF repeatedly exploded white phosphorus munitions in the air over populated areas, killing and injuring civilians, and damaging civilian structures, including a school, a market, a humanitarian aid warehouse and a hospital. Senior Military Analyst Marc Garlasco discusses Human Rights Watch's on the ground investigation and findings. For more, visit here.

Polaris Project Action Center

Slavery still exists. In fact, it’s the second largest and fastest growing criminal industry in the world, and it’s happening in our midst.

The Polaris Project Action Center is the place where you can do something about it right now. It’s a site for you to find out about the reality of human trafficking and modern-day slavery in the U.S., get up to date information about the issue, and find out how you can make a direct impact on the lives of victims and survivors.

We use our on-the-ground knowledge and experience working with victims of trafficking to ensure that the actions you take fill critical gaps in the anti-trafficking movement and bring about real change. We also give you the tools you need to take action in your local area and provide you with a steady stream of new ideas and ways to get involved.

Involvement of people like you on a local level is essential for bringing about change on a national – and worldwide – level.

Check out the Action Center to learn more about human trafficking and how you can get involved. Watch the videos on the site, read testimonies of trafficking survivors, and join the thousands of people across the country who are taking steps in their local areas to end modern slavery. Come back often to stay up to date on recent news and informed about ways you can help.

More information here.

March 10th Statement of His Holiness the Dalai Lama

An excerpt from His Holiness the Dalai Lama March 10, 2009 Statement (full statement here):

Today is the fiftieth anniversary of the Tibetan people’s peaceful uprising against Communist China’s repression in Tibet. Since last March widespread peaceful protests have erupted across the whole of Tibet....

Looking back on 50 years in exile, we have witnessed many ups and downs. However, the fact that the Tibet issue is alive and the international community is taking growing interest in it is indeed an achievement. Seen from this perspective, I have no doubt that the justice of Tibet's cause will prevail, if we continue to tread the path of truth and non-violence.

As we commemorate 50 years in exile, it is most important that we express our deep gratitude to the governments and peoples of the various host countries in which we live. Not only do we abide by the laws of these host countries, but we also conduct ourselves in a way that we become an asset to these countries. Similarly, in our efforts to realize the cause of Tibet and uphold its religion and culture, we should craft our future vision and strategy by learning from our past experience.

I always say that we should hope for the best, and prepare for the worst. Whether we look at it from the global perspective or in the context of events in China, there are reasons for us to hope for a quick resolution of the issue of Tibet. However, we must also prepare ourselves well in case the Tibetan struggle goes on for a long time. For this, we must focus primarily on the education of our children and the nurturing of professionals in various fields. We should also raise awareness about the environment and health, and improve understanding and practice of non-violent methods among the general Tibetan population.

May all sentient beings live in peace and happiness!

The Dalai Lama

10 March 2009

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50 Years Tibetan Uprising

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