Volume IX Number 6, June 2001
Child Liberated! Coordinator Cornered!
We the undersigned wish to express our hearty congratulations to the parents of Lucas “AI” Romans and welcome Lucas into the human family with full rights as enumerated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and associated conventions, especially the Convention on the Rights of the Child and do hereby pledge to rededicate our letter-writing effort s for ratification of said Convention by the U.S. Senate in honor of Lucas.
We wish to express
our concern that the parents of Lucas, Larry Romans and Alexi Daher, dedicated workers on behalf of
human rights, may suffer in coming months from sleep deprivation, restricted
movement, and general loss of freedom, and therefore hope for a speedy release
from such miseries. As evidence of
our commitment to practical measures to improve the conditions of their
captivity, we are prepared to offer such relief measures as fetching, carrying,
cooking, bottle-washing and babysitting services as crisis response
warrants.
We anticipate,
however, that the blessings of parenthood will far outweigh these
inconveniences and look forward to a continuous celebration of wonders big and
small in the life of Lucas.
Signed
Martha
Ter Maat Lucas
Kamp
Joyce
Wolff Robert
Adams
Paul
Wagner John
Cromshow
Kathy
Hansen Emily
Brodsky
Revae
Moran Veroncia
Raymond
Saskia
Feast Wendy
Masri
Vital Statistics: Little Lucas
was a Juneteenth baby, a great day for Liberation! 6 lbs.14 oz..
We hope Group 22’s Coordinator, Larry Romans, will be back in this space after a suitable
leave. He can still be reached for
group business at 818-354-5809 or ljr@ljr.net
All kidding aside, to learn more
about the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child visit the Amnesty USA
website: www.amnestyusa.org/children/crn_crc.html
The Convention on
the Rights of the Child (CRC) is an internationally recognized agreement
between nations which establishes a comprehensive set of goals for individual
nations to achieve on behalf of their children. In general, the Convention
calls for: freedom from violence,
abuse, hazardous employment, exploitation, abduction or sale; adequate
nutrition; free compulsory primary education; adequate health care; equal treatment regardless of gender,
race, or cultural background; the
right to express opinions and freedom of though in matters affecting them; safe
exposure/access to leisure, play, culture, and art.
Recognizing the
special vulnerability of children, all of these goals are expressed with
respect to a child's age and evolving capacities - the child's best interests
are always the paramount concern. The Convention repeatedly emphasizes the
primacy and importance of the role, authority and responsibility of parents and
family; it is neutral on abortion; and is consistent with the principles
contained in the Bill of Rights.
Only two countries
have not ratified the Convention, the United States and Somalia. (Somalia lacks a government with
authority to ratify.)
UPCOMING
EVENTS
Thursday,
June 28, 7:30 PM. Monthly Meeting 1052 E. Del Mar. Avenue, Top Floor.
Help us plan future actions on Tibet, the Campaign against Torture and
abolition of the death penalty.
Sunday, July 1
at 10:15 AM. All Saints Church,
132 Euclid Avenue (behind City Hall) Cosette Thompson, Western Regional
Director, Amnesty International USA and Michael Heflin, Program Director,
OutFront, Amnesty’s program for human rights and sexual identity will
speak about the new report on torture and sexual orientation. See inside for more information. This event is sponsored by GALAS (Gays
and Lesbians All Saints.) All are
welcome!
Tuesday,
July 10, 7:30 PM.
Letter-writing Meeting at the Athenaeum.
Corner of California & Hill in the basement recreation area. An informal meeting, a great place for
first-timers to ask questions!
Sunday, July 15,
7:30 PM. Rights Readers Human Rights Book Discussion Group at Borders Books on S. Lake Avenue. This month we
discuss Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing by Ted Conover.(see below).
CAMPAIGN AGAINST TORTURE
AI Releases New Report on
Sexual Orientation & Torture
Latest
Report in Amnesty International's Anti-Torture Campaign Documents Violations in
30 Countries; Urges US and Others
to Dramatically Increase Protection of LGBT People
(New York) - Government inaction -- and
at times government provocation -- is a driving force behind the torture and
mistreatment of lesbians, gay men, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people,
Amnesty International said in a report launched today. The report includes
documented examples of torture and ill-treatment in some 30 countries,
including Uganda, Pakistan, Argentina, the United States and Russia, and
details cases of LGBT people who were antagonized in custody, physically and
sexually assaulted, subjected to unnecessary medical or psychiatric treatment,
and sometimes forced to flee their countries because of persecution based on
their sexual identity.
The report, Crimes
of Hate, Conspiracy of Silence: Torture and Ill-Treatment Based on Sexual
Identity,
is the latest in the organization's yearlong campaign to fight torture
worldwide. It notes that LGBT people are frequently subjected to torture and
abuse by state agents in police stations and prisons; that over 70 countries,
including parts of the US, still criminalize same-sex relations; and that some
countries even mete out the death penalty as punishment.
However,
government abuse represents only one part of the picture. All people, as a
result of real or perceived sexual identity or behavior, can be vulnerable to
physical and psychological violence in the community and in the family. This
climate of social intolerance and legally sanctioned discrimination provides
fertile ground for the proliferation of torture. Lesbians, who often face the
double discrimination of sexism and homophobia, are at particular risk of
abuse, including forced marriages and forced pregnancy.
"There is
an overriding tolerance of abuse because of the social stigma attached to
homosexuality and defined gender norms," said William F. Schulz, Executive
Director of Amnesty International USA. "Because of this, victims remain
silent for fear of retaliation, incidents of ill-treatment remain largely under
investigated, and those responsible for abuses are seldom brought to
justice." Schulz noted that the Amnesty International report is simply a
representation of a worldwide phenomenon, and that the full extent of the
problem is undoubtedly much larger. Cases highlighted in the report include:
SYRIA A young gay Syrian man, granted
asylum in the US in 2000, reported that he was raped in 1994 by a teacher who
called him "a sin to this world." The young man fled to Jordan in
1999, where he was again sexually assaulted. When he complained to the
Jordanian police, they taunted him and threatened to put him "somewhere
scary" if he ever bothered them again. When he revealed his sexual orientation
to his parents, "My father became enraged and start[ed] hitting me and
kicking me, saying that I was degrading his family name…he threw me out
in the street."
UGANDA Christine, Norah and three other
human rights defenders were abducted by the Ugandan military in 1999. Soldiers
took Christine to a secret detention center, stripped her naked, beat her and
threatened her with rape. Later she was raped by three male detainees. Norah
was taken to a military barracks, where: "I was kept in a small filthy room
with bats in the ceiling...for about five hours, then three men came in and
started interrogating me…I was also beaten, abused both sexually and
physically. My clothes were ripped off. Nasty remarks were made that I should
just be punished for denying men what is rightfully theirs, and that who do I
think I am to do what the president feels to be wrong. They even suggested that
they should show me what I am missing by taking turns on me."
USA In November 2000, Jeffrey Lyons,
a 39-year-old heterosexual man, was allegedly assaulted by a group of between
eight and 10 off-duty Chicago police officers after they witnessed him
embracing a male friend outside of a bar. The assault left him with severe
injuries, including a broken nose, a fractured cheekbone and neurological
damage. One officer reportedly taunted him by saying, "Get this through
your head, you faggots will never win." According to reports, officers
driving two of the cars attempted to run over Lyons' friend as he took note of
their license plate numbers.
Crimes of
Hate, Conspiracy of Silence provides a series of recommendations to stop the
worldwide torture of people based on sexual identity. These include: urging
governments that criminalize homosexuality, (including those of 17 states in
the US), to repeal all "sodomy" laws or similar provisions outlawing
homosexual or transgender behavior; the prohibition of forced medical
"treatment" designed to "cure" homosexuality; the
protection of refugees fleeing torture based on sexual identity; protection of
human rights defenders working on issues of gender and sexual identity; and
governmental prohibition of all forms of discrimination based on sexual
identity.
Amnesty
International recognizes and supports the efforts of the many movements that
have emerged throughout the world to break the wall of silence surrounding
human rights violations against LGBT people. The organization also welcomes the
recent initiative by the special mechanisms of the UN Commission on Human
Rights -- including the Special Rapporteur on Torture -- to encourage the
submission of information on human rights abuses related to sexual identity,
and requests that UN human rights bodies give further attention to LGBT issues.
"To combat
global abuses against LGBT people, a clear message must be sent by the UN: that
the torture and ill-treatment of people on the basis of their sexual identity
will not be tolerated," said Michael Heflin, Director of AIUSA's OUTfront
program. "Governments must realize that the protection of sexual orientation
and gender identity is not a special category of human rights; it is fully
embedded in overall human rights norms defined in international conventions.
Fighting torture based on sexual identity is an integral part of the struggle
towards a truly torture-free world."
WEB
ALERT!
Crimes of
Hate, Conspiracy of Silence is available on line at http://www.amnesty-usa.org
SPECIAL
EVENT!
See Upcoming Events
for a great opportunity to learn more about Out Front and the Crimes of Hate
report.
OUTFRONT for HUMAN RIGHTS!
Pass landmark legislation on sexual orientation
and gender identity!
H.CON.R. 259
establishes the protection of LGBT people as irrefutably rooted in standards
defined in international human rights covenants and treaties. Passing H.CON.R.
259 will strengthen the US commitment to human rights.
TAKE ACTION NOW!
1. Your voice can be
heard in Congress! Write a letter today and hold a letter-writing drive in your
community to let your representative know that you want him or her to
co-sponsor H.CON.R.259
2. Please forward
all responses from your representatives to Amnesty OUTfront (322 Eighth Avenue,
New York, NY 10001) so we can keep an up-to-date list of co-sponsors.
SAMPLE LETTER
The Honorable ______________
United States Congress
Washington, DC 20515
Dear Rep. ___________:
As your constituent,
I write to ask that you support H.CON.R. 259, a landmark House resolution
dealing specifically with human rights violations based on sexual orientation
and gender identity. It addresses the pervasive and horrendous abuses
perpetrated against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people around
the world.
H.CON.R. 259
recognizes that the human rights of LGBT people are firmly embedded in
standards defined in international human rights conventions. It condemns
violence against LGBT people, and asks that such violations be punished.
Finally, it calls on the U.S. government to give equal consideration to such
human rights violations in reporting and formulating policies around the
promotion of global human rights.
Everyday women and
men around the world are beaten, imprisoned, tortured or killed solely on the
basis of real or perceived sexual orientation. You can take a stand against this
senseless violence and abuse perpetrated against this group of people. As my
representative, I urge you to sign-on as a co-sponsor of H.CON.R. 259 today.
Help pass this important legislation. I look forward to hearing your response.
Sincerely,
Name
Address/ZIP
Don't know your representative?
Find out at www.amnestyusa.org/government/congress/index_.html
LETTER COUNT
Prisoner of
Conscience (Ngawang Pekar): 201
Death Penalty: 1
Campaign Against
Torture
16
Environment &
Human Rights
11
Government Action
Network 3
Urgent Actions: 9
Total: 241
Want to add your letters to the
total? Get in touch with lucas.kamp@jpl.nasa.gov
Borders Books & Music
475 South Lake Avenue, Pasadena
|
NEWJACK: Guarding Sing Sing by Ted Conover When
Conover’s request to shadow a recruit at the New York State Corrections
Officer Academy was denied, he decided to apply for a job as a |
prison officer. So begins his
odyssey at Sing Sing, once a model prison but now the state’s most
troubled maximum-security facility. The result of his year there is this
remarkable look at one of America’s most dangerous prisons, where drugs,
gang wars, and sex are rampant, and where the line between violator and
violated is often unclear. As sobering as it is suspenseful, Newjack is an
indispensable contribution to the urgent debate about our country’s
criminal justice system, and a consistently fascinating read.
“[Conover] has
made us fully part of his experience…. It is hard to imagine any
journalist doing this more daringly or effectively.” –The New York Times
“Newjack is a
graphic and troubling window into society’s scrapheap. Conover is to be
commended for having the chops to venture where few others would dare go.... An
important cautionary tale.” –Los Angeles Times Book Review
PRISONER OF CONSCIENCE
Ngawang Pekar,
Tibetan Monk
Our group is
committed to work on behalf of prisoner of conscience Ngawang Pekar. He is a
Tibetan monk who has been imprisoned by the Chinese authorities since they
arrested him in 1989 for participating in a peaceful demonstration in Lhasa.
Have a look at the
current letter count! Last month group member Robert set up an Amnesty table at
two events, Tibetan Awareness Day in Pasadena and the Dalai Lama's speech at
UCLA. He got 200 postcards signed, plus donations for postage to China, plus
over a hundred more petition signatures. Wonderful job, Robert!
There's exciting
news from Washington. On May 9, a bill titled "Tibetan Policy Act of
2001" was introduced in both the Senate (S.852) and House (H.R.1779). Its
purpose is to "support the aspirations of the Tibetan people to safeguard
their distinct identity." It encourages China to enter into a dialogue
with the Dalai Lama. Section 12 urges the "release of all those held
prisoner for expressing their religious or political views in Tibet" and
also seeks access for international humanitarian organizations to prisoners in
Tibet. Could we have written it better ourselves? For the full text
(surprisingly readable) and current status of the bill, go to
http://thomas.loc.gov.
The Senate version
was introduced by our own Senator Feinstein (three cheers!) and co-sponsored by
Senator Boxer. For our action this month, please urge Rep. Adam Schiff (or your
own Representative) to co-sponsor the House bill. Here is a sample letter you
can copy or use as a guide:
Dear Representative,
I urge you to
co-sponsor or give your support to H.R.1779, the Tibetan Policy Act of 2001.
Section 12 of this
bill would have the U.S. request China for the immediate and unconditional
release of all those held prisoner for expressing their political or religious
views in Tibet. It would also have the U.S. seek access for international
humanitarian organizations to prisoners in Tibet to ensure that prisoners are
not being mistreated and are receiving necessary medical care.
NGAWANG PEKAR is a
Tibetan monk held in Tibet Autonomous Region Prison No. 1. He was arrested in
1989 for participating in a peaceful demonstration in the city of Lasashi and
sentenced to 8 years in prison. Subsequently, his sentence was increased by an
additional 6 years. I am deeply concerned about reports that he has been beaten
and denied access to medical care since his arrest. Passage of H.R.1779 would
be of great help to Ngawang Pekar and other Tibetan prisoners of conscience.
Thank you for your
attention to this important matter.
Sincerely,
(YOUR NAME AND
ADDRESS)
Please send to
The Honorable Adam B. Schiff,
House of Representatives, CA 27th district
437 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515-0527.
Or go to
http://www.house.gov/writerep to email your Representative.
JUST EARTH NETWORK
Indigenous leaders in Colombia threatened
Kimy Pernia Domico,
an indigenous leader from the department of Cordoba, has 'disappeared' after he
was reportedly abducted by army-backed paramilitaries. Amnesty International is
seriously concerned for his safety.
Three armed gunmen,
thought to be army-backed paramilitaries belonging to the Autodefensas Unidas
de Cordoba y Uraba, (ACCU), United Self-Defence Groups of Cordoba and Uraba,
reportedly abducted Kimy Pernia Domico in the municipality of Tierralta,
department of Cordoba, on the evening of 2 June. He tried to flee, but was
apparently forced onto a motorcycle at gunpoint. Two of his abductors rode with
him on one motorcycle, while the third followed behind on another. As they rode
towards the departmental capital of Monteria, Kimy reportedly shouted 'me
cogieron ... me llevan secuestrado' ('They have me ... they have kidnapped
me'). He attempted to escape once more, but was recaptured. He has not been
seen since his abduction. Later that evening, other indigenous leaders
reportedly informed the Colombian Minister of the Interior, Dr Armando Estrada
Villa, of the abduction.
Kimy Pernia Domico
is a leader of the Embera-Katio indigenous people, who live along the rivers
Sinu and Verde in the department of Cordoba. He had been on his way home when
he was abducted. Access to the indigenous communities has been cut off by an
illegal paramilitary checkpoint in an area known as Colas del Embalse de Urra.
The checkpoint is operated by the ACCU, which reportedly maintains a strong
presence in the Tierralta area. Although soldiers of the Colombian Army's XI
Brigada (Brigada XI) are positioned a short distance from the checkpoint, they
have made no apparent effort to dismantle the checkpoint and confront the
paramilitaries.
The 'disappearance'
of Kimy Pernia has heightened concern for the safety of other members of the
Embera-Katio indigenous communities in the Sinu and Verde areas, who have
increasingly been caught up in the conflict. In recent years, several
Embera-Katio indigenous communities campaigning against the construction of the
Urra Dam, which will destroy much of their ancestral lands, have been targeted
by paramilitary forces working in alliance with the security forces. Community
leaders have also been killed by Guerrilla forces, who have accused them of
siding with the paramilitary or security forces. As recently as 22 May, the
guerrilla forces the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia, (FARC),
Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, killed nine peasant farmers, who had
been traveling along the Sinu River in the Zambudo area which is part of an
indigenous community area.
BACKGROUND Given the
fact that members of indigenous communities and people working with them are
frequently targeted by paramilitary groups operating with the support of the security
forces, as well as by guerrilla
groups, the Organizacion Indigena de Antioquia (IOA), Indigenous Organization
of Antioquia, has declared the indigenous communities 'neutral'. However, such
declarations have failed to make the two sides of the conflict respect the
physical integrity of the indigenous civilian population, who continue to be
the victims of human rights violations.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send
letters:
-
expressing
concern for the safety of Kimy Pernia Domico, who 'disappeared' following his
abduction on 2 June;
-
calling
for a full and impartial investigation to establish his whereabouts, and asking
for his immediate release, if he is in detention;
-
urging
that those responsible for his possible abduction be brought to justice;
-
expressing
concern for the safety of other members of the Embera Katio communities along
the rivers Sinu and Verde, urging that all measures deemed appropriate by the
communities themselves are taken to guarantee their safety from paramilitary or
guerrilla attack;
-
urging
that all those responsible for killings or 'disappearances' in the area be
brought to justice;
-
calling
for a full and impartial investigation into links between the security forces
and paramilitary groups operating in Cordoba Department,
-
urging
that the results are made public and those found responsible for supporting and
participating in such groups are brought to justice;
-
urging
the authorities to take immediate action to dismantle paramilitary groups, in
line with stated government commitments and United Nations recommendations.
APPEALS TO:
President of the Republic
Senor Presidente Andres Pastrana Arango
Presidente de la Republica
Palacio de Narino
Carrera 8 No.7-26
Santafe de Bogota
COLOMBIA
Editor's Last Word:
Read us on line: http://www.cco.caltech.edu/~aigp22
Martha Ter Maat, 626-281-4039 / mtermaat@hsc.usc.edu
Check “Up-coming Events” for
details. Meeting dates may
vary due to holidays!
From the 210 exit on Lake Avenue, head south, turn left
on Del Mar
From the 110 continue on Arroyo Parkway north, turn
right on California
Street parking is generally available.
Amnesty International
Group 22 P.O.
Box 50193 Pasadena, CA 91115-0193 Amnesty International |