Say what? The idea is simple. Every Thursday, we’ll post a way for you to take action in support of human rights — and we’ll do our best to include a local angle.

Today we’ll start with Sri Lanka. We’ve been working on the case of J.S. Tissainayagam (Tissa) for well over a year. He’s a Sri Lankan journalist, who was arrested and detained by Sri Lankan police and indicted under Sri Lanka’s Prevention of Terrorism Act for two articles written by him in a monthly magazine criticizing the government’s conduct of the war against the opposition Tamil Tigers. While it was announced earlier this month that Tissa would be pardoned, details remain unclear and we continue to urge Sri Lanka officials for a full and unconditional pardon for him. His case was one of the cases highlighted at this year’s Get on the Bus.

Because of our work on behalf of Tissa, Sri Lanka is very much on our minds, here in Group 133. Even more so because this week marks the first anniversary of the end of the 30-year war in Sri Lanka between the security forces and the separatist Tamil Tigers. During the war, both sides committed violations of human rights and international humanitarian law, including war crimes. Despite promises by the Sri Lankan government to hold accountable those responsible for these crimes, there has been no investigation by the government so far. I could tell you more, but Jim McDonald does it so much better than me.

This is your first Take Action Thursday folks: Sign AIUSA’s online petition calling for an investigation into war crimes in Sri Lanka today.

But wait, there’s more… step out from behind that keyboard.

Candlelight Vigil for Sri Lanka Remembrance Day
Saturday, May 22nd
7-8.30 pm
Harvard Sq., Cambridge (behind Harvard Sq. T station)

Join Group 133 members in Harvard Sq. this Saturday, May 22nd from 7-8.30 pm for a candlelight vigil calling for accountability for human rights violations committed during the 30-year war in Sri Lanka. We’ve got posters and candles. We just need you. Hold a candle, help us collect petition signatures.

In the meantime, I invite you to read blogginrobin’s post that inspired me to jump back into the blog-o-sphere:

I would like to thank Ashley Judd for being gracious enough to say a few words about the International Violence Against Women Act (IVAWA). She was a panelist at “Slavery and Human Rights” earlier this month with journalist and abolitionist, Kevin Bales of Free the Slaves.

The bill was introduced in the House as H.R.4594 by Rep. Bill Delahunt (MA-D) and it is currently co-sponsored by 71 representatives.  On the Senate side, S. 2982, has been introduced by Sen. John Kerry (MA-D), and this bill currently has 28 co-sponsors.

Violence against women takes many forms.  Rape is often used as a weapon in military conflicts such as the former states of Yugoslavia and in the Congo where the BBC has reported gang rapes are on the rise.

Another form of violence left Manzour, a mother of two from Pakistan, scarred for life after her in-laws threw acid at her causing her chin to fuse to her chest in a report found by the BBC.  The video contains disturbing images.

A reporter from The Economist recently reported the visit of Xinran Xue, a Chinese writer, who witnessed a birth in Shandong province and wrote about it in her book, Message from an Unknown Chinese Mother.

Xinran writes, “when we heard a moan of pain from the bedroom next door. . .The cries from the inner room grew louder- and abruptly stopped.  There was a low sob, and then a man’s gruff voice said accusingly:’Useless thing!’  The writer saw in horror a tiny foot poking from a slops pail after the baby girl was discarded by the midwife.  She tried to save the baby but was restrained by two policeman who told her, ‘Don’t move, you can’t save it, it’s too late.’  An older woman explained the rationale to the writer saying, ‘It’s a girl baby, and we can’t keep it.  Around these parts, you can’t get by without a son.  Girl babies don’t count.’”

This is an outrage, but you can do something about it.  You can help these women break free by asking your US Senator and US Representative to support IVAWA in an e-mail.  Writing personal letters are extremely effective.  One state politician revealed that they pay attention to an issue if they receive five letters on the same topic.  This is an achievable goal.

IVAWA would lend support to non-government organizations that would develop a strategy unique to the area as they work their way towards preventing violence against women.  It could be as simple as funding the education for girls or providing a micro-finance loan that would allow women to be economic independent.  Amnesty International’s website offers a range of actions that you can take to support this bill.

During the panel discussion, Ashley Judd talked about finding your outrage.  Once you found your outrage, your passion will rise up and empower you to make a difference.  My outrage is human trafficking,  a problem which has touched my own city, Quincy, where a Chinese brothel was recently discovered.

Activist and historian Howard Zinn, who passed away earlier this year, wrote, “We don’t have to engage in grand, heroic actions to participate in the process of change.  Small acts, when multiplied by millions of people, can transform the world.”

Change starts with you.  Be the change.

Natalia Estemirova

I woke up this morning to read that another activist for human rights in Russia had been kidnapped and murdered. Natalia Estemirova was an activist for the activist group Memorial, which was working to improve the rule of law and document abuses by law enforcement officers in the North Caucuses of Russia. She was the recipient of several international awards, including the first Anna Politkovskaya award in 2007. There is no bright side of this, even to say that these events will bring international attention and condemnation from other human rights organizations. Mrs. Estemirova has undoubtedly made an impact on the human rights in Russia; it is unfortunate that humanity has to lose yet another ally in the battle against terror and government impunity.

Reuters
Amnesty International
Amnesty International USA (check out Rule without law: Human rights violations in the North Caucasus)
Press Release from Memorial (in Russian)
Robert Amsterdam’s Blog - Natalia Estemirova and the Price of Courage

My lord,

We all stand before history. I am a man of peace, of ideas. Appalled by the denigrating poverty of my people who live on a richly endowed land, distressed by their political marginilization and economic strangulation, angered by the devestation of their land, their ultimate heritage, anxious to preserve their right to life and to a decent living, and determined to usher to this country as a whole a fair and just democratic system which protects everyone and every ethnic group and gives us all a valid claim to human civilization, I have devoted my intellectual and material resources, my very life, to a cause in which I have total belief and from which I cannot be blackmailed or intimidated. I have no doubt at all about the ultimate success of my cause, no matter the trials and tribulations which I and those who believe with me may encounter on our journey. Nor imprisonment nor death can stop our ultimate victory.

-Ken Saro-Wiwa’s closing statement at the Nigerian Military’s Tribunal

It was announced this morning by several newspapers that Royal Dutch Shell has agreed to settle out of court for complacency in various human rights violations in the Niger Delta, among them the execution of Ken Saro-Wiwa and several other Ogoni leaders.  This is a huge victory for Ken Saro-Wiwa, Jr. and the people of the Niger Delta, but unfortunately, it does not come with any admission of guilt by Royal Dutch Shell.  This was not an official Amnesty International action, but I’m certain there are plenty of people at AI (and certainly at Group 133) that are pleased with the settlement. I, for one, hope this sets a precedent for future corporate responsibility.

Further reading:

Shell to Settle Abuse Case for $15.5 Million @ New York Times
Shell settles Nigeria deaths case @ BBC
Joy at Nigeria oil deaths pay-out @ BBC
Center for Constitutional Rights press release
Wiwa v. Shell
Remember Ken Saro-Wiwa
Op-ed and Reaction from Ken Saro-Wiwa, Jr. @ guardian.co.uk
Slideshow and “Living Memorial” to Ken Saro-Wiwa @ guardian.co.uk

Blogs:

www.shellguilty.com
The Poor Mouth
The Raw Story

Update: Ken Saro-Wiwa was the the inspiration for Amnesty 133’s first Get on the Bus for Human Rights event. Full post @ Human Rights Now.

Not only are we looking forward to a great summer after the successful Get on the Bus from last month, we are also looking forward to several new improvements to our presence on the web!  Within the next month or so we will have a brand new website at http://www.amnesty133.org, with deeper integration into our blogs (http://blog.amnesty133.org/ and http://getonthebustonyc.blogspot.com/).  I am in the process of migrating the Get on the Bus blog from the blogger platform to a new subdomain, like I’ve done with the “everyday” Amnesty133 blog.  We won’t be getting rid of out wordpress.com or blogger.com blogs, they will just be simultaneously updated in conjunction with the blogs hosted under our own domain name.  This is a huge improvement and will give us the ability to integrate the blogs into the new website design, when finally finished.  I’m hesitant to give a deadline, but I’m hoping it will be completed before mid-July.

To appease everyone’s curiosity, I will include the obligatory screenshot:

Fourth draft of design concept (click for full-size)

Please drop some comments with suggestions for improvements, criticism for my lack of color-coordination, and general encouragement.  And come to a meeting!  June 9th, 7:00pm at the regional office in Davis Square!

Also, please consider dropping by our local action for Troy Davis next Tuesday in Davis Square (also at amnesty133.org).  Tuesday, May 19, 5:30-7:00pm.

Group 133 recently held a vigil in Harvard Square in behalf of J S Tissainayagam. He is considered a Prisoner of Conscience by Amnesty International, being held in detention by the Sri Lanka government for no reason apparently except to stifle the truth from being told about what is going on in Sri Lanka government.

Vigil led by Amnesty Group 133 for J S Tissainayagam

This vigil featured Priya Suntharalingam a high school student who recently staged a hunger strike to focus attention on the atrocities going on in Sri Lanka. You can read her statement here.
You can read more about J.S. Tissainayagam here and you can take action to stop Sri Lanka’s attack on civilians here.

Mexican Environmentalist Rodolfo Montiel

Intense public pressure by Amnesty International freed him and protected him after he had been wrongfully imprisoned and tortured. He is in danger in Mexico because he is an environmentalist. It doesn’t seem like you should risk life and limb for trying to protect your land and your people?

He was released, but there has never been an investigation into his mistreatment. Other environmentalists are still at risk of mistreatment or death in Mexico. You can help by taking action at the Canadian section of Amnesty’s website.

I also remember Rodolfo said while visiting in the states, “Maybe we wouldn’t have all the problems we have in Mexico with the environment if you didn’t have such giant houses in the US.”

Happy Earth Day.

Tibetan Performers at "Get on the Bus" party

The performers played music from various regions of Tibet and also sang and danced.
Then they invited the audience to get up and learn a Tibetan dance if they wanted to. There was none of the usual looking around and hesitancy, instead three quarters of the audience immediately got up and joined in.

There was then a lively and very fun dance session, with a couple of Group 133 dancer/activists leading the charge. I later found out that some Irish dancing and Tibetan dancing are similar and that is why they picked it up so fast.

AI Activists Learn Tibetan Dance Steps

The AI Tibetan Dance Party

I had a couple of thoughts after this session. Human Rights will prevail because we have more fun than the forces of evil. Human Rights will prevail because just like these Tibetan cultural representatives, we are all never going to give up.