November 2014 Newsletter

Welcome to the November 29, 2014 edition of this Peace&Justice action email!

Given that this is a human right’s newsletter, the primary action is to take part in Amnesty International’s global Write-for-Rights campaign.  In addition there is an action related to Darfur and the UN’s mishandling of the situation, and an action to raise again the hope that the U.S. will ratify the Convention on Child Rights.

In addition are a couple of follow-up and other articles of note.

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AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL WRITE-FOR-RIGHTS

Consider joining the annual Write-For-Rights campaign, where hundreds of thousands of people around the world write letters or take other actions on behalf of those unjustly detained, tortured, imprisoned!  It takes place during the first 2-3 weeks of December, coinciding with Human Rights Day, December 10.  You can join a group, take web actions, or better yet create your own group (they can supply you with all necessary material)!

Take Action:
Australia: http://www.amnesty.org.au/activist/campaign/35547/
Canada: http://www.writeathon.ca/
U.K.: http://www.amnesty.org.uk/issues/Write-for-Rights-2014
U.S.: http://write.amnestyusa.org/?ac=none_r

 

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DARFUR: TOWN WOMEN RAPED; UN REPORT IN DENIAL

On October 31 Sudanese forces entered the town of Tabit, reportedly beating the men and then raping 200 women, many of them girls.  The UN peacekeeping force (UNAMID) was 30 miles away.  They sent a team to investigate three days later but soon after arriving and reportedly getting a little corroborating evidence, the Sudanese forces kept them out for a week.  When UNAMID came back they could not get anyone to confirm the atrocity.  Their eventual report denied any rape had taken place. Given other corroborating testimony, this has shed light not only on this incident but has confirmed the suspicions of many about UNAMID’s compromised reporting in general.  Apart from creating a furor at the UN, it has now frayed relations with Sudan who has verbally asked UNAMID for an exit path.

The following petition by Waging Peace (UK) demands an immediate investigation into the mass rape, that the UN provide immediate medical and psychological treatment for the victims and that the government soldiers be held accountable for their brutal crimes, including compensation for the victims.

The event is sickening.  And on a revealing ironic note, the town – Tabit – was one of five towns that were designated in June as one of Darfur’s “model villages”, that is, suitable for the voluntary return of displaced persons.  It demonstrates what most people knew – the effort by the government to paint the conflict as over, is an utter farce (for fuller overall details of conditions of Darfur and Sudan see: Current Status  [UntilAll]).

Take Action:
https://www.change.org/p/un-security-council-protect-the-people-of-darfur

Background:
UNAMID Covers Up Darfur Atrocity [Foreign Policy]
Initial Report of Rape [Radio Dabanga]
Actual UNAMID Internal Report [Sudan Tribune; Eric Reeves]

 

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US: RATIFY THE CONVENTION ON RIGHTS OF THE CHILD

The US and Somalia (and newly created South Sudan) are the only countries who have not ratified the Convention on The Rights of the Child.  November 20 was Universal Children’s Day.  The action below was to tell U.S. President Obama to announce on that day that he will submit the treaty to the Senate for ratification.

It may seem stunning to some to think that the US, who helped shape the Convention, has not ratified it.  As the background articles indicate, US failure to ratify it stems largely from concern over the possibility of it undermining parental authority. Many countries include formal reservations and declarations of interpretations, so that the Convention won’t override national interpretations of their laws and customs.  Given that all other Western countries with the same basic standards on issues of concern have not been affected by ratifying the treaty, such US concerns do not seem to be grounded in reality, but rather agendas.

US-ONLY: Tell President Obama to Sign:
Tell Obama to Ratify Treaty

Background:
Why is US Against Children’s Rights?  [TIME]
Why Won’t US Ratify Child Rights Convention?  [The Economist]
Actual Convention on Rights of the Child

 

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ISLAMIC STATE (ISIS / ISIL)

The emergence of a new, well-funded, tech- and media-savvy terrorist group that uses grotesque acts and images as one of its chief vehicle for spreading fear and gaining recruits, has caught the Western world scrambling to react.  Analysis of this truly despicable group abound; there is little to add.  Short-term actions have already been implemented. Such actions at best can only contain the immediate situation and by their fast-reaction nature contain terribly compromised elements that easily spark other sometimes worse results.

This newsletter would be remiss not to note this new repugnant dynamic.  Specifically, how do we dissipate ISIS, so that it is only known as a footnote in history? Bombs and bullets (and intelligence gathering and other tactics) may reduce some immediate threat, but they cannot dispel an idea that has gained such deadly traction. For that one needs the long-term classic nonviolent strategy of strengthening the reasonable voices on all sides.  This will be explored more in the next newsletter.  One role is to use Islam itself to combat the horrible distortions (and yet that somehow have appeal) and provide a more solid and compelling alternative vision.  Given that 85% of the victims of Islamic terrorism are Muslims [Sanders: The Myth of the Muslim Tide], no one has a greater stake in this than Muslims.  The following is a sample:
Using Islam To Combat ISIS [Huffington Post;  MPAC]

Stay tuned for more on how this seemingly hyper-idealistic strategy can actually contain much grip.

 

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=== FOLLOW-UP TO PREVIOUS ISSUES ===
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Bee Decline Now Evidence Of Bird Decline

A decline in bee populations due to a new pesticide (neonicotinoid family) has previously been highlighted in this newsletter.  Now a Dutch study has linked it to a decline in the bird population, though it need further work.
http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-28216810
http://commondreams.org/news/2014/07/24/notorious-neonics-pervasive-midwest-waters-study
 

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=== ARTICLES OF INTEREST ===
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Is Selection Process for UN Peacekeepers Flawed?

Reports coming from some of the top UN troop-contributing countries indicate that many troops are not adequately educated regarding basic human right.  Often they come from areas which have poor human right records.  Examples were given where UN troops, when previously in their country, were part of serious rights violations.  For others, it is a “reward” thus reducing any motivation to take seriously the UN mandate.  In 2012 the UN set up guidelines for this overall issue but the vetting  process thus far seem unable to address basic flaws.
http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?reportid=100415

 

Is U.S. Public TV Dominated by the One-Percent?

In a world where traditional meda is continually squeezed thereby diminishing the range of voices heard and in-depth journalism, one presumes that atleast in the public broadcast sphere there is a better range.  Yet a study by FAIR has found that most U.S. public broadcasting stations have governing boards dominated by the corporate sector.  Even billionaire David Koch sits as a trustee.

While recognizing the value of business people to ensure sound fiscal policies, the point raised here is one of dominance.  On the one hand those from the corporate world constitute 84% of the governing bodies and most are drawn from elite entities.  On the other hand there is a dearth of other areas – few academics, and almost no journalists, educators, artists and leaders of nonprofit groups.
http://fair.org/extra-online-articles/who-rules-public-tv/

February 2013 newsletter

Welcome to the Thursday February 28, 2013 issue of this Peace&Justice action email

This issue provides a single brief focus – the disheartening tenth anniversary of the Darfur crisis.  It had to wait until today for the related actions on Darfur.  Due to this tight timing the issue of Mental Health will become the focus of next month’s edition.

 

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TENTH ANNIVERSARY OF DARFUR CRISIS

The start of the Darfur crisis is usually either associated with February 26 when rebel forces made their first public appearance, in an attack on a Golu garrison.  or it is anchored to April 25, when the rebels achieved a victory never seen before, even during the unrelated 20year plus 20 year North-South war – they overran the El Fasher airport, destroying several aircraft and capturing the Air Force commander.  The latter event is what caused Sudan’s President Bashir to unleash the Janjaweed in combination with government ground and air forces. That said, the build-up to this eruption was years and even decades of neglect and also targeted campaigns against the people of Darfur.

Darfur has been the longitudinal study of this newsletter for several years, although at the time it was an utterly disheartening thought that the crisis not only would last this long, but would remain in such an unresolved state.  All of my Darfuri contacts that I have recently talked to, remain quite pessimistic about Darfur’s near-term future.  Readers who have been following this newsletter will know that while Darfur has slipped off the news radar screen, that within Darfur things have changed in many ways but almost none for the better.  Bombing and attacks have continued; at least two million people remain displaced in camps of which many are getting restricted aid in attempts to force them back home where often homes no longer exist or are occupied by foreigners sympathetic to the government.  And much more: see Darfur Current Status (UntilAll).

Today, February 28, 2013, was the start of a push to reignite diplomatic efforts on Darfur which also means on Sudan as a whole.  The U.S., U.K and Australia have called for renewed focus and action (see: Letter to Foreign Secretaries).  The demands are nothing new, but as with most human dynamics it is a question of timing.  While at the moment I can’t see much that may play a positive role, who can say what might come?  Thus consider taking the following actions.

Take Action:
Petition to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon

Petition to US Secretary of State Kerry

 

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Missed an action email? An archive is kept at: www.UntilAll.org/archives.htm.

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UWAA: This endeavour is being placed under the overall rubric of “Until Well-being is Achieved for All.”