Millions at risk in Somalia as attacks on aid
workers escalate
(6 November 2008) An escalation of attacks on aid workers and
human rights defenders in southern and central Somalia is putting
at least 3 million Somalis at even greater risk of malnutrition and
disease. Many organizations have suspended programmes and
withdrawn staff.
At least 40 humanitarian and human rights workers have been
killed so far this year, as highlighted in Fatal Insecurity: Attacks
on Aid Workers and HRDs in Somalia, a new report by Amnesty
International.
This is at a time when Somalia is in the middle of a humanitar-
ian emergency, with the UN estimating that around 3.25 million So-
malis – 43 percent of the population – will require food aid until the
end of 2008.
The restrictions on the freedom of humanitarian agencies to de-
liver emergency humanitarian
services – food, shelter and es-
sential medical services – form
one of the leading factors con-
tributing to widespread malnu-
trition and death from starva-
tion or preventable diseases
throughout the area.
One humanitarian worker
said: “We are not able to start
new programmes because our
staff can’t go in. There is acute
malnutrition in Mogadishu, but
we’re not able to respond
quickly enough, we have to
work by remote control, and
quality suffers.”
”These killings, abductions
and threats mean that workers
and rights defenders no longer
enjoy the limited protection they previously held, based on their
status in the community as impartial distributors of food and emer-
gency services, or as advocates of peace and human rights,” said
David Copeman, Amnesty International’s Somalia Campaigner.
Many Mogadishu-based human rights defenders and other civil
society members have this year been forced to flee Somalia for the
first time since the end of the government of former President
Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991.
Attacks continue, with UN staff killed by bombing attacks on
29 October, the targeted killing of an UNICEF engineer in the cen-
tral town of Hudur on 19 October and a women’s rights activist
killed in Guriel on 25 October.
Where the identity of the attackers is known, the majority of kill-
ings have been attributed to members of armed opposition groups,
including al-Shabab militias, and the various Alliance for the Re-
liberation of Somalia (ARS)-affiliated militias (often also called Is-
lamic Courts).
The remaining killings were attributed to criminal gangs, or in
a smaller number of cases, to militias associated with the Transi-
tional Federal Government (TFG) or to the Ethiopian military. Most
recent killings have been carried out by one or more gunmen, al-
most always described as between 15 and 25 years old. Threats are
issued by phone, in leaflets and by word of mouth.
Amnesty International is calling on all parties to the conflict in
Somalia to stop these illegal attacks on humanitarian workers and
civil society.
Amnesty International Group 48
Newsletter November 2008
www.aipdx.org 503-227-1878
Next Meeting: Friday, November 14th
First Unitarian Church
1011 SW 12th Ave
7:00pm informal gathering 7:30 Meeting starts
Iran: Attacks Escalate Against
Women’s Rights Activists
(New York, October 28, 2008) – The Iranian government is es-
calating its attacks against women activists, subjecting them to ar-
bitrary detention, travel bans, and harassment, Human Rights
Watch said today.
On October 26, 2008, security agents blocked Sussan Tahmasebi,
a leader of the One Million Signatures Campaign for Equality, from
boarding a plane and confiscated her passport, without charging
her with any crime. At her home, they confiscated her computer and
demanded that she report to court for interrogation. The govern-
ment has prevented Tahmasebi from leaving the country for the past
two years, but has never brought charges against her or provided
a reason for her travel ban.
“Instead of seeking to silence women’s rights advocates who
draw attention to the urgent need for reform, the government
should move to repeal Iran’s discriminatory laws,” said Sarah Leah
Whitson, Middle East director at Human Rights Watch.
Human Rights Watch said the Judiciary has prosecuted more
than 100 women’s rights activists over the past three years and con-
tinues to detain, intimidate, and prohibit from traveling a number
of other women’s rights activists, particularly those involved in the
One Million Signatures Campaign for Equality. The grassroots cam-
paign aims to raise awareness of Iranian laws that sanction discrimi-
nation against women, by collecting 1 million signatures through-
out the country in an effort to repeal them.
This article from Human Rights Watch. www.hrw.org
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
60th Anniversary Commemoration Program
Presented by United Nations Association of the USA,
Oregon Division At First United Methodist Church,
Portland, Oregon
3:30 to 5:00 PM Sunday, December 7, 2008
Keynote speaker will be former Governor Victor Atiyeh
speaking on “Renewing America’s Commitment to Human
Rights; Do We Really Mean It?”
Other speakers will include Tom Potter, Mayor of Portland,
and David Leslie, Executive Director of Ecumenical Minis-
tries of Oregon. The League of Women Woters will present a
tribute to Eleanor Roosevelt.
For more information, contact Gordon Green of the United
Nations Association of Oregon at:
UNAOregon@aol.com.
 to justice;
Urgent Action on behalf of Women’s Rights - calling on the authorities to provide information on the steps
Defenders in Mexico taken to investigate previous threats against them
and other leading members of Nuestras Hijas de Regreso a Casa
07 November 2008 Further Information on UA 167/07 (28 June in May 2008;
2007) and follow-up (28 May 2008) – Fear for safety/Death threats - calling on the authorities to fulfill their obligations under the
Note: Please write on behalf of these persons even though you may UN Declaration on the Rights and Responsibilities of Individuals,
not have received the original UA when issued on June 28, 2007. Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally
Thanks! Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, and en-
sure that human rights defenders have a right to carry out their
MEXICO Marisela Ortíz Rivera (f), human rights defender; activities without any restrictions or fear of reprisals.
Norma Andrade (f), human rights defender;
María Luisa García Andrade (f), human rights defender; APPEALS TO:
Other members of Nuestras Hijas de Regreso a Casa (Our
Daughters Return Home) Governor of Chihuahua State
Human rights defenders María Luisa García Andrade and Lic. José Reyes Baeza Terrazas
Marisela Ortíz Rivera have received written death threats. Gobernador del Estado de Chihuahua,
The threats were sent within days of the screening of “Bajo Palacio de Gobierno,
Juárez: The city devouring its daughters”, a documentary on the 1er piso, C. Aldama #901, Col. Centro,
killings of women in Ciudad Juárez and Chihuahua City, Chihua- Chihuahua, Estado de Chihuahua,
hua state. C.P. 31000, MEXICO
Among those who feature in the documentary is Lilia Alejandra Fax: 011 52 614 429 3300,
García Andrade, the murdered daughter of Norma Andrade and then dial extension 11066
sister of María Luisa García. The latter and Marisela Ortíz feature Salutation: Señor Gobernador / Dear
in the film as they are prominent campaigners from Nuestras Hijas Governor
de Regreso a Casa (NHRC), an organization which calls for justice
on behalf of women murdered in the region. Chihuahua State Attorney General
According to an eyewitness, on 30 October a dark car with tinted Patricia González Rodríguez
windows approached María Luisa García’s home in Ciudad Procuradora del Estado de Chihuahua,
Juárez while she was out. A man got out of the car, threw a stone at Procuraduría General de Justicia del Estado
the house which broke a window through which he threw a large Vicente Guerrero 616, Col. Centro,
card which threatened to kill her and harm her children. Chihuahua 31000,
On 5 November, Marisela Ortíz also found in front of her home Estado de Chihuahua, MEXICO
a card with letters pasted on to it saying “Under Juarez, death” (Vajo Fax: 011 52 614 415 0314
(sic) Juarez muerte). Both women have filed a complaint with the Salutation: Señora Procuradora General /
Federal Special Prosecutor on Violence against Women and People Dear Public Prosecutor
Trafficking.
Concerns for members of NHRC are heightened by the fact that COPIES TO:
they have previously been threatened in the past.
In May 2008, following the opening of the film “Bordertown”, Special Prosecutor on Violence against Women
which was loosely based on the stories of women murdered in the and People Trafficking
region, NHRC members received an offensive and threatening Dra. Guadalupe Morfín Otero
email following their support of the film’s release as a way of rais- Fiscal Especial para los Delitos de Violencia contra
ing awareness of the killings of women in Ciudad Juárez. las Mujeres y Trata de Personas
Since the members of NHRC and their families were threatened Procuraduría General de la República,
in May 2008, there have been no advances in the investigation and Río Elba, No. 17, Col. Cuauhtemoc, Del.
the search for those responsible. Marisela Ortíz Rivera and María Cuauhtemoc, México D.F.,
Luisa García Andrade have only received limited protection by fed- C.P. 06300, MEXICO
eral police agents and no attention by the Chihuahua Attorney Fax: 011 52 55 5346 2540
General’s office or protection by state police, even though the Inter Email: atencionmujeres@pgr.gob.mx
American Commission for Human Rights ordered the Mexican
government to provide protection measures for them. Nuestras Hijas de Regreso a Casa
Email: nuestrashijas@gmail.com
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as Ambassador Arturo Sarukhan Casamitjana
quickly as possible: Embassy of Mexico
- expressing concern at the new threats received by María Luisa 1911 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
García on 30 October and Marisela Ortíz on 5November; Washington DC 20006
- calling on the authorities to put in place comprehensive pro- Fax: 1 202 728 1698
tection measures for them and their families, in accordance with her Email: mexembusa@sre.gob.mx
own wishes; PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY.
- urging the authorities to carry out an immediate and impar-
tial investigation to identify those responsible for the threats re- Check with the AIUSA Urgent Action office if sending appeals
ceived by María Luisa García and Marisela Ortíz and to bring them after 19 December 2008. (page two)
 Central Africa Regional Action Network
Protect Civilians in the DRC
The situation in the DRC remains on the brink of a humanitar-
ian catastrophe. The priority now is reinforcing the capacity of the
UN’s peacekeeping force, MONUC, to protect civilians and to en-
sure people have access to humanitarian assistance.
It is high time for regional leaders and the UN Security Coun-
cil to step up its efforts: At least 250,000 civilians, most of them
women and children, were displaced by the recent fighting. These
people are in a desperate situation, without sufficient food, water,
medical supplies or shelter, and cannot wait any longer.
Action Request: This month, the United Nations Security Coun-
cil will consider increasing the support of the UN peacekeeping
mission. Amnesty International members must call on the US gov-
ernment to ensure that the UN Security Council takes the steps nec-
essary to protect civilians in eastern DRC.
Using the sample letter below as a model, please write letters to the
following US government officials who urge the United Nations to
take action to protect civilians:
Secretary Condoleezza Rice
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street NW
Washington, DC 20520
Ambassador Zalmay Khalizad
United States Mission to the UN
Press and Public Diplomacy Section
United States Mission to the United Nations
140 East 45th Street
New York, N.Y. 10017
Fax: 212-415-4053
Email: USUNPublicAffairs@state.gov
Jendayi Frazer
Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street NW
Washington, DC 20520
Sample Letter:
Dear ________
I am deeply concerned that the Democratic Republic of the Congo
remains on the brink of a humanitarian catastrophe. While a long-term
solution is necessary, the priority should be reinforcing the capacity of the
UN’s peacekeeping force, Mission des Nations Unies en Republique
Democratique du Congo (MONUC), to protect civilians and to ensure
people have access to humanitarian assistance. As a permanent member
of the UN Security Council the United States should utilize its leadership
to support MONUC.
MONUC remains the only force capable of providing meaningful
protection to civilians. The UN Security Council should send immediate
assistance to MONUC in the form of additional troops, intelligence-gath-
ering capabilities, air support and other equipment. Only then will the UN
peacekeepers be able to forestall armed group attacks against civilian popu-
lations, safeguard humanitarian operations and enforce the UN arms
embargo on the DRC, in line with its mandate.
The humanitarian and human rights crisis in eastern DRC has dete-
riorated dramatically in the past month. In October, the National Con-
gress for the Defence of the People (CNDP), under the command of ren-
egade general Laurent Nkunda, launched a fresh offensive against gov-
ernment forces. Over four days in late October the CNDP, which num-
bers possibly around 6,000 fighters, routed the national army, captured
the major town of Rutshuru and moved to within 15 km of the city of
Goma, the capital of North Kivu province, before declaring a unilateral
cease-fire on 30 October.
Amnesty International’s most recent report, North Kivu: No end to
war on women and children highlights the serious human rights viola-
tions and abuses committed by the parties to the conflict in the province.
Considering the gravity and urgency of the humanitarian and human
rights situation in eastern DRC, I call on you to ensure that the UN Se-
curity Council:
* reinforces MONUC peacekeeping contingents in North-Kivu prov-
ince immediately, ensuring that peacekeepers have the necessary troop
numbers, intelligence-gathering, air-surveillance and other assets to en-
sure effective protection of civilians, to forestall possible armed group at-
tacks against local communities, to safeguard hu-
manitarian operations and to enforce the UN arms
embargo on the DRC in line with MONUC’s man-
date.
* urges all parties to the conflict to ensure that
humanitarian aid agencies are not hindered in
their work to provide aid to displaced people, in-
cluding those who are injured, and ensure that safe
corridors for humanitarian aid are opened
throughout the province.
* presses the warring parties, especially the
CNDP, and governments that have influence over
them, especially Rwanda, to prevent more civilian
casualties.
* presses the governments of the DRC and
Rwanda to abide by the commitments made in the
Nairobi joint communiqu? of November 2007,
particularly to end negative propaganda against
each other and to refrain from providing support
to armed groups, including the CNDP and the
Rwandan Democratic Forces for the Liberation of
Rwanda (FDLR).
* asserts that justice and an end to impunity has a central place in the
search for durable peace in the Great Lakes Region, and that deliberate or
indiscriminate attacks against civilians and peacekeepers carrying out
their duty of protecting civilians is a war crime, punishable under inter-
national law.
Thank you for your prompt attention to this urgent matter.
Sincerely
To send an email:
http://takeaction.amnestyusa.org/siteapps/advocacy/
index.aspx?c=jhKPIXPCIoE&b=2590179&template=x.ascx&action=11439
For information about Amnesty International’s concerns in the
DRC, news releases, and reports:
http://www.amnestyusa.org/all-countries/congo-dem-rep-
of/page.do?id=1011136
If you have any questions or have difficulty with the links,
please let me know.
Thank you,
Terrie Rodello, AIUSA Central Africa RAN Coordinator
(page three)
Partners in Oppression in Burma and North Korea
A commentary by Kay Seok, North Korea researcher, and David of foreign humanitarian organizations and United Nations agen-
Scott Mathieson, Burma consultant, for Human Rights Watch. cies in the wake of Cyclone Nargis in May 2008 have evidently
Burmese Foreign Minister Nyan Win visited North Korea on eased. But this followed weeks of obstruction when over 2.4 mil-
Oct. 27 to hold the first high-level meeting since diplomatic rela- lion people waited for desperately needed aid to arrive. Such opti-
tions were severed 25 years ago. When the two countries normal- mism is not the case in the rest of Burma, where government restric-
ized diplomatic relations in April 2007, the reaction was largely tions and surveillance have hampered aid programs for years.
twofold: banal and alarmist. Restrictions on organizations such as the International Commit-
The banal views argued that both authoritarian states were tee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has severely limited their access to pris-
merely re-establishing formal diplomatic relations severed after ons in Burma since late 2005, and the ICRC released a rare public
North Korean agents bombed the Martyrs Mausoleum in Rangoon statement in June 2007 pointing to frequent violations of interna-
in 1983, killing several members of the South Korean cabinet. tional humanitarian law in ethnic conflict areas. In North Korea, the
Alarmist views spoke of the specter of North Korea handing ICRC has yet to obtain access to its notorious detention facilities.
over nuclear weapons technology to Burma, even though North The U.N. expert on North Korea, Vitit Muntarbhorn, has never
Korea has been supplying conventional weapons to Burma’s mili- been permitted to visit the country, while Tomas Ojeo Quintana, the
tary ruled State Peace and Development new U.N. special rapporteur on human
Council (SPDC) for years. The SPDC rights in Burma, visited Burma in a
also announced the purchase of a 10 short, tightly scripted visit in August
megawat nuclear reactor (the same size this year. The U.N. Secretary General’s
as North Korea’s) from Russia, just Special Adviser to Burma, Ibrahim
weeks after the two countries restored Gambari, has visited several times
ties. since 2005, and despite initial optimism
While both perspectives hold truth, he was making progress, was rebuffed
the real concern should be for the citi- by senior SPDC officials in August, and
zens of Burma and North Korea, who his efforts now seem stalled.
continue to suffer under the repressive The chumminess of bilateral visits
regimes. Both countries rank among the should not belie the effects closer ties
worst human rights abusers, persecute could have on the people of North Ko-
those who attempt to flee, and severely rea and Burma. The renewed ties mean
curtail the ability of the outside world that both governments have a new, for-
to help those in need. mal ally in prolonging and justifying
In Burma, following the crackdown their system of repression.
on peaceful protests for change led by monks in September 2007, The people who suffer will not be the elites who rule, but those
more than 1,000 people were incarcerated, with many killed. In who exist precariously in the face of international banality and
North Korea, basic freedoms have been restricted for so long and alarmism, which both the North Korean leadership and the Bur-
on such a scale that there has never been a public demonstration mese military are relying on.
calling for freedom and democracy.
Those attempting to flee repression and poverty at home are
routinely persecuted. For years, North Korea has threatened to se-
verely punish all who are caught in China and repatriated. More
than 1,000 North Koreans in the past year have trod a perilous route AI Group 48 Contact Info
from their country through China into Laos, then across the Mekong
River to Thailand with hopes to ultimately reach South Korea, or
in some cases the United States. Phone Guy China RAN
Some have even attempted to transit through Burma. In light Marty Fromer Joanne Lau,
of the restored diplomatic relations between North Korea and 503-227-1878 971-221-5450
martyfromer@gmail.com jlau@easystreet.net
Burma, some observers fear that North Koreans caught in Burma
would be returned home to face torture and imprisonment. Treasurer Philippine/Indonesia RAN
Janan Stoll, Max White,
The military offensives and other actions of Burma’s SPDC has
503-282-8834 503-292-8168
driven over 160,000 refugees across the border with Thailand, thou- JJJN4NOW@aol.com maxw33@attbi.com
sands more into India, while hundreds of thousands live precari-
Central Africa RAN Central American RAN
ous lives as migrant workers in China, Thailand and India. Christine Glenn, Terrie Rodello Marylou Noble
The international community is often called on to respond to the 503-452-8087 503-245-6923
government orchestrated misery of the people of North Korea and christineglenn@comcast.net marylou_noble@yahoo.com

Burma. Efforts by relief and development agencies to alleviate this OR State Death Penalty Coordinator Newsletter Editor / Designer
suffering are restricted by paranoid and often corrupt officials. Terrie Rodello, Dan Webb
503-246-6836 (503) 253-3491
In North Korea, international aid workers have been struggling
trodello@igc.org danielw2@earthlink.net
to properly monitor food distribution to ensure that the food reaches
the most vulnerable population instead of the elite or the military. Legislative Coordinator
Dan Johnson,
Aid workers often face rejection and restriction by North Korean 503-310-4540
officials. subtlet@hotmail.com
In Burma, the initial government restrictions on the activities

(page four)
 CHINA Regional Action Network

Urgent Action Needed APPEALS TO:

on behalf of Chen Zhenping
President of the Supreme People’s Court
UA 305/08 Fear of torture Xiao Yang Yuanzhang
PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA Zuigao Renmin Fayuan
Falun Gong practitioner 27 Dongjiaomin Xiang, Beijingshi 100006
PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA
November 3rd, 2008--Falun Gong practitioner Chen Zhenping Fax: 011 86 10 65292345
was arrested without a warrant on 9 July 2008 at her home in the Salutation: Dear President
city of Zhengzhou, Henan province. Her family have not been al-
lowed to visit her, and it is unclear where she is now held. She is in
grave danger of torture. Minister of Justice Director
She was first held for 10 days at Matougang Village Detention Wu Aiying Buzhang
Centre, and then moved to Zhengzhou City No.1 Detention Cen- Sifabu
tre. Zhengzhou City Jingshui People’s Court officials 10 Chaoyangmen Nandajie
told one of her relatives on 10 October that Chen Zhenping had been Chaoyangqu, Beijingshi 100020
sentenced to between seven and 15 years’ imprisonment. However, People’s Republic of China
her family have not been served an official notification of a trial by Fax: 011 86 10 65292345
court authorities. Email: pfmaster@legalinfo.gov.cn
After Chen was arrested, her family contacted lawyers in Salutation: Dear Minister
Zhengzhou to represent her. The lawyers told them that before the
Olympic Games the government had warned them not to take Mayor of the Zhengzhou City People’s Government
Falun Gong cases. Chen is therefore unlikely to have had legal rep- ZHAO Jiancai Shizhang
resentation, making any trial that took place unfair. Zhengzhoushi Renmin Zhengfu
On 28 October Chen’s family discovered that her signature had 233 Zhongyuanxilu
been forged on the register where detainees are required to sign Zhengzhoushi 450007
when they receive provisions from relatives and friends. Henansheng
According to a fellow inmate, Chen Zhenping has been held in PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA
a cell with over 30 people and forced to sleep on the floor. She was Salutation: Dear Mayor
reported by a former cell-mate to have been forced to work up to
19 hours a day producing rugs, Q-tips and other goods, with strict Zhengzhou City No 1 Detention Centre
production targets: if she did not meet these targets she was beaten Zhengzhou shi Diyikanshousuo
and otherwise ill-treated. Hanghailu yu Disandajie
Zhengzhoushi, Henansheng
BACKGROUND INFORMATION PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA
Falun Gong is a spiritual movement that gained large numbers Salutation: Dear Director
of adherents in China during the 1990s. After a peaceful sit-in on
Tiananmen Square in July 1999, the government outlawed the COPIES TO:
group and launched a long-term campaign of intimidation and
persecution, directed by a special organization called the 610 Of- Ambassador Wen Zhong Zhou
fice. The crackdown on Falun Gong intensified in the lead-up to the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China
Olympics. Falun Gong sources reported over 8000 arrests 2300 Connecticut Avenue N.W.
of Falun Gong practitioners nationwide during this period, and say Washington, D.C. 20008
that in 2007 over 100 died in detention or shortly after being released Fax: 1 202 745 7473
due to torture, starvation and lack of medicine. Falun Gong practi- Email: currently unavailable
tioners are a primary target of China’s system of Re-education — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
through Labor (RTL), a form of punitive administrative detention
in which people can be deprived of their liberty without trial for ** POSTAGE RATES **
up to four years. Between 300,000 and 500,000 people are estimated Within the United States:
to be under RTL. $0.27 - Postcards
$0.42 - Letters and Cards (up to 1 oz.)
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as To Mexico and Canada:
quickly as possible:- asking the authorities where Chen Zhenping $0.72 - Postcards
is held, and asking them to provide immediate guarantees for her $0.72 - Airmail Letters and Cards (up to 1 oz.)
safety, and assurances that she will not be tortured or ill-treated;- To all other destination countries:
asking them to release Chen Zhenping immediately and uncondi- $0.94 - Postcards
tionally unless she is to be charged with a recognizably criminal $0.94 - Airmail Letters and Cards (up to 1 oz.)
offence; Amnesty International is a worldwide grassroots movement that
— demanding she be given immediate access to a lawyer of her promotes and defends human rights.
own choosing, her family and any medical treatment she may re-
quire;— expressing concern that she has been imprisoned solely for
her religious beliefs. (page five)
Amnesty International calls on President-elect Barack Obama
to put human rights at the heart of government
(Nov 5th, 2008) Amnesty International today urged US
President-elect Barack Obama to show true leadership by making
human rights central to his new administration. The organization
is calling on the new government to take concrete steps in its first
100 days which would show genuine commitment to bring the USA
into line with its international obligations.
In the first 100 days of the presidency, Amnesty
International is specifically calling on the new
administration to:
• announce a plan and date for the closure of the
detention centre at Guantánamo,
• issue an executive order to ban torture and
other ill-treatment, as defined under international
law and applicable to all US agents, and
• ensure the setting up of an independent com-
mission to investigate abuses committed by the USA
in its war on terror.
These demands form part of a “checklist” of
actions Amnesty International is asking the new US President to
take during his first 100 days in office.
“President-elect Barack Obama must reverse the damage done at
home and abroad by the US government’s unlawful actions in the
name of national security,” said Larry Cox, executive director at Am-
nesty International USA. “The US government’s policies during the
past eight years have violated the basic rights of thousands of individu-
als, damaged the United States’ credibility on human rights issues and
strained diplomatic relations. With the entire world watching, and the
Amnesty International USA
Group 48
Portland, Oregon USA
Amnesty International Group 48 Newsletter November 2008
election of a new President and Congress, it’s time to commit the United
States to its international obligations and ensure that the rule of law
will be the foundation for its policies.”
Amnesty International is also urging President-elect Barack
Obama to push forward policies that will advance internationally
recognized human rights. The US government should
also provide principled leadership in stopping mass
atrocities against civilians in places such as Darfur, in
ending the continued violence against women and
girls in the USA and abroad, supporting human rights
defenders and the international system of justice with
the International Criminal Court at its heart.
“Human rights must be an integral aspect of ev-
ery policy, action and issue embarked on by Presi-
dent-elect Barack Obama and his administration,”
said Larry Cox. “Although the current economic cir-
cumstances will dominate much of the public debate
and international agenda, a strong and vigilant hu-
man rights agenda must also be a priority. The importance of re-
versing the legacy of the US as a human rights abuser cannot be
overstated.”
During the first 100 days of the new administration, Amnesty
International will be mobilizing its members and supporters in the
USA and around the world to call on the new US President and
Congress to take immediate steps to demonstrate a commitment to
human rights and urgently address pressing issues at home and
abroad.