Sires Cosponsors Immigrant Detention Reform

Great news! Congressman Albio Sires (NJ13) joined fellow NJ Representatives Holt, Payne and Rothman in supporting the Immigration Oversight and Fairness Act, HR1215. This legislation addresses the most serious flaws identified in Amnesty’s Jailed Without Justice Report:
• Extreme over reliance on detention without considering effective and less expensive alternatives.
• Lack of due process allowing those imprisoned to challenge the grounds of their detention.
• Inhumane prison conditions for those who are detained.

If your Congressman is not on the list above, please call his office and urge him to cosponsor this important bill.

Amnesty is also supporting two of Senator Robert Menendez’s bills that address these issues, S 1549 and S 1550. Wherever you live in NJ, please call Senator Lautenberg’s office and urge him to support these bills!

Amnesty is currently organizing a lobbying week (the week of November 11th) across the country to support this legislation. We are also going to be focusing on closing Guantanamo and supporting the ratification of a women’s rights treaty (CEDAW). Please go to http://www.amnestyusa.org/delegation/list.php to find out more!

Immigrant Detention Vigil in Elizabeth

I will be briefly speaking about Amnesty's efforts on immigrant detention at this vigil tomorrow.



Larry



SUNDAY, OCTOBER 11



Come to the IRATE & First Friends 11th annual vigil

at the Elizabeth Detention Center



March and pray in solidarity with the thousands of immigrants being held in detention throughout the country.



2 pm at the corner of Dowd Street and Evans Street, Elizabeth, NJ



You are cordially invited

to a Spaghetti Supper & Teach In after the vigil on

Sunday evening, 10/11/09,

4 pm at the St Joseph Social Service Center

118 Division Street, Elizabeth, NJ



This supper will include presentations by invited speakers:



Marisol Conde-Hernandez, Rutgers undergraduate & activist

and

Msgr. William Reilly, member NJ Blue Ribbon Committee on Immigration Policy



Donations: Adults $25, Students $15, Children under 10 free

---------------------------

Space is limited so please make your reservation NOW by e-mailing your name and the number in your party to firstfriends2@juno.com.



Then please mail your check for the donation to:



IRATE & First Friends, 321 South Broad St., Elizabeth, NJ. O7202



When you check is received, we will confirm your reservation by e-mail.



Any question? Call 908-965-0455

November Lobby Week

During the week of November 11th, Amnesty activists across the country will be meeting with their local congressional offices to urge them to take action three of our top priorities:
• Fix the broken immigrant detention system to ensure due process and treat people humanely.
• End torture and take effective measures to ensure that it does not happen again.
• Ratify the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).

Amnesty believes that it is now a key moment where grassroots pressure could help convince Congress to move forward on all three of these issues.

You can volunteer to organize a visit to your local congressional office at http://www.amnestyusa.org/delegation/leader.php?d=013&s=NJ &ICID=G0909A01.

Or, you can look for an existing delegation to take part in at http://www.amnestyusa.org/delegation/list.php?ICID=G0909A01.

Cyber Trolls & Such

An anonymous troll has been clogging the comments with posts totally unrelated to the topic he/she has been posting under. Sadly, this "anonymous" wants to simply call me names without having the deceny to take credit for his or her actions. Furthermore, the ire is directed against my comments on Tim's El Salvador. I have finally figured out that "anonymous" has decided to try to attack me here because Tim does not allow anonymous posts. (I guess he changed that because of similar troll problems.)

I have therefore changed the settings to not allow anonymous posts. Again, "Anonymous," I am willing to respond to serious challenges on issues--but calling me names (without having the decency to reveal yours) simply reveals your lack of maturity.

By the way, he/she finally did comment on an issue--only to reveal that he/she does not think that the forced disappearance and subsequent murder of an environmental activist; death threats against jornalists investigating the case; and attacks on a priest are things that Amnesty should be working on. The decision to put out this urgent action was made by senior AI staff members--not me. Having said that, right on AI! This action makes me proud of my affiliation with Amnesty.

And thank you, anonymous, for clearly displaying your true colors with your comment on the Marcelo Rivera case!

Please send letters to the editor on immigrants' rights

There is a lot of coverage of immigrants’ rights rallies in today’s NJ papers. Please write letters to the editor in response to articles such as

http://www.nj.com/morristown/jamieduffy/index.ssf/2009/09/pastors_and_people_call_for_an.html

http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/press/cumberland/article_722821a4-1bca-5a28-b914-ea3a3e2eb8db.html

http://www.mycentraljersey.com/article/20090915/NEWS/909150366

http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/2009/09/jersey_city_vigil_held_today_f.html

Be sure to mention Amnesty’s Jailed Without Justice Report (http://www.amnestyusa.org/uploads/JailedWithoutJustice.pdf) and call on Congress to support HR 1215, The Immigration Oversight and Fairness Act. (You can thank Holt, Rothman, and Payne for their support.)

AI Urgent Action on El Salvador

This is not a legislative action. As many of you know, however, I have a long history of human rights work on El Salvador, including my doctoral dissertation/book.


URGENT ACTION
death threats for activists demanding justice
Those seeking justice for a murdered environmental activist in Cabañas department, El Salvador, are at risk. Another anti-mining activist has also been shot, and five men and one boy have received threats and warnings in an effort to stop the campaign for justice for the murdered environmentalist, Gustavo Marcelo Rivera.
The body of Gustavo Marcelo Rivera, who opposed mining in the area, was found in Cabañas on 30 June, bound and showing signs of torture. According to local human rights organizations, the authorities have charged at least two men with his abduction and killing. However, as Gustavo Marcelo Rivera campaigned against what he considered “deadly [mining] projects” that could have a negative impact on the people and the environment in the department, Amnesty International is concerned that local authorities are not investigating the motives for his killing.
Ramiro Rivera, a male community leader who has also campaigned against gold mining in the area, was shot eight times outside his home in Cabañas on 7 August. Police have arrested the man named by Ramiro Rivera as his attacker. Ramiro Rivera is receiving treatment for his injuries.
Three broadcasters on a radio station in Cabañas, José Alexander Beltrán Castillo, aged 19, Ludwin Franklin Iraheta, aged 20, and 16-year-old Vladimir Abarca Ayala, have received death threats after reporting on Gustavo Marcelo Rivera's killing. The threats were sent in anonymous letters and SMS messages on 24 July. One of the SMS messages said: “You are also on the list…you saw what happened to [Marcelo] the next one is you” On 27 July, Father Luis Quintanilla, a Catholic priest in Cabañas, was driving home after appearing on the same radio station to call for justice for Gustavo Marcelo Rivera, when another vehicle forced him off the road. Four hooded gunmen travelling in the vehicle surrounded his car but Father Luis Quintanilla was able to escape unhurt. Community leader Héctor Antonio Garcia Berríos was warned on 4 August by a man he knew that if he and Gustavo Marcelo Rivera's brother, Miguel Rivera continued campaigning for justice for the murder, their lives would be at risk.
PLEASE WRITE IMMEDIATELY in Spanish or your own language, urging the Salavdoran authorities to:
n Ensure that they provide José Alexander Beltrán Castillo, Ludwin Franklin Iraheta, Vladimir Abarca Ayala, Luis Quintanilla, Ramiro Rivera, Miguel Rivera and Héctor Berríos with all necessary protection according to their wishes;
n Urgently carry out an independent investigation into recent threats and attacks against anti-mining and environmental activists, journalists, community and religious leaders in the department of Cabañas;
n Thoroughly and promptly investigate the abduction, torture and killing of Gustavo Marcelo Rivera, with the results made public and those responsible, including those who may have ordered the killing to be brought to justice.

PLEASE SEND APPEALS BEFORE 08 OCTOBER 2009 TO:
Acting Attorney General
Lic. Ástor Escalante Saravia
Fiscal General en Funciones
Fiscalía General de la República
Final 4ª Calle Oriente y 19ª Avenida Sur, Residencial Primavera,
Santa Tecla, La Libertad, San Salvador El Salvador
Fax: +503 2523-7402/7170
Email: astor.escalante@fgr.gov.sv
Salutation: Dear Attorney General
Director of the National Civil Police
Comisionado Carlos Ascencio Girón
Director de la Policía Nacional Civil
Policía Nacional Civil
6ta. Calle Oriente entre 8va y 10ma Ave. Sur, # 42 Barrio La Vega
San Salvador, El Salvador
Email: carlosascencio@pnc.gob.sv
Salutation: Dear Commissioner

And copies to:
Human Rights Organization
La Fundación de Estudios para la Aplicación de Derecho
25 Calle Poniente No. 1332,
Col Layco
San Salvador, El Salvador
Fax: +503 2236-1833Email: fespadinfo@vip.telesal.net

Also send copies to diplomatic representatives accredited to your country. Please check with your section office if sending appeals after the above date.
URGENT ACTION

attacks continue after activst murdered
ADditional Information
Community, development and environmental organizations in the Cabañas department have been campaigning against reported electoral fraud following local elections in January and against mining exploration due to the potential environmental impact and impact on the health of the local population. Threats, attacks and intimidation against activists reportedly began at least as early as May 2008 when campaigning against mining exploration in the area began and have intensified since January this year when activists denounced electoral irregularities following the elections.
Gustavo Marcelo Rivera Moreno, was Director of the House of Culture (Casa de Cultura), linked to the Ministry of Education in the municipality of San Isidro Cabañas department and together with his brother Miguel Rivera, co-founder and director of the community organization Association of Friends of San Isidro, Cabañas (Asociación Amigos de San Isidro Cabañas, ASIC). He had a long history of activism including human rights education, denouncing electoral fraud and concern for the environment.
Radio Victoria is a community radio station, committed to social and human rights reporting. Broadcasters at Radio Victoria have reported on anti-mining campaigns and have called for those responsible for the abduction and killing of Gustavo Marcelo Rivera to be brought to justice. On 25 July, the human rights ombudsman in San Salvador called on the Attorney General and the Director of the National Civil Police to provide security and protection measures for the three threatened broadcasters, to carry out a thorough investigation into the threats and for those responsible to be brought to justice. Following the threats all three broadcasters left Cabañas in fear for their safety. Ludwin Iraheta has since returned to work on Radio Victoria and is receiving protection from police from outside the area. At the time of writing, Jose Beltrán, who has reportedly refused protection, and Vladimir Abarca, have not yet returned to work in fear for their safety.
Leaders of other community-based organizations campaigning against mining in the area have also received death threats. On 29 July, Antonio Pacheco, Director of the Social and Economic Development Association of Santa (Asociación de Desarrollo Económico y Social Santa Marta, ADES) received death threats. ADES has been campaigning against the negative consequences of gold mining in Cabañas department and calling for justice in the killing of Gustavo Marcelo Rivera.

UA: 223/09 Index: AMR 29/001/2009 Issue Date: 27 August 2009

Urge Lautenberg and Menendez to Stand Up for the Constitution!

The Senate may vote this week to officially allow indefinite detention without charges, “legalizing” a Bush-era practice that violates both the U.S. Constitution and international human rights law! Amnesty International is also concerned that the Senate may approve revisions to the Military Commission Act this week instead of overturning it. Amnesty has consistently argued that the US federal court system is the correct place to try those accused of terrorism and make sure that justice is done.

Please call the offices of Senator Lautenberg (202- 224-3224) and Senator Menendez (202-224-4744) and urge them to:
Overturn rather than rework the Bush-era Military Commissions. The U.S. federal court system is the correct place to find justice.
Oppose any efforts to legalize indefinite detention, an egregious violation of the right to due process.