Report From DC Lobbying on International Torture Victims and Survivors Day

I joined dozens of activists from a broad coalition of human rights groups in Washington for training and lobbying in commemoration of International Torture Victims and Survivors Day. The training took place at Georgetown University Law Center on Sunday, June 25th. It included testimony from a Honduran woman who was tortured in the early 1980s in retaliation for aiding Salvadoran refugees.

Despite the incredible problems with the Metro system on Monday, we all headed to Capitol Hill to persuade more Members of Congress to cosponsor legislation against extraordinary renditions. We brought along DVDs of the new Witness documentary Outlawed: Extraordinary Rendition, Torture and Disappearances in the ‘War on Terror’ to leave at each office. I met with staff members at the offices of Congressmen Robert Andrews, Frank LoBiondo, and Chris Smith, as well as people from Senator Menendez’s office. I also had a meeting with Representative Bill Pascrell’s office on Tuesday. I then went around the Cannon, Longworth, and Rayburn buildings to drop off DVDs and other materials to the remaining New Jersey Congressmen who have not already cosponsored the Torture Outsourcing and Prevention Act.

A group of torture survivors also held a twenty four-hour vigil across the street from the Whitehouse in Lafayette Park. Given the incredible downpour, it was hard to stay there for very long. I stopped by to show my support, though, and met three Salvadoran torture survivors and one from Guatemala. As you may know, I wrote my dissertation on human rights in El Salvador and therefore feel a special connection with the region.

Dozens of activists also turned out for district meetings with congressional offices across the country on Monday. Some meetings were delayed, however, and will take place in the coming weeks.

It is too soon to measure our impact. It may be several weeks before staff members are able to tell us whether or not their bosses have decided to support HR 952/S 654 or take other actions to end extraordinary renditions. At the very least, however, we have definitely shown our determination to oppose torture.

I did not get to watch Outlawed until I got back to New Jersey. It is relatively short (27 minutes), but provides some very powerful testimony directly from the few people who have reemerged from “extraordinary renditions.” It would make a great event for your local group or student chapter! You should also suggest that university libraries purchase the documentary and that faculty members use it in class.

Please Write Letters to Newspapers Against Outsourcing Torture!

Dear NJ Amnesty Activists,

It would be great if we could generate some letters-to-the-editor about the lobbying against extraordinary renditions. Here are a few recent articles from the Star-Ledger to which you can respond, along with the paper’s instructions for doing so. Please be sure to urge our Congressmen to vote for HR 952 and Senator Menendez to vote for S 654. You can also thank Lautenberg, Rothman, Holt, Payne, and Pallone for already cosponsoring these bills.

Thanks,
Larry Ladutke,
NJ Legislative Coordinator, AIUSA

President finds some solidarity at EU summit
Thursday, June 22, 2006
BY TERENCE HUNT
Associated Press


Specter wants to know why Bush ignores laws
At hearing, officials will have to explain heavy use of 'signing statements' to bypass rules
Thursday, June 22, 2006
BY ANDY SULLIVAN
REUTERS


Guilty until proven innocent in this war
Friday, June 23, 2006
BY LISA ROSE
Star-Ledger Staff
The Road to Guantánamo

From the Star-Ledger's Website:

"The Star-Ledger welcomes comments from readers. Please e-mail to: eletters@starledger.com (letters to the editor) oped@starledger.com (op-ed articles). Submissions may be mailed to: Editorial Department, The Star-Ledger, 1 Star-Ledger Plaza, Newark, NJ, 07102-1200.
Letters must not exceed 200 words. Op-ed articles must not exceed 800 words. All submissions must include the writer's name, address and phone number. Address and phone numbers are kept confidential. Unsigned submissions will not be used. All submissions become the property of The Star-Ledger and will not be returned; submissions may be edited and may be published and otherwise reused in any medium. Because of the volume of mail, we cannot acknowledger receipt of submissions or provide information on their status. Calls made to verify authorship of letters do not guarantee publication. Authors of op-ed pieces selected for publication will be contacted. Submissions may be mailed to: The Star-Ledger, 1 Star-Ledger Plaza, Newark, NJ, 07102-1200"

Update on Meeting with Congressmen Garrett

I received the following update on the delegation that is meeting with Scott Garrett to urge him to help end our government's practice of outsourcing torture:

"We are scheduled to meet with Garrett personally. The meeting is set for July 17th, in the Paramus office (210 Rt. 4 East; Suite 206) at 11:30. There will be at least three people coming."--Tony Van der Mude

REPORT ON 6/23 MEETING WITH SMITH’S OFFICE

The leader of the Amnesty student group in Brick, NJ and I met with Congressman Chris Smith’s District Policy Director this afternoon. Things went very well. Given that the Brick chapter has worked on the Gurbandurdy Durdykuliev case, Kaitlin made sure she thanked Smith for writing a "Dear Colleague" letter that helped bring about his release. Smith’s staff person was very interested in this and wanted to know more. It looks like the beginning of a productive relationship between Smith’s office and this relatively new chapter.

Of course, the main reason for our visit was to urge Smith to support the Outsourcing Torture Prevention Act. Kaitlin did a great job of explaining why Smith should cosponsor this legislation. She also brought along some signed petitions from her school.

During the next few days, delegations around the state will meet with the offices of Senator Menendez, Congressman LoBiondo, Congressman Saxton, and Congressmen Garrett. I will be meeting with several congressional offices on Capitol Hill on Monday.

By the way, I have received some tallies for the online actions in support of HR 952. LoBiondo’s, Smith’s, Saxtons’ Garrett’s, Ferguson’s, and Frelinghuysen’s constituents have all done a great job in generating these messages.

Thanks,
Larry Ladutke
NJ Legislative Coordinator, AIUSA

National Call-In Day to Oppose Outsourcing Torture

Dear NJ AI Activists,

As you know, people around the country are about to meet with the offices of their Senators and Representatives to urge them to end “extraordinary renditions,” the outsourcing of torture by our government. New Jersey Amnesty activists have planned meetings with Senator Menendez, Congressman LoBiondo, Congressman Saxton, Congressman Smith, and Congressman Garrett.

These offices will be more receptive to Amnesty’s position if they hear from other constituents. You can help these meetings succeed by taking part in the national call-in day on Friday, June 23rd! Everyone in the state can call Senator Menendez’s office at (202) 224-4744 and urge him to cosponsor S 654.

You can find out who your Congressman is by entering your zip code at the House of Representatives Website or looking at the NJ Congressional District Map.

We especially need calls to urge Representatives LoBiondo (2nd District, 202-225-6572), Saxton (3rd District 202-225-4765), Smith (4th District, 202-225-3765) and Garrett (202-225-4465) to cosponsor HR 952.

It would also be helpful to get calls asking Congressmen Andrews (1st District, 202-225-6501), Ferguson (7th District, 202-225-5361), Pascrell (8th District, 202-225-5751), and Frelinghuysen (11th District, 202-225-5034) to cosponsor HR 952.

Our state’s remaining Members of Congress have already cosponsored these bills. Please feel free to call and thank them for doing so!

By the way, I will be joining one of Chris Smith’s constituents from Brick to meet with his office in Whiting tomorrow (Friday) afternoon. I will be in Washington on Monday. So far, I have scheduled visits with Andrews’s and Pascrell’s DC Offices. I hope to add several more.

Thanks,
Larry Ladutke
NJ Legislative Coordinator, AIUSA

Send Congress E-mail to Support Lobbying Against Outsourcing Torture!

Dear NJ Amnesty activists,

Please visit Amnesty's Take Action Center to send Congress e-mail messages supporting legislation against extraordinary renditions.

As you know, activists around the country will be meeting with dozens congressional offices—including five in New Jersey—on or about June 26th, International Torture Victims and Survivors Day. Even if you can not take part in these visits, you can help out. The delegations meeting with Senator Menendez, Rep. LoBiondo, Rep. Smith, Rep. Garrett, and Rep. Saxton will be more likely to receive if these offices have been hearing out this issue from their constituents!

Amnesty has also called for a national day of telephone calls to congressional offices against extraordinary renditions on Friday, June 23rd.

Thanks!
Larry Ladutke
NJ Legislative Coordinator, AIUSA

Torture Awareness Month Update: 5 NJ Delegations!

Dear NJ Amnesty Activists,

There are now five New Jersey congressional district meetings planned for “Torture Awareness Month”! We will be joining activists across the nation in urging Congress to support legislation against extraordinary renditions, the process of transferring custody of a prisoner to a government known to commit torture.

You can sign up to join one by clicking HERE. See the list below to see which Members of Congress are being lobbied. If you don’t live in districts 2, 3, 4, or 5, please consider joining the team that is visiting Senator Menendez’s office in Newark.


2nd District
Rep. Frank Lobiondo
Faith Penrose, Egg Harbor City

3rd District
Rep. Jim Saxton
Christian Sailer, Barnegat

4th District
Rep. Chris Smith
Larry Ladutke, Whiting

5th District
Rep. Scott Garrett
Antony Van der Mude, Hackettstown

Statewide Delegation
Sen. Robert Menendez
Bennet Zurofsky, Newark

Even if you can’t join a delegation, please support us by calling Congress and writing letters-to-the-editor supporting HR 952 and S 654, the legislation against extraordinary renditions.

Thank you,
Larry Ladutke
NJ Legislative Coordinator, AIUSA

Lobby Against Outsourcing Torture During Torture Awareness Month (June)!

Amnesty activsts throughout the the country are organizing district meetings with Members of Congress to support legislation against "extraordinary renditions," the practice of transferring detainees to governments known to commit toture. So far, there are three delegations in NJ. You can sign up to join the teams visiting Congressman Smith (NJ4), Congressman Saxton (NJ3), and/or Senator Menendez by clicking HERE.

The following NJ Members of Congress have already agreed to cosponsor this legislation, S 654 and HR 952:

• Senator Lautenberg
• Congressman Holt (NJ12)
• Congressman Pallone (NJ6)
• Congressman Payne (NJ10)
• Congressman Rothman (NJ9)