New Online Action on Darfur!

Amnesty is calling upon the U.S. Senate to help bring the international community together in response to the Sudanese government’s decision to expel the U.N. Special Envoy for Darfur. Please send Senators Lautenberg and Menendez an online appeal.

Thanks,
Larry Ladutke
NJ Legislative Coordinator

Statement from Lynn Fredriksson, Africa Advocacy Director, AIUSA
on Sudanese Government’s Decision to Remove U.N. Special Envoy from Darfur

(New York) -- Amnesty International USA (AIUSA) condemns in the strongest terms Khartoum’s recent actions against United Nations Special Envoy Jan Pronk. Mr. Pronk must be allowed to continue to work on the dire humanitarian and human rights crisis raging in Darfur. Over the past two months, Sudanese officials have consistently obstructed implementation of the U.N. resolution that would provide some 20,000 U.N. peacekeepers, while, shockingly, the government has launched a new offensive targeting Darfuri civilians. By declaring Mr. Pronk persona non grata, Khartoum has once again demonstrated heinous dispassion toward the well being of its own citizens.

AIUSA urgently calls on the international community to employ targeted sanctions against those who have committed violations against civilians and to exert all diplomatic means of pressing Khartoum to admit U.N. peacekeepers. Only then will the mass violence that has already claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands and displaced over 2.5 million civilians finally cease.

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Torture & Military Commissions Event at Ocean City THIS Saturday

AI Local Group 543 has invited me to speak about the recently passed military commissions legislation. The event will take place at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 21 in the Headley Room of the Ocean City Public Library.

We will also be viewing Outlawed, a short documentary on outsourcing torture that Amnesty helped WITNESS produce. It contains some very powerful testimony from people who have been abducted, illegally transferred, and tortured as part of the “war on terror.”

Larry Ladutke
NJ Legislative Coordinator

Letter in 10/11 Star-Ledger

The Star-Ledger published my letter on the recent military commissions vote in yesterday's edition:

Historic mistake

Thanks for your excellent editorial on the recently approved military commission legislation, "Tough on terror, but not smart." Amnesty International agrees that this assault on the Constitution and our nation's core values will increase animosity toward the United States and thus undermine the struggle against terrorism.

You attribute this historic mistake to demagoguery: "Republicans had too much interest in looking tough on terror in the run- up to the November elections, and Democrats were too worried about looking weak." It is a shame that many of officials have therefore ignored the national interest of defending the Constitution and protecting our rights. It is especially disappointing that three of New Jersey's members of Congress who are usually known as champions of human rights voted for this harmful legislation. They include Sens. Frank Lauten berg and Robert Menendez and Rep. Chris Smith. Amnesty International is very grateful to Reps. Frank Pallone, Bill Pascrell, Steve Rothman, Donald Payne and Rush Holt for having the courage to vote in favor of our rights.

-- Lawrence M. Ladutke,
Weehawken

The writer is New Jersey Legislative Coordinator for Amnesty International.

Update on Darfur Letters

Great news!

EVERY U.S. Senator, including Lautenberg and Menendez, signed on to the letter urging the Arab League to persuade the Sudanese government to allow UN peacekeepers to protect civilians in Darfur.

174 Representatives signed on to the letter in the House, including:

Rep. Robert E. Andrews (D-NJ-01)
Rep. Jim Saxton (R-NJ-03)
Rep. Christopher H. Smith (R-NJ-04) **Letter Author**
Rep. Scott Garrett (R-NJ-05)
Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ-06)
Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-NJ-08)
Rep. Steve Rothman (D-NJ-09)
Rep. Donald Payne (D-NJ-10)
Rep. Rush D. Holt (D-NJ-12)

Given that NJ-13 is still vacant, that means that only two of our state’s Members of Congress did not sign on. They are Congressmen LoBiondo (R-NJ-2) and Ferguson (R-NJ-7).

Thank you once again to everyone who helped bring all of these Members of Congress onboard through office visits, phone calls, and online actions!

Larry Ladutke
NJ Legislative Coordinator

Star-Ledger Editorial on Military Commissions Vote

The Star-Ledger published a very good editorial on the recent approval of military commission legislation that undermines our Constitution and the rights it protects:

Tough on terror, but not smart (Monday, 10/02/2006, Star-Ledger )President Bush won a major victory with Congress' approval last week of his plan to interrogate and prosecute terrorist detainees. Unfortunately, it's doubtful the enhanced security and safety of the United States and its residents will be the result.

I sent in a letter providing information on how our state's Members of Congress voted. The paper called yesterday to confirm that I wrote it. There is therefore a good chance that it will be published soon.

Larry Ladutke
NJ Legislative Coordinator