Support NJ Representative Chris Smith’s Global Online Freedom of Information Act

I wanted to draw your attention to an action that listed in the May 2008 issue of Connect: supporting the Global Online Freedom Act of 2007. This legislation—which was introduced by New Jersey’s Chris Smith—would prevent U.S. internet companies from cooperating with repressive governments in their efforts to stifle freedom of expression.

Unfortunately, the need for this legislation is clearly demonstrated by the case of Shi Tao, a journalist who was sentenced to ten years after Yahoo! provided his identity to the Chinese government.

Please call the office of your House member and urge him to support H.R. 275, the Global Online Freedom Act of 2007. You can find the name and contact information for your House member by entering your zip code at www.house.gov.

Amnesty has also set up an online action on this issue.

Update: 4 NJ Congressmen Sign Solis Letter on Sexual Violence in Mexico

The following NJ members of Congress have signed the letter calling upon the Mexican government to investigate the sexual abuse of Barbara Italia Mendez and other female protestors arrested in May of 2006 and punish those responsible:

Rush Holt
Donald Payne
Steven Rothman
Albio Sires

Congressman Chris Smith's office has indicated that he is planning to send his own letter about this matter.

Update on Barbara Italia Mendez Letter!

Congressmen Albio Sires and Steve Rothman have joined Donald Payne in signing the congressional letter asking the Mexican government to investigate the rape of Barbara Italia Mendez and twenty-five other women who were arrested after a protest in May 2006!

If you live in one of the remaining NJ congressional districts, please call your House member’s office ASAP to urge him to sign on to this important letter by contacting Congresswoman Hilda Solis’s office. TOMORROW, May 9th, is the deadline!

Update on Barbara Italia Mendez Letter and IVAWA

We have received the list of the first fifty House members that have agreed to sign the letter urging the Mexican government to fully investigate the sexual abuse of Barbara Italia Mendez and twenty-five other women after they were arrested at a demonstration in San Salvador Atenco in May 2006.

Thanks to Congressman Donald Payne for being the first member of the New Jersey delegation to sign this important letter! There is still time, however, for the others to join him. Please contact the office of your Congressman and urge him to sign the Barbara Italia Mendez letter by contacting Laura Marsh in Representative Hilda Solis’s office.

As you may recall, Amnesty recently asked House members to support the International Violence Against Women Act once it was introduced. On Thursday, Congressman Howard Berman introduced this legislation as HR 5927! Please contact your congressman’s office to let him remind him to support this important bill that would coordinate U.S. foreign policy programs to effectively fight gender-based violence by implementing the practices that our own government knows work best.

Report from Lobby Day

The post-AGM lobby day went really well yesterday! Do to an oversight, the DC office had not arranged a meeting with Congressman Chris Smith’s office. As you probably know, Smith has been a very important leader on gender-based violence and human rights in general. It was therefore very important to contact him about the International Violence Against Women Act (IVAWA) yesterday. I was therefore very excited to be able arrange a meeting first thing Monday morning. A senior staff member even decided to take part!

Unfortunately, however, I wound up missing the meeting that Amnesty’s staff had scheduled with Congressman LoBiondo’s office. Two volunteers from the lobbying training sessions at the AGM were able to be there, though, and I have heard that the meeting went well. I also made a point of going to the office to apologize in person for not being able to attend.

I also had meetings with the offices of Albio Sires and Rush Holt. In general, all three of the offices that I met with were very positive about IVAWA and the congressional letter regarding the rape of Barbara Italia Mendez by Mexican police agents. Naturally, Smith’s office wants to make sure that IVAWA does not promote abortion. I told the Smith staff members I met with that Amnesty had made sure that the legislation does not deal with this issue. Understandably, however, they need to read the text of the bill once it is introduced.

The offices were also very interested in the northeast region’s special focus case, Fathi el-Jahmi of Libya.

It looks like our next big legislative push will be to press for closing the detention center at Guantanamo Bay. We are going to arrange some district meetings during the congressional recess in early July. This will be a great opportunity to actually meet with our representatives themselves! Please keep an eye out for further details. It would be great if student groups could try to stay in contact about this after classes end. Students can also check http://njailegaction.blogspot.com for more information!

Support Lobby Day (even if you can’t stay in DC Monday!)

As you know, Amnesty International is planning a day of lobbying in support of women’s rights following this weekend’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Washington, DC. Activists from across the country will be meeting with their congressional offices to ask them to sign a letter to the Mexican government calling for justice in the case of Bárbara Italia Méndez. Ms. Méndez was one of several women arrested, beaten, and raped by Mexican police following a demonstration in San Salvador Atenco in 2006. We will also ask our representatives to be prepared to support the International Violence Against Women Act (IVAWA) when it is introduced in the near future. This legislation would seek to coordinate and improve U.S. efforts to protect women and girls against violence through various foreign policy programs.

If you are staying to lobby on Monday, I look forward to working with you! Even if you can’t stay (or can’t attend the AGM), however, you can still support these efforts. Call your Congressman’s office and urge him to sign the letter on Ms. Méndez that is being circulated by Representative Hilda Solis. Be sure to mention that you also want him to support the International Violence Against Women Act when it is introduced!

(You can find the name and contact information for your Congressman by entering your zip code at http://www.house.gov/).

You can also take part in an online action regarding Ms. Méndez’s case. It calls Members of Congress to make sure that safeguards are put into police/military assistance to Mexico and Central America to prevent further abuses.

Thanks,
Larry Ladutke
NJ Legislative Coordinator, AIUSA

Support Freedom of Expression in China!

There is an online action to support Shi Tao, a Chinese journalist who is in prison for the “crime” of sending e-mail messages to a pro-democracy website in the United States. All you need to do is enter your contact information and Amnesty will send an e-mail message urging your Congressman to sign a letter urging U.S. Secretary of State Rice to take action on this case and other violations of the right to freedom of expression in China.

Week of Action on Darfur!

This week, activists across the nation are meeting with their local congressional offices to urge them to support the deployment of peacekeepers in Darfur. You can help by calling your Representative, along with Senators Lautenberg and Menendez!

Since 2003, 200,000 people have been killed in Darfur and 2.5 million have been displaced. Both government-aligned and rebel organizations have prevented humanitarian organizations from delivering food, medical treatment, and other urgent supplies to the population. In 2006 and 2007, Amnesty and other groups asked Congress to send strong messages to the Arab League and China to use their influence to persuade the Sudanese government to allow UN peacekeepers into Darfur.

These efforts have paid off. Roughly 9,000 UN/African Union peacekeepers have already been deployed. Yet the Sudanese government has tried to slow or prevent the complete deployment of 26,000 peacekeepers. Worse yet, it continues to create obstacles that prevent the peacekeepers from doing their job. Furthermore, the peacekeeping force does not have the financial resources it needs from the international community.

Please call the offices of your Congressman and both of our Senators and urge them to write to Secretary of State Rice and ask her to:
· Increase the diplomatic pressure on Sudan to cooperate with the complete and effective deployment of UN/African Union peacekeepers in Darfur
· Provide an addition $334 million for peacekeeping operations in Darfur for fiscal years 2008 and 2009

Upcoming Torture Vote in the Senate

In December, activists across the country told the House of Representatives to approve legislation that would ensure that all U.S. agencies and personnel are bound by the same rules regarding torture and interrogation. It makes it clear that even the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is bound by the standards set forth in the Army Field Manual.

The next step is a senate vote on the same conference report. Please call the offices of Senator Lautenberg (202-224-3224) and Senator Menendez (202-224-4744) and urge them to support section 327 of the Conference Report on the Intelligence Authorization Act (H.R. 2082).” Doing so will help

·Ensure the accuracy of intelligence because information obtained through torture and other inhumane methods is inherently unreliable

·Strengthen U.S. efforts to stop terrorism by improving relations with our allies

·Protect U.S. citizens, including servicemen, by supporting international law and thus removing any cynical justification for violating their rights

·Decrease support for anti-Americanism by improving our nation’s image

·Restore the America that We Believe—the nation governed by the U.S. Constitution

Why Congress Needs to Do More on Darfur NOW

In UN police into Darfur refugee camp, Alfred de Montequiou of the Associated press quotes a tribal leader's reaction to the United Nation's peacekeeping mission in Darfur (UNAMID): We know they're our last chance, so we hope they're serious about helping us.

The elder's words also apply to those of us in the United States. As de Montequiou writes,

barely 1,400 of UNAMID's planned 6,000 police officers are in Darfur, and Bangladesh is the only contributing nation to have sent a new contingent so far. More urgently, the mission has only 7,000 troops instead of the expected 20,000, and wealthy Western countries are balking at offering crucial equipment such as helicopters. With so many troops and gear still missing, "we can only fulfill some of the mandate of UNAMID," Gen. Martin Agwai, the force commander,
told the AP last week.

Without financial support, the UN mission will fail and the people of Darfur will be left completely unprotected. You can help out by asking your Congressman and Senators to urge the State Department to provide funds for peacekeeping in Darfur and to help pursuade our European allies to do likewise! Please volunteer to organize or join a congressional visit in your area! Show the people of Darfur that we are serious about helping them!

The Peacekeepers Can't Protect Darfur Without OUR Help!

Last spring, activists across the nation met with their senators and congressmen to urge them to sign a letter urging the Chinese government to persuade Sudan to allow UN peacekeepers into Darfur. The mobilization was a success, and the joint UN-African Union peacekeeping force has begun to deploy.

Unfortunately, however, this is not enough to guarantee the safety of the people of Darfur. The peacekeeping force continues to faces obstacles from the Sudanese government as well as financial shortfalls that prevent it from carrying out its mission of ending the violence.

Amnesty International wants the U.S. government to help overcome these problems! We are organizing another week of lobbying at the end of February to ask members of the House and Senate to sign a letter urging Secretary of State Rice to increase pressure on the Sudanese government to cooperate with the peacekeeping force; contribute needed funds and equipment; and help convince our allies to do likewise.

You can volunteer to lead a delegation to your Congressman and/or Senator at http://www.amnestyusa.org/darfurlobby. Once again, Amnesty International will provide online training, phone conferences, and other resource to help prepare those chosen to lead delegations.

Senator Lautenberg Response on Cluster Bombs

I wanted to pass along this response from Sentator Frank Lautenberg regarding the Cluster Munitions Civilian Protection Act":


Dear Mr. Ladutke:

Thank you for contacting me about cluster munitions. I appreciate and share your concern for innocent people who have been maimed and killed by cluster bombs.

Cluster bombs' wide-area coverage make s them particularly dangerous. These weapons are used in military operations but often fail to explode on contact , as- designed . They can remain in the soil long after the reason for their use has passed and the conflict h as ended . There are instances where such buried munitions end up harming innocent civilians.

I am pleased that the Senate included in the Fiscal Year 2008 State and Foreign Operations Appropriations Act a provision restricting the sale and transfer of cluster munitions . It also urges the President to take steps toward protecting civilians from unintentional exposure to harm . I supported this bill. Currently, the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations is reviewing the "Cluster Munitions Civilian Protection Act" (S. 594) which would permanently restrict the sale and transfer of cluster munitions . While I do not serve this committee , please be assured that I will keep your views in mind should this legislation come before the full Senate.

Thank you again for contacting me about this very important issue.

Two Victories Today!

Here in New Jersey, the State Assembly finally approved legislation abolishing capital punishment! Given that Governor Corzine has committed to signing this bill, it is sure to become law. As you know, Amnesty and our allies have worked very hard on this issue for many years. Now, people around the United States can build upon our state’s momentum. Thanks to everyone who has helped out! (The Star-Ledger published a letter I wrote on the subject in this morning edition, by the way.)

On Capitol Hill, the House of Representatives voted to support the conference version of Intelligence Authorization bill with section 327, which would clarify that the CIA and other agencies are bound by the same prohibitions against torture and inhumane treatment that apply to the military. The Senate has already approved an earlier version of this legislation, so chances are good that it will vote in favor of the legislation prepared by the conference committee.

Once again, thanks to everyone who has helped out with these important initiatives!

Urgent: Congress to Vote on CIA Interrogation Rules

Please urge your member of the House of Representatives to support Section 327 of the Intelligence Authorization Bill. We are expecting a vote on this legislation TOMORROW, DECEMBER 12th. It would require the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and other government institutions to observe the same interrogation rules as the U.S. military. This is especially important given the recent revelations that the CIA has destroyed video evidence of waterboarding (simulated drowning) and other so-called “enhanced interrogation techniques” that constitute torture and/or cruel and inhumane treatment.

You can find out the name and contact information for your representative by entering your zipcode at www.house.gov. Please call as early as possible tomorrow (Wednesday) morning!

Thanks,
Larry Ladutke
NJ Legislative Coordinator, AIUSA

Help NJ take the lead against the death penalty!

For years, the abolition of capital punishment in the United States has been high on our list of priorities. Now, we have the chance to do so in our state and thus set a precedent for the rest of the country! As expected, the New Jersey State Legislature is going to vote on bills to abolish the death penalty in December. This vote comes as the culmination of years of activism that led to a moratorium on capital punishment and the creation of an official commission that recommended overturning the death penalty! Now that victory is within our reach, we need to remind our lawmakers to vote to end capital punishment. It would be a shame to lose this vote after so much dedicated action!

Please send letter letters to your representatives in the State Senate and the Assembly. You can find out who they are and how to contact them by clicking HERE. Short, handwritten letters would be great. The message is simple: As a resident of your district, I strongly urge you to sponsor and support S171/A795 to abolish capital punishment in New Jersey. You can also include reasons why you are against the death penalty, such as:

The New Jersey Death Penalty Study Commission recommended replacing the death penalty with life without parole.
Capital punishment is not an effective deterrent.
Killing is wrong, whether it done by individuals or the state.
Wrongful executions can not be corrected, and we can never be one-hundred percent sure that a condemned prisoner is guilty because courts have convicted innocent people.
Revenge does not bring the victims of violent crime back.
Supposedly “humane” execution methods such as lethal injection can result in agonizing deaths.

Please also keep an eye out for media coverage of this issue and send in letters to newspapers supporting the abolition of capital punishment!

Help Launch 86 Days of Action Against Torture! Rally in Princeton This Saturday!

This Wednesday marks the first anniversary of the Military Commissions Act, which denies the fundamental right of habeas corpus to anyone the government says is an “unlawful enemy combatant.” It further undermines the fundamental right to due process by allowing the use of so-called “evidence” obtained through physically and psychological abusive techniques—information that is clearly unreliable.

Fortunately, Wednesday also marks the beginning of Amnesty’s 86 Days of Act against torture, which runs until the sixth anniversary of the transfer of prisoners to Guantánamo. I will be speaking in at a rally in Princeton this Saturday, October 20th, at 12 noon. Rev. Robert Moore of the NJ Coalition for Peace Action will also be speaking I hope you can join us at Princeton Borough Hall!

As you may recall, Amnesty took part in a national day of action to support legislation to correct the damage done by the Military Commissions Act. We have seen some important progress. The Senate came very close to attaching an amendment restoring habeas corpus to the Defense Authorization Bill, but failed to overcome a filibuster. Congress has also forced the Bush Administration to release documents proving that, despite its claims to the contrary, our government has continued to physically and psychologically abuse prisoners with stress positions, sleep deprivation, and waterboarding (simulated drowning).

Please check back for information about hosting a screening of the new docmumentary, The Ghosts of Abu Ghraib.

National Week of Action on Treaty for the Rights of Women (CEDAW)!!!!

This week, activists across the nation are urging the Senate to support ratification of the Treaty for the Rights of Women -- officially the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women or CEDAW.

The United States played an important role in drafting this treaty, which is the most complete international agreement for basic human rights of women. 185 countries have ratified it. Yet the U.S. remains one of the 8 countries that have not done so—along with Sudan, Somalia, Qatar, Iran, Nauru, Palau and Tonga. Until our government ratifies CEDAW, it credibly demand that others live up to their obligations under the Treaty.

Please call the offices of Senator Lautenberg (202-224-3224) and Senator Menendez (202- 224-4744) to urge them to help move this important treaty toward ratification!

Please begin by thanking both Senators for supporting S Res 178 on gender-based violence in Guatemala, as well as their support for women and other civilian victims in Darfur!

Please then urge both Senators to support efforts to finally ratify the Treaty for the Rights of Women (CEDAW). Here are some specific actions to suggest:

· Insert a statement in support of CEDAW in the Congressional Record.
· Send a short letter to Senators Joseph Biden (D-DE) and Richard Lugar (R-IN), Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, encouraging hearings and a vote in Committee on the Treaty.
· Make a brief statement on the Senate floor in support of CEDAW ratification.
· Write to Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), asking them to make the Treaty a priority and help build support for Senate ratification.

You may also wish to mention that the following NJ Congressmen have cosponsored H Res 101, a resolution calling for the Senate to ratify the Treaty for the Rights of Women (CEDAW):

· Representative Rush Holt
· Representative Frank Pallone
· Representative Bill Pascrell
· Representative Donald Payne
· Representative Steve Rothman
· Representative Albio Sires

NYT Editorial Supporting Habeas Legislation

Today's New York Times has an editorial, Restoring American Justice, supporting Senate legislation restoring the right to Habeas Corpus that the Military Commission's Act took away from anyone identified as an "unlawfal enemy combatant" under the vague criteria of the Bush Administration.

Both Senator Lautenbuerg and Senator Menendez are already cosponsors of this important legislation.

BOTH NJ Senators Onboard Resolution Against Gender-Based Violence in Guatemala!

I just checked Thomas (the on-line congressional database) and found that Senator Frank Lautenberg has become a cosponsor of S Res 178, the resolution condemnng violence against women in Guatemala! Amnesty International greatly appreciate's Senator Lautenberg's support for this important resolution, as well as Senator Menendez's earlier decision to support it.

Thanks also to everyone who contacted their offices about this issue!

Update--NJ Delegations to Support Ratification of Women's Rights Treaty

There is a delegation being organized to meet with the Newark office(s) of Senator Lautenberg and/or Senator Menedez as part of Amnesty's national mobilization to support ratification of the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). Click here if you are interested in taking part!