Visit with Senator Boxer's Staffer

On October 15 four of us from AI Group 22 met with Mr. Corey Jackson from Senator Boxer's Los Angeles office. We discussed our group's work on Eritrea prisoners of conscience, the AI special focus case of Shi Tao, and the Darfur crisis. Corey told us that input from constituents would be very helpful, so we're asking all you California folks to go to Senator Boxer's official web site and let her know that you're concerned about one or more of the three topics. For information on Eritrea POCs, see our sample letter to Boxer or visit the AIUSA Eritrea page or learn about imprisoned Eritrean journalists. Here's AIUSA info about Shi Tao, and here's the country page for Sudan/Darfur. We hope to report next month on what progress we've made toward obtaining Senator Boxer's help in these issues.

Eyes on Darfur

Amnesty's new Eyes on Darfur site has been launched. This is a special web feature that shows not only before and after satellite pictures of devastated villages in Darfur, Sudan, but also images of "at-risk" villages to be monitored with photos to be updated periodically. There are also actions for all to take to let the Sudanese government know the world is watching. NPR has a report on the project. Your chance to be Big Brother for a good cause!

June 12 marks the release of the big Sudan-fundraiser album Instant Karma, a tribute to John Lennon. I know its June 12 because that just so happens to be the birthday of the Lennon-lover in my life... hmmm, problem solved! Surely some of you can find a similar way to spread the peace!

Los Angeles Event: Darfur Rally

This week is Amnesty International USA's National Week of Student Action and students around the country are raising awareness about the crisis in Darfur, Sudan. Students in Los Angeles will rally outside the Chinese consulate this Friday, part of a series of rallies across the country:

March 30 4:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
In Front of The Consulate General of the People's Republic of China
443 Shatto Place
Directions »
Los Angeles, CA 90020

China, as a key trading partner of Sudan, is in a unique position to affect the atrocities in Darfur. We will rally in front of the consulate general of the People's Republic of China in Los Angeles to urge the government to take a stand for human rights in Darfur.

Join them if you can, or try these Darfur Crisis actions in solidarity.

Pasadena Event: Eric Reeves on Darfur and the Ghosts of Rwanda

This Sunday, October 29, Eric Reeves, Sudan researcher will be speaking at All Saints Church (132 N. Euclid) in the Forum at 10:15 AM.

Darfur and the Ghosts of Rwanda
with activist professor Eric Reeves,
introduced by Bradley Whitford

What are the consequences of continued inaction and diffidence on the part of the international community before the first great genocide of the 21st century? This Sunday Eric Reeves brings his strong critique of those who argue, in effect, for the status quo in Darfur. Over eight years ago, this professor of literature at Smith College in Massachusetts became so agitated about the brutal war in Sudan that he took a leave from his job to go to work on the issue. Reeves has spent the ensuing years working full-time as a Sudan researcher and analyst, publishing extensively both nationally and internationally. He has testified a number of times before Congress, has served as a consultant to a number of human rights and humanitarian organizations operating in Sudan, and frequently provides analysis and commentary to a wide range of news organizations, including the BBC, Radio France Internationale, the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and Washington Post.

Don't miss this opportunity! Check out Reeves' informative blog sudanreeves.org :: Sudan Research, Analysis, and Advocacy

Global Day for Darfur

This Sunday is "Day for Darfur" with a New York rally to demonstrate the need to send United Nations peacekeepers to Darfur, Sudan. Visit the Global Day for Darfur page and check out the rallies scheduled for other cities and countries. You can also dress yourself up in a blue peacekeeper beret or sign Amnesty's "add a blue helmet" petition here. If you want to do something a bit more serious, Amnesty International has issued the fourth in its series of actions for its summer campaign for Sudan. If you haven't written these letters, now would be a great time! If you need some inspiration, check out this Amnesty Magazine article or this video about refugees in Chad.


(Oops! I think it's great that Amnesty is uploading campaign videos to the web, but this one is missing some subtitles. This page has a shorter version that fills in some gaps.)

Tags: Chad, Sudan, Amnesty International

Camp Darfur - with Rep. Schiff - this Sunday!

Camp Darfur is back in Altadena this Sunday, and this time Congressman Schiff will be there to encourage you to participate in a letter-writing campaign! Here's his press release.

Who: Representative Adam Schiff, Members of Camp Darfur, and constituents of the 29th Congressional District.

What:  Letter writing campaign to elected officials asking them to make the Genocide in Darfur a priority and to raise awareness regarding this crisis

When:  Sunday, July 23, 2006, 12:30 P.M. Pacific Time

Where:    First Presbyterian Church, 2775 Lincoln Ave. Altadena

For the latest talking points/action items from Amnesty (in case you get to chat with the Congressman) check here.

Our previous coverage of Camp Darfur here, if you need a preview!

Tags: Sudan, Group22Events

Camp Darfur Comes to Pasadena

Group 22 volunteers were pleased to participate once again in Camp Darfur, bringing attention to the plight of refugees from Darfur, Sudan. This time the encampment was hosted by our friends at All Saints Church in Pasadena.

Church-goers added over 150 signatures to our Amnesty petition on Justice for the women of Sudan.

Here are some snapshots to give you a sense of the action. Visitors to the tents learned about the history of genocide, life in refugee camps and had an opportunity to purchase solar cookers for refugee families.

Children joined in the action. There were even comic books for teens.

Group 22 volunteer Lucas Kamp greets a Camp visitor.

Camp Darfur: Pasadena Preview on Sunday

Area Amnesty International volunteers are planning to join a coalition of human rights and religious activists at Camp Darfur this April. For five days, Camp Darfur will bring attention to the genocide and refugee crisis in Darfur, Sudan. Organizers aim to educate people across Los Angeles and the country about life in a refugee camp and the horrors being faced every day by refugees in Darfur, by recreating life in the camps and including interactive presentations, music, video, film, photography, expert speakers, legislators and dialogue (click for details). Camp Darfur begins April 7 at 6:30 p.m. and runs until April 11 at Lennox Middle School, 11033 Buford Ave., Lennox. Organizers Lorna Miller and Gabriel Stauring of Camp Darfur will be offering a preview of the event at All Saints Church (132 N. Euclid Avenue) in Pasadena, this Sunday, April 2 at 10:15 AM. Drop by on Sunday for more info about how to get involved or if you want to volunteer via Amnesty, contact Amy at the Western Regional office: aiusala@aiusa.org.

Sudan: Eyewitness to speak in Pasadena

Another local opportunity to get an update on the situation in Sudan. Brian Steidle, an eyewitness to the genocide in Darfur, will speak from 5 to 6:30 p.m., March 1 in the Forum at All Saints Church (132 N. Euclid Ave., Pasadena). To see an exhibit of Brian's photography from Darfur and his written account to the Washington Post, visit the Holocaust Memorial Museum site -- but be warned, it is grim. Steidle was also featured in an NPR report this morning.

Meanwhile, stop by the Million Voices for Darfur site and add your voice to the list!

Sudan: Salih Mahmoud Osman

Salih Mahmoud Osman, the Sudanese human rights lawyer who spoke in Pasadena was imprisoned for more than seven months in 2004. The campaign for his release included our Summer Postcard Action. As always, it was a thrill to see the subject of one of our actions free and able to continue with his invaluable work. He was profiled in Saturday's Los Angeles Times.

State Department officials in Washington met Osman this week with sympathy, but little else — no promises for action or additional support for AU troops. In fact, Congress last week cut $50 million in support for Darfur peacekeeping troops.

In the absence of hope in Darfur, Osman has tried to provide at least a record of alleged war crimes perpetrated against the region's tribes. At most, he offers a chance for justice.,,

And so, his Sudan Organization Against Torture provides legal help, medical aid and psychological counseling to those who were targeted by the militias.

The organization's small legal team is working to have rape prosecuted as a war crime. Under Sudanese law, prosecution of rape requires proof or witnesses — forcing victims to often settle for lesser charges if the case is heard at all.

"The Sudanese justice system does not work very well," he said in an interview this week at the United Nations. "It is incompetent and unwilling to provide justice. There is impunity for these crimes, and victims have no confidence in the courts ..."

"We are putting crimes on the record," he said. "We're exposing the war criminals who continue to lie about what they're doing. And we're giving some comfort to the victims, who must know that they are not forgotten, that their suffering has been documented."

While Mr. Osman was noting how difficult it was to keep Sudan from fading from the headlines and imploring us to renew our efforts to bring attention to the genocide taking place in his country, the church was actually swarming with reporters due to All Saints' little tiff with the IRS. What a shame they were not there to cover the real story!

The Human Rights Watch video, Darfur Destroyed, shown at the event is available for online viewing at the Witness website.

Sudan Event this Sunday in Pasadena

Just a little break from what will probably be a lot of Nigeria news this week...

Human Rights Watch and All Saints Church (132 N. Euclid Ave. in Pasadena) are presenting a program on Sudan, Sunday November 13 at 10:15 AM (in the Forum): Hear a first-hand account from an individual who is aiding the victims of this ethnic cleansing. Human Rights Watch monitor Salih Mahmoud Osman is a lawyer and human rights activist from the Darfur region of Sudan, who, for 20 years, has defended and given free legal aid to people who have been arbitrarily detained and tortured by the Sudanese government. For this work, Salih has himself been arrested and arbitrarily detained. Over the past several years, Salih has contributed immeasurably to Human Rights Watch’s investigations of ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity in Darfur. He will be joined by Georgette Gagnon, an international human rights lawyer and Deputy Director of the African Division of Human Rights Watch.

If you haven't caught this before, check out HRW's moving gallery of children's drawings--
Darfur Drawn: The Conflict in Darfur through Children's Eyes