Newsroom

Update

Anyone who met Jenni Williams and her colleague Magodonga Mahlangu at AIUSA's Annual General Meeting this Spring knows what amazing, uncrushable spirits these women have, despite having been jailed, beaten, and threatened repeatedly by Mugabe's regime in Zimbabwe. But if you weren't fortunate enough to meet them, or you'd like to get a deeper look into what makes the women of WOZA keep going, check out this great interview with WOZA founder Jenni Williams that was published in the Guardian this past Sunday. She is truly an amazing woman. Although Jenni and Magodonga expected to have had their trial by…

May 12, 2009

Update

New satellite imagery analysis released by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) offers a glimpse on Sri Lanka’s northeastern war zone. The analysis – initially requested by Amnesty International USA and Human Rights Watch – compares two images from May 6 and May 10, 2009, in order to produce additional evidence on the recent attacks. It "reveals evidence of probable artillery shelling as well as major population displacement", according to a press release by AAAS. The images show numerous possible shell impact craters and destroyed houses. The most visible feature of the image comparison is the removal…

May 12, 2009

Update

Yesterday, a doctor working in Sri Lanka's war zone reported that at least 378 people were killed by shelling over the weekend.  The doctor said that 1,122 others had been injured and that the firing appeared to have come from the government side.  Gordon Weiss, the U.N. spokesman in Sri Lanka, said: "We've been consistently warning against a bloodbath, and the large-scale killing of civilians including more than 100 children this weekend appears to show that the bloodbath has become a reality." Sri Lanka has been embroiled in a civil war for about 26 years between the government and the opposition Tamil Tigers,…

May 11, 2009

Update

We're happy to report that American-Iranian journalist Roxana Saberi was freed from prison in Iran! Roxana had been given an eight-year prison sentence on trumped up charges of "espionage" following a brief closed door trial in Tehran last month.  Amnesty International had issued an urgent action calling for her release.  Over 26,000 messages were sent by Amnesty activists to the Iranian government demanding her release. Thanks to all who took action with us.  While Roxana may be free, there are still countless other prisoners of conscience languishing in prison cells around the world.  Please take a moment to take action…

May 11, 2009

Update

Yesterday, a ferry chartered by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) evacuated 495 sick and injured patients from the Sri Lankan war zone and delivered 25 metric tons of food for distribution to civilians trapped in the zone.   The ICRC reported that heavy fighting was taking place near the medical assembly point in the war zone, which was jeopardizing the lives of patients and hampering medical evacuations.    The ICRC has been delivering food and evacuating sick and wounded civilians from the war zone since February. The Sri Lankan military has confined the opposition Tamil Tigers to a small strip…

May 8, 2009

Update

The thousands of communities living among Texaco’s decades-old toxic waste pits in the Amazon will be so relieved!  It turns out that despite decades of scientific research, long-term exposure to crude oil and drilling waste-waters causes no harm! In fact, you could use a little as facial moisturizer if you wanted. Oh, I wish I was kidding. Even for a company like Chevron, so entrenched in its own lies and cover ups, this is a new low. I have to be honest, it has taken me a few days to regain my bearings after watching  a Chevron executive explain to…

May 8, 2009

Update

It's a bad time to be defender of human rights in Zimbabwe. Late last year, Zimbabwe authorities abducted eighteen human rights defenders and political activists.  Their families feared them dead.   Those seized were eventually dropped off at police stations and processed for crimes against the state, including sabotage, terrorism and treason.  During their four months in captivity, the activists claim they were tortured and ill-treated by state agents. Thankfully bail conditions were settled in March and April for most.  However, three of those originally detained – Kisimusi Dhlamini, Gandhi Mudzingwa and Andrison Manyere – were released only to be re-arrested…

May 8, 2009

Update

I just watched a shocking video from Channel 4 News, a British television company, taken inside one of the camps set up by the Sri Lankan government for civilians fleeing from the war zone.  The Sri Lankan government has in recent months reconquered much of the territory formerly held by the opposition Tamil Tigers, who have been seeking an independent state for the country's Tamil minority in the north and east of the island.  As the Tigers have lost territory, they have forced thousands of Tamil civilians to move with them.  At this point, an estimated 50,000 civilians are still…

May 7, 2009

Update

Ground-breaking legislation that could help end violence against women around the world is currently in Senator Kerry's hands – just in time for mother's day.   What a great gift it would make to mothers and women everywhere if that legislation became reality. The International Violence Against Women Act (IVAWA) is an unprecedented effort by the United States to address violence against women globally.  One out of every three women worldwide will be physically or sexually abused during her lifetime.  Violence against women and girls is a violation of human rights. Violence and abuse devastates the lives of millions of women,…

May 7, 2009

Update

Yesterday, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called for a temporary pause in the fighting in Sri Lanka between the government forces and the opposition Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), in order to allow humanitarian aid into the war zone to reach the trapped civilians there.  The Secretary-General also urged the LTTE to allow civilians to leave the area and to stop forced recruitment. Today, the Sri Lankan government announced that President Rajapaksa had invited the Secretary-General to visit Sri Lanka to see for himself the situation of civilians displaced by the fighting.  It's unclear whether Ban would be allowed to visit the war…

May 6, 2009

Update

Amnesty International researchers are currently on-the-ground in Chad investigating the growing numbers of refugees streaming across the border from Darfur.  Alex Neve, Secretary General of Amnesty Canada, has been documenting the mission online.  Here is an excerpt from a podcast posted yesterday detailing the still desperate situation: "They are there on their own." Those words have been haunting us all day.   We have now come further east from Abéché to Farchana.  Within perhaps a 30-40 kilometre semi-circle around Farchana there are 3 major refugee camps as well as 12 sites for displaced Chadians.  Farchana itself is not far from Chad’s…

May 6, 2009

Update

Madonna’s appeal to a Malawi court regarding her adoption of a little girl was heard this week.  Personally, I could care less if Madonna adopts another child.  I am not interested in the debate as to whether she is being given even more grief than last time because she is now a single mother.  Or whether she uses her fame, money and influence to speed up the adoption process.  I am not engaging in the controversy over whether this constitutes child trafficking, or whether the child is better off staying in her home country or growing up in a privileged…

May 6, 2009