Saturday, July 24, 2010
Remember Free Rice?
Remember when we heard about freerice.com and we went to the site a few times a day to work toward donating rice through the UN Food Program? This site is still alive and well! Let's try to remember to click on it at least once a day. It could improve vocabulary or knowledge of geography, or a whole host of things!
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Blue Planet Project
The "Blue Planet Project" is a global initiative working with partners around the world to achieve the goal of water justice, which is based on the right to water and the principles that water is a public trust and an important part of the common good. Click here to learn more and to send a message to the UN.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Ask President Obama to Follow Through on His Pledge
As you may know, the year 2015 is the deadline for the fulfillment of the Millennium Development Goals. So, how are we doing? Probably not as well as we could be. Click here to add your signature to the thousands of others asking President Obama to "make good" on his promise to lead the global effort to attain the MDGs by 2015.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Cardin-Lugar Transparency Amendment
Click here to read the press release indicating the passage of the Cardin-Lugar Transparency Amendment. Why is this important? Click here to read the One.org blog explaining this. Essentially, the amendment makes it mandatory for all companies listed on the New York Stock Exchange to disclose what they pay foreign governments for extracting oil and gas or mining gold and diamonds. This helps to shed light on the finances of some of the corrupt governments that receive such payments but do not use the payments to help their people.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Talitha Kum
Those of you who read the blog from Rome already know this . . . Here's an exciting new website -- Talitha Kum, International Network of Consecrated Life Against Trafficking in Persons. This brand new website is already rich with information, documents, and a few pieced of multimedia. Stay tuned for more information. In the meantime, explore Talitha Kum
Monday, June 14, 2010
Human Rights Advocate Sentenced to Six Months in Federal Prison
From the SOA Watch:
Washington, DC resident Michael Walli was one of four human rights advocates who were arrested during the annual November Vigil to close the School of the Americas / Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation (SOA/ WHINSEC). Michael Walli was sentenced on Monday, June 14, 2010 to six months in federal prison.
During his November arraignment, Michael told judge Malon Faircloth that he would not pay any bail and that he would not voluntarily return for the trial. Michael Walli made good on his promise and Faircloth issued a warrant for Michael's arrest. Federal marshals arrested Michael in March 2010 at the Dorothy Day Catholic Worker House in Washington, DC.
Ken Hayes, Father Louis Vitale and Nancy Gwin, the three human rights advocates who were arrested together with Michael Walli, were each sentenced in January 2010 to six months in prison as well - the maximum allowed for the charge of tresspass. The extremely harsh sentences are intended to deter others from following the example of the 'SOAW 4.'
"Those who speak out for justice are facing prison time while SOA-trained torturers and assassins are operating with impunity," said SOA Watch founder Father Roy Bourgeois.
The SOA/WHINSEC is a combat training school for Latin American soldiers. Its graduates are consistently involved in human rights atrocities and coups, including the El Mozote Massacre in El Salvador and last year's military coup in Honduras. In 1996 the Pentagon was forced to release training manuals used at the school that advocated the use of torture, extortion and execution.
SOA Watch works to stand in solidarity with people of Latin America, to change oppressive US foreign policy, and to close the SOA/WHINSEC. In November 2010, thousands will return to the gates of Fort Benning to call for justice and accountability.
Click here to send a message of solidarity to the prisoners.
Click here to visit the School of the Americas Watch website.
Washington, DC resident Michael Walli was one of four human rights advocates who were arrested during the annual November Vigil to close the School of the Americas / Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation (SOA/ WHINSEC). Michael Walli was sentenced on Monday, June 14, 2010 to six months in federal prison.
During his November arraignment, Michael told judge Malon Faircloth that he would not pay any bail and that he would not voluntarily return for the trial. Michael Walli made good on his promise and Faircloth issued a warrant for Michael's arrest. Federal marshals arrested Michael in March 2010 at the Dorothy Day Catholic Worker House in Washington, DC.
Ken Hayes, Father Louis Vitale and Nancy Gwin, the three human rights advocates who were arrested together with Michael Walli, were each sentenced in January 2010 to six months in prison as well - the maximum allowed for the charge of tresspass. The extremely harsh sentences are intended to deter others from following the example of the 'SOAW 4.'
"Those who speak out for justice are facing prison time while SOA-trained torturers and assassins are operating with impunity," said SOA Watch founder Father Roy Bourgeois.
The SOA/WHINSEC is a combat training school for Latin American soldiers. Its graduates are consistently involved in human rights atrocities and coups, including the El Mozote Massacre in El Salvador and last year's military coup in Honduras. In 1996 the Pentagon was forced to release training manuals used at the school that advocated the use of torture, extortion and execution.
SOA Watch works to stand in solidarity with people of Latin America, to change oppressive US foreign policy, and to close the SOA/WHINSEC. In November 2010, thousands will return to the gates of Fort Benning to call for justice and accountability.
Click here to send a message of solidarity to the prisoners.
Click here to visit the School of the Americas Watch website.
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Reminder: June 26 - International Day in Support of Victims of Torture
LCWR Justice and Peace Alert:
June is Torture Awareness Month
The National Religious Campaign Against Torture (NRCAT) has been calling for a Commission of Inquiry into US sponsored torture post-9/11. A report issued June 7 by Physicians for Human Rights, confirms the need for a Commission of Inquiry. NRCAT also requests sending postcards to Congress asking for a guarantee that ICRC (International Committee of the Red Cross) has access to detainees held by the United States. Although President Obama issued an executive order to this effect, the guarantee needs to be codified. Further information about both of these actions, as well as a short video, can be found on NRCAT's website: www.nrcat.org <http://www.nrcat.org/> . (On June 26, 1987, the UN Convention AgainstTorture and other Cruel, Inhumane, or Degrading Treatment of Punishment, came into effect. Information about this year's UN International Day in Support of Victims of Torture can be found by going to http://www.un.org/events/torture. )
June is Torture Awareness Month
The National Religious Campaign Against Torture (NRCAT) has been calling for a Commission of Inquiry into US sponsored torture post-9/11. A report issued June 7 by Physicians for Human Rights, confirms the need for a Commission of Inquiry. NRCAT also requests sending postcards to Congress asking for a guarantee that ICRC (International Committee of the Red Cross) has access to detainees held by the United States. Although President Obama issued an executive order to this effect, the guarantee needs to be codified. Further information about both of these actions, as well as a short video, can be found on NRCAT's website: www.nrcat.org <http://www.nrcat.org/> . (On June 26, 1987, the UN Convention AgainstTorture and other Cruel, Inhumane, or Degrading Treatment of Punishment, came into effect. Information about this year's UN International Day in Support of Victims of Torture can be found by going to http://www.un.org/events/torture. )
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