Group 48 Newsletter - February 2009

USA: President Obama’s orders on interrogations and CIA — historic decisions (Jan 23rd, 2009) Amnesty International’s Secretary General Irene Khan today said President Obama’s Executive Orders on interrogations and the end of CIA’s secret detention programme is an “historic decision” and “one of the major steps needed towards bringing the USA back in line with international human rights standards.” “The importance of President Obama’s executive orders should not be underestimated,” said Irene Khan. “It means that the USA no longer authorizes individuals to be detained in secret sites, and tortured by techniques such as waterboarding.” Amnesty International retains concerns about some provisions of the Army Field Manual, which the organization considers are not compatible with the international prohibition for torture or other ill-treatment. Nevertheless, by making the CIA and other non-military personnel subject to it enforces greater protections for detainees than have existed to date and is a major shift from the previous Administration’s authorization of torture and other ill-treatment and flagrant disregard for the USA’s international obligations on the treatment of detainees. Other issues that will also need to be addressed include the possibility of “short-term, transitory” detentions being conducted by the CIA or for it to use non-US controlled facilities for proxy detentions and interrogations. “Today marks a landmark in the success of campaigning for human rights. After six years of abuse and suffering, action is being taken to correct the crimes committed by the US in its ‘war on terror’,” said Irene Khan. “This must not be, however, the end of the story. All those responsible for approving and carrying out crimes such as torture, disappearances and arbitrary detention must be brought to justice, and an independent commission of inquiry into all aspects of the USA’s detention and interrogation practices in the ‘war on terror’ must be established.”

Amnesty International Group 48 Newsletter February 2009

www.aipdx.org 503-227-1878 Next Meeting: Friday, February 13th First Unitarian Church 1011 SW 12th Ave 7:00pm informal gathering 7:30 Meeting starts

Concert petition signature update Los Lobos petition signature gathering was a relative success and the show stupendamundo!. We obtained 157 signatures, but in edition to working the queue into the Aladdin we were also for the first time allowed to pass petitions in the aisles. This bodes well for future efforts when hopefully it will have more than just myself And we have two new a new trophies for our wall of fame. Los Lobos was kind enough to autograph us a poster and their artist, George Houston, did us a cool grafitiesqe “To Amnestia Groupo 48.” Folksinger Tom Paxton, a long time supporter of Amnesty International performed at the First Unitarian church a couple of weeks ago and was kind enough to sign us a show poster, along with our friends Kate Power and Steve Einhorn. They are open to discussion on doing us a fund raiser, although this would require a large amount of start up capital. Stan and I collected 91 signatures at the Amy Ray concert, which was good considering that was about how many people were in the audience. Amy has always been very on-message for Amnesty International issues. Will Ware

AI Group 48 Contact Info

Legislative Update I’m sure most of you have received the mass emails from AI regarding president Obama’s declarations. I want to add my 2c and say thanks to all of you who have participated in the actions to defend human rights and the rule of law in our contry over the past few years. Our focus is now on swift and just treatment and decisions for those held at Guantanamo, and on transparency and investigations into what went so wrong. It was pretty amazing to hear so many things we’ve been asking for addressed so quickly. I hope to create a report card this year of our elected official’s actions in regard to human rights. Feel free to send me any ideas, or data points that you think would be relevant. If you’re itching for something to do right now, you can always write or call to encourage your Senators and Representatives to take advantage of the new government to become leaders in advocating for human rights, and maybe even ask them to reply to you with their priorities in the field. Thanks again, and I look forward to working with all interested members on new goals in a new year and, in many ways, a new era. Dan Johnson, Legislative Coordinator

Phone Guy Marty Fromer 503-227-1878 [email protected] Concert & Event Tabling Will Ware 503-227-5225 ww_ware at yahoo.com

Legislative Coordinator Dan Johnson, 503-310-4540 [email protected] China RAN Joanne Lau, 971-221-5450 [email protected]

Treasurer Janan Stoll, 503-282-8834 [email protected]

Philippine/Indonesia RAN Max White, 503-292-8168 [email protected]

Central Africa RAN Christine Glenn, Terrie Rodello 503-452-8087 [email protected]

Central American RAN Marylou Noble 503-245-6923 [email protected]

OR State Death Penalty Coordinator Terrie Rodello, 503-246-6836 [email protected]

Newsletter Editor / Designer Dan Webb (503) 253-3491 [email protected]

Central America Regional Action Network

Protection law fails Mexican women 30 January 2009 A law to protect women in Mexico has had no impact in the two years since its inception, leaving the safety of many Mexican women at risk. On the second anniversary of the passing of the General Law on Women’s Access to a Life Free From Violence, the majority of Mexico’s 32 states have failed to properly implement the legislation. “There is a clear and deplorable lack of state-level commitment to implement the General Law on Women’s Access to a Life Free From Violence,” said Kerrie Howard, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for the Americas. “In practice, this lack of commitment means that the safety and lives of thousands of women are put in jeopardy.” Although the law came into effect two years ago, two states have still not approved it – Guanajuato and Oaxaca. Of the 30 states that have passed the law, few have implemented some of its main requirements: • Only five have complied with the obligation to establish implementation mechanisms – essential for the law to be put into practice. • Only 20 have an agency coordination mechanism for preventing violence against women, as stipulated by the law. Those mechanisms that are in existence have not published their progress with regard to eradicating violence against women, nor their strategies for achieving this. • Only two new shelters for domestic violence victims are being built by state authorities – one in Durango and one in Sonora – despite the law’s clear stipulation that states must “promote the creation of shelters for victims”. According to information received by Amnesty International, there are a total of 60 shelters for women victims of violence in Mexico. This number is still completely inadequate in relation to the demand. Women’s organisations in states such as Chihuahua, Chiapas, Oaxaca, Morelos and Sonora have emphasised the high level of violence against women and the administration’s lack of effectiveness in preventing and punishing it. Amnesty International has called on the Mexican authorities to create and implement criminal investigation protocols for use by staff of the public prosecutor’s office, the police and experts when dealing with women filing complaints of abuse. These protocols must include an obligation to provide sufficient protection to guarantee the safety of the woman and her family. “The federal government has, through INMUJERES, prioritised a harmonisation of state legislation with national and international regulations. This is a necessary step but it is clear that progress in implementing measures to improve access to the justice and security of the General Law has, for the vast majority of state governments, been limited or even non-existent,” said Kerrie Howard. “If the basic requirements of the federal law are not fulfilled at state level, the law will remain a dead letter. Women in Mexico deserve much more than this, and each and every authority has the duty to take all measures necessary to ensure that violence against women is tackled effectively.” Marylou Noble

Russian Federation: Implement recommendations of Human Rights Council (Feb 06,2009) The Russian authorities must accept and implement the recommendations put forward by other states and adopted today by the UN Human Rights Council with a view of improving the country’s human rights situation, Amnesty International said. “If implemented, these recommendations would ensure a thriving civil society where the freedoms of expression, assembly and association can be freely enjoyed and where there is accountability for all acts of racism, torture or other ill-treatment and other human rights abuses” said Martin Macpherson, International Organizations Programme Director at Amnesty International.. During the review of Russia’s human rights record on 4 February, a large number of states called for thorough investigations of the recent murders of independent journalist Anastasia Baburova and human rights lawyer Stanislav Markelov, and for the perpetrators to be brought to justice. States raised the need to strengthen initiatives to combat extremism and hate crimes, primarily aimed at national and ethnic minorities. Serious concerns were also raised about the situation of human rights in the North Caucasus, including the commission of acts of torture, enforced disappearances and unlawful killings. The recommendations contained in paragraph 85 of the report adopted in the Human Rights Council Working Group include: • To accede to the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention against Torture; • To take further measures to ensure the security of journalists and human rights defenders and to bring and perpetrators of crimes against them to justice; • To provide access to Ingushetia and the North Caucasus for the UN Working Group on enforced disappearances and the Special Rapporteurs on torture and on extra-judicial, summary or arbitrary executions; • To abolish the death penalty; • To create an environment to promote the right to freedom of assembly and to encourage citizens to freely express their views; • To take measures to ensure the rights of ethnic minorities. “Now is the time to address these issues in a meaningful way”, Martin Macpherson said . “It is high time to make real the promises made by the Russian Federation to protect human rights.” Under the Universal Periodic Review, by which the Human Rights Council reviews the human rights record of all UN memberstates, Russia presented its report to and answered questions from members and observer states of the Human Rights Council. National and international human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, submitted their own reports to the Council. The Council also had before it a compilation of UN information about the human rights situation in Russia. After reviewing the submitted information, during the inter-active dialogue, participating states recommended measures to improve the human rights situation in the Russian Federation.

China Regional Action Network

China: 17 Uighur detainees held at Guantánamo / Concerns: Indefinite detention Seventeen ethnic Uighurs, in their seventh year of indefinite military detention at the US Naval Base at Guantánamo Bay in Cuba, remain there nearly four months after a federal judge ruled that their continued detention was unlawful and ordered their release into the USA. The order was stayed after the previous US administration appealed to the US Court of Appeals that the ruling represented an “extravagant” remedy and an “expansive view of judicial authority”. The Court of Appeals has not yet issued its ruling. On January 22, 2009, two days after his inauguration, President Barack Obama signed an executive order committing his administration to closing the Guantánamo detention facility “as soon as practicable” and no later than one year from the date of his order. The executive order requires the Attorney General to coordinate an immediate “comprehensive agency review” of all the Guantánamo detentions and decide what should happen to each of the detainees. The executive order does not address the issue of releasing detainees into the USA. Neither does it address the issue of detainees whose detention has been deemed unlawful by the courts and whose release has been ordered. On October 7, 2008, Judge Ricardo Urbina of the District Court for the District of Columbia ordered the government to release the 17 Uighurs into the USA. The government had earlier conceded that the 17 are not “enemy combatants”, the label it had attached to them for years in an attempt to justify their indefinite detention without charge or trial. The majority of the Uighurs have been cleared for release since 2003. The USA has accepted that the Uighurs cannot be returned to their native China because they would face a serious risk of torture or execution there. However, the previous administration was unable to find a country willing to accept them in more than four years of trying. It said it had approached and re-approached nearly 100 countries. Judge Urbina noted that there were individuals and organizations ready and willing to support the Uighurs upon resettlement in the USA “by providing housing, employment, money, education and other spiritual and social services”. President Obama’s executive order notes that “new diplomatic efforts” may result in “an appropriate disposition of a substantial number” of the Guantánamo cases, and requires the Secretary of State to “expeditiously pursue and direct negotiations and diplomatic efforts with foreign governments”. Some other governments have indicated that they might be prepared to take released detainees who cannot be returned to their home countries for fear of the human rights violations they could face there. Amnesty International believes that the new administration must play its part in what it will be asking other countries to do – to take released detainees – and that for it to do so could only encourage a positive response from other governments in this regard. The US administration should start by dropping the government’s appeal against Judge Urbina’s order and releasing the Uighurs into the US. Amnesty International can see no reason for the cases of the Uighurs to be included in the review ordered by President Obama. There is no reason that their release into the USA should be delayed any longer. Uighurs are a mainly Muslim ethnic minority who are concentrated primarily in XUAR. Since the 1980s, the Uighurs have been the target of systematic and extensive human rights violations. This includes arbitrary detention and imprisonment, incommunicado detention, and serious restrictions on religious freedom as well as

cultural and social rights. Amnesty International is concerned that the high levels of repression in the XUAR are narrowing the space for any independent expression of Uighur ethnic, cultural or religious identity. Such expression, even when it takes the form of peaceful criticism, dissent or dissatisfaction, is often branded by the authorities constituting “separatist”, “terrorist” or “illegal religious” activities, leading to arbitrary detention, torture and other serious human rights violations. Take Action: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible in English, Mandarin or your own language: • welcoming President Obama’s commitment to close the Guantánamo detention facility, and urging that the stated aim of doing this “as soon as practicable” be interpreted and applied with all due urgency; • expressing concern that the Uighurs remain in indefinite detention at Guantánamo nearly four months after US District Court Judge Ricardo Urbina ordered their release into the USA; • suggesting that there is no need for the cases of the Uighurs to be included in the interagency review of detentions ordered by President Obama; • welcoming the local community support in the USA that has been pledged to help the Uighurs adjust to life outside Guantánamo; • pointing out that moving to drop the appeal against Judge Urbina’s order and releasing the Uighurs into the USA can only serve to send a positive signal to those governments whose assistance the new administration will seek in taking released detainees who cannot be returned to their home countries; • calling on the US government, in the name of humanitarianism and justice, to immediately release the Uighur detainees into the USA, and to work to ensure fair, safe and lasting outcomes for these men. Addresses: Eric H. Holder Attorney General US Department of Justice 950 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20530-0001, USA Fax: 1 202 307 6777 Email: [email protected] Salutation: Dear Attorney General Gregory B. Craig, Counsel to the President The White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20500 Fax: 1 202 456 2461 Salutation: Dear Mr Craig The Honorable Robert M. Gates US Secretary of Defense 1000 Defense Pentagon, Washington DC 20301 Fax: 1 703 571 8951 Salutation: Dear Secretary of Defense

Central Africa Regional Action Network

Chad: End impunity for human rights violations Amnesty International is concerned that more than 10 months after unlawful killings and other human rights abuses occurred during and after the February 2008 attack on N’Djamena, the Chadian authorities have not brought those responsible to justice. Amnesty International wants the Government of Chad to initiate criminal proceedings against members of the Chadian security forces who have committed human rights violations. We are concerned that the state of emergency declared after the attack is being used by the government to target peaceful government critics and other human rights defenders. Background Since 2006, scores of people in Chad arrested by the security forces have been the victims of torture, home demolition, and enforced disappearance at the hands of the agence nationale de securite, and members of other government security forces. In April 2006, after an assault by armed groups on N’Djamena, at least 13 high-ranking army officers were arrested, and they have not been heard from since. On November 30, 2007, eight people were arrested in the eastern town of Gueréda and their whereabouts remain unknown. On February 2-3, 2008, intense fighting between the Chadian army and a coalition of three armed political groups raged in various parts of the Chadian capital N’Djamena. Serious human rights violations and violations of international humanitarian law were committed during the fighting. Most of the violations were committed after February 3 when the government regained the control of the city. They comprised extrajudicial executions, enforced “disappearances”, arbitrary arrests, unlawful detentions, and torture (including rape) of detainees. A clampdown on human rights defenders and journalists perceived by the authorities as sympathetic to opposition groups was imposed. Tens of thousands were left homeless and jobless after the government started its March 2008 campaign to demolish houses and small businesses in and around the city centre of N’Djamena. Children from the affected families stopped going to school. On February 3, 2008, Ibni Oumar Mahamat Saleh, leader of a coalition of political opposition groups, was arrested at his home in N’Djamena by members of the Chadian security forces. He has not been seen since and is feared dead. Action Request: Please write polite letters to the President of Chad and send a copy to the Chad Ambassador in the US. In your letters, • Express concerns about extrajudicial execution, excessive use of lethal force and attacks against human rights defenders and journalists by members of Chadian security forces and other Government officials. • Raise concern about the fact that suspected perpetrators enjoy impunity • Raise concern about the lack of redress for victims of human rights violations. • Highlight the Chadian government’s obligations under international human rights law.

Sample Letter: Idriss Deby Itno President de la Republique Presidence de la Republique BP 74 N’Djamena, Chad COPIES TO: Ambassador Mahamat Adam Bechir Embassy of the Republic of Chad 2002 R St. NW Washington DC 20009 Fax: 1 202 265 1937 Dear Mr. President, Subject: End Impunity for Attacks on Human Rights Defenders, Journalists and Opposition Leaders A member of Amnesty International, I am deeply concerned about human rights abuses against human rights defenders, journalists, and opposition leaders occurring in Chad. They are the targets of extrajudicial execution, excessive use of lethal force, unlawful arrest and detention, and enforced “disappearances” by members of Chadian security forces and other government officials. I urge you to immediately take the following actions: • Investigate allegations of threats or attacks against human rights defenders, journalists and members of the opposition to bring those responsible to justice. • Ensure the safety of human rights defenders and journalists and publically acknowledge their work to enable them to work without fear for their safety. • Prevent Chadian security forces and government agents from harassing, threatening and attacking human rights defenders, journalists, and opposition members. The Government of Chad has signed important international human rights treaties that recognize and guarantee human rights, such as the right to life and the freedom of expression and association. Those rights are also enshrined in the constitution of Chad. Therefore, the Chadian government is obliged to investigate any allegations of threats or attacks against human rights defenders, journalists and members of the opposition in order to bring those responsible to justice. I look forward to your prompt attention to the important matters. Regards, The recent Amnesty report ‘Chad: Double Misfortune: Deepening human rights crisis in Chad’ can be found at the website http://www.amnestyusa.org/ document.php?id=ENGAFR200072008&lang=e Terrie Rodello AIUSA Central Africa RAN Coordinator

Central Africa Regional Action Network

Urge US Government to Help End War in DRC Sample Letter: In testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton stated that two of the Obama Administration’s foreign policy objectives in Africa are to stop the war in Congo and to help Africa conserve their natural resources. These are important statements. However, these statements must translate to action. Amnesty International members must urge the United States Government to influence the conflict in the United Nations and the governments of Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda to end the long conflict in the DRC.

(Please edit so letter is in your own words.) The Honorable Hillary Clinton Secretary of State U.S. Department of State 2201 C Street NW Washington, DC 20520 Dear Secretary Clinton,

Background: Recent developments demonstrate the need for specific steps by the US Government to help end the conflict in the DRC: · On December 12, 2008, the UN Group of Experts monitoring a United Nations arms embargo on the Democratic Republic of Congo issued a report that found evidence that mineral resources are a key source of funding for Congolese armed groups. · Laurent Nkunda, the former leader of the National Congress for the Defense of the People (CNDP) armed group in the DRC, was arrested on January 22 and is detained in Rwanda. · The governments of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo joined forces in the eastern DRC to disband the Democratic Liberation Forces of Rwanda (FDLR). During these operations, hundreds of civilians have been reportedly killed. Many hundreds, including children, have been abducted, and scores of villages looted and burned. Around 100,000 civilians are believed to have fled the violence. Civilians, especially women, children and the elderly, continue to suffer most of the casualties in the Congo fighting. Rape continues to be a weapon of war used by all sides in the conflict. · The UN Security Council passed resolutions to strengthen the UN peacekeeping forces (MONUC) in the DRC and its mandate to protect civilians. But UN-member countries have not committed the resources needed to strengthen the forces required to protect civilians. Action Request: Please write a polite letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton with a copy to the DRC Ambassador to the US asking her to urge the United Nation and the governments of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda to end the violence in the region. In your letter, please urge the US Government to: · Ensure the urgently needed reinforcement of the UN peacekeeping mission (MONUC) and expansion of its mandate to protect civilians. · Take concrete steps to protect women and other civilians in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and to end impunity of those who commit acts of sexual violence or other war crimes. · Establish tight controls over the illegal exportation of Congolese minerals and their exchange for arms.

A member of Amnesty International, I was pleased to learn that the foreign policy objectives of the Obama Administration in Africa include stopping the war in the Democratic Republic of Congo and helping African nations to conserve their natural resources and reap fair benefits from them. Since the fighting in DRC has been financed in large part by the proceeds from illegal exploitation of the country’s mineral resources, these two objectives are closely linked. Amnesty International is particularly concerned that non-combatants, especially women, children and the elderly, suffer most of the casualties in the Congo fighting. Rape has been a weapon of war, used by all sides in the conflict. In recent days, the dramatic reversal of alliances has led Rwanda to withdraw its backing from General Nkunda, while the government of DRC joins Rwanda to fight its former allies, the FDLR. This could be a major step toward peace in DRC and in the region. At the same time, there is a danger that the campaign against the FDLR could produce large numbers of rapes, murders, and displacement of civilians. Therefore, I am writing to ask that the United States Government use its influence with the United Nations and the Governments of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo to: · Ensure the urgently needed reinforcement of the UN peacekeeping mission (MONUC), while holding MONUC to its mandate of protecting civilians. · Take concrete steps to protect women and other civilians in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, and to end impunity of those who commit acts of sexual violence or other war crimes. · Establish tight controls over the illegal exportation of Congolese minerals and their exchange for arms. I look forward to learning what actions you undertake on these three interlinked concerns. Thank you for your attention. Copies to: Ambassador Faida Mitifu Embassy of the Democratic Republic of the Congo 1726 M St. NW Suite 601 Washington, DC 20036 Fax: 202 234 2609 The recent Amnesty International report ‘Armed groups and government forces continue to abuse women and children in North Kivu’ is at the site: http://www.amnestyusa.org document.php?id=ENGUSA20081015001&lang=e Terrie Rodello AIUSA Central Africa RAN Coordinator

(page five)

Amnesty International Calls for Investigation of Civilian Deaths As Allegations Point to Shooting Incident by African Union Peace Operation (New York, Feb 5th, 2009) — Amnesty International today called for an immediate, independent and impartial investigation into allegations that AMISOM, the African Union peace support operation in Somalia, opened fire indiscriminately in the capital of Mogadishu, killing civilians on Monday, (February 2). An AMISOM spokesperson denied that troops opened fire on civilians, saying that three civilians were killed and one of their soldiers injured by an explosion on the Maka Al-Mukarama road that targeted one of their vehicles. But Amnesty International has received several reports that AMISOM soldiers fired indiscriminately in response to the explosion, killing at least 10 civilians on board or boarding buses on that road, and injuring at least a dozen others. Reports indicate that at least 10 bodies with gunshot wounds were transported to the Medina hospital in the capital. AMISOM later stated that civilians killed in the incident were victims of both the explosion and gunfire fired by armed opposition groups. The human rights organization said an investigation is needed to establish the number and identity of the civilians killed and injured in the incident, the nature of their injuries and the sources of the gunfire. If it reveals that AMISOM soldiers did open fire, the

investigation should also establish whether all feasible precautions were taken to spare civilian deaths and injuries. Soldiers alleged to have opened fire should be suspended from duty pending the results of the investigation and anyone found responsible for violations of international humanitarian law should be brought to justice. “It is crucial that an effective public investigation is conducted into accusations that AMISOM troops unlawfully killed civilians. This would send a message to the Somali population that AMISOM is willing to uphold standards of international humanitarian law, in a situation where all parties to the conflict have unlawfully killed civilians with impunity,” said Michelle Kagari, deputy director of Amnesty International’s Africa program. Amnesty International has repeatedly condemned attacks on civilians by all parties to the conflict in Somalia. Armed groups fighting the Somali Transitional Federal Government (TFG) forces have used explosive devices in civilian-populated areas and launched attacks from civilian areas, while TFG forces, militias and their allies have carried out indiscriminate attacks as well as directly targeted civilians in response to attacks by armed groups.

Amnesty International USA Group 48 Portland, Oregon USA

Amnesty International Group 48 Newsletter February 2009