AMERI-ADVOCATE
FEATURED PETITIONS FOR 1999
Front Page or Contents
Media Contacts
Petitions - Page 2
AMERI-ADVOCATE FEATURED
PETITIONS FOR
November 1999
************
EMAIL ACTION: FREE SUAD GHAZAL
Friday, November 19, 1999
RELEASE SIXTEEN YEAR OLD SU'AD GHAZAL FROM ISRAELI
PRISON
PLEASE READ, RESPOND AND FORWARD
November 19, 1999
Su'ad Hilmi Ghazal spent her sixteenth birthday in Israel's Ramle prison
this past September 23. She has been held in detention without trial since
December 1998, and for the past two months she has been denied any contact
with her family. Su'ad has been subjected to beatings and physical abuse
during her detention.
In an effort to attract attention to her plight, Su'ad recently began a
hunger strike and is reported to be in poor health.
This action alert is to ask you to use your freedom to demand hers. We
estimate that it will take you about three minutes to read this alert and
about fifteen minutes to perform the three simple actions requested.
WHY IS SU'AD IN PRISON?
Su'ad was an ordinary 15 year-old Palestinian schoolgirl from Sebastia
village in the Israeli-occupied West Bank when she was arrested by Israeli
soldiers on December 13, 1998. A female settler from the illegal Israeli
settlement of Shavei Shomron claimed that Su'ad had tried to stab her.
Following her arrest, Su'ad was taken to the police station in the Kedumim
settlement where she was severely beaten by Israeli settlers, according to
Defence of Children International--Palestine Section (DCI/PS). Su'ad was
then taken to Ramle prison where she was interrogated and tortured. She
was held incommunicado for twenty seven days, seventeen of them in
solitary confinement. Her family finally succeeded in visiting her only
after repeated appeals from the Palestinian Red Crescent and DCI/PS.
Su'ad's lawyer, Khaled Quzmar, last visited her on November 4. He reports
that she has problems with her kidneys and has lost weight. She has been
fasting in protest at her detention for at least a month, accepting only
one meal a day from her captors.
The Israeli authorities have continually delayed Su'ad's case and
postponed her hearings. She is being held in a prison inside Israel and
far away from her family, in violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention.
The US State Department states that "most of the protections afforded by
[Israeli] law are not extended to Palestinian detainees, who fall under
the jurisdiction of military law even if they are detained in Israel."
(Israel and the Occupied Territories Country Report on Human Rights
Practices for 1998,U.S. Department of State, 1999) Nearly one hundred
other Palestinian minors are currently being detained by Israel.
There is seemingly no end in sight for Su'ad's detention.
VIOLENCE AGAINST PALESTINIAN CHILDREN
While Israeli occupation forces and settlers often accuse Palestinian
children of attacking them, in fact it is Palestinian children who are at
grave risk from Israeli soldiers and settlers. Fourteen Palestinian
children were killed and 350 injured by Israeli soldiers and settlers
during 1998, as documented by DCI/PS.
Of the fourteen children killed that year, settlers were responsible for
four of the deaths, while the Israeli occupation forces were responsible
for the remainder.
In one case, a settler who killed a Palestinian child and injured another
in Beitunia, gave himself up to the Israeli police and admitted committing
the murder. However, as is Israel's custom in dealing with settlers'
violence, the man was released shortly afterwards.
The fate of Su'ad and other Palestinian children under Israeli occupation
is a violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention and the UN Convention on
the Rights of the Child. All children have an inalienable right to the
protections afforded by these instruments.
WHY WE ASK YOU TO ACT
A few weeks ago we asked you to write in on behalf of Lebanese civilians
being held hostage and tortured by the Israeli occupation forces in
southern Lebanon, and hundreds of people responded. We believe that
cumulative and constant efforts on behalf of those who cannot defend
themselves are necessary to ensure that Israel knows that it cannot
continue to violate human rights in the dark. United States and other
officials, who support Israel to the hilt, also need to be held
accountable for their rhetoric on human rights, which seems to exempt
Israel. While our efforts may not always produce instant results, we
believe it is our responsibility to speak out, and that children and young
people like Su'ad are counting on us to do so.
WHAT WE ASK YOU TO DO: THREE STEPS FOR SU'AD
*STEP ONE: Write to Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak AND Justice Minister
Yossi Beilin to demand that Su'ad be released immediately. Use the sample
letter below as a guide.
Prime Minister Ehud Barak:
Email: pm@pmo.gov.il or Fax:
+972-2-566-4838
Minister of Justice: Yossi Beilin:
Email: sar@justice.gov.il or Fax:
+972-2-6285-438
***Sample letter to Israeli officials***
Dear Prime Minister Barak/Justice Minister Beilin,
I am writing to ask that Su'ad Hilmi Ghazal, a 16 year-old girl from the
village of Sebastia in the West Bank, be immediately released from Ramle
prison. She has been held without trial and under appalling conditions
since December 1998.
The circumstances of her arrest and interrogation, which included solitary
confinement, beatings and other physical abuse, constitute serious
violations of the Fourth Geneva Conventions and the UN Convention on the
Rights of the Child. Her continued detention without any legal process,
the conditions and place of her detention, the denial of her right to
visits from her family, and the denial of her education for one year
constitute equally grave violations of international human rights
conventions, to which Israel is a signatory.
I hope you will urgently review Su'ad's case and release her forthwith,
and that Israel will henceforth refrain from such unlawful treatment of
minors.
Sincerely,
(your name, state/country)
*STEP TWO: Forward a copy of your note to President Clinton AND Secretary
of State Madeleine Albright and/or your elected representatives. Use the
sample note below as a guide:
President Bill Clinton:
Email: president@whitehouse.gov
Secretary of State Madeleine Albright:
Email: secretary@state.gov
To find your Members of Congress go to:
http://www.capweb.net/classic/index.morph
for US
Representatives
http://www.senate.gov/contacting/index.cfm
for US
Senators
***Sample note to send with your forwarded message***
Dear Mr. President/Madam Secretary/Senator/ Congressman,
I am sending you a copy of a letter I sent to the Prime Minister and
Justice Minister of Israel. I want you to know that I am very concerned
about human rights violations in Israel, a country which receives a
greater share of US taxpayers' money than any other. I hope the United
States will hold Israel to the same human rights standards as other nations.
Sincerely,
(your name, state)
(APPEND YOUR NOTE TO BARAK/BEILIN HERE)
STEP THREE: PLEASE CC YOUR EMAILS TO:
child_rights@mail.com
This is in order for us to keep a tally of the number of letters sent.
Neither your letters nor address will be shared with anyone. If you
prefer, just send a note acknowledging that you have sent letters, and to
whom you have sent them.
FOR MAXIMUM IMPACT PLEASE RESPOND TO THIS ACTION
ALERT NO LATER THAN
NOVEMBER 29, 1999--THE INTERNATIONAL DAY IN
SOLIDARITY WITH THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE.
THIS ACTION ALERT SIGNED BY:
Sawsan Abdulrahim, ADC member USA
Nader Abuljebain, ADC member USA
Ali Abunimah, ADC member USA
Miral Assuli, Hanthala, Europe
Zahi Damuni, ADC member USA
Arjan El Fassed, Hanthala, Europe
Hanna Elmasu, Human Rights Action Project, Palestine
Adam Hanieh, Across Borders/Birzeit University,
Palestine
Rania Masri, ADC member USA
Fadia Rafeedie, ADC member USA
***********
Wednesday, November 17, 1999 7:18
PM
Standing Deer is very sick
Standing Deer's Health Update as of 11-14-99
Dear Friends & Supporters:
Standing Deer is very sick. He missed his high blood pressure medicine for
2 weeks. Because of our efforts his aspirin prescription has
been renewed & KOP (keep on person) He only has enough aspirin to
relieve
his pain for awhile. The prison is out of the aspirin. We must write to the
following persons stating that we need the order of aspirin to come
from
Huntsville IMMEDIATELY !!!.
If Standing Deer can not receive his aspirin to control his pain enough to
walk to the infirmary to receive his Clonidine, high blood pressure
medicine, he
will die.
Standing Deer has in the past survived these abrupt cessation of Clonidine
4 times. The medical books all tell doctors to wean a patient off of
this
drug gradually to prevent brain damage or death.
We have no doubt that the prison knows full well of what they are doing.
They are trying to quietly kill Standing Deer. Your letters of support
will be
gratefully appreciated. Please send one today. Just a short note if you are
not comfortable in any long explanation. "Get the aspirin to Pack One
Prison immediately so Robert H. Wilson #640289 won't die of brain
damage!"
Please send letters immediately to:
Dr. Scamardo / Pack Unit Infirmary / 2400 Wallace
Pack RD. / Navasota, TX 77869
CC: Dr. Lannette Linthicum, Director / TDCJ Health
Services / 3009 Highway 30 West, Huntsville, TX 77340
Thank you.
BArbara Fortier
Standing Deer Defense Committee
POBox 368 / Carrollton, GA 30117
http://standingdeer.homepage.com/index.html
*************
November 11, 1999
Sign on for participation in
the CSD8 /
Firmen para solicitar participacion en la CSD8
Vean mensage en Espańol mas abajo.
Dear All
Carol Kalifatic of IITC was so kind to draft a letter for us to sign.
The purpose of this letter is to request that Indigenous Peoples are
consulted as Mayor Group during the CSD8 session.
We will be collecting signatures until the 17th of November.
------------------
Estimados amigos/as
Karol Kalifatic del CITI tuvo la gentileza de preparar una carta para que la
firmemos. El objetivo de la carta es solicitar que los Pueblos Indigenas
sean consultados como Grupo Mayor durante la CSD8. La carta va a ser
presentada en Ingles.
Vamos a estar recogiendo firmas hasta el 17 de Noviembre 1999.
-----------------------------
Dear Zehra,
We are writing to express our disappointment that, although Sustainable
Agriculture and Land Management issues (priority issues selected for
discussion of the CSD-8) are uniquely vital to the cultural integrity and
survival of Indigenous Peoples, the CSD Secretariat has not included
Indigenous Peoples as a distinct Major Group to be a partner in the Dialogue
Segment of CSD-8.
We welcome the Secretariat's recognition that Indigenous Peoples are also
members of three of the four Major Groups (i.e., Farmers, NGOs and Trade
Unions) invited to be organizing partners for the Dialogue Segment, as
reflected in the Secretariat's guidelines for the composition of the three
Major Group delegations. But while we are not precluded from being members
of these Groups, we stand to be precluded from participating as the Major
Group recognized within Agenda 21 (and elsewhere within the UN system) as
having unique relationships and historically-based rights to our lands,
ecosystems and natural resources.
During last month's meeting with NGOs, CSD Chair Minister Mayr observed that
he will encourage the discussion of good practice examples in the Dialogue
Segment. The Secretariat, in its proposal to subsume Indigenous Peoples
under the "umbrella" of other Major Groups, risks omitting from the Dialogue
the full and constructive contributions of Indigenous Peoples as experts in
agriculture and land management, as well as disregarding various UN
resolutions and recommendations, including but not limited to:
The Report of the UNCED, which (as noted in General Assembly Resolution
48/163) recognizes
"the vital role of indigenous people and their communities in the
interrelationship between the natural environment and its sustainable
development... including their holistic traditional, scientific knowledge of
their lands, natural resources and environment,"(emphasis ours);
Agenda 21, CH 26, a chapter listed for CSD-8 inclusion by the GA Special
Session/Earth Summit 5 and titled "Recognizing and strengthening the role
of indigenous people and their communities" (especially paras 26.3 a [i]
through [iv];
General Assembly Resolution 48/163 proclaiming the International Decade of
the World's Indogenous People, para 10, in which the General Assembly
"Appeals to... commissions and development institutions and other relevant
organizations of the United Nations system to increase their efforts to take
into special account the needs of indigenous people in their budgeting and
their programming;"
The Commission on Human Rights, Subcommission on the Prevention of
Discrimination and Protection of Minorities Resolution 1996/38, which
recognizes
"the profound spiritual, cultural, social and economic relationship that
indigenous people have to their total environment and the urgent need to
respect and recognize the rights of indigenous people to their lands and
resources."
and acknowledges that
"indigenous people in certain countries have been deprived of their human
rights and fundamental freedoms and that many of the human rights problems
faced by indigenous peoples are linked to the historical and continuing
deprivation of ancestral rights over lands and resources,"
and its Resolution 1996/36, in which the Subcommission emphasizes the unique
"spiritual connection that indigenous peoples have with the land, and the
relationship of traditional lands with the practice of indigenous religion."
We therefore would like to propose that Indigenous Peoples be included as a
Dialogue Segment organizing partner. We are confident that we will be able
to work in constructive partnership with the CSD Secretariat so that, within
the CSD-8 process and Dialogue Segment, Indigenous Peoples as a Major Group
can participate fully in the discussion of agriculture and land management
issues so vital to their continued sustainable development and cultural survival.
Sincerely,
Carol Kalafatic International Indian
Treaty Council
Beatriz Schulthess Indigenous World Association
Indigenous Peoples Program of the Earth
Council
Vicky Tauli Corpuz Tebetha Foundation
Add you signature and send back to the discussion forum adresse. / Agrege
su firma y mande este mensaje devuelta a la direccion del foro de
discussiones.
indig-csd@ecouncil.ac.cr
************************
Fri, 5 Nov 1999
Leonard Peltier - UK
November action
November and December are an extremely important time for us to make a strong
push for Leonard's freedom. We need your continued support and help over the
next few weeks, and we can make a significant contribution from this country
in
several ways.
1. TELEPHONE AND LETTER-WRITING CAMPAIGN
We are asking each and every one of you to telephone and write to the White
House once a week for the duration of November and December.
Throughout the years, many of us have become disillusioned with making phone
calls and writing letters. Many people think that they are a wasted effort,
without any real impact. However, recent experiences have proved to
the contrary. If we all act in a unified and organised way, these calls
are in fact a
very powerful grassroots organising tool. For example, if a few people
call
the White House comments line on a given day with diverse messages, there
probably will not be much impact. However, if 30 people call on the
same day
with the same message, a note is sent to President Clinton that the matter is
of public interest. If we can get 100 calls going each day with the
same
messages, people will really sit up and pay attention.
WHEN DO WE CALL? The LPDC are co-ordinating efforts world-wide, and they have
asked that supporters in the UK, along with France and the Central Region of
the US, should make their calls each Wednesday. Other countries and regions
are
covering other days. Obviously, if you miss Wednesday, it is better to phone
another
day than not at all. I believe that the BT cheap rate to the US starts at 8
p.m., which is 3 p.m. in Washington, so our evening is a good time to ring.
WHO DO WE CALL? The most important call is to the White House comments line,
001-202-456-1111. Don't dial any of the numbers they give you, and you will
get through either to a receptionist or voice-mail (an answering-machine).
The LPDC are also asking US supporters to call their Senators and
Representatives.
The switchboard number for all Congressional offices in Washington DC is
001-202-224-3121. If you wish to leave a message for any member of Congress,
this is the number to use; but at this time we in the UK have no particular
instructions.
WHAT SHOULD WE SAY? It is important to keep the message short and simple and
just make a few basic points. It is not at all necessary to know all the
details. It is just important to call with the same message. The key
points
to make are these:
a. We are calling to demand that Leonard Peltier be freed immediately.
He
has been imprisoned for 23 years for a crime everyone knows he did not commit,
and he is now 55 years of age, and in deteriorating health. He is overdue
for parole. We want him released at once.
b. The FBI carried out many abuses against minority leaders throughout the
1960s and the 1970s right up until Waco. (Senate Majority Leader Trent
Lott
recently said that renewed congressional inquiries into Waco should expand to other
instances in which Justice Department officials may have withheld information about
government conduct.) Leonard Peltier is one of the victims of FBI misconduct
and abuse
of power. The FBI agents forced a witness to sign a false affidavit and
concealed
important ballistic information from the defence at trial that would have showed
Peltier
was innocent. Even the prosecutor has admitted they do not know and could not
prove who killed their agents.
c. This case is not about being soft on crime or terrorism. It is about
being tough on corruption and obstruction of justice.
d. We want to know what both Mr. Gore and Mr. Clinton plan to do about this.
Time is running out for Leonard Peltier.
Try to get friends together who are serious about helping you. Make sure
everyone gets a copy of the basic fact summary about Leonards
case. No one needs to know the details inside out, but people are more
confident if they know a bit about the story, and it is a good way to do
public
education as well. Make sure they also receive these instructions,
about who
to call, and the most important points to mention.
WE NEED FEEDBACK. The receptionists at the White House will usually sound
bored or formal, but this may change as the calls pour in, and some of them
may begin to chat with the callers. You may also get a voice mail, and that
is fine - you do not need to enter a debate with the comments office. What
matters is that they have to keep track of how many calls are coming in, and
they have to send a message upstairs every night that there is a matter of
serious public interest, i.e. Leonard's case. If you can, please call me
back on +44-1995-603866 and let me know how the call went. What did the
people
at the White House comment line say, and how did they react? This helps us
gauge how much they are feeling the pressure. More importantly, every so
often, a receptionist will talk a little about the case and even ask
questions. This helps us find out what the other side is saying. The
feedback is really helpful to the LPDC, and I will e-mail any reaction over
to them.
WHO DO WE WRITE TO? Experience has shown that e-mail and form letters have
little effect, because everyone knows that it is too easy to send multiple
copies. Faxes are better, and best of all are short hand-written letters.
Please would you send regular notes from now until the end of the year to:
President William J Clinton
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Washington DC 20500
USA
or fax: 001-202-456-2461
email: president@whitehouse.gov
2. DEMONSTRATION AT THE US EMBASSY, LONDON
There will be a peaceful demonstration at the Embassy in Grosvenor Square on
the day after Thanksgiving Day, Friday 26 November. We shall display
banners, play songs for Leonard and recordings of his voice, hear readings
from his book, and exchange news and information. Supporters will be present
from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and we shall welcome anyone who can drop by during
that time. I appreciate that weekdays are difficult/impossible for most
people, but we have been specifically asked by the Defense Committee to stage
a picket during the week "because there probably won't be anybody at home
weekends". Likewise the Embassy is closed on Thanksgiving Day itself.
Thanksgiving Day is a poignant time for all Native Americans. According to
historical legend, the first Thanksgiving was held by the pilgrims to give thanks
to God
for their very survival in North America. They had been saved from starvation
by
kindly Native Americans who taught them about local crops and wildlife. The
pilgrims, in
turn, thanked the Lord and exterminated the tribes. Leonard Peltier is but
one
more of the most recent victims. As people this year sit down to their
feasts,
surrounded by friends and family, we want them to think carefully about the
treatment of all Native Americans, and in particular about Leonard Peltier,
alone in his prison cell.
It is absolutely vital that we put all of our efforts together and make a
strong attempt to free Leonard now, before his health further
deteriorates, before the current momentum is lost, before Clinton leaves
office, and
before another year of Leonard's life is stolen away from him, his people and
his
family.
Please make a serious commitment in whatever way you
can to help free Leonard Peltier before the year 2000.
Thank you.
With all good wishes,
Charles Towers
***********
FBI Add against Leonard/help counter act it
Please call and fax letters to
Clinton to counteract the current
political push by the FBI to refuse clemency.
An ad urging the President to refuse clemency to Leonard Peltier ran
Tuesday in Roll Call, Capitol Hill's newspaper. Another ad will run
today in the Washington Post.
Read the FBIAA President's Letter to the President of the United States
regarding the killer of two FBI Agents:
http://www.fbiaa.org/letter_to_the_president.htm
"DEAR MR. PRESIDENT: LEONARD PELTIER MURDERED TWO FBI
AGENTS. HE DESERVES NO CLEMENCY."
The Leonard Peltier Defense Committee has announced that November
1999, is "Freedom Month for Leonard Peltier."
The Defense Committee and its supporters intend to deliver to President
Clinton a petition asking him to grant clemency to Leonard Peltier.
Leonard Peltier is currently serving consecutive life
sentences in a federal penitentiary for the ruthless
murder of two FBI agents. To commute the sentence of
Peltier and allow him to be released would be a tragic injustice
and a moral blow to the entire community of law enforcement
professionals in the United States. For years, supporters of
clemency for Peltier have worked for his release from
prison, taking every opportunity to try to convince the American
public that he does not deserve his punishment. Virtually all of the
pleas and arguments for Peltier's release have been
historically inaccurate. The members of the FBI
Agents Association and the Society of Former Special Agents of the FBI
want the President and all Americans to know the facts. Misguided
efforts to obscure or dilute the truth must not
undermine justice in the case of Leonard Peltier.
June 26, 1975, was a hot, dusty Thursday on the Pine Ridge Indian
Reservation in southwestern South Dakota when two
young FBI agents arrived from their office in Rapid City. It was about
noon when Special Agents Ronald A. Williams, 27, and
Jack R. Coler, 28, pulled into the Jumping Bull Compound area of the
remote reservation seeking to arrest a young man in
connection with the recent abduction and assault of
two young ranchers in nearby Manderson, S.D.
Spotting a van in which they believed the fugitive suspect to be
riding, the two agents pursued it toward an open grassy
bowl-like area. Unknown to Special Agents Coler and
Williams, one of the three men in the vehicle was Leonard Peltier, a
violent man with a violent past, a fugitive wanted for
attempted murder of an off-duty Milwaukee police officer. Knowing the
two vehicles pursuing him were occupied by FBI agents
and believing they were seeking to arrest him on the attempted murder
case, Peltier and his two associates abruptly stopped
their vehicle and began firing their rifles at the agents.
Surprised by the sudden violence, outmanned, outgunned
and at an extreme tactical disadvantage, Coler and Williams were
both wounded and defenseless within minutes. Coler
sustained a severe wound, the force of a bullet nearly tearing his right
arm off. Williams, wounded in the left shoulder and right
foot, removed his shirt during the hail of incoming rifle fire and
fashioned a tourniquet around the arm of Coler, who had fallen
unconscious. Coler, a former Los Angeles Police Department sergeant with
two small sons, and Williams, an affable former FBI clerical employee,
were at the mercy of Peltier and his associates. But
there was to be no mercy that day for the fine young law enforcement
officers.
Not satisfied with the terrible injuries they had inflicted, Peltier
and two other men walked down the hill toward the
ambushed agents. Three shots were fired from Peltier's rifle.
Williams, kneeling and apparently surrendering, was shot in the
face directly through his outstretched, shielding hand. He died
instantly. Coler, still unconscious, was shot twice in the head at
close range. He died instantly after the second shot.
The crime scene examination testified to the brutality of the
ambush. Coler and Williams had little chance to defend
themselves. They had fired only five shots. In contrast, over 125
bullet holes were found in their two cars.
Following the June 26 murders, Leonard Peltier fled the Pine Ridge
Indian Reservation. The FBI added him to its Ten Most
Wanted list. Then, in November 1975, an Oregon state
trooper stopped a recreational vehicle in which Peltier was hiding.
Peltier ran from the RV, fired at the officer and escaped. Coler's
revolver, stolen when he was murdered, was found in a paper
bag under the front seat of the RV. Peltier's thumbprint was on the
bag.
When later arrested in Canada by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police,
Peltier remarked that, had he known the RCMP
officers were there to arrest him, he would have blown
them out of their shoes. These are not the comments of an innocent
man and portray the true character and violent nature of Leonard
Peltier.
During his trial in U.S. District Court in Fargo, N.D., in April
1977, a jury convicted Peltier of the murders of Coler and
Williams. A judge sentenced him to two consecutive life sentences.
While incarcerated in the Lompoc, California, Federal
Prison, and with outside assistance, Peltier shot his way out of jail,
using a smuggled semi-automatic .223-caliber rifle to make
his escape. A fellow AIM member was killed by guards
during the escape. Several days later, after assaulting a
rancher and stealing his truck, Peltier was captured. He was
tried and convicted of the escape and of being a felon in possession of a
firearm. Separate consecutive prison terms of two and
five years were added to his two consecutive life sentences.
Peltier has since appealed his various convictions numerous times.
Each time, the federal courts have upheld earlier court
actions. The U.S. Supreme Court has twice denied
Peltier review without comment. The record is clear. There
are no new facts. The old facts have not changed and Peltier is
guilty as charged.
Several times on national television, Peltier has admitted to firing
at the two agents. In his most recent public interview,
Peltier has even reluctantly conceded what he had previously denied,
that he had in fact gone down to where the agents were
executed. Still, he openly states that he feels no guilt, remorse, or
even regret for the murders. Leonard Peltier has lived a life
of crime. He has earned and deserves a lifetime of incarceration.
Leonard Peltier is a murderer without compassion or
feeling for his fellow man. In turn, he deserves no
compassion.
Mr. President, there is no justification for relieving Leonard
Peltier from his punishment. Our judicial system has spoken in
this case, again and again. It's time to move on. Leonard Peltier is a
vicious, violent and cowardly criminal who hides behind
legitimate Native American issues. Leonard Peltier was never a leader
in the Native American community. Peltier is simply a
brutish thug and murderer with no respect or regard for human life,
especially when law enforcement officers are involved.
Our citizens, on and off the reservations, must be protected
from predators such as Peltier. Our laws must be respected and
obeyed or the penalty must be paid. The punishment
must also fit the crime--and it does here.
Mr. President, since Leonard Peltier couldn't fool the federal
courts, he is now trying to fool you and the public. He is
shading and hiding the facts--and playing on sympathy.
He and his advocates want to confuse the fact of his guilt with
matters completely extraneous to that fact. Don't let him get
away with it, Mr. President. Sympathy is appropriate only for the dead
heroes and their surviving families. Don't let their sacrifice be
forgotten.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation Agents Association, P.O. Box 250,
New Rochelle, NY 10801. The Society of Former Special Agents of the
Federal Bureau of Investigation, P.O. Box 1027, Quantico, VA 22134.
The above organizations, which are professional non-governmental
associations, represent over 20,000 active duty and former FBI agents.
***********
National
Day of Mourning '99
UNITED AMERICAN INDIANS OF NEW ENGLAND
Leonard Peltier Support Group
P.O. BOX 697501 QUINCY, MA 02269 (781) 331-3690
e-mail: uaine19@idt.net
Visit our website at: http://idt.net/~uaine19
Dear Sisters and Brothers: November 1, 1999
It is that time of year again when we will soon meet at Cole's Hill in
Plymouth for National Day of Mourning.
This year, National Day of Mourning is part of a month of events dedicated
to Native political prisoner Leonard Peltier. The Leonard Peltier Defense
Committee will be having activities in Washington, DC all month. Please
contact the LPDC at (785) 842-5774 for further information about the
Washington activities or visit their website at
http://members.xoom.com/freepeltier/index.html.
We have called for freedom for Leonard Peltier at National Day of Mourning
every year since he was arrested in 1976. Isn't it about time that this
innocent man was freed? We ask everyone reading this letter to renew
efforts to free Leonard now! In particular, we need to put the pressure on
Clinton to grant Leonard clemency before he leaves office.
As a result of last year's settlement with Plymouth, thousands of tourists
every year will see and read two permanent markers to be placed on natural
granite rocks. The first marker will be on Cole's Hill in Plymouth and
provide information about National Day of Mourning. For some of these
tourists, it will be the first time that they have even thought that there
might be a different view of the pilgrim mythology. The second marker will
be in Plymouth's old Town Square and provide information about the great
Wampanoag leader Metacomet (King Philip). At long last, there will be
rocks in Plymouth that represent the truth about history!
Below, u will find an orientation for this year's National Day of Mourning.
We realize this is pretty long, but we are trying to answer the most
commonly asked questions.
Within the next day or two, we will post a flyer for NDOM at our website so
that you can print it, copy it, and distribute it to help spread the word.
We look forward to the circle coming together again in Plymouth this
November 25.
]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]
PLEASE HELP! UAINE is in serious need of monetary donations for Day of
Mourning this year, for paper products and other items for the social, for
subsidized seats on buses, for printing and mailing, sound and stage, you
name it! Please give whatever you can afford to help with this historic
event.
NAME:___________________________________________________
ADDRESS: ________________________________________________
________________________________________________
TEL.:________________________ E-MAIL:___________________
(Please make checks or money orders payable to UAINE and mail to P.O. Box
697501, Quincy, MA 02269. Thank you!)
WHAT IS NATIONAL DAY OF MOURNING? An annual tradition since 1970,
National Day of Mourning is a solemn, spiritual and highly political day.
Many of
us fast from sundown the day before through the afternoon of that day (and
have a social after National Day of Mourning so that participants in NDOM
can break their fasts). We are mourning our ancestors and the genocide of
our peoples and the theft of our lands.
NDOM is a day when we mourn, but we also feel our strength in political
action. Over the years, Plymouth Rock has been buried a number of times,
the Mayflower has been boarded, ku klux klan sheets were placed on the
statue of William Bradford, etc.
WHEN AND WHERE IS NATIONAL DAY OF MOURNING? Thursday, November 25, 1999
(U.S. "thanksgiving" day) at 12 noon SHARP on Cole's Hill in Plymouth,
Massachusetts. (Cole's Hill is the hill above Plymouth Rock in the
Plymouth historic waterfront area.)
WILL THERE BE A MARCH? There will be a march this year through the
historic district of Plymouth. Plymouth agreed, as part of the settlement
of 10/19/98, that no permit will be needed for participants in Day of Mourning to
march.
DRUMS: Native drummers and singers are welcomed.
PROGRAM: Although we welcome our non-Native supporters to stand with us,
it is a day when Native people only speak about our history and what is
going on with us now, such as the continued imprisonment of Leonard Peltier
and Indigenous struggles that are taking place throughout the Americas.
Speakers are by invitation only.
We would like to know in advance what Native organizations will be in
attendance at NDOM. Not everyone will be able to speak, but we do want to
welcome everyone, especially guests from out of town.
VENDORS/LITERATURE: NDOM is neither a pow-wow nor a day to make money or
entertain the tourists. We do not allow anyone to buy or sell merchandise
at NDOM under any circumstances. There are 364 other days in the year when
people can do so. If you have literature that is free, we will provide a
place for you to put it. If you try to sell literature or other
merchandise, our Peacekeepers will ask you to stop. Native elders involved
with UAINE and Day of Mourning since 1970 have been very clear on this
point. The only exception is that we usually have a blanket dance to raise
funds for the Peltier Defense Committee and UAINE.
POT-LUCK SOCIAL: There will be a pot-luck social following NDOM. We ask
that you respect our custom that elders, women and children eat first.
Please bring something with you to eat or drink (no alcohol) to contribute
to the pot-luck, but please do NOT bring anything that has not been cooked.
The hall we are using will have extremely limited kitchen facilities, so
we may not even be able to reheat everything; as a result, plan to bring
prepared foods that taste okay even if they cannot be reheated. Please do
not expect a full turkey dinner with all the fixings.
WEATHER: It is often cold and very windy. We cannot predict whether
there
will be rain or snow. Please dress for the weather. Dress in layers,
and
remember that you will be standing outside on cold ground for at least a
couple of hours. We have made arrangements for a place nearby where
elders, children and others who need to do so can get in out of the cold
and have some hot chocolate or coffee.
VOLUNTEERS: Volunteers are needed for many tasks. We have asked the
Boston chapter of the National Peoples Campaign to coordinate volunteers
and housing. Please contact them at (617) 522-6626 or npcboston@yahoo.com
TRANSPORTATION: Limited bus seats will be available from the following
cities.
Boston: Contact the NPC at (617) 522-6626.
New York: Contact the NPC at (212) 633-6646.
Baltimore: Contact the NPC at (410) 235-7040.
United American Indians of New England (781)
331-3690
uaine19@idt.net
Announcing the Metacom Education Project, Inc.
As part of the historic 1998 settlement between Plymouth and United
American Indians of New England, Plymouth has donated money to a Native
educational fund called the Metacom Education Project, Inc.
We are pleased to announce the first grants awarded by the Project:
o A grant of $2,500 to the Leonard Peltier Defense Committee for assistance
in educating the public about Leonard Peltier's case.
o A grant of $5,000 to the North American Indian Center of Boston (NAICOB)
for a series of community educational workshops proposed by the Center.
In addition, the Project has sponsored a number of educational
presentations in schools and elsewhere this year.
In 2000, we expect to have a program in place to provide scholarships to
Native students attending Massachusetts institutions of higher education.
We also plan to develop Native curriculum and other educational resource
materials.
Please contact us if you are interested in donating to this exciting
Project, if you know of an organization that gives grants to organizations
such as the Project, or for more information.
Metacom Education Project, Inc.
P.O. Box 697512
Quincy, MA 02269
metedpro@netscape.net
************
November 01, 1999
Genetic Engineering
Action Alert! Call for Labeling!
Unlabeled, untested and you're eating it.
In secret, genetically engineered foods are showing up on American grocery
shelves. Though other countries now label biotech food, the U.S. FDA still
does not require labels or safety tests. Don't you have the right to know
what's in your food? And if it's safe for your family?
(You can find a copy of the ad in the front section of today's New York
Times, or download it from the Turning Point Project's website at
<http://www.turnpoint.org This was a full page
ad.
CALL TO ACTION:
*Cut out the Turning Point Project ad from the New York Times and bring it
to your grocery store manager. Ask that the store label all genetically
engineered foods, and that they require food companies to do the same.
*Cut out another copy of the ad and mail it with a letter to the U.S. Food
and Drug Administration (FDA, the agency responsible for labeling your
foods as genetically engineered). In the letter, mention your support for
the lawsuit asking for stronger safety testing and mandatory labeling of
all genetically engineered foods. Mention the following case name and
docket number: Alliance for Bio-Integrity v. Shalala, Docket Number
98-1300 (CKK).
Mail to:
Jane Henney, Commissioner
Food & Drug Administration
5600 Fisher Lane, Room 1471
Rockville, MD 20857
execsec@oc.fda.gov
================================================
*Contact the EPA in support of the lawsuit that asks the agency to take GMO
crops that contain Bt (corn, cotton, and potatoes) off the market until
further testing is done to evaluate their environmental risks and potential
threats to organic farmers. Mention the following case name and docket
number: Greenpeace International v. Browner, Docket Number 99-389 (LFO).
Mail to:
Carol M. Browner, Administrator
Environmental Protection Agency
401 M St., SW, Room W1200
Washington, DC 20460
BROWNER.CAROL@EPAMAIL.EPA.GOV
*The following companies were among those listed as having products that
tested positive for genetically engineered ingredients. Please call them
and express your concern.
Nabisco (Snackwells granola bars): 1-800-8NABNET (1-800-862-2638)
General Mills (Total Corn Flakes, Bac-Os bacon bits): 1-(800) 328-1144
Heinz (Heinz 2 Baby Cereal): 1-800-USA-BABY (1-800-872-2229)
Kellogg's (Corn Flakes): 1-800-962-1413
Nestle (Carnation Alsoy Infant formula): 1-818 549 6818
Visit www.turnpoint.org for more phone
numbers, or to get a complete list
of foods that tested positive for genetically engineered ingredients.
More Ways You Can Help:
*Write a letter to the Editor of the New York Times or your local
newspaper. Refer them to the ad you saw. Tell them you support our
advertisements and would like to see follow-up stories on these
topics. Letters to the New York Times can be sent to:
Letters to the Editor
The New York Times
229 West 43rd Street
New York, NY 10036
Fax (212) 556-3622
e-mail: letters@nytimes.com
*Eat organic foods. No private organic certifier in the U.S. allows
genetically engineered foods to be considered organic. Currently, eating
organic is the only way to insure G.E. free food.
*Keep organic organic. Write a letter to the US Department of Agriculture
and demand that no loopholes be included in National Organic Standards that
would allow any genetically engineered foods to be considered
organic. Here's the address for the USDA National Organic Program:
Mail to:
Keith Jones
Program Manager, USDA-AMS-TM-NOP
Room 2510 - S
AG Stop 0275
PO Box 96456
Washington D.C. 20090-6456
Or e-mail: keith.jones@usda.gov
*Invite a speaker from one of the groups listed in our resource guide to
come and give a talk to your community about issues of genetic engineering
that affect you.
*Hang these ads in your office, school, church, and home. Help spread the
word about genetic engineering.
*Ask all candidates for office where they stand on genetic engineering.
For a copy of the ad contact:
The Turning Point Project
310 D Street NE
Washington, DC 20002
1-800-249-8712
<http://www.turnpoint.org
email: info@turnpoint.org
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
FDA Opens Public Comment Period on GMOs
(Genetically Modified Organisms)
**************************
For the first time in 7 years, the FDA has opened a public comment period
on its policies concerning genetically modified organisms. This is an
opportunity for concerned citizens to tell the FDA that they don't want
GMOs contaminating our food supply and the environment.
Tell the FDA what you think about GMOs!
The public meetings are being held in Chicago, Washington, D.C. and
Oakland. If you live in or near one of these cities, please consider making
a public comment during the meeting.
If you are not able to or interested in attending a meeting, please send
the FDA your comments by email. They will accept public comments through
January 13, 2000.
For the dates of the meetings and more information about registration and
making public comments, please visit the following URL on the Greenpeace
USA Web site:
<http://www.greenpeaceusa.org/features/fdacomments.htm
Mail to:
Jane Henney, Commissioner
Food & Drug Administration
5600 Fisher Lane, Room 1471
Rockville, MD 20857
execsec@oc.fda.gov
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Petition to Secure the Mandatory Labeling
of all Genetically Engineered Foods
Submitted to the President of the United States,
Congress, USDA and FDA
Sign the Petition :::
http://www.safe-food.org/-campaign/petition.html
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Newsgroups: alt.save.the.earth
Here are the personal email addresses of several important men in the
globalization process.
Merci de faire circuler et de diffuser largement.
The World Trade Organization is the star attraction in the "Millennium
Trade Round" in Seattle Nov. 30th.
Mike Moore is the new Secretary-General of the WTO. (OMC)
His address is mike.moore@wto.org That
simple. (he answers his email)
Perhaps you'd like to wish him "Bon Voyage" to Seattle!
MONSANTO BOARD'S EMAIL ADDRESSES: Write Monsanto!
Monsanto is the leader in "life sciences" technology, we're sure you
have a strong opinion on the subject. (GMO's & GE Food)
The following are the personal, corporate email addresses of the
chairman of the board of Monsanto etc. so if you wish, you can now
tell THEM exactly how YOU feel.
BE POLITE!
Robert B. Shapiro, is the chairman of the board and chief executive
officer of Monsanto.
His address is: rbshap@ccmail.monsanto.com
(he answers his email)
Richard U. De Schutter is the chief administrative officer ofMonsanto
His address is: rudesc@ccmail.monsanto.com
(he answers his email )
Jacobus F,.M. Peters is a member of the board's finance, dividend and
public policy committee.
His address is: jfm.peters@tip.nl (he answers
his email)
We couldn't find Mickey Kantor's email. (ex member of Clinton's
cabinet he's on Monsanto's board)
Here's all we got: phone. 001 202 263 3295 fax. 001 202 263 3460
Perhaps you have friends who would also like to make their feelings
known to Mr. Moore, Mr. Shapiro & Co., please send these addresses on
to all of those (mailing lists, friends, organizations etc.) you feel
would make good use of them.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
GM Christmas tree would glow
Frustrated fiddling with Christmas tree fairy lights could
become a thing of the past as genetic engineers have
proposed a tree which grows its own lights.
The idea for glowing pine needles was dreamed up by
five postgraduate students at the University of
Hertfordshire, UK, as their entry in a biotechnology
competition.
It is a perfectly possible proposition, as genetic
engineers elsewhere have already created glowing mice,
silk and potatoes.
'Only problem cost'
Neurophysiology student Katy Presland, 29, said:
"We're talking about a green luminescent Christmas tree
that glows in the dark and produces a noticeable light
during the day.
"It is quite feasible. The only problem in reality is the
cost," she added.
"We calculate that the initial trees would cost about
£200, which means going for the upper end of the
market. But I'm sure a lot of people would love them,
especially the Americans."
Jellyfish and fireflies
The team detail a plan to modify a Douglas spruce with
two genes to make it illuminate. These would taken from
fluorescent jellyfish and fireflies. The first gene produces
a substance called green fluorescent protein (GFP),
while the second results in an enzyme called luciferase.
The trees would be modified by infecting seedlings with a
harmless bacterium carrying the genes. A chemical
compound called luciferin is needed to activate
luciferase, which in turn "switches on" GFP and makes
it glow.
In the case of the luminous Douglas spruce, the luciferin
would be mixed into a special fertilizer sold with the tree.
The genes for green fluorescence have been widely used
by genetic engineers because they allows scientists to
see at a glance whether an attempt to introduce a gene
into an organism has been successful.
Blue fluorescent proteins have also been discovered and,
last month, a red fluorescent protein was found in a
coral. This means that, in theory, the GM Christmas tree
could grow its own multicoloured lights.
<http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/sci/tech/newsid_484000/484809.stm
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
SCIENTISTS CLOSE TO UNRAVELING DNA CODE OF A
HUMAN CHROMOSOME
from The Associated Press
LONDON - An international team of researchers says it is on the verge of a
milestone toward what experts call one of the most important scientific
accomplishments ever - unraveling for the first time the genetic pattern of
a human chromosome.
The team, involving British, U.S. and Japanese scientists, is part of a
worldwide collaboration known as the Human Genome Project, which aims to
reveal the structure of the estimated 100,000 genes in human DNA.
That will help scientists better understand what can go wrong in the body
and how to fix it.
<http://www.nandotimes.com/healthscience/story/0,1080,500048130-500078736-50
0224282-0,00.html
**************************************
GLAXO SAYS GENE BREAKTHROUGH CLOSE
from The Wall Street Journal
Bypassing more conventional channels, Glaxo Wellcome disclosed Tuesday that
it is close to identifying the human genes that may be an underlying cause
of three common but hard-to-treat diseases: adult-onset diabetes, migraine
headaches and psoriasis.
At a genetics conference in San Francisco, Allen Roses, the British
drugmaker's co-director of exploratory science, reported that Glaxo
researchers are close to identifying the three previously unknown genes
using a technology that is rapidly transforming pharmaceutical research.
Glaxo already is launching an intensive research campaign to determine how
two of the genes -- the one for migraine and the one for diabetes -- work
inside the human body. The company's ultimate goal is to understand why
people born with certain versions of the genes develop illnesses while those
who inherit other versions usually don't. Glaxo hopes that understanding the
basic biology behind diabetes, migraines and psoriasis, a vexing skin
ailment, will quickly lead it to develop profitable medicines to treat the
illnesses or even help prevent them.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
TO MAKE A MOUSE
from The News & Observer
Four-Part Series
In a UNC-Chapel Hill laboratory, Andrew Xiao is trying to engineer a mouse
genetically susceptible to brain cancer. For cancer research, Xiao's work
could be important. For the young Ph.D. candidate's future, it's crucial.
<http://www.news-observer.com/tri/mouse/
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The Hunger Site at the U.N.
Just Visit this Site & Feed the Hungry!
Sponsors donate food by your visit!
http://www.thehungersite.com
Teen Hemp & Bead Project FREE!!!
http://www.nfobase.com/html/hemp_choker.htm
Petition to Secure the Mandatory Labeling
of all Genetically Engineered Foods
Submitted to the President of the United States,
Congress, USDA and FDA
Sign the Petition :::
http://www.safe-food.org/-campaign/petition.html
CryptoSpooks & Chaos :::
http://serendipity.nofadz.com/cia/bz1.htm
AMERI-ADVOCATE FEATURED
PETITIONS FOR
OCTOBER 1999
***************
Save
Our Children, Communities, Civil, & 1st Amendment Rights
"Claudia White" msdarkstar@excite.com
Happy Halloween from Salt Lake City,
This is the most extensive computer outreach public information
effortundertaken in the history of Mankind, and lovingly
calledAntidisestablishmentarism. For the debut of our theme song
"Justice"
and further information visit my web page:
https://www.angelfire.com/ut/foosballworld1/index.html
Many years of hard work and strategic planning
have been put toward
this effort of information gathering, and presentation by thousands
ofvolunteers. Myself and a cherished friend, that shall remain
anonymous,have deadicated 21 years of our lives to this production.
We are a coalition of non-affliated individuals, and non
profit
organizations, each with a specific job to do in order to improve the way
of life for children, communities, ending the drug war, call for nuclear
disarmerment, immediate reversal on the US Senate Vote on the CTBT, the
signing of that document by the US and to confront the politicians who
havecaused this disaster, in other words get our civil rights back from
Uncle Sam and his buddies, and making the world a better place for all of us.
All efforts are being done a volunteer basis.
Feel Free to contact each organization on how you might assist in
doing
your part in standing up for individual rights and world peace.
The Drug Reform Coordination Network can be contacted by visiting:
http://www.drcnet.org
Truly Grateful,
Claudia White BS,CT
1999 Utah Woman Table Soccer Player of The Year
___________________
Olympic Scandal & The Cover Up Of Police Brutality
http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Lair/6256/Soclissues/Olyscan.html
My Name is Claudia White. I am a 35 year old single, caucasian
(Czech, Native American, Irish decent), well educated (University
Of Utah Graduate), Woman. I am also an athlete, a foosball
player.
I volunteer my time to the American Foosball Association for Save
Our Children and Communities, as well as many other organizations.
I have been an active volunteer in my community for several
years.
In 1994-95 I recieved the Voulonteer of The Year Award from the
Utah Department Of Corrections for the drug rehabilitation classes
I facilitated for Cocaine and other types of drugs at the Utah State
Prison, Decker Lake and several other lock down facilities.
I now have a civil rights suit against Salt Lake City
Corporation.
I am being censored and ignored in Salt Lake City due to the
Olympic
Scandal and other priorities of Governor Micheal Leavitts, which
is fund raising, moon lighting for Boyer& Co. and doing Y2K
commercial
for the local banks, while ignoring the fact that SLC is #1 in the
Nation for Rape, Burglary, and Meth Labs since he has been in office.
It is a sad day when my rights and freedom of speech are
censored
by the majority of press, radio, and media in America. And yet I
can recieve correspondence from Sons Of Afrika about the rights
of the KKK being protected and held high by the federal government
of the US:"Friend of those in power in New York City have won
court
approval for the Ku Klux Klan to hold a white power, white supremist
rally this Saturday October 23, 1999 in NYC.Not only that, but the
court has upheld the KKK's right to wear traditional white hoods,
to conceal their identities while they shout out calls for the
extermination
of Sons and Daughters of Afrika,since they, the sons/daughters of
Europe can no longer own us,as they did our progenitors. So before
NYC celebrates the last (fake) [racist]christian millenium,in the
last (fake) [racist]christian empore - SOA hopes that our 2 million
descendants will confront the enemies of our fathersand mothers,
those with sheet and those without and send them a message yo
!" SOA
Defense
So hear is the message: This is the proper use
of The Klu Klux
Klan Act of 1964, Section 42 U.S.C. 1983...."Under the color of
the Law a Political Official cannot deprive a citizen of their civil
rights.....The following is information on the Organizations I
volunteer
for and also the story behind my Civil Rights Law suit in Salt Lake
City.
The American Foosball Association is helping to fend
off drug
sales and street crime that is threatening to overrun our neighborhoods
of modest, middle class families. As part of this effort the AFA
members have formed S.O.C.C, Save Our Community and Children. We
want to offer youngsters a structured alternative to hanging out
on the streets. Realizing a dream to support athletic, public service,
and recreational programs. We envision drawing hundreds of children
and teenagers from the streets to an area that has lacked sufficient
after school alternatives for the youth. With AFA members
help,
we can turn neighborhoods back over to the homeowner's, and give
their children a chance to get out of the house and play in a safe
environment.
The A.F.A. is a non-profit association. As part of our
mission
we believe that something must be done about the growing juvenile
crime in the U.S.A.; therefore we will donate a new or used table
to any youth center in America. If you need a table or would like
to donate a table to be given away in your name, you may do so.
The cost for a new table is $300.00 plus shipping. A plaque will
be put on the table stating your name or association (if you would
like - optional). If you have an old table the A.F.A. will pay all
shipping & handling to reclaim, recondition and place in a youth
center of our choice or yours - please contact us @ 1-888-FOOSING.
It is very important to the A.F.A. to intervene and set a
proper
example for today's youth - if we don't lead our youth then who
will? All donations are tax deductible.
The life or lives you save today will be an investment in
the
future of tomorrow. AGAIN ALL DONATIONS ARE TAX DEDUCTIBLE.
For more information about how you can make a difference
for the
young adults in your community, E-mail us today!
foosball@gnv.fdt.net
As you know I have a notice of claims(inadmissible as
evidence
under Fed. R. Evid. 408 as an offer to compromise) filed with SLC
Corp. for the Mayor and City Council of Salt Lake City Corporation,
451 South State Street, Suite 415, Salt Lake City 84111. Which reads:
1. Brief Statement of FactsPursuant to Utah Code Ann.
63-30-11(3)(a)(i),
Ms. White, by and through counsel, states the facts giving rise
to her claim, based on currently available information and belief as
follows:*
On April 19, 1999, Ms. White was subjected to the use of excessive
force by an Officer of the SLCPD. On that day, Ms. White, was sitting
in [Liberty] Park next to the World War I commemorative statue and,
ironically, reading the US Constitution [and case summaries].
While
reading, Ms. White saw police officers sweeping through the Park
and requiring others to leave. Ms. White then approached a female
Officer of SLCPD. The Officer spoke to Ms. White and told her to
leave the Park. Ms. White asked "why?" and the Officer
responded,
"because."In an effort to comply with the Ofiicer's request,
Ms.
White then went to pick up her [library] book, which she had left
sitting
next to the statue. When she stooped down to pick up the book,
Ms. White
was shoved [5 times] by a male Officer from the SLCPD, the book
was ripped from her hands by the Officer, she was hit in her leg
twice by the Officer with his baton. As she was being hit, Ms.
White said, "What are you doing hitting me, I'm a woman? Don't hit
me!" After Ms. White was beaten by the Officer, she asked if
she
was under arrest and recieved no response. Ms. White was not
charged
with a crime and posed a threat to no one. There was no offer of
Medical assistance. Ms. White left the Park and eventually
collapsed
in the parking lot outside the Church of Christ on 13th South and
7 East. She was unable to walk.
My friends and I left the park and stood,
with permission, on
the corner of 1300 South and 600 East by the Park Cafe'. Cheif
Ruben Ortega showed up at about 7:20 pm, at which time he sent
approximately25 officers in full riot gear across the street in a
military march.
The officers marched behind bullet proof sheilds with automatic
rifles pointed at the back of our heads, and made us walk to the
park across the street at which time they left. None of us were
arrested, nor read our rights. The police did not call in any
medical
back up to help the injured nor did they re-open Liberty Park so
that we could get our vehicles. This was a show of force in an
attempt to change the community in which I grew up in and have been a
vital part of for 35 years.
During my research on civil rights I
found a book entitled: Getting
Uncle Sam to Enforce Your Civil Rights, United States Commission
on Civil Rights, Clearinghouse Publication 59. Which states under
Law
Enforcement...
Federal criminal civil rights prohibits law
enforcement agents
from conspiring to interfere with federally protected rights under
color of law, or using or conspiring to use force, or threat of
force, to interfere with the free exercise of your civil rights.
To report criminal activities that
constitute violation of civil
rights [by police or politician] contact: US Department of Justice,
Civil Rights Division, Criminal Section, 10th St. & Constitution
Ave., NW, Washington, DC, 20530, (202)514-1412 Fax: (202)514-303.
If you are victim of gender-motivated
violence in which the level
of violence under State and Federal law constitutes a felony, the
is a Federal, civil remedy under the Violence Against Women Act
1994. To make use of this remedy it is not required that charges
be filed or there be a conviction. Unlike other civil actions,
this action is not brought by the government, but by private individual
through an attorney.
For further information about
Violence Against Women Act, contact:
US Department of Justice, Violence Against Women Office, 10 St
& Constitution Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20530, (202)616-8894,
Fax:(202)307-3911.
Please join me in my protest against Violence, the
Drug War,
and Poverty globally by Boycotting the 2002 Olympic Games. And
supporting the following organizations.
Children of Chernobyl
http://www.adiccp.org/contents.html
Save Our Children and Communities
http://www.foosball.org/
DRCNet: Cops Against the Drug War
http://www.drcnet.org/cops/cops.html
Families Against Mandatory Minimums
http://www.famm.org
If we join hands as a world community and stand up for our rights
we can stop the Hate, therefore the war on Human Rights and individuals
rights of equal opportunity as well as protection. We can through
unity follow in the image of the great Martin Luther King, Jr. who
had a dream that all men were created equal. He had the audacity
to believe that as a human being we had the right to 3 square meals
a day. Now days eating is a privilege for the sick and suffering
children of the world, a world in which it is a crime to be
impoverished,
yet the powers that be, force the average person into below average
financial conditions. We must unite, before its just much to
late.
My Father taught me about Martin Luther King Jr, and taught me to
live by these words, "I'd rather die in abject poverty than with
a lack of self esteem", and I will die for those words.
A Boycott of the 2002 Olympic Games could be a simple easy
platform
on which to obtain World Peace, liberty and justice for all. Its
time for the 13 year long Drug War in America to be over. This
tragedy in American history declared by Ronald Reagan has turned
out to be a war on culture. A rich culture that has its roots in
the early 60's, with Timothy Leary, the Merry Prankster, and Drugs
like LSD. Today am person would be sent to prison on a mandatory
minimum sentence of ten years for being using "spiritual"
drugs
to have a 60's experience, however on the other hand, anyone can
buy Al Capones poison, alcohol, 24 hours a day with the blessing
of the federal, and state government in America. Its time that
we as American and World Citizens take back the right to our heritage,
our history. Such sacred treasures as our ancestory cannot be outlawed
by any government, or taken away by any police force or military.
These are not made by Man, but a blessings from God, and must be
protected
as such.
The only way for true peace is through Unity; unity has
never
meant uniformity. True unity comes through the ethics of diversty
and consensus. This ideally is what the Olympics stand for, world
unity through diversity and truce. Obviously none of these aspects
of the Olympics are represented in Utah by the Politicians, or the
Corporations they represent. Maybe then we can invest $269
Billion
US dollars in victims of National Defense like those in Columbia,
and disasters such as Chernobyl, instead of the criminals that have
caused them or choose to look away from the faces of the dying
children.
Sincerely,
Claudia K. White BS, CT(ASCP)
1999 Utah Foosball Player Woman Of The Year
http://angelfire.com/ut/foosballworld1/index.html
***********
Speak
Out for Black Mesa!
All Day Friday October 29, 1999 and
All Day
Monday November 1, 1999
Phone Calling, Faxing, Letter Writing:
Please be polite, keep a copy and share any replies with ISCO! Thank you.
5:00 am-
2:00 pm Pacific Standard Time:
Contact: President Bill Clinton
(202) 456-1111
The White
House (202) 456-2461 Fax
1600
Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington
DC 20500 president@whitehouse.gov
United
States of America
-- Ask him to issue an Executive Order forbidding any forced evictions of
traditional Dine'h (Navajo) from the HPL in Arizona. Remind him the next
"deadline" is February 1, 2000. Urge him to show his commitment to
human
rights here at home. Suggest this is his opportunity to leave the legacy
of his presidency by righting the wrongs against American Indians.
Contact: Asst. Attorney General Eric
Holder
United
States Department of Justice
PO Box
44378 (202) 514-2101
Washington
DC 20026 (202) 514-0467 Fax
cc:
Attorney General Janet Reno (address above)
-- Ask Mr. Holder to *not* ask the US District Court for, nor enforce
eviction notices for the Dine'h from the Hopi Partition Lands in
northeastern Arizona. Express your concern that the DOJ handle this
non-violently, with sensitivity to the Elders and different culture of the
Dine'h People. The DOJ should halt any threatening actions against US
citizens whose beliefs counter US policies that directly affect their
children, such as the traditional Dine'h resisting forced relocation from
the HPL (regardless of their "Accommodation Agreement" lease status).
Regardless of any perceived land dispute between the Hopi and Navajo, or
any settlement between the Hopi Tribe and United States, forced relocation
continues to violate traditional Dine'h (Navajo) religious, civil and
human rights. Forcing Dine'h to sign leases to settle legal claims the
Hopi Tribe has with the US is neither permanent or fair. The US must be
more "accommodating" in their problem solving and learn to stop bullying
American Indians. Remind him of the terrible outcome of their raid on the
Branch Dividians at Waco, Texas and ask him to avoid another national
tragedy! Instead, the DOJ should protect the human rights of the Dine'h.
For More Info:
isco@efn.org
Indigenous Support Coalition of
Oregon
PO Box 11715 Eugene, OR 97440
(541) 683-2789
*************
Urgent
Ward Valley alert
From: "Save Ward Valley" swv1@ctaz.com
BREAKING NEWS! U.S. Government breaks promise to Native Nations and public to
stop proposed Ward Valley Dump Project, betrays environment and tribes!
California Governor Davis appoints nuclear industry-dominated committee
to "study" issue.
Call Tom Fry at the U.S. Interior Department --(202) 208-3801
* Tell the Interior Dept. it is unacceptable they
have failed to terminate the Dump Project as promised
Call Governor Davis today -- (916) 445-2841
* Call Davis now! Tell him that the
public has no confidence in the biased task force and that the people will stop the
dump, no matter what it takes.
TELL THE GOVERNMENT TO KEEP THEIR PROMISES AND STOP THE DUMP NOW!
In a disturbing turnabout and betrayal, both the federal government and
Governor Gray Davis have broken their promises to stop the dump once
and for all. The Bureau of Land Management refuses to return the
State's
application for the land as promised, and Governor Davis has assembled a
task force made up primarily of nuclear waste generators to determine
the fate of Ward Valley.
The first meeting of the Task Force will be November 17 at UCLA in Los
Angeles. Join hundreds of activists for a demonstration against the
dump.
VISIT THE GREENACTION WEBSITE FOR MORE DETAILS ON
THIS ACTION ALERT
http://www.greenaction.org
*************
Route & shedule, introductory info:
[To encourage local Global Peace Walk events around the world]
October 27, 1999
PLEASE RECYCLE, RECOPY AND PASS-IT-ON TO 10 OTHER PEOPLE...
GLOBAL PEACE WALK
c/o Yucca Foundation [501(c)3]
Phone: 415-863-2084
Voicemail & Updates: 415-267-1877
e-Fax: 413-895-8588
e-mail: <GPZONE2000@aol.com
web: <www.globalpeacenow.org
P.O. Box 170245
San Francisco, CA 94117-0245
http://www.globalpeacenow.org/route.html
(check for updates)
Schedule: United Nations 55th anniversary Global Peace Walk 2000
San Francisco - Washington DC - New York / U.N.
1/15/2000 - 10/9/2000 - 10/24/2000
January 15th, Sat., 9am (Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Birthday)
Depart SF War Memorial
Building site of UN charter creation
January 16th, Sun. - San Jose
January 17th, Mon. - Oakland - (Martin Luther King, Jr. Day March)
January 21st, 22nd, Fri., Sat. - Santa Cruz
January 23rd, Sun. - Monterey
January 24th, Mon. - Big Sur
January 26th, Wed. - Cambria
January 27th, Thur. - San Luis Obispo, noon at County Govt. Center
late afternoon at Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant gate
January 28th, Fri. - Vandenberg Air Force Base
January 29th, Sat. - UC Santa Barbara, noon, StorkeTower @ PeaceTree
January 30th, Sun. - Santa Barbara City Hall Plaza, noon ceremony
February 1st, Tues. - Ventura City Hall, noon ceremony
(Big Mountain Support Day - relocation deadline date)
February 3rd, Thur. - Bakersfield
February 4th, Fri. - Keene (Cesar Chavez Memorial Ceremony)
February 4th, 5th, 6th, Fri., Sat., Sun. - Tehachapi
February 5th, Sat. - Los Angeles
February 13th, Sun. - Nevada Nuclear Test Site
February 25th, Fri. - Flagstaff, Arizona (large walk to Big Mountain)
February 28th, Mon. - Big Mountain, Arizona
April 8th, Sat. - Santa Fe, New Mexico
April 9th - 21st - Global Peace Zone Ceremonies/Gatherings
(at various locations in New Mexico)
April 19th, Wed. - 22nd, Sat. - Global Peace Walk - Santa Fe to Taos
April 22nd, Sat. - Taos, New Mexico (Earth Day 2000 Ceremony)
Dates to be Announced:
Oklahoma: Oklahoma City
Kansas: Leavenworth, Kansas City
Missouri: Kansas City, St. Louis
Note: St. Louis will be the gathering point for all people to walk to
Washington D.C., sometime at the beginning of August. At this time, we have
not decided the route to Washington DC, or to East Coast & New York City.
October 9-12th, - Washington DC (Columbus Day "Rediscovery" events)
October 24, 2000, 55th anniversary of the United Nations in New York City
The Public is encouraged to bring or collect donations for Global Peace Walk
2000: Food, Survival Supplies, Cash/Checks, Support Vehicles, Cell Phones,
Camping Gear, Clothing & Shoes, Office Equipment, Lap Top Computers,
Volunteers, Fund-raisers & Financial Supporters.
Those who would like to be a part of Global Peace Walk 2000 in any way and
volunteer, can contact us and tell us what you would like to do.
GPZone2000@aol.com
Global Peace Walk 2000 will take its first step on January 15, 2000, Dr.
Martin Luther King Jr.'s Birthday, from the War Memorial Building in San
Francisco (Herbst Theater site of creation of United Nations Charter on June
26, 1945) bringing out the prayer of "Global Peace Now!" as a universal
human resolve to spread across the United States and The Globe.
Along the way, the Peace Walkers will be carrying petitions, messages &
information to educate & network with people & groups on the following
issues: Abolition 2000 - A Call to Ban Nuclear Weapons Worldwide;
Protecting our Land & Life, Environmental and Social problem solving;
Native American issues (e.g., Leonard Peltier clemency; Big Mountain Dineh
relocation, AZ; Ward Valley nuclear waste dump, CA; Nevada Nuclear Test Site
and Yucca Mountain Nuclear Waste Dump - Shoshone treaty violations);
Sustainable Global Economy (e.g., Permaculture, Industrial Hemp
re-legalization); Alternative Healing/Medicine; Cannabis Medicine
re-legalization, Global Conflict Resolution by Creating a Culture of Peace
and a Spiritual United Nations; the World Thirteen Moon Calendar Change
Peace Movement; Peace Pagoda Project; Global Peace Zone Project; Proper
Funding for New-Energy Technology Research and Development; and other
survival issues that people bring to us along the way.
On October 9, 2000 (Columbus Day Monday holiday observing 1000 year
anniversary of Leif Eriksson to America), the Global Peace Walk will arrive
in Washington DC and bring the petitions & a "Message of Peace" to our
governmental leaders. The walk will arrive in New York City at the United
Nations on October 24th, 2000 (United Nations Day, 55th UN Charter
ratification anniversary) bringing the petitions & a "Message of Peace" to
our world government leaders, and reaffirm the original principles of the
United Nations Charter, to "save succeeding generations from the scourge of
war" and to "reaffirm faith in the dignity of human rights" and to
"live
together in peace."
Since the Global Peace Walk project was initiated in 1995 walking from New
York City to San Francisco for the United Nations 50th anniversary, the
Global Peace Walk has received hundreds of letters and proclamations of
support from religious, political, community and cultural leaders towards
the creation of a worldwide Global Peace Zone.
For more information, see updates at http://www.globalpeacenow.org
and also https://www.angelfire.com/on/GEAR2000/gpw.html
If
you can help with internet and local outreach in your area please offer your
inspiration and messages by joining our coordinators email group list at the
following site where previous posts are archived
http://www.egroups.com/group/global-peace-walk
Living on the Globe with Our Friends,
Global Peace Walkers
Thank you very much on behalf of Global Peace
Walk2000
-----------------------general info release:
Please offer your letter of support for "Global Peace Now!" as a universal
human resolve, including your peace message and survival issue message, so
that we can carry it with other messages for global peace with the Global
Peace Walk2000.
Your embrace of Global Peace Walk 2000 can make a significant contribution
to the genuine cause of global peace, justice, environmental healing, and
prosperity for all. http://www.globalpeacenow.org
To accomplish these goals we urge you to help us echo the prayer for "Global
Peace Now!" until this sound becomes the universal human resolve that can
actually achieve these goals by developing a comprehensive Global Culture of
Peace that integrates science, art, and spirituality (the highest form of
politics) into a worldwide Global Peace Zone2000.
Since the political United Nations came to this Earth, war, crime, violence,
oppression, and belligerent confrontations have increased around the world.
Following the guidance of indigenous spiritual messengers like the late Hopi
Prophecy interpreter Thomas Banyacya, we must create a Spiritually United
Nations to end war and violence by correcting human thinking into harmony
with the Natural World Order. To do this we must recognize that above any
perceived differences we are all human beings on this Mother Earth; male and
female, but only one human race. We must redirect human activity away from
war and violence towards correcting environmental and social imbalances
before it becomes too late so save all life on Earth from increasing
disasters and weapons of mass destruction.
To recognize these facts, and to offer The Message of Peace to the people
and governments of the world, Global Peace Walk 2000 will be conducted from
San Francisco, California, on the January 15, 2000, Martin Luther King Jr.
birthday anniversary to New York City for the 55th United Nations
anniversary October 24, 2000. On October 12, 2000, Columbus Day, the walk
will be in Washington, DC, to conduct a circle of hands ceremony, with
perhaps over a million people including world leaders, a ceremony to
rededicate the Washington Monument as a Symbol of The Message of Peace.
Vikings and Columbus discovered America, but Future Generations must
rediscover this whole Globe and foster a Global Consciousness for peace.
Our ancestors left the message, "Someday all human beings recognize
that this globe is important. Someday all human beings recognize that this
globe is our house and our altar. Someday all human beings must pray for
Global Peace Now!"
The Global Peace Walk is daily manifestation, living and natural prayer.
A Global Peace Walk representative introduced Hopi traditional elder Thomas
Banyacya to His Holiness Dalai Lama on several occasions, one of which
was followed by the United Nations opening its door after 40 years to
receive the Hopi Prophecy and other indigenous peoples' messages for peace
that brought about the UN declaration of 1995-2004 as the International
Decade of the World's Indigenous Peoples. Global Peace Walkers' vision is to
understand and respect the cultures, traditions and ancient wisdom carried
by the indigenous peoples and by the surviving traditional culture of peace.
Please join us in supporting Global Peace Walk 2000 to unify all ways of
thinking in this unversal human resolve for "Global Peace Now!". Since the
Global Peace Walk project was initiated in 1995 walking from New York City
to San Francisco for the United Nations 50th anniversary, we have received
numerous letters and proclamations of support from religious, political,
community and cultural leaders towards creation of aworldwide Global Peace
Zone 2000. Please offer your support as well and help obtain local
municipal Global Peace Zone proclamations to foster a worldwide Global Peace
Zone2000.
We will be posting and circulating your and/or your group's letters of
support for "Global Peace Now!" containing any survival issue messages
and will include these in the compiled messages for delivery to the
United States and United Nations governments and available to all.
We need: More letters of support; walkers (local, long distance, branch
routes, etc.); local, national, and cultural coordinators; emailers,
webmasters, increasing computer and internet capabilities, telephoners,
publicity, writers, food, support vehicles, diesel mechanic, financial
support, and most of all your firm personal resolve for "Global Peace Now!"
Offerings may be made to Global Peace Walk at PO Box 170245, San Francisco,
CA 94117-0245, phone 415-863-2084, phone/fax 415-751-6851,
GPZone2000@aol.com (hardcopy flyers
available, t-shirts, etc.)
Global Peace Walk Project http://www.globalpeacenow.org
Tax deductible contributions may be made at above address to Yucca
Foundation [a 501(c)3 California Association, for the Spiritual Arts] and a
receipt with tax ID number will be sent by return mail upon request.
Please join our coordinators email group list at
http://www.egroups.com/list/global-peace-walk
For more information see also interim Global Peace Walk site
https://www.angelfire.com/on/GEAR2000/gpw.html
Thank you very much. Global Peace Now!
****************************************************************************
David Crockett Williams <gear2000@lightspeed.net
Global Emergency Alert Response
https://www.angelfire.com/on/GEAR2000
Global Peace Walk 2000
Local Coordinator, Tehachapi, California
See main site for ongoing updates
http://www.globalpeacenow.org
**********
October 26, 1999 10:32 AM
WTO & Monsanto email
addresses;
Whose Trade Organization?
Here are the personal email addresses of several important men in the
globalization process. Merci de faire circuler et de diffuser largement.
The World Trade Organization is the star attraction in the
"Millennium Trade
Round" in Seattle Nov. 30th.
Mike Moore is the new Secretary-General of the WTO. (OMC)
His address is mike.moore@wto.org
That simple. (he answers his email)
Perhaps you'd like to wish him "Bon Voyage" to Seattle!
MONSANTO BOARD'S EMAIL ADDRESSES: Write Monsanto!
Monsanto is the leader in "life sciences" technology, we're sure
you have a
strong opinion on the subject.
The following are the personal, corporate email addresses of the chairman of
the board of Monsanto etc. so if you wish, you can now tell THEM
exactly how YOU feel. BE POLITE!
Robert B. Shapiro, is the chairman of the board and chief executive officer
of Monsanto.
His address is: rbshap@ccmail.monsanto.com
(he answers his email)
Richard U. De Schutter is the chief administrative officer of Monsanto
His address is: rudesc@ccmail.monsanto.com
(he answers his email )
Jacobus F,.M. Peters is a member of the board's finance, dividend and public
policy committee.
His address is: jfm.peters@tip.nl (he
answers his email)
=============================================
Whose Trade Organisation? Corporate
Globalisation and the Erosion of Democracy ....
Get the FULL STORY on our Environmental Page -
Click Here
***********
Call for
Electronic Civil Disobedience -
Wednesday 27th October 1999
Great find Fred! Everyone, if there was an event worthy of our
participation this one is it. I urge everyone to head on over to this link and
participate in this. As long as the weapon trade is as big a business as it is,
there will never be peace anywhere, only never ending conflicts with profits being made on
both sides. Make the effort to further world peace by joining in on this effort.
Ellis
Call for Electronic Civil Disobedience - Wednesday 27th October 1999
Resident in Belgium for around 15 years (until being kicked out by the Belgium Parliament in 1997 for being "politically and ethically undesirable"), Technet 99 (also known as AFCEA) is the high tech arms fair. If you're looking for tanks and guns you will be disappointed - what you will find instead is a showcase for 21st century warfare - computer and intelligence systems, electronics and satellite communications etc. etc. These will be available to the highest bidder, and used against those whose aims run contrary to those of the buyer, be they of the same or other nations. Technet 99 has moved to London in the hope of an easy ride, and for a venue where it can continue to deal in death without hindrance. There is however, an alternative…
Technet 99 has got to go!
With this in mind, you are invited to a virtual sit-in of a web site closely linked to Technet 99 on Wednesday 27th October. To join the sit-in and prevent the target web-site from functioning, please make your way to htttp://www.caat.demon.co.uk and follow the simple instructions. You can use your web-browser to easily join or leave the virtual sit-in at any time. The virtual sit-in uses Electronic Disturbance Theatre's Floodnet software to flood the target web-site with requests for information. As more people join the action, the target server becomes unable to deal with the volume of requests. This results in any genuine requests for information (to do with running the arms fair or related business) going unanswered. You can also use the floodnet software to tell the AFCEA website controllers why you are taking part in the virtual sit-in. You can use your web-browser to easily join or leave the virtual sit-in at any time. Please consider leaving your browser in the virtual sit-in area while you get on with other work - the longer you take part in the virtual sit-in the more effective it will be. Other actions you can take against Technet 99
In order to function effectively, people inside the arms fair must be able to communicate with the outside world. With this in mind, a communication blockade (phone, fax, and e-mail) of the hotel which is hosting Technet 99 is taking place all day on Wednesday 27th October - people throughout the UK and hopefully the rest of the world will be getting touch with the hotel to ask them to close Technet 99. The relevant details are shown below:
Virtual sit-in (all day, Wed.
27th October): http://www.caat.demon.co.uk
Phone and fax blockade (all day Wed. 27th October): Tel: 0181 8976363 Fax: 0181 8971113
Hacktivism:
See http://www.afcea.org for sites crying out for creative alterations. Please report any successes (including altered pages as attachments) to pages@caat.demon.co.uk
***********
"Chief Illiniwek"
- call for immediate action
Mon, 25 Oct 1999 10:33:33 -0500
CALL FOR IMMEDIATE ACTION
Dear Friends,
The National Coalition on Racism in Sports and the
Media calls for your
immediate and sustained action. The University of Illinois, the state's
flagship academic institution and one of our most stubborn cases on Indian
mascots, is being evaluated for accreditation by the North Central
Association of Colleges and Schools.
The University administration, conveniently neglected to
include the
"Chief Illiniwek" issue in their required self-study, even though this
had
been requested and the Student-Faculty Senate had voted to eliminate the
mascot (also 700 out of approx. 2100 UI faculty have expressed their
opposition to this practice).
Loss of accreditation would imply putting millions of
dollars in federal
funds at risk. Loss of revenue, is the quickest way to get the attention of
the Board of Trustees, the Chancellor and the President of the University.
To that end, we are asking you to write to the chairperson of the
accreditation committee and to the committee itself, asking for
accreditation to be withheld until the University stops using Native
peoples and their cultures for entertainment and profit.
Below is a sample letter and the addresses.
Please take the time to send these off and ask your friends to do
the same.
In Solidarity,
Paula Ostrovsky
Co-coordinator
NCRSM-IL
1-The Accreditation Group:
Public Comment/UIUC
Commission on Institutions of Higher Education
North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
30 N. LaSalle St.
Suite 2400
Chicago, IL 60602
2: The Chairperson of the Accreditation Group:
Philip Certain
Dean of Arts & Letters
University of Wisconsin
Madison, WI 53706
3: The Sample Letter:
Please withhold academic accreditation from the University of Illinois
until their use of a Native American as their sports mascot ceases.
Signed,
Name
Address
***********
Sacred
Lands Under Seige ::: Support Sovereign Dineh Nation
23 Oct 1999
************************************************
From: Lendra Ceinwyn
*****************
To weave for the Dine'h is a prayer of thanksgiving , "the
People" whom some call Navajo. Without their sheep they cannot pray.
As of Feb1., 2000 this proud independent matriachal culture will be
forced once again to move to a "New Land", to be relocated,
which they have no word for in their language.
In 1998, President Clinton signed the Relocation Act during a golf game,
condemning the Dine'h to be moved again against their will, to "New Land"
which is filled with radioactive uranium tailings at 100 times the maximum safety
level.
7 grandmothers have refused to sign over their land, and will refuse
because Big Mountain is sacred to them, the Earth their Mother,
this is their lives they refuse to hand over to the BIA, and Peabody
Coal. These 7 grandmothers are the elders of the Dine'h and represent 14,000
people.
The Dine'h people are afraid that there will be another Ruby Ridge or
Waco or Wounded Knee on or before Feb. 1
Please sign the Petition to end the genocide of the Dine'h People, and
let them continue to weave and breathe.
This is surely one of the darkest episodes in our history.
Sign Online Petition in Support of Navajo Elders
http://www.freespeech.org/senaa/VPJava.html
http://www.freespeech.org/senaa/VPnoJava.html
Get the FULL Story on our Native Page -
Click Here
**********
REVISED*URGENT*from*ICFFMAJ*
KEEP THOSE LETTERS COMING!
**************************
Urgent. The following is the latest information, with important corrections
on our course of action, from International Concerned Family and Friends of
Mumia Abu-Jamal.
**************************
Use this information to EDUCATE. Continue to DEMONSTRATE.
STAY OF EXECUTION HAS YET TO BE GRANTED -- WE NEED TO ACT NOW!!!
Judge Yohn's law clerk Bill has stated that we should write letters toJudge
Yohn and send them to Mumia?s lawyer who will submit them to the judge..
(We found out that this was said as early as yes-terday -- Oct. 19). Mumia's
attorney Leonard Weinglass has agreed to accept letters to submit to the
judge. The clerk also said that you can send letters directly to thejudge.
However, if you do this, please send a copy to Weinglass as well. We know
that the FOP has been doing this, so it is critical that Mumia's supporters
act soon. The stay of execution has yet to be granted.
Send the letters to Judge William Yohn, Jr. c/o Leonard Weinglass, 6 West
20th St., Suite 10A, New York, NY 10011
Honorable William H. Yohn, Jr., United States District Court, 2609 US Court
House, 601 Market St., Philadelphia, PA 19106 Phone: 215-579-4361
Fax:
215-597-6390
URGENT! Mumia wants ALL letters to Judge Yohn on his behalf sent directly
to Leonard Weinglass so that ALL the letters can be handed over to the Judge
when Mumia goes to court. Mumia and Leo-nard Weinglass have asked that we
do NOT demonstrate on Judge Yohn. Wait for further instruc-tions from
Mumia! But we MUST continue to eductate and demonstrate in our communities
while gearing up for a MASSIVE demonstration on Philadelphia!
Pam Africa 215-476-8812
We can be sure that the FOP is sending letters to put pressure on Yohn NOT
to lift the death warrant. He has yet to make this ruling, even though
Weinglass filed the appeals on October 15. It is impor-tant that Yohn hears
from Mumia supporters now.
While legal experts say that if the stay is granted, the appeal could take
several years, the process could also move much faster. Much depends on
Yohn's rulings in these crucial early days of the ap-peal. Yohn can deny a
hearing and decide the case on the trial records, appellate briefs and
lawyers' arguments. Denying a stay of execution could mean that the judge
believes the appeal can be dis-posed of before Dec. 2.
Suggested points to include:
1) We want the judge to grant a stay of execution on the death warrant set
for Dec. 2, 1999 signed by Governor Ridge on October 13, 1999.
2) We want Yohn to grant an evidentiary hearing to examine the substantial
evidence of Mumia Abu-Jamal's innocence, i.e. witnesses who have testified
in PCRA hearings that they were coerced by po-lice to change their
testimony; that his trial lawyer failed to aggressively defend the case, did
not in-vestigate, or obtain crucial experts in pathology or ballistics; that
police planted evidence and intimi-dated witnesses; and that Common :leas
Judge Albert Sabo displayed bias and hostility toward Abu-Jamal and should
have recused himself.
3) Misconduct on the part of the city prosecutor who impermissibly
challenged the seating of 11 of 15 prospective African American jurors
because they were African American.
4) That there have been 29 purported violations of Abu-Jamal's
constitutional rights.
5) That Abu-Jamal has maintained his innocence and has been denied the
right to a fair trial.
STAY IN THE STREETS!
Use this information to EDUCATE. Continue to DEMONSTRATE. Wait for
Mumia
to administrate our next action!
THE DEATH WARRANT
On Wednesday. October 13, Governor Thomas Ridge signed a new death warrant
for Mumia, setting December 2 for his execution. Ridge did this knowing
full well that Mumia was about to file his major appeal in the federal
courts in a matter of days. This is the same stunt that Ridge pulled in
1995, when he rushed to sign a death warrant on the last business day before
Mumia was to file his motion for a new trial in the state court. So we will
not be intimidated by this publicity stunt.
Ridge has now signed 176 death warrants, and he is the first U.S. governor
to sign death warrants for 100 African -Americans. The new state motto
ought to read: "You have an Executioner in Pennsylvania." The
record in
Philadelphia is even worse: 49 of the last 51 death sentences in Philly have
been given to people of color.
THE STAY?
Although Mumia has filed his new appeal in federal court, he has yet to
receive a stay of execution. Another prisoner, who just got his death
warrant, filed his federal appeal and got a stay the same day. A stay is
supposed to be standard procedure, but nothing in Mumia's case has been
standard proce-dure. When Mumia filed his appeal in the state courts, he
was not given a stay like other prisoners with similar appeals. Instead,
Judge Sabo let his death order stand until 10 days before his execution
date, and then relented only because of a world wide outcry. So people have
to remain vigilant, and stay in the streets until there is a stay.
Until Mumia is granted a stay, he is kept in 'Phase Ii' where his cell is
stripped, lights are kept on 24 hours a day, and regular visitors and phone
calls are denied.
THE NEW APPEAL
On Friday morning, October 15, Mumia?s legal team filed a petition for a
'writ of habeas corpus.' This is the standard way to begin an appeal in the
federal court system. This document is dynamite! It is over 160 pages,
675
paragraphs, documenting 29 violations of Mumia's constitutional rights (the
full text will be available on the Internet for all to read). These
violations include the suppression of evi-dence by the police and
prosecutors, the coercing of witnesses, the fabricated confession story,
the suppression of documents about police surveillance of Mumia, the
ineffective defense lawyer in Mumia's first trial, how Mumia was not
allowed to represent himself, how Mumia was barred from the courtroom in
his own trial, the state using 11 peremptory challenges to knock
African-Americans off the jury, no real money for defense experts, how Sabo
would not allow embarrassing questions to prosecution witnesses, how the
court was told that a key witness was unavailable on vacation when in fact
he was sitting at home, and how the prosecutor used Mumia's revolutionary
political writings as an argument to the jury that he should be executed.
No system of real justice could tolerate taking a man's life with procedures
like this!
THE DEMAND FOR A HEARING
Mumia's new petition to the federal court asks for a hearing in the federal
court to bring in the wit-nesses and evidence that were denied to Mumia in
the Pennsylvania courts. Getting this hearing is critical, because it will
be both the first time that Mumia can bring out this evidence, AND it will
be the last chance to do so. If Mumia is denied a hearing in federal
district court, that would mean that all future appeals will be based on the
'evidence' as allowed and interpreted by Judge Sabo! Only a new hearing
can get the real facts on the record. But the 1996 Effective Death Penalty Act
was de-signed precisely to make it hard for federal judges to grant new
hearings. This is a virtual repeal of the right of habeas corpus and a
throw back to the days of white-supremacist states rights.
THE F.O.P.
From Day One, the Fraternal Order of Police has tried to interfere in the
judicial process. This began with the F.O.P. writing to a judge in 1982 to
oppose bail for Mumia, through the Pennsylvania Su-preme Court on which
five of the seven justices are endorsed by the FOP and brag on their web site
about how many FOP awards they have received. The FOP has tried to coerce
supporters of Mumia such as the Rage Against the Machine concert, the
graduation ceremony at Evergreen State College, and the Black United Fund.
Today, Mumia is the only death row prisoner in the U.S. who is the target of
a nationwide campaign to demand his execution, and the FOP has now announced
that they are organizing a boycott of eve4ry performer and business that
supports justice for Mumia.
BUILD THE MOVEMENT
The movement is continuing to grow! In response to Ridge's outrageous death
warrant, statements have poured in from all over the country, including
already protest statements from Amnesty Interna-tional, Rev. Jesse Jackson,
and the Congressional Black Caucus.
We have know reached a new stage in the movement. Hopefully, in a few weeks
Mumia will be pre-sent in court in Philadelphia for a hearing on this new
appeal. This should be the occasion for a mass demonstration in
Philadelphia, bringing people from all over the country. Then, on December
11, re-gional demonstrations in Philadelphia, Chicago, and San Francisco.
All financial contributions should now be made out to: 'National Black
United Fund/Mumia' and mailed to the National Black United Fund, 40
Clinton Street, 5th Floor, Newark, NJ 07102 (Indicate whether contribution is for
'legal' or for 'organizing.')
--International Concerned Family and Friends of Mumia Abu-Jamal, phone:
215-724-1618, fax: 215-476-7551
******
URGENT ACTION ALERT!
MUMIA's LIFE DEPENDS ON US!
Mumia's case has been assigned to Federal District Court Judge William H.
Yohn. Judge Yohn has NOT yet lifted Mumia's death warrant by granting a
stay of execution! As a result the judge is FORCING people to take to the
streets! Suppporters in both San Fransico and Chicago have been ATTACKED by
police because they WILL NOT remain silent and allow this government to
commit MURDER!
As early as Tuesday, October 19, 1999, Judge Yohn's clerk
announced that BOTH sides could send letters to the judge stating
their position on the case. The International Concerned Family & Friends of
Mumia JUST LEARNED of this announcement yesterday, October 20th. A day
AFTER the announcement!
That means that this system--as is ALREADY EVIDENT by Mumia's continued
captivity on PHASE II--can still NOT BE TRUSTED to do what is right!
The International Concerned Family & Friends of Mumia Abu-Jamal is asking
that THE PEOPLE DEMAND JUSTICE! We need EVERYONE to write
to Judge Yohn and demand TWO things:
1. LIFT the death warrant by granting a stay of
execution.
2. Grant Mumia an EVIDENTIARY HEARING.
We are asking EVERYONE to write a letter to the Judge AND SEND A COPY to
Mumia's attorney, Leonard Weinglass so that we will have ALL of the letters
from Mumia's supporters when it is time to go into court.
Remember, BOTH sides have been told to send letters.
Send your letters to...
Judge William H. Yohn, Jr.
United States District Court
2609 United States Courthouse
601 Market Street
Philadelphia, PA 19106
(215) 597 - 4361
(215) 597 - 6390 (fax)
AND SEND A COPY to Mumia's attorney Leonard Weinglass!
address your letter to Leonard as follows...
Judge William H. Yohn, Jr.
c/o Leonard Weinglass, Esq.
6 West 20th Street
Suite 10A
New York, New York 10011
We know that the FOP is pressuring Judge Yohn NOT to lift the death warrant.
Much depends on Yohn's decision. He can deny Mumia's request for an
evidentiary hearing and decide the case based ONLY on the facts that Sabo
let in--which DOES NOT include, among other things, the fact that the
alleged "confession" was reported OVER 60 days after the
shootings and that witnesses such as Pamela Jenkins and Veronica Jones
have since come forward and testified in the PCRA hearings that they were
COERCED by police and FORCED to LIE about Mumia being the shooter! By NOT
lifting the warrant and NOT granting a stay of execution, Judge Yohn could be
taking the position that Mumia's appeal can be disposed of BEFORE December
2, 1999. That means Mumia WOULD REMAIN ON PHASE II. We MUST DEMAND that
the stay be lifted AND WE MUST DEMAND that Mumia receive this hearing!
Here is some information to help you formulate your
letter:
THE STAY...
Although Mumia has filed his new appeal in federal court, he has yet to
receive a stay of execution. Another prisoner, who just got his death
warrant, filed his federal appeal and got a stay the SAME day. A stay is
supposed to be standard procedure. When Mumia filed his appeal in the state
courts, he was not given an automatic stay then either.
Instead, Sabo let Mumia's death warrant stand for 10 DAYS before his
execution date! Sabo onll granted the stay because of the INTERNATIONAL AND
NATIONWIDE PRESSURE OF THE PEOPLE! We MUST REMAIN VIGILANT! Remember,
Mumia is still under FORCIBLE SUICIDE WATCH. That's 24 hour-a-day
supervision with NO access to supporters by visit or telephone.
THE NEW APPEAL...
On Friday, October 15, 1999, Mumia's attorneys filed a writ of habeas
corpus. In over 160 pages they cited 29 violations of Mumia's
constitutional rights. These violations include:
suppression of evidence by police and prosecutors
the coercing of witnesses
the fabricated "confession" story
the suppression of documents about police
surveillance of Mumia
the ineffective defense counsel in Mumia's first
"trial"
how Mumia was NOT allowed to represent himself
how Mumia was BARRED from the courtroom in his own
"trial"
the state's use of ALL of its 11 peremptory
challenges to
STRIKE Black people from the
jury
how the prosecutor used Mumia's involvement in the
Black
Panther Party to argue that
Mumia should be executed
THE DEMAND FOR A NEW HEARING...
Mumia's habeas corpus petition to the federal court requests a hearing in
the federal court to bring in the witnesses and evidence that were denied by
Sabo in the Pennsylvania courts. Getting this hearing is CRUCIAL! It will
be BOTH the first AND last time Mumia can present this evidence in court.
If Mumia is denied an evidentiary hearing, ALL future appeals will be based
on the "evidence" allowed and interpreted by Sabo. Only a
new hearing can get the evidence of Mumia's actual innocence on the
record!
WE NEED EVERYONE TO TAKE A STAND! Write and DEMAND
both that a stay and an evidentiary hearing be granted.
For more information, contact Pam Africa, International Concerned Family &
Friends of Mumia Abu-Jamal at 215-476-8812.
ACT NOW! PASS IT ON!
Todd Heintz
heintzt@augsburg.edu
**********
October 19, 1999 8:47 PM
ENGLISH VERSION SPANISH VERSION
NO TO PATENTING OF
LIFE!
INDIGENOUS PEOPLES' STATEMENT ON THE
TRADE-RELATED ASPECTS OF INTELLECTUAL
PROPERTY RIGHTS (TRIPS)AGREEMENT OF THE WTO
WE, INDIGENOUS PEOPLES from around the world, believe that nobody can own
what exists in nature except nature herself. A human being cannot own its
own mother. Humankind is part of Mother Nature, we have created nothing and
so we can in no way claim to be owners of what does not belong to us. But
time and again, western legal property regimes have been imposed on us,
contradicting our own cosmologies and values.
WE VIEW with regret and anxiety how, Article 27.3b of the Trade-Related
Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) of the World Trade
Organization (WTO) Agreements will further denigrate and undermine our
rights to our cultural and intellectual heritage, our plant, animal, and
even human genetic resources and discriminate against our indigenous ways of
thinking and behaving. This Article makes an artificial distinction between
plants, animals, and micro-organisms and between "essentially biological"
and "microbiological processes" for making plants and animals. As far as we
are concerned all these are life forms and life creating processes which are
sacred and which should not become the subject of proprietary ownership.
WE KNOW that intellectual property rights as defined in the TRIPS Agreement
are monopoly rights given to individual or legal persons (e.g. transnational
corporations) who can prove that the inventions or innovations they made are
novel, involve an innovative step and are capable of industrial application.
The application of this form of property rights over living things as if
they are mechanical or industrial inventions is inappropriate. Indigenous
knowledge and cultural heritage are collectively and accretionally evolved
through generations. Thus, no single person can claim invention or discovery
of medicinal plants, seeds or other living things.
The inherent conflict between these two knowledge systems and the manner in
which they are protected and used will cause further disintegration of our
communal values and practices. It can create divisions within indigenous
communities over which individual has ownership over a particular knowledge
or innovation. Furthermore, it goes against the very essence of indigenous
spirituality which regards all creation as sacred.
WE ARE AWARE of the various implications of the TRIPS Agreement on our lives
as indigenous peoples. It will lead to the appropriation of our traditional
medicinal plants and seeds and our indigenous knowledge on health,
agriculture and biodiversity conservation. It will undermine food security,
since the diversity and agricultural production on which our communities
depend would be eroded and would be controlled by individual, private and
foreign interests. In addition, the TRIPS Agreement will substantially
weaken our access to and control over genetic and biological resources;
plunder our resources and territories; and contribute to the deterioration
of our quality of life.
IN THE REVIEW of the Article 27.3 (b) of the TRIPS Agreement, therefore, our
proposals are as follows;
This Article should be amended to categorically disallow the patenting of
life forms. Thus, the revised Article 27.3b should clearly prohibit the
patenting of plants and animals including all their parts, meaning, genes,
gene sequences, cells, proteins, seeds, etc. It should also prohibit the
patenting of natural processes involving the use of plants, animals and
other living organisms and their parts and processes used in producing
variations of plants, animals, and micro-organisms.
The provision for the protection of plant varieties by either a patent, a sui
generis system, or a combination of both should amended and elaborated
further: It should;
Ų Disallow the use of patents to protect plant varieties.
Ų Ensure that the sui generis system which may be created will protect the
knowledge and innovations and practices in farming, agriculture, health and
medical care, and conservation of biodiversity of indigenous peoples and farmers.
Ų Build upon the indigenous methods and customary laws protecting knowledge
and heritage and biological resources.
Ų Ensure that the protection offered to the indigenous and traditional
innovation, knowledge, and practices are consistent with the Convention of
Biological Diversity (i.e. Articles 8j, 10c, 17.2, and 18.4) and the
International Undertaking on Plant Genetic Resources.
Ų Allow for the right of indigenous peoples and farmers to continue their
traditional practices of saving, sharing, and exchanging seeds; and
harvesting, cultivating, and using medicinal plants;
Ų Prevent the appropriation, theft, and piracy of indigenous seeds,
medicinal plants, and the knowledge around the use of these by researchers,
academic institutions, and corporations, etc.
Ų Integrate the principle and practice of prior informed consent, which
means that the consent of indigenous peoples' as communities or as
collectivities should be obtained before any research or collection of
plants will be undertaken. The right of indigenous peoples to veto any
bioprospecting activity should be guaranteed. Mechanisms to enforce prior
informed consent should be installed.
Ų Prevent the destruction and conversion of indigenous peoples' lands which
are rich in biodiversity through projects like mines, monocrop commercial
plantations, dams, etc. and recognize the rights of indigenous peoples to
these lands and territories.
We urge the WTO Member-States to put the amendment of the TRIPS
Agreement
as a priority item in agenda of the forthcoming WTO Ministerial Conference
in Seattle. They should assert that the review of TRIPS will not just be a
review of the implementation but also the substance of the Agreement. The
implementation of the TRIPS Agreement in its present form will have
devastating social and environmental consequences which will be
irreversible. It is an imperative, therefore, that this Agreement be amended
to prohibit the patenting of lifeforms and the piracy of indigenous peoples'
knowledge and biogenetic resources.
We also call on all the WTO Member-States to work for the extension of the
deadline of the implementation of Article 27.3b of TRIPS to the year 2006,
five years after the completion of the review of this has been done.
Should the proposed amendments presented in this statement will not be
integrated, we call for the removal of TRIPS Agreement from the WTO
Agreements.
Finally, we reiterate our commitment to sustain our struggle to have our
rights to our intellectual and cultural heritage and our lands and resources
promoted and protected. We call on the WTO to become an instrument in
promoting our rights instead of enacting and imposing Agreements which are
violative or which undermine our rights as indigenous peoples.
Signed at the United Nations, Geneva, Switzerland, on 25 July l999
SIGNATORIES:
INDIGENOUS PEOPLES' ORGANIZATIONS , NGOS AND NETWORKS
NAME ORGANIZATION COUNTRY
l. Victoria Tauli Corpuz Tebtebba
Foundation and Philippines
Asian Indigenous Women's Network
2. Aucan Huilcaman Consejo de Todas Las Tierras Chile Mapuche
3. Johnson Ole Kaunga OSILIGI (Organisation for the Kenya Survival of Il-Laikipiak
Indigenous
Group Initiative)
4. Mililani Trask Na Koa Ikai Ka o Kalahui Hawai'i
Hawai'i
5. Antonio Jacanimijoy COICA (Coordinadora de las Ecuador Organizaciones Indigenas
De la Cuenca Amazonica)
6. Rodrigo de la Cruz COICA Ecuador
7. Fortunato Turpo Comision Juridica de los Pueblos Peru
De Integracion Tahuantinsuyana (COJPITA)
8. Marcial Arias Asociacion Napguana Panama
9. Tomas Condori CISA Bolivia
10. Nolasco Mamani CISA (Consejo Indio de Bolivia Sud America)
11. Ramon Conde Taller de Historia Andina (THOA) Bolivia
12. Eugenio Poma World Council of Churches Bolivia
13. Cesar Sarasara Confederacion de Nacionalidades Peru Amazonicos del Peru (CONAP
14. Eduardo Gaunilo Guatemala
15. Jose Canceunco Cocio Mexico
16. Ara Rusuramang Aboriginal Cultural Promotion Taiwan Association
17. Nger-Nger Aboriginal Cultural Promotion Taiwan Association
18. Ligerlale A-wu Aboriginal Cultural Promotion Taiwan Association
18. Julius Madulu Hadza People Tanzania
19. Lourdes Maldonado Federacion Indigena y Campesina Ecuador de Imbabura (FICI)
20. Simon Charles Hadza Peoples Tanzania
21.Lucy Mulenkei African Indigenous Womens Kenya
Network/Indigenous Information Network
22. Tracey Whare
Ngatira Marae/ Ngatira Lands Aotearoa/New
Trust Zealand
23. Estebancio Castro
Movimiento
de la Juventud Panama Kuna (MJK)
24. Marty Waters
Native Council of Port Heiden USA
25. Loyal David Hauheng Bawm Indigenous Peoples'
Bangladesh Organization
26. Samiran Dewan
Forum for Development in Bangladesh Chittagong Hill Tracts
27. Khua Ukltan Chin Human Rights Organization Burma
28. Hkun Okker PaO Peoples Liberation Thailand Organization
29. David Cung Bik Ling Chin Human Rights Organization Switzerland
30. Joan Carling Cordillera Peoples' Alliance (CPA) Philippines
31. Chito Balintay Pagkakaisa ng Aeta ng Pinatubo Philippines
32. Nepuni Piku Naga Peoples' Movement India for Human Rights (NPMHR)
33. Clotilde Musabeyezu Association Pour La Promotion Rwanda
Des Batwa (APB) Femmes Masnabamdi
34. Jose Morales Asociacion Tohil Morales Guatemala
de los Ninos Mayas de Guatemala
35. Kittisack Rattanakanjangrii IMPECT (Inter-Mountain Peoples Thailand
Education and Culture in Thailand
36. Maria Mangte Indian Confederation of India Indigenous and Tribal
Peoples (ICITP)
37. Derhagra Mochahary United Bodo Nationalists India Liberation Front
38. Prithibi Majhi Adivasi Socio-Education and India Cultural Association
39. Francoise Crozier Federation des Organisations French Guiana
Amerindiennes de Guyane Francaise
40.Alfred Ilenre International Alliance of Indigenous Nigeria
and Tribal Peoples of the Tropical Forests (IAITPTP)
Ethnic Minority Rights Organization of Africa
41.Robi Lal Basumatra India
42. Jebra Ram Muchahary Tribal Welfare Society India Assam Branch
43. Hubertus Samangun IAITPTP Indonesia
44. Parshu Ram Tamang Nepal Tamang Ghedung Nepal
45. Euclides Pereira COICA Brazil
46. Senchumo Lotha Naga Students Federation Nagaland,India
47. Ratnaker Bhengra JOHAR India
48. Lars Anders Baer Saami Council Sweden
49. Eduardo Solang Cordillera Peoples' Alliance Philippines
50. Oki Kano Ainu International Network Japan
51. Kiyomi Matsushima AIP in Ryukyus/Uchinan-Chu Japan
52. Hidenori Chinen AIP in Ryukyus Japan
53. Andrea Flores Tonconi Organicacion de Mujereres BoliviaAymaras
del Kollasuyo (OMAK)
54. Tarcila Rivera Zea CHIRAPAQ Peru
55. Bineet Jaynel Mundu Chotanagpur Adivasi Seva India Samiti (CASS/Munda)
56. Liton Bom Chin Human Rights Organization Burma
57. Juan Leon Defensoria Maya Guatemala
58. Rigoberto Juarez Mateo Coordinadora de Organizaciones Guatemala
del Pueblo Maya de Guatemala
59. Helena Begay Sovereign Dineh Nation of Cactus USA
Valley/Red Willow Springs Community
60. Neingulo Krome Naga Peoples' Movement for India Human Rights (NPMHR)
61. Amina Zioual ANCAP-Tamaynut Morocco
62. Ahmed Arehmouch ANCAP-Tamaynut Morocco
63. Hjalmar Dahl Inuit Circumpolar Conference Greenland
64. Raja Devasish Roy Chakma Chief: TAUNGYA Bangladesh
65. Joji Carino Tebtebba Foundation United Kingdom
66. Jimid Mansayagan Lumad Mindanaw Peoples' Philippines Federation
67. Debra Harry Indigenous Peoples Council on USA Biocolonialism
68. Suhas Chakma Asian Indigenous And Tribal India Peoples' Network
69. Kabita Chakma Jumma Peoples' Network in Australia
Asia Pacific
70. Laifungbam Roy Centre for Organisation, Research India and Education (CORE)
71. Laifungbam Ongki Anna Pinto CORE India
72. Edgardo Benitez Comision Independiente para Honduras
el Desarollo y Conservacion Ambiental (CIDCA)
73. Atencio Lopez Asociacion Napguana Panama
INDIGENOUS PEOPLES' SUPPORT AND ADVOCATE GROUPS
74. Alison Johnston Canada
75.. Jose Montes France
76. Miriam Anne Frank Netherlands Centre for Indigenous The Netherlands Peoples (NCIV)
77. Fiona Archer South Africa
78. Maurizio Farhan Ferrari Forest Peoples' Programme United Kingdom
79. Enrique Cano Spain
80. Richard Rainsford
81.Genaro Blanco Pagkakaisa ng Aeta ng Pinatubo Philippines
82. Roger Gaberell Switzerland
83. Thomas Stenersen Switzerland
84. Josdoa Inaki Arregi Basque, Spain
85. Toshi Aiuchi Shimin Gaikou Centre (SGC) Japan
86. Uemura Hideaki SGC Japan
87. Lo Man Fong SGC Japan
88. Chika Onaka SGC Japan
89. Kelly Dietz SGC Japan
90. Eri Ocho SGC Japan
91. Anneke Groth Tourism Alert Switzerland
92. Carla Barbosa Secretaria do Estado de Sao Brazil
Paulo do Meio Ambiente
93. Andrea Muhlebach International Workgroup for USA
Indigenous Affairs
94. Rebecca Fan University of Colombia USA
95. Yvonne Mei-Jung Aboriginal Cultural Promotion Taiwan Association
96. Raymundo Rovillos Tebtebba Foundation Philippines
97. Alessandro Michelucci Society for Threatened Peoples Italy
98. Kristin Dawkins Institute for Agriculture and USA Trade Policy
99. Stephen Glanville Permaculture Design and USA
Education Consulting
100. John James Know Your Environment (KE) USA Opposing
Genetic Engineering (GE)
101. Jens Dahl International Workgroup for Denmark
Indigenous Affairs (IWGIA)
102. Lola Alix-Garcia IWGIA Denmark
103. Mathias Reichl Center for Encounter and Active
Non-Violence Austria
104. Theodore Rathgeber Society for Threatened Peoples Germany
Those who would like to sign on or those who signed on but there names are
not present in this list, please send an e-mail to tebtebba@skyinet.net or
vco@skyinet.net or a fax message to TEBTEBBA
FOUNDATION at 63-74-4439459.
Please write your name, your organization, and your address, and e-mail
address if you have.
==================
”NO A
LA PATENTE DE LA VIDA!
Disculpen si les llega repetido pero esto es importante
”NO A LA PATENTE DE LA VIDA!
DECLARACIÓN DE LOS PUEBLOS INDĶGENAS SOBRE LOS ASPECTOS RELACIONADOS AL
COMERCIO DE LOS DERECHOS DE PROPIEDAD INTELECTUAL (TRIPS) DEL ACUERDO DE LA
OMC
NOSOTROS, LOS PUEBLOS INDĶGENAS de todo el mundo creemos que nadie puede ser
dueńo de lo que existe en la naturaleza excepto la misma naturaleza. Un ser
humano no puede poseer a su propia madre. La humanidad es parte de la Madre
Naturaleza, no hemos creado nada y, por lo tanto, no podemos de ninguna
manera alegar ser los dueńos de lo que no nos pertenece. Pero una y otra vez
nos han sido impuestos los regķmenes legales de propiedad occidentales,
contradiciendo nuestras propias cosmologķas y valores.
VEMOS con pesar y ansiedad cómo, el Artķculo 27.3b1 de los Aspectos
Relacionados al Comercio de los Derechos de Propiedad Intelectual (TRIPS) de
los Acuerdos de la Organización Mundial del Comercio (OMC), denigrarįn y
socavarįn aun mįs nuestros derechos a nuestro patrimonio cultural e
intelectual, nuestros recursos genéticos vegetales, animales e incluso
humanos y discriminarį negativamente nuestras formas indķgenas de
pensamiento y comportamiento. Este Artķculo hace un distinción artificial
entre plantas, animales y microorganismos y entre "procesos esencialmente
biológicos" y "microbiológicos" para hacer plantas y animales. En lo que
nos
respecta todas estas son formas de vida y procesos creadores de vida que son
sagrados y que no deberķan convertirse en objeto de posesión propietaria.
NOSOTROS SABEMOS que los derechos de propiedad intelectual, tal como los
define el Acuerdo TRIPS, son derechos monopólicos otorgados a personas
individuales o legales (p. ej., corporaciones transnacionales) que puedan
probar que las invenciones o innovaciones que hacen son nuevas, implican un
paso innovador y son capaces de una aplicación industrial. La aplicación de
esta forma de derechos de propiedad sobre las cosas vivientes como si fueran
invenciones mecįnicas o industriales es inapropiada. El conocimiento
indķgena y el patrimonio cultural han evolucionado colectivamente y
acumulativamente a través de generaciones. Por lo tanto, ninguna persona en
particular puede reclamar una invención o descubrimiento de plantas
medicinales, semillas u otras cosas vivientes.
El conflicto inherente entre estos dos sistemas de conocimiento y la manera
en que son protegidos y usados causarįn una mayor desintegración de nuestros
valores y prįcticas comunales. También pueden llevar a una lucha interna
entre comunidades indķgenas sobre quién tiene la propiedad sobre un
conocimiento o innovación en particular. Ademįs, va contra la misma esencia
de la espiritualidad indķgena que considera toda creación como sagrada.
SOMOS CONSCIENTES de las diversas implicaciones del Acuerdo TRIPS sobre
nuestras vidas como pueblos indķgenas. Conducirį a la apropiación de
nuestras plantas medicinales y semillas tradicionales y de nuestro
conocimiento indķgena sobre la salud, la agricultura y la conservación de la
biodiversidad. Socavarį nuestra seguridad alimenticia, pues la diversidad y
la producción agrķcola de las cuales dependen nuestras comunidades serįn
erosionadas y serįn controladas por intereses individuales, privados y
forįneos. En adición, el Acuerdo TRIPS debilitarį substancialmente nuestros
acceso y control sobre los recursos genéticos y biológicos; saquearį
nuestros recursos y territorios; y contribuirį al deterioro de nuestra
calidad de vida.
EN LA REVISIÓN del Artķculo 27.3 (b) del Acuerdo TRIPS, por lo tanto,
nuestras propuestas son las siguientes;
Este Artķculo deberķa ser enmendado para que no permita, en forma
categórica, la patente de las formas de vida. Por lo tanto, el Artķculo 27.3
(b) revisado deberķa prohibir claramente la patente de plantas y animales,
incluyendo todas sus partes, significados, genes, secuencias genéticas,
células, proteķnas, semillas, etc. Deberķa prohibir también la patente de
procesos naturales que impliquen el uso de plantas, animales y otros
organismos vivos y sus partes y procesos usados en la producción de
variaciones de plantas, animales y microorganismos.
La previsión para la protección de variedades de plantas ya sea por una
patente, un sistema sui generis o una combinación de ambos deberķa ser
enmendada y elaborada aun mįs. Deberķa;
Impedir el uso de patentes para proteger variedades vegetales.
Asegurar que el sistema sui generis que pueda ser creado proteja el
conocimiento, innovaciones y prįcticas en los cultivos, la agricultura, el
cuidado médico y de la salud y la conservación de la biodiversidad de los
pueblos indķgenas y agricultores.
Basarse en los métodos y leyes consuetudinarias indķgenas para proteger el
conocimiento y patrimonio y los recursos biológicos.
Asegurar que la protección ofrecida a la innovación, conocimiento y
prįcticas indķgenas tradicionales sea consecuente con el Convenio sobre
Diversidad Biológica (p. ej., Artķculos 8j, 17.2 y 18.4) y el Compromiso
Internacional sobre Recursos Genéticos Vegetales.
Permitir el derecho de los pueblos indķgenas y agricultores a continuar con
sus prįcticas tradicionales de conservar, compartir e intercambiar semillas;
y del usufructo, cultivo y uso de plantas medicinales;
Impedir la apropiación, el robo y la piraterķa de semillas indķgenas,
plantas medicinales y del conocimiento en torno a las mismas por parte de
los investigadores, instituciones académicas y corporaciones, etc.
Integrar el principio y la prįctica del previo e informado consentimiento,
lo cual significa que deberķa ser obtenido el consentimiento de los pueblos
indķgenas como comunidades o colectividades antes de que se realice
cualquier investigación o recolección de plantas. Deberķa garantizarse el
derecho de los pueblos indķgenas a vetar cualquier actividad de
bioprospección. Deberķan instalarse mecanismos para implementar el previo e
informado consentimiento.
Impedir la destrucción y conversión de las tierras indķgenas que son ricas
en biodiversidad mediante proyectos como minas, plantaciones comerciales de
monocultivo, represas, etc., y reconocer los derechos de los pueblos
indķgenas a estas tierras y territorios.
Exhortamos a los Estados-Miembros de la OMC que ubiquen la enmienda del
Acuerdo TRIPS como un tema prioritario en la agenda de la próxima
Conferencia Ministerial de la OMC en Seattle. La implementación del Acuerdo
TRIPS en su forma actual tendrį consecuencias sociales y ambientales
devastadoras que serįn irreversibles. Por lo tanto, es un imperativo que
este Acuerdo sea enmendado para que prohiba la patente de formas de vida y
la piraterķa del conocimiento y de los recursos de los pueblos indķgenas.
Nosotros también hacemos un llamado a los Estados-Miembros de la OMC para
que trabajen por la extensión de la fecha final para la implementación del
Artķculo 27.3b hasta el ańo 2006, cinco ańos después de que se haya
completado la revisión del mismo.
Finalmente, reiteramos nuestro compromiso para sustentar nuestra lucha para
que se promuevan y protejan nuestros derechos a nuestro patrimonio
intelectual y cultural y a nuestras tierras y recursos. Hacemos un llamado a
la OMC para que se convierta en un instrumento de promoción de nuestros
derechos en vez de promulgar e imponer Acuerdos que violan o socavan
nuestros derechos como pueblos diferenciados.
Firmado en las Naciones Unidas, Ginebra, Suiza, el 25 de julio de 1999
SIGNATARIOS:
ORGANIZACIONES, ONGs Y REDES DE PUEBLOS
INDĶGENAS
NOMBRE ORGANIZACIÓN PAĶS
l. Victoria Tauli Corpuz
Fundación Tebtebba y
Filipinas Red de Mujeres Asiįticas
2. Aucan Huilcaman Consejo de Todas Las Tierras Mapuche Chile
3. Johnson Ole Kaunga OSILIGI (Iniciativa Grupal Organización
Kenia
por la Supervivencia de los Indķgenas Il-Likipiak)
4. Mililani Trask Na Koa Ikai Ka o Kalahui Estados Unidos
Hawaii de América
5. Antonio Jacanimijoy COICA (Coordinadora de las Ecuador
Organizaciones Indķgenas
de la Cuenca Amazónica)
6. Rodrigo de la Cruz COICA Ecuador
7. Fortunato Turpo Comisión Jurķdica de los Pueblos Perś de
Integración Tahuantinsuyana
(COJPITA)
8. Marcial Arias Asociación Napguana Panamį
9. Tomįs Condori CISA Bolivia
10. Nolasco Mamani CISA (Consejo Indio de Bolivia
Sud América)
11. Ramón Conde Taller de Historia Andina (THOA) Bolivia
12. Eugenio Poma Consejo Mundial de Iglesias Bolivia
13. Cesar Sarasara Confederación de Nacionalidades Perś
Amazónicas del Perś (CONAP
14. Eduardo Gaunilo Guatemala
15. José Canceunco Cocio México
16. Ara Rusuramang Asociación para la Promoción Taiwan
Cultural Aborigen
17. Nger-Nger Asociación para la Promoción Taiwan Cultural
Aborigen
18. Ligerlale A-wu Asociación para la Promoción Taiwan Cultural
Aborigen
18. Julius Madulu Pueblo Hadza Tanzania
19. Lourdes Maldonado Federación Indķgena y Campesina Ecuador
de Imbabura (FICI)
20. Simon Charles Pueblos Hadza Tanzania
21. Alison Johnston Primera Nación Caldwell Canadį
22.Lucy Mulenkei Red de Mujeres Africanas
Kenia Indķgenas/Red de Información Indķgena
23. Tracey Whare Ngatira Marae/ Fondo de
Tierras Ngatira Aotearoa/Nueva Zelanda
24. Estebancio Castro Movimiento de la Juventud
Panamį Kuna (MJK)
25. Marty Waters Consejo Nativo de Port
Heiden EE.UU.
26. Loyal David Hauheng Organización de
Pueblos Indķgenas Bawm Bangladesh
27. Samiran Dewan Foro para el
Desarrollo de Bangladesh Chittagong Hill Tracts
28. Khua Ukltan Organización
de Derechos Humanos Chin Birmania
29. Hkun Okker Organización
de Liberación Tailandia de los Pueblos PaO
30. David Cung Bik Ling Organización Chin
de Derechos Humanos Suiza
31. Joan Carling Alianza de los
Pueblos de la Cordillera (CPA) Filipinas
32. Chito Balintay Pagkakaisa ng
Aeta ng Pinatubo Filipinas
33. Nepuni Piku Movimiento de
los Pueblos Naga India por los
Derechos Humanos (NPMHR)
34. Clotilde Musabeyezu Asociación para
la Promoción de los Batwa Ruanda
(APB) Mujeres Masnabamdi
35. José Morales Asociación Tohil
Morales Guatemala
de los Nińos Mayas de
Guatemala
36. Kittisack Rattanakanjangrii IMPECT (Educación y Cultura
Tailandia
de los Pueblos Inter-Montańeses en Tailandia)
37. Maria Mangte Confederación India de Pueblos India
Indķgenas y Tribales (ICITP)
38. Derhagra Mochahary Frente Unido de Liberación India
Nacionalista Bodo
39. Prithibi Majhi Asociación Socio-Educativa India
y Cultural Adivasi
40. Francoise Crozier Federación de las Organizaciones
Guayana
Amerindias de la Guayana Francesa
Francesa
41.Alfred Ilenre Alianza Internacional de los Pueblos Nigeria
Indķgenas y Tribales de los Bosques Tropicales/
Organización por los Derechos
de las Minorķas Étnicas de Įfrica
42.Robi Lal Basumatra India
43. Jebra Ram Muchahary Sociedad por el Bienestar Tribal India
Rama Assam
44. Hubertus Samangun IAITPTP Indonesia
45. Parshu Ram Tamang Nepal Tamang Ghedung Nepal
46. Euclides Pereira COICA Brasil
47. Senchumo Lotha Federación de Estudiantes Naga Nagaland, India
48. Ratnaker Bhengra JOHAR India
49. Lars Anders Baer Consejo Saami Suecia
50. Eduardo Solang Alianza de los Pueblos de la Cordillera Filipinas
51. Oki Kano Red Internacional Ainu Japón
52. Kiyomi Matsushima AIP en Ryukyus/Uchinan-Chu Japón
53. Hidenori Chinen AIP en Ryukyus Japón
54. Andrea Flores Tonconi Organización de Mujeres
Bolivia
Aymarįs del Kollasuyo (OMAK)
55. Tarcila Rivera Zea CHIRAPAQ Perś
56. Bineet Jaynel Mundu Chotanagpur Adivasi Seva India
Samiti (CASS/Munda)
57. Liton Bom Organización Chin de Derechos Humanos Birmania
58. Juan León Defensorķa Maya Guatemala
59. Rigoberto Juįrez Mateo Coordinadora de Organizaciones
Guatemala
del Pueblo Maya de Guatemala
60. Helena Begay Nación Soberana Dineh de Cactus EE.UU.
Valley/Comunidad Red Willow Springs
61. Neingulo Krome Movimiento de los Pueblos Naga India
por los Derechos Humanos (NPMHR)
62. Amina Zioual ANCAP-Tamaynut Marruecos
63. Ahmed Arehmouch ANCAP-Tamaynut Marruecos
64. Hjalmar Dahl Conferencia Circumpolar Inuit Groenlandia
65. Raja Devasish Roy Jefe Chakma: TAUNGYA Bangladesh
66. Joji Carińo Fundación Tebtebba Reino Unido
67. Jimid Mansayagan Federación de Pueblos Lumad Mindanaw Filipinas
GRUPOS DE APOYO Y DEFENSORĶA DE LOS PUEBLOS
INDĶGENAS
68. José Montes Francia
69. Miriam Anne Frank Centro Holandés para Holanda
Pueblos Indķgenas (NCIV)
70. Fiona Archer Sudįfrica
71. Maurizio Farhan Ferrari Programa para los Pueblos Reino Unido
de los Bosques
72. Enrique Cano Espańa
73. Richard Rainsford
74. Genaro Blanco Pagkakaisa ng Aeta ng Pinatubo Filipinas
75. Roger Gaberell Suiza
76. Thomas Stenersen Suiza
77. Josdoa Inaki Arregi Paķs Vasco
Espańa
78. Toshi Aiuchi Centro Shimin Gaikou (SGC) Japón
79. Uemura Hideaki SGC Japón
80. Lo Man Fong SGC Japón
81. Chika Onaka SGC Japón
82. Kelly Dietz SGC Japón
83. Eri Ocho SGC Japón
84. Anneke Groth Alerta Turķstica Suiza
85. Carla Barbosa Secretarķa del Estado de San Brasil
Pablo de Medio Ambiente
86. Andrea Muhlebach Grupo de Trabajo Internacional EE.UU.
sobre Asuntos Indķgenas
87. Rebecca Fan Universidad de Colombia EE.UU.
86. Yvonne Mei-Jung Asociación para la Taiwan
Promoción Cultural Aborigen
87. Raymundo Rovillos Fundación Tebtebba Filipinas
Aquellas personas que desearan firmar, por favor envķen un correo
electrónico a tebtebba@skyinet.net o vco@skyinet.net o envķen un mensaje por
fax a TEBTEBBA FOUNDATION al 63-74-4439459. Por favor escriba su nombre, su
organización
***********
October 19, 1999 12:56 AM
Navy Sonar System Draws
Activists' Fire + much much more
Hello
If you have not heard about or covered what the US Navy is preparing to do
- using in November a powerful sonar system at full blast with devastating
and deadly results for all marine life - then it is *high* time you do
something about it! But first you MUST read the material below to have a
good idea of the threat posed by the US Navy to whales, dolphins and
countless other marine life forms.
Thank you for your prompt attention to this urgent matter -- there is an
October 28 deadline for public comments of a recent Navy-financed
environmental impact study which conceals the most critical facts observed.
Jean Hudon
Earth Rainbow Network Coordinator
http://www.cybernaute.com/earthconcert2000
Get the FACTS and FULL Story and what you can do- click HERE to our
Environment Page!
***********
Genocidal
bill HR 1814
Oct. 18, 1999
Greetings:
The American Indian Movement of Florida asks all HUMAN BEINGS to take
note
of a undisguised attack on the sovereign rights of Indian Nations called HR
1814. This bill, in basic form, would force Indian Nations to pay sales tax
to the states that they are surrounded by. If they fail to pay they will lose
trust lands that might be returned, according to the bill, if they pay back
taxes etc,
This is nothing but a continuation of the history. The new Custers and
Chivingtons are named Bob Graham who parlays himself as a democrat and
environmentalist and now can be exposed as a FRAUD, also from Florida a Rep.
Rothman, Rep. Canaday.
We sincerely hope the good people, that surely must exist within the halls of
Congress, have the wherewithall to support this insane piece of legislative
fiat. We shall support any lobby in any fashion we can from here to oppose
and kill this bill.
However we call upon ALL HUMAN BEINGS to do everything possible from
this
moment forward to oppose REP. Graham, Canady, Rothman and the other
"Custer's" who authored this anti-Indian, Anti-Treaty rights and
anti-sovereignty piece of legislation in their futures. It is the goal of
Florida AIM that these uncloaked anti-Indian forces political future is
non-existent.
Thank You.
***********
Military
expansion into Sami reindeer pasturelands in Norway
PLEASE SEND PETITIONS TO: kristian@nu.no
Dear friends
Could you / your organisation please sign this petition and return it to
us either by mail or fax (+47 776 11 069). It would also have been
nice if you could send it to other organisations that work with peace,
human rights, indigenous peoples rights and environmental issues. If you
have any questions do not hesitate to ask by mail.
Thanks,
Kristian Egil Torheim
Friend of The Earth Norway
return e-mail: kristian@nu.no
STOP "MAUKEN-BLAATIND"
The military field "Mauken-Blaatind" in Troms County, Norway, was passed
by the Norwegian parliament on 8 April 1997. The military field will
destroy the pastures of the reindeer-herding Samis in the entire area.
This will not only take away the livelihood from the people in the 11
reindeer-herding units in the area, but in effect take away the material
foundation of the Indigenous culture from the entire Mauken-Blaatind
region.
"Mauken-Blaatind" will be a bigger intrusion in Sami areas than the
catastrophic building of the Alta-dam in 1981. The reindeer-herding
Samis in the area will take the case to International courts, but the
ministry of Defence has proclaimed that they will not wait for the
court's decision. If they don't, a victory in court will be useless.
Establishing Mauken-Blaatind is against the 169. ILO-convention of 1989,
and the 27. article in the "UN-convention on civil and political
rights"
of 1966. According to these international laws, one can't destroy the
natural resources of indigenous peoples.
Norway was the first country to ratify ILO-169 convention. This gives
Norway a special responsibility of respecting the rights of Indigenous
Peoples.
* We demand that the Norwegian government must respect indigenous
peoples' rights and stop the establishment of the military field
Mauken-Blaatind.
*********
Sent: Friday, October 15, 1999 1:48 PM
Declaration in
Peltier's support for executive clemency
PLEASE REPLY TO <bayou@blarg.net
Subject: Declaration in Support of Executive Clemency for Leonard Peltier
please post widely
From: NORTHWEST LEONARD PELTIER SUPPORT NETWORK
Tacoma Office
P.O. BOX 5464
TACOMA. WA 98415-0464
e-mail; bayou@blarg.net
In the month of November there will be major month long campaign
for executive clemency for Leonard Peltier. We intend to use every
means of communication possible to convey our message to President
Clinton. We ask that all who support executive clemency to please sign
the document below. On October 29th we will send the declaration out
to all who have signed it with the list of those who have also signed. We
ask that each person send it to the White House on Nov.1, along with a
short statement by each as to why they signed it. Those who wish to
sign on to the declaration please send to the NWLPSN at;
bayou@blarg.net, how you wish to be listed.
In Solidarity
Arthur J. Miller
NWLPSN
NOVEMBER FREEDOM MONTH DECLARATION IN SUPPORT OF
EXECUTIVE CLEMENCY FOR LEONARD PELTIER
WHEREAS; The events that led up to the firefight on the Pine Ridge
Oglala Lakota Reservation on July 26, 1975 created an situation of
extreme concern for the lives and well-being of many Oglala people.
Because of that great concern traditional Oglala Elders requested the
assistance of the American Indian Movement (AIM) and among the AIM
members who responded to the request was Leonard Peltier.
WHEREAS; On July 26, 1975 two unmarked cars came into the area
where AIM had an encampment in the same manner that a number of
other driveby shootings had occurred on Pine Ridge, the AIM members
believed that they were under attack. In the firefight that resulted one
AIM member and two FBI agents were killed. In the first trial of AIM
members this was clearly shown for they were found not guilty because
the jury believed that they acted in self-defense.
WHEREAS; In the case of Leonard Peltier, there is proven FBI
misconduct including fraudulent affidavits used to extradite him from
Canada, the suppression of key evidence of innocence at his trial, the
coercion of witnesses, perjury by government agents and the refusal
of the trial judge to allow the same type of defense evidence that led to
a not guilty verdict in the first trial. For these reasons Leonard Peltier
did not have a fair trial and was found guilty.
WHEREAS; Leonard Peltier's attorneys have disproven the government's
case against Leonard, in the appeals process, to the point that the
government's prosecutor in this case has conceded that they don't know
who killed their agents and if they had to try Leonard again they do not
have the evidence to reconvict him.
THEREFORE; We the undersigned view the continuing imprisonment of
Leonard Peltier to be extremely unjust and a blight upon the principles
that the United States of America claims to follow. Throughout the world
and along with many citizens of the United States, people of all walks of
life have called for you, President Clinton, to grant Leonard Peltier
executive clemency. We the undersigned wish to add our names to that
request.
+++ Names Omitted for this posting+++
Please return to NWLPSN; bayou@blarg.net
***********
October 15,
1999 10:34 AM
MUMIA online petition
Click here to sign this petition:
http://www.e-thepeople.com/petition.cfm?PETID=259107
To Governor Thomas Ridge of Pennsylvania,
The signers of this petition voice our outrage at your
signing the death warrant of Mumia Abu-Jamal, a prisoner on
Pennsylvania's death row. You chose to ignore the judge,
Albert Sabo, who has sentenced more people to death (mostly
African-Americans) than any other judge in America. You
chose to ignore the fact that Mumia was denied the right to
choose his own attorney or represent himself. You chose to
ignore the witnesses who have come forward and stated that
they originally testified against Mumia due to police
coersion. And you ignored the fact that ballistics tests
were unclear and did not add up.
In 1995 you signed the death warrant for Mumia Abu-Jamal,
and WORLDWIDE protests stopped his execution. Let it be
known that we, people of conscience, are protesting your
corrupt and immoral decision.
Click here to sign this petition:
http://www.e-thepeople.com/petition.cfm?PETID=259107
E- The People, http://www.e-thepeople.com,
is a free, nonpartisan
Web service promoting better communication between citizens and
government.
*************
Heritage_Forests
alert: Historic Step for Heritage Forests
Date: Thu, 14 Oct 1999 20:39:16 GMT
You can take action on this alert either on the web or by email.
Here's what this alert is about:
Historic Step for Heritage Forests
----------------------
Dear Forest Enthusiast:
As you may already know, this Wednesday, October 13, President
Clinton announced that he is taking historic action to protect
America's Heritage Forests. This is a tremendous victory for
our last wild forests!
At Little Rivers Roadless Area in Virginia, Bill Clinton called
for a renewal of the human spirit and requested that the
National Forest Service develop a policy for permanently
protecting roadless areas in our National Forests. While we
still have much to do to ensure the President's vision becomes
reality, this is a giant step in the right direction.
Clinton's announcement took place in no small part because of
your involvement with the Heritage Forests Campaign. You were
one of over 185,000 Americans who expressed concern over the
future of National Forests via the Internet.
Your e-activism caught the attention of the Clinton
Administration and is one of the key reasons why these
endangered areas are on track to be permanently protected.
However the timber industry and their allies in Congress will be
fighting hard to ensure that this proposal is never implemented,
which is why your input is needed.
Please help us thank President Clinton for caring about our
forests. We want to make sure he knows how important it is
that he continue to move forward on this critical issue. All
you have to do click the "reply" button to this e-mail and an
email copy of your letter will be automatically sent to
President Clinton.
For the Forests, for the Future,
Rebekah Brooks
rebekah@emediacy.org
PS. Visit http://www.ourforests.org/update.htm
for more
detailed information and news about this announcement.
----------------------
INSTRUCTIONS TO RESPOND VIA THE WEB:
If you have access to a web browser, you can take action on this
alert by going to the following URL:
http://actionnetwork.org/take-action.tcl?key=350611A2769B939933556C88088
INSTRUCTIONS TO RESPOND VIA EMAIL:
Responding via email to this alert is easy. Just choose the "reply to
sender" option on your email program, and edit the letter below as you
wish. If your email program does not have a "reply to sender"
option,
you can copy and paste the letter below into a new email message and
mail it to alert-response-350611A2769B939933556C88088@actionnetwork.org.
You must include the whole letter in your response starting with
"-YOU MAY EDIT THE LETTER BELOW-" and ending with "-END OF
LETTER-".
We STRONGLY encourage you to make edits directly to our sample letter
below, and put the alert talking points into your own words. An
individualized letter is worth ten computer generated letters. Of
course, hundreds of unedited letters will still create a large impact,
so please reply even if you don't have time to personalize the letter.
Your letter will be addressed and sent to:
President Bill Clinton
-------YOU MAY EDIT THE LETTER BELOW---------
I want to thank you for announcing plans to implement a policy
that will hopefully provide much needed protection to our
country's remaining roadless wild lands in the National Forests.
This bold and decisive action is the first step toward ensuring
that a true legacy of heritage forests is passed on to future
generations of Americans.
Roadless areas provide a host of important public values. They
are sources of clean water and healthy and viable wildlife
habitat and provide unlimited opportunities for recreation and
spiritual renewal. With a mere 18 percent of National Forest
lands protected as wilderness and more than 50 percent
already open to logging, road-building, and other destructive
activities, we need to act now to safeguard these remaining wild
areas.
The announcement that you will be pursuing a roadless area
protection policy is an excellent first step. Your continued
engagement is critical to ensuring that the final policy affords
permanent protection to roadless areas in all National Forests
from logging, mining, and other destructive activities as well
as from new roads.
Thank you for your commitment to protecting National Forest
roadless areas.
-------END OF LETTER-------------------------
*********
October 12, 1999
APPEAL TO
THE VATICAN AND POPE JOHN PAUL II,
Revoke the Papal Bull
"Inter Caetera" of May 4, 1493!
On November 28, 1998, Pope John Paul II called "Christianity's 2,000th
anniversary a year of mercy," saying "the church will seek
forgiveness,"
"atonement," and that he "wants the church to enter the third
millennium
with a clear conscience" (Associated Press).
We, the undersigned, join with indigenous peoples everywhere in calling
upon Pope John Paul II to revoke the 1493 Bull "Inter Caetera." We
recognize that this would be a spiritually significant step towards
creating a new way of life, and a step away from the greed and
subjugation in a history that has oppressed, exploited and destroyed
countless numbers of indigenous peoples throughout the world.
The Bull "Inter Caetera," like many other edicts issued before it
by the
Vatican, established Christian dominion and subjugation of non-Christian
"pagan" peoples and their lands and has yet to be revoked.
Sincerely,
Paul Pureau
Laik Timu
Carmel Mancer
Coral Pureau
Karl Pureau
Kahu Pickering
Dodie Finstead- Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church
Ellis Smith -
*********
October 12, 1999 1:29 PM
GRASSROOTS SIGN
ON LETTER OPPOSING GLOBAL FREE LOGGING AGREEMENT
TO SIGN ON: send your name, title, organization/tribal affiliation name,
and address to the Seventh Generation Fund's email at office@7genfund.org
or fax (707) 825-7639 or phone (707) 825-7640. Or, try our website at
www.7genfund.org.
October 8, 1999
The Honorable Charlene Barshefsky
United States Trade Representative
600 Seventeenth Street, NW
Washington, DC 20508
Dear Ambassador Barshefsky,
As Native Peoples and Nations, we stand firmly opposed to the Clinton
Administration's current position at the World Trade Organization (WTO)
favoring the Global Free Logging Agreement that proposes the dangerous
"Advanced Tariff Liberalization" (ATL) initiative. At the upcoming WTO
ministerial meeting in Seattle, Washington, we shall urge the
Administration to demonstrate a true commitment to conserving forests
rather than continue its destructive trade policy that treats forests as if
they were mere commodities and the Indigenous peoples that inhabit such
forests as expendable peoples.
Accelerated tariff phase-out for wood products would accelerate worldwide
forest destruction and destroy the cultures and homelands of many Native
Nations who have inhabited such forests for many millennia. According to
American Forest and Paper Association officials, tariff-free trade will
lead to a three to four percent increase in wood product consumption
worldwide. Such increased consumption leads to increased logging. The
current logging practices have already decimated much of the world's
forests and far too many Indigenous Peoples' cultures. A further increase
in such unsustainable practices made possible through the ATL will hasten
deforestation and render extinct many more Indigenous Peoples of the
world.
The U.S. should also reject any wood product negotiations that threaten to
treat legitimate conservation measures as illegal "non-tariff trade
barriers." Rather, we strongly recommend that the Administration propose
specific methods to restrict the WTO's jurisdiction over environmental
protection laws. We would object to any new trade rules that might provide
a basis for successful WTO dispute challenges against established Treaties
and domestic policies that protect the rights of Indigenous Peoples.
Similarly, the U.S. should make clear that it would vigorously oppose any
negotiations that could lead to restrictions on the sovereignty of Native Nations.
Finally and most importantly, we urge the Administration to stop
participating in the wood product negotiations until a comprehensive
analysis of the implications of tariff elimination is completed. We
recommend an adherence to mandated procedures established under the
National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA). Also, we urge the
Administration to assess the potential erosion that the ATL would have upon
the established trust obligations that the federal Government has with
American Indian Tribe.
Please join us in this effort.
Sincerely,
Christopher H. Peters
Executive Director
**********
11 Oct 1999 14:49:43 -0700
Diabetes Petition
Hi Everyone,
I was wondering if you might be interested in signing a petition on the
American Diabetes Association webpage. The petition is to support finding a
cure, and they are shooting for 250,000 signatures.
Presently, they have 77,000. My Uncle suffered and died from Diabetes, my
ex-father-in-law is now on dialysis, and my best friend's mother just died
from it. Diabetes is a rampant on the rez. Please, if you feel guided to,
please sign the petition.
Maybe more money will be allocated to research for a cure.
http://www.diabetes.org/advocacy/petition/default.asp
NOTE:
This was found through the AOL health page.
Just a little info......
Prevalence of diabetes by race/ethnicity in people 20 years or older*
Non-Hispanic whites: 11.3 million. 7.8% of all non-Hispanic whites have
diabetes.
Non-Hispanic blacks: 2.3 million. 10.8% of all non-Hispanic blacks have diabetes.
On average, non-Hispanic blacks are 1.7 times as likely to have diabetes as
non-Hispanic whites of similar age.
Mexican Americans: 1.2 million. 10.6% of all Mexican Americans have diabetes.
On average, Mexican Americans are 1.9 times as likely to have diabetes as
non-Hispanic whites of similar age.
Other Hispanic/Latino Americans: On average, Hispanic/Latino Americans are
almost twice as likely to have diabetes as non-Hispanic whites of similar
age. (Sufficient data are not currently available to derive more specific estimates.)
American Indians and Alaska Natives: 9% of American Indians and Alaska
Natives have diagnosed diabetes. On average, American Indians and Alaska
Natives are 2.8 times as likely to have diagnosed diabetes as non-Hispanic
whites of similar age.
Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders: Prevalence data for diabetes among
Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are limited. Some groups within this
population are at increased risk for diabetes. For example, data collected
from 1988 to 1995 suggest that Native Hawaiians are twice as likely to have
diagnosed diabetes as white residents of Hawaii.
* These figures do not include the approximately 123,000 cases of diabetes in
children and teenagers in the United States.
***********
Need
your help to save a massacre site
October 9, 1999
Our group has started an on-line petition. I hope you
will look at it and help us by passing on this
information to as many as possible.
Bear River Massacre
On the cold wintry day of January 29, 1863, the
largest massacre of Native Americans in the history of
this country occurred near present day Preston, Idaho.
In that early dawn morning, nearly 200 members of the
Third California Volunteers under the command of
Colonel Patrick Connor swooped down and brutally
massacred 368+ Shoshoni Indians, with women and
children being among the victims. It is a little known
battle which had grave consequences for not only the
Shoshoni, but for all Native peoples who were victims
of wanton slaughter on their home territories for
living in area which was appropriated by others.
The area today has a small monument and weathered
wooden plaque which gives no true testimony to the
bloody events that happened there. Formal studies and
surveys have been done and the consideration to turn
it into a National Historic Site has been completed.
As of now it would take an act of Congress to pass a
bill to make this dream a reality. Nothing has been
done to finalize this last step.
Please add your signature to this petition today. We,
who can give voice to the silent tongues of those
slain at Bear River those many years ago should do no
less to honor their sacrifice.
On line Petition:
http://www.e-thepeople.com/petition.cfm?PETID=190492
Our Web site:
http://users.efortress.com/genealogy
I hope this will help and I hope you can help our
cause. Keep up the good work,
Kerry Brinkerhoff
President
Friends of the Native Americans of Northern Utah
************
FCNL special alert to Native American
Legislative Update recipients
Wed, 6 Oct 1999
As a disproportionate amount of U.S. nuclear testing has historically taken
place in and around Indian Country, I am forwarding this emergency alert on
the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty to Native American Legislative Updates
list recipients. If this issue is of concern to you, please read on, and
be sure to check the list of key senators to contact below--yours may be a
critical swing vote.
Thanks,
Aura Kanegis
FCNL Legislative Associate for Native American
Affairs
IT IS NOW OR NEVER FOR THE COMPREHENSIVE TEST BAN TREATY!!!! Activists have
been working for forty years to end nuclear weapons tests. Now is our
chance. We have only seven days to find the votes.
The Senate will vote on the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) on
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 12. Floor debate is scheduled to begin on Friday, October 8.
Senators Helms (NC) and Lott (MS) caught everyone by surprise last week
when they called for a prompt vote on the CTBT. They left CTBT supporters
with
very little time to mobilize the country and two-thirds (67) of the Senate
to support this crucial treaty.
All 45 Democrats plus Republican Sens. Jeffords (VT), Chafee (RI), and
Specter (PA) have stated their support of the treaty. IF YOUR SENATOR IS
NOT AMONG THESE SUPPORTERS, PLEASE CALL HIM/HER TODAY!!! Capitol
Switchboard: 202-224-3121 (Or see office numbers for key senators
below)
1) It is time to ban nuclear weapons tests world wide.
2) Banning nuclear weapons tests will advance U.S. and international
security.
3) This treaty is key to preventing the proliferation of nuclear weapons.
4) Without U.S. Senate ratification, other countries will not ratify,
nuclear arms races will resume, and U.S. and global security will be in
jeopardy.
ACTION:
a) Call your senator if he or she is on the list below.
b) Call all of your friends who live in states listed below. Ask them
to call.
c) Talk to the editorial board of your local newspaper. Ask them to
write an editorial in support by Sunday.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Call FCNL or see the FCNL web
site at:
http://www.fcnl.org/issues/global_security/glo_bkgd_test_ban.htm
245 Second Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002 (202)
547-6000
fcnl@fcnl.org www.fcnl.org
***************************************************
Key Senators to Contact--Comprehensive
Test Ban
Treaty
STATE: SENATOR: PHONE: FAX:
Alaska Murkowski, Frank K. 202-224-6665
202-224-5301
Alaska Stevens, Ted 202-224-3004 202-224-2354
Arizona McCain, John 202-224-2235 202-228-2862
Colorado Allard, Wayne 202-224-5941
202-224-6471
Colorado Nighthorse, Ben 202-224-5852
202-224-1933
Delaware Roth, William V. 202-224-2441
Florida Mack, Connie 202-224-5274 202-224-8022
Georgia Coverdell, Paul 202-224-3643
202-228-3783
Iowa Grassley, Charles E. 202-224-3744
202-224-6020
Idaho Crapo, Michael D. 202-224-6142
Illinois Fitzgerald, Peter G. 202-224-2854
202-228-1372
-
Indiana Lugar, Richard G. 202-224-4814
202-228-0360
Kansas Roberts, Pat 202-224-4774 202-224-3514
Kansas Brownback, Sam 202-224-6521 202-228-1265
Kentucky McConnell, Mitch 202-224-2541
202-224-2499
Kentucky Bunning, Jim 202-224-4343
202-228-1373
Maine Snowe, Olympia 202-224-5344
202-224-1946
Maine Collins, Susan M. 202-224-2523
202-224-2693
Michigan Abraham, Spencer 202-224-4822
202-224-8834
Minnesota Grams, Rod 202-224-3244
202-228-0956
Mississippi Lott, Trent 202-224-6253
202-224-2262
Missouri Bond, Christopher S. 202-224-5721
202-224-8149
Montana Burns, Conrad 202-224-2644 202-224-8594
Nebraska Hagel, Chuck 202-224-4224
202-224-5213
New Hampshire Gregg, Judd 202-224-3324
202-224-4952
New Mexico Domenici, Pete V. 202-224-6621
Ohio DeWine, Mike 202-224-2315
202-224-6519
Ohio Voinovich, George 202-224-3353
202-228-1382
Oregon Smith, Gordon H. 202-224-3753
202-228-3997
Pennsylvania Santorum, Rick 202-224-6324
202-228-0604
Rhode Island Chafee, John H. 202-224-2921
South Carolina Thurmond, Strom 202-224-5972
202-224-1300
Tennessee Frist, Bill 202-224-3344
202-228-1264
Tennessee Thompson, Fred D. 202-224-4944
202-228-3679
Utah Hatch, Orrin G. 202-224-5251
202-224-6331
Utah Bennett, Robert F. 202-224-5444
202-228-1168
Virginia Warner, John William 202-224-2023
202-224-6295
Washington Gorton, Slade 202-224-3441
202-224-9393
Wyoming Enzi, Michael B. 202-224-3424
202-228-0359
Wyoming Thomas, Craig 202-224-6441 202-224-1724
R. Aura Kanegis
Legislative Associate for Native American Affairs
Friends Committee on National Legislation
245 2nd St. NE
Washington, DC 20002
(202)547-6000 ext. 112
FAX: (202)547-6019
aura@fcnl.org
http://www.fcnl.org
***************
McCAIN
Letters
A lot of e-mails have come into SOL from people who want to get a letter
to Mccain. Here is his address:
Senator John McCain
241 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
He is best contacted by mail, as his office insists that they respond to
regular mail.
Keep in mind he is inextricably linked to the accomodation agreement and
that the simple facts are the most damaging:
relocation
relocation to sanders (uranium spill)
bennett freeze
religious intolerance (ie: this years sundance)
livestock impoundment and abuse
denial of basic American principals
Also, with his campaign gearing up, now is the time to put energy into his
direction. He just may turn out to be the one with a concience. Remember
he was grilled at two booksignings in a few days span, a whole country
apart.
Mauro
SOL
*******************
Help stop the buffalo
slaughter
Date: Fri, 1 Oct 1999 12:36:01 -0500
From: "J.D.K. Chipps" jdkc@WOPTURA.COM
I would like to remind everyone that there is an extremely
easy way to write letters of protest against the slaughter
of our buffalo.
Just go to:
http://woptura.com/rescue.html
and scroll down to the link that says:
"Write today to protest the slaughter of our Buffalo"
It's already addressed, so you don't have to look up or type
out addresses, just fill in your comments on the slaughter
and click "Send".
It's easy, it's simple, and it may save a life.
Please write today, and often, and remember the guilty party
is Racicot. He alone bears the responsibility for this
slaughter, the DOL just work for him.
Pilamaya yelo
************************
Petition to support women
against violence act
Oct. 1, 1999
From: "Ellis Smith" smithorg@bellatlantic.net
This petition is rather important to me and your support and advocacy on this would
be highly appreciated. I will now tell you why. This past spring I was
planning on
visiting my friend lyn, she lives a few hours away but had lost her phone no. I had
not heard from her and actually had become a bit worried. When she did get a hold
of me I found my worry was justified. I had read it in the paper but didn't connect
the names.
Her daughter she'd mentioned had been having some marital difficulties but overtly
didn't seem to be that bad other then say normal marital spatting. This spring
he struck her and so her daughter decided to file for divorce/separation until her
husband could get psychological help.
He responded by walking calmly into her office and shooting her dead. He had
already had a restraining order out on him but no one bothered much to enforce
it. Now her daughter is dead. She was a beautiful twenties something girl with
a life and career in front of her and because of the massive holes in the system
in this god forsaken state of NJ shes now another statistic of victims. It has
taken her mother almost six months to come to grips with this and her effort
at raising awareness in the face of this devastating event cannot be applauded
enough. She serves as a beacon of taking a tragic defeat and attempting to
turn it into a victory. My heart goes out to her and I hope we can all support
her in this endeavor.
Ellis Smith
From: Lyn <hafford@htn.net
Sent: Friday, October 01, 1999 1:09 AM
Subject: Petition to support passage of the 1999 Violence Against Women
Act
Hi!
I now have my lobbying hat on. I would like you to visit
http://www.vawact.com and sign the
petition to show your support for
enenacting the 1999 violence against women act. This important
legislation would
support ongoing programs which were initially funded five years ago so
that women and children could lead lives free of violence.
Thank you for considering this important issue.
"Lauren's Mom"
laurensmom@iname.com
AMERI-ADVOCATE FEATURED PETITIONS FOR SEPTEMBER 1999
Sent: Thursday, September 16, 1999
4:02 AM
"Freedom to Milk"
Amendment
----------
The government is doing everything it can to eliminate trade barriers
so other countries can sell their goods in America without any kind of
import tax, yet they impose a tax on one of the basic diet items when moving
from state to state. Doesn't make sense, but most government programs don't
make sense. Why not ask your Congressman or Senator why this relic is still
in effect, and while you are at it, encourage them to support this
Amendment.
"Freedom to Milk" Amendment Protects the Poor and Small Dairy Farmer,
Group Says Amendment would save consumers $674 million per year
Washington, DC- Americans for Tax Reform has called for an end to the
"milk
tax" which, according to United States Department of Agriculture, would
save consumers $674 million per year.
"Since milk is a staple, this 'milk tax' disproportionately affects poor
families," said Michael Kamburowski, vice president for legislative
affairs
at Americans for Tax Reform. "Poor families with young children have
to spend a higher proportion of their income on milk because of the milk
tax."
The "Freedom to Milk" (FTM) amendment, introduced by Rep. John Boehner
(R-OH), aims to end the 66 year-old federal milk marketing orders
program. Under the current system, the price of milk is determined in part by
how far consumers reside from Eau Claire, Wisconsin.
The amendment would phase out the milk-marketing system and allow dairy
farmers to compete free of government interference. Currently, dairy
farmers are subsidized in regions where it is more expensive to produce milk at
the expense of farmers in regions where production is more efficient.
"The milk-marketing program is a Depression-era relic that doesn't work
anymore," Kamburowski added. "It has accelerated the gradual demise
of
the small American dairy farm, about 40,000 of which have shut down since
1993."
ATR supports the freedom of American farmers to set their daily prices
according to market forces, not government fiat.
ATR is a national coalition of more than 90,000 taxpayers and 3,000
taxpayer organizations committed to opposing tax increases at the state and
federal level. ATR has collected signed pledges from 209 U.S. Representatives,
41 Senators, and 1,136 state legislators opposed to raising taxes.
For more information about ATR or to arrange an interview with Mr.
Kamburowski please contact Chad Cowan at (202)785-0266, email to
ccowan@atr-dc.org, or visit www.atr.org.
*****************
AMERI-ADVOCATE FEATURED PETITIONS FOR JUNE 1999
Subject:
EMERGENCY ACTION / MEXICO
Global Response "Quick Response Network":
This Emergency Action Alert is circulated by the American Lands Alliance.
Read it carefully for the link to our Action Alert on Boise Cascade's
chipmill in Chile (GR Action #2/99. For full text, see
http://www.globalresponse.org).
Please send letters to free environmental
activist Rodolfo Moniel Flores from a Mexican jail.
ACTION ALERT---FREE RODOLFO MONTIEL FROM
JAIL
Mexican Campesino-Ecologist Leader that
Stopped U.S.
Logging Giant Boise Cascade is Tortured, Imprisoned by Soldiers
On May 2, 1999, Rodolfo Montiel Flores, the Mexican campesino who last
year successfully led public opposition against destructive logging
operations by one of the world's largest timber corporations, Boise
Cascade, in the coastal state of Guerrero, was arrested by federal
soldiers on charges of running guns and drugs. According to
investigators from Mexico's National Human Rights Commission, he was
badly beaten and is now in solitary confinement in the prison of Coyuca
de Catal·n, Guerrero. Leaders of local campesino, environmental, and
human rights groups say that, not only is Rodolfo Montiel innocent, but
his being denied adequate medical treatment, food, and water is a
violation of his basic human rights and he should be freed immediately.
Guerrero's forests have been identified by the World Resources Institute
as one of North America's last "frontier forests," that is, one of the
world's few remaining large tracts of relatively undisturbed forest.
Mexico ranks fifth in the world for species diversity, according to the
United Nations.
Mexican soldiers entered the small village of Pizotla around 10 o'clock
Sunday morning, May 2, shooting upon unarmed people. One campesino,
SalomČ S·nchez Ortiz, was shot dead. Rodolfo Montiel, along with
Teodoro Cabrera Garcia, were taken into custody and beaten. Military
officials characterized the two as "members of an ecologist-guerrilla
organization."
Rodolfo has been accused of such illegal activities ever since he helped
found the Organization of Campesinos and Ecologists of the Sierra de
Petatl·n. Poor farmers and ecologists united to protect Guerrero's
forests from logging by the Guerrero-based subsidiary of Boise Cascade
(of Boise, Idaho) that contracted with leaders of communal land
holdings, or ejidos, to supply logs for export. When destructive
logging practices in the hills diminished water to farmers below,
community opposition brought the cutting to a halt.
Key beneficiaries of Boise Cascade's operations have previously
threatened Rodolfo Montiel by personally showing up at community
meetings armed, acting aggressively toward him, and demanding that
logging restart. Three months after logging was suspended, Boise
Cascade's manager of human resources in Guerrero, Bernardo Fernandez,
was quoted in local papers as saying, "there is no official decision
about the closure of the operations." Immediately after Rodolfo's
arrest, some of Boise Cascade's local contractors began logging again.
Local community pressure has, for now, stopped them. More than one
year after suspending operations, Boise Cascade's continuing role in
Guerrero is still unclear. What is clear is that one of the leading
critics of their Guerrero operations is in prison.
It is not clear why Rodolfo was arrested at this time. Forest
protection groups who are successfully campaigning against Boise
Cacade's proposed investment in Chile believe that the company may be
going back to access other potential sources of wood. The Cascada Chile
project would log some of the world's few remaining native coastal
temperate rainforest to feed the world's largest chip mill. Several
environmental lawsuits and a one million dollar government fine for
destroying archaeological remains has complicated, delayed, and
increased the costs for Boise Cascade's plans in Chile.
Boise Cascade signed deals for exclusive rights with with then-governor
RubČn Figueroa Alcocer to log Guerrero's forests shortly after the North
American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) went into effect. Figueroa was
later forced out of office after national television broadcasted a video
exposing his covering up the "Aguas Blancas" massacre, where state
police ambushed dozens of peasants (killing seventeen and wounding
twenty others) who were protesting other logging in the region.
Boise Cascade's behavior in Mexico is not unlike the story of Shell Oil
in Nigeria, where a powerful global corporation depends on local
corruption to extract resources for export, often at the expense of
local communities, the environment and human rights. Shell was the
target of international outcry for not intervening to stop the Nigerian
government's execution of one of Shell's biggest critics, Ken
Saro-Wiwa. As potentially the greatest beneficiary from Rodolfo
Montiel's arrest, Boise Cascade risks being put in the same light as
Shell by not intervening on his behalf.
Please join the national and international campaign for the freedom and
respect of the civil and human rights of Rodolfo Montiel Flores and the
other defenders of the forest jailed with him. Demand their immediate
release from prison. See below details of "what you can do."
REQUESTED ACTION:
Send letters or faxes to the Mexican government officials listed below, and
to Boise Cascade. A model letter is provided.
MODEL LETTER TO BOISE CASCADE AND MEXICAN
GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS:
Dear Sirs,
We are aware of the arrest and violent treatment of Rodolfo Montiel
Flores and other defenders of the forest in Mexico's state of Guerrero.
We deplore this violation of their civil and human rights and call upon
you to work for their immediate release and to guarantee their safety.
We further recognize that Rodolfo Montiel Flores, Teodoro Cabrera
Garcia, and others jailed or killed in May of 1999 had protested against
the logging contracted by U.S. logging giant Boise Cascade.
We call upon Boise Cascade Corporation to immediately intervene on his
behalf, to secure his release from prison, and to ensure his personal
safety, as well as those of his family and community. Anything less
will be regarded as evidence of continued collusion with corrupt
officials in Guerrero.
We, of the international community, support the right of local
communities to protect their forest resources from degradation.
We support the efforts of the campesinos of Guerrero to resist the
degradation of their forest for the financial benefit of transnational
corporations like Boise Cascade.
We call on you to obtain the immediate release from prison of Rodolfo
Montiel Flores, Teodoro Cabrera Garcia and others.
We call on the Mexican President of the Human Rights Commission to
urgently intervene and to defend the international and constitutional
human rights of Rodolfo Montiel Flores and other related campesinos
within this case.
We call on the Mexican General Prosecutor to intervene and clarify with
law the false accusation of Rodolfo Montiel Flores and other campesinos
related in this case, deny the accusation and punish the murderers of
dead campesinos.
We call on the Federal Environmental Defender and Prosecutor to stop the
illegal process of destruction of the forests, the violation of Mexican
Environmental Law, and punish the eventual complicity of PROFEPA's
Guerrero State officials.
We call on the Ministry of Natural Resources, Environment and Fisheries
to apply all its legal authority and take all mesures to stop the
violations of Mexican Environmental Law, and the eventual complicity of
other SEMARNAP officials.
ADDRESSES:
George Harad, Chief Executive Officer
Boise Cascade
PO Box 50, Boise Idaho 83728
Tel: 208-384-6161
Fax: 208-384-4912
M. en C. Antonio Azuela, Procuraduria Federal de Defensa del Ambiente
(PROFEPA)
Periferico Sur No. 5000, Col. Insurgentes , Cuicuilco, Coyoacan
C.P. 04530, Mexico D.F., MEXICO
Fax: (525) 528-5432
Lic. Jorge Madrazo Cuellar, Procuraduria General de la Republica (PGR)
Reforma Norte No. 75, sotano, Col. Guerrero
06300, Mexico, D.F., MEXICO
Fax: (525)626-4419/4003
M. en C. Julia Carabias Lillo
Secretaria del Medio Ambiente Recursos Naturales y Pesca (SEMARNAP)
Periferico Sur 4209, 6 piso, Frac. Jarndines en la MontaŅa, Delegacion
Tlalpan
14210 Mexico, D.F.
Fax: 525-628-0643
<Jcarabias@buzon.semarnap.gob.mx
Dra. Mireille Rocatti, Comision Nacional de Derechos Humanos (CNDH)
Periferico Sur 3469, Col. San Jeronimo Lidice
10200 Mexico, D.F., MEXICO
Fax: (525) 681-5482
<correo@cndh.org.mx
For more information or sources of the above information contact:
Pat Rasmussen <prasmussen@igc.apc.org
American Lands Alliance
726-7th St. SE
Washington, DC 20003
GLOBAL RESPONSE is an international letter-writing network of environmental
activists. In partnership with indigenous, environmentalist and peace and
justice organizations around the world, GLOBAL RESPONSE develops
"Actions"
that describe specific, urgent threats to the environment; each "Action"
asks members to write personal letters to individuals in the corporations,
governments or international organizations that have the power and
responsibility to take corrective action. GR also issues "Young
Environmentalists' Actions" and "Eco-Club Actions" designed to
educate and
motivate elementary and high school students to practice earth stewardship.
P.O. Box 7490
Phone: 303/444-0306
Boulder CO, USA 80306-7490
Fax:
303/449-9794
To receive Global Response materials by e-mail, send an e-mail message to:
majordomo@igc.apc.org
In the body of your message, type this text:
subscribe globresmembers
Visit our website at: http://www.globalresponse.org
*******************
We, the undersigned, are highly distressed to
find out that Mr. Winter,
the Director of Traditional Native American Tobacco/Seed Bank and
Education Program in New Mexico is under an unwarranted attack by
federal beauracracies and has been asked to cease and desist producing
ceremonial tobacco for use by American Indians. This is a serious
threat to our religious rights as American Indians, and we vehemently
protest this newest attack on our cultural heritage and rights.
We support Mr. Winter in his endeavor to provide this tobacco to all
American Indians and will be in touch with our respective senators and
representatives to halt such persecution and interference with his
ability to provide this tobacco for our religious practices as American
Indians.
Signed,
C: jwinter@unm.edu
Ellis Smith Santa Cruz CA Smithorg@Bellatlantic.net
AMERI-ADVOCATE FEATURED PETITIONS FOR MAY 1999
This is just in... for all of you folks who would like to not glow in the dark after eating your salad, add to your email bombing run's this issue. What amazes me is the EU apparently is making great headway in stopping these assaults to their food supply but the US persist's in devising ways to further poison ours. ellis
LAST CHANCE
TO STOP FOOD IRRADIATION COMMENTS TO FDA NEEDED BEFORE MAY 18
Please publicize this issue The Campaign for Food
Safety
The FDA is planning to remove all current labeling requirements for irradiated food. The
FDA has approved irradiation for essentially all foods, including fruits and vegetables.
Without labeling, there will be no way for you to know if your food has been irradiated.
If labels are eliminated now, only a public health catastrophe can reinstate them.
Irradiated foods could be on your table within a year-some facilities already exist, and
hundreds more could be built.
The labeling requirement has been the sole impediment to widespread use of irradiation.
Irradiation proponents fear that even the current requirement -- a tiny statement no
bigger than the ingredients, and no statement at all for irradiated components of mixed
food -- will scare consumers.
The FDA proposal to remove labeling practically begs for 'consumer focus' studies that
will tell it how to 're- educate' the 77% of the public that does not want irradiation.
Irradiation has powerful friends in the food processing and nuclear industries, the
medical establishment, and the Federal government.
For several years they have been engaging in a covert public relations campaign to
convince us that irradiation is the answer to food safety problems, like contaminated
Guatemalan raspberries and lunch meats. But if you look at the news, these problems are
overwhelmingly concentrated in the meat and poultry processing business. Jack-in-the-Box
and Hudson Foods lost a lot of money.
Irradiation is really just a quick (and temporary) fix for poor slaughterhouse sanitation,
and a way of disposing of nuclear wastes by selling them to private industry and leaving
the taxpayers to fund the inevitable clean-up costs. It is completely unethical to impose
irradiation on people who do not want it in order to protect the factory-farmers from the
consequences of their business practices. And the FDA is trying to keep this issue out of
the spotlight -- it won't post comments on the Internet.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
Send a comment to the FDA demanding prominent labeling, the use of the terms
"irradiation" or "irradiated" and the use of the radura symbol. Tell
the FDA you feel proposed alternative terms such as "cold pasteurization" and
"electronic pasteurization" are misleading and should not be used. Say that the
absence of a statement would be misleading because irradiation destroys vitamins and
causes changes in sensory and spoilage qualities that are not obvious or expected by the
consumer.
A general statement opposing irradiation will not help, because the FDA requests comments
on only two issues:
"1) Whether the wording of the current radiation disclosure statement should be
revised; and,
2) whether such labeling requirements should expire at a specified date in the
future."
(Please read the document following the next set of double lines before writing).
The complete proposal is at:
Dockets Management Branch (HFA-305) Food and Drug Administration 5
630 Fishers Lane, Room 1061
Rockville, MD 20852.
Refer to Docket #98N-1038, "Irradiation in the production, processing and handling of
food."
E-mail is discouraged, because garbled messages will be discarded, and e-mail is much less
effective than a letter.
Send e-mail to:
Send a copy of your letter to your congressperson and your senators, and tell them that as
your representatives, they are responsible for representing you, and you don't want to eat
irradiated foods in any form. At the very least, these foods should be prominently
labeled, and all irradiated components of a food should be identified.
Contact the media in your area (alternative weeklies, food sections, public radio, talk
radio) and tell them to report on this story. Tell them you don't
want to eat irradiated foods, and why irradiation is a risky technology. ACT NOW. THIS IS
OUR LAST CHANCE. If the FDA eliminates labeling, U.S. exporters of irradiated foods
will be able to successfully claim that other countries' labeling laws are "restraint
of trade" under international trade rules. Our actions now are critical!
-----------------------------------------------
INSTRUCTIONS AND BACKGROUND FOR
SENDING A COMMENT TO THE FDA PLEASE READ!! What kind of
letter to write and why -- *If you are writing as an individual, send one copy to the FDA;
Otherwise, send two copies. *If you have any expertise or personal status that bears on
the issue (e.g., you are a physician, scientist, chef, farmer, food manufacturer, parent),
state it in your comment.
Please note that the FDA is only asking for comments on the issues of:
1) whether labeling of irradiated foods should remain; and,
2) if so, what kind of label.
The FDA has already decided that irradiation is "safe"; the irradiation
advocates in the medical establishment, big agriculture, the nuclear industry and Congress
know that labels frighten consumers. The irradiators know that most consumers do not want
irradiated foods (77% according to a CBS poll in 1997). But in November 1997, President
Clinton signed into law a Congressional bill reducing the size of the irradiation label.
As an agency overseen by Congress, the FDA is only able to ask what kind of labeling it
should require. This is not the time to tell the FDA you are against irradiation. In fact,
if you state that you don't want to eat irradiated food and that labels will help you
avoid it, you will give the FDA more reason to eliminate labeling (because the FDA has
already decided irradiation is safe, and it doesn't want to scare people).
We must play the FDA's game -- use its own arguments in favor of labeling. The sample
letters stress that the FDA's original reason for labeling is still valid -- that
irradiation is a process that can change the texture, taste, storage characteristics and
nutrients of a food and should therefore be disclosed to avoid misleading the consumer.
The FDA proposal is posted at:
This really is our last chance to stop food irradiation. If labeling is eliminated,
hundreds more irradiation facilities will be built. Once built, they have to be used. Not
just meat and poultry, but fruits and vegetables will be irradiated. And one of the two
materials commonly used for irradiating foods is radioactive for 600 years. Do you trust
any business to be responsible for that long? Our actions today have global consequences:
the Codex Alimentarius, the international rule for trade in food, requires labeling of
irradiated foods. If the United States eliminates its requirement, U.S. food exporters,
under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), can say that the Codex's
requirements are a restraint of trade. And the exporters will prevail. Other countries
that want labeling of imported irradiated foods will not be permitted to require it. So it
is essential that we write opinion pieces and letters to the editor, inform journalists,
contact our Congressional representatives and senators, get on talk radio, and tell our
families and friends. Most people don't want irradiation, and they don't like the
government taking away their freedom of choice. We only have to let enough people know.
--SAMPLE LETTER #1--
Date:
Dockets Management Branch (HFA-305) Food and Drug Administration
5630 Fishers Lane, Room 1061
Rockville, Maryland 20852
Re: Docket # 98N-1038,
"Irradiation in the Production, Processing, and Handling of Food"
To whom it may concern:
The FDA should retain the current labeling law, the current terminology of "treated
with radiation" or "treated by irradiation," and the use of the radura
symbol on all irradiated whole foods. Regarding the issue of labeling, in its initial
petition, the FDA concluded that irradiation was a "material fact" about the
processing of a food, and thus should be disclosed. The material fact remains; therefore,
labeling should remain. Consumer acceptability, storage qualities and nutrients are
affected. Some irradiated foods have different texture and spoilage characteristics than
untreated foods. Most fruits and vegetables have nutrient losses that are not obvious or
expected by the consumer. In addition, processing by irradiation causes chemical changes
that are not evident and are potentially hazardous. Meat may have a higher level of
carcinogenic benzene. All irradiated foods con- tain unique radiolytic products that have
never been tested. Whether or not the FDA has approved irradiation as safe, it remains a
new technology with no long-term human feeding studies. Consumers certainly have a right
to know if this process has been used on their food. As to the kind of label used, I
believe that label should be large enough to be readily visible to the consumer, on the
front of the package. The label contains important information regarding the processing of
the contents. For displayed whole foods such as produce, a prominent informational display
similar to that used for meats should be used (but containing the term
"irradiation" and the radura). Because of the newness of the technology and the
need to assess the public health effects of widespread use of irradiated foods, I believe
that the FDA's labeling requirement should not be permitted to expire.
Yours truly,
--SAMPLE LETTER #2--
Date:
Dockets Management Branch (HFA-305) Food and Drug Administration
5630 Fishers Lane, Room 1061
Rockville, Maryland 20852
Re: Docket No. 98N-1038,
Irradiation in the Production, Processing, and Handling of Food
To whom it may concern:
I support the recommendation by the Center for Science in the Public Interest regarding
labeling of irradiated foods: "any foods, or any foods containing ingredients that
have been treated by irradiation, should be labeled with a written statement on the
principal display panel indicating such treatment. The statement should be easy to read
and placed in close proximity to the name of the food and accompanied by the international
symbol. If the food is unpackaged, this information should be clearly displayed on a
poster in plain view and adjacent to where the product is displayed for sale." Like
other labels, irradiation labels are required by FDA to be truthful and not misleading. I
believe that the terms "treated with radiation" or "treated by
irradiation" should be retained. Any phrase involving the word
"pasteurization" is misleading because pasteurization is an entirely different
process of rapid heating and cooling. I recognize the radura as information regarding a
material fact of food processing. The requirement for irradiation disclosure (both label
and radura) should not expire at any time in the future. The material fact of processing
remains. Even if some consumers become familiar with the radura, new consumers (e.g.,
young people, immigrants) will not be. The symbol should be clearly understandable at the
point of purchase for every one. If there is no label, consumers will be misled into
believing the food has not been irradiated. I urge you to place the comments received on
the Internet so that the public can be informed about who is participating in this comment
process.
Sincerely, ________
This action alert has been generated by: (*formerly known as the Pure Food Campaign),
860 Highway 61,
Little Marais, MN 55614.
For more information on irradiation: (213) 387-5122 or
Web page with links and background:
From our friends in Minnesota, they really need our voices here to halt the never ending destruction of sacred lands. They can put a freeway anywhere and there is no reason what so ever the state of Minnesota cannot accomodate this urgent request to spare a miniscule area of such importance. We've followed this issue for sometime now and time is running out if we're to succeed in stopping this senseless development.
From: Kathy Morning Star
From Linda M. Brown:
Dear Friends, sorry I have been off the air for so long. We are everishly working on our
own report to summit to the Minnesota Historic Preservation Office. It should be ready to
summit soon. The bill in the House of Representatives may be heard tommorrow and we will
try to get our amendment attached to it.
I hear that MNDOT has their own team over at the legislatures trying to counteract our
lobbying efforts. I understand that all our websites are being monitored by officials, we
knew this was a risk when we decided to tell the world about what is happening here. So,
If my updates aren't as open or as frequent as they once were, please forgive me. We still
desparately need your support and prayers. please don't hesitate to call me if you need
more detailed info. We will not quit. The 8th court of appeals heard oral arguments today
for the Park and River Alliance lawsuit. We are anxiously waiting their decision, this may
take up to 4-6 weeks before we hear.
We are still waiting for the Hennepin courts hearing on why Minnehaha Park land should not
be transfered to MNDOT for this road. Our supporters here are still working on ways to
stop this road. We continue to ask for your support and prayers.
Pidamiya, Love Linda
See http://www.aics.org/mendota.html for
past updates, etc.
Write, call, fax, email, annoy and vocalize ....
Minneapolis Minnesota House of Representatives
Karen Clark District 61A -503 State Office Building
100 Constitution Avenue
St. Paul, MN 55155
Email: rep.Karen.Clark@house.leg.state.mn.us
Phone: (651) 296-0294 Office
______________________________________________________
AMERI-ADVOCATE FEATURED
PETITIONS FOR APRIL 1999
Sustainable Economics - FYI
ABLUEDEER out did himself this time. This is a very, detailed yet very
important document and petition that everyone should, I know its dry, but
should take a few long moments and read through. Although on the one
hand we support internationalization, we do so with a philosophy which
benefits all, not at their expense. This note pretty much details alot of
the
major shortcomings of the current Internationalist efforts regarding Intl.
trade (WTO) and the U.N. and subsiderary organizations. The
biggest
problem as we see it is that the U.N. currently as chartered does not
fully recognize many and the General Assembly is basically impotent
when in conflict with the Security Council. This is in itself a major
paper in and of itself. However, in light of this I have to concur with
the post below's detail, especially in the lack of an authoritive means
to enforce compliance to environmental and labor issues that rightfully
need to be protected from mulit-national corporations that in effect
end run any and all Macro-Governmental entities. I would like to see
added to this a demand that Directors, Key Personnel and Boards
of Multi-National corporations be physcially liable for damages
and criminal penalties when convicted of crminal behavior. At this
conjecture, Corporations cannot be tried and convicted as people
would be if guilty of the same crimes. This exemption removed would
go along way in curtialing the criminal behavior of these most powerful
entities and insure that crimes against humanity perpetrated by these
corporation would cease much less be profited from.
IMHO,
Ellis Smith
http://csf.colorado.edu/sustainable-economics/mai/
Multilateral Agreement on Investment (MAI)
Public Awareness Campaign
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"This [MAI] could well be the most anti-democratic, anti-people,
anti-community international agreement ever conceived by
supposedly democratic governments."
- David Korten,
The Ecological Economics Bulletin, April, 1997
A
CSF Seminar
Statement of Concerns
Stay of Negotiations & Call for Accountability Petition
National Center for Sustainability's MAI Info Site
Project Vote Smart:
Contacting the U.S. Congress by State
Seminar Statement of Concerns
Sound Economics Role of the Corporation Environmental Integrity Human
Rights and Sustainable Quality of Life
Concerns for Sound Economics
In today's world, linked by twentieth century transport, communication,
technologies, and financial institutions, mobile capital will flow rapidly
to the countries with absolutely lowest internalized marginal cost of
production.
One possible result of the free transfer of capital directly impacts labor
and human rights - i.e. that free capital implies the "threat of flight,"
increasingly used by corporations to undermine the bargaining powers of
labor unions to demand safer work environments, sustainable wages, or job
security. Also, countries lacking absolute advantage that desire to attract
investment have a powerful incentive to lower the marginal cost of
production by externalization of process waste, or to lower non-salaried
workplace protections unfairly, as by repudiating civilized treatment of
labor, repudiating international workplace safety norms, engaging child or
prison labor, and other unfair practices.
Economic gains for consumers are predicted from theory to be positive when
aggregated, the MAI Proposal (hereafter the "Proposal") contains no
explicit
mechanism for the distribution of those gains and for the distribution of
technological capital derived from those assets once held in common;
External environmental and social costs are in no way accounted for in a
process of cost internalization, creating an unsound premise on which to
build an international agreement, which in all likelihood will transfer
external costs onto those sectors of society least able to absorb the
costs.
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Concerns about the Role of the Corporation in a Global Society
The Proposal will put at risk the sovereignty of nations, to the exclusion
of the representatives of communities and countries of the earth's
inhabitants, to the benefit of transnational corporate interests which would
profit from the increase in scal of their control over global economic
development;
The Proposal confers many rights to the corporation - including the right to
sue governments if the provisions of the Proposal are violated - yet confers
the responsibilities of defending legal challenges onto federal governments
and does not allow governments to countersue corporations;
The Proposal undermines state and local policies that provide incentive to
small, community-based businesses, reducing their ability to compete with
transnational corporations by granting disproportionate benefit to domestic
companies;
Corporations and investors from member states would also be granted Most
Favored Nation status, disfavoring non-member states;
Corporations would be granted the right to enforce the Proposal's provisions
and to settle disputes in an international tribunal, in essence creating
conflict of interests by assigning advocacy and enforcement responsibilities
to a group with vested interest. Dispute resolutions would be given
"unconditional consent to the submission of a dispute" status by all
signatory member countries, meaning there would be no appeal process of
the tribunal's decision.
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Concerns about Environmental Integrity
The Proposal as proposed contains no consideration of the proper scale of
the material economy of natural resources relative to ecological support
systems or of the proper management of complementary endowments for ongoing
human and non-human societies; and furthermore the Proposal subordinates
protection of and intrinsic valuation of non-human species;
The Proposal in its present form supersedes national environmental
protection laws by allowing corporations to sue for lost profit due to
environmental considerations and safeguards;
The disregard for performance requirements, and environmental and social
protection in general, puts at peril the natural resources historically
considered the property of our ancestral heritage - or "natural capital,"
comprised of all land and its resources;
A sustainable future of the planet is threatened by international bodies who
do not envision the economy to be subject to ecological limits to growth.
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Concerns about Human Rights and a Sustainable Quality of Life
Economic globalization threatens the livelihood, well-being, labor
negotiating powers, gender and class equity, and community development of
the people of the world least able to afford the consequences of global
unsustainable development;
The human being is considered a unit of production, namely "labor," of
the
standard economic paradigm, and not accorded sufficient non-labor value.
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Seminar Organizer, Moderator, Statement Author:
Douglas Hinrichs at hinrichs@csf.colorado.edu
TO SIGN THE "SEMINAR STATEMENT OF CONCERNS,"
TO MAKE COMMENTS ON THE STATEMENT,
Petition for a Stay of Negotiations
and Call for Accountability
We, the undersigned, are concerned that the OECD, the World Trade
Organization (WTO), and member states ("Negotiators") have been engaged
in
negotiating an international investment agreement which:
has been conducted in near secrecy and without full disclosure,
has neglected to make provisions for public deliberation or sufficient
consultation with environmental, social, labor, or distributive justice
organizations;
would in all likelihood adversely affect those citizens of the world least
capable of bearing the costs associated with these adverse effects;
would force signatory states to be involved in a 20-year binding
agreement;
may be subject to Fast Track negotiating authority in the United States.
As such, the Negotiators can and should meet public demands for
accountability by explaining the effects of the MAI on the livelihoods,
culture and community, and economic aspirations of citizens of the countries
which the MAI would affect; and on the common environment and natural
capital.
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We Petition for a Stay of Negotiations and demand suspension of decisions
until adherence of democratic process is made evident. We hereby assert our
expectations for disclosure, public discourse, and consultation.
Specifically:
Negotiators and member states make regular public statements to explain the
Negotiator's outcome intentions and reasoning for each main proposal ;
Negotiators conduct ongoing consultations with citizens, NGO's, labor and
human rights representatives, environmental interests, those concerned with
the global economic and sociopolitical implications of the MAI Proposal, and
with legislative authorities in both member and non-member states, in order
that there may be public debate and comment.
Furthermore, we Call for an Equity Statement from all signatories/member
states of the MAI Proposal and be held accountable for their action, fully
disclosing:
who would benefit from the MAI Proposal, and in what manner, both in the
short and long term,
who would bear the costs and risks of the MAI Proposal, and
why each affected party should consider the Proposal fair and should
subscribe to such benefits, costs, and risks, and
who would be accountable to whom, for what responsibilities, and who would
audit the accountability reporting.
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Petition's Primary Authors: Henry McCandless, at hemccand@magi.com,
and
Terry Cottam, at di238@freenet.carleton.ca
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TO SIGN THE PETITION,
...
TO MAKE COMMENTS
ON THE PETITION,
______________________________________________________
AMERI-ADVOCATE FEATURED PETITIONS FOR FEBUARY 1999