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Human Rights Activists Discuss Torture at Amnesty International Conference |
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by Talia Whyte, globalwireinfo (nospam) hotmail.com |
 Human rights activists came together at Amnesty International's Northeast Regional Conference at Boston University this weekend. Dr Nazli Kibria of Boston University (photo) was a guest speaker.
The issue of torture was a key discussion at this year’s Amnesty International Northeast Conference held at Boston University this weekend. The Bush Administration criticized Amnesty’s annual report earlier this year which quoted Irene Khan, Secretary General of the human rights organization, as saying that the treatment of detainees at Guantanamo was “the gulag of our time.” |
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15 Nov 2005
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Filed under: News / Human Rights : International : Politics |
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Alive in Baghdad: Indymedia Reports from Iraq |
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by Boston IMC's Brian Conley, aliveinbaghdad (nospam) gmail.com |
 Here is the brief update. There is confusion over the number of casualties. The number reported by the US Military is nearly the same number we received from an Iraqi Police officer who was involved in firing on the second vehicle, which exploded near the Mosque in Firdos Square. He claimed there were approximately 4 killed and 16 wounded at that time.
The assertion that the attack was intended to take over the Hotel was not substantiated by any of the IPs or PSDs(private security) who we spoke with that were on the scene. He believed this attack to be similar to previous attacks, where the first bomb is intended to bring IPs and other security forces, and subsequent bombings are used to inflict mass casualties on the response teams.
Despite the loud gunfire long after the attack, no gunmen other than the IPs were reported to be in the streets. One BBC colleague reported to me that “The Iraqi Police tend to be quite trigger-happy.” Also, my fixer overheard an IP shouting “Be careful they are shooting everyone.” We now believe “they” almost certainly means other IPs, although we don’t have a first-hand report of IPs firing on each other.
There is still some confusion over the carbombings. We received an eyewitness report from a PSD that the first car was a Black Jeep Cherokee, it now appears this may have been the second vehicle, as the AP reports the first car was a white vehicle.
We will try to provide photos of the aftermath this evening. |
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25 Oct 2005
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Filed under: News / Human Rights : International |
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Local Activists Raise Funds for Fair Trade |
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by Talia Whyte, globalwireinfo (nospam) hotmail.com |
 Fair Trade activists came together Monday night to raise funds for trade justice around the world in style. The model in the photo is wearing a scarf, hat and bag that were produced by workers paid fair wages in safe conditions and produced in a way that is more respectful of the environment. Photo by Christopher Brown.
Over 150 local activists celebrated trade justice in style and raised over $1,000 at the Fair Trade Fiesta at All Asia Café last Monday night. The fundraiser was hosted by the Boston Fair Trade Coalition in cooperation with Unitarian Universalists for a Just Economic Community (UUJEC), Oxfam America, It’s Only Fair, Dean’s Beans, and other local organizations. |
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19 Oct 2005
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Filed under: News / Environment : Globalization : Human Rights : International : Labor |
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The Continuing Legacy of Abu Ghraib |
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by Brian Conley, |
 Amman, Jordan -- Haj Ali is an Iraqi who was released from Abu Ghraib after five months when it was decided that he was “wrongfully arrested.” In the States many people seem to think that after the Abu Ghraib investigations, everything changed in Iraq, and this ended the mistreatment of prisoners that has often involved abuse at best and torture at worst. In fact these practices still go on, particularly in so-called “private prisons” and “party prisons.” I spoke with Haj Ali last night and he explained some of this to me.
Haj Ali, who was prisoner number 151716, was taken to Abu Ghraib on the fifteenth of October 2003. He was kept there for five months until he was put on a truck, taken to the desert and dropped off on the highway. The soldiers told him he was free because he had been “wrongfully arrested.” |
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05 Oct 2005
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Filed under: News / Human Rights : International |
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Cindy Sheehan visits Boston, other Northeast cities |
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by Bryan G. Pfeifer, bgp (nospam) iacboston.org |
 In her first stop in the Boston area after her Crawford “Camp Casey” vigil, Cindy Sheehan spoke to a crowd of over 600 Sept. 17 at the Boston University School of Law Auditorium. She received a heroes’ welcome with a standing ovation and thunderous applause. Speakers also included Iraq Veterans Against the War, Military Families Speak Out, Gold Star Families For Peace and Veterans for Peace. Dozens of Somerville 5 and Sept. 24 leaflets were distributed to participants. |
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20 Sep 2005
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Filed under: News / International |
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George Galloway's Boston Speech |
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by Traprock Peace Center, charles (nospam) mtdata.com |
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George Galloway started his national tour at Boston's historic Faneuil Hall on September 13, 2005. Listen to and download his speech. |
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17 Sep 2005
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Filed under: News / International |
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To Impeach or Not to Impeach |
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by Sofia Jarrin-Thomas, sofiajt (nospam) yahoo.com |
On July 31, 2005, a forum on the Downing Street Memos, leaked documents that indicate the Bush administration misled the public about reasons for going to war in Iraq, took place at Arlington Street Church.
Co-sponsored by several local organizations such as Brookline PeaceWorks, Boston Mobilization, Progressive Democrats of America, and the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, among others; the forum was just one of 300 events across the nation planned to discuss the possible consequences of the leaked documents. |
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01 Aug 2005
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Filed under: News / Human Rights : International : Media : Organizing : Politics |
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Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) Will Spread Factory Farming and Threaten Wildlife in Central America |
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by homefries, |
 AUDIO: A coalition of 102 animal rights groups around the U.S. has formed to call attention to the cruelty that the Central American Free Trade Agreement is expected to inflict upon farmed and wild animals in Central America. National non-profits such as In Defense of Animals, Farm Sanctuary, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, and Wetlands Preserve are among the groups in the coaliton.
CAFTA was ratified by an extremely narrow margin in the U.S. House of Representatives during the wee hours of Thursday morning, July 28th. Pattrice Jones of the Eastern Shore Chicken Sanctuary and Adam Weissman of Wetlands Preserve talk about what this agreement means for animals' lives. |
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31 Jul 2005
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Filed under: News / Environment : Globalization : Human Rights : International |
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