Amnesty International Group 22 Pasadena/Caltech News
Volume XI Number 3, March 2003

UPCOMING EVENTS

Vigil for Iraq.  At the outbreak of war, join us in Pasadena's Central Park
or attend a vigil near you. Please see Kathy's column or visit
www.icujp.org/home.shtml for details.

Thursday, March 27, 7:30 PM. Monthly Meeting 414 S. Holliston, Caltech Y
Lounge. Help us plan future actions for Tibet, Iraq, the abolition of the
death penalty, and more.  This month we have a special guest, Christina
Vargas, Ralph Bunche Fellow in the Western Regional Office who will share
with us her work with AI's "Mentors for Diversity" program and her plans for
an up-coming conference at UCLA.

Tuesday, April 8, 7:30 PM. Letter-writing Meeting at the Athenaeum.  Corner
of California & Hill in the basement recreation area.  This informal
gathering is a great for newcomers to get acquainted with Amnesty!

Sunday, April 27, 6:30 PM. Rights Readers Human Rights Book Discussion
Group. Vroman's Book Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Boulevard, Pasadena.  This
month we discuss A Sky So Close by Iraqi author Betool Khediari. Note that
this is a week later than our usual meeting due to  Easter (See inside for
more information.)

COORDINATOR'S CORNER

I write this column with a heavy heart tonight after watching President Bush
on TV giving Sadaam Hussein an ultimatum to leave the country or we will
attack Iraq.  We may be at war by the time you receive this.  What can we
do?  If you are an Amnesty member, the web site ( www.amnestyusa.org )
has actions to send to Bush and Powell, info on writing letters to the editor,
online discussions, background info on human rights in Iraq, guidelines for
events, etc.  Regardless of whether you are an official AI member, Amnesty
encourages everyone to join in a peace vigil within 48 hours of any intervention
in Iraq. The link for local vigils is: www.icujp.org/home.shtml.
Remember also, there will be a vigil in Pasadena's Central Park (bordered
on south by Del Mar, west by Fair Oaks) 5 pm the day of the attack and 5 pm
the day after, if hostilities begin at night.  I have also received an email
from American Friends Service Committee's Pasadena Office stating if the
attack occurs on a weekend, the vigil will be at 12 noon that day and 12 noon
the following day in case of night attack. Amnesty has an Iraq Crisis Newsletter
that you can receive updates on.  To sign up, go to www.amnestyusa.org/cprsignup.html.

On a lighter note, Group 22's booth at the Environmental Education Fair
March 8th at the Arboretum in Arcadia was a great success-thanks to Veronica
and Joyce who set the table up and to all who staffed the table throughout
the day.  We had lots of passers by, including over 100 kids who signed the
petitions to the Mexican and Ecuadorian governments on behalf of
environmental activists!  See the Ecuador action in the newsletter to add
your voice!

I recently attended a conference at Loyola-Marymount University on criminal
justice issues sponsored by the LA Catholic Archdiocese. There were so many
different workshops, but I went to one on gang intervention and one on
unaccompanied immigrant children in the US.  I met a young man from Honduras
who was granted asylum after spending 8 months in juvenile hall detained by
the INS and the LA Times reporter who wrote the series "Enrique's Journey"
about the boy who rode the trains 7 times from Honduras to join his mom in
the US.  I met people from the Catholic Worker movement in LA, and people
whose children were murder victims. I was inspired by all the work that is
being done to reform the justice system.

Don't forget the book discussion (an Iraqi novel this month) is the 4th
Sunday in April, because our regular date-the 3rd Sunday- is Easter.

Kathy             
aigp22@caltech.edu

USA: TORTURE
Urge an Investigation of Torture Allegations

Join Amnesty International in urging President Bush to make an unequivocal
statement condemning torture, calling for an investigation into recent
reports that the United States Government may condone and even commit acts
of torture, and ensuring that anyone responsible for torture is prosecuted
and punished in accordance with US and international law. Torture is
immoral, illegal, and counterproductive.

Background Information

Amnesty International has campaigned against the use of torture for over
forty years and has documented the use of torture in more than 150
countries. The organization has documented a continuing decline in torture,
down to 73% of countries surveyed in 2002, compared with 90% in the 2000
report entitled Torture Worldwide: An Affront to Human Dignity. The two-year
decline coincided with Amnesty International's international campaign
against torture. The organization is concerned that continued progress is
threatened because of the current geo-political climate.

Torture is immoral, illegal, and counterproductive. When utilized as a means
of interrogation it may result in false statements. In addition,
mistreatment of individuals instills resentment and anger in the victims,
their families, friends, and community, and thus is certain to generate
embittered opponents. This hostility can translate into devastating
consequences for those they consider enemies. In addition, the use of
torture can be a detriment to the moral and legal principles on which
society is based. Moral authority and the ability to pressure allies are
lost when world leaders resort to torture, cruel, inhuman and degrading
practices.

Statements made by US officials suggesting that that the Government condones
the mistreatment of prisoners and their possible torture gravely concerns
Amnesty International. These allegations raise the possibility of serious
violation of international law, of jeopardizing any moral leadership, and of
demonstrating disregard for human dignity that may place Americans in
greater risk in the future. Torture serves no purpose but to harm human
beings and create new enemies.

Furthermore, the US Government has stated that approximately 3,000 suspected
al-Qaeda members have been detained worldwide since September 11, 2001. Many
of those individuals are believed to be held in nations known to employ
torture. Approximately 625 are currently being held at US military
facilities at Guantanamo. The treatment of all detainees is a concern for
Amnesty International, as well as the whereabouts of those being held
abroad.

As a world leader, silence or indifference from the United States will be
perceived as an indication that this country condones torture and other
egregious abuses. The United States must make clear that torture is an
affront to human dignity that can never be justified and must be opposed in
every country of the world. Otherwise, those who wage war on human rights
will have won the battle against freedom.

Recommended Action Write a letter to President Bush urging him to make an
unequivocal statement condemning torture, calling for an investigation into
recent reports that the United States Government may condone and even commit
acts of torture, and ensuring that anyone responsible for torture is
prosecuted and punished in accordance with US and international law.


Sample Letter

Note: Because personalized messages carry greater weight, we strongly
encourage you to add your own thoughts to the message.

The Honorable George W. Bush
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20500

Dear Mr. President:

I am extremely concerned by recent reports that officials of the United
States Government condone the mistreatment and torture of prisoners and
detainees. Amnesty International has campaigned against the use of torture
for over forty years and has documented the use of torture in more than 150
countries. The US should stand firmly against all forms of torture in
accordance with US and international law and the values this nation holds
dear.

Statements made by US officials suggesting that that the Government condones
the mistreatment of prisoners and their possible torture gravely concerns
Amnesty International. These allegations raise the possibility of serious
violation of international law, of jeopardizing any moral leadership, and of
demonstrating disregard for human dignity that may place Americans in
greater risk in the future. Torture serves no purpose but to harm human
beings and create new enemies.

Furthermore, the US Government has stated that approximately 3,000 suspected
al-Qaeda members have been detained worldwide since September 11, 2001. Many
of those individuals are believed to be held in nations known to employ
torture. Approximately 625 are currently being held at US military
facilities at Guantanamo. The treatment of all detainees is a concern for
Amnesty International, as well as the whereabouts of those being held
abroad.

As a world leader, the US must make clear that torture is never justified
and must be opposed worldwide. The tenets of human dignity must not be
sacrificed in US endeavors to preserve freedom worldwide. I urge you make an
unequivocal declaration expressing that torture is never acceptable, that it
is counterproductive, and against US and international law. Furthermore, I
urge you to investigate these recent reports and ensure that anyone
responsible for torture is prosecuted and punished. During these trying
times, the US must reaffirm its commitment to the principles of unalienable,
universal rights.

Thank you for your attention and I look forward to your response.

Sincerely,


GOOD NEWS!
Urgent Action Program 30th Anniversary

Group 22 members gather the second Tuesday of each month to write Urgent
Actions (see Upcoming Events for details).  Please join us!

"The torturer aims to isolate you, to cut all your links with the outside
world. But Amnesty International was able to break that isolation.....When I
saw my wife, I knew that my case had become public. I knew they could no
longer kill me." Professor Luiz Rossi, Brazil.

Amnesty International will be marking 30 years of its Urgent Action
technique on Wednesday 19 March this year. This very effective campaign
technique mobilizes tens of thousands of Amnesty supporters world-wide to
send urgent letters, faxes and e-mails on behalf of those in immediate
danger of torture, execution, "disappearence" and other human rights
violations.

The first appeal for Urgent Action was issued in 1973, the inspiration of
Amnesty researcher Tracy Ulltveit-Moe, who still works for the human rights
organisation in London. Brazilian prisoner, Professor Luiz Rossi, was under
threat of torture from the military government. It was not until the letters
started to pour in that Rossi's relatives were allowed to visit him.
Although many people taken into police custody and were never seen again,
Rossi was eventually freed in October 1973.

"My case proves this activity has a meaning, has an effect," Vaclev Havel,
Czechoslovakia 1989.

Vaclav Havel, one of the most famous subjects of an Urgent Action appeal,
was arrested in January 1989. He was released four months later following a
flood of letters and faxes from Amnesty supporters. However, most appeals
are for men and women, sometimes even for children, who may not otherwise be
known outside their families or communities. With nowhere else to turn,
these victims of oppression depend on Amnesty members worldwide:

"Thank you from my heart, I received your letters, a gesture of comfort and
humanity, uniting strength to try and save our lives. The struggle has been
difficult since I denounced the murderers of my son. We have suffered a lot
of hardship and aggression, and have all been the target of much violence
and threats. But thanks to the support of each one of you, I will carry on,
in order that justice may be done, and that other children will not be
killed and that such crimes will not go unpunished." Dr Elma Novais, Brazil,
January 2003, who, with her two children, faced threats and intimidation
following her work to bring to justice those responsible for killing her
son.

"Since the first one was issued in 1973 countless people from China to
Chile, from Syria to Morocco, have told us that an Urgent Action helped save
them. In over one third of cases we hear of some improvement in the
situation of the people concerned," Amnesty International said.

"Guards at the labour colony were overwhelmed with the amount of cards from
supporters I received. The few cards that reached me directly in the colony
brightened the greyness of my existence." Grigory Pasko, Russia 2003.

In January this year, a Russian prisoner of conscience Grigory Pasko was
released two-thirds of the way through his four-year sentence for filming
nuclear waste being dumped in the Sea of Japan. Thousands of Amnesty
supporters world-wide wrote tirelessly on Pasko's behalf .

In 1973, Amnesty issued eleven Urgent Actions. Unfortunately Urgent Action
is still needed and by 2002, the number had grown to 468 on behalf of people
in 83 countries. Each case generating thousands of letters, e-mails & faxes
to the authorities: a post-bag no government should ignore.


RIGHTS READERS
Human Rights Book Discussion Group
Vroman's Bookstore
695 E. Colorado Boulevard, Pasadena
Sunday, April 27, 6:30 PM

A Sky So Close
by Betool Khedairi

In this elegant, incisive debut, a young girl comes of age while aching for
a sense of belonging. Daughter of an Iraqi father and an English mother, the
unnamed narrator struggles with isolation both in the traditional Iraqi
countryside where she's raised and at the Western school of music and ballet
that her mother insists she attend. Though she finds some semblance of
solace in dance, her trials increase when her family moves to Baghdad. Then
comes the outbreak of war, which compels her to move with her mother to
England, where her most pointed heartaches await. Gently poetic but
emotionally unflinching, A Sky So Close is a daringly fresh look into the
clash between East and West and into the soul of a woman formed by two
cultures yet fully accepted by neither.

"This novel is not just about Iraq; it is about childhood, racism, despair,
the abyss between East and West, and, above all, how to succeed in
surpassing these, using a crucial survival kit: love, the pursuit of
freedom, art, resilience. All of this comes to us in a modern, captivating
style from a fresh, new voice in Arab literature."

--Hanan Al-Shaykh, author of Women of Sand and Myrrh and I Sweep the Sun Off
Rooftops

PRISONER OF CONSCIENCE
Ngawang Pekar, Tibetan Monk

Group 22 continues to work on behalf of our "adopted" prisoner of
conscience(POC) Ngawang Pekar (naw-wan pee-kar), a Tibetan Buddhist monk.
Pekar has been imprisoned since 1989 after being arrested by Chinese
authorities for participating in a peaceful demonstration in the city of
Lhasa in support of Tibetan independence.

We've known for quite some time about the existence of two other Amnesty
groups, one in Belgium and the other in Japan, that are also striving for
the release of Ngawang Pekar. Although we've never succeeded in establishing
contact with either of these groups, we recently learned of another AIUSA
group in Miami that is also working on behalf of Pekar! Although as of yet
we have not obtained any contact information for this group, it is hoped
that in the near future we'll be able to join forces with them and organize
some coordinated actions. Stay tuned!

With all of the recent attention on "regime change" in Iraq, few people have
taken note of two extremely important changes in leadership that just
occurred in China. On March 15, Hu Jintao was officially appointed as the
new President of the People's Republic of China (PRC), replacing Jiang
Zemin, and on March 16 Wen Jiabao was named as the new Premier of the PRC,
replacing Zhu Rongji. What effect this change in leadership will have on
China in general, and on Tibet in particular, will have to be seen, and we
can only hope that they consider human rights to be a matter worthy of their
attention. With that said, let's welcome Wen Jiaboa to his new position and
introduce him to someone who needs his help, Ngawang Pekar. Below is a
sample letter you can either copy or use as a guide in composing your own:

Your Excellency,

I would like to congratulate you on your recent appointment as Premier of
the People's Republic of China and trust that you will fulfill your
responsibilities with wisdom and honor. With that in mind, I wish to bring
to your attention a prisoner being held in Tibet Autonomous Region Prison
No. 1. The prisoner's name is NGAWANG PEKAR (layname: Paljor).

Ngawang Pekar, a Tibetan monk, was arrested in 1989 for participating in a
peaceful demonstration in the city of Lasashi and sentenced to 8 years in
prison. Subsequently, his sentence was increased by an additional 6 years.
Amnesty International considers him to be a prisoner of conscience and I am
concerned that he has been imprisoned solely for the peaceful exercise of
his universally recognized right to freedom of expression. I am further
deeply concerned about reports that he has been beaten and denied access to
medical care since his arrest.

Especially in light of the fact that he has now completed his 14-year
sentence, I respectfully urge you to request that Ngawang Pekar's case be
reviewed and that he be immediately and unconditionally released in
accordance with the international laws to which China is signatory. I
further request that he be allowed access to independent non-governmental
agencies so that his current state of well being may be determined and made
known.

I thank you for your attention to this important matter and would greatly
appreciate any further information that your office may be able to provide.

Sincerely,

Address your letter to:

WEN Jiabao Zongli
Guowuyuan
9 Xihuangchenggenbeijie
Beijingshi 100032
People's Republic of China

Overseas postage for a normal letter is 80 cents, 70 cents for an aerogram.
Should you receive a reply, please notify Group 22.


LETTER COUNT
Urgent Action             31
Just Earth Program        27
Total:                    58

Want to add your letters to the total? Get in touch with lwkamp@cs.com

JUST EARTH: ECUADOR

Safety of Indigenous Activists in Oil Zones

Concerns for the safety of environmental and Indigenous activists in
Ecuador's oil zones are well founded. Ecuadorian security forces have been
cited for numerous cases of human rights abuses against the civilian
population. These incidents point to the need for a preventive strategy to
ensure that communities and activists who oppose the government's
development policies and the irresponsible practices of the oil industry are
safe from abuse.

Recommended Action

*  Urge the Ecuador government to uphold Constitutional guarantees and ILO
Convention 169 that protects the rights of Ecuadorian Indigenous peoples.

*  Ask the Ecuador government to take immediate steps to ensure that
Indigenous communities, as well as environmental and human rights
organizations, are included in an open dialogue with oil companies on the
future of oil development in Ecuador.

*  Call on the Ecuador government to respect peoples' rights to freedom of
association, freedom of expression, and freedom of movement as detailed in
the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and in the International Covenant
on Civil and Political Rights, which Ecuador has agreed to observe.

*  Call on the Ecuador government to respect the internationally recognized
collective rights, including land rights of Indigenous peoples, and to
support their right to free, prior, and informed consent for oil development
activities on their lands.

*  Urge the Ecuador government to uphold international human rights
standards including the UN Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials,
when deploying security forces to protect oil facilities.

*  Urge the Ecuador government to ensure that all human rights defenders,
including environmental and Indigenous rights activists, are able to carry
out their legitimate activities without fear for their safety, in line with
the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders.

Write to:

Lucio Gutierrez
President of the Republic of Ecuador
c/o Ambassador Ivonne A-Baki
Embassy of Ecuador
2535 15th Street, NW
Washington DC 20009
E-mail: mecuawaa@erols.com

Occident Petroleum is leading the consortium developing the trans-Ecuadorian
oil pipeline. Demand accountability from Occidental Petroleum:

*  Urge Occidental to respect the right of Indigenous and campesino
communities to be consulted in a free, fair and impartial manner in order to
give free, prior and informed consent before undertaking any oil development
activities on their lands.

*  Urge Occidental to fully respect the rights of Indigenous peoples, as set
out in ILO Convention 169, including the right to share in the benefits of
development, in communities where oil development exists.

*   Call on Occidental to (1) disclose existing security arrangements with
Ecuadorian military forces and private security forces; and, (2) disclose
consultation processes with affected local communities.

*   Urge Occidental to ensure that any security firms used or employed by
them are trained to respect and protect the human rights of the local
population and are held accountable for any abuses.

*   Call on Occidental to cooperate with local communities and the
Ecuadorian government to undertake an independent and verifiable audit to
assess the environmental impacts of its operations and develop a plan for
corrective action and environmental auditing.

*   Urge Occidental to ensure that just and fair compensation will be
provided promptly for any land or other property acquired.

Write to:

Dr. Ray R. Irani
Chair and CEO
Occidental Petroleum Corporation
10889 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles, California 90024-4201

While Chevron Texaco left Ecuador in 1992, local communities are still
complaining about the effects of its irresponsible drilling practices.

Demand accountability from Chevron Texaco:

*  Call on Chevron Texaco to address the environmental pollution in the
Ecuadorian Amazon by fully cooperating with investigations into alleged
environmental damages and related human rights abuses and working in good
faith with the Ecuador government and the affected communities to develop
and implement a plan to address pollution and compensate those affected as
appropriate.

Write to:

Mr. David O'Reilly
Chair and CEO
Chevron Texaco Corporation
575 Market Street
San Francisco, CA 94105

Editor's Last Word:

Read us on line: www.its.caltech.edu/~aigp22
Martha Ter Maat, 626-281-4039 / rightsreaders@yahoo.com

Amnesty International Group 22 P.O. Box 50193 Pasadena, CA 91115-0193

Amnesty International's mission is to undertake research and action focused
on preventing and ending grave abuses of the rights to physical and mental
integrity, freedom of conscience and expression, and freedom from
discrimination, within the context of its work to promote all human rights.