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Petition Tag - human
1. Human Rights of Iranian political prisoner Dr. Saeed Masouri 
After 10 Years in prison, Saeed Masouri is denied his basic rights!
Dr. Saeed Masouri is a political prisoner sentenced to life in prison, and although he has spent many years in Rajai prison, he is not being allowed to exercise his right to a temporary release.
Dr. Masouri was convicted of association with a political organization, and he was initially sentenced to death, but later his sentencing was reduced to life in prison. In spite of being in prison for the past 10 years, he has not been allowed to exercise his basic right as a prisoner to use the temporary release program.
The family members of Dr. Masouri announced that they had pleaded with Tehran’s General Prosecutor, Mr. Dolatabadi, last month; however, the prosecutor claimed that he is not familiar with the particular case and he postponed the response to their pleas until a later date.
The mother of the political prisoner told Harana that her son was arrested as he entered the country in 2000, but the Intelligence Ministry confirmed Dr. Masouri’s detention in April of 2001. Dr. Masouri was charged with waging war and sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court in 2002. The same sentencing was confirmed by the appeals court.
Dr. Masouri is currently being held in Hall 10 of section 4 inside Rajai Prison in the city of Karaj. Previously, he spent some time in Ahvaz and Evin Prisons. Two years before being transferred to Rajai Prison, Dr. Masouri also spent some time in section 209 in solitary confinement inside Evin Prison.
Following the reduction in Dr Masouri’s sentencing from death to life in prison, he was transferred to Rajai Prison.
Source: Harana
!پس از ده سال حبس، سعید ماسوری همچنان محروم از حقوق اولیه
دکتر سعید ماسوری زندانی سیاسی محبوس در زندان رجایی شهر که به حبس ابد محکوم شده است با تحمل یک سوم حبس خود همچنان از حق مرخصی برخوردار نیست.
وی که به اتهام ارتباط و همکاری با یک سازمان سیاسی ابتدا به اعدام و سپس به ابد محکوم شده است با گذشت ده سال تا کنون از داشتن مرخصی که به عنوان حقوق اولیه زندانی در قانون تعریف شده است برخوردار نبوده است.
خانواده این زندانی اعلام داشت ماه گذشته برای موافقت مسئولین با مرخصی وی به دادستانی تهران مراجعه نموده است ولی دادستان تهران آقای دولت آبادی به دلیل اینکه از وضعیت پرونده این زندانی اطلاعی نداشته است پاسخ به درخواست ایشان را به آینده موکل کرد.
مادر این زندانی سیاسی به هرانا میگوید فرزندش در دی ماه سال ۷۹ هنگام ورود به کشور بازداشت شده است ولی وزارت اطلاعات در اردیبهشت ماه سال ۸۰ دستگیری فرزندشان را به آنها اطلاع داده است وی در سال ۸۱ از سوی دادگاه انقلاب به اتهام محاربه به اعدام محکوم شد و ۳ ماه بعد در دادگاه تجدید نظر حکمشان مجددا تائید شده است.
آقای ماسوری که هم اکنون در سالن ۱۰بند ۴ زندان رجایی شهر کرج بسر می برد و پیشتر در زندانهای اهواز و اوین نیز تحمل حبس نموده است وی به مدت ۲ سال پیش از انتقال به رجایی شهر در سلول های انفرادی بند ۲۰۹ و همچنین عمومی همین بند نگهداری شده است و با تقلیل حکمش از اعدام به ابد به زندان رجایی شهر منتقل شده است.
منبع: هرانا
2. Support Indigenous Homelands
PLEASE SUPPORT INDIGENOUS PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO EQUITABLE SUPPORT TO LIVE ON THEIR HOMELANDS AND PASS ON THEIR LANGUAGES.
THE NORTHER TERRITORY HOMELANDS:
The shining light of indigenous opportunity is the 500 homelands across the NT. These homelands are the key to the inter-generational transmission of the languages and culture of the first Australians and unique to this continent.
3. Clark Human Chain for Typhoon Sendong Victims
Dear Clark Freeport Stakeholders,
Season Greetings!
In line with the on-going “Tabang Visayas” (Help Visayas) donation campaign of Clark Development Corporation employees, CDC is proposing a Clark wide donation campaign to help the victims of the recent typhoon “Sendong”.
Initially, an activity proposed to raise funds simultaneously and on a one-time basis is the “Human Chain” at the Parade Grounds with a minimum registration/donation fee of P100 for those who can attend. For those who may not be permitted to leave their work, they may donate to their respective HRD’s any amount.
The “Human Chain” will symbolically represent the unity of Clark Locators and Workers in offering a helping hand for our brethren in Visayas and Mindanao.
The proposed fund raising campaign is tentatively scheduled on December 28, 2011 and seeks to tap the cooperation of the more than Sixty Thousand (60,000) Clark workers. We are also in discussion with the Provincial Government of Pampanga to bring the Giant Christmas Lanterns in Clark in support of this event.
4. RESPECT GAY RIGHTS - SCRAP THE ANTI-GAY BILL
Addressing an audience of diplomats in Geneva, US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton called for the rights of gay people to be respected.
"Gay people are born into and belong to every society in the world," Mrs Clinton said.
"Being gay is not a Western invention. It is a human reality."Reacting angrily to Mrs Clinton's speech, Ugandan presidential adviser John Nagenda told the BBC: "That fellow [Mr Cameron] said the same thing. Now this woman [Clinton] is interfering.
"If the Americans think they can tell us what to do, they can go to hell."
Uganda is a staunch ally of the US, receiving military assistance to fight a local rebel group - the Lord's Resistance Army - and has sent troops to Somalia to fight the al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabab group.
Mr Nagenda said Uganda would continue to co-operate with the US on security and other issues, but added: "If they are childish enough to take away aid, we'll see what we do [in response]."
5. Replace Religious Belief with Rational Understanding
Religious belief promotes and honors a lazy intellect. And it is by appealing to ones lazy intellect that one can be persuaded to perform the most horrendous of acts.
To get beyond the tragic events resulting from 'fanatical' religious activity as evidenced thought human history people need to begin to think. And thereby begin to understand their purpose right here on planet earth.
6. No Travellers' Site in Newtonhill
Elsick Development Company have announced that they need to plan a Travellers' Site in Newtonhill to meet their obligations to build Chapelton of Elsick.
Putting a Travellers Site in Newtonhill is the cheapest option and has the added benefit that Chapelton of Elsick will not have a Travellers Site in its boundaries.
7. Stop Deportation of Disabled Women Asylum Seekers
We are a group of rights activists from UK and would like bring to your notice an urgent matter which has gone unnoticed.
The deportation of failed Disabled women asylum seekers irrespective of which ever country they belong to should be stopped as it is a straight violation of basic human rights. It is extremely inhuman to send back disabled women asylum seekers as they already have lot to cope with. Rules are for human beings and especially should be in favour of humans for whom life has not been fair.
Imagine a paraplegics life who is being deported and sent back to a country where she may face ill treatment or destitution. Especially disabled women asylum seekers are more vulnerable in their countries due to lack of amenities and possible exploitation by mentally sick and perverted people apart from their possible persecutors.
The inhuman practice or disregard and insensitiveness towards failed disabled woman asylum seekers should be immediately stopped and also their detention. The care of these failed disabled woman asylum seekers should be entrusted to other able bodied asylum seekers (Women) under the community service work . This will greatly reduce the pressure on the system and people from the same backgrounds can also integrate easily reducing the isolation stress. The aim is that we build a much more humane society with decrease in the burden on the present infrastructure and manpower.
UK has ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2009 but in practice it is slipping on the issue of the world's most vulnerable ones- DISABLED WOMEN ASYLUM SEEKERS and especially the ones who have failed. It has been learnt that UKBA ( United Kingdom Border Agency) has shown utter insensitivity towards them.
We urge you to protect the disabled women asylum seekers and not to be deported irrespective of any country they belong to. We request you to undertake this very seriously as the human rights levels in the civilised world are slowly decaying. It is the first world where we need to contain the basic degradation of human rights which goes unnoticed due to the turmoil around the world.
We request you to write and pursue this matter with Mr David Cameron,PM of Uk, Mr. Nick Clegg, Deputy PM of UK and also Ms. Theresa May , Home secretary of state. Infact deportation of Disabled Women Asylum seekers should be stopped worldwide inorder to restore the basic human rights values to the ones who need them the most.
Looking forward to a positive development and a assertive action to stop the deportation of Disabled women asylum seekers.
Thanks and regards,
Mark Grant
8. Stop access to children in child contact centres by a parent convicted of child cruelty
Fathers and Mothers who have been convicted of child cruelty to their children still have contact in a contact centres or have another member of their family supervise the visit in their own home. This has to stop now.
If they abuse the children in a contact centre or whilst supported or supervised the courts still give them access! The contact centres say they did not see anything as they are busy watching up to 10 children coupled with 10 fathers or mothers, if one needs the toilet that is makes up to 38 people to be watched during that time, this is when the parent strikes out at the kids, whisper in their ears and the abuse starts all over again. Nobody but nobody is doing anything to stop this.
It is unbelievable that this country would send a victim to the offender week after week to be abused. The courts don’t hear the children telling them of horrendous things of bruises on their little bodies or see tiny children aged 2 And 3 lift their tops to show bruises.
Please help me to change the law. No contact of any description for any parent convicted of any violent or sexual offence to their children until the child is 18 years of age. Sign my petition for our kid’s sake!
9. Human Trafficking: Help Raise Awareness and Bring it Before Parliament!!
Human Trafficking is a very profitable industry for those involved. But the people being trafficked are often stripped of their rights and freedoms and become 2nd class citizens to their captors. Human trafficking is the fastest growing criminal industry in the world.
Revenue from trafficked persons is estimated to be between 5 to 9 billion US dollars per year. In Canada, the RCMP estimate that 600-800 people are trafficked into Canada annually and that an additional 1,500 to 2,200 people are trafficked through Canada into the United States.
Many of the people being trafficked are either women or children, that are then funneled into other industries such as free labour market and prostitution.
If we can get enough people to sign this we can get this topic raised during parliament. This is all about raising awareness and getting the Canadian Government to do more for this pressing issue.
10. Petition to End Torture, Persecution, and Enslavement
Many United States citizens are being implanted and monitored and controlled with biochips, DNA chips, synthetic Biology and other forms of devices that cause pain, steal memories and intelligence for the sole purpose of subverting the human for use as a weapon against humanity.
Dear Safe Energy Advocate,
We, the undersigned safe energy advocates, have been
speaking out about the risks and dangers posed by nuclear
power for years – many since before the 1986 Chornobyl
and 1979 Three Mile Island accidents as well as the
hundreds of other radioactive releases, unplanned shut-
downs, and other mishaps that have continuously plagued
both the U.S. and the international nuclear industries since
their founding.
While nuclear power’s unacceptable safety, environmental,
public health, economic, and national security risks should
have been self-evident long before now, the latest
unfolding nuclear disaster in Japan once again underscores
the following:
Nuclear plants can never be designed to withstand all
potential “acts of God.”
Nuclear plants can never be designed to withstand all
instances of “human error.”
Nuclear plants can never be designed to withstand all types
of “mechanical malfunction.”
Nuclear plants can never be designed to withstand all
forms of “terrorist attack.”
There is no such thing as “safe” nuclear power.
There is no such thing as “clean” nuclear power.
There is no such thing as “cheap” nuclear power.
Consequently, all proposed governmental financial and
regulatory incentives for new nuclear plant construction -
including loan guarantees, accelerated licensing, and
inclusion in a “clean energy standard” - should be rejected,
and no new reactors should be built.
Existing nuclear reactors should be phased out as rapidly as
possible, beginning with the oldest and/or most unsafe,
and no presently-licensed reactors should have their
operating lives extended.
Safety standards for existing reactors should be
substantially tightened while they continue to operate and
federal nuclear funding should be redirected to the orderly
phase-out of those reactors as well as the safe
decommissioning of closed reactors and disposal of
radioactive waste.
National energy policy and funding should be refocused on
greatly improved energy efficiency and the rapid
deployment of renewable energy sources which are far
cleaner, safer, and cheaper than nuclear power.
Sincerely, Mark R. Bielby BA.s.d.s
12. To remove fluoride from the water supply of Greater City of Sudbury, Ontario
Please sign this petition if you oppose the use of fluoride in the water supply of Greater Sudbury.
13. Remove Fluoride from Global Water Supplies
A great deal of people wish to have fluoride removed from their local water supply, but also globally.
Please sign this petition if you oppose water fluoridation.
14. Support for a National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking in CANADA
It is quintessential that Canada have a National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking. According to the US Department of State’s 2008 Trafficking in Persons Report, Canada is a source, transit, and destination country for human trafficking.
The RCMP estimates that 600-800 persons are trafficked into Canada annually, predominantly for sexual purposes, and that an additional 1,500-2,200 persons are trafficked through Canada into the United States.
Women, children, and men have been identified as victims of trafficking in Canada according to the US Department of State’s 2006 Trafficking in Persons Report.
While there is no reliable data on the number of persons trafficked within Canada, Aboriginal women are disproportionately affected according to the 2007 Report of the Standing Committee on the Status of Women.
Girls as young as 12 are trafficked in Canada for sexual purposes according to Criminal Intelligence Service Canada’s 2008 Strategic Intelligence Brief, Organized Crime and Domestic Trafficking in Persons in Canada.
As stated by a leading anti-human trafficking voice, MP Joy Smith:
"The complex and clandestine nature of trafficking in persons and the rapidly increasing occurrence of this crime demands a comprehensive, multi-faceted approach that draws together the existing frameworks, stakeholders, and agencies. I am convinced a Canadian National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking would address the challenges raised by implementing an integrated, targeted response to human trafficking. Such an approach would include benchmarks and measurable targets to ensure that continued progress is made."
Please sign the petition to ensure that Canada takes a comprehensive and national stance to combat human trafficking!
15. Let the Chagos Islanders return home
In the early 1960′s, the US government, concerned about Soviet expansion in the Indian Ocean, asked the British government to find an uninhabited island where the US could build a naval base. Returning the favour, the US would be willing to give $14 million in research and development fees for Britain’s Polaris missile program.
The first island located was Aldabra, near Madagascar. Aldabra fitted the bill in terms of it’s location and vitally it was uninhabited. However, the island was a breeding ground for a rare species of tortoise and their mating habits may have been affected by a military base. Looking for an alternative, the US decided on Diego Garcia, the largest island in the Chagos Archipelago. This had the benefit of leaving tortoise mating undisturbed but the island was home to 1,800 Chagossians, or Ilois, who had inhabited the islands for over 200 years.
The Chagossians were employed, grew their own food and fished and had built their own stores and a church. However, the courtesy for tortoises evidently didn’t apply to human beings. The government soon began a campaign to deal with the “population problem” to “maintain the pretense there [are] no permanent inhabitants.” This appalling attitude persisted and rather than seeing Diego Garcia as the society it was, it was regarded as a nuisance, summed up by the British diplomat Dennis Greenhill who said: “unfortunately along with the birds go some few Tarzans or Man Fridays whose origins are obscure and who are hopefully being wished on to Mauritius.”
They were “wished on to Mauritius”, as well as the Seychelles and the UK. This began in 1968 when residents who left Diego Garcia merely to visit Mauritius were refused return to the island. They were stranded in Mauritius, without any assistance in resettling or any compensation. To this day, the Chagossians in Mauritius still live in poverty. Soon after, the Americans began to arrive and the rest of the indigenous population were forced to leave. Only allowed to take clothes, their homes and possessions had to be abandoned and their pets were killed amidst threats that if they did not leave, they would otherwise be “bombed” and wouldn’t “be fed any longer.” All this was with the full knowledge and approval of Harold Wilson, Roy Jenkins and Denis Healey.
The inhumane treatment was compounded by the compensation later given to the Mauritius government. The £1.4 million only covered the debts incurred from resettlement and when it was dealt out to 595 Chagossian families, it was years later and significantly reduced by inflation. Another £6 million was paid in compensation but when the Chagossians claimed for it, they were required to endorse a renunciation form, written in English though they speak Creole, that forfeited their right to return home. This wasn’t even translated for them.
Injustice after injustice, finally in 2000 it was ruled that the forced removal was illegal and the right to return to the outer Chagos Islands was returned. This slight progress was then reneged when Jack Straw issued two Orders in Council in 2004 and the right to return was take away again. Even as soon as April this year, the Foreign Office proposed plans for a Marine Protected Area in the Chagos Archipelago that erects a barrier to any return to the islands. The outright dismissal of their rights continues.
That’s the story. Tragic, inhumane and unlawful. We desperately have to make amends and the best place to begin is by changing our policy on Chagos and campaigning for their right to return. To achieve this, we need your support.
16. Help the Barrel Dogs of Ikaria
On the Greek island of Iakria dogs are used as tools, instead of cattle grids, to restrict the movement of sheep. Forced to live chained up on one metre chains, with old rusty barrels for kennels, these dogs live down deserted roads and tracks rarely seeing anyone.
The barrels do not provide suitable shelter in inclement weather and they are like ovens during the summer months providing absolutely no relief from the scorching sun. To add to their misery, they have some dirty water to drink and inappropriate food, often just bread and bones. They are all young dogs craving human companionship. It is alleged that many of the dogs die before they are one year old.
Reports from tourists hiking on the island describe how these dogs are overjoyed when they receive a kind word and a gentle touch and how harrowing it is for the hikers when they continue their trek, to hear the dogs bark, cry and strain at the end of their chains as if saying, “Please come back. I only want some love and attention”.
17. Calling For The Release of Democracy Activist Tran Khai Thanh Thuy
Request the Australian Embassy in VN to call for the release of Ms. Tran Khai Thanh Thuy, a renowned novelist and democracy activist.
Calling For The Release of Democracy Activist Tran Khai Thanh Thuy
NB : We continue to also sign this petition at :
http://www.change.org/actions/view/calling_for_the_release_of_democracy_activist_tran_khai_thanh_thuy
18. Prevent Human Trafficking in Canada during 2010 Olympics
Human trafficking in Canada, and the Vancouver area in particular is a problem that the governmental and non-governmental authorities are now beginning to confront. There have been concerns raised that the 2010 Olympic games in Vancouver will present an opportunity for human traffickers.
On May 29, 2007, the Standing Committee on the Status of Women recommended “[t]hat the government, in collaboration with provincial and municipal counterparts as well as experts from the police, international organizations and NGOs develop and implement a plan prior to the opening of 2010 Olympics to curtail the trafficking of women and girls for sexual purposes during the games and after.”
The RCMP Criminal Intelligence directorate estimated in a 2004 report that 800 people are trafficked into Canada each year- 600 destined for sex trade. An Additional 1500-2200 people are trafficked from Canada into the US annually.
As a result of these factors, Vancouver was recently singled out in the US State Department’s trafficking in persons report (2007) as being a destination cirty for trafficked persons from Asia. The report also exposed that “[a] significant number of victims, particularly South Korean females, transit Canada before being trafficked into the United States.”
To date, not a single person has been successfully prosecuted for the offence of trafficking under Criminal Code. During the two years after the implementation of the “United Nations Trafficking Protocol”, Canada identified 31 trafficking victims, the United States found 17,000. Certainly Canada falls short of the mark in its effort to combat human trafficking and protect its victims by providing proper investigation, support and prosecution of the traffickers.
In the light of the upcoming 2010 Olympics, it is expected that the numbers for human trafficking victims will rise due to an increase in demand for prostitution. Second, traffickers may attempt to bring trafficked persons posing as “visitors” into Canada for the Olympics, only to exploit them in other cities or transit them into the U.S.
Human trafficking is taking place today in Canada; this major sporting event just provides added impetus to the implementation of better laws and immediate funding. We want the Olympics to be a chance for us to portray the best of Canada to the world and not to be a flashpoint for Human Trafficking.
19. Punish The Deed, Not The Breed
Our Government has put bans or restrictions on the ownership of at least 75 breeds of dogs all over the country. For all the human errors that have happened over the years, you, our Government, has decided to take actions against the animals.
As a pet owner, I know that our pets respond to how we, as owners, treat them. Most, if not all of our pets have to be taught how to behave, play, and interact with other animals and/or humans. It is of human fault that these animals either fight other animals or attack a person.
Make the person responsible for the neglect and abuse they put the animal(s) through, don't punish these 75 breeds of loyal and loving companions by labeling them as "vicious" and banning them.
20. Petition for the Reinstatement of Link James
Link has been an employee at Bridgeport Hospital for 3 years. During this time he has out-performed all of his co-workers, even those with 15+ years of experience. When he is working, patient wait time is significantly shortened. It is evident when he is not working because patients will wait at least an hour to be transported. His all-business demeanor and concern for patient satisfaction, along with his motto "People Before Profits" makes him very helpful to staff throughout the hospital.
On July 6th, his supervisor informed him that his hours would be changed and reduced. She refused to accommodate his college schedule. Link was obviously very upset, and was fired for arguing with his supervisor. We are already feeling the effects of this foolish, irrational, and closed-minded decision, and patients are noticing.
21. Children have a right to adequate housing: Support H.RES.582
H.RES.582, Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that children have a right to adequate housing, was introduced into the House of Representatives by Congresswoman Maxine Waters on June 25, 2009.
According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, hundreds of thousands of American children will be homeless over the course of a year and millions more are living in substandard, overcrowded, or precarious situations, placing them at heightened risk of illness, serious injury, hunger, and educational delay. H. Res. 582 is a reminder that an unacceptably large number of children and youth in the country experience homelessness every year and calls for the creation and development of programs at the federal, state, and local levels to address the housing needs of low-income children and youth at risk of becoming homeless.
22. The Revolution
From time to time, even in a government as great as the United States of America, our government must be reminded that its power lies with the people. The government is a machine driven by the people and guided by the constitution, in order to ensure the inalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. When government no longer represents or protects the rights of the people, it must be reformed. As long as it is within our power to change it, we the people can not stand by under the tyranny of government. The election process is the greatest weapon we have, as a people, to influence the direction of the government. We must unite, across the lines that divide us, to form a more perfect union.
We the undersigned, call on members of congress to vote against the nomination of judges who legislate from the bench and to immediately begin sponsoring and cosponsoring legislation to:
• Repeal the large spending bills, pork and earmarks, which threaten the financial security of this country.
• Protect and ensure every right recognized by the first ten amendments of the United States Constitution.
• Reduce the powers of the President and the federal government
• Return the powers of the state that are recognized by the tenth amendment to the United States constitution.
• Protect traditional marriage and the rights of parents.
• Protect the inalienable right of all human beings, born and preborn, to life.
23. Open Letter to the United Nations
This week Iranians turned out in record numbers not seen since the beginning of the Iranian revolution to change their current President Mahmood Ahmadinejad.
24. Support the U.S. Personhood Amendment
There is scientific proof, that from the moment of conception, the fertilized egg has all the genetic information needed for life. The species of the fertilized egg does not change, so that if it’s a human being it is a complete human being from fertilization.
The only change this human being undergoes is the stages of development or physical appearances; since, all human beings are in some stage of development, it is not enough to challenge a human being’s personhood.
Therefore, all human beings should be granted the rights, freedoms and protections of personhood, regardless of their developmental stage.
Somaliland is a former British protectorate in the East coast of Africa that shares borders with Somalia, Djibouti and Ethiopia. It was granted independence on 26th June 1960 and shortly after entered in union with neighbouring Somalia.
From there, the union turned out to be disastrous for Somaliland and it's citizens who were subjected to unfair and unjust practices by the nation it united with culminating in a brutal genocide of Somalilanders with some 500,000 civilians being killed in campaign of indiscriminate air bombardments (carefully disguised from the world) and by other similar cowardly acts employed by the regime. A regime which was headed and dominated by brutal characters that hailed from south Somalia, the former Italian colony Somaliland united with. Almost every Somalilander that managed to survive this terrible ordeal became a refugee at the time and all the major cities of Somaliland like Burco, Hargeisa, Berbera, Erigavo where flattened to the ground and became empty ghost towns with just rubble from the destruction remaining and every survivor fledding to neighbouring Ethiopia or beyond.
This prompted an organisation called the Somali National movement (SNM), composed of Somalilanders, to carry out an armed struggle against the brutal regime. Fortunately, they succeeded in toppling the brutal oppressors and in May 1991, Somaliland withdrew from the union with Somalia and declared restoration of it's sovereignty.
Since that time, a UN observed referendum which saw 97% of the population expressing support for an independent Somaliland was held. A civilian government made, a constitution drafted, democratic elections were held, Somaliland's economy has seen a year on year growth and the country has been making progress which hasn't gone unnoticed by the international community who acknowledge it with titles such as "Africa's best kept secret" amongst others.
Sadly though, the international community so far fails to grant Somaliland the full de jure diplomatic recognition that it's rightfully entitled to since Somaliland is a nation that chooses to restore its sovereignty after withdrawing from a bad union.
It's therefore imperative that bodies like the UN and the African union to respond appropriately and take a leading role in rectifying this injustice against Somaliland and its people who want to leap forward but are being hampered by the lack of recognition.
So please sign the petition and help Somaliland get the justice and response it deserves from the rest of the world.
Thank you for your favourable responses and Long live Somaliland, democracy, freedom and all the ideals it stands for.
26. Stop The Mass Murder And Rape In The Democratic Republic Of The Congo
This petition was a collaboration of the following organizations:
CSUN, African Students Organization.
Friends of the Congo
&
Mothers for Africa
Altadena California
To:
President Barack Obama
Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton
Office of Budget and Management
Peter Orszag, Director
Rob Nabors , Deputy Director
Deputy Director for Management
Jeffrey Liebman, Executive Associate Director
Department of the Treasury
Office of International Affairs
United States Congressional Representatives
Since 1998 there have been over two million orphaned children, over seven hundred thousand women and children rape survivors and almost six million murdered from war related conflict and according to the latest estimates fifteen hundred people die each day making this one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world.
Foreign companies are profiting from unregulated mining and selling of the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s (DRC) vast mineral deposits such as diamonds, gold, copper, cobalt and coltan. Congo holds 80 percent of the world’s reserves of coltan, a heat-resistant mineral ore widely used in cellular phones, laptop computers, video games, jet engines, rockets, cutting tools, camera lenses, x-ray film, ink jet printers, hearing aids and many other electronic devises. The DRC is the richest country in the world with the poorest people. Foreign multi-national corporations have benefited tremendously from the exploitation of coltan in the DRC. The coltan mined by rebels and neighboring countries ( Rwanda, Uganda & Burundi ) is sold to these foreign corporations.
This exploitation of the DRC has fueled human trafficking, rape, death and forced labor of innocent people on their own land. The rape of these women is brutal; rape victims range from one to eighty years of age. The rebel solders (rapist) insert foreign objects inside the women such as knives, staffs, and rocks. Sometimes the women are even shot inside their vaginas causing them to seek reconstructive surgery. Pregnant women are usually disemboweled and venereal diseases are rampant and sometimes boys and men are raped if not killed. Some women walk over twenty miles or up to three months just to get to a clinic and when they arrive the clinics often do not have pain pills or even a band aid and the women have to wait days or months to receive treatment.
The United States has given millions of dollars to the Rwandan and Ugandan armies in military training and arms. The United Nations reported that the following companies serve as the engine of the conflict in the DRC.” Cabot Corporation, Boston, MA; OM Group, Cleveland, Ohio; AVX, Myrtle Beach, SC; Eagle Wings Resources International, Ohio; Kemet Electronics Corporation, Greenville, SC; and Vishay Sprague, Malvern, PA. The coltan is then processed and sold to companies such as Nokia, Motorola, Compaq, Alcatel, Dell, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Lucent, Ericsson and Sony for use in a wide assortment of everyday electronic products.
We the undersigned hereof state our demand that:
• The United States ceases the allocation of military aid in any form, including the distribution of armaments and military training to both countries of Rwanda and Uganda.
• Adopt policies toward Rwanda that promote security, freedom, and democracy in the Great Lakes Region particularly in both the Congo and Rwanda.
• Urge the Rwandan government to implement an inter-Rwandan dialogue and a democratic process that provides political space for opposition parties.
• Support the Extractive Industries Transparency Disclosure Act (H.R. 6066 and S. 3389) to promote policies and corporate responsibility in the fight against corruption and poverty.
• Support the International Violence against Women Act (IVAWA) (S.2279, HR.5927) which would consistently incorporate solutions for reducing violence against women into U.S. foreign assistance programs.
• Put pressure on the documented atrocities by the United Nations, United States based companies to stop buying conflict coltan and to make it a requirement to label there source of coltan.
• The United States of America became a member of the Kimberley Process, government industry and civil society initiative to stem the flow of conflict diamonds through the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS).
We all cannot afford blood diamonds, but we all have access to coltan. Please let’s make a collective effort to stop these atrocities.
Thank you. www.MothersforAfrica.org
27. Investigation of human rights abuses in Ogaden
Ogaden; people without hope, who have been maimed by oppressed regimes of Ethiopia in last 2 centuries. Ogadenis who live in the horn of Africa were ceded to Ethiopia's haile salase by British colony in 1942-48. FROM THAT TIME they are denied their basic life.
28. Condemnation for the Brutal Killing of Mrs. Lilia de Vera's Family
We, the Filipinos residing in the Philippines and overseas, strongly condemn the brutal killing of Mrs. Lilia de Villa's husband and 7-year old daughter by policemen pursuing a robbery gang on Dec. 5, 2008 in Paranaque City. This wanton act of savagery and blatant disregard for "Rules of Engagement" by the very same policemen who are supposed to be the guardians of public safety show the ineptitude of our law enforcers and their utter disregard for human life.
According to the account of Mrs. de Vera "my husband's face was unrecognizable because he was shot in the head at close range while he was kneeling with his head bowed down. My daughter's young body was riddled with bullets, one hit her head, blowing her brains out, all from powerful guns and ammunition fired by the men in uniform on two innocent and defenseless persons." What was the only crime of the victims? They were mistaken for robbers while driving their SUV Crosswind in the vicinity of the shoot-out. Based on some eyewitness accounts, the police sprayed bullets on the van, despite the absence of any provocation from the van and in an effort to save their lives, Mr. De Vera grabbed his already bloodied daughter and run away from the van to seek cover from a parked jeepney. Nonetheless, he was shot at close range. How can one mistake a man clutching a bloodied girl for a robbery suspect? Or was this a case of eliminating the only witness who could pinpoint the killers of the girl?
As usual, after a few days in the news and as the victims are not well-known or influential persons in Philippine society, media stopped news coverage and the public is not aware whether the perpetrators of the crime have been brought to the bar of justice.
1. All the money in the world is VIRTUAL money, of no real consequence whatsoever (see the EcoTort website). Therefore there is no financial reason for anything. Eg, there is no financial reason why we cannot feed, clothe, house, & educate every person living on the Earth today, AND be 100% eco-responsAble too…!
2. Any contract to damage or destroy the environment is a contract to commit the most serious crime of “Aggravated Criminal Damage” to the environment (max Life Sentence, see the EcoTort website), and is therefore a void, unenforceable contract (which is based upon money which does not exist ! ).
3. According to UNiversal Law it is illegal to pay tax in ANY country of the world (see the EcoTort website) until the World’s Government(s) cease their criminal activities in allowing heinous environmental damage and destruction at present day UNprecedented levels; equivalent to a threat of war, and indeed being the single most likely cause of most conflict (armed and unarmed, domestic and international) in the World today.
4. AT LEAST 60% of everyones wages on the Earth is being collected by the elite bankers of the world, through interest payments on unenforceable contracts, to do with as they please; unelected, unrepresentative, unaccountable, and unacceptable! (see the EcoTort website).
5. Every Police officer promises to “protect life and property, and to uphold the Law”. The most serious threat to life and property, and the most serious breach of the Criminal Law are BOTH due to CRIMINAL environmental damage and destruction, for which the banking elites are demonstrably responsible (see the EcoTort website)..
6. The remedy is through a global implementalion of the principles of Permaculture (see the EcoTort website).
30. Support Hmong Human Rights
Through out the past years after the Vietnam war there existed what is called a "Secret War". Many American soldiers fought in this war along side our people, the Hmong. After all those years, there was a promise made to the Hmong that after the war, the U.S. would accept them into a place that will provide safe haven, the United States of America.
Many have come over but for those Hmong who are still in Thailand they are living in mosquito infested cells in the Nong Khai detention center and being forcibly repatriated back to Laos like those in the Huay Nam Khao camp. We urge the U.S. government to pressure the Thai embassy to allow UNHCR into the camps to allow proper screening of these people who are labeled "economic migrants" to be screened as "political refugees". Also for the U.S. government to pressure the Thai embassy to stop the repatriation of these people.
Also to free those 158 still in the Nong Khai detention center and allow these people, who already are labeled as political refugees, to resettle in third countries.
