AIUSA: Join the Struggle to Stop Torture
This is an email I've received from Amnesty International USA yesterday, the first day of Torture Awareness Month. Consequently, the topic is torture, and the US government's complicity in this horrendous practice. In order to raise awareness and have their voices heard, Amnesty USA is organising visits to congressional district offices, and asking US residents to join/lead these delegations.Years ago I was asked to interview Sister Dianna Ortiz, a torture survivor. As I researched her experience, the facts were so depressing that at one point I was not sure I wanted to interview her. When I met her, it was clear the scars of torture had marked her life, but her resilience, passion and energy to end torture overshadowed everything else. This experience led me to realize that the most essential thing I could do to end this horrible crime that plagues the world is become active and work with others.
Strong evidence suggests that the U.S. government has been complicit in torture. Now more than ever we have the duty and the power to ensure that our voices are heard. Amnesty International USA is organizing visits to congressional district offices and we need you as leaders to be on the frontline against this grave abuse of human rights. I urge you today, the first day of Torture Awareness Month, to join the struggle against torture by leading a delegation to your elected official’s district office.
As Amnesty International USA’s volunteer Legislative Coordinator for Tennessee, I've seen the power of our voices when we stand up and let our concerns be known to our elected leaders. I'm confident that your efforts can help end these policies in our own country. Like me, I hope you will apply to be a delegation leader and visit the district offices of your elected officials during the week of June 26th to urge that they support legislation to stop the use of extraordinary rendition.
» Apply to be a delegation leader
» Join a delegation
Sincerely,
Erick Veliz
AIUSA Volunteer Legislative Coordinator for Tennessee
Amnesty International USA
Tags for this entry: Amnesty International USA, torture, human rights.
posted by Annamarie at
9:43 PM
3 comment(s):
It's good to see people supporting Torture Awareness Month :-) We have created a blogroll you can join if you're interested. You can find it here. The idea is that everyone is linked to from the blogroll, and in exchange, you discuss torture, and link to the Torture Awareness site to help support the NGOs (as you already do).
There's a lot of bloggers concerned about human rights abuse in the War on Terror. If we coordinate, we can show our support and help Amnesty and HRW make Torture Awareness Month a success.
By
elendil, at
12:19 AM
Thank you for letting me know about the blogroll. I'll link to it and the Torture Awareness site as soon as my site-helper returns from vacation, as I don't know how to put in the proper codes myself.
I agree with you that we bloggers who are concerned about human rights abuses in Bush's GWOT should show our support, and help Amnesty and HRW. I am a member of both organisations, thus have been supportive of their efforts.
By
Annamarie, at
3:02 AM
Looking for information and found it at this great site... » »
By
Anonymous, at
5:17 PM
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