Source: The Guardian
We haven’t had too many events this year, but to make up for it, we are having two in April! Both of these events have to do with security and human rights and are relevant to the United States as well as to human rights abroad. Unmanned drones and Guantanamo Bay are two human rights issues that a lot of people can get behind, and we hope that you can join us at one of these events and get behind us on these issues.
Drones Rally Tomorrow
Don’t forget that tomorrow is our rally against unmanned drones, “Protest: U.S. Drones Out of Africa and Everywhere!” The rally starts at 12 p.m. at Soldier’s Memorial Museum, and here’s what to expect:
- 12 p.m. – Assemble for Rally
- 12:30 p.m. – Program and Speakers Start
- 1 p.m. – Begin March to Federal Building
All you need to bring to the rally is yourself. Posters and handbills will be provided to everyone. The stronger showing we have, the better we can make our point and to raise awareness about the drones.
Having killed thousands of people through U.S. drone strikes in the Middle East, Central Asia and the Horn of Africa, the U.S. government is now putting all of Africa in the cross hairs! Under the guise of “fighting terrorism” or “saving civilians,” the United States is using drones to engage in military actions throughout the world, including countries that are considered “allies”. Over 3,000 people have been murdered by U.S. drone strikes in the last few years, including a large number of children by these robotic killing machines.
Amnesty Lobby Week
This year’s Spring Lobby Week is from April 29 – May 3, and it will be your opportunity to speak with your members of Congress. We’re going to take our message straight to our representatives and convince them support our stance and/or thank them for continuing the fight for human rights. Specifically, we will be lobbying to close Guantanamo, to pass the International Violence Against Women Act (IVAWA), and to encourage them to join the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission.
To prepare for Lobby Week, the Midwest Legislative Coordinators will like to discuss with you how to sign up, what the issues will be, and offer pointers on how to build your delegation to participate in this most needed event. They will be hosting a conference call to provide the information to those interested in participating. There is a conference called scheduled for:
Date: Monday, April 15
Time: 7:00 p.m. CST
Call- in: 866-623-3290
Passcode: 8414
Hopefully, you can make it to at least one event. Please let us know if you have any questions, comments, or concerns. You can let us know by leaving a comment below or emailing us at amnestystl (at) gmail (dot) com.
Related Links:
Indefinite Detentions, Military Commissions, and Guantanamo
Amnesty International, St. Louis Blog 