AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL GROUP 86 NEWSLETTER
May, 2007
NEXT MEETING:
Our next meeting will be June 9th, 2PM at the
Brewhouse in Walnut Hills, on Park Avenue and McMillan. Free parking adjacent
to the building.
Don’t forget to tune in to WAIF, 88.3 on the second
Saturdays of the month at 12 Noon to 1. The next show is June 10th. Host
Rob Ryan and co-host Laura will discuss world events related to China human
rights.
Other News
Myanmar: Human rights
defenders attacked
Amnesty International is
concerned by reports of a violent attack on social activists in Myanmar, and
urges the ruling State Peace and Development Council to ensure an independent,
thorough and prompt investigation is instituted into the incident and that
individuals responsible are held to account. Maung Maung Lay, 37 and Myint
Naing, 40, members of the Human Rights Defenders and Promoters organization,
were injured after reportedly being attacked by more than 50 persons as they
left a village in Hinthada, Ayeyarwaddy Division, on the afternoon of 18 April
2007. The pair, who are now hospitalized with head injuries, were set upon by a
crowd after they had left the village of Oatpo where they are reported to have
conducted activities to raise awareness about human rights standards.
Execution
James Filiaggi born May 15,
1965 was executed Tuesday, April 24, 2007 by the state of Ohio. 30 concerned citizens gathered around 8:30am
outside of Lucasville Southern Correctional Facility, and in solidarity with vigils
across the state, to witness against this state-sanctioned killing. The
execution had been scheduled to take place at 10am. It did not begin until almost 11am, when
the U.S. Supreme Court
finally ruled against the request for a stay of execution. The family and friends of James Filiaggi and
Lisa Huff Filiaggi were waiting on the inside for this ruling. The group outside the prison stood together
singing, praying, and tolling a bell for James Filiaggi until his time
of death at 11:23 am. The Filiaggi family would welcome any
sympathy cards / condolences. You may
address them to: Intercommunity Justice and Peace Center ; C/O Filiaggi family
; 215 E. 14 th St. Cincinnati, OH 45202 and your card will be forwarded on.
Execution Alerts:
Kenneth Biros
currently has a stay of execution
John Spirko
currently has a stay of execution
Christopher Newton
is scheduled to be executed on Thursday, May 24th
Huge rally for Turkish
secularism
Hundreds of
thousands of people have rallied in Istanbul in support of secularism in
Turkey, amid a row over a vote for the country's next president. The protesters
are concerned that the ruling party's candidate for the post remains loyal to
his Islamic roots.The candidate, Abdullah Gul, earlier said he would not quit
despite growing criticism from opponents and the army.
Area Events
May 12, 2 pm
Mother's
Acting Up Peace Witness and Concert
Mobilizing the gigantic strength of
mother's on behalf of the world's children!
2
pm - Peace Witness at Mirror Lake in Eden Park
2:45 pm – Peace Walk to Art
Museum
3 pm– Mother's Day for Peace Concert featuring Paulette Meier with
friends Jamie Fota, and Susan Babey at Fath Auditorium in Art Museum / download
flyer
For more information,
contact Kristen Barker at 513-579-8547
For national events see www.mothersactingup.org
May 13 12:30 pm
Standing Women: Women for an End to Violence Observance - Reclaim Mother's
Day
Observance to begin at 1
pm
Eden Park by Mirror Lake, Hyde Park Square, Hoffner Park, Rapid Run,
Washington Park or any park or green space. Please bring bells to ring to mark
the beginning and end of the 5 minutes of silence."This is not a march,"
according to Jenny Brady, Development Director for The Women's Connection,
"it's simply women inspiring others to stand with them for the great and
general interests of peace, as Julia Ward Howe wrote all those years
ago."For more information about Standing Women Campaign contact Jane
Masters at 513. 561-9701 or cincinnatistandingwomen@yahoo.com
International information available at www.standingwomen.org
Interesting Stuff that has nothing to do with human rights
North Korea is the least visited country in the world – only 1,800
Westerners make the trip each year.
Scouting for Boys by Lord Baden-Powell is the fourth bestselling book
of the 20th Century, after the Bible, the Koran and Mao's Little Red Book.
We each get
a completely new
skeleton every 10 years, because of cell renewal.
From the BBC
WEBSITE.
Mohammad
by Karen Armstrong. This is a short, very readable biography of Mohammad, that
all non-Muslims should read.
Contact Info: Amnesty International Cincinnati
Chapter, PO Box 45, Bethel OH 45106, Phone: 300-5181.
Questions, comments, submissions: mpwiggins@fuse.net.