Tuesday, August 25, 2009

!!!Good News!!!

Death Penalty


The U.S. Supreme Court has ordered a new hearing for death-row inmate Troy Davis.

Troy now has the chance to finally present crucial evidence in court that may prove his innocence. A federal judge will determine whether there is evidence "that could not have been obtained at the time of trial (that) clearly establishes [the petitioner's] innocence."

Until now, Troy has been denied the opportunity to present all the facts supporting his case. But after a 6-2 ruling from the highest court in the US, Troy will get that chance at justice we've been fighting for since day one.

Thank you to everyone has contributed to this success to date!

The most current information on this case can be found here:
http://www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/news/us-supreme-court-order-gives-hope-troy-davis-20090818

Community Campaigns Internship NSW (unpaid)


Amnesty International Australia currently has several exciting internship opportunities in our NSW Action Centre for 2009 - 2010. Our interns will play a critical role in assisting us to deliver our Global and National Campaign objectives.

To be successful, you must be available four days a week (10am – 4pm) for a 3 month period.

Reporting to the Community Campaigner NSW, you will be responsible for:
* Supporting, engaging, and mobilising members, volunteers and activists, within the region
* Assisting in the implementation of Amnesty International’s campaigns
* Organising events
* Distribution of campaign materials
* Networking with community organisations and key stakeholders

If you are a highly organised, outstanding communicator who can enthuse and motivate diverse groups of people, please send your resume and application letter addressing the selection criteria to Deb Taylor dtaylor@amnesty.org.au by 5pm Friday 4th September 2009.
Your application must address the selection criteria and you must indicate the internship period that you are interested in.
see this website for more information and a detailed position description: http://www.amnesty.org.au/jobs/comments/21572/

Face-to-Face Locations - Week starting 24th August

MONDAY: Strathfield, York St

TUESDAY: Double Bay, George St, Paddington

WEDNESDAY: Earlwood, St James, Bondi Junction

THURSDAY: Bankstown, Market St, Darlinghurst

FRIDAY: Rockdale, Edgecliff

SATURDAY: Alfred St (Circular Quay)

Thursday, August 20, 2009

New Members' Night

New members night

Come along and discover Amnesty International though the eyes of people working with us. Find out what what Amnesty International's current campaign focuses are and listen to the experiences of various guest speakers who will give you an incite into the work of Amnesty International.
Cheese and wine and a chance to mingle will also add some spice to the night if you are not yet convinced!
When: Tuesday 25th of August
5.30 to 6.30 pm
Where: Action CentreLevel 1, 79 Myrtle StreetChippendale NSW 2007
!Looking foward to seing you!

More Than 2500 Butterfies IN NSW for Comfort Women Campaign

The past two weeks have seen the culmination of our ‘comfort women’ campaign (part of the Stop Violence Against Women Campaign)

See below for some of the great things that have taken place:

* AIA supported 'Friends of Comfort Women Australia' in coordinating the visit of 81-year-old ‘comfort woman’ survivor Gil Won Ok, from Korea, to Canberra.
* Sky writing of a butterfly and the words "Japan say sorry" written above Parliament House.
* An estimated 6,000 butterfly cards were delivered to the Prime Minister’s Office – while nearly 11,500 virtual butterflies have fluttered off to the PM’s inbox.

With 20,000 people calling on the Australian Government to take action, let’s hope Rudd and his government listens!

Thank you to everyone who has worked on this campaign over the last few months. In total NSW collected a total of 2,519 butterflies, far exceeding our original target of 1,200. We could not have done it without you!

There were also over 20 events spreading wide across the NSW region from Armidale to Springwood to Avalon. Not to mention the many groups which sent letters to their local MPs following their events or stals.

THANK YOU!

Cultural Awarness Training


Cultural Awareness Training
‘To understand the present – we must understand the past’.

As part of the Demand Dignity Campaign Amnesty International Australia will be hosting a 1 day workshop on October 3rd for all interested convenors, volunteers and activists.
This interactive workshop will be presented by Grant Sarra who has spent twenty-six years of his life working in areas that deal exclusively with Indigenous people in Australia. He has developed a detailed knowledge and understanding of the issues that impact upon Indigenous Australians.

Grant’s workshop will be a valuable learning experience and we are encouraging all to attend.
It is important that you confirm your attendance by SEPTEMBER 11th as places are limited. In the event that you are not able to attend the October 3rd workshop we might be able to run another session if numbers allow.

Please pass on the details of this event to your network of volunteers and activists.
Date: October 3rd
Time: 10am – 3pm

Venue: NSW Action Centre, Level 1, 79 Myrtle Street, Chippendale, Sydney

RSVP: by September 11th nswccintern@amnesty.org.au

Strengthening Democracy consultations: phase two

Phase two of the Strengthening Democracy consultations is now happening!

On the 27th August at 6pm the NSW Branch Committee will be holding a Strengthening Democracy consultation at the NSW Action centre to give you a chance to have your say on what Amnesty International Australia should look like in the future.

This is phase 2 of our Strenghtening Democracy project and aims to get your feedback on the options and changes our Governance Committee has developed based on input from phase.

The outcome of this and other consultations occuring nationally will be used to decide the response to these proposals at Novembers' Extraordinary General Meeting.

When?: Thursday 27th of August 6pm
Where?: NSW Action Center, Level 1 / 79 Myrtle, Street Chippendale 2008
RSVP: nswsecretary@amnesty.org.au

More info:http://www.amnesty.org.au/wiki/Strengthening_democracy_project_stage_2/

Looking foward to seing you!

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

THREE DECADES OF DEVASTATION-RESPECT LAND RIGHTS OF LUBICON CREE

Large-scale oil and gas development has drastically undermined the ability of the Lubicon Cree, Indigenous people in western Canada, to maintain their traditional culture, livelihoods and way of life.

United Nations human rights experts have repeatedly expressed concern over the devastating impacts of industrial development on the fundamental rights of the Lubicon Cree.

The Government of Alberta has to return to negotiations with the Lubicon Cree with a clear commitment to finding a just resolution to the land dispute. Such a resolution must fully uphold the rights of the Lubicon Cree under domestic and international law.

TAKE ACTION AND WRITE A LETTER TO:
Office of the Prime Minister of Canada
President and Chief Executive Officer
80 Wellington StreetOttawa, ONK1A 0A2

Or send back an e-mail to: activism@amnesty.org.au

THANK YOU FOR THEM!

Monday, August 17, 2009

Face to Face Location/ Week starting 17th of August

Monday: NEWTOWN, GLEBE

Tuesday: CANTERBURY, COLLEGE ST, PADDINGTON

Wednesday: ROSE BAY, CAMPBELL ST, BONDI JUNCTION

Thursday: MIRANDA, MACQUARIE ST, DARLINGHURST

Friday: FIVE DOCK, OXFORD ST, MOSMAN

Saturday: RAILWAY SQUARE

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

TAKE ACTION TODAY!

Show your support for Aung San Suu Kyi by attending a candlelight vigil for her at 5pm Wednesday 12 August at Martin Place.

Aung San Suu Kyi was sentenced last night to one-and-a-half years detention, by Burma's Military Dictatorship, in addition to her already 13 year long detention.
Aung San Suu Kyi was first placed under house arrest in 1989 and was subsequently charged with breaking the conditions of this illegal arrest after an uninvited US citizen allegedly visited her house. In effect, she has been prosecuted and sentenced because someone broke into her home.

The continued harassment and detention of Aung San Suu Kyi demonstrates the regime’s ambitions to silence Burma’s greatest hope: that of freedom, peace and national reconciliation.
This week Aung San Suu Kyi was awarded Amnesty International’s Ambassador of Conscious Award.

Show support for Aung San Suu Kyi and Light a Candle at Martin Place 5 pm today.

Face to Face Location- Week starting 10th of August

Monday: Circular Quay, OTS

Tuesday: Market street, OTS

Wednesday: Broadway, OTS

Thursday: Leichhardt, OTS

Friday: Pyrmont, OTS

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

New Members' Night

New Members’ Night

Come along and discover Amnesty International though the eyes of people working with us. Find out what Amnesty International is and listen to the experience of various guest speakers who will familiarise you with their jobs, volunteering and membership experiences. Cheese and wine will also add some spice to the night if you are not yet convinced!

When: Tuesday 25th of August
5.30 to 6.30 pm
Where: Action Centre
Level 1, 79 Myrtle Street
Chippendale NSW 2007
RSVP: nswccinterns@amnesty.org.au

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Demand Dignity Campaign reports

Since the launching of the global campaign on human right and poverty (28th of May), different actions have taken place and a number of Amnesty International reports have been released.
See below for a quick overview on the main campaign issues:

New Report on the Maternal mortality issue: Unequal access to health services costs poor and indigenous women’s lives in Peru.
Concluded the 10th of July, the report “Fatal Flaws: Barriers to Maternal Health in Peru” explores the high levels of maternal mortality amongst poor and Indigenous women in rural Peru and evaluates the impact of recent government policies designed to tackle the problem.
Amnesty International’s report highlights that pregnant women in Peru die because they face a number of barriers, including: lack of access to emergency obstetric care, unavailability of information on maternal health and lack of health staff who can speak Indigenous languages.

Slums issue: Amnesty International condemns forced eviction of Cambodian families Group 78 on Thursday 16th and Friday 17th of July.
The families dismantled their homes after three years of government harassment and intimidation, with no choice but to accept inadequate compensation rather than have their homes demolished.
Amnesty International is calling on the Cambodian Government to end forced evictions and introduce a moratorium on all mass evictions until the legal framework protects human rights.

New Report on the Social Corporate responsibility issue: Pollution has created human rights tragedy in the Niger Delta

The 1st of July, Amnesty International called the situation in the Niger Delta a “human rights tragedy,” saying that the people of that Nigerian region have seen their human rights abused by oil companies that their government cannot or will not hold to account.
The report examines oil spills, gas flaring, waste dumping and other environmental impacts of the oil industry. The majority of the evidence on pollution and environment damage gathered by Amnesty International, and contained in its new report, relates to the operations of Shell, the main oil company operating on land in the Niger Delta.

If you want more information or think about involved yourself, the next meeting for Demand Dignity Campaign will be held the 11th of August in the Amnesty International Action Centre.

For more information: nswdignity@amnesty.org.au

Monday, August 3, 2009

Harmonising laws will help to address violence against women and children

Last 24th of July, Amnesty International welcomes announcement by the Federal and NSW governments of a joint examination of ways to harmonise domestic violence and family law.

“Today we have seen a step forward in the protection of women and children around Australia,” said Amnesty International Australia’s National Director Claire Mallinson. “The legal protection and support a woman receives should not depend upon her postcode.”

While prosecution of most crimes against women is the responsibility of the states and territories, Amnesty International’s research has found that harmonising these laws would be an essential part of an effective National Plan of Action to Address Violence Against Women and Children.

Amnesty International commends this initiative, as Australia currently has no national standards for the training of police and legal professionals on violence against women. It is internationally recognised good practice that anyone involved in the investigation and prosecution of violence is trained specifically in the needs of women. Amnesty International Australia calls for this training to include police, prosecutors and the judiciary, to sensitise them to the needs of women.

Campaigning for Individuals at Risk – what can you do?

You want to do something for people whose human rights have been violated, but you're not quite sure how?
I can explain how to get involved with the Individuals at Risk Program.

http://www.amnesty.org.au/iar/comments/21302/

Thanks!

Face to Face Locations/ Week starting 3rd of August

Monday: LIVERPOOL, STRATHFIELD

Tuesday: DOUBLE BAY, SUMMER HILL

Wednesday: MIRANDA, EARLWOOD

Thursday: BANKSTOWN, BALMAIN

Friday: EDGECLIFF, ROCKDALE

Saturday: ALFRED ST (Circular Quay)