Author: andrewemett

Demand Justice for Human Rights Lawyer Attacked and Robbed

Originally published on September 27, 2014, at ForceChange.com

Target: Lukas Enembe, Governor of Papua

Goal: Investigate the assault on a human rights attorney and the theft of her laptop and legal documents

While walking from the courthouse to her hotel, a human rights lawyer was stabbed and robbed in the street. Stealing her briefcase, the attackers fled with her laptop and the legal documents pertaining to a politically motivated case against her client. The government of Papua must investigate this attack and punish those responsible for assaulting a human rights attorney.

After leaving court for the day, human rights lawyer Latifah Anum Siregar was returning to her hotel when unknown assailants attacked her. While stealing her briefcase, one of the attackers stabbed her in the hand. Siregar is currently defending Areki Wanimbo, Head of the Lani Besar Tribal Council. He has been charged with separatism for allegedly helping French journalists to film a documentary about the separatist movement in the region. The French journalists were detained and charged with violating migration rules. They face a maximum sentence of five years in prison for filming this political documentary.

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Homeless Woman Receives $1.5 Million After CHP Beating Caught on Video

Originally published on September 26, 2014, at NationofChange.org

A homeless woman suffering from a mental disorder received $1.5 million after a California Highway Patrol (CHP) officer was caught on video using excessive force against her. As part of the settlement, CHP Officer Daniel L. Andrew was forced to resign to prevent him from endangering other citizens under color of authority.

On July 1, Marlene Pinnock was walking barefoot along the La Brea off-ramp on the 10 freeway in Los Angeles when Officer Andrew confronted her. Diagnosed with bipolar disorder and off her medication at the time, 51-year-old Pinnock continued walking along the freeway when Andrew grabbed her from behind, threw her to the ground, straddled her body, and ripped her clothes while repeatedly punching her in the head and upper torso.

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Police Chief Receives Probation for Lying to FBI About Sexual Assault

Originally published on September 25, 2014, at NationofChange.org

Former Police Chief Earl Theriot has been sentenced to serve 24 months of probation and a $2,500 fine for making false statements to an FBI agent in connection with a criminal civil rights investigation. After reluctantly resigning from office, Theriot admitted to sexually assaulting an Ascension Parish woman and lying to an FBI agent investigating the incident. The victim has filed a civil lawsuit against Theriot for violating her rights.

On the afternoon of November 1, 2013, Theriot responded to a call concerning an intoxicated and unresponsive woman at a Sorrento grocery store in Louisiana. According to the lawsuit, Theriot placed the inebriated woman in the front seat of his car and groped her. Before taking her to the police station, he drove to another store and bought vodka for the woman while propositioning her.

Entering his office through a private entrance, Theriot placed her in handcuffs and used her belt to restrain her beneath his desk. He asked her for sex in exchange for not taking her to jail and forced her to give him oral sex while she remained bound underneath his desk. He held her in his office for four hours between 1pm and 5pm, and even held a meeting with the mayor during that time.

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Release Human Rights Activist Arrested for Using Twitter

Originally published on September 25, 2014, at ForceChange.com

Target: Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, King of Bahrain

Goal: Drop charges and release a human rights worker imprisoned for practicing free speech on Twitter

A prominent blogger and human rights activist has been arrested for posting comments on Twitter. After tweeting criticisms regarding a corrupt hospital administration, the activist has been detained and charged with defamation. The Bahraini government must release her immediately and drop the ridiculous charges against her.

Accused of posting insulting tweets, human rights activist Ghada Jamsheer has been arrested for attempting to engage in free speech. After criticizing the administration at King Hamad Hospital for their alleged corruption, Jamsheer was arrested and interrogated multiple times in an attempt to intimidate her. Although she did not call for violence or commit a violent crime, Jamsheer remains imprisoned.

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Success: Palm Oil Companies Place Moratorium on Deforestation

Originally published on September 24, 2014, at ForceChange.com

Target: Sukanto Tanoto, Chairman of RGE; Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Mohd Bakke Salleh, President of Sime Darby; Bachtiar Karim, Chairman of Musim Mas; R. M. Allas, Chairman of KLK; and Lee Shin Cheng, Chairman of IOI Group

Goal: Applaud palm oil companies for placing a moratorium on deforestation

Five major palm oil companies have agreed to hold a moratorium on deforestation. Notorious for destroying large areas of rainforest to make room for their palm oil plantations, these companies consented to a 12-month moratorium on deforestation while an environmental impact study is being conducted. A previous ForceChange petition demanded an end to deforestation caused by palm oil companies in Indonesia. With this moratorium, we’ve taken a giant step towards that goal.

While environmentalists and ecologists conduct a High Carbon Stock study, which will identify forest containing significant amounts of carbon, five palm oil corporations agreed to cease cutting down rainforests during the course of the study. For the next 12 months, the study will review biodiversity, greenhouse gas emissions, and socioeconomic impacts caused by massive land conversions.

After submitting to pressure from environmental groups, Sime Darby, Musim Mas, KLK, IOI Corporation, and Asian Agri agreed to end their rampant destruction of the rainforest while the study assesses the amount of damage that they have caused to the environment. Although the moratorium is temporary, these corporations should be applauded for taking a step in the right direction and will hopefully place a permanent moratorium on deforestation in the future.

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Restore Eroded Habitat to Save Water Vole from Extinction

Originally published on September 23, 2014, at ForceChange.com

Target: David Cameron, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

Goal: Stop the dramatic decrease in water vole populations by recreating their destroyed habitats

Within the last 50 years, the water vole population in the U.K. has dropped by approximately 95 percent. The water vole is a semi-aquatic small mammal that resembles a rat. Water vole habitats have been deteriorating due to irrigation, watercourse management, and erosion. By recreating the lost habitats, the British government can give the water vole a chance to step away from the edge of extinction.

Fifty years ago, roughly eight million water voles populated the riverbanks and streams of the U.K. Their population has rapidly dropped to less than 200,000 water voles today. The leading cause is the rampant destruction of their breeding grounds and habitats. Unable to hide from predators or protect their young, the water vole population is dramatically decreasing.

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Pentagon Supplies School Districts with Assault Rifles and Grenade Launchers

Originally published on September 22, 2014, at NationofChange.org

Due to public outcry, school districts nationwide are debating whether to keep their Pentagon-issued assault rifles, grenade launchers, and Mine-Resistant Ambush-Protected (MRAP) vehicles. Donated free of charge as part of the Defense Department’s 1033 Program, surplus military equipment has been dispensed throughout law enforcement agencies and school districts for decades. Recent criticisms of excessive police militarization in Ferguson, Missouri, last month has left many school officials questioning the need for military-grade weapons on campus.

According to the Defense Logistics Agency, over $5 billion in military equipment has been handed out to more than 8,000 law enforcement agencies and at least 26 school districts since 2007. California alone has received 8,533 surplus guns, 7,094 pieces of night-vision equipment, 2,370 bayonets and knives, 49 armored vehicles, 59 airplanes and helicopters, and 18 grenade launchers since 2006.

A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request filed last month revealed that 61 M16 rifles, 3 grenade launchers, and an MRAP have been transferred to the Los Angeles School Police Department. According to California’s Office of Emergency Services, the Baldwin Park School Police Department received three M16 rifles that they plan to return, while Kern High School District Police received 30 magazines for M4 assault rifle ammunition. Although the Los Angeles Unified School District has agreed to return the grenade launchers, they refuse to relinquish the assault rifles and mine-resistant vehicle.

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Defense Contractors and Foreign Governments Funding Pundits and Think Tanks

Originally published on September 21, 2014, at NationofChange.org

In a blatant conflict of interest, defense contractors and foreign governments are hiring pundits and think tanks to advocate for their agendas without media outlets disclosing their fiscal ties. Following a strategy developed by former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, think tanks funded by military contractors and foreign governments use commentators to influence policy or to generate exorbitant profits. Failure to disclose these financial connections reveals a glaring lack of journalistic integrity on the part of major media corporations.

During last year’s debates to attack Syria, former National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley made the rounds appearing on CNN, Fox News, and MSNBC. In a Washington Post op-ed, Hadley openly advocated for war against Syria. Yet none of these news organizations disclosed the fact that Hadley has also served on the board of Raytheon since 2009.

Raytheon produces the Tomahawk cruise missiles utilized during military campaigns. Regardless of whether the U.S. decided to go to war with Syria, Raytheon’s profits and Hadley’s 11,477 shares traded at all-time highs during the debate. A director and member of the Executive Committee of the Atlantic Council, Hadley is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR).

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Drop False Charges Against Human Rights Activist

Originally published on September 21, 2014, at ForceChange.com

Target: Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, King of Bahrain

Goal: Release a human rights worker falsely charged with assaulting a police officer

After returning to Bahrain to visit her ill father, a human rights activist was detained at the airport on the claims that she did not have Bahraini citizenship. After showing them her Bahraini ID card, the human rights worker was imprisoned for several days and charged with insulting the king and assaulting a police officer. The government of Bahrain must release this activist and drop the false charges against her.

Human rights worker Maryam Al-Khawaja returned to Bahrain to visit her imprisoned father, Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja. Imprisoned for life for his participation in advocating for human rights, Abdulhadi began a hunger strike calling attention to the injustice and torture endured by him and his fellow prisoners. Instead of allowing Maryam to visit her ill father, Bahraini authorities arrested Maryam to silence her and her family.

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Release Human Rights Worker Arrested on False Charges

Originally published on September20, 2014, at ForceChange.com

Target: Enrique Pena Nieto, President of Mexico

Goal: Drop the politically motivated charges against a human rights activist leading protests against the construction of an aqueduct

While demonstrating against an aqueduct that will divert water away from an indigenous community, a human rights worker was arrested and falsely charged with abducting a different community’s leader. After leading a delegation to Washington, D.C. to request protection for the indigenous people, Mario Luna Romero returned to Mexico and was arrested days later on politically motivated charges. The Mexican government must drop these false charges and allow the human rights worker to defend the Yaqui community from losing access to its water.

As a spokesperson for the Yaqui tribe, Mario Luna Romero and his community have been working to prevent the construction of the Independence Aqueduct. The project will divert water from the Yaqui River and away from the tribe, despite the fact that it owns 50% of the waterway. After leading protests and requesting an environmental impact study, Romero took a delegation to Washington, D.C. to raise their case before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.

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