I hope everybody is having a great week! I just left an interview between Amnesty's expert for our Counter Terror Justice with Campaign and a reporter from Al Arabyia News. The interview was about Obama's recent announcement that trials will continue at Guantanamo Bay, a facility that he promised to close when he was elected in 2008. Amnesty feels very strongly about the need to close Guantanamo, because of both the torture tactics that have been employed there and the lack of legitimacy and transparency in the trials that do not conform to U.S. standards. The interview was interesting and our representative did a fantastic job of putting the issue into both a constitutional and human rights perspective- that fair and open trials are part of America's democratic system and that the savagery that is employed at Guantanamo has proven to only beget more savagery from terrorist organizations. He also acknowledged the concern that many people bring up- that the people being tried at Guantanamo are high-risk for terrorist activity and that indefinite detention is the safest choice for them. He said that the U.S. trial system is more effective than the clandestine operations that go on at Guantanamo, and as always, Amnesty values the transparency that results from an open court.
Aside from the new emphasis on Guantanamo, there have been multiple other issues that Amnesty has been active in lately.
Last week I issued country-specific releases, including: calling for protection and assistance for civilians fleeing violence in the Ivory Coast, condemning further reckless disregard by security forces in Tunisia, and urging Pakistan to bring Minister Bhatti’s killers to justice. Also issued releases calling for help for refugees fleeing Libya and condemning indiscriminate force by Gaddafi supporters. There were also releases demanding the freedom of a protestor in Egypt, urging China to stop crackdown on foreign reporters, and calling on Viet Nam to release Dr. Nguyen Dan Que.
Of all these issues, the news development that interested and saddened me the most during the week was the discovery of the bodies of two more of the Reyes family of Juarez, Mexico. The bodies were found on Friday and are the next chapter in a long saga of drug violence in northern Mexico. According to the LA Times, the first one of the family killed was activist Josefina Reyes. Then her brother. Then they burned her mother's house. About three weeks ago, gunmen dressed in black kidnapped Reyes' sister, sister-in-law and another brother. They were found dead on a street in Chihuaha.
I have never been to Mexico, but I am very interested in Latin and South America. My time in Bolivia showed me how amazing South American people are and developed my interest in the Spanish-speaking world. The drug violence that is currently ravaging Mexico is devastating the country and innocent civilians. Along with the Middle East I will be keeping Mexico in my thoughts and prayers.
Also, today is International Women's Day- a global day celebrating the economic, political and social achievements of women past, present and future. Amnesty has done several interviews about the event, especially regarding to promoting the rights of women in cases of maternal mortality and sexual violence.
The other taks I completed last week included making a calendar, finishing a financial expenditures report, and writing a summary of both the press releases released by Amnesty International and the times that our press releases were mentioned in the U.S.-based media. I also did several calls to promote our AGM (Annual General Meeting) to the San Francisco media.
Over the weekend I went to New York City with my roommate, a friend from work, and a friend from Brown U that I taught English with in Bolivia. It was my first time in NYC and it was a really fast-paced weekend. I didn't see many touristy things because everyone I went with had been there several times before. I did see the Statue of Liberty, though, and all 5 burroughs! That took a LONG time! Most of the time we were in Brooklyn, because we stayed with friends near there Friday night. I really liked Brooklyn a lot- a very creative and interesting community. Brooklyn alone is bigger than DC. Saturday night we got a hotel in UN Plaza and ended up on the top floor with an amazing view of the city. I could not have imagined how enormous and busy NYC really is. There is so much to do there, and I am going to try to go back before I leave. I can't believe I've already been here 2 months! Have a great week everyone.
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