By Debra Sweet
The World Can't Wait
Yesterday, George Bush spoke to the General Assembly of the UN. NY1 reported, "Protesters staged a rally at Dag Hammerskold Plaza, across from the U.N., during Bush's appearance. They called on the president to withdraw troops from Iraq and not attack any other nation.'We're here to demand there be no attack on Iran, that the U.S. pull out of Iraq, and not attack Pakistan or Afghanistan,' said protest organizer Debra Sweet. 'He has broken the Geneva Conventions. He shredded our Constitution and he sent the same military members back to an illegal and immoral war, three, four, five times,' said Elaine Brower, whose son is fighting in Iraq. 'And I think it's time that people call him on it.'Matthis Chiroux, above left, spoke to the press, explaining why he refused "stop-loss" orders to go to Iraq after he had been discharged from the Army. He had done a tour in Afghanistan, ready to "kill terrorists," but changed his mind after being there. He's now a member of Iraq Veterans Against the War. After Matthis spoke, he was the staged "victim" of a waterboarding demonstration. We all had a chance afterward to talk to the international press about the crimes of the Bush regime, and to challenge the people present to act against these crimes.Since Bush was speaking to the United Nations about why he's sending more troops to Afghanistan, it's interesting that on the same day, the US government said they would not be making public the National Intelligence Estimate about Afghanistan. Canada and the Netherlands are reportedly about to pull their troops out, but as we have noted, Obama and McCain, both say they will be sending more troops there.
CHEERS! Yesterday, members of Veterans for Peace climbed onto a ledge at the National Archives, and stayed for 24 hours, fasting. Those who participated were Those Board President Elliott Adams, Board Member Ellen Barfield, staff member Doug Zachary, Kim Carlyle, Diane Wilson, and Tarak Kauff.
Debra Sweet, Director, The World Can't Wait - Drive Out the Bush Regime
September 24, 2008
Ana Romero, dead in a Kentucky jail cell
Ana Romero died while in a Franklin County, Kentucky jail, awaiting deportation to her home country of El Salvador. Ana spent the last nine months in jail awaiting deportation back to El Salvador, back to see her two sons. But Thursday, August 21st Blanca and Mario received a call saying Ana was dead after she was found in her jail cell, with a sheet wrapped around her neck.
Two and a half weeks later, there’s still no preliminary autopsy report from the Franklin county coroner and Blanca and Mario say no one’s telling them much of anything.
They also say Ana would never have committed suicide. Now, family members, advocates and concerned individuals are circulating a petition to demand justice for Ana.
We demand justice and a transparent investigation into the circumstances surrounding Ana Romero’s death. We demand a full reporting of all the information learned, so that her family and loved ones can get an honest and complete explanation of how and why she died in the Franklin County jail and so they may have spiritual closure. We demand moral, decent, and humane treatment for all persons in jail, regardless of their legal status, national origin, skin color, or language. We demand the due process rights guaranteed in United States Constitution.
Finally, we ask all public officials involved in this situation, from the federal government, to the Kentucky state government and all other state governments, to the county and city governments all over this land to implement a moratorium on the raids and deportations of immigrants until such time as we obtain a fair, humane, and comprehensive immigration reform that our country so badly needs.
End the raids, end the injustice - SIGN THE PETITION!
Two and a half weeks later, there’s still no preliminary autopsy report from the Franklin county coroner and Blanca and Mario say no one’s telling them much of anything.
They also say Ana would never have committed suicide. Now, family members, advocates and concerned individuals are circulating a petition to demand justice for Ana.
We demand justice and a transparent investigation into the circumstances surrounding Ana Romero’s death. We demand a full reporting of all the information learned, so that her family and loved ones can get an honest and complete explanation of how and why she died in the Franklin County jail and so they may have spiritual closure. We demand moral, decent, and humane treatment for all persons in jail, regardless of their legal status, national origin, skin color, or language. We demand the due process rights guaranteed in United States Constitution.
Finally, we ask all public officials involved in this situation, from the federal government, to the Kentucky state government and all other state governments, to the county and city governments all over this land to implement a moratorium on the raids and deportations of immigrants until such time as we obtain a fair, humane, and comprehensive immigration reform that our country so badly needs.
End the raids, end the injustice - SIGN THE PETITION!
Houma Indian Chief: Hurricane relief report Sept. 20, 2008
Messages from the Houma Principal Chief Brenda Dardar Robichaux
Week of 9/14 - 20/08
Outreach efforts are continuing throughout tribal communities, although some communities are still under a look and leave order. Last Sunday was spent assessing flood damage with a group of us traveling by boat down Shrimper’s Row in the Dulac community. We drove until the water was too high to go any further and then launched the boat from the side of the highway.Shrimpers Row, a roadway along which most of our Tribal Citizens live, was covered with water. Although there was enough water on the road to run the motor, most of the time one of our group pulled the boat through the sometime waist deep muck which covered much of the area.It was heartbreaking to see caskets that had floated from a local cemetery. A group of caring citizens towed the caskets back to the flooded highway and tied them to a tree to prevent them from floating away again. We met a family of three paddling down the bayou. They mentioned that they had spent the storm in their home until the water had gotten too high and then had to evacuate to their grandmother’s home which was elevated. They also mentioned that there were 4 other children at her home, all under the age of eight.
Read report:
http://censored-news.blogspot.com/2008/09/houma-indian-chair-hurricane-relief.html
Week of 9/14 - 20/08
Outreach efforts are continuing throughout tribal communities, although some communities are still under a look and leave order. Last Sunday was spent assessing flood damage with a group of us traveling by boat down Shrimper’s Row in the Dulac community. We drove until the water was too high to go any further and then launched the boat from the side of the highway.Shrimpers Row, a roadway along which most of our Tribal Citizens live, was covered with water. Although there was enough water on the road to run the motor, most of the time one of our group pulled the boat through the sometime waist deep muck which covered much of the area.It was heartbreaking to see caskets that had floated from a local cemetery. A group of caring citizens towed the caskets back to the flooded highway and tied them to a tree to prevent them from floating away again. We met a family of three paddling down the bayou. They mentioned that they had spent the storm in their home until the water had gotten too high and then had to evacuate to their grandmother’s home which was elevated. They also mentioned that there were 4 other children at her home, all under the age of eight.
Read report:
http://censored-news.blogspot.com/2008/09/houma-indian-chair-hurricane-relief.html
Photo: Hurricane Gustav damage/United Houma Nation photo
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