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SEPTEMBER 1999, pages 134-135 Human Rights
When human rights advocate Ramsey Clark visited Dr. Mazen Al-Najjar last April at the Manatee County jail in the southwest Florida town of Bradenton, where Dr. Al-Najjar has been held for more than two years on the basis of “secret evidence,” the former U.S. attorney general said: “You’ve got to get the message to the people. You’ve got to ask them, ‘Do you believe that in the United States of America, the land of the free and home of the brave, that a person can be kept in custody month after month with no criminal charges being filed?’” Getting the message to the people is precisely what the Peace and Justice Foundation is attempting to do with its recently initiated National Public Information Campaign. The goal is to inform American citizens on the selective and unconstitutional acts being committed in their name by the U.S. government against legal and law-abiding immigrants; and, further, to educate concerned citizens on what they can do about it. An important part of this nationwide initiative is to bring to the public’s attention the introduction of The Secret Evidence Repeal Act of 1999 (H.R. 2121) which, if passed, would outlaw the use of secret evidence in immigration and deportation proceedings. On July 13, the Peace and Justice Foundation held a public information rally in New York City at the Federal Building in downtown Manhattan. The Foundation was joined by the Coalition Against Political Imprisonment; and the Committee for Justice for Nasser Ahmed (co-sponsors of the New York initiative), a delegation from the Bruderhofs of New York State, and representatives from the Justice Committee of the New York City Majlis Ashura and National Coalition to Protect Political Freedom. The Bruderhof are Christian communities (with origins in Germany) whose communal life is based on Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. Bruderhof youth made an enormous contribution to the success of the initiative through songs well suited for the occasion, in addition to a statement of support for the overall campaign delivered by David Moody. Their presence also underscored the fact that the unconstitutional use of secret evidence is not just a matter of concern to Arabs and Muslims, but to other conscientious Americans as well. The Peace and Justice Foundation presently is planning public information rallies in other major cities around the country. In addition to the rallies devoted exclusively to secret evidence issues, their intention is to spearhead two more initatives, one on the East Coast, the other on the West Coast, to draw attention to biased U.S. immigration policies and the mistreatment of asylum seekers in violation of international covenants to which the U.S. is a signatory. For more information on the National Public Information Campaign write or call: The Peace and Justice Foundation, Inc., 8604 Second Ave., Dept 173, Silver Spring, MD 20910 or call (301) 962-8547 or e-mail: saala@bellatlantic.net —Mauri’ Saalakhan
The Solidarity Committee with the Student Movement for Democracy in Iran held a forum July 17 at George Washington University’s Funger Hall auditorium in Washington, DC, and a march to protest the recent attack by police and paramilitary thugs on the students in their Tehran University dormitory. Tens of thousands of university students have demonstrated in 15 Iranian cities protesting the government’s closure of the liberal newspaper Salaam and other publications and recent crackdowns on freedom of expression. In a land where 65 percent of the citizens are under 25, this groundswell of frustration is very significant, speakers said. In Washington, DC, 2,000Iranian-Americans responded to the students’ call for freedom of expression, filling G.W’s auditorium to capacity. The newly organized ad-hoc committee represents people from all walks of life and from all political persuasions. One speaker described recent events as “another dark page of tyranny” in Iran’s history. Another said, “The Islamic regime has chosen the path of severe brutality, using force, intimidation, kidnapping, murder. The regime uses paramilitary force instead of the force of persuasion. We stand here in solidarity with the students in Iran.” Committee representatives gave speeches in Farsi and handed out literature in English saying that “Iranian students are struggling for the most rudimentary of human rights, the freedom of thought and expression.” Speakers charged that human rights activists, writers and nationalist leaders are kidnapped or murdered and journalists are jailed, just as Baha’is, Jews, and Christians are arrested and branded as spies for their beliefs. The Solidarity Committee wants Iran to grant:
—Delinda C. Hanley
On July 20, 1999, the 25th anniversary of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus, more than 1,500 people from across the country met to form a human chain around the Capitol building in Washington, DC, in order to publicize the Turkish occupation of northern Cyprus. The Human Rights Alliance joined forces with other human rights groups and women’s organizations to remind the U.S. Congress, administration and public that the Turkish invasion and occupation of Cyprus is not forgotten. In a press conference in front of the U.S. Capitol building, one of the organizers of the demonstration, Kathyrn Cameron Porter, wife of Congessman John Porter (R-IL), reminded the enthusiastic American-flag-waving audience that the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus left 37 percent of the island’s territory under Turkish occupation and forced a third of the Greek Cypriot population from their homes. She added that the Turkish government refuses to account for 1,600 Greek Cypriots whose fate is unknown. Senator Paul Sarbanes (D-MD) said that it was time Americans got off the couch and worked for the reunification of Cyprus. Congressman Robert Menendez (D-NJ) said, “200,000 Cypriots are refugees in their own homeland. And we won’t rest until the last Turkish boot leaves Cyprus.” Congresswoman Shelley Berkley (D-NJ)said she had some good news and some bad news. “The bad news is that I’m not 100 percent Greek. The good news is that I’m 50 percent Greek.” After only 25 weeks in office, she said, she is still as passionate as anyone at the rally about fighting for Cypriot rights. “I’ll spend every minute of every day working for you,” she promised. Greek Ambassador to the United States Alexandros Philon addressed those inside and outside the U.S. Capitol. “You believe in the rule of law,” he told participants, assuring them that “Congress voted for the embargo for reasons of principal.” Describing why “Turkish troops have to leave,” he said that “Germany is united. Europe is united. Cyprus must be united.” Noting that “Kosovo refugees can return to their homes,” he declared that in Cyprus, too, “refugees must return to their homes.” He concluded, “Every race and creed can live together in a modern state of Cyprus with human rights for all.” After the press conference there was a peace march to Lafayette Park in front of the White House and a vigil of peace. Under Secretary of State Sandy Berger sent Tony Blanken to relay President Clinton’s good intentions with regard to taking steps to solve the Cypriot problem during his presidency. —Delinda C. Hanley |
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