for Tuesday, June 30th, 2015
Voting members and organizations are asked to provide agenda topics no later than Monday evening.
Individual members are encouraged to take action, to sign petitions and make donations.
Action Items:
PASSED, 1) That the Northbay MDS support the campaign to demand freedom for Honduran Political Prisoner "Chabelo" Morales
* Online Petition: [thepetitionsite.com/665/564/147/we-demand-freedom-for-honduran-political-prisoner-chabelo-morales/]
* Printable petition, with a 2 page background and a 1 page signature sheet [archive.org/details/PetitionForJoseIsabel]
PASSED, 2) That the Northbay MDS sign the Honduras Solidarity Network petition
The US government continues to militarize its foreign and domestic policies on behalf of the military and prison industrial complexes, for the benefit of transnational corporations. June 28 marks the sixth anniversary of the US-supported military coup in Honduras, a country that exemplifies the moral bankruptcy of this policy, and serves as a warning for what is happening in our own communities.
Circulate the petitions in your community to take a stand, and to build opposition to militarization.
* Online petition [SOAW.org/honduraspetition]
* Printable petition (B/W) [http://is.gd/kyLUPo]
* Printable petition (Color) [http://is.gd/24rdxj]
PASSED, 3) That the Northbay MDS donate to Greg McCain's fundraiser for Human rights accompaniment in Honduras [crowdrise.com/humanrightsobservationhonduras/fundraiser/gregmccain]: I have been volunteering in Honduras as a long term on-the-ground human rights monitor for 3 years. In that time I have accompanied the peasant farmers (campesinos) in the northern Aguán Valley as they struggle for a sustainable livelihood. I have twice been present during the exhumations of campesinos who violently lost their lives at the hands of the private guards of Corporation Dinant, a large African Palm producing company that acquired much of their land through swindles and bribery. The Honduran Military and Police have also actively sought to criminalize the campesinos, and the Honduran government has denied the campesinos of sustainable markets syphoning of aid to give to the large corporations. I have also been present at numerous evictions, monitoring the violent behaviour of the police and military as well as the privet guards. I have accompanied campesinos to police stations to monitor how they were being treated and took their testimonies of the violent evictions. I also go to courthouses to monitor the process of the judicial system, one that is heavily weighted against the poor and is there to further enrich the ruling elite. On several occasions I have accompanied people who needed to flee the region or country because of death threats or actual attacks. Many of these occurred after the person went to the Public Prosecutor to file a complaint of receiving a death threat. The Public Prosecutor almost never investigates these complaints and are often working in tandem with those making the threats. I have also been accompanying the Political Prisoner Jose Isabel "Chabelo" Morales who has been unjustly incarcerated for close to 7 years. The Supreme Court has annulled his conviction TWICE, but he remains in prison waiting for seemingly endless retrials. It is a clear example of the criminalization of campesinos. The donations that I receive enable me to continue the much needed accompaniment of those who are sturggling for dignity and justice against a corrupt government that has the full support and financial aid of the US government.
PASSED, 4) That the Northbay MDS supports the International Peoples' Tribunal being organized by BAYAN, USA, a coalition of Filipino groups along with other organizations. The tribunal will take place in Washington, DC, July 16 - 18. The Tribunal will hear testimony about crimes against the Filipino people by President Benigno S. Aquino and the U.S. Government as represented by President Barack Obama. For information on the proceedings, the Jurors, the cases to be heard, the human rights and social justice organizations that are conveners of the tribunal, please go to: [InternationalPeoplesTribunal.org]
The Northbay MDS is asked to promote the results of the proceedings in our media, including on our FM radio news hour, and inquire on scheduling an interview with a member of BAYAN.
PASSED, 5) That the Northbay MDS sign, and that individual members consider signing, a petition:
Free journalists and stop political repression in Ukraine [archive.is/vsFC8], an Open Letter to the President of Ukraine Petro Oleksiyovych Poroshenko from US Citizens who Disagree with Political Repression in Ukraine.
* Online petition [change.org/p/president-of-ukraine-petro-oleksiyovych-poroshenko-to-free-journalists-and-stop-political-repressions-in-ukraine]
* FYI: Dr.G. has already signed the following letter titled "No Weapons to Ukraine" for the USA Senate
[diy.rootsaction.org/petitions/no-weapons-to-ukraine?bucket&source=facebook-share-button&time=1434578502]
PASSED, 6) That the Northbay MDS support the campaign to Free Simon Trinidad (aka Ricardo Palmera) by signing their petition and inquiring about an interview on our FM radio news program.
* More information [freericardopalmera.org], archived homepage [archive.is/7uDNA]
* Printable petition [http://is.gd/96pGA2]
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