World Human Rights Day 10 December 2010

Tomorrow for our Saturday Peace Gathering, I hope to raise more awareness of and concern for our US reputation beyond our borders by some new posters on how drones are STILL reaping the whirlwind and how our ONGOING inhumane Renditions and Detentions continue to anger countless numbers of non-Americans. These are our sisters and brothers - who once were our friends. We need our international friends now more than ever and perhaps more than they need us - at this point - since most of our unfortunate US "diplomatic"? interaction for years - including the US Ambassador until fairly recently, Anne Patterson, has been counter-productive to say the least.

UPHOLD the Rights of Detainees & get out the word today:
GO here ( International Detention Coalition ) For a most appropriate and up to date item from Andy Worthington seeking a Worldwide Ban on Solitary Confinement and Prisoner Isolation GO to Andy Worthington dot co dot uk and look for Human Rights Day Public Figures Call for Worldwide Ban on Solitary Confinement and Prisoner Isolation. I've tried to make his TEN or so recent relevant post come up easily but at least in the US or on my preview the urls are auto aborted. See more of his posts listed below.

I'm particularly concerned about the inhumane detention and threats for TWO WOMEN who were born across the world from one another of two different faiths. Plz look into BOTH the Detention of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui in TEXAS, USA.
For updated info regarding her horrific situation plz. GO again to andyworthington.co.uk and look for category/aafia-siddiqui/archive and 2010/12/ December Archive as well as 12/05/video-andy-worthington-speaks-at-bring-aafia-siddiqui-home-november-14-2010/ and ...numerous-reasons-to-dismiss-us-claims-that-ghost-prisoner-aafia-siddiqui-was-not-held-in-bagram.

Be sure also to check out Free Aafia dot org (the official family site) and Justice for Aafia Coalition. (both which provide a free email service)...Find more related among the URLS listed at end of this post and with a quick google: Aafia Siddiqui: oneheartforpeace and nomorecrusades.

Also, look into the detention and threat of execution by hanging of Aasia Bibi of whom I've posted at another blog here

While Aasia Bibi's case is quite different from Dr. Aafia Siddiqui's - the parallels are that there are two women opposite sides of the world facing injust and inhumane treatment and detention by two nations which claim to hold to both democracy and enlightened rights. As women, they are especially powerless and vulnerable. Their religion may be used against them and the US may have also (inadvertently?) revvged up displaced anger toward Aasia Bibi because of the treatment toward so many Muslims and toward Dr. Aafia? See several URLS below for the most objective and updated Op Ed from inside Pakistan where MANY Muslims as well as other Pakistanis are even more horrified than many Americans/Christians at this state of affairs.

Strange that these two nations are growing further apart when to deepen as democracies and to appropriately seek an ending to the extremist violence, there is a much greater need for each to seek more humanity within and without and more listening to the groups with the least power. I for one fault the US most of all for reigning terror and injustice across the world with secret detention centers ( a gulag archipelago of torture ) and for continuing ( maybe even expanding? ) the use of the unmanned (video-operated) drones in places where America has NO right to go. What a terrible death that is! And imagine all the civilians, babes, elder affected.

On a more Family-Friendly side, tonight with our evening meal we will show AMREEKA a universal story of a single mother, MUNA, who leaves the West Bank with FADI, her teenage son for what is imagined as a new safe place. This has been the winner of at least four BIG film awards. "A slice of American life, as seen through the eyes of Palestinian immigrants - nuanced, engaging and authentically observed." USA Today This should be a great discussion starter for our family (two of whom were born in Uganda and know some of the situations shown for youth who must engage American ways after living in another land.)

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Human Rights Day December 10, 2010

December 9, 2010 at 22:58

Although this is a crazy time of season, we cannot forget people, animals and situations that are taking place around the world that need our support.

Friday, December 10, 2010 is Human Rights Day.

On this day, Amnesty International will be holding a global Human Rights Day letter writing event.

Write for Rights is designed to draw awareness to the pressing issues that people all over the world are dealing with as their human rights are being ripped apart.

To find out more about Amnesty International’s Write for Rights, please go to www.writeathon.ca or you can call 1-800-AMNESTY (266-3789).

To learn more about the work of Amnesty International, please have a look at the sites below.

www.amnesty.ca

www.amnesty.org

NOTE from oneheart blogger: I just called: 1-800-AMNESTY (266-3789) and found out that as well as asking about Write for Rights - this is the connecting number for the main switchboard. You may also want to go to AmnestyUSA.org

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Human Rights Day is a time for people to reflect about the meaning, importance, and need for human rights.

What do people do?

Events focused on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights are held worldwide on and around December 10. Many events aim to educate people, especially children and teenagers, on their human rights and the importance of upholding these in their own communities and further afield.

The day may also include protests to alert people of circumstances in parts of the world where the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is not recognized or respected, or where the importance of these rights are not considered to be important. Cultural events are also organized to celebrate the importance of human rights through music, dance, drama or fine art.
Public life

Human Rights Day is a global observance and not a public holiday.
Background

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was drafted between January 1947 and December 1948. It aimed to form a basis for human rights all over the world and represented a significant change of direction from events during World War II and the continuing colonialism that was rife in the world at the time. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is considered as the most translated document in modern history. It is available in more than 360 languages and new translations are still being added.

The UN General Assembly adopted and proclaimed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights at the Palais de Chaillot in Paris, France, on the December 10, 1948. All states and interested organizations were invited to mark December 10 as Human Rights Day at a UN meeting on December 4, 1950. It was first observed on December 10 that year and has been observed each year on the same date. Each year Human Rights Day has a theme. Some of these themes have focused on people knowing their human rights or the importance of human rights education.

The UN symbol (an azimuthal equidistant projection of the globe centered on the North Pole surrounded by olive branches) is often associated with Human Rights Day. Copies of the whole Universal Declaration of Human Rights are also regarded as symbolic of Human Rights Day and are often distributed on or around December 10.
Human Rights Day Observances

I am leaving these URLS as they are for easy copy/pasting:

Reference to info above and the calendar at the end of this post:
http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/un/human-rights-day

See Comments to this article to show arbitrariness of who is chosen as the worst villain:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/12/10/human-rights-offenses-aro_n_794705.html#s203550

To see the free and informed discussions within the Pakistan community as many seek more human rights within and without their nation:
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010\12\10\story_10-12-2010_pg11_10http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Asia-Bibi-at-the-heart-of-World-Day-for-Human-Rights-20219.html

More from Andy Worthington on GITMO detainees and related: http://www.andyworthington.co.uk/2010/12/02/all-guantanamo-prisoners-were-subjected-to-pharmacological-waterboarding/

http://www.andyworthington.co.uk/2010/12/06/andy-worthington-asim-qureshi-and-jason-leopold-discuss-guantanamo-human-experimentation-and-the-global-reach-of-the-war-on-terror-with-peter-b-collins/

Select another year-range:
Weekday Date Year Name Holiday type Where it is observed
Wed Dec 10 1980 Human Rights Day United Nation day
Thu Dec 10 1981 Human Rights Day United Nation day
Fri Dec 10 1982 Human Rights Day United Nation day
Sat Dec 10 1983 Human Rights Day United Nation day
Mon Dec 10 1984 Human Rights Day United Nation day
Tue Dec 10 1985 Human Rights Day United Nation day
Wed Dec 10 1986 Human Rights Day United Nation day
Thu Dec 10 1987 Human Rights Day United Nation day
Sat Dec 10 1988 Human Rights Day United Nation day
Sun Dec 10 1989 Human Rights Day United Nation day
Mon Dec 10 1990 Human Rights Day United Nation day
Tue Dec 10 1991 Human Rights Day United Nation day
Thu Dec 10 1992 Human Rights Day United Nation day
Fri Dec 10 1993 Human Rights Day United Nation day
Sat Dec 10 1994 Human Rights Day United Nation day
Sun Dec 10 1995 Human Rights Day United Nation day
Tue Dec 10 1996 Human Rights Day United Nation day
Wed Dec 10 1997 Human Rights Day United Nation day
Thu Dec 10 1998 Human Rights Day United Nation day
Fri Dec 10 1999 Human Rights Day United Nation day
Sun Dec 10 2000 Human Rights Day United Nation day
Mon Dec 10 2001 Human Rights Day United Nation day
Tue Dec 10 2002 Human Rights Day United Nation day
Wed Dec 10 2003 Human Rights Day United Nation day
Fri Dec 10 2004 Human Rights Day United Nation day
Sat Dec 10 2005 Human Rights Day United Nation day
Sun Dec 10 2006 Human Rights Day United Nation day
Mon Dec 10 2007 Human Rights Day United Nation day
Wed Dec 10 2008 Human Rights Day United Nation day
Thu Dec 10 2009 Human Rights Day United Nation day
Fri Dec 10 2010 Human Rights Day United Nation day
Sat Dec 10 2011 Human Rights Day United Nation day
Mon Dec 10 2012 Human Rights Day United Nation day
Tue Dec 10 2013 Human Rights Day United Nation day
Wed Dec 10 2014 Human Rights Day United Nation day
Thu Dec 10 2015 Human Rights Day United Nation day

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