MCC Manchester News

China has a well-documented history of human rights abuses. Many had hoped that it would be forced to clean up its act in the run-up to the Olympics later this year. However, far from taking steps to improve the situation, the Chinese Government actually appears to be clamping down even harder on human rights defenders and activists in an attempt to silence anyone wishing to protest about its dire human rights record.

We are asking you to write a letter of protest to the Chinese Premier:

Premier WEN Jiabao
Guowuyuan
9 Xihuangchenggenbeijie
Beijingshi 100032
People’s Republic of China

and to send a copy to the President of the Olympic Committee:

President Jacques Rogge
International Olympic Committee
Château de Vidy
1007 Lausanne
Switzerland

In your letter you should:

• Express your concerns about the draconian measures used by the Chinese authorities to suppress basic human rights
• Call on the Chinese government to allow independent monitoring by international human rights groups in the run up to, and during, the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games and to allow such monitoring to take place throughout the country and without any restrictions
• Demand that China complies with international human rights standards in the future

This article on the Human Rights Watch website gives further details which may be useful when you draft your letter. You may also wish to use aspects of the sample letter below:

*START OF SAMPLE LETTER*

Your Excellency,

As the world’s attention increasingly turns to China in the run-up to the Olympic Games, I wish to express my concern about the reports I have heard of people being forcibly evicted from the areas in and around Beijing to create space for Olympic facilities without any offer of compensation or alternative accommodation. In addition, I am extremely alarmed to hear of the exploitation of the many migrant workers employed on construction projects across Beijing who are not being paid a fair wage, are not allowed to take days off and are being compelled to do dangerous work without adequate safeguards.

These issues appear to be part of a wider pattern of human rights abuses within your country and many of us had hoped that the Chinese authorities would respond to the opportunity of hosting the Olympic Games by taking decisive action to improve its human rights record. To our dismay, the latest reports suggest that the Chinese Government is actually treating domestic human rights defenders even more harshly than before, because it is afraid of having its image tarnished abroad by protesters at home. Personally, I believe that the true damage to China’s image is not being done by protesters such as these, but by the brutal tactics employed by the Chinese Government, which violate basic human rights.

Therefore, I call on your Government to respect the basic human rights standards that are enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and to allow international human rights groups full access across the country, both during and after the Beijing Olympic Games, so that the human rights situation in China can be both monitored and improved.

Yours respectfully and sincerely

*END OF SAMPLE LETTER*

See the IDAHO UK website at http://www.idaho.org.uk/ for further information about this annual campaign.

Dear Friends,

I am contacting you to ask for your prayers for an Iranian woman called Laleh whom the Greater Manchester Immigration Aid Unit are helping.

Laleh is an Iranian convert to evangelical Christianity.  She has been worshipping at a lively church in Manchester for the last two years and has been lodging with one of the pastors.  The Home Office are seeking to deport her to Iran tomorrow - Good Friday of all days - where she fears persecution.

As you may know some forms of Christianity are tolerated in Iran and Christians have some legal rights.  The churches which are tolerared are part of the Orthodox family of churches which worship in Assyrian - a language most Iranians don’t speak.  As such these churches, which are not allowed to proselytise, are considered to be non-threatening by the regime.  Evangelical churches are harshly persecuted.  To convert from Islam is known as apostasy and the penalty is death.

The authorities here in the UK often use public holidays to deport people as it catches their solicitors, and the courts, on the hop.  Generally courts do not sit on Good Friday (unless there is an emergency).  Staff from the Immigration Aid Unit are working on a fresh application this afternoon for Laleh but if it is turned down it will be very difficult to get a judge to review the decision tomorrow.  Many Iranians are not deported from the UK as they did not arrive on valid passports; however Laleh did, so it is possible for our government to deport her. 

Please pray for Laleh, that her application may be successful, that a stay of deportation is granted, and that she is given the strength to face all that is happening to her.  Please also pray for the Immigration Aid Unit as they work on this case. 

Today, on Maundy Thursday,  we are especially mindful of the unjust legal system which sent Jesus to his death; this should add a certain determination to our prayers for Laleh at this time. 

With much love,

Andy

Andy Braunston
Pastor
Metropolitan Community Church of Manchester
www.mccmanchester.co.uk

Thao Moua and Pa Fue Khang were arrested in June 2003, along with an interpreter and two European journalists, who had been researching a news story on ethnic Hmong. All were charged and given long sentences after an apparently politically motivated trial. The Laotians had no legal representation and the trial’s outcome was apparently pre-determined.

The journalists and interpreter were subsequently deported, but Thao Moua and Pa Fue Khang remain in Samkhe prison in the Laotian capital, Vientiane. They are serving sentences of 12 and 15 years respectively.

Amnesty International believes their unfair trial was politically motivated because of their involvement in researching a news story about the plight of the Hmong hiding in the jungle.

Ethnic Hmong prisoners receive particularly harsh treatment and are at increased risk of torture, denial of medical treatment and harsh punishments.

What can I do?

1) Send a non-religious card with a message of support to:
 
Thao Moua/Pa Fue Khang
c/o Samkhe Prison
Vientiane
Laos People’s Democratic Republic
 
Salutation: Dear Thao Moua and Pa Fue Khang

Suggested message: Greetings from a well-wisher who is thinking of you.

Important information: For the safety of the recipients, do not make political comments. Avoid referring to religion, e.g. you should write “you are in my thoughts” rather than “you are in my prayers”. Do not put your full name and address in the card - instead, sign your card with your first name or initials only, and state just the town and country you are writing from.
 
2) Send an appeal to the Laos authorities via the Amnesty Website by following this link
 
http://www.amnesty.org.uk/actions_details.asp.ActionID=360

Basic instructions from Amnesty:

• Do not use cards with Amnesty’s name or logo, or mention Amnesty in your message (unless otherwise stated).
• Simple messages of goodwill are enough. Never include political comments.
• As a rule, only send non-religious cards. In cases where we say religious cards can be sent, you may send either a card of any religion or a card of a specific religion as directed, without causing offence or posing a threat. When a non-religious card is advised, avoid referring to religion in your message. For example, rather than writing ‘you are in our prayers’, write ‘you are in our thoughts’.
• Put your name and address (including country) on your card, except if we specifically ask you not to. If you receive a reply, please send a copy to Amnesty International.
• Write your message in English or your first language. Only write in the recipient’s language if you are confident your message will be accurate. Suggested messages translated into the recipient’s first language are available at www.amnesty.org.uk/cases.
• Take note of the instructions for addressing your card.
• Use airmail stickers for sending cards overseas.
  

Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA)

Since early 2003, members of the activist organisation Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) have been repeatedly arrested during peaceful demonstrations against the worsening social, economic and human rights situation in Zimbabwe. They have been subjected to intimidation, harassment and ill-treatment by police officers. Mothers with babies and children, and pregnant women have been among those arrested.

On more than 10 occasions, WOZA members have been severely beaten while in police custody and the police have repeatedly denied them access to food, lawyers and medical care.

On 19th March 2007, two WOZA members reported being taken from thier homes at gunpoint by police. They were questioned about WOZA, assaulted and left in the bush.

On 6th June, seven members of WOZA were arbritrarily arrested after engaging in peaceful protest. Two of them were also reportedly beaten while in police custody.

The treatment of WOZA by the police illustrates the Zimbabwean government’s increasing intolerance of peaceful criticism of government policies. But in the face of an increasing clampdown, women human rights defenders demonstrate incredible resilience, bravery and determination.
 
What can I do?
 
1) You can show your support for WOZA in a really practical way by making roses for them out of crepe paper, which they can use in their peaceful campaign actions around Valentine’s Day on 14th February. Simply roll red crepe paper into a rose bud shape and secure it with green cotton or stickly tape (remembering to ensure that your creations are lightweight for easy posting). Then send your roses together with a religious or non-religious card with a message of support to:
 
WOZA
PO Box FM701
Famona
Bulawayo
Zimbabwe
 
Salutation: Dear members of WOZA

Suggested message: In solidarity with your important human rights work. With best wishes.

Important information: For the safety of the recipients, do not make political comments. You may put your name and address in the card .
 
2) Send an appeal to the Zimbabwean authorities via the Amnesty Website by following this link:
http://www.amnesty.org.uk/actions_details.asp.ActionID=364

Basic instructions from Amnesty:

• Do not use cards with Amnesty’s name or logo, or mention Amnesty in your message (unless otherwise stated).
• Simple messages of goodwill are enough. Never include political comments.
• As a rule, only send non-religious cards. In cases where we say religious cards can be sent, you may send either a card of any religion or a card of a specific religion as directed, without causing offence or posing a threat. When a non-religious card is advised, avoid referring to religion in your message. For example, rather than writing ‘you are in our prayers’, write ‘you are in our thoughts’.
• Put your name and address (including country) on your card, except if we specifically ask you not to. If you receive a reply, please send a copy to Amnesty International.
• Write your message in English or your first language. Only write in the recipient’s language if you are confident your message will be accurate. Suggested messages translated into the recipient’s first language are available at www.amnesty.org.uk/cases.
• Take note of the instructions for addressing your card.
• Use airmail stickers for sending cards overseas.
  

Blogger Karim Amer, 23, was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment on 22nd February 2007 for criticising Egypt’s al-Azhar religious authorities, the Egyptian president and Islam. Amnesty International considers him a prisoner of conscience.

A Misdemeanour Court in Alexandria jailed Karim Amer for writing internet blogs about Islam, the Egyptian regime and the sectarian riots which took place between Muslims and Christians in Alexandria in October 2005. It said the blogs were “inciting strife and defaming Muslims on the internet by describing the prophet of Islam and his comrades as murderers, which disturbs national peace”, and insulting to the president.

On 12th March, the Court of Appeal confirmed the sentence. Karim Amer lodged a further appeal to the Court of Cassation on 21st April, but no hearing has yet been scheduled.

Karim Amer is now in prison in Alexandria. He was held in solitary confinement for 65 days, reportedly in order to force him to give up his views about Islam. Since July, however, he has reportedly been allowed daily outdoor exercise and exchanged of letters with his mother. He plans to study literature at Alexandria University from October, if permitted by the prison director.

What can I do?

Print out, sign and send the 2 copies of the attached letter to the Egyptian President and the Egyptian Ambassador in London.

Letters - Karim Amer

See also http://www.amnesty.org/en/report/info/MDE12/006/2007

See the Amnesty International page at http://tinyurl.com/2wbyo5 for details of how to campaign to save these men’s lives.  Tayyeb Karimi, Yazdan (surname not known), and four other unnamed men have been accused and sentenced.  Please write or send emails to the addresses given in the Amnesty article.

MCC Manchester is delighted to welcome Hermione McEwen, Senior Solicitor from the Greater Manchester Immigration Aid Unit (GMIAU), as a guest speaker at our worship service at 4pm on Sunday 4th February 2008.

Details of GMIAU can be found at their website http://www.gmiau.org

An article describing Hermione’s work can be viewed at http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,200-2260733,00.html

Dear Friends,

DID YOU KNOW THAT?

• 57 countries are currently known to hold prisoners of conscience or suspected prisoners of conscience
• 1 in 3 women are subjected to intimate partner abuse
• 2 million people are trafficked every year, the majority women and girls
• 70% of casualties in recent conflicts have been non-combatants
• Amnesty documented cases of torture or ill-treatment by police, security forces and other government authorities in 102 countries in 2006

(All figures taken from the July/August edition of AMNESTY MAGAZINE)

WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE? IF SO, PLEASE READ ON….

As you may already know, MCC has had a social action ministry in operation for a number of years. To date, this has mainly involved signing letters or postcards during the social time immediately after church on a Sunday. Letters have been written on the basis of information provided by Amnesty International and other reputable organisations in an attempt to achieve justice for prisoners of conscience and victims of other forms of oppression around the world.  We have campaigned, raised money and done research to help with asylum campaigns, submitted evidence to Parliament in response to consultations on the Gender Recognition and Civil Partnership Bills. We have also continued to campaign on gay rights issues.   

As part of the next stage of development of this ministry, we are asking people to sign up to a new Social Action Group, which should provide a more formal structure and focus for the work that we do.

By joining the group, members will be subscribing to the monthly newsletter C4J (Call For Justice), which will be launching in October 2007. This will contain a letter ready to print off, sign and send. In addition to the main letter, the newsletter will also feature a number of other carefully selected cases so that people can compose their own letters on the basis of the details provided, if they so wish.

Signing and writing letters may only seem like a small thing, but it puts pressure on oppressive regimes by showing them that they are under scrutiny and it makes a real difference to the victims’ lives, as the following quote from the Amnesty website reveals: “We could always tell when international protests were taking place… the food rations increased and the beatings were fewer.” - Released prisoner of conscience, Viet Nam.

If you are interested in becoming a member of the new group, please send an e-mail to Steve Gray, our new Social Action coordinator via socialaction@mccmanchester.co.uk, remembering to include your first name and surname in the body of the text. You will then be added to the mailing list and will start receiving the C4J newsletter from October 2007.

Rev Andy Braunston
Pastor: MCC Manchester