Comment

Comment by Dallas the Phallus on July 21, 2010 at 6:57pm

Petition from EarthRights.org:

A Call for Total, Chevron, and PTTEP to Practice Revenue Transparency in Burma (Myanmar)

On April 27, 2010, a global "Call for Total, Chevron, and PTTEP to Practice Revenue Transparency in Burma (Myanmar)" was issued for the Yadana companies to promote transparency and accountability in the extractive sector in Burma by voluntarily publishing over 18 years of payments to the Burmese military regime. The statement was endorsed by EarthRights International and over 160 non-governmental organizations, labor unions, investment firms, scholars, and policy leaders, including the former Prime Minister of Norway and the former President of Ireland. These prominent groups and individuals are calling on the Yadana companies to assist the people of Burma in holding their government accountable for the revenues that the government receives on their behalf.

Comment by Dallas the Phallus on July 21, 2010 at 6:55pm

EarthRights.org:

Landmark U.S. Extractive Industry Transparency Legislation Passed

It is with great pleasure that we are able to announce that today the United States Senate passed the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act which includes a landmark provision requiring all SEC-listed oil, gas, and mining companies disclose the payments they make to governments for extractive related activities. Next week, President Obama will sign this bill into law, and once implemented, will increase financial transparency in the oil, gas, and mining industry and help reduce the corruption, mismanagement, and conflict that are too often associated with natural resource extraction. Senators Cardin (D-MD) and Lugar (R-IN) were key supporters of this measure, and today issued a statement announcing the passage of this historic transparency legislation.

The legislation sets a new standard for transparency in the extractive industry while encouraging other countries to pass similar measures. Once the provision takes effect - likely beginning in 2012 - payments to governments will be publicly available to citizens in resource-rich countries, providing crucial information to hold governments accountable for the spending of this revenue.

EarthRights International, as members of the Publish What You Pay US Coalition, has been advocating for passage of this transparency legislation for the last several years, as have many of our supporters. For those of you who took action in support of this legislation, we are greatly appreciative and your voices really did make a difference!!

Comment by Dallas the Phallus on July 21, 2010 at 6:42pm

PublicIntegrity.org: Exporting an Epidemic

A global network of lobby groups has spent nearly $100 million since the mid-1980s to preserve the market for asbestos, a carcinogen now banned or restricted in 52 countries. Scientists say asbestos may cause up to 10 million deaths by 2030, with a mounting toll in the developing world.

Comment by Dallas the Phallus on July 19, 2010 at 6:01pm

Stop Violence Against Native American and Alaska Native Women

Sexual violence against Native American and Alaska Native women is at epidemic proportions. Native American and Alaska Native women are more than two and a half times more likely to be raped or sexually assaulted than women in the United States in general. More than one in three Native American and Alaska Native women will be raped in their lifetime and, according to Department of Justice statistics, 86 per cent of perpetrators of sexual assault and rape against Native women are non-Native men. Because of a confusing maze of federal, state and tribal jurisdictions, perpetrators of these crimes are frequently not brought to justice.

The Tribal Law and Order Act is a historic effort to tackle major jurisdictional challenges that allow crimes against Native American and Alaska Native peoples to go unpunished and unabated. The Senate recently and unanimously passed the legislation by including the bill as an amendment to H.R. 725, the Indian Arts and Crafts Amendment Act of 2010. Now we need to ensure that the House does the same!

Comment by Dallas the Phallus on July 19, 2010 at 5:40pm

Ask Obama to Endorse the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

Country: United States
Issues: Human Rights


I write to urge you to immediately endorse the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The declaration is a set of principles that would provide Native Americans and Native Alaskans with greater security regarding their basic human rights, including their rights to equality and non-discrimination.

Around the world, 147 countries have endorsed the declaration. Since it is not a treaty it does not require the advice and consent of the Senate for the United States to endorse it. The declaration fortifies much of what is already a part of U.S. law. But it goes a step further and recommends that States adopt a number of principles that would ensure that Indigenous Peoples can exercise their right to free, prior, and informed consent before governments approve projects such as hydroelectric dams, mines, logging, etc., or military activities on their lands. It also affirmatively supports Indigenous Peoples' rights to teach their languages to their children, and to manifest, practice, and develop, and teach their spiritual and religious traditions to their children. While the declaration is not a self-executing treaty with the full force of law, it comprises the world's most comprehensive and up-to-date statement of the rights that all Indigenous Peoples -- individually and collectively -- should possess, and articulates the standards that States should strive to attain to ensure that their rights are protected.

Most of the world's national governments have endorsed the Declaration. Only two "no" votes remain: Canada and the United States. Let's not be the last country to endorse an internationally negotiated Declaration that begins to amend historic wrongs against Indigenous Peoples here and around the globe.

Sincerely yours,


Your Name

Comment by Dallas the Phallus on July 19, 2010 at 4:34pm

Take Action for Worker Safety

The ugly environmental costs of dirty energy are obvious. But what about the human cost?

In February, a natural gas plant explosion in Connecticut killed six workers. In April, a refinery explosion in Washington state killed seven workers and an explosion at the Massey coal mine in West Virginia killed 29 miners. These are among the 5,000 workplace fatalities that occur each year.

Take action for commonsense safety regulations that save lives and hold lawbreaking corporations accountable!

More regulatory enforcement is essential to protect workers and avoid tragedies like these. The Mine Safety and Health Act of 2010 (H.R. 5663) would protect miners, prosecute bad actors and close dangerous mines. It also would provide much-needed reforms to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, strengthening protections for workers in all industries.

Type your zip code into the box below. Use the form that appears to tell your member of Congress to support the Mine Safety and Health Act.

Please type your zip code into the box below. Then take a moment to add your own words to the email message that appears. This greatly increases the likelihood that your message will make a difference. You can also ask your representative to support the Mine Safety and Health Act by phone by calling the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121. Let us know how it goes with an email to action (at) citizen (dot) org!

Comment by Sydni Moser on July 6, 2010 at 6:02pm

Walmart, KFC, Burger King Paper Purchases Destroying Indonesia's Rainforests

TreeHugger / By Matthew McDermott
7/6/2010

A new report from Greenpeace points the finger at the international companies responsible for Indonesian deforestation, and the international brands aiding and abetting them.

READ MORE:
http://www.alternet.org/story/147444/walmart%2C_kfc%2C_burger_king_...

Comment by Jean Bodie on June 11, 2010 at 11:51pm

There is a walk on Saturday and Sunday 12th and 13th of June to raise awareness of the AIDS pandemic and the struggle that these African Grandmothers endure as they bury their dead children and then raise the orphans. They are old; they don't have enough to eat but they push on.
Stride to Turn the Tide (of AIDS) is for them; the grandmothers who are doing a stellar job of carrying the burden. Let's help them; let's raise awareness and money. Stride wherever you are.
Got to http://www.stephenlewisfoundation.org/grandmothers.htm
and find out what you can do to help.

Comment by Jean Bodie on June 11, 2010 at 11:45pm

Allow me to introduce myself and my group. My name is Jean Bodie and I am a member of the Grandmother to Grandmothers Campaign of The Stephen Lewis Foundation. Recently I returned from Johannesburg and Manzini, Swaziland where 42 Canadian grandmothers from this organization were the guests of SWAPOL (Swaziland for Positive Living). Swaziland has the highest AIDS population in the world. Grandmothers from 13 sub-Saharan, African countries were in attendance and we were their guests; learning from them; the experts on the AIDS pandemic. We heard their cries for help and we are available to amplify their voices.
The Stephen Lewis Foundation heeds those cries with monetary help within 48 hours.
We are saddened and angry that thousands die daily for want of medicines that are available. CAMR (Canada's Access to Medicines Regime) has been used once only in the space of 5 years, by Rwanda; no other countries have received help due to all the red tape surrounding getting generic drugs to developing countries. Is this about profit and loss, or human lives?
Why are the developed nations of the world not fighting harder to save those lives?
Are they considered unimportant?
There is a bill before the Canadian Parliament that has passed second reading and will be re-visited this fall. We need our parliamentarians to fully understand the issues surrounding CAMR and if they really study Bill C-393 they will see that we can make medicines available to those countries without causing any harm to the profit and loss to the drug industry.
Pass the word along to other Canadians please; this Bill needs to pass.
We cannot stand idly by while thousands die every day.

Comment by Sydni Moser on June 11, 2010 at 7:49pm

April 07, 2010 — Don't Shoot the Messenger is a 4:30 min documentary on Cambodian garment factory workers and their advocates, The Messenger Band, the first political band in the history of the country.

The video is a correlary to my recent Truthout piece here: http://www.truthout.org/report-from-c... as well as an interview with The Messenger Band, also for Truthout, here: http://www.truthout.org/i-dont-want-b...

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