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Hold Sudanese Human
Rights Violators Accountable! 
Ask the
State Department to Deny Entry to Dr. Nafie Ali Nafie
In
1989, Farouk Mohammed Ibrahim, a former science professor at the University
of Khartoum, was arrested for his outspoken criticism of the Sudanese
government. For twelve days, he was held in one of Sudan’s notorious “ghost
houses,” where he was interrogated and tortured. “I was tortured, beaten and
flogged in his presence,” Ibrahim told
LA Times reporter Edmund Sanders (http://articles.latimes.com/2008/oct/26/world/fg-sudan26)
in 2008. “He was administering the whole thing. He did it all in such a cool
manner, as if he were sipping a coffee.”
The
“bad cop” who oversaw the torture of Ibrahim and countless other dissidents
in his six years as head of Sudan’s intelligence and security apparatus, was
Nafie Ali Nafie. Today, Nafie is the top advisor to Sudanese President Omar
Al Bashir and Vice President of Sudan’s ruling National Congress Party. He
was identified by the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court as one
of a handful of senior Sudanese officials responsible for recruiting members
of the Janjaweed militia and using them to exterminate opponents in Darfur.
And now, he’s planning to visit the United States … unless we speak out.
Go
to http://capwiz.com/pcusa/issues/alert/?alertid=62672716
to send a message today!
Nafie
is to be part of a high-level Sudanese delegation invited to Washington for
talks. But if US immigration lets him into the country, it will do so in
spite of a 2011 Presidential Proclamation that prohibits the admission of
“any alien who … participated in … war crimes, crimes against humanity or
other serious violations of human rights.” There is no need for this. If the
US government feels that it is important to talk with Nafie, there would be
plenty of opportunities to do so outside the United States without having to
turn a blind eye to Nafie’s human rights record or appearing to give
legitimacy to his actions.
What
you can do:
Please
write to Secretary of State John Kerry today to ask the State Department to
uphold the President’s promise and to deny entry to perpetrators of gross
human rights violations such as Nafie Ali Nafie. You may wish to adapt the
suggested text below. You can also find more information on Nafie’s record
and the significance of his visit in a
recent article in the Atlantic magazine (http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2013/05/the-price-of-inviting-nafie-ali-nafie-to-washington/275584/).
Go
to http://capwiz.com/pcusa/issues/alert/?alertid=62672716
to send a message today!
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Thursday, May 16, 2013
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
A Travesty of American Governance
A Travesty of American Governance:
Congress
restores cuts to the FAA but leaves the poor and hungry out in the cold
A
Statement by J. Herbert Nelson
Director
for Public Witness, PC(USA)
At the end
of last month, the House and Senate passed a shameful bill before leaving for
their in-district work period – the Reducing Flight Delays Act of 2013 (S
853/HR 1765). Rather than replacing the sequester
(automatic, across-the-board, spending cuts) with a comprehensive and balanced
approach to deficit reduction, they passed a sequester fix only for the Federal
Aviation Administration (FAA). This
fix is designed to mitigate long delays for airline passengers, including Members
of Congress, while ignoring the true hardship that is being caused by these
indiscriminate and irresponsible cuts.
Rather than standing up for the most vulnerable in our society, they
sided with the privileged, whose inconvenience while traveling was more
important than hunger among families who will not have enough food on the table
this month.
These
spending cuts, known inside the DC Beltway as “the sequester,” not only affect
the airline industry, but most government programs. From scientific and medical research, to
public transit projects, to international humanitarian development funds, to the
social safety net that helps support the lowest income earners in the country.
Programs like Head Start, housing assistance, the WIC Nutrition program, Meals
on Wheels, among many others, have been left with desperate choices of how to
cut their budgets for the remainder of the year. For
example:
- Head Start, an early-childhood education program proven to improve long-term school outcomes for low-income children, is having to cancel summer programs or end regular school year programs weeks early (if not drop children altogether). In total, 70,000 children are expected to be denied Head Start.[1]
- Seniors are losing home-delivered meals, and 140,000 fewer households will receive vouchers to help them afford decent housing.[2]
- Jobless workers are losing their unemployment benefits. Roughly 800,000 workers have seen their benefits cut by approximately 10%. When all of the states implement these cuts, this will affect about 3.8 million unemployed workers. [3]
The
Sequester was designed to be awful. It
is a blunt tool whose indiscriminate, across-the-board cuts were supposed to be
considered so unthinkable, that Members of Congress would be forced to come up
with a more compassionate solution to deficit reduction. But Congress failed to act and we are
now reaping the consequences of their failure.
But a
piecemeal approach to fixing the sequester is not the answer. Certainly the Air Traffic Controllers who
were being forced to take furloughs are benefiting from this congressional
action, but at its root, passage of this bill is a selfish move designed to
benefit the privileged and remove a politically embarrassing news story from
the 24-hour news cycle. While jets are
being filled with fuel, millions of Americans run on empty stomachs. While
business people no longer have to wait in long lines for their flights, the
poor are lining up for housing assistance in the longest lines ever. The cozy
first-class flight from DC to Los Angeles costs approximately the same as one
month's salary for a full-time worker making minimum wage.[4]
Once again,
Congress has missed the mark on what is truly important. We need to replace the sequester, but not in
a piecemeal fashion where the wealthiest beneficiaries and strongest special
interests line up to get their bite at the apple first. Rather, we need a comprehensive replacement to the
sequester that cuts judiciously where we can afford to cut spending (for
example, the pentagon budget), while also bringing in new revenue – tax dollars
from those who can most afford to pay for the good of all, so that we can meet
our shared priorities and make sure that fewer people are hungry, more children
have access to education, and more people find a desperately needed job. This is where the priorities of Congress
should have been at the end of April, and should still be today, not with
annoyed travelers whose inconvenience will leave them annoyed, but not hungry,
thirsty, or homeless.
It is time
to stand up and tell Congress that basic necessities such as food, shelter, and
education are more important than long lines in airports. When I think of what
this bill says about our shared values, I think we must be proclaiming, "Blessed
are the wealthy," completely neglecting Jesus' own words, "Blessed
are the poor." Can we ever proclaim the blessedness of the poor when our
government systemically keeps them in poverty?
Our mission
is not to make the poor become rich; nor is it to demonize the rich. Our
mission is to ensure that the playing field is leveled. Every human being
deserves to have enough. This shameful bill is a travesty of American
governance.
Register for now for a webinar on Fast Track and Trade Policy!
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Immigration amendments related to refugees, asylees, and other vulnerable populations
Action Alert: CALLS needed WED, May 15, THURS,
May 16 & FRI, May 17
On
Thursday, May 16, and Friday, May 17, the Senate Judiciary Committee will
consider amendments relating to refugees, asylees, and other vulnerable
populations in the bipartisan immigration bill, S. 744. In addition, they will
continue to consider amendments on worker visas and interior enforcement.
Committee members need to hear from people of faith across the country - not
just those who live in their states - about the impact these amendments will
have on our communities. Please call all day Wednesday, Thursday and
Friday.
Please
call 1-866-940-2439 to speak with the office of a specific Judiciary Committee
member.*
"As
a person of faith, I urge the Senator to OPPOSE
Graham Amendment #1 and ALL Grassley amendments, which would prevent refugees
and asylum seekers from seeking safety and protection,
and would needlessly expand immigration detention.
Also,
I urge the Senator to SUPPORT all amendments by Senators Franken, Coons, and
Blumenthal, which would improve the lives of vulnerable populations, including
survivors of domestic abuse."
Below is a sample script. If
you get an answering machine, please leave a message. More information on the
amendments is below. Please refer to each amendment by sponsor NAME and NUMBER.
All day Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, staff will be reporting to Senators on
the number of calls for and against each amendment.
OPPOSE
GRAHAM
AMENDMENT #1
This
amendment would terminate protection for refugees, asylees and stateless
persons living in the U.S. if they return to their country of origin. People who return to their country of origin are often risking
their lives to see a dying loved one, aid with the care and protection of their
children, or advance human rights.
ALL
GRASSLEY AMENDMENTS
These
amendments (specifically #25, #26, #27, and #52) would strike all of the
positive refugee and asylum provisions from the base bill, including provisions
that would improve access to life-saving protection for religious minorities in
Iran and stateless people currently without legal protection. Grassley #52 in
particular would delay positive changes to the asylum and student visa
provisions in the bill by falsely conflating them with the Boston Marathon
bombings. Grassley #40, #41, #47, #51 and #53 weaken due process and broaden
the use of immigration detention. Also, Grassley #73 and #74 would negatively
impact temporary workers.
ALL
SESSIONS AMENDMENTS, Lee #16, #17, #19 and Hatch #19, #20
These amendments would
prevent vulnerable populations, including those who have sought asylum but been
denied, from relief and protection if they have ever attempted to use a false
passport. Also, these amendments would
enable employers to
violate the rights of temporary workers by not requiring standard labor laws. Sessions #3, #10, #12, #17,
#33, #34, and #39 would penalize immigrants who use public assistance programs;
increase minimum bond amounts; encourage racial profiling and local
anti-immigrant ordinances; and indefinitely stall the temporary worker program.
SUPPORT ALL FRANKEN, COONS AND
BLUMENTHAL AMENDMENTS
These amendments, specifically Franken #7 and #9; Coons #6, #8,
#12, and #13; and Blumenthal #2, #7, #8, #13, #14, #17, and #18, would help
survivors of genocide and domestic violence; protect children and vulnerable individuals
and improve oversight in detention and deportation proceedings; allow asylum
seekers to work while they await their hearings; codify ICE policy restricting
immigration enforcement actions at schools, hospitals, and places of worship;
help temporary workers; and expand access to the pathway to citizenship.
*Please note that
you likely will not be connected with your own Senator's office through
this number, unless they are a specific Judiciary Committee member. This is the
best way to raise our voices at this moment. Judiciary members know they are
responsible to ALL of us as they consider amendments. Feel free to call 1-866-940-2439 multiple
times to connect with all priority members. To call directly, see the Committee
list at www.judiciary.senate.gov/about/members.cfm.
For more information go to www.interfaithimmigration.org.
Follow the markup
live at a link provided at www.judiciary.senate.gov. On Twitter, use
#CIRmarkup, #SJC (senate judiciary committee), #timeisnow,
#p2c (path to
citizenship).You can also tweet at Judiciary Committee
members: @SenatorLeahy,
@SenFeinstein, @ChuckSchumer, @SenatorDurbin, @SenWhitehouse,
@amyklobuchar, @alfranken, @ChrisCoons, @SenBlumenthal, @maziehirono,
@ChuckGrassley, @OrrinHatch, @SenatorSessions, @LindseyGrahamSC, @JohnCornyn,
@SenMikeLee, @tedcruz, @JeffFlake
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Action Alert: Food and Farm Policy Moving on Capitol Hill!
This week,
both the Senate and the House of Representatives will be making crucial steps
to advance food and farm policy. Your voice is needed now: tell your members of Congress to
enact a multi-year farm bill that alleviates hunger and malnutrition, supports
vibrant farms and rural communities, and protects God’s creation.
The Senate
Agriculture Committee is holding its bill “mark-up” today and the House
Committee will follow suit tomorrow.
For a
toll-free option, you can dial
1-800-826-3688 to reach your Senators’ and Representatives’ offices.* (Even
if your Senators or Representative do not serve on Agriculture Committees,
their support and encouragement are strongly needed for a positive Farm Bill
outcome coming out of Committee!)
Our nation’s
food and farm policies, as embodied in the farm bill, affect people from rural
America to inner cities, from our local communities to less industrialized
regions around the world. The farm bill is the single largest piece of federal
policy impacting our food system. A good farm bill can strengthen nutrition
programs like SNAP (formerly Food Stamps), help our struggling rural
communities, support new and socially disadvantaged farmers, enhance global
food aid to the world’s most impoverished, and encourage farming and ranching
practices that protect God’s creation.
Now is the
time to act. Join hundreds of other Christians today by urging Congress to pass
a multi-year reauthorization of the farm bill that fights hunger, supports
vibrant communities, and protects God’s creation. Write
to your Members of Congress now!
Background:
Both the
House and Senate Agriculture Committees will be marking up versions of the farm
bill this week. Congress failed to pass a farm bill in 2012, and a number of
important programs that promote a just and healthy food system are currently
without funding. Other programs are continuing, but need the certainty provided
by a multi-year farm bill.
The Senate
farm bill will likely look very similar to last year's stalled bill with
roughly $23 billion in proposed cuts. About $4 billion will come from nutrition
programs and roughly another $6 billion from conservation programs. The rest of
the major savings will come from changes to commodity and crop insurance programs.
The House
bill is expected to cut deeper than last year, aiming for $38 billion in total
cuts over ten years. $20 billion of those cuts will come from the nutrition
title but it is unclear how the remaining $18 billion will be divided amongst
the rest of the titles.
For further reading:
*Talking Points for a Call to Congress:
- I am a member of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) where we are committed to food policies that ensure enough for everyone.
- I believe that just food policies is one of the tests of our nation and I urge you to work with your congressional colleagues to enact a Farm Bill this year that alleviates hunger and malnutrition, supports vibrant farms and strong communities, and protects God's creation.
- Any Farm Bill you support should:
- Alleviate hunger and malnutrition: the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP (formerly known as Food Stamps), should be protected from cuts and harmful structural changes.
- Also, Congress should sustain robust international food aid and improve the nutritional quality of food aid.
- Support vibrant farms and healthy communities: Congress should support programs that help beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers get started in the business of agriculture (like the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program and the Outreach and Technical Assistance for Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers program).
- Other farm bill programs - like the Farmers Market Promotion Program in the United States and the Local and Regional Procurement program for international food aid - help build local and regional food systems and support the rural communities at their center.
- These important programs should be funded and expanded in a new farm bill.
- Protect God's creation: A new farm bill should strengthen policies and programs that promote conservation of soil and water and protect creation from environmental degradation.
- Conservation Compliance: the Farm Bill should require conservation compliance for recipients of federal crop insurance.
- By requiring basic levels of protection for soil, water, and wetlands, this conservation compact between farmers and taxpayers can help ensure that where public money is invested, our interests are protected.
- Funds for conservation programs, particularly those for working lands such as the Conservation Stewardship Program, are popular and should not be used to pay for other priorities.
- In a world where there is enough food for everyone, it is shameful that there are people who live in hunger and food insecurity. We need to promote policies that ensure that our abundant resources reach those who need them. I support a full five-year reauthorization of the Farm Bill that fights hunger, improves nutrition, supports vibrant farms and communities, and takes active steps to protect God’s good creation.
Monday, May 13, 2013
Strong Community Presence During First Day of Senate's Immigration Bill Mark-up
Immigrant families made
their presence felt in the committee room where they composed a majority of the
audience and they took their stories to the White House where a press
conference was held for brave, powerful mothers to speak on the consequences of
continued deportations. As the Senators debated about amendments to the bill,
their presence served as a reminder that immigration is not an abstract issue
and that future legislation will have lasting impacts on their families.
A full rundown of amendment votes that happened last week can be found
at www.judiciary.senate.gov. Some amendments
closely followed by the Interfaith Immigration Coalition were:
Amendments the Office
of Public Witness supported:
- Hirono #23 was approved, which would require the border patrol to determine whether someone traveling with a child is the parent/guardian and whether deportation would raise humanitarian or safety concerns. Senator Hirono removed the requirement that these screenings happen within two hours of apprehension, but the amendment is still strong.
- Feinstein #6 was approved. This is another unaccompanied child-related amendment, which improves conditions and will keep children safe when in border patrol custody.
- Blumenthal's amendment #10 was also approved. It will help discourage and prevent racial profiling by allowing the Attorney General to refuse to reimburse state and local governments for detentions and prosecutions resulting from a violation of the law by a law enforcement official, such as an act of racial profiling.
- Senator Coons withdrew his amendment #2, which would prohibit dangerous practices that place migrants at increased vulnerability when deported at the Southern U.S. border. There will be an opportunity to reconsider this amendment during a Senate floor vote.
- Similarly, Feinstein also withdrew her amendment #11 for re-negotiation, so it will likely come up again. This amendment reduces the definition of the Southwest Border Region from the area within 100 miles of the Southern Border Region to a region of 25 miles, significantly reducing the area in which border agents can operate drone and video surveillance.
Amendments the Office of Public Witness opposed:
- Grassley #4 was defeated; this amendment could have delayed the pathway to citizenship indefinitely.
- Sessions #9 was defeated; it would require the completion of 700 miles of reinforced, double-layered fencing before the status of individuals with RPI status can be adjusted.
- Grassley #1 was approved; it will apply border security strategies, but only applied strategies to all border sectors, rather than just "high risk sectors."
Before the hearing
started, immigrant families in the committee room stood and joined their hands
in prayer with ally faith leaders. The Senate Judiciary Committee will continue
considering amendments this Tuesday, May 14th and Thursday, May
16th, let’s also stand in solidarity with our immigrant brothers and sisters. A schedule of Tuesday’s mark up is posted here.
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