15 January, 2009

Amnesty Internationals Challenge To Obama


Honeymoon is about to end for America's Presidential Elect Barack Obama-with his inaguration on January 20, 2009 the world's eyes will start to focus on his delivery of campaign promises, key being the revamping of the American economy and revitalising America's foreign policy and relations. Amnesty International however has began an Obama 100 days campaign to get him to move the American legislature to disband the infamous Guantanamo prison for detainees in the "war against terror" campaign.Amnesty interntaional 100 days campaign hopes to get President Obama to disclose and announce " a plan and date to close Guantánamo; ban torture and other ill-treatment as defined under international law; and ensure that an independent commission on US “war on terror abuses is set up."

These demands are part of a Counter Terror with Justice “checklist” of actions Amnesty International is asking Obama to take in his first 100 days in office."- according to their website and they are inviting you to share in this campaign by signing a petition!

On another front Amnesty international is begining an African campaign to lobby USA President Obama to support the Respect and Enforcement of Human Rights in Africa and they are getting African bloggers to participate. I am scheduled to meet one of Amnesty Internationals staff from U.K for her to shade more light on the campaign. I will publish the interview in in good time! Im sure the interview will be a learning experience but i hope to lobby more African bloggers to get Amnesty International to develop a steady presence in Africa. For now i can only see a South African Office but i stand to be corrected.I hope that a local Kenyan office or secretariat will soon follow!

There's also an opportunity for readers of this blog to receive freebies including blog badges, t-shirts etc in support of the campaign...details to follow shortly !For now everyone can participate by signing the petition at http://obama100days.amnesty.org/petition.html
So keep it locked here!

4 comments:

  1. well obama has his work cut out from day one. The economic crisis, the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Gaza crisis and the ever threat of terrorsim. But I think he can appproach all these things with the same mind of change. We understand that America's foreign policy is different and requires special tact and means but he should ensure that the policies he adopts are sincere and true and always be based on global appeal rather than to a few single minded people in the administration.

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  2. A very nice site, stumbled across this from inkreferral and I think I swill be visiting even more. Am very interested in news from Kenya and East Africa. I see you are on entrecard as well. So am I! So we will be seeing even more of each other then! Great posts.

    You should also look into joining Afrigator, which aggregates African Bogs only. Lots of Kenyan bloggers there and a very good community.

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  3. I had not noticed your afrigator icon, so you are in! See you there then!

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  4. Great news he's shutting the place down ...

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