Geopolitics Alert Editor Randi Nord at UNHRC: US Facilitates War Crimes in Yemen [VIDEO]

http://geopoliticsalert.com/unhrc-saudis-war-crimes-yemen

The first panel, sponsored by INSAN Organization, covered human rights violations and crimes against children in Yemen by the Saudi-led coalition. The panelists included Dr. Aiman al-Mansor, the organization’s director, Eike Fimann, Deputy of La Ruche Initiative in Germany, Abdulsalam Aldhahebi, a human rights activist with Insan Organization, and Randi Nord of Geopolitics Alert. Hassan Fartousi, Ph.D. moderated the discussion.

“Since its inception, the United States has tried to portray itself as a defender of human rights both at home and globally. But, for well over three years, the children of Yemen have had to experience first-hand the worst oppression the US has to offer.

The US declaration of independence reads that all humans everywhere have the right to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” However, Washington’s very own involvement in Yemen eliminates these so-called inalienable rights for millions of Yemeni children — many of whom have never experienced a life without daily threats of airstrikes on their homes as well as ground violence, starvation, disease, and uncertain futures.

According to the Legal Center for Rights and Development, by the war’s twelve hundredth day, over 14 thousand civilians were killed by Coalition airstrikes. Of those civilian deaths, over 2 thousand were women while over 3 thousand were children. That’s without counting the thousands of injuries: children left disabled as well as mentally and physically scarred for life or orphaned.

The vast majority of these lives cut short are not from ground fighting but rather due to airstrikes by the Saudi-led coalition. In fact, when we factor that the war began in March of 2015, that means six children are either killed or injured each day from airstrikes.

The United States plays a key role facilitating the Saudi-led coalition’s ability to carry out these airstrikes in several ways. In May of 2017, US President Donald Trump and Saudi Arabia’s King al-Saud inked a series of documents securing the KSA’s intent to purchase 110 billion USD worth of weapons including tanks, combat ships, missile defense systems, and so on.

Stop Using Food as Punishment Against Prisoners in South Carolina! Call Now 9/10 – 9/14, 2018

Stop Using Food as Punishment!! Call Now 9/10 – 9/14

Kershaw Warden Gary Lane 803-896-3301 or 803-475-5770
Deputy Director of south Carolina Prisons Michael McCall 803-896-8540

Please call day and night and read the following script and let them know what you think about using food as punishment:

“Prison officials at Kershaw Institution are consistently withholding meals from prisoners in lock up as a form of mass punishment. Their reasoning for this practice stems from an inmate refusing to allow officials to close his feeding flap. Prisoners on lock up at Kershaw are in single man cells. Each time an inmate refuse to get off their feeding flap, prison officials stop feeding and just leave the remainder of the food sitting to get cold. Each time this happens, the inmate stagnates on the flap until his need is met. Ultimately, the remaining prisoners who hasn’t ate are deprived of food until the issue is resolved with that particular inmate.

This practice has become widespread in South Carolina of dragging prisoners on the meals, or making excuses why meals are served hours late and cold. We overstand these actions are directly related to the ongoing spotlight on SCDC due to the national prison strike.

Captain Davis and Officer Brown are primarily punishing prisoners with food delays at Kershaw on lock up. We are asking people to call Kershaw Correctional wardens office to inquire why prisoners in Kershaw Restrictive Housing Units are being punished with delayed and cold food by Captain Davis and Officer Brown. And why these guards are not being held accountable? Demand that food be served on time and not cold hours later.”

Cynthia-Fox-Inside-Outside-Alliance-promotes-Sept.-9-prison-work-strike-Durham-County-Jail-080916-by-Mark-Schultz

Washington State: Striking teachers stand strong on the picket lines in 4 school districts

https://www.washingtonea.org/ourvoice/

Sunday morning update: Striking teachers in Longview and Evergreen have reached tentative agreements. Teachers remain on strike in Centralia, Tumwater, Tacoma and Battle Ground.

Saturday morning (Sept. 8) update: Striking teachers in Puyallup have reached a tentative agreement.

Friday morning update: Striking teachers in Stanwood-Camano have reached a tentative agreement.

Friday evening update: Striking teachers in Tukwila have reached a tenative agreement.

Around 8,000 educators in nine Washington school districts remained on strike Sept. 6.

Their goal is competitive, professional pay raises to attract and keep qualified, caring, committed teachers and support professionals. WEA members in dozens of districts across the state have successfully negotiated significant pay raises this year.

This morning, Washougal teachers unanimously approved a two-year contract that provides an 18 percent pay raise in the first year and 5 percent in the second year.

“Washougal teachers are proud of our new two-year contract and the competitive pay raises it provides. On average, Washougal teachers will be receiving an 18 percent salary increase this school year, which will help us continue attracting and keeping great educators for Washougal students. We hope our settlement will inspire superintendents in other striking school districts to negotiate the pay raises their teachers deserve. If we can make it happen in Washougal, they can, too,” said Washougal Association of Educators President Eric Engebretson.

ESP of Clover Park

ESP of Clover Park members enjoy strong community support, including from Rep. Christine Kilduff (right).

Community support for striking educators remains strong on the picket lines, on social media and in traditional media.

“Every place I went, I saw parents and kids there supporting their teachers, many of them walking the line with them,” Puyallup Education Association President Karen McNamara told The News Tribune.

WEA-Retired President Neva Luke posted on the Longview Education Association Facebook page: “Your community supports you, the law supports you, and we retirees support you. We are proud that you are standing up for what’s right. We are proud that you are standing up to the bullies of your district.”

In a letter to the editor, a former Tacoma School Board member gave this advice to her former colleagues: “If you are worried about saving face, you might want to start with making teachers a priority. You may want to give them the competitive pay they deserve.”

Elma ESP members and Aberdeen teachers both reached tentative agreements in the last day.

In Steilacoom, ESP members recently negotiated pay raises of 15 percent.

WEA members in other locals continue to negotiate, including Education Support Professionals of Clover Park. ESPCP represents 600-plus classified employees, including bus drivers, secretaries, clerks, IT techs, mechanics, paraeducators, licensed practical nurses and food service employees.

“We remain far apart on salary increases,” said ESPCP President Irene Oda. “The CPSD has no interest in either attracting or retaining quality employees.”

These are the local WEA affiliates on strike:

  • Tacoma
  • Evergreen
  • Tukwila
  • Stanwood-Camano
  • Tumwater
  • Longview
  • Centralia
  • Battle Ground
  • Puyallup

Teachers in Vancouver, Washougal, Ridgefield, Hockinson and Rainier ended their strikes after ratifying new contracts with large pay raises.

Roanoke Peoples’ Power Network (RPPN) T-Shirt Fundraiser for the #RoanokeCommunityBailFund!

RPPN SHIRTS = FUNDRAISER FOR THE #RoanokeCommunityBailFund!

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We’re gonna get some new #RPPN t-shirts printed through local #Roanoke printshop, King Screen and also offer the old ones we did! All proceeds will go to support #RoanokeJailSolidarity‘s new Roanoke Community Bail Fund to help keep each other free and out of cages, which can also be directly donated to here:
https://fundly.com/rjs-bail-fund

$20/t-shirt (+ $5 if shipped)

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Comment, message or email us (roanokepeoplespower@gmail.com) your order with the following:

1. Slogan:
“Workers Produce All Wealth”
“Either Capitalism Dies Or Mother Earth Does”
“Good Cops Quit”
“Invest In Communities”
“Fight Racism With Solidarity”
“Eat The Rich”

2. Size: S-XL (+ $1 for XXL or larger)

3. Cash, or PayPal (send to roajailsol@protonmail.com)

4. Pickup or Shipping w/your address

*FOR A LIMITED TIME
**FREE PICKUP OR DELIVERY IN #Roanoke AREA, SHIPPING is $4**

#EatTheRich
#GoodCopsQuit
#InvestInCommunities
#WorkersProduceAllWealth
#CopsServeTheRulingClass
#FightRacismWithSolidarity
#DivestFromPoliceAndPrisons
#RoanokePeoplesPowerNetwork
#EitherCapitalismDiesOrMotherEarthDoes

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Milwaukee, September 27, 2018: CLOSEmsdf Picket

CLOSEmsdf Picket

901 N 9th Street, Milwaukee, 11:30 A.M. – 1:30 P.M. 

Come contribute to the continuous visible opposition to MSDF. We will be outside the west entrance to the courthouse, and if we have enough people elsewhere around the building and at the MSDF entrance. Help us spread information to and collect petition signatures from people targeted by and doing business with Milwaukee’s criminal legal system.

If you haven’t signed the petition yet yourself, please do here: https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/its-time-to-close-milwaukee-secure-detention-facility-msdf

Parking is metered or nearby public lots. If you don’t mind walking a couple blocks, its often easier to find free parking on the other side of the freeway.

A coalition of Milwaukee organizations have joined up to shut down MSDF. This facility is a building within a building, where captives have no access to fresh air or sunlight. They are triple bunked in lockdown cells for over 20 hours a day. There is no outdoor rec. The facility was built and is run using funds that should be used for diversionary programs to keep people out of jail, instead it’s being used to keep them on supervision under arbitrary and vindictive probation and parole officers.

We are organizing this protest on every 23rd (unless that lands on a weekend, when there’s less foot traffic). The National Religious Campaign Against Torture has called for actions on the 23rd of every month (to bring attention to 23 hour a day lockdowns). http://www.nrcat.org/about-us/take-action-current-legislation/563-together-to-end-solitary

October 4 Milwaukee Prison Letters