Good morning Kossaks from cloudy, rainy, not-too-cold yet dark Denmark!
This is not so much a diary (yes, a possible major offense!) in as much as sharing info from the other side of the pond.
As I was sitting, having my lunch (with beer, gotta love Denmark!) today, the TV was rambling in the background...
(more after the flip)
...and there was a commercial airing (in Danish), discussing torture.
The commercial is heart breaking. In black and white, a man, looking worn down and bare chested, stands silently with a gold medal around his neck. It refers to the world record holder of staying awake currently resides in an Afghan prison... and the Americans call it sleep management. It is torture whatever President Bush claims closes the commercial, urging us to write to Bush to stop this.
This is being run by Amnesty International, Danish Affiliate. I am not sure if this is running with other Amnesty International affiliates, however I think this is wonderful that the Danish media is keeping the spotlight on this and is asking for us to partake in holding Bushie accountable and that those who are jailed are protected from torture.
from: http://www.amnesty.dk/...
Skriv til Præsident Bush
Amnesty vil have Præsident Bush til at stoppe brugen af tortur. Siden 11. september 2001 er tusindvis af mennesker taget til fange og tortureret af amerikanske soldater. Billederne fra Abu Ghraib og Guantanamo har brændt sig ind på vores nethinder som symbol på de lidelser, mennesker udsættes for i krigen mod terror.
(Letter to Pres Bush. Amnesty will have President Bush stop using torture. Since September 11, thousands of people have been taken to jail and tortured by American soldiers. Pictures from Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo has burned itself in our eyes as a symbol of their suffering, people who have suffered from the war on terror.)
GØR NOGET!
Skriv under på brevet til Præsident Bush og bed ham støtte, at der dannes en uafhængig kommission til at undersøge torturen i krigen mod terror. Alle anklager om tortur skal undersøges, og bødlerne skal retsforfølges.
(Do something!! Sign this letter to President Bush and ask him to support that an independent commission to investigate the torure taking place in the war against terror. All accusations of torture must be investigated and the henchmen/executioners must be prosecuted)
Navn*: name
E-mail:
Ja, Amnesty må gerne kontakte mig i forbindelse med aktioner og kampagner.
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Brevforslag: (letter to be sent)
The Honourable George W. Bush
The President of the United States
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington DC 20500
United States of America
Dear Mr. President
Denmark May 2006
I am deeply concerned by the reports of arbitrary detentions, "disappearances, torture and ill-treatment by US officials or with their involvement that continue to emerge from Iraq, Afghanistan, Guantánamo and other countries.
Mr. President, I urge you to support the establishment by the US Congress of an independent commission of inquiry with subpoena powers to investigate all aspects of the USA's "war on terror" detention and interrogation policies and practices with a view to ensuring full accountability for any violations of international law. I also urge you to request the Attorney General to appoint a special counsel to conduct a criminal investigation into any involvement of administration officials in such violations.
I urge you to ensure that all US-run places of detention, without exception, are opened to regular, independent, unannounced and unrestricted visits of inspection by expert UN human rights mechanisms. I urge you to adopt their recommendations for safeguards to prevent further torture and ill-treatment, and to ensure full implementation by the USA of the safeguards set out in Amnesty International's 12-Point Programme against Torture.
Those who perpetrate crimes of torture and other ill-treatment and those up the chain of military and civilian command responsible for ordering, facilitating or acquiescing to such crimes should be prosecuted.
Thank you for your attention to this important matter.
Yours sincerely,
I have already signed, and am passing this along to others in my circle here in DK, including my online networks. Although the letter is dated May 2006, they are reairing and re-executing this initiative here.
The more signatures, the better, so please feel free to sign away!