Thursday, September 23, 2010

Amnesty International Calls for Protection of Thousands Displaced after Yemeni Assault on Suspected Militants






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Thu, Sep 23, 2010 at 12:58 AM


Washington, D.C.: Amnesty International today urged Yemeni authorities to take urgent steps  to protect tens of thousands of people displaced during a military operation against suspected Al-Qaeda militants in the town of al-Hutah.
“Whatever the nature of the ongoing operations, the Yemeni authorities must ensure as a matter of urgency that what amounts to a shocking number of people displaced in the space of a few days are adequately provided for,” said Philip Luther, Amnesty International’s deputy director for the Middle East and North Africa.
The Yemen Red Crescent Society has said more than 12,000 local residents have fled the assault, in the southern region of Shabwa, but reports indicate they are yet to receive any humanitarian aid.
“The authorities have a duty to ensure public safety and must immediately fulfill the needs of the displaced in terms of food, water, shelter and medical care, particularly for those who may have been injured during their escape," said Luther.
Government officials state that the operation is against up to 100 Al-Qaeda fighters taking refuge in the town, while several inhabitants of neighboring areas have told Amnesty International that the suspected militants are actually armed tribesmen with grievances against the government.
Media reports suggest that at least one local resident has been killed and others wounded while trying to flee, while dozens of government soldiers and suspected militants are said to have died in the fighting. The exact circumstances of the deaths remain unclear.
Families fleeing the scene have described how government forces began shelling al-Hutah on Sunday, followed by tanks and armored vehicles descending on the town, leading to clashes between government troops and suspected militants.
Amnesty International said it is concerned that the nature of the assault may be  – for a law-enforcement operation – grossly disproportionate..
Amnesty International has documented previous occasions when the government has failed to provide for the needs of people displaced by conflict or other violence in Yemen, most recently during the intermittent conflict between government forces and armed Huthi rebels in the northern region of Sa’dah, which began in 2004.
In August 2009 the Yemeni government launched a military offensive against the Huthis code-named “Scorched Earth” which included aerial bombing and the deployment of tanks and ground troops. In November 2009 Saudi Arabian forces began to launch air strikes in Sa’dah after fighting spilled over onto their territory.
The ferocity of these bombardments, particularly in the three or so months before a ceasefire was declared on February 11 led to mass displacement of Yemeni civilians; almost the entire population of some cities and villages fled to camps for the displaced in the nearby regions of Hajjah and ‘Amran, as well as to the capital Sana’a and elsewhere.
A total of over 300,000 people have been driven from their homes in Sa’dah since 2004, according to the UNHCR, the United Nations refugee agency.
Amnesty International published a report on August 25,  entitled Yemen: Cracking Down Under Pressure,  which documented a catalogue of human rights violations including unlawful killings of those accused of links to Al-Qaeda and Southern Movement activists, and arbitrary arrests, torture and unfair trials, occurring in the name of security.
Amnesty International is a Nobel Peace Prize-winning grassroots activist organization with more than 2.8 million supporters, activists and volunteers in more than 150 countries campaigning for human rights worldwide. The organization investigates and exposes abuses, educates and mobilizes the public, and works to protect people wherever justice, freedom, truth and dignity are denied.









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Wednesday, September 22, 2010

You Should Hear These Stories

Wed, Sep 22, 2010 at 9:23 PM

The White House, Washington
 
Good morning,
Six months ago, Gail O'Brien didn’t know whether or not she would be able to treat her cancer.  Betsy Burton wasn't sure if she could afford to keep paying the skyrocketing premiums for her employees' health insurance. Paul Horne was struggling to make ends meet after his prescription drug coverage hit the "donut hole."
 
The thing about these stories is that they could happen to anybody.  Millions of Americans -- maybe even you or someone you know -- have been struggling for years with our broken health care system.  These stories are what inspired me to fight for the Affordable Care Act and made me so proud to sign this landmark legislation into law six months ago.
 
Every day, I hear from Americans like Gail, Betsy and Paul, and a few of these folks have stepped forward to bravely share their stories with the entire country. Take a minute to hear what they have to say:
50 States/50 Stories. Listen Now
The Affordable Care Act is already making a difference in the lives of millions of Americans.  And starting tomorrow, the Patient's Bill of Rights goes into effect, ending some of the worst abuses of the insurance industry and putting you, not your insurance company, in control of your health care.
 
Here's what the Patient's Bill of Rights means for you:
  •  No more discrimination against kids with pre-existing conditions. Insurance companies can no longer bar families from purchasing coverage because of a child's pre-existing condition. 
  • No more lifetime coverage limits. Insurance companies can no longer put a lifetime limit on the amount of coverage you can receive. 
  • Young adults can now stay on their parent's plan.  Young adults can stay on their parent's health insurance plan up to age 26 if their job doesn't provide health care benefits -- a huge relief for many parents and recent college graduates.
  • Free preventive care.  If you join or purchase a new plan, the insurance company will be required to provide preventive care like mammograms, colonoscopies, immunizations, pre-natal and baby care without charging you any out of pocket costs.
  • Freedom to choose your own doctor. If you purchase or join a new plan, you have the right to choose your own doctor in your insurer network.
  • No more restrictions on emergency room care. Insurance companies will not be allowed to charge you more for out of network emergency services if you purchase or join a new a plan.
This is a long-overdue victory for American consumers and patients.  For years, millions of Americans have been at the mercy of their insurance companies as they jacked up rates, denied coverage or dropped patients all together.   
 
Now, some opponents of this reform have pledged to "repeal and replace" all of the progress we've made over the past six months.  But I refuse to go back to the days when insurance companies could deny a child health care due to a pre-existing condition or impose a lifetime limit on care for a cancer patient.  Those days are over.
The Affordable Care Act provides basic rules of the road that make our health care system work for consumers.  It cuts costs and will help us begin to get our fiscal house in order.  And most importantly, it provides Americans with the peace of mind that their insurance will be there for them when they need it.
To learn more about the Patient’s Bill of Rights and the Affordable Care Act, visit: http://www.whitehouse.gov/healthreform
Sincerely,
President Barack Obama
 
P.S. Last week, I surprised Gail O'Brien by calling her at home.  You can see what happened here:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/healthreform
 

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Communist Party Conference on the "We Generation"

Posted on: Tue, Sep 21, 2010 at 9:45 PM


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Communist Party USA | Radical Ideas. Real Politics.
Dear comrades and friends,

Communist Party, USA (CPUSA) and Young Communist League (YCL) activists gathered in Chicago July 17-18 to assess economic and social crisis facing the young generation, including massive unemployment, deep cuts to public education and skyrocketing tuition costs, along with the need for urgent united action by the labor and people's movement and youth themselves, to address these issues.

The increasingly multi-racial and diverse young generation is one of the essential class and social forces needed to advance the struggle at every stage including the fight for socialism.

The conference also aimed at giving a boost to building the Young Communist League and influence of the CPUSA, including through the use of the revolutionary new social media and internet. The unity of the Party and YCL at every stage in struggle and building our movement is paramount.

Two leaders of Chicago Jobs with Justice took part in a discussion on building a movement among youth for a massive public works jobs program. The conference resolved to help mobilize youth to the October 2 national march for jobs in Washington, DC.

Those gathered also assessed the new progressive attitudes developing among a large segment of youth in response to the crisis and the fight against the reactionary ultra right.

Young people — especially the "we generation" born between 1978 and 2000 — are emerging as a powerful political voting block, having voted nearly 70% for Barack Obama in the 2008 elections. Mobilization of first time and young voters was discussed as a key objective to decisively defeat the Republican ultra right at the polls in November.

Several opinion polls suggest half of today's youth think socialism, however they conceive it, offers a better future than the horrible dead end life capitalism offers. Given the openness to left and progressive ideas, there is a big potential to build a much larger and more active Young Communist League in campuses and communities across the country, as well as the influence of the CPUSA.

Conference attendees came from the Bay Area, Los Angeles, Dallas, Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, New Haven, CT, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Washington, DC and New York. The conference was followed by a vibrant four day YCL school.

The conference welcome by CPUSA National Executive Vice Chair Jarvis Tyner and remarks by Illinois Organizer, John Bachtell are available on our webpage.
The Young Communist League has new activity on its webpage and on Facebook too.



Young communists visit the Haymarket Memorial in Chicago as part of the CPUSA Youth Conference.


Communist Party USA
235 W 23rd St | New York, NY 10011
cpusa@cpusa.org | www.cpusa.org