We must build a drumbeat for action so loud and so strong that not only does Congress take the unequivocal actions we seek, but the rest of the world hears our determination to restore our country as a champion of human rights. - Larry Cox, AIUSA

Before tomorrow’s State of the Union address, the human rights group Amnesty International USA is calling for action by Congress and concerned citizens to address human rights violations in and by the United States government.  Larry Cox, executive direction of AIUSA wrote specifically of the following abuses and problems:

CLOSE GUANTANAMO: an icon for human rights violations, the U.S. has detained people as young as 13 years old at Guantanamo Bay, subjecting them to torture or other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment, all without charge, trial or end.  Guantanamo must be closed and anyone remaining there must either be tried or freed.

BAN TORTURE OR OTHER CRUEL, INHUMAN OR DEGRADING TREATMENT: torture or other “alternative interrogation techniques” won’t make us safer, won’t get us good intelligence and only exacerbates the deteriorating respect for human rights around the world.  We cannot tolerate ambiguity in our law when it comes to torture and any action that amounts to torture or ill-treatment must be clearly outlawed.

CLOSE SECRET PRISONS: the U.S. has shamefully defended its practice of “disappearing” suspects into secret CIA prisons.  These prisons must be closed, or, at a minimum, anyone in U.S. custody must be registered and visited by the International Committee of the Red Cross.

RESTORE THE WRIT OF HABEAS CORPUS: a clear founding cornerstone of our nation is the right for anyone to challenge their detention before an independent court.  The recently passed Military Commissions Act strips this right from many people currently detained in the name of the “war on terror”. This centuries old right must be restored to anyone in U.S. custody.

END EXTRAORDINARY RENDITIONS: the Bush Administration has used extraordinary renditions to outsource torture, shipping people to countries notorious for their use of torture in detention and interrogation. The Administration must stop using extraordinary renditions now and uphold our obligations under U.S. and international law.

Other groups, like United for Peace and Justice, have called for an end to the Iraq War and are marching on Janurary 27, 2007 in Washington, D.C. and around the nation.  To take action in the Amnesty campaign, see here.  For the UFPJ campaign and march, see here.

- Peter Broady

Peter Broady is a regular guy out of Wasilla, Alaska, who reads and writes in his spare time.  He can be contacted here, at his website, or by email at pbroady@gmail.com