Refugee Day at Auchmuty High School

Well, today was my first attempt at running a session for Amnesty International - at Auchmuty High School for Refugee Week. And I enjoyed it! I had a colleague (a 'proper' speaker from Amnesty) there to help me. We showed a DVD about the refugee crisis in Darfur (refugees in their own country!) and then they pupils had a chance to play a game called "The Great Escape". In this game they had to pretend they were refugees trying to run for the border and safety. They had decisions to make along the way which impacted on their flight - some would cause them to leave refugees behind, some caused them to take longer than they wanted.

The kids were really up for it (most of them) and I hope that they got something from it. Many were disappointed when I told them that their decision to ignore the possibility of a mine field caused the death of the whole party!!

A great experience for me, and I hope a good experience for the pupils.

REFUGEE WEEK

"Refugee Week is important because it reminds us that refugees are not just statistics to be used and abused, they are living, breathing people. I am British, I was born here and I have no intention of leaving here, so I want to create a society here where compassion is built into our culture, in this society we will be so aware of the world around us that we will not need a Refugee Week. Until then this is how we do it."
Benjamin Zephaniah, Poet

Refugee Week is a UK-wide programme of arts, cultural and educational events that celebrate the contribution of refugees to the UK, and promotes understanding about the reasons why people seek sanctuary. It is a chance to deliver positive educational messages that counter fear, ignorance and the negative stereotyping of refugees.

Price of Silence

You Are Powerful!

Troy Davis - Stay of Execution

Good News!

Troy Davis received a stay of execution based on a new last-minute appeal filed this past Wednesday to the federal appeals court in Atlanta. As a result, he will not be executed on Monday, October 27th, as originally scheduled.

At least 300,000 individuals have written letters in support of Troy. Additionally, prominent leaders such as former President Jimmy Carter, the Pope, and Archbishop Desmond Tutu have all called for justice in this case. Yesterday, Amnesty International organized a Global Day of Action in which hundreds of activists in dozens of countries around the world came together to stand in solidarity for Troy. From Atlanta to Seattle, New York to Paris and Milan– hundreds of supporters gathered at rallies wearing T-shirts and holding signs that read "I am Troy Davis." On Wednesday, the European Legislature issued a statement calling for Troy's execution to be halted.

We now await the decision of the federal appeals court, which will determine whether Troy's case warrants a new hearing. We believe their ruling could happen at any time during the next month.

To stay informed about Troy Davis' case and to find out how to take additional actions, please visit: www.amnestyusa.org/troydavis

URGE CLEMENCY FOR TROY DAVIS

Troy Davis was charged with killing Mark MacPhail, an off-duty police officer, in Savannah, Ga., in 1989. Davis had gone to the aid of a homeless man who was being pistol-whipped in a parking lot. Seeing the gun, he said he fled. MacPhail, working security nearby, intervened next, and was killed. Davis, an African-American, claimed his innocence, but was found guilty and sentenced to death. Since his conviction, seven of the nine non-police witnesses have recanted their testimony, alleging police coercion and intimidation in obtaining their testimony. By coming forward and recanting, they face serious repercussions, possibly jail time. Some have identified a different man as the shooter. This man is one of Davis’ remaining accusers.

In July 2007, Davis faced his first execution date. Just a day before he was to be executed, the Georgia Pardons Board granted a stay of execution for up to 90 days. Then, Davis’ attorneys argued before the Georgia Supreme Court for a retrial or for a hearing to present new evidence. The requests were denied, by a 4-to-3 vote. In the same period, the U.S. Supreme Court was weighing whether death by lethal injection constituted cruel and unusual punishment (the court ultimately allowed its use).

Troy Davis was scheduled to be executed on September 23rd, but the US Supreme Court granted a temporary stay of execution. The US Supreme Court has now declined to hear his appeal. but serious doubts about his guilt remain and compelling evidence of his innocence will now never be heard in court.

If you believe, like I do, that the Death Penalty is immoral and inhumane, OR, if you think that there are serious doubts over Davis' guilt, then PLEASE ACT NOW!!

Take urgent action to urge clemency for Troy Davis at Amnesty USA