Tag Archives: Republican

Sign the petition to #SaveYasuniNow – the most biodiverse part of the Amazon. Join the fight. Protect the rainforest.

Supporting Indigenous Peoples. Protecting the Amazon.

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Amazon Watch 2/17/2014

Gas Company To Drill in Manu National Park Buffer Zone, Imperiling Indigenous People

February 4, 2014 | David Hill | Source: Mongabay.com

Map of gas operations in the KNN Territorial Reserve and Manu Buffer Area. Map credit: David Hill

Mongabay.com

The Peruvian government has approved plans for gas company Pluspetrol to move deeper into a supposedly protected reserve for indigenous peoples and the buffer zone of the Manu National Park in the Amazon rainforest.

The approval follows the government rescinding a highly critical report on the potential impacts of the operations by the Culture Ministry (MINCU), the resignation of the Culture Minister and other Ministry personnel, and repeated criticism from Peruvian and international civil society.

A subsequent report by MINCU requested that Pluspetrol abandon plans to conduct seismic tests in one small part of the reserve because of the “possible presence of [indigenous] people in isolation,” but didn’t object to tests across a much wider area. In addition to the seismic tests, the planned operations include building a 10.5km flow-line and drilling 18 exploratory wells at six locations—all of them in the reserve which lies immediately to the west of the Manu National Park and acts as part of its buffer zone.

The government approved the plans on January 27th when the Energy Ministry issued a resolution on the operation’s Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), written by Pluspetrol together with consultancy Environmental Resources Management.

The decision was swiftly condemned by AIDESEP. The national indigenous organization accused the government and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), which has played a key role in gas operations in that region to date, of violating their commitments.

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Canada Orders Enforcement Action to Proceed Against Chevron in Ecuador Pollution Case

Toronto, Canada – Indigenous and farmer communities in Ecuador scored a major victory over Chevron today when an Ontario appeals court ruled they have the right to pursue enforcement of a $9.5 billion Ecuadorian court judgment against Chevron’s assets in Canada.

The court also ordered Chevron’s two Canadian subsidiaries to pay $100,000 in costs to the Ecuadorians.

“After all these years, the Ecuadorian plaintiffs deserve to have the recognition and enforcement of the Ecuadorian judgment heard in an appropriate jurisdiction,” said the decision issued by a three-judge panel of the Court of Appeal of Ontario. “At this juncture, Ontario is that jurisdiction.”

The decision, a copy of which is here, was lauded by the leaders of the Ecuadorian communities and their lawyers.

“This order will allow us the opportunity to hold Chevron accountable for fleeing the scene of its environmental crimes in Ecuador after a valid judgment was entered against it,” said Pablo Fajardo, the lead Ecuadorian lawyer for the villagers.

Humberto Piaguaje, a Secoya indigenous leader who is the director of the Assembly of Affected Communities, said: “This decision is momentous. It proves Chevron cannot hide behind legal technicalities to avoid justice.”

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Join Amazon Watch at the People’s Climate March

08/28/2014 Nativegrl77

On September 21st, hundreds of thousands of people from around the world will descend on New York City for the Peoples Climate March to call on world leaders and insist on immediate and drastic action to avoid climate catastrophe. Will you join them?Amazon Watch will accompany several grassroots leaders from the Amazon – including Patricia Gualinga, indigenous leader from the Kichwa community of Sarayaku in the Ecuadorian Amazon, and a group of youth representing the civil society collective, Yasunidos.

We are joining thousands in NY to promote the global call to Keep the Oil in the Ground, from the Amazon to the Arctic. We will also be calling on global leaders, institutions and companies to respect the rights of indigenous peoples, who are key stewards of the environment and hold many of the keys to stopping climate change. In the coming weeks, we’ll send you more information about events planned in New York and how you can join us.

Please support this action and share it with your friends so that together we can amplify the voices of those on the front lines of the battle for the planet.

For the Amazon and our global climate,

Leila Salazar-Lopez
Program Director

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Sunday shows and Senator McCain

08/28/2014 Nativegrl77

If Senator John McCain had his way, we’d be arming ISIS in Syria and fighting them on-the-ground after they cross over the border into Iraq.

It’s enough to make you wonder why television news shows have him on so often.

Last year, as President Obama considered arming Syrian rebels fighting against President Bashar al-Assad, Senator McCain snuck into the country to meet with opposition leaders. While he was there, he paused for some photos — including some with ISIS militants.

Today, just over a year later, he wants to fight ISIS in Iraq – ostensibly against the weapons he wants to provide them in Syria.

It’s sad to say, but John McCain has exhausted his last measure of credibility.

Sign our petition calling on the Sunday talk shows to stop having John McCain on as a foreign policy guest.

(Pictured: Senator McCain poses for photo with ISIS Fighters)
In 2013, John McCain made twenty-five appearances on various Sunday network talk shows — often criticizing those opposed to military intervention in Syria.

After taking photos with ISIS rebels in Syria, he told CNN’s Anderson Cooper that “It was a very moving experience to meet these fighters who have been struggling now for over two years.”

It’s not that there shouldn’t be voices critical of the president on Sunday shows, but a bit of diversity from the McCain-Graham view of more war, everywhere, would be nice.

Sign our petition if you agree >>

http://action.votevets.org/mccain

We’ll deliver all the petition signatures to producers for CBS, NBC, and ABC Sunday shows. Hopefully they’re willing to listen to veterans, military family members, and VoteVets supporters on this issue.

All the best,

Jon Soltz
Iraq War Veteran & Chairman
VoteVets.org

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Update about Support Fair Investigations of Police Officers’ on Change.org

08/28/2014 Nativegrl77

Michael Bell Team : Plea for a Change

Change in the institution of law enforcement is difficult however, 50,000 of us are willing to bet it isn’t as difficult as losing a child and being barred, ridiculed and threatened for seeking an unbiased investigation and review of the death of that child.

What kind of parent wouldn’t want all stones turned?

What kind of leader would keep a parent from that information?

Anyone who claims unbiased investigations and sobriety tests make the tough job of officers even tougher should consider this: An intoxicated or mentally unsound or dishonest officer makes a tough job, deadly.

Nothing chips away at the honor of the police profession than negligent oversight. AB409 would protect the honor of the police profession in an honest way.

Please help us continue to get this petition before people. AB409 makes sense.

Thank you so much and Happy New Year!

The Michael Bell Team

This message was sent by Michael Bell Team : Plea for a Change using the Change.org system. You received this email because you signed a petition started by Michael Bell Team : Plea for a Change on Change.org: “Protect Wisconsin Families and Honest Police: Support Fair Investigations.” Change.org does not endorse contents of this message.

View the petition