We’ve spent the entire month of June, Torture Awareness Month, focusing on the case of Maher Arar, a Canadian citizen who was spirited off to Syria to be tortured, all under the eye of the U.S. government. Now it’s time to turn up the pressure on President Obama, Congress and the State Department to begin to make amends for Arar’s terrible mistreatment — starting with an apology!
Activists are speaking out in support of torture survivor Maher Arar from all sides, between protesting on the ground, organizing house parties to discuss Arar’s story, and signing our online petition. But why not use all the tools at Amnesty’s cyber-disposal, including Twitter? It’s not just for disgraced politicians and Justin Bieber fans anymore: It can also be a really effective tool for Amnesty’s activism!
Today, join us in a Twitter campaign targeting President Obama and Michael Posner of the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor.
Our messages will include:
Dear @statedept, where is the apology for #torture of Maher Arar? #HumanRights http://bit.ly/maherarar
Hey @State_DRL, why no apology for the #torture of Maher Arar? #HumanRights http://bit.ly/maherarar
Dear @statedept, Maher Arar was tortured under U.S. watch, why no apology? #HumanRights #Torture http://bit.ly/maherarar
Dear @BarackObama, don’t sweep #torture of Maher Arar under the rug, apologize now! #HumanRights http://bit.ly/maherarar
Dear @WhiteHouse, don’t sweep #torture of Maher Arar under the rug, apologize now! #HumanRights http://bit.ly/maherarar
It’s easy to participate: you can just retweet these messages coming from our @amnesty Twitter account (ideally by writing “RT @amnesty” in front of the tweet). Or you can feel free to write your own tweets calling for an apology to Maher Arar, but be sure you stay polite and on message. We’ll report back with our results — hopefully this will spur some major action on the Twitterverse in support of Maher Arar and accountability for torture committed under the United States’ watch.
And if you haven’t signed our online petition urging President Obama and Congress to apologize to Maher Arar, make sure you do so today!
Hi All;
While we all know about Arar.
The Canadian Goverment's abuse of US citizens at the request fo the Bush Administration [including detention, torture, and waterboardings ] have gone completely non addressed.
Simply, where is the accountability here at home for those such as myself and our family traumatized by such events?
We identified US personnel involved in the events that so horrendously reshaped our lives, created a profound mistrust of any authority. One of those personnel fled the US to a country that does not allow extradition to the US.
The Obama Adminiatration has buried our story like many others for the convensience of our friends and allies.
Yet Justice, accountability go silent.
Including at Amnesty international US.
The very silence you propound people should end.
So Why is Amnesty International silent about our case?
Many other US cases?
Arar got closure, an apology and compensation from his own country, that case is closed.
We have had none.
Think about that.
The question that proffers to many around the world is WHY?
Heart and honor,
michael anderson and family
970-443-6408
Hi All;
While we all know about Arar.
The Canadian Goverment’s abuse of US citizens at the request fo the Bush Administration [including detention, torture, and waterboardings ] have gone completely non addressed.
Simply, where is the accountability here at home for those such as myself and our family traumatized by such events?
We identified US personnel involved in the events that so horrendously reshaped our lives, created a profound mistrust of any authority. One of those personnel fled the US to a country that does not allow extradition to the US.
The Obama Adminiatration has buried our story like many others for the convensience of our friends and allies.
Yet Justice, accountability go silent.
Including at Amnesty international US.
The very silence you propound people should end.
So Why is Amnesty International silent about our case?
Many other US cases?
Arar got closure, an apology and compensation from his own country, that case is closed.
We have had none.
Think about that.
The question that proffers to many around the world is WHY?
Heart and honor,
michael anderson and family
970-443-6408