assata shakur

thirty years ago, today, Assata Shakur--an American political prisoner--escaped from detention in the US and was granted political asylum in Cuba.

"Like most poor people in the United States, I have no voice. The Black press and the progressive media, as well as Black civil rights organizations, have historically played an essential role in the struggle for social justice. We should continue and expand that tradition. We should create media outlets that help to educate our people and our children, and not annihilate their minds. I am only one woman. I own no TV stations or radio stations or newspapers. But I believe that people need to be educated as to what is going on and to understand the connection between the news media and the instruments of repression in America. All I have are my voice, my spirit and the will to tell the truth. But I sincerely ask those of you in the Black media, those of you in the progressive media and those of you who believe in truth and freedom to publish my story.' -Assata Shakur



hear Assata in her own words, here.

image courtesy of the martyr index

assata shakur

Oscar Kamau Kingara

Kenyan Human Rights Activist Killed

BBC News A prominent human rights activist has been shot dead as he drove his car in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi.

Oscar Kamau Kingara - an outspoken critic of the government's alleged practice of extra-judicial killings - was murdered along with a colleague.

There are reports of student clashes with police near where he was killed.

A UN report last week called for Kenya's top policeman and the attorney general to resign for failing to address police impunity.

Mr Kingara was shot dead near State House, the official residence of the Kenyan president.

Read more of the news story here: BBC NEWS.

Oscar Kamau Kingara was a lawyer who started a non-profit organization called the Oscar Foundation:

As an organization we invasion a society in which all persons shall demonstrate their commitment to children and young persons. Exercising vision and leadership to assert respect for the rights of the child and young persons especially within families and communities where such respect must begin.

The youths are educated to respect the rule of law, more so the foundation encourages the poor and the youth to seek justice through the law and due process and not through violence or any other unlawful means.
--Oscar Foundation--

through this foundation, he sought to empower those without voices, to ensure their active participation in the decision-making process. he focused on the promotion of legal literacy, especially the domestication of international laws, so that people--youth in particular--were aware of their legal rights and obligations. one of his key achievements has been the establishment of the Oscar Foundation Free Legal Aid Clinic Kenya (OFFLACK) which is a mobile legal aid and access to justice service. it is the first non-profit organization to provide legal aid and rescue service to sexually abused children to other victims of sexual violence by providing 24-hour rapid response lines.

The policy of the foundation is non violence and we stand by revolutionizing the NGO sector by conducting demonstration not on the streets but through the power of the pen.

his work and his dedication are an inspiration to us all. may his soul rest in peace.

Oscar Kamau Kingara, 1971-2009

Oscar Kamau Kingara

Alison Des Forges: 1942-2009

on february 12th, Alison Des Forges, a human rights activist who documented the horrors of the Rwanda Genocide, was killed in a plane crash in Buffalo, New York.

her account of the Genocide, 'Leave None to tell The Story' powerfully recounts the massacres that took place before and during 1994, and she has been one of the foremost voices of those whose lives were so brutally taken and irreparably damaged.

in recent years, i have taken issue with some of her methods and her general approach, but as a student of human rights and as a Rwandan, i had great respect for this woman who believed so fiercely in her mission and who was passionate about Rwanda and the region.


may she rest in peace.

here is the statement from Human Rights Watch:
Leading Rwanda Expert Killed in a Plane Crash


Letter from Rwanda, Alison Des Forges, New Yorker 1995

Alison Des Forges: 1942-2009

small steps

it was hard to fathom, fifteen years ago, how we would ever begin to address the issue of justice in this country of mine.

but justice is, indeed, a process. and even though it is taking years, there are some small steps that make a massive impact. people are being held accountable. no one is immune.

small steps.

small steps

the struggle continues

yesterday, march 25th, marked the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the trans-atlantic slave trade. and while poignant speeches are being made in the UK by Blair, etc; while apologies are being offered by everyone from descendants of former slave owners to the mayor of London; while debates rage on concerning whether or not apologies are enough, whether or not reparations should be granted (and what form reparations should take); while questions are raised as to whether or not celebrations in the West are to centered on white abolitionists and not enough on slave rebellion...the fact remains that today, in 2007, over 12 million people are in slavery all over the world.200 years ago, in addition to the tireless efforts of abolitionists, and the rebellions mounted by slaves all over the Americas, a petition was submitted to the British parliament that contributed to the signing of the abolition act. today, the very least we can do is sign another, and remain aware of and engaged with the continuing struggle to put an end to all forms of enslavement.

http://www.antislavery.org/2007/actionsign.php

Currently listening : Exodus

By Bob Marley & the Wailers

the struggle continues