Amnesty publishes report into Trafigura waste-dumping incident

Today Amnesty International released a report on the illegal dumping of toxic waste by Trafigura in 2006 in Cote d'Ivoire and called for a full inquiry into the matter. For those who haven't heard of Trafigura, it's a Dutch multinational which trades commodities and in this case had leased a ship to move waste to a legal processing facility in Amsterdam.

When the processing facility realised the waste was actually rather toxic they upped the price for taking it. Understandably wanting to pocket as much profit as possible, Trafigura decided to try elsewhere. The ship sailed from Amsterdam and made its way down the West African coast looking for a port to dump the waste but got rejected everywhere until it reached Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire. Trafigura made a deal with a newly formed waste processing company and here, rather than processing the waste, it was simply dumped. Since then over 100,000 have received medical treatment for illnesses attributed to the effects of the waste and 12 people are believed to have died as a result of exposure.

In 2007 Trafigura reached an out of court settlement with the government of Cote d'Ivoire which bought it immunity from further prosecution. Since then Trafigura has also taken out injunctions to prevent press reporting of the incident and to prevent the leaking of internal documents which acknowledge the known toxicity of the waste.

Amnesty International is calling for a full inquiry into the incident, for which no individual has been punished or made to answer for their actions. More information on the case and the full report published by Amnesty today is available here: http://www.amnesty.org.uk/news_details.asp?NewsID=20342.

New things...

I'm supposed to be having an early night as I've been burning the candles a lot at both ends lately and that's set to continue with party conference season kicking off this weekend (it's one of the busiest points in my working year you see).

But having just looked at my blog for the first time in ages and realised quite how neglectful I've been I decided to do a quick post. I'm feeling very reflective at this point in the year, having been through a very turbulent, creative, sometimes difficult but often exhilirating 9 months of 2012 so far. So I thought I'd write a quick list of all the new things I've done as a result of taking on this challenge:

1. Talked to lots of people I never knew until this year and forged some great new friendships
2. Baked a hell of a lot of cake!
3. Learnt how to add a Paypal button my website (which does feel like a massive achievement to someone as technophobic as me)
4. Started a blog
5. Discovered I actually can cycle
6. Started drinking protein - who knew it came in liquid form for people who don't resemble Arnie?
7. Worn padded cycle leggings (and invited people to poke me in intimate places, only to discover there's 5 inches of padding between me and them)
8. Taught a whole class on piping techniques (still can't quite get over my graduation to teacher)
9. Sold my own photographs (see above)
10. Found a very effective new chat up line!

Ok, so the last one is not really valid point, but it does seem to work! I feel quite chuffed reading that list back. When I decided to take on the challenge I was emerging from basically a very crappy time in my life. I can't say this year has been the easiest one ever as there have been plenty of other challenges I've had to face, but I am really really glad I decided to do this as it's given me so many new strings to my bow. So at this point in time, despite having not yet actually completed the challenge myself, I'm throwing down the gauntlet to anyone else reading to say come and have a go! You honestly won't regret it.

And with that, goodnight!

If you think solitary confinement for 40 years would drive you crazy please take action

40 years of solitary confinement: where is the evidence?

  ACTION TYPE    FAX 

Albert Woodfox and Herman Wallace entered Louisiana State Penitentiary in Angola, USA, in their twenties. Now in their sixties, both men have spent the last 40 years in solitary confinement. We see no evidence for their apparently indefinite incarceration in isolation: it must end immediately. Take action now

Despite more than 150 reviews of their case and numerous prison reports showing that they pose no danger to others or themselves, the Louisiana prison services continue to keep Albert and Herman in isolation, in cells measuring 2 x 3 metres – apparently indefinitely. We believe that Albert and Herman are being subjected to cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment by Louisiana authorities.

In April this year, 40 years to the day since the pair were first placed in isolated incarceration, we attempted to hand over a petition containing the signatures of more than 67,000 people from 125 countries, all calling for Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal to immediately remove Albert and Herman from isolation. 

Governor Jindal refused to meet us or accept the petition. He referred the matter to his Secretary for Department of Public Safety and Corrections, James M. LeBlanc, who claimed that Albert and Herman’s continued solitary confinement is because the men are a danger to prison employees, inmates and visitors (in contrast to prison records – which state them being neither a danger to others nor themselves). LeBlanc also denied that their conditions are inhumane. We want to see evidence for these claims.

We will not stop campaigning for justice for Albert and Herman. Ask Secretary LeBlanc for this evidence, and appeal for the men’s release from isolation. 

Please note that emails to the Secretary's inbox are now bouncing back, so we have set this as an automatic fax action. Your message will be faxed directly to 00 (1) 225 342 3095 when you enter your details below.

Remember to chammy, that's my advice...

I keep threatening to start blogging again properly, you know like an actual blogger who keeps their content current and their posts regular, but alas I run out of time!

I'm having a bit of a lull with the whole fundraising thing at the moment - it's getting to be seriously hard work now trying to winkle a quid out of anyone and I am wary of social isolation at work if I continue to hassle all my colleagues for money. They have been amazingly generous and account for a large proportion of the £1,110 I've scraped in so far and are proving to be a real life line. To be fair I am expanding all their waistlines for them in return by keeping them in a constant supply of cake, as well as recently branching out to curry, bread, oatcakes, chutney and so on.

I have also been a bit distracted with various other things - I became an aunty for the first time ever two weeks ago tomorrow which is so far a fantastic experience! So I've been trying to make myself available to be mother's helper/baby cuddler as often as possible in my spare time. When I haven't been busy with that I've been quite busy getting to grips with my new job which is equally exciting. Plus life in general...

I've been scratching around for new ideas to boost the fundraising efforts having started to get slightly panicky the whole thing could come to nothing. I was thinking about doing a retro school sports day and getting a bit nostalgic for that, and then someone I was talking to just in passing mentioned that a friend of his packed bags a la Scout at their local supermarket and bingo - I have a new idea that has actual LEGS!

I think I've also successfully twisted my brother's arm to come and do a sponsored car wash with me this weekend tagged onto a family celebration. I washed my own car at the weekend (it only gets a bath once every 6 mths) and I was chuffed to bits with my handiwork. My little Missy, which is really not much more than a bashed up old banger these days, looked all shiny and new. It was only when I was driving back from my sister's house on Sunday evening, inwardly chirping to myself, that I realised the watermarks all over my windscreen had reduce visibility to less than in a torrential downpour! I must remember to chammy next time!

Keep arms out of the hands of children

I've been admittedly really lame the last month or two posting updates to my blog - just too much to do and not enough time as always! But today I got this email update about the Arms Trade Treaty from Amnesty and was moved to get on and post it onto my blog. 

It's really appalling that in some African states children are turned into soldiers and brutalised....what's even worse is that we're arming them. So please, if you hate the thought of arming an 8 year old boy as much as I do make a donation to their campaign, make a donation to my challenge (which will go straight to Amnesty now) or read up about it and sign up for campaign updates from them directly www.amnesty.org.uk.

Here's the campaign email going round:

This July, governments will draw up the world’s first ever Arms Trade Treaty. We must make sure it’s tough enough to disarm dictators, warlords and human rights abusers.  I recently wrote to you about this and if you have not already done so,please donate to our urgent campaign at http://www.amnesty.org.uk/content.asp?CategoryID=12286

If this Treaty includes what Amnesty is calling for, it will be the most important human rights victory of our generation.

• It will keep arms and ammunition out of the hands of brutal and repressive regimes. That means no guns and tanks for President Assad to kill and repress the Syrian people with.  

• It will stop guns pouring into conflict zones. So state forces and militia groups in Somalia will no longer be able to give AK-47s to 8-year-old children to make them fight and kill.

• It will mean no weapons can be sold to human rights abusers. Not to warlords whose fighters rape women at gunpoint. Not to security forces who carry out executions and ‘disappearances’. Not to torturers who use guns to intimidate, repress and torment.

I'm back!

I think I'm having deja vu here, seem to remember saying I was back once before then disappearing off the face of the earth again!

Anyway, this time I really mean it. I've had a lot of distractions over the month of April, mostly relating to work and restructures but I'm pleased to say that after much swatting I've now been offered a new job in a permanent position at work which is great news.

It hasn't all been work, work, work though I have had some fun - most recently organising a baby shower, or rather a 'Mum To Be Tea' for my big sister with the help of my little sister and my mum. It was really good fun and a lovely opportunity for my sister to get together with friends before the imminent arrival of my niece or nephew to enjoy some time together and get excited about the baby. The other great thing about it was, of course, for me the opportunity to do lots of baking for fun and feeding people!

Here are some photos of the event. The top one is of some extremely delicious pram-shaped cookies made by my very talented little sis Holly.

Long time no speak...

I've had what seems like a very long break from blogging and fundraising activity for a few weeks so I'm pleased to be back online and starting to focus my attention on the challenge again.

The main reason for my absence was that I've been going through a restructure at work lately and had to apply for a new job, but also because I've been moving home, or at least moving all my worldly posessions, yet again (5th time in 5 years!) and also doing quite a lot of catching up with relatives and friends. All these things have taken up a fair bit of energy and time so I've been a bit neglectful.

I haven't even reported back on Madras for Cash, Leighton Buzzard yet in fact! I'm very pleased to report that this raised £162.50 for the pot and a good night was had by all. The raffle was a particular success and although, disappointingly, I didn't get a single prize out of local businesses (big boo) I did manage to cobble together some things I'd already begged, borrowed or bought myself so that my curry-eaters can now go forth and paintball, shop and drink wine to their heart's content. So a big thanks to everyone for coming (don't worry, I do have some manners and did thank them in the immediate aftermath, rather than wait 10 more days to announce my gratitude on here).

Onwards with my plans, speak soon!

Emily