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WITNESS Trainings: Video Advocacy Institute Call for Applications
Translations available in: English (original) | French | Spanish | Italian | German | Portuguese | Swedish | Russian | Dutch | Arabic

FORWARDED MESSAGE:

WITNESS (www.witness.org) is pleased to announce a call for applications to participate in the 2008 Video Advocacy Institute (VAI).



The Video Advocacy Institute, the first of its kind, is an innovative program that trains human rights defenders to successfully integrate video advocacy into their social change campaigns. The VAI will be held in association with Concordia University’s Communication Studies Program and Documentary Centre (http://artsandscience.concordia.ca/comm/) (http://www.documentaryconcordia.org/).



When: July 19 – August 2, 2008

Where: Montreal, Canada

Application Deadline: March 14, 2008



“The training was/is proving to be immensely useful… bringing these skills to grassroots organizations on the ground and in such an effective way.”

- VAI 2007 Participant



If you or others that you know would be interested in participating in this training program please visit: http://www.witness.org/vai for detailed information and the application form. This VAI will be held in English. Future VAI’s may be held in different languages. Previous production skills not required. Should you have further questions about the VAI not answered in these materials, please write to us at: vai(AT)witness(DOT)org



Sincerely,

Sam Gregory

Program Director



and



Tina L. Singleton

VAI Coordinator



WITNESS uses video and online technologies to open the eyes of the world to human rights violations. We empower people to transform personal stories of abuse into powerful tools for justice, promoting public engagement and policy change. For more information please visit www.witness.org

February 26, 2008 | 9:07 AM Comments  0 comments


It is time to make change happen: Filipinos, it is time to be involved!
Translations available in: English (original) | French | Spanish | Italian | German | Portuguese | Swedish | Russian | Dutch | Arabic

With so many issues that our country is experiencing, it is time that we express ourselves. We have to make a move. Be part and involved ourselves in discussions, debates and movements that will help our country to move forward. We cannot move forward if we allow graft and corruption and ill-gotten wealth to continue.

How can we feed the poor? How can we protect our human rights? How can we exercise our freedom if we do not care?

The youth should speak up and teach these 'so-called' leaders about the real problems and how to solve these problems.

So what's an increase in GDP if the real economy does not feel it? Ambulant selling is not a real job. Contractual work does not protect the people, this does not give benefits.

People are dying because some people are so greedy and some people allow this.

Please be part of the prayers and call for the truth. Let justice be served.

February 20, 2008 | 6:13 AM Comments  0 comments
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sentenced to death for reading women's rights
Translations available in: English (original) | French | Spanish | Italian | German | Portuguese | Swedish | Russian | Dutch | Arabic

Please read the whole story of this journalist who was sentenced to death just because he read about the women's rights. Although the student's sentence was reprieved, the petition should continue to avoid other similar injustice. Some argues that international communities are interfering with internal affairs. Is it? Read it and have your say:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/sentenced-to-death-afghan-who-dared-to-read-about-womens-rights-775972.html

February 19, 2008 | 10:24 AM Comments  0 comments


Philippine Politics and Social Cancer
Translations available in: English (original) | French | Spanish | Italian | German | Portuguese | Swedish | Russian | Dutch | Arabic

The Philippines is again in the eyes of the world. Imagine, the mess created by the alleged "done-deal" bidding of some government officials with a Chinese Broadband company, ZTE.
To give a summary this is what happened according to the reports that came out in the newspaper, television, radio and so on:
1. 2 proposals came out for National Broadband Network: (1) Proposed by Joey Devenecia III, the son of the then Speaker of the House, Jose Devenecia Jr. His proposal was for BOT (Build-Operate-Transfer) which means, the government need not spend anything for this. (2) Proposed by Comelec Chairman Benjamin Abalos, which is to do a supply agreement with the government through loan from China.
2. Jun Lozada, now the starwitness for ZTE NBN deal, was asked by the Secretary for National Educational Development Authority to look into the two proposals. Jun Luzada is the President of National Forestry which is a company owned by the government. He is a Communications Engineer and for this reason, his expertise on the matter was sought.
3. According to the testimonies of both Jun Lozada and Joey De Venecia, Chairman Abalos wants a $130million usd (6.5 billion pesos) commission from the project. The orginial price of the supposed deal with ZTE was $132usd plus the alleged commission of $130million usd is $262million usd but then it ballooned to $329million usd. It was alleged that the First Gentleman Mike Arroyo also wanted a commission of some close to $70 million usd.
4. When the senate first investigated, Neri testified that Abalos bribed him of 200million pesos or $4million dollars, which was denied by the Abalos. After that he resigned from his post as Chair of the Commission on Election.

Why if the highest official of the Commission on Election got to do with biddings/procurement of the government?

How is the first gentleman got into the picture?

The senate investigates. Some senators want the probe to stop. Some Filipinos are sick of the investigations, so tired of it. Some are just plain apathetic. But the points I want to raise are these:
(1) It is just right that people know what's happening in the government, transparency is key to combating corruption.
(2) While most of us know the truth behind this, not all of us can prove it. It is therefore appropriate that everybody should be treated innocent unless proven guilty. Before, I would have asked President Arroyo to resign but now, I want her, her family and cabinet members to be examined and prosecuted in the proper place. Impeachment does not work, however, because of political allies and so for me, the Supreme Court should be the one to take over. Justice and Human Rights must be equal to all.
(3) Mr. Lozada has the right to tell the truth, has the right to be protected as well. In the same way that the government officials should grab the chance to state or deny their knowledge or participation in the alleged scam. It is therefore so unfair that Mr. Neri invoked the Executive Order 464, which gives him the right not speak under the protection of the President.
(4) Some senators and some people believe that it is a waste of time to listen to the hearings and investigations and we should just focus on "moving on" because these investigations will be worthless after awhile and that these will not help in generating jobs or feeding the poor. I totally disagree. If the accusations were proven to be true, then all Filipinos would have to pay that loan which only went to the pockets of some greedy people. Our country is poor because of corruption. With the billions of dollars generated in our country because of our labor economy, there is enough to feed and house the people. It is corruption that is the root cause of poverty. When some gets richer, more and more are becoming poorer.
(5) After the investigations, the senate should then move to the next best thing, that is, to create laws that will benefit more people like the "medicine law" which will give the poor access to cheaper medicine. If the senators are really willing to help this country move forward, then they should start making sensible laws and they should stop bickering with one another.
(6) People should also change their attitude. We cannot lose hope in the goodness of people. We cannot not participate in political, economic, and moral issues because they will affect us one way or the other.
(7) Filipinos are already tired of the "people power". Filipinos are already apathetic with the issues.This is the social cancer our National Hero is so afraid of. It is not corruption, it is apathy that is the growing disease that a lot of us are infected. Corruption happens because we either participate in it or we never do anything to stop it.
(8) Children are dying everyday not of sickness but of hunger. Human rights violations are rampant everywhere. because we are so apathetic.