iAbolish

2008-03-11T13:41:00.001-05:00

The New York Times finally notices: Darfur is horrible, but the situation for Africans in Southern Sudan might soon be much worse.

He writes:

Those who focused on Sudan’s atrocities in Darfur, myself included, may have inadvertently removed the spotlight from South Sudan. Without easing the outrage over Darfur — where the bloodshed has been particularly appalling lately — we must broaden the focus to include the threat to the south.

Background:

For over a decade, the American Anti-Slavery Group fought to bring to light the religiously inspired genocidal attack on Black Africans, most of whom are Christian or tribalists, by the Islamic fundamentalist regime in Khartoum. According to the US State Department, over 2 million have been killed, and tens of thousands enslaved, since 1989, when a “holy war” was declared on the South. We, along with other organizations, pressed two American Administrations to work for a peace treaty. This finally was achieved in 2005 when President Bush sent Senator Danforth to Sudan to press for an end to hostilities. The result was a peace treaty and slave raids and slaughter were halted.

But as Nicholas Kristof now writes, that peace is being threatened and if war breaks the people of Southern Sudan, the world may see a crisis that dwarfs the horrors in Darfur.

Charles Jacobs

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The New York Times
February 28, 2008

Op-Ed Columnist

A Genocide Foretold
By NICHOLAS D. KRISTOF

JUBA, Sudan

The Sudanese government started the first genocide of the 21st century in Darfur, and now it seems to be preparing to start the second here among the thatch-roof huts of southern Sudan.

South Sudan is rich in oil, but its people are among the poorest in the world, far poorer than those in Darfur. Only 1 percent of girls here finish elementary school, meaning that a young woman is more likely to die in pregnancy or childbirth than to become literate. Leprosy and Ebola linger here. South Sudan is the size of Texas, yet it has only 10 miles of paved road and almost no electricity; just about the only running water here is the Nile River.

The poverty is mostly the result of the civil war between North and South Sudan that raged across the southern part of the country for two decades and cost 2 million lives. For many impoverished villagers, their only exposure to modern technology has been to endure bombings by the Sudanese Air Force. The war finally ended, thanks in part to strong American pressure, in 2005 with a landmark peace agreement — but that peace is now fraying.

Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir is backing away from the peace agreement, and prodding Arab militias to revive the war with the South Sudan military forces. Small-scale armed clashes have broken out since late last year, and it looks increasingly likely that Darfur will become simply the prologue to a far bloodier conflict that engulfs all Sudan.

Even my presence here is a sign of the rising tensions and mistrust. The Sudanese government refuses me visas, but the authorities in the south let me enter from Kenya without a visa because they want the word to get out that war is again looming.

The authorities in disputed areas such as the Nuba Mountains and Blue Nile State also welcomed me, rather than arresting me, even though those areas technically are on the northern side of the dividing line. Local officials in both areas warned that President Bashir and his radical Arab political party are preparing to revive the war against non-Arab groups in the south and center of the country.

“If things go on as they are now, war will break out,” said Sila Musa Kangi, the commissioner of Kormuk in Blue Nile. “And it can break out at any time.”

Although people speak of renewed “war,” the violence is more likely to resemble what happens in a stockyard. If it is like the last time, government-sponsored Arab militias will slaughter civilians so as to terrorize local populations and drive them far away from oil wells.

Under the 2005 deal that ended the war, Sudan is supposed to hold elections early next year, but President Bashir is unlikely to allow them because he almost surely would lose. Likewise, Mr. Bashir is unlikely to abide by his commitment to allow the south to hold a referendum in 2011 to decide whether to separate from Sudan because southerners would likely vote overwhelmingly for independence — and more than three-quarters of the country’s oil is in the south.

Already, the Sudanese government is backtracking on its commitments under the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, or C.P.A.: It still hasn’t withdrawn all of its troops from the south; it hasn’t accepted a boundary commission report for the oil-rich border area of Abyei; it keeps delaying a census needed for the elections; and it appears to be cheating the south of oil revenues. And the U.S. and other countries have acquiesced in all this.

“We say to the international community, ‘you midwifed the C.P.A., and then you left,’ ” said Rebecca Garang, the widow of the longtime southern leader, John Garang. “You must come back and check the baby.”

Those who focused on Sudan’s atrocities in Darfur, myself included, may have inadvertently removed the spotlight from South Sudan. Without easing the outrage over Darfur — where the bloodshed has been particularly appalling lately — we must broaden the focus to include the threat to the south.

One of the lessons of Darfur, Rwanda and Bosnia is that it is much easier to avert a genocide ahead of time than to put the pieces together afterward. So let’s not wait until gunshots are ringing out again all over the south.

There are steps that the U.S. can take to diminish the risk of a new war. We can work with the international community to raise the costs to President Bashir of defying his treaty obligations.

We can warn Sudan that if it starts a new war, we will supply anti-aircraft weapons to the south to make it harder for the north to resume bombing hospitals, churches and schools. We can also raise the possibility of protecting the south with a no-fly zone, which might be enough to deter Mr. Bashir from starting yet another genocide.

Comment on this column on my blog at: www.nytimes.com/ontheground.

Valentine's Day - Make Sure to Buy Fair Trade!

2008-01-31T14:59:00.000-05:00

Organic Consumers Association has posted an article just in time for Valentine's Day, "Unchain Your Heart"...

"Valentines Day marks the biggest shopping day of the year, when it comes to chocolate and flowers. But did you know that by purchasing organic and Fair Trade chocolate and flowers your consumer dollars will no longer be going towards toxic pesticides, child slavery, and farm worker exploitation?

Over 40 percent of the world’s conventional chocolate (i.e. non-organic and non-Fair Trade) comes from Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), where the International Labor Organization (ILO) and US State Department have reported widespread instances of child slavery. Exploitation of cacao farmers and farm workers is the global norm in the chocolate industry, rather than the exception."

To read more and view OCA's buyers guide, click here.

Make Valentine's Day truly sweet affair this year!

Congratulations Francis Bok!

2008-01-18T17:14:00.000-05:00

What were Memphians reading in 2007? Davis-Kidd Booksellers knows. Memphis’ largest independent bookstore has released its annual list of top sellers and Francis Bok's Escape from Slavery made number 9!

Listed below are the 25 most popular titles:

1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – J. K. Rowling
2. Home to Holly Springs – Jan Karon
3. Simply Salads - Jennifer Chandler
4. Eat Pray Love – Elizabeth Gilbert
5. The American Plague (hardcover & PB combined) – Molly Caldwell Crosby
6. Simple Solutions – Thomas Schmitt & Arnold Perl
7. The Legend of Quito Road – Dwight Fryer
8. The Heir – Barbara Taylor Bradford
9. Escape from Slavery – Francis Bok
10. Talent is Never Enough – John C. Maxwell
11. Somebody is Going to Die If Lily Beth Doesn’t Catch That Bouquet - Gayden Metcalfe
12. Mid-South Garden Guide – Garden Club of Memphis
13. Boom! – Tom Brokaw
14. The Dangerous Book for Boys – Conn Iggulden
15. Water for Elephants – Sara Gruen
16. A Thousand Splendid Suns – Khaled Hosseini
17. The Secret – Rhonda Byrne
18. The Peabody: A History of the South’s Grand Hotel - Sharyn Burson
19. Playing for Pizza – John Grisham
20. Praying in Color – Sybil Macbeth
21. The Memory Keeper’s Daughter – Kim Edwards
22. The Way It Was – Victor L. Robilio, Jr.
23. Forever in Blue – Ann Brashares
24. Fancy Nancy and the Posh Puppy – Jane O’Connor
25. Heart & Soul Cookbook – Junior League of Memphis

*This list is comprised of total book sales at Davis-Kidd Booksellers in Memphis, TN from January 1 through December 31, 2007. Non-event titles special ordered in bulk quantities are not included on the list.

Happy Freedom's Eve!

2007-12-31T11:59:00.000-05:00

Or Watch Night, as it's also called throughout the U.S. Robert Smith's blog posting, Watch Night tradition rings in New Year for black churches, explains that "Watch Night has been know to Methodists since the mid-1700s, when John Wesley, founder of the Methodist movement, encouraged new-year "covenant services" as a means of reaffirming faith. "

"The vigils won the fealty of black America in 1863, many say, when Abraham Lincoln decreed that his Emancipation Proclamation would take effect Jan. 1. Abolitionists and slaves are said to have congregated on "Freedom's Eve" to await what the new year would bring. "

Tonight, many Methodist churches in the United States will celebrate and hold vigils. I am not a Methodist, or an African American, but I am an abolitionist. And this Freedom's Eve I will pray and resolve (again) to help bring sweet freedom of all men, women and children who are still enslaved. Please join me.

To read Robert Smith's complete posting, click here.

“Trafficking Free NYC”

2007-12-13T15:00:00.000-05:00

Want to know what it's like to be a prostitute in a NYC brothel? Definitely not Pretty Woman. Sonia Ossorio, president of NOW-NYC, tells it like it is in her article "Voices of NOW NYC: Aiming for a “Trafficking Free NYC”. She doesn't sugar coat it. A gipping picture indeed...

"If you never had a picture of what the low-budget, factory-style prostitution that makes up much of the local NYC sex industry, this is it – up close, uncomfortable and a mockery of sex and all it stands for – pleasure, sharing, sexual empowerment and women’s liberation.

At the beginning of each shift, the women are given a produce box top with two rolls of paper towels, a bottle of lube, alcohol and a baggie filled with unwrapped condoms. The condoms are prepped much like vegetables at restaurants before the rush hits. There are tips that go to the men who stand on the corners as dusk sets in and pass out business cards for the brothels and give directions to the houses where sex can be bought $30 for 15 minutes. The price went up this year from $25."

Many of these brothels are advertised in the yellow pages and local magazines - some showing pictures of children! NOW-NYC is spearheading a campaign called “Trafficking Free NYC!” asking publishers to use common sense, do some basic due diligence and stop taking ads that exploit women through commercial sex work. To learn more about NOW-NYC, click here.

Nivasa Foundation is hosting a Dinner and Dance Party

2007-12-05T12:49:00.000-05:00

Beatrice’s Fernando's Nivasa Foundation (one of AASG's speaking associate) is hosting a Dinner and Dance Party with authentic Sri Lankan cuisine and FREE dance lessons and you’re invited!

What: Dinner and Dance Party (featuring Sri Lankan food and FREE dance lessons)

When: December 8 @ 6:30 to 10:00 pm

Where: Knights of Columbus, Charlestown

Contact: www.NivasaFoundation.org, 781 -888-9880

*Purchase tickets in advance or make a donation.

As a Sri Lankan survivor of slavery, Beatrice Fernando founded the the Nivasa Foundation, a non-profit organization helping to end the cycle of slavery in Sri Lanka. By funding the education and basic necessities of the children of Sri Lankan victims of slavery, we prevent these women from again being deceived into situations of slavery and provide their children with better opportunities.

The Dinner and Dance party is a fundraiser for the Nivasa Foundation and will provide Sri Lankan cuisine and free ballroom dancing lessons and other entertainment, as well as raffles and prizes for a ticket price of $40. Space is limited so please reserve your spot in advance. If you are unable to attend, please consider making a donation to the Nivasa Foundation. A donation of $37/month will provide a child with an education, food, clothing, and school supplies.

Please call 781 -888-9880 or send your contribution to Nivasa Foundation, P.O. Box 95, Merrimac, MA 01860. You can also make a donation, purchase tickets, and read more about our work at www.NivasaFoundation.org.

TONIGHT -"Bearing Witness in Darfur: Who Will Be My Sister's Keeper?"

2007-11-29T09:17:00.000-05:00

Thursday, November 29th, 7:00pm
First Church in Jamaica Plain, Unitarian Universalist, Sanctuary
6 Eliot St. (Across from the Monument)
http://www.jamaicaplainforum.org

Since her first visit to southern Sudan in 2001, Rev. Gloria White-Hammond, co-pastor of Jamaica Plain s Bethel AME Church, knew that she wanted to stand in solidarity with the women of that country. She had served as a medical missionary during several trips to Botswana, Cote d Ivore, and South Africa, but it was on delegation of several other African-American ministers to Sudan that, Rev. White-Hammond participated in the liberation of over 6,700 enslaved women and children. Bearing witness to the untenable realities of slavery taking place in the 21st century changed her life forever.

Upon her return to Boston, she co-founded My Sister s Keeper, a humanitarian women's group that partners with women in Sudan and their efforts toward reconciliation and reconstruction of their communities. Since it s inception in 2002, My Sister s Keeper has listen closely to the concerns and opinions of the Sudanese women. It has assisted in community-initiated economic development, healthcare and education projects in Gogrial County, Sudan. Furthermore, by mobilizing resources in the United States on their behalf, My Sister s Keeper works to lift up the plight of Sudanese women to the World.

This event will be in honor of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (Nov. 25th), World AIDS Day (Dec. 1st), and Human Rights Day (Dec. 10).

Sexual Slavery: Can You Really Define It?

2007-11-27T16:47:00.000-05:00

The Department of Justice (DOJ) is doing just that. According to a recent article in Front Page Magazine, "a prostitute or a victim of trafficking is entitled to justice but only if he/she has been "forced, tricked or coerced" into doing what the DOJ calls "sex work" - and only if they can prove it."

In addition, the DOJ is more sympathetic to those victims in third world countries as opposed to a young woman from Massachusetts or California. Most shocking is that a minor, yes a child, used in "commercial sex acts" is not considered "coerced" or "duped" as defined by the DOJ. The most vulnerable, those who need this protection the most, are subjected to less because they cannot defend themselves or prove their own case.

Why is the DOJ failing? How are those connected to legalizing "sex work" opposing abolitionists in a new way? Read the full article, "Stopping Sexual Slavery" by clicking here.

Darfur Too Dark Too Far - Featuring Simon Deng

2007-11-12T15:32:00.000-05:00

Darfur Too Dark Too Far: FREE Film Screening & Panel Discussion

Tuesday, November 13, 2007, 5:00 PM - Reception to Follow Ames Courtroom, Austin Hall, Harvard Law School 1515 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02138

Award-winning filmmaker Hafiz Farid has recently released his award-winning film, Darfur Too Dark Too Far (http://www.darfur2dark2far.com/). This powerful documentary film addresses the horrific crisis in Darfur, as well as the root causes of genocide… slavery, racism and oppression in the name of religion. Darfur Too Dark Too Far was awarded Best Social Documentary in the New York International Independent Film and Video Festival, Best of the Best in the Martha’s Vineyard African-American Film Festival, and Excellence for Cinema for a Documentary in the Los Angeles International Independent Film Festival. A panel discussion will follow the film screening, featuring: Simon Deng, iAbolish American Anti-Slavery Group; Former Sudanese Slave; Human Rights Activist Dr. Jerry Ehrlich, Pediatrician, Doctors Without Borders Hafiz Farid, Award-Winning Filmmaker/Director; Executive Director, NoCane, Inc. Dr. Lori Heninger, Executive Director, HiTOPS, Inc., Teen Health & Education Center; Former Director, Children and Adolescents Program, Women’s Commission for Refugee Women and Children

To RSVP: Click Here

Call For Papers

2007-08-30T10:31:00.001-05:00

The Anti-Human Trafficking Conference held at the University of Missouri-Columbia, is seeking panelists. From their website:

We are seeking panelists from diverse backgrounds, including activists, legislators, academics, NGO representatives, religious groups, and victim advocates. We are also seeking booth and art display proposals that focus on issues relating to human trafficking from individuals and organizations.

We are particularly interested in panel, paper, and booth proposals on the following issues as they relate to trafficking in persons: labor, gender, sex, children, US foreign policy, militarization, economics, politics/policy, the EU, activism, religious perspectives, prevention/protection/prosecution/best practices.

Panel and paper proposals: Each proposal should include a brief abstract explaining the presenter’s main ideas and focus for the talk or paper, and a biographical sketch detailing the presenter’s background and contact/affiliation information. Presenters should plan to present their work and/or research for approximately 20-25 minutes (not including questions). We will consider proposals for both individual presenters that may be grouped with other presenters and full panel proposals.

Booth and art display proposals: Each booth proposal should include a brief description of the organization and nature of the booth. We are also interested in booth proposals from filmmakers who have made films about human trafficking; there may be the opportunity to show excerpts from the films as well. Each art display proposal should include a brief description of the artists’ background, details about the materials necessary to display the artwork, and a description and/or pictures of the art work. Time will be set aside for booth representatives and art creators to talk about their work and answer questions at their booths/displays.

Website: www.stoptrafficnow.com and http://wgst.missouri.edu/
Contact: Jessica Jennrich, Associate Chair, Women’s and Gender Studies, University of Missouri-Columbia, jennrichj@missouri.edu

Submission: Proposals should be submitted to jennrichj@missouri.edu and muhtc2008@gmail.com or
Women’s and Gender Studies,
University of Missouri-Columbia
325 General Classroom Building
Columbia, MO 65211-4130

Deadline for Proposals: September 15th, 2007

Conference Dates: March 21, 22, and 23, 2008

Domestic Servitude in Haiti

2007-08-28T10:27:00.000-05:00

MSNBC.com has a look at Haiti's restavec system, which claims as many as 300,000 Haitian children who are, more often then not, promised a good home and an education and instead find themselves forced into domestic servitude. Some, like AASG Associate Micheline Slattery, are taken in by extended family after being orphaned; others are given up by parents too poor to feed them; still others are runaways taken from the streets.

The piece offers a good overview of not only the realities of the restavec system for those children who are caught up in it, but also some of the social, historical and economic roots of the system.

Click here for the full story.

More on Mauritania

2007-08-27T15:41:00.000-05:00

A story on IRIN, the humanitarian news and analysis service for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, offers some in-depth analysis of Mauritania's new law against slavery and the additional steps that will be needed in the coming months to ensure that abolition comes about as quickly as possible.

According to the article, the new law requires victims themselves to take their complaints to the police, who lack both the mentality and resources to address the problem. Moreover, the new law makes no provisions for life after slavery--NGOs and other advocates are pushing for education, social and economic reintegration projects and an awareness campaign about the new law.

Click here to read more.

Three Mexican nationals indicted in South Carolina sex trafficking case

2007-08-24T10:50:00.000-05:00

Three Mexican nationals were indicted on Wednesday in Washington for conspiring to bring women, and at least one minor, into the U.S. for commercial sex.

If convicted, they face a collective fine of over $1 million and a minimum of 10 years in prison.

Click here for the full story.

Anti-Trafficking Conference in California

2007-08-24T08:33:00.000-05:00

I got this email in my box this morning:

The 5th Preventing Abuse Conference: "Women and Children at Risk of Human Trafficking, Abduction and Internet Predators."
Sponsored by the Cedars Cultural and Education Foundation

November 15, 2007
Universal Hilton Hotel, Universal City, CA
7:45am-4:00pm

Registration:
$49/person in advance, $59/person at the door
includes lunch
Click here for more information and to register online.

Topics to be covered include:

Internet safety;
Protecting children;
What to do if the unthinkable happens;
The effects of human trafficking on our nation and families;
What fuels the demand for commercial sexual exploitation;
The importance of the Church in the struggle to end human trafficking;
National security;
and the impact of pornography.

Abuk Bak featured in the Boston Globe!

2007-08-22T10:29:00.001-05:00

Abuk Bak, formerly of the AASG Speakers' Bureau was featured this Monday in a two page article in the Boston Globe. The article focused on the widespread nature of slavery today and how there are abundant witnesses, even in Massachusetts.

"Now 33 years old and living in Lynn, Abuk has found happiness. She has been married for nine years, has three children, and works as an aide in a Lynnfield nursing home. Abuk shares her story for many reasons, among them catharsis and to create awareness. 'Nobody is paying attention, like killings, kidnapping -- they should really know -- being put as slaves, and no one knows,' she said."

To read the full article click here.

Abuk also wrote her story of capture, enslavement and escape for Enslaved: True Stories of Modern Day Slavery, our anthology of modern slave narratives.

California Couple Pleads Guilty to Slavery

2007-08-22T10:16:00.000-05:00

Elizabeth and James Jackson of California plead guilty yesterday to enslaving a Filipino woman in their home.

"Elizabeth Jackson faces a maximum sentence of 46 months in prison for her forced labor charge. James Jackson’s sentence will include 200 hours of community service[...]" The sentencing will take place November 5.

The press release from the Department of Justice gave no information on what became of the Filipino woman.

To read the press release click here.

Fighting Slavery by Shopping

2007-08-16T10:08:00.000-05:00

At AASG, we receive a constant stream of inquiries asking what can be done by individuals to stop slavery. The citizens of New Zealand are just as outraged as Americans, and they've decided to take matters into their own hands.

Trade Aid, a fair trade organization, has led the way with their campaign "Slavery still exists, and you may be supporting it ..." One of the campaign's main initiatives is circulating a petition, which calls for "the government to make importation of slave made products illegal."

According to a recent article, not one New Zealander has refused to sign. The petition, which carries tens of thousands of signatures, will be brought before Parliament on August 23, the day the UN marks for International Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition.

To read more about this story, click here.
To learn more about Trade Aid's campaign, click here.

Victory in Mauritania!

2007-08-09T12:38:00.000-05:00

Enslavement is finally a crime in Mauritania. Although outlawed in 1981, slavery still continues openly in the country. Until today, no punishment existed for enslaving others or attempting to justify the the chattel system.

Since its inception, AASG has worked to eradicate slavery in Sudan and Mauritania. Today we were proud to say that the Mauritanian government has taken a step in the right direction. While this is a great victory for abolitionists everywhere, we are also aware that the fight is not over. We urge the Mauritanian government to see today as a foundation on which to make further efforts to end slavery once and for all.

The clandestine SOS Slaves, a Mauritanian human rights organization, has advocated to get this legislation passed. Our associate Abdel Nasser Ould Yessa, is a former slave owner and co-founder of SOS Slaves. He works with them in exile in France.

To learn more about slavery in Mauritania visit Yessa's biography here.

To learn more about the legislation that was passed, check out some of the following stories: Voice of America News, Telegraph, Guardian Unlimited, Miami Herald, BBC World News.

Sudan Update: Worst Flooding in Recent History

2007-08-02T11:35:00.000-05:00

Dear Supporters,

This week has brought news of the worst flooding in Sudan in decades, displacing tens of thousands as heavy rainfall has swelled the banks of the White and Blue Nile Rivers and caused at least 41 flash floods across the country.

"What happened this year can only be matched by what happened 40 years ago," Riek Machar, the Vice President of South Sudan, told the BBC after touring the flood-affected areas.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies expect 2.4 million people to be affected by the flooding before the rainy season ends in September.

Standing water left behind by the floods provides a breeding ground for mosquitoes, often bringing with them outbreaks of malaria. At least 25,000 and as many as 35,000 homes have been destroyed, as well as over 100 government buildings, including schools, and roads are shut down throughout the country. Added to the ongoing violence in Sudan, it is not hard to see why the rainy season, in particular, is a crucial time for aid delivery.

Since the beginning of June we have raised nearly 2/3 of our $75,000 goal, which will help purchase and deliver vital supplies--tarpaulins to protect from the rain; mosquito nets to protect from malaria; food for the remainder of the rainy season and seed to plant for harvest when it ends. To all of those who have contributed over the past two months, our many thanks.

If you have not and would like to help us raise the remainder of our goal--another $25,000--there is still time. You can do so by clicking here.

Read more from Reuters, and allAfrica.com.

In Freedom,
AASG

Ads Highlight Victims of Human Trafficking

2007-07-31T15:56:00.000-05:00

"The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has launched a public service campaign to draw attention to human trafficking victims.

The campaign involves video ads as well as large billboards in select cities that say, 'Look beneath the surface, a victim of trafficking may look like many of the people you see every day.'

Martha Newton, a director of the Office of Refugee Resettlement for HHS, said, 'if something doesn’t seem right about the situation, perhaps it's a young worker who isn’t allowed to leave.'

The ads point victims and those who know of victims to a toll-free number for the National Human Trafficking Resource Center: (888) 373-7888.

Lisa Thompson, who heads the Salvation Army's efforts to combat trafficking in persons, told Family News in Focus that 'everybody can play a part in fighting trafficking.'

'This is really, for the first time, giving the general public that chance to play that role so that they can be sensitized a little bit about what trafficking is.'"

That story can be found here.

Miami Man Sentenced to 40 Years in Prison for Sex Tourism

2007-07-31T15:49:00.000-05:00

"Miami resident Kent Frank was sentenced to 40 years in prison on sex tourism and child pornography charges, Assistant Attorney General Alice S. Fisher of the Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney R. Alexander Acosta of the Southern District of Florida announced today.

On April 5, 2007, a federal jury in Miami found Frank guilty of eight counts of child exploitation offenses related to his sexual abuse of three young females in Cambodia. Frank was convicted of four counts of traveling in foreign commerce and engaging in illicit sexual conduct with a minor. The jury also found Frank guilty of three counts of purchasing a minor with the intent to produce child pornography and one count of traveling in foreign commerce for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with a minor."

Read the full story here.

Slavery in Ohio

2007-07-31T15:46:00.000-05:00

"When a woman was jailed after a recent fight, police brought in a translator to help communicate with her.

That's when authorities uncovered allegations of a more horrific crime. The young woman said she had been lured from her homeland for what she thought was a visit -- only to be forced into domestic servitude, spending long days cleaning house, cooking and caring for young children.

The woman was afraid to tell anyone because her visitor's visa expired and by then she was in the United States illegally.

Victims of human trafficking can be found throughout the country, even in Columbus where this woman had been staying. Police are investigating her allegations.

To help identify and aid victims, about three dozen Columbus-area organizations have formed the Rescue & Restore Victims of Human Trafficking coalition, with the assistance of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services."

Read the full story here.

Looking For Somewhere to Buy Jewelry?

2007-07-31T15:23:00.000-05:00

"Jewelry 4 God International, Inc., a not-for-profit organization, announced today its' official launch in response to the overwhelming need to empower and rescue others around the world from human trafficking, the sex industry, drug addiction, gangs, and other life controlling problems.

'Worldwide, women exploit their bodies because of the need for money, in many cases, in order to support their parents or children. Those who are sold into the sex industry are all too often tied, beaten, raped, and burned until they comply,' Tim Zello, Founder and President of Jewelry 4 God said.

Jewelry 4 God teaches hand crafting one of a kind jewelry out of sterling silver and semi-precious stones and product marketing to [human trafficking victims]."

Read the full story here.

Sudanese Defense Minister Accuses Jews of "Fueling" Darfur Conflict

2007-07-30T10:15:00.000-05:00

Sudanese Defense Minister Abdel Rahim Mohamed Hussein told a Saudi newspaper that Jewish organizations are responsible for the conflict in Darfur. Which, according to Hussein, doesn't actually exist. There is merely "friction between farmers and herders and shepherds."

The root of the problem? Water, "which is used to exploit the differences and fuel the conflict." This must be related to the stories from a few weeks ago claiming that global warming is to blame for genocide in Darfur.

Oh, wait. There is no genocide. Sorry, Mr. Hussein.

Click here for the full story. Click here to read about the efforts of Jewish young people and the Save Darfur coalition (of the American Anti-Slavery Group is a part) to raise awareness about and end genocide in Sudan.

Click here for Sudan Expert Eric Reeves's take on Darfur and global warming.

Screening in NYC: "Darfur: Too Dark Too Far"

2007-07-30T09:29:00.000-05:00

"On Tuesday night, July 31, Luna Stage will be screening the documentary 'Darfur: Too Dark Too Far,' directed by Hafiz Farid. The film, which examines the root causes of genocide, begins at 7:30pm, with a Q&A with Farid and Sudanese activist and AASG Associate Simon Deng. Minimum contribution is $50."

Details here.