A lesbian sentenced to death‏ - World

In days, Aderonke could hear from a judge who decides if she's sent back to Nigeria, or can stay in the UK. That's how long we've got to halt deportations of LGBT people. Will you ask your friends to add their names? Just click the button to share on Facebook: Or you can forward them this email and ask them to sign here: https://www.allout.org/aderonke ----Original email---- "I was forced to endure the murder of three members of my family, who were killed because of my sexuality. I was sentenced to death. I fled for my life." – Aderonke, Nigerian lesbian in the UK. Call on the UK Home Secretary to stop Aderonke’s deportation. Dear Luc, Aderonke's family was killed and she was arrested, tortured, and sentenced to death in Nigeria for being a lesbian. She fled to safety in the UK. She went through a humiliating interrogation by UK officials whodidn't believe she's a lesbian. Aderonke's waiting to hear from a judge who could decide to send her back to Nigeria – where she could be killed. But there's still a chance to help her. The UK Home Office just announced that the process they use for lesbian, gay, bi and trans asylum cases like this is degrading – but so far no changes have been made. If thousands of us speak out right now, we can create a massive media story that could convince the Home Office to take the next logical step and halt the deportations. Will you sign the petition to Home Office Secretary Theresa May now? https://www.allout.org/aderonke It's not just Aderonke's life at stake.There's dozens more LGBT asylum seekers facing the same. One man from Cameroon, who's bisexual and blind, reported last week that he was beaten by deportation officers. Theresa May's already said that some people have been forced to submit video of themselves having sex or answer humiliating questions during hours of interrogation. And, many people who provide evidence to the Home Office that they will be jailed or killed for who they love have been deported back into danger anyway. May has the power – and the responsibility – to stop the Home Office from deporting Aderonke until they can be sure everyone's being treated fairly and humanely. But the Home Office may think they've done enough by agreeing to review their process – unless UK citizens and the global media hold them accountable. Sign now and demand Theresa May take action: https://www.allout.org/aderonke The very first campaign All Out members joined together on was to stop the UK from sending a woman back to Uganda where she could be jailed for who she loved. Last year, thousands of us called the Home Office to try to stop the deportation of a young gay man to Nigeria. If we can all speak out right now and get Theresa May to halt the deportation of Aderonke and all other LGBT asylum seekers like her, this could be the last time we have to do this. With fair and humane processes and training for Home Office staff dealing with these cases, people like Aderonke could have a real shot at justice and safety when they're genuinely fleeing for their lives. Sign now to help Aderonke: https://www.allout.org/aderonke Thanks for going All Out, Andre, Hayley, Jeremy, Mike, Pablo, Sara and the rest of the All Out team. P.S. The All Out office team's in touch with Aderonke. She says that this campaign isn't just important for her but also for other LGBT asylum seekers whose voices are unheard and are facing this hostile asylum process. Will you join Aderonke as she bravely fights for her life and the lives of others in the same danger?https://www.allout.org/aderonke SOURCES: Review ordered into intrusive questioning of asylum seekers – The Telegraph, 28 March 2014 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/immigration/10730856/Review-ordered-into-questioning-over-intrusive-questioning-of-gay-asylum-seekers.html Home office reviews questioning of asylum seekers – The Guardian, 8 February 2014 http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/feb/08/home-office-gay-asylum-seekers-questioning Blind bisexual asylum seeker beaten by UK deportation officers – Gay Star News, 10 April 2014 http://www.gaystarnews.com/article/blind-bisexual-asylum-seeker-beaten-uk-deportation-officers100414 Gay asylum seekers humiliated by Home Office – The Guardian, 8 February 2014 http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/feb/08/gay-asylum-seekers-humiliation-home-office Asylum interview policy guidelines – UK Home Office https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/conducting-the-asylum-interview-process Missing the Mark – UK Lesbian and Gay Immigration Group, 13 September 2013 http://www.uklgig.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Missing-the-Mark.pdf Support All Out We don't take money from governments or corporations, so the only people we have to listen to are our members. Our tiny team stretches every contribution to make them count.

Nigeria bevindt zich aan uw voordeur, in de eurozone en heet nu Griekenland...

De Griekse crisis heeft de gezondheidszorg in het land onderuit gehaald. Wie geneesmiddelen nodig heeft krijgt die enkel nog tegen cash betaling.  Dat geldt even goed voor patiënten die lijden aan levensbedreigende vormen van kanker.

De Griekse blogger Giannis Albanis staat versteld van de derdewereldproblematiek die nu zijn land treft en hij rouwt om het ter ziele gegane Europa van de generatie van zijn ouders:

‘De benarde toestand waarin onze kankerpatiënten zich bevinden is het onweerlegbare bewijs dat Nigeria (een land waarvoor Madame Lagarde zo veel medelijden voelt) niet ergens ver weg is, maar zich gewoon aan onze voordeur bevindt, binnen de eurozone...

Indien Europa voor onze ouders rijkdom, democratie en de welvaartstaat betekende, dan stond Nigeria voor armoede, corruptie en autoritair bestuur.

Maar vandaag moeten we toegeven dat die rollen voor de huidige generaties zijn omgedraaid. Ook hier is nu miserie, corruptie en autoritair bestuur, terwijl elders sociale welvaart en democratie is.

Waar dat ergens precies is weten we niet. Een land waar er geen geneesmiddelen zijn voor kankerpatiënten heeft zijn plaats in Europa niet, zeker niet in dat fantastische Europa van onze ouders.

Griekenland anno 2012 hoort thuis in een ander Europa: het continent van de EU en het IMF, dat is vernietigd door de markten...’

Bron : Express.be

Protecting Children From Lead Poisoning

Nigeria Releases Funds to Clean the Environment, Put Safer Mining Practices in Place

A Heavy Price: Lead Poisoning and Gold Mining in Nigeria's Zamfara State
Amina Murtala is only 20, but she has already lost three children to lead poisoning – a deadly consequence of small-scale gold mining in her home state of Zamfara in Nigeria.

Human Rights Watch researched the impact of lead poisoning on communities near Zamfara’s mines, shooting video of the families, teachers, and healthcare workers we interviewed. We created a multimedia report exposing the devastation – the worst lead poisoning epidemic in modern history.

Our objective was to persuade Nigeria’s federal government, which controls funding for lead clean-up, of the situation’s urgency. Together with our partner organizations, we urged the Nigerian government to protect families at risk of lead poisoning. Last week President Goodluck Jonathan agreed to release 650 million Naira (roughly US$4 million) for environmental remediation and to put in place safer mining practices in Zamfara state. This clean-up could give Amina’s newest baby a better chance at a healthy life.

With the dramatic rise in international gold prices in recent years, small-scale gold mining has been on the rise. But this small-scale mining, often done in an unsafe way, exposes Zamfara’s miners and the people around them to dangerous lead. Children’s developing bodies are extremely vulnerable to the toxic effects.

The discovery of gold in Zamfara brought hope to the state’s residents, but the consequences have been deadly. We spent several weeks in the village of Bagega, four hours from the state capital and only accessible by a bush road. It is also the most contaminated village in the state. At least 400 children have died from lead poisoning in Zamfara since 2010, and at least another 2,000 children need urgent treatment for lead poisoning.

The lead is released when adults and children crush and grind rock ore. We spoke with children in Bagega who are exposed to lead dust when they work in the mining site and when their miner relatives return home covered with lead dust. Sometimes, miners crush the lead-filled ore at home, contaminating their houses. Many children live in homes made of mud bricks, some of which have lead levels several times higher than is safe.

Human Rights Watch, along with international partners, brought our findings from visits to Bagega and nearby villages to the attention of high-level officials in Zamfara state, as well as in the federal government.

We asked for three essential changes: First, to put safer mining practices in place.  Second, to clean up contaminated areas. And third, to test and treat at-risk children for lead poisoning.  If children with acute lead poisoning aren’t given chelation therapy, used to treat heavy-metal poisoning, the result can be permanent mental and physical disabilities or even death. However, it is essential to clean up the children’s environment first, to avoid re-exposure.

After we began our advocacy, Zamfara’s state government put together a team and began environmental clean-up in Bagega. We will monitor how the federal government’s money is spent. Ultimately, we hope to see a full-scale clean-up operation in all the contaminated villages. This money should also facilitate safer mining practices for people in Zamfara state, so they benefit from their land without risking the health of their families.