New US President must commit to human rights
5 November 2008, 12:21PM
Amnesty International is calling on US president-elect Barack Obama to take concrete steps to demonstrate commitment to human rights.
The election of Barack Obama to the US presidency opens new opportunities for an end to the seven-year assault on human rights by the US administration.
Amnesty International urged US President-elect Barack Obama to make human rights central to his new administration on Wednesday. The organisation is calling for certain concrete steps in his first 100 days in office that would demonstrate a genuine commitment to bringing the USA into line with its international obligations.
The new president will have the authority to rectify some of the unlawful policies and practices adopted during his predecessor’s term in office in the name of counter-terrorism and national security.
Counter terror with justice: a human rights challenge
In the first 100 days, Amnesty International is calling on the new administration to:
- announce a plan and date to close Guantanamo;
- issue an executive order to ban torture and other ill-treatment, as defined under international law;
- ensure that an independent commission to investigate abuses committed by the US government in its "war on terror" is set up.
These demands are part of a checklist of actions Amnesty International is asking the new US President to take during his first 100 days in office.
Promoting human rights at home and abroad
Amnesty International has numerous human rights concerns in relation to the USA. The organisation is seeking a meeting with President-elect Barack Obama to discuss how the USA will take forward policies that will advance internationally recognised human rights both at home and abroad.
Message from our National Director, Claire Mallinson
Take action
Call on President-elect Barack Obama to demonstrate a commitment to human rights in his first 100 days in office.
Comment from National Director, Claire Mallinson
We have witnessed a truly historic moment with the election of Barack Obama as President of the United States.
In this the 60th anniversary of the signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, we have an unprecedented opportunity for Mr. Obama to ensure from his very first days in office that human rights are at the heart of his administration.
This is the ideal moment for the President-elect to make a fresh and vigorous commitment on behalf of the United States to human rights, and to the values and principles enshrined in the UDHR.
Mr. Obama said repeatedly during his campaign that it is time for change. With severe human rights violations occurring every day around globe, we call on the new administration to show the leadership urgently required to stand up against abuses wherever they occur.
Claire Mallinson,
National Director,
Amnesty International Australia
Related info
You can download our checklist for President-elect Obama Counter Terror with Justice: A human rights challenge for the next US president.
You can also download our "Mr President, we're counting on you" poster (PDF size=212KB)
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Comments
Comments are submitted by members of the public and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or positions of Amnesty International Australia. If you find a comment objectionable please contact the web editor.
margaret chaldecott
12 November 2008, 03:34PM
Five Cubans are being held in disparate locations because THEY tried to thwart US attacks on their country. A change has been promised? Does this include the removal of the paranoia of Bush, so that these 5 can be returned to the country they tried to protect?
Isaac
7 November 2008, 10:46PM
This the time as baraka Obama said, now the white people showing us that we are one and from this periode of 5/11/2008 proved that the the white is abolising the race ‘that means from bbaraka Obama is power colonised the Black people around the wold
Stephen Tennant
7 November 2008, 10:00AM
Well the biggest boost for Obama has been George Bush. Without Georges’ annihilation of judicial process in Guantanamo Bay, neocon zeal to resolve problems by sending the army in and lack of any vision to engage with the 21st century ( preferring to reintroduce 1950’s thinking and bigotry into mainstream strategy) would the American people have been so enthusiastic to turn to Obama? Nonetheless they have and while the expectations are totally unrealistic, it is like breathing fresh air after being suffocated for 8 years.
Peter
7 November 2008, 09:58AM
It may be a cause for ecstatic celebration in the US, but let’s not forget that even Mr Obama is human and not a god. My concern is that the US population may see him as their saviour and have such unreasonable expectations of him and his administration that they are doomed to be totally disappointed in his performance as President. I wish him all the luck but wouldn’t wish to be in his shoes for quids. The task ahead of him is absolutely overwhelming. At least he gives the appearance of being up to it.
veronica
7 November 2008, 09:44AM
Sylvia - you are misguided in your thinking. Thank goodness that there are more rational people in the world.
Congratulations to Obama and the American people for taking a stand and demanding change. I hope they can fulfill their (and our) hopes for better leadership
Laura Beatriz Paroni Perez
7 November 2008, 06:38AM
power to the people!! congratulation!!!
Michael Alexander
6 November 2008, 09:41PM
I kinda liked what Sylvia had to say even though I got some fantasy that the economic system may collapse and we may be needing the black mans (indigenous) help.
A black president in the states might encourage more acceptance of black people in Australia in leadership positions.
Gerbil
6 November 2008, 06:37PM
Hi Linnet - you can contact Barack Obama via the US Embassy in Australia: usrsaustralia@state.gov. There’s a link further up this page to the action. I’ve just sent my email!
Linnet
6 November 2008, 05:58PM
Claire, I don’t suppose you could let us in on the President Elect’s email address to send these letters to can you?
Linnet
6 November 2008, 05:55PM
Wow, Sylvia. I was thinking more along the lines that the intelligent, sensible man could be supported by a large number of letters to take action on a few matters of some urgency (ones that he’s no doubt already had a few thoughts on himself) now that he’s been elected as US President. Nothing to do with the colour of his skin. Nothing at all.
James
6 November 2008, 05:53PM
sylvia I think the main point is that there’s a new president and a big change in politics and that it’s an opportunity for greater change in a country that has massive influence across the globe - this would be the case regardless of Barack Obama’s skin colour. It’s momentous that an African American has for the first time been elected as President of the United States, but I strongly disagree that that is the sole reason that people have hope and faith in him, and I also strongly disagree that it’s racist to invest hope in his coming to power.
sylvia
6 November 2008, 05:20PM
Expecting the black man to save us all from our bad feelings is just another form of racism. Barack Obama is going to be inundated with calls from all over the world to “make things better”. This is one on-line petition I won’t be signing.
Vance Painter
6 November 2008, 04:28PM
I am worried given the current state of world affairs with the United States involved in so many wars and with a major financial economic crisis looming that he will not be able to keep all his promises for change. Hopefully however he will pull U.S troops out of Iraq soon and that his administration will try to broker a settlement to the war in Afghanistan and not expand it (as he is being urged to do) into Pakistan. The scale of human suffering in such a war could potentially be immense. I also hope that his administration can do something about the terrible conditions in many U.S prisons which currently are reported to hold more of than 2 million people.
Foram
6 November 2008, 03:55PM
Hope President Obama fulfills all the promises he made…
lynda joy birch
6 November 2008, 03:49PM
Hope for the future, the world was
looking to see if America would raise to
the challenge and regain some respect in
the global world…they have…congratula-
tions America and Pres. Obama!!!
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