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In the News

The Inauguration in the Shadow of Gaza

By: Bill Fletcher Jr. | février 1, 2009

Twelve days ago the United States, and the world, celebrated the inauguration of Barack Hussein Obama as the country's first African-American president. That the world celebrated as well was evident to many of us even then, but it's even more clear to me here in Belém, in the Brazilian state of Pará, where I am for the World Social Forum, where numerous people from around the world have repeatedly greeted those of us from the United States with a thumbs up sign and shouted "Obama!" celebrating not only his becoming president but, especially, the end of the Bush Administration. Bill Fletcher, Jr., a former Board member of Grassroots International, reflected on this historic moment in the shadow of Gaza - Nikhil Aziz.
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Gaza Under Fire

By: Carol Schachet | janvier 29, 2009

For years, the Palestinian Agricultural Relief Committees (PARC) has been turning food aid that feeds dependency on its head. Their Farm to Table program purchases food for hungry families from local Palestinian farmers to address critical humanitarian needs and provide local farmers with needed income. Like nearly all organizations working in Gaza, PARC's operations came to a swift halt on December 27, 2008, when Israeli Defense Forces began bombing the region. Their buildings were severely damaged, along with the rooftop and backyard gardens at the core of the urban farm program.
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Cease-fire Remains Tenuous

By: Carol Schachet | janvier 28, 2009

For the most part, Gaza has been quiet for the past 10 days. News coverage from the region has faded from headlines as direct conflict between Hamas and the Israeli military halted in the eve of President Barack Obama's inauguration and the subsequent transitions of power.
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Please help – Our partners in Gaza are reaching out for support

By: Carol Schachet | janvier 10, 2009
You already know that the news looks grim:
- Both Israel and Hamas have rejected international calls for a cease fire and the violence has escalated
- Gaza's border with Egypt and Israel remains closed
- Humanitarian aid has halted due to attacks on UN and Red Cross/Red Crescent workers.
Direct updates and news make it out of Gaza only in short bursts, when there is sufficient power to feed cell phone batteries and computers. Grassroots International's locally based partner organizations within Gaza continue to send us word as they can about how they are responding to the crisis and facilitating relief and reconstruction. Because of their ongoing commitment to social justice and human rights in the region, their efforts stand the greatest chance of having a lasting impact.
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Catastrophe Worsens in Gaza

By: Carol Schachet | janvier 6, 2009

On the evening of January 3, we residents of Gaza realized that if there is any truth to Ehud Barak's words, it is that this invasion will be a long one. At approximately 9:15 pm local time Israeli forces entered the strip from three locations. From the east of Gaza City, tanks rolled into the Palestinian residential areas while Israeli F16s provided cover from the sky. At the same time, Israeli tanks and infantry troops entered Rafah from the south east, while tank shelling and artillery fire rained on the Mintar area of Gaza City. Israeli warships were simultaneously barraging Gaza City from the sea. The entire strip was surrounded and being heavily pounded by Israeli missiles and artillery fire.
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Demand Balanced Media Coverage of the Crisis in Gaza

By: Carol Schachet | janvier 6, 2009

As the death toll rises in Gaza to over 650 with thousands more wounded in the 11 days since the Israeli military campaign began, mainstream U.S. media outlets are toeing the official Israeli government line, scarcely mentioning statements from the international human rights community, progressive Israelis, or Palestinians.
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First day of the new year in Gaza

By: Carol Schachet | janvier 2, 2009

It's interesting how, at the most terrifying and horrific of times, we still manage to make light of the events, and even enjoy a dark sense of humor. Here are two recent personal examples from Gaza.

My 10-year-old cousin was eating a sandwich, when one of my younger brothers, 12, looked at him and, quoted a line from one of his favorite video games. In his dead-on imitation of the character's voice, he said to his younger cousin, "Enjoy it, it could be your last!" I looked at him for a second and began laughing almost hysterically at his imitation and the absurdity of the situation.
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Sharing a Glimpse of the Life of Civilians in Gaza under Israeli Fire

By: Carol Schachet | décembre 30, 2008

Long-time Grassroots International ally, the Democracy and Workers' Rights Center has been monitoring the Israeli military operation against the Gaza Strip, which began on December 27, 2008. Based in Ramallah, DWRC has maintained daily contact with its Gazan colleagues and their families, hoping that they will all remain safe and unharmed. Below is their reflection and a call to action.
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Statement by Prof. Richard Falk

By: Carol Schachet | décembre 30, 2008

The Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip represent severe and massive violations of international humanitarian law as defined in the Geneva Conventions, both in regard to the obligations of an Occupying Power and in the requirements of the laws of war.

Those violations include:
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A Psychological Siege

By: Carol Schachet | décembre 17, 2008

Israel's siege on Gaza, now in its 19th month, has wreaked havoc on all aspects of life and significant attention has been paid in particular to the economic consequences of border closures and the blockade. However, an overlooked epidemic threatens the social and familial ties that bond the 1.5 million Palestinians in Gaza. Living under a constant state of crisis in which their livelihoods have been denied, the people of Gaza's once exemplary resilience and determination are giving way to an unfathomable sea of depression and psychological illnesses.
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Time for a New “New Deal” on Human Rights

By: Grassroots International | décembre 11, 2008

Sixty years after the UN General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, we at Grassroots International recognize that more often than not the reality has failed the vision put forth in that document. Our commitment to defending land, water, and food as the most basic of human rights is reflected throughout the 30-article treaty. Globally, people in all corners of the world currently experience a quadruple crisis that includes food, finance, energy, and the environment. From Latin America to the Middle East, our partners and allies are facing serious threats to their lives and livelihoods. Policies and actions of governments and corporations represent the grave violations of the core principles of the treat
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Take a stand against the unjust prosecution of activists in Mexico

By: Carol Schachet | décembre 4, 2008

Families in Campeche, Mexico are being pushed to the edge of desperation. Privatization schemes and mega-projects - like the construction of large hydroelectric dams and massive agrofuels plantations - threaten their access to basic food and water resources. Now, simply for opposing the policies that jeopardize their livelihoods, activists face increasing repression and unjust prosecution, often without access to legal resources for their defense. Please lend your voice now to call on Mexican authorities to stop the unjust prosecution and repression of resource rights activists.
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The 19th Anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall

By: Carol Schachet | novembre 19, 2008

On November 9, 1989, the German people knocked down the Berlin Wall.

The Berlin Wall had been erected on August 13, 1961 dividing the people of Berlin into two sectors. One sector was controlled by the US and its allies, and the other was controlled by the Soviet Union. German people were not free to cross from one sector to another. Families and friends were separated by the wall for 28 years. During this period of time, about 5,000 escape attempts were made to reunite with relatives, friends or to seek better economic opportunities. Nearly 300 people died attempting to cross the wall.
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Opposition Mounts as G-20 meets in Washington

By: Nikhil Aziz | novembre 14, 2008

The world's most powerful "leaders" meet today in Washington to debate what is to be done about the global financial crisis - a crisis they themselves were instrumental in causing. It is their blind devotion to a consistently failed ideology, outright greed, and a slavish willingness to be accountable only to their corporate backers (on the part of almost all that are gathering), and an ambition to get a seat at the table in the country club (on the part of the G-20 minus 7) that has created this toxic mix that we are all being forced to swallow.
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Speculation a Major Contributor to Global Food Crisis, New Report Finds

By: Nikhil Aziz | novembre 14, 2008

The world's most powerful "leaders" meet today in Washington to debate what is to be done about the global financial crisis - a crisis they themselves were instrumental in causing. It is their blind devotion to a consistently failed ideology, outright greed, and a slavish willingness to be accountable only to their corporate backers (on the part of almost all that are gathering), and an ambition to get a seat at the table in the country club (on the part of the G-20 minus 7) that has created this toxic mix that we are all being forced to swallow.
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Grassroots International Joins with U.S. Allies to Tell the Candidates: « Reform food policy and end the food crisis »

By: Grassroots International | octobre 31, 2008

Global food prices have almost doubled in recent years, in large part due to U.S. policies, and now nearly 1 billion people worldwide - including 50 million here in the U.S. - are facing hunger. Keep reading to find out how you can take action for change.

The food crisis is not a crisis in the availability of food. In fact, there is more than enough food to feed everyone in the world. Over the last 20 years, world food production has risen steadily at over 2% a year, while the rate of global population growth has dropped to 1.14% a year.
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Training session

By: Carol Schachet | octobre 1, 2008

More than 500 men and women farmers and leaders from 70 countries will gather in Mozambique from October 16 to 23, 2008 to attend the 5th International Conference of the Via Campesina Grassroots International is providing support for its partners, including members from Brazil, Haiti, Central America and Mexico, as well as a delegation from Indonesia, to participate in the international event Two staff members from Grassroots International will also attend part of the conference, which will focus on Food Sovereignty and the current agricultural crisis The Via Campesina
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Manufacturing Hunger: Indonesia’s Food Crisis

By: Andre Vltchek of the Oakland Institute | septembre 22, 2008

The principle of food sovereignty places local control of food production and distribution at its core. Unfortunately, throughout the world industrial farms, corporations and the policies that benefit them take that control away from local farmers and communities. In a recent report , Grassroots International's colleagues at the Oakland Institute describe this situation and its dire consequences in Indonesia where "excessive dependence on global markets, followed by the collapse of traditional agricultural structures, as well as almost non-existent social policies, have manufactured widespread hunger in Indonesia today."
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End the Siege of Gaza

By: Carol Schachet | septembre 17, 2008

We are proud to announce a new campaign, coordinated by Grassroots International and Jewish Voice for Peace, together with Global Exchange and Code Pink to raise $50,000 for the International Campaign to End the Siege of Gaza. The Campaign, led by Dr. Eyad el-Serraj, is Palestinian-run and -led, but requires partnerships with people like you to succeed. Please give generously.
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Haiti’s Deadliest Hurricane Season

By: Carol Schachet | septembre 10, 2008

Haiti is once again confronting an emergency as Hurricanes Fay, Gustav, Hanna, and Ike have ripped through the island one after the other over the past weeks. Grassroots International's partners on the ground expect the damage to far exceed past natural disasters. We need to act now to help our Haitian partners and their communities rebuild.
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