ACTION ALERT: Don't Let HRW Hatchet Job on VEN Stand Unchallenged

[magbana]

Venezuela Solidarity Network
September 30, 2008

EMERGENCY RESPONSE NETWORK


Don't Let HRW Hatchet Job on Venezuela Stand Unchallenged


Human Rights Watch has long been an apologist for the US foreign policy establishment, Republican and Democrat. Like Reporters Without Borders, which gains instant credibility for its right-wing agenda due to the similarity of its name to the courageous and reputable Doctors Without Borders, Human Rights Watch gains credibility for its advocacy on behalf of US imperialism by disguising its agenda behind a claim of human rights advocacy.

Jose Vivanco, director of its Americas Watch division, came to his current job after an apprenticeship as a bureaucrat in the government of Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet. Since he was able to stomach the brutal Pinochet regime, it is no wonder that he can now shill for the Bush regime and its efforts to derail the economic and social justice strides that Venezuela has made since the democratic election of President Hugo Chavez in 1998.

Human Rights Watch has unmasked itself with the blatantly false and biased report, A Decade Under Chávez: Political Intolerance and Lost Opportunities for Advancing Human Rights in Venezuela. The timing of its release to divert attention from the expulsion by Bolivia and Venezuela of US ambassadors, who were coordinating with the often violent internal opposition, can hardly be coincidental.

The Venezuela Solidarity Network (US) calls on all people who care about the truth and who oppose US intervention in Latin America's sovereign affairs, to call, fax, and email Human Rights Watch to tell them we are watching their actions and to demand that they stop telling lies about Venezuela.

Human Rights Watch's Washington Office, which houses its Americas Watch program, is at:
1630 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 500
Washington, DC 20009 USA


HRW's telephone, fax, and email are:
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
E-mail: [e-mail]

Our sister organization, the Australian Venezuela Solidarity Network has published an excellent point-by-point rebuttal of the HRW's propaganda. Click here http://links.org.au/node/656 to read their report.

Investigative journalist James Petras also exposes Vivanco's history and Human Rights Watch's role in the US foreign policy propaganda machine in a newly published report which you can read here. http://petras.lahaine.org/articulo.php?p=1755&more=1&c=1

Call, fax, and write Human Rights Watch today to let them know that the jig is up on its activities on behalf of US imperial aggression - and we won't tolerate them masquerading as a human rights organization any longer.



This ERN Action Alert was prepared by the Venezuela Solidarity Network. The basic purpose of the Venezuela Solidarity Network is to increase communication among groups that oppose US intervention in Venezuela, support the right of the Venezuela people to self-determination, and support the Bolivarian revolution. The Venezuela Solidarity Network also seeks to enlist additional progressive groups into Venezuela solidarity work, and to facilitate our ability to unite in joint actions.



We can be reached by phone at 202-544-9355 (National Office). Our website is: www.vensolidarity.org. You can also email [e-mail] for more information.

[Bacchus39]

1. I think I'll pass on this one n/t

q

[Peace Patriot]

5. What's that "q" all about? Would that be the questions that you fail to ask, or

the questions put to you by others, that you fail to answer, regarding your rightwing/Corpo views of the South American left?

It doesn't surprise me that you'll "pass" on questioning this HRW report and the connections of its author to the heinous Pinochet dictatorship. Surprise, surprise! Bacchus39 AGAIN doesn't question the rightwing/Corpo viewpoint! And doesn't answer questions...

WHY are taking a "pass" on "this one"? And, WHAT are you taking a "pass" ON? (--the Vivanco connections to Pinochet? the contents of the report? writing to HRW to object? --you are not clear.)

Your "q" is not very enlightening. But maybe it was a typo and you have no questions at all, and no information to contribute to the discussion. ??

[roody]

2. I am sending them a note in their postpaid envelope.

[EFerrari]

3. Done last week. No more Christmas labels from them I guess!

:)

[Judi Lynn]

4. Good information. As Bush's pathetic, filthy reign of sleazy, murderous, dishonest muscle flexing

approaches not nearly quickly enough, its end, god help us, he very likely will attempt to jam Chavez up but good if he can't just kill him outright and steal his government as he did the American government, for the international criminal class, the right-wing.

Without a doubt he's going to give it all he's got like the "surge" of fireworks at the end of a 4th of July firework exhibition, and try to create absolute chaos for the Democratic President to face, or a bogus Republican President to use as an excuse to open the gates of hell on the Venezuelan government until it's broken completely.

Hope he fails in every possible way and leaves us the hell alone.