URGENT REQUEST

Human rights defenders María Luisa García Andrade and Marisela Ortíz Rivera have received written death threats. The threats were sent within days of the screening of “Bajo Juárez: The city devouring its daughters”, a documentary on the killings of women in Ciudad Juárez and Chihuahua City, Chihuahua state.
Amongst those who feature in the documentary is Lilia Alejandra García Andrade, the murdered daughter of Norma Andrade and sister of María Luisa García. The latter and Marisela Ortíz feature in the film as they are prominent campaigners from Nuestras Hijas de Regreso a Casa (NHRC), an organization which calls for justice on behalf of women murdered in the region.According to an eyewitness, on 30 October a dark car with tinted windows approached María Luisa García’s home in Ciudad Juárez while she was out. A man got out of the car, threw a stone at the house which broke a window through which he threw a large card which threatened to kill her and harm her children.On 5 November, Marisela Ortíz also found in front of her home a card with letters pasted on to it saying “Under Juarez, death” (Vajo (sic) Juarez muerte). Both women have filed a complaint with the Federal Special Prosecutor on Violence against Women and People Trafficking.
Concerns for members of NHRC are heightened by the fact that they have previously been threatened in the past. In May 2008, following the opening of the film “Bordertown”, which was loosely based on the stories of women murdered in the region, NHRC members received an offensive and threatening email following their support of the film’s release as a way of raising awareness of the killings of women in Ciudad Juárez.
Since the members of NHRC and their families were threatened in May 2008, there have been no advances in the investigation and the search for those responsible. Marisela Ortíz Rivera and María Luisa García Andrade have only received limited protection by federal police agents and no attention by the Chihuahua Attorney General’s office or protection by state police, even though the Inter American Commission for Human Rights ordered the Mexican government to provide protection measures for them.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible, in Spanish or your own language:- expressing concern at the new threats received by María Luisa García on 30 October and Marisela Ortíz on 5 November;- calling on the authorities to put in place comprehensive protection measures for them and their families, in accordance with her own wishes;- urging the authorities to carry out an immediate and impartial investigation to identify those responsible for the threats received by María Luisa García and Marisela Ortíz and to bring them to justice;- calling on the authorities to provide information on the steps taken to investigate previous threats against them and other leading members of Nuestras Hijas de Regreso a Casa in May 2008;- calling on the authorities to fulfil their obligations under the UN Declaration on the Rights and Responsibilities of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognised Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, and ensure that human rights defenders have a right to carry out their activities without any restrictions or fear of reprisals.APPEALS TO:Governor of Chihuahua StateLic. José Reyes Baeza TerrazasGobernador del Estado de Chihuahua, Palacio de Gobierno, 1er piso, C. Aldama #901, Col. Centro,Chihuahua, Estado de Chihuahua, C.P. 31000, MEXICOFax: +52 614 429 3300, then dial extension 11066Salutation: Señor Gobernador / Dear Governor
Chihuahua State Attorney GeneralPatricia González RodríguezProcuradora del Estado de Chihuahua, Procuraduría General de Justicia del EstadoVicente Guerrero 616, Col. Centro, Chihuahua 31000, Estado de Chihuahua, MEXICOFax: +52 614 415 0314Salutation: Señora Procuradora General / Dear Public Prosecutor
COPIES TO:Special Prosecutor on Violence against Women and People TraffickingDra. Guadalupe Morfín OteroFiscal Especial para los Delitos de Violencia contra las Mujeres y Trata de PersonasProcuraduría General de la República,Río Elba, No. 17, Col. Cuauhtemoc, Del. Cuauhtemoc, México D.F., C.P. 06300, MEXICOFax: +52 55 5346 2540Email: atencionmujeres@pgr.gob.mx
Nuestras Hijas de Regreso a CasaEmail: nuestrashijas@gmail.com
and to diplomatic representatives of Mexico accredited to your country.
PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY. Check with the International Secretariat, or your section office, if sending appeals after 19 December 2008.

Police Ask For Help Finding Missing Girl

11 year old missing since Monday

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ShareThisReported By Sheri Ebert
Posted November 4, 2008 - 4:42pm

Saskatoon Police are asking for the public's help in finding a missing 11 year old girl.

Nikita Paige Peters was reported missing to police when she did not return home after school Monday November 3rd.

She attends school in the 200 Block of Avenue H south.

Nikita is described as 5'2", short black hair, and was last seen wearing a headband, beige bunnyhug, black shoes and a blue backpack.

Police are concerned Nikita may be involved in a high risk lifestyle.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Saskatoon Police Service at 975-8300.

Film Showing

The Hookers documentary by Marcel Petit will be shown at an Aboriginal storytelling festival called Mispon in Regina Oct. 24-26.

Annual Vigil

Saturday, October 4th, 2008
"EVERYONE WELCOME”
Friendship Park (20th, Str West & 3rd/4th Ave South)
10:15 -10:45 a.m. Participants to gather in Park
10:45 -11:00 a.m. Prayer
11:00 - 11:30 a.m. Walk to Egadz (301 – 1st Ave North)
11:30 - 12:15 p.m. Speakers at Egadz
11:30 a.m * Senator Lillian Dyck - Introduction
* Author, Professor Dr. Patricia Monture – Faculty Professor Sociology U of> S> *
* FSIN Vice Chief Glen Pratt – Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations>
* Police Chief Clive Weighill – Saskatoon City Police Services>
* Families of the Missing Persons – Myrna LaPlante, Pauline Muskego, &> others> * Panel> > 12:30 -1:00 p.m LUNCH at Egadz>
* provided by the office of Senator Lillian Dyck (lunch prepared by> Friendship Centre)Committee: Amnesty International, NWAC, Iskwewuk Ewichiwitochik
For More Information contact Amnesty International 653-2212 or Helen> 717-5110>

Sisters in Spirit 3rd Annual Vigil

Oct 4, 2008 Regina

Sisters in Spirit 3rd annual vigil
7pm - 8pm

Amnesty International is supporting the SK Sisters in Spirit 3rd annual vigil in Victoria Park. Please join us for an evening to remember all the women (men and children) who have been taken and remain missing, and those who have been taken through violence/murder. This year we will have speakers sharing their stories, Elders sharing wisdom, and singers sharing their songs -- all to support healing and strength for those directly affected, and to raise awareness among the community of the need to "never forget" our missing/murdered loved ones. Bring a friend!

Note: the event is outdoors, rain or shine, please dress for whatever early October weather in SK might bring!


October 4, 2008 Saskatoon

Amnesty International, Iskwewak E-wichiwitochik, and the Native Women's Association of Canada invite you to a 'Sisters in Spirit Vigil': a remembrance of missing and murdered aboriginal women.
10:45am: Gather in Friendship Park,

11:00am walk to Egadz for lunch and remarks by Dr. Patricia Monture, Chief Clive Weighill, Family members of missing women.

For more information call 717-5110.

Emily Osmond (LaPlante)- media release

Saskatchewan Crime Stoppers and the Yorkton RCMP General InvestigationsSection are requesting the assistance of the public in the ongoingmissingperson investigation of Emily Osmond (LaPlante).
Ms. Osmond was last seen on September 9, 2007 by her hired help. MsOsmond's disappearance is suspicious as her vehicle, personal belongingsincluding her medication and her dogs were left unattended at her smallacreage located on the northern edge of the Kawacatoose First Nationcommunity. Ms Osmond lived a reclusive lifestyle and seldom had contactwith her family or friends. At the time of the disappearance, Ms Osmondwas78 years old, grey hair, glasses and walked with a cane.
Investigators have conducted a number of interviews and extensivesearchesof the area. The RCMP, along with the Osmond / LaPlante families, areasking the public to provide any information that could assist in theongoing missing person investigation of Emily Osmond (LaPlante).
If you have information, please call your local RCMP detachment orPoliceService or call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), *8477 onSask-TelMobility Network or submit a tip online at www.saskcrimestoppers.com
Myrna LaPlante is the family contact and can be reached at (306)281-9621

How to add to this blog

Hi all,

If you want to post any information to this blog for others to see, please send it to missingwomenconference@gmail.com with the subject title "Blog Entry" and I will add it to this site "as is". Please also include your "blog title" in the body of the email. The reason for taking this route is to ensure that discriminatory or prejudice material is not posted on our site. So take care and send any information that you think might be relevant (i.e. rallies, informational workshops, news, events, ideas, debriefing, email addresses, further affinity group discussions etc.).

Thanks and have a great day!

Chelsea