Sunday, February 16, 2025

Unspeakable. Sign for peace in Congo


Hundreds of women were raped in their prison cells then burned alive in an escalating war in eastern Congo. Local faith leaders have had enough! They've launched a grassroots call for peace, and and they're asking for our help to get international backing. Sign now and local leaders from Goma will deliver the call for peace directly to top officials in key countries! Nearly 3,000 people were killed in the last weeks as a vicious rebel militia captured Goma – a city of a million people in eastern Congo. Militia members allowed a prison break, and escaped inmates raped hundreds of women in their cells then burned the prison down with them still inside. This may be the most horrific atrocity yet in Congo's brutal conflict – and local faith leaders are risking their lives to speak out against the violence and launch a grassroots call for peace. But they can't do it alone. They've asked for our help in pressuring key countries like the UK and France in Europe, along with regional players like Kenya and Angola, to back urgent talks. Local leaders from Goma will personally deliver our call to top officials starting this week -- so let's sign now!
Sign Now
Hundreds of women were raped in their prison cells then burned alive in an escalating war in eastern Congo. Local faith leaders have had enough! They've launched a grassroots call for peace, and and they're asking for our help to get international backing. Sign now and local leaders from Goma will deliver the call for peace directly to top officials in key countries!
Sign Now
Dear friends,
Nearly 3,000 people were killed in the last weeks as a vicious rebel militia captured Goma – a city of a million people in eastern Congo.

Militia members allowed a prison break, and escaped inmates raped hundreds of women in their cells then burned the prison down with them still inside.

This may be the most horrific atrocity yet in Congo's brutal conflict  and local faith leaders are risking their lives to speak out against the violence and launch a grassroots call for peace.

But they can't do it alone. They've asked for our help in pressuring key countries like the UK and France in Europe, along with regional players like Kenya and Angola, to back urgent talks. Local leaders from Goma will personally deliver our call to top officials starting this week -- so let's sign now!
For years, the M23 militia has waged a campaign of murder, rape, kidnapping, and looting. Even before the latest atrocity its soldiers had raped scores of women and girls. In 2022, they massacred 300 innocent villagers.

Experts say M23 is backed by Rwanda as part of a plan to annex parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Rwanda has denied it. But the governments of DRC, France, and the United States, as well as the UN, have publicly called on Rwandan leaders to stop supporting the rebels.

But neither the UN nor most Western governments have done anything more than ask politely.

Now the people of eastern Congo are taking it upon themselves to end the killing. Doing this is beyond dangerous – without international backing the negotiations could fail and the region could be plunged once again into senseless bloodshed.

Join the local leaders' call to governments in Europe and Africa to back their plan, support a ceasefire, and demand immediate access for humanitarian responders.
The Avaaz movement has helped victims of war from Gaza, Ukraine, and Syria, to Myanmar, Sudan, and Yemen.  All humans everywhere deserve to live in peace and we will not stop working for the day that they do.

With hope and determination,
Nate, John, Mo, and the rest of the Avaaz team

Avaaz is a 70-million-person global campaign network that works to ensure that the views and values of the world's people shape global decision-making. ("Avaaz" means "voice" or "song" in many languages.) Avaaz members live in every nation of the world; our team is spread across 18 countries on 6 continents and operates in 22 languages. Learn about some of Avaaz's biggest campaigns here, or follow us on Facebook, X, or Instagram.

To contact Avaaz, please do not reply to this email. Instead, write to us at www.avaaz.org/en/contact .
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Wednesday, February 5, 2025

Fwd: Tibet's last generation?





China is forcing 1 million Tibetan children to forget about their language and culture in indoctrination boarding schools where they face abuse, anxiety and depression. They're trying to cover it up but a UN investigation could force the truth out into broad daylight. Sign and share our call to the UN rights chief. Three out of four. That's how many children China is forcing into boarding schools in Tibet, where they face abuse and are indoctrinated until they no longer speak the same language as their parents. Many of these children often spend weeks or even months without seeing their parents, who say they're simply not allowed to visit. Cut off from home, Tibetan children are only taught Mandarin and the love of the Chinese Communist Party, until their culture and religion is erased. Now China is trying to cover it up while rooting out Tibetan culture for 1 million children. That's where we come in. Reporters just exposed the scandal thanks to brave Tibetan experts and teachers – and a UN investigation could force the truth of China's indoctrination schools into broad daylight. Tibetan activists want to bring this call to the UN rights chief in days, before he addresses the Human Rights Council – and a big petition will get his attention! Sign and share now.
Sign Now
China is forcing 1 million Tibetan children to forget about their language and culture in indoctrination boarding schools where they face abuse, anxiety and depression. They're trying to cover it up but a UN investigation could force the truth out into broad daylight. Sign and share our call to the UN rights chief.
Sign Now
Dear friends,
Three out of four.

That's how many children China is forcing into boarding schools in Tibet, where they face abuse and are indoctrinated until they no longer speak the same language as their parents.

Many of these children often spend weeks or even months without seeing their parents, who say they're simply not allowed to visit. Cut off from home, Tibetan children are only taught Mandarin and the love of the Chinese Communist Party, until their culture and religion is erased.

Now China is trying to cover it up while rooting out Tibetan culture for 1 million children. That's where we come in.

Reporters just exposed the scandal thanks to brave Tibetan experts and teachers – and a UN investigation could force the truth of China's indoctrination schools into broad daylight. Tibetan activists want to bring this call to the UN rights chief in days, before he addresses the Human Rights Council – and a big petition will get his attention! Sign and share now.
Chinese authorities claim these schools prepare children for the modern economy and that parents send them voluntarily. But parents have little to no choice when their children are taken away from them, and any protests could land them in jail.

From the U.S. to Australia and Canada, the world has seen the horrors and trauma that these indoctrination schools cause for Indigenous children. Tibetan children face routine beatings, anxiety, and depression, while being forced to celebrate China's 1959 military takeover as liberation.

But China doesn't want the world to know, and its powerful censorship takes down any evidence of abuse from the Internet - like when a teacher was filmed beating a child with a chair inside his classroom. That's why we need the UN rights chief to launch an investigation before China's erasure of Tibetan culture is complete. Add your name and share this petition now.
A centuries-old culture is under threat of being erased by one of the world's biggest powers. And our movement cannot stay silent. Over a million of us stood with the Uyghurs as they also faced China's persecution and cultural annihilation. And when Russia stole Ukrainian children to indoctrinate them, our campaign ramped up pressure so Putin would face criminal charges. Let's be the lifeline Tibetan children today so the world doesn't forget about them.

With hope and determination,

John, Antonia, Nate, Mo, and the whole Avaaz team

Avaaz is a 70-million-person global campaign network that works to ensure that the views and values of the world's people shape global decision-making. ("Avaaz" means "voice" or "song" in many languages.) Avaaz members live in every nation of the world; our team is spread across 18 countries on 6 continents and operates in 22 languages. Learn about some of Avaaz's biggest campaigns here, or follow us on Facebook, X, or Instagram.


To ensure that Avaaz messages reach your inbox, please add avaaz@avaaz.org to your address book. To change your email address, language settings, or other personal information, contact us, or simply go here to unsubscribe.
To contact Avaaz, please do not reply to this email. Instead, write to us at www.avaaz.org/en/contact .
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Monday, January 20, 2025

Free Palestine! Sign Petition




Finally – after 15 months of devastation, a ceasefire has been declared for Gaza! But the suffering, the occupation, and the fight for freedom continue. This moment is our chance to push key countries to recognise Palestine as a State – bringing the possibility of justice, dignity, and lasting peace. Sign now to make it happen. Sign now to free Palestine! The ceasefire in Gaza gives us something we've longed for: hope. But it doesn't erase the devastation. It doesn't end the occupation. It doesn't bring the freedom millions of Palestinians desperately need. This moment, when the sky over Gaza finally turns quiet, is our chance to push for a lasting solution: the UK, France, and Japan could recognise Palestine as a State – a vital step toward peace and justice. But they're hesitating under huge pressure from Israel. Let's urge them to stand on the right side of history and speak up for real peace. More than ever, your voice can make the difference.
Sign now
Finally – after 15 months of devastation, a ceasefire has been declared for Gaza! But the suffering, the occupation, and the fight for freedom continue. This moment is our chance to push key countries to recognise Palestine as a State – bringing the possibility of justice, dignity, and lasting peace. Sign now to make it happen. Sign now to free Palestine!
Sign now
Dear friends,
The ceasefire in Gaza gives us something we've longed for: hope. But it doesn't erase the devastation. It doesn't end the occupation. It doesn't bring the freedom millions of Palestinians desperately need.

This moment, when the sky over Gaza finally turns quiet, is our chance to push for a lasting solution: the UK, France, and Japan could recognise Palestine as a State – a vital step toward peace and justice. But they're hesitating under huge pressure from Israel.

Let's urge them to stand on the right side of history and speak up for real peace. More than ever, your voice can make the difference.
Recognising Palestine means standing against decades of displacement, oppression, and violence. It's a step toward dismantling illegal settlements, ending the occupation, and giving Palestinians the dignity and security they deserve.

Sign now to join the world's largest campaign for Palestinian recognition. Let's push world leaders to take action for lasting peace.
Recognition alone won't erase the pain or fix the conflict overnight, but it changes the game. It brings the possibility of justice, a fair peace process, and hope for a future where Palestinians can live in freedom – something generations have never known.

We're 1.7 million strong. Together, we can make this a turning point in history.

With hope and determination,

Marie, Julian, John, Chris, Mo, Ruth, Liliana and the entire Avaaz team

Avaaz is a 70-million-person global campaign network that works to ensure that the views and values of the world's people shape global decision-making. ("Avaaz" means "voice" or "song" in many languages.) Avaaz members live in every nation of the world; our team is spread across 18 countries on 6 continents and operates in 22 languages. Learn about some of Avaaz's biggest campaigns here, or follow us on Facebook, X, or Instagram.

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