By Stephen Kopko

Impunity Watch Reporter, North America

WASHINGTON D.C., United States-The recently passed health care reform bill has been a cause of contention and disagreement for a great period of time.  This tension rose to new heights in the days leading up to the vote.  Opponents protesting the bill used violent and abusive language while they engaged in civil protests on Capitol Hill.  This language was directed at minority members of Congress.

While they were walking into the House of Representatives for a procedural vote on the health care reform bill, African American Congressmen were heckled and called racial slurs by some protestors.  Congressman John Lewis and Congressman Andre Carson were called racial epithets as the proceeded to the House Chamber for the vote.  Congressman Lewis is a prominent civil rights leader who demonstrated against the segregationist policies of the 1960’s with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.  Congressman Lewis previously had his skull fractured during the civil rights struggle during the crossing of the Pettus Bridge in Alabama in 1965.  After being called the racial slurs, Congressman Lewis stated, “I haven’t heard anything like this in 40, 45 years.”

Another African American Congressman faced hateful speech and actions as he proceeded to the health care vote.  Congressman Emmanuel Cleaver was spat on by a protestor as he walked to the Capitol.  The protestor was arrested by Capitol Police but Congressman Cleaver did not press charges. In a statement issued by his office, the Congressman stated that the protests were “not the worst assault he has endured in his years fighting for equal rights for all Americans.”  Nevertheless, the Congressman stated that he was disappointed in the behavior of certain protestors.

Some protestors also directed their attacks at Congressman Barney Frank, Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee.  As Congressman Frank walked between the House office buildings he was called anti-gay slurs.  Congressman Frank is one of the few openly homosexual members of Congress.

Democratic and Republican leaders condemned the abusive language and actions of the protestors.  House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer called the actions of those protestors “despicable” and stated; “America always has room for open and spirited debate, and the hateful actions of some should not cast doubt on the good motives of the majority, on both sides of this arguments.”  House Minority Leader John Boehner called the language and actions “reprehensible.”

For more information, please see:

MSNBC-Health bill opponents heckle top Dems-22 March 2010

FOX News-Tea Party Leader, GOP Condemn Racial Slurs Hurled at Black Lawmakers-21 March 2010

NY Times-Spitting and Slurs Directed at Lawmakers-20 March 2010

By Brenda Lopez Romero
Impunity Watch reporter – North America desk

MONTERREY, Mexico – An alleged drug cartel boss was on the front page of the Mexico’s newspapers.  He was arrested after a shootout between law enforcement and drug cartel hitmen.  The man was photographed alive while being transferred to a truck from Mexican marines helicopter surrounded by masked soldiers.  The following day, a photograph of a man with similar facial features was taken, but the man was dead and wrapped in a blanket on the side of the road.

A women identified the man in the pictures as her 26-year-old Jose Humberto Marquez Compean

Neither the law enforcement nor the military will say they know how Marquez Compean died. The military indicated they only helped local law enforcement during the operation that lead to the arrest, while the local law enforcement stated they did not seek assistance from the military.   Santa Catarina security chief, Raul Castillo said “I don’t know anything, I don’t know anything, I don’t know anything.  That’s my position.”

The presumed widow of Marquez Compean demands justice, but resolving drug-related deaths remains an elusive task for law enforcement generally.

Human Rights Watch reported human rights violations by the military in the “war on drugs” such as unpunished torture, killings and arbitrary detentions.   Hillary Clinton, U.S. Secretary of State, called for social and economic relief to fight the drug cartels as well as the military.

For more information please see:

Atlanta Journal Constitution – Mexico: Widow IDs slain husband as arrested man – 24 March 2010

L.A. Times News – Mexico: One day troops have him in custody; the next day he’s dead – 24 March 2010

By William Miller

Impunity Watch Reporter, North America

CALGARY, Canada – A Canadian psychiatrist who worked in South Africa during the apartheid was charged with sexual abuse of a male patient on Thursday after a male patient filmed him making sexual advances on him. Dr. Aubrey Levin who has fallen under much criticism in the past for using electric shock therapy and chemical castration in attempts to “cure” gay men  during while working in the military during apartheid is being investigated on almost thirty similar claims made by former patients of his.

Levin began his controversial work with the apartheid military in 1969 at the Voortrekkerhoogte military hospital. He ‘treated’ homosexuals by attaching electrodes to them and showing them pictures of naked men which were paired with powerful electric shocks. He has also been accused of using chemical castration which left several men sterile. At least one of his former patients committed suicide.

Levin moved to Canada in 1995. He says he left because of the high crime rate in South Africa. He had been working at the University of Calgary Medical School up until charges were filed against him.

Several people have attempted to investigate him based on his work in South Africa. He has been able to dodge any serious public investigation up to this point by threatening law suits. He defends his actions in South Africa by saying they were standard practice at the time. He further claims that all patients were treated on a voluntary basis.

Levin was arrested Thursday after a patient secretly videotaped the doctor making sexual advances on him. The patient decided to make the tape after his pleas for help had been dismissed by authorities. The patient claims the abuse happened over the course of several years.

The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta has suspended Levin’s license to practice. They are also investigating charges of human rights abuses from when he was in South Africa. Levin is currently been released from jail on $50,000 dollars bail.

For more information, please see:

The Guardian – Doctor Shock Charged with Sexually Abusing Male Patient – 28 March 2010

Eye Witness News – Notorious Apartheid Psychiatrist Nabbed – 26 March 2010

News 24 – S A Psychiatrist Held in Canada – 25 March 2010

CTV –  Patient of Dr. Levin Speaks to CTV – 24 March 2010

By Brenda Lopez Romero
Impunity Watch Reporter – North America desk

WASHINGTON, D.C. –  Sunday April 21, 2010 historically witnessed over 200,000 supporters pack the National Mall to demand Comprehensive Immigration Reform and passage of the DREAM Act.  The activists urged for legalization for undocumented immigration this year.

The main chat common in Spanish for activism, “Yes we can,” also the campaign slogan for President Obama, at times drowned out the speakers.

This rally marks the return of immigration advocacy after immigration reform was defeated in 2007.  The immigrant community has endures tough law enforcement, raids, and targeted violence, in addition to racial profiling and discrimination.

The advocates and marchers both called for Obama to step up and keep his promise to lead the way to immigration reform in 2010.  The massive marchers fell silent to hear the televised message by Obama addressing the rally and his commitment to move an immigration bill.  “I have always pledged to be your partner as we work to fix our broken immigration system, and that’s a commitment that I reaffirm today,” Mr. Obama said.  He also said he supported an immigration bill presented last week by Senator Lindsey Graham, Republican of South Carolina, and Senator Charles E. Schumer, Democrat of New York.

Afterwards, Representative Nydia M. Velázquez, a Democrat from New York who is the chairwoman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus stated they expect immigration legislation sooner rather than later, because “every day without reform is a day when 12 million hard-working immigrants must live in the shadow of fear,” said.  She also reminded politicians and Obama not to “forget that in the last presidential election 10 million Hispanics came out to vote [and] that you will not forget which side of this debate they stood on.”  The advocated chant agreed and chanted “Now is the time.”

Multiple African-American civil right leaders also spoke at the event. Speakers included the Rev. Jesse Jackson; Benjamin T. Jealous, president of the N.A.A.C.P; Cornel West, a Princeton scholar, and Marc H. Morial, a former mayor of New Orleans and the president of the National Urban League to echo their community’s support for immigration reform

All agreed this is the new Civil Rights Movement of our time.

For more information, please see:

Huffington Post – 200,000 Is Just the Beginning – 22 March 2010

New York Times – At Rally, Call for Urgency on Immigration Reform – 22 March 2010

Washington Post – Broad coalition packs Mall to urge overhaul of immigration laws – 22 March 2010

By William Miller

Impunity Watch Reporter, North America

OTTAWA, Canada – Citizenship and Immigration Minister Jason Kenney has removed all mention of gay rights from the new edition of a study guide for candidates for Canadian Citizenship. Kenney has decided to remove the references to gay rights despite recommendations from Deputy Immigration Minister Neil Yeats.

The original study guide contained several notes about gay rights in Canada. The first draft stated that homosexuality was decriminalized in Canada in 1969 and discrimination against homosexuals is specifically prohibited by Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms. It also stated that same sex marriage was legalized in Canada in 2005.

The first draft was sent to Kenny’s office in the spring. After reviewing the guide Kenny ordered the references to gay rights removed from the draft.

A memo obtained by the Canadian press under the Freedom of Information Act shows that Yeates appealed Kenny’s decision. In that memo which was sent to Kenny, Yeates  “Recommend the re-insertion of the text boxes related to . . . the decriminalization of homosexual sec/recognition of same-sex marriage . . . Recommend the addition of ‘equality rights’ under list of rights. Had noted earlier that this bullet should be reinserted into the list as a means of noting the equality of all based on race, gender, sexual orientation, etc.”

Kenny however ignored Yeates’s Plea. The study guide released last year contains no references to gay rights.

Kenney has long been opposed to same sex marriage and has opposed a bill legalizing it in 2005. When opposing that bill in parliament he said that gays had the right to marry so long as it was not someone of the same sex.

There were 500,000 copies of the new study guide were published and applicants started testing on it on March 15. The project which updated a version released in 1995 cost about $400,000 dollars. the new version expands sections on Canada’s aboriginal and military history. While there is no mention of gay rights the study guide does have a picture of Olympic gold medalist Mark Tewksbury and states that he is a gay rights activist.

For more information, please see:

Seattle Pi – Cabinet Minister: No Gay White North – 3 March 2010

The Canadian Press – Immigration Minister Kenney Nixed Gay Rights in Citizenship Guide: Documents – 2 March 2010

Toronto Sun – Gay Rights Group Outraged by Kenney’s Decision – 21 March 2010