NCVA REPORTER
- November 16, 2004
In this NCVA Reporter:
Events
Funding Opportunities
Jobs/Internships
Tips/Resources
News
******************
EVENTS
SEMINARS TO HELP NONPROFITS USE THE INTERNET
ePhilanthropy Training Tour
The ePhilanthropy Foundation's Global ePhilanthropy Training
Tour offers half-day seminars designed to help nonprofit
organizations learn how to effectively use the Internet to
build community and attract philanthropic support online.
With training provided by ePhilanthropy Master Trainers,
each seminar includes case studies, best practices, tips for
success, and information on the importance of the
ePhilanthropy Code of Ethical Online Philanthropic
Practices. Upcoming seminars in the U.S. will be held in
Washington, DC; Anchorage, AK; and Naples/Ft. Myers, FL.
(http://www.ephilanthropy.org/site/PageServer?pagename=etour)
******************
TRAINING CONFERENCE ON WORKPLACE GIVING
Growth Through Diversity: National Workplace Giving Training
Conference
The National Alliance for Choice in Giving, a membership
association of local, state, and national workplace giving
federations and funds, is presenting its National Workplace
Giving Training Conference January 20-23, 2005, in Las
Vegas, NV. The conference is a national training and
networking opportunity open to the staff and volunteer
leaders of workplace giving organizations, employers,
funders, and all others interested in the development and
enhancement of employee giving. Under the theme "Growth
Through Diversity," the conference will address how
workplace giving benefits from and promotes diversity.
(http://www.choiceingiving.com/events/lvdetail.asp)
******************
FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
FUNDS FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, PEACE, AND AN INFORMED PUBLIC
Town Creek Foundation
The Town Creek Foundation seeks a healthy environment, an
informed society, and a peaceful world through public
education, citizen action, and advocacy. The Foundation
focuses support on programs that engage citizens in
challenging the unsustainable use of natural resources and
in protecting biological diversity; programs that promote
peace; and news and commentary programs on issues directly
relevant to the Foundation's areas of interest, including
public TV and radio, investigative reporting, and programs
that monitor and challenge mainstream media to present a
broader range of perspectives and stories. Nonprofit
organizations throughout the U.S. are eligible to apply.
Additionally, the Foundation has a local program that
provides support to protect the environment and improve the
opportunities for the people of Talbot County, MD. Letters
of inquiry are accepted year-round. The next deadline for
submitting full applications is January 15, 2005.
(http://www.towncreekfdn.org/)
******************
ABBOTT
SUPPORTS COMPANY COMMUNITIES
Abbott Laboratories Fund
The Abbott Laboratories Fund primarily supports nonprofit
organizations in the communities where the company has
operations, including communities in Arizona, California,
Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey,
Ohio, Texas, Utah, and Virginia. For a list of Abbott
communities visit
http://www.abbott.com/corporate/unitedstates.html. The
Fund supports health and welfare; educational institutions
benefiting the health care industry and its employees; and
arts, cultural and civic activities. Applications are
accepted throughout the year. Visit the above website for
more information or to access the online application form.
(http://www.abbott.com/citizenship/fund/fund.cfm)
******************
INTEL FOCUSES ON EDUCATION AND THE ENVIRONMENT
Intel Corporate Contributions Program
Intel Corporation is committed to maintaining and enhancing
the quality of life in the communities where the company has
a major presence. Intel's primary giving focus is education,
with emphasis on K-12 education, higher education, and
community programs and other education programs that advance
science, math, and technology education, particularly for
women and underserved populations. Intel also provides funds
for environmental programs and programs that improve the
quality of life in company communities. Nonprofit
organizations serving company communities in Arizona,
California, Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico,
Oregon, Texas, Utah, and Washington are eligible to apply.
Intel also provides support in international locations where
the company has a presence. Applications are accepted
throughout the year.
(http://www.intel.com/community/grant.htm)
******************
FOCUS ON HUNGER, HEALTH AND NUTRITION, AND EDUCATION AND
YOUTH
Albertson's Corporate Contributions Program
Albertson's primarily supports nonprofit organizations in
the communities that the company serves, including
communities in 31 states. The company's charitable support
is focused on hunger relief, health and nutrition, and
education and youth development. Applications are accepted
year-round.
(http://www.albertsons.com/abs_inthecommunity/community_support/how_to_grant.asp)
******************
SUPPORTING THE COMMUNITY – FREE HOSTING
As part of their social responsibility commitment, ThinkHost,
a progressive web hosting company, is offering free hosting
to US-based, registered nonprofit progressive organizations
whose primary focus is environment, grass roots democracy,
peace, social/economic justice or human rights.
(http://www.thinkhost.com/options/free-hosting.shtml)
******************
ACCENT ON ARCHITECTURE COMMUNITY GRANTS PROGRAM
The American Architectural Foundation’s Accent on
Architecture Community Grants program assists local
nonprofit design and civic organizations in producing
innovative public education programming. Projects should
illustrate an increased awareness, appreciation, and
understanding of architecture and design among students in
the K-12 age range. The Foundation is especially interested
in programs targeting underserved populations. Applications
must be postmarked by December 15, 2004.
(http://www.archfoundation.org/grants/index.htm)
******************
$50,000 GRANTS FOR EDUCATION, INNER CITY OUTREACH
Applications are being accepted by the Teammates for Kids
Foundation from nonprofits that serve children in the areas
of education, health, and inner-city support.
The foundation is looking for health programs that focus on
prevention and recovery from health problems as well as
education initiatives that encourage healthy living.
Individual grants range for $10,000 to $50,000. Only
nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status may apply; the primary
stipulation is that 100 percent of grant money goes directly
to children's services.
For more information, visit the foundation online, or mail
Teammates for Kids Foundation, 7851 South Elati St., Suite
200, Littleton, CO 80120.
(http://www.teammates4kids.com/)
******************
OVC
GRANTS FOR VICTIMS’ RIGHTS AWARENESS
The Justice Department's
Office for Victims of Crime will award funds to
communities conducting National Crime Victims' Week (NCVRW)
Community Awareness Projects.
The OVC is looking for "innovative and collaborative
approaches to promote community-wide awareness of victims'
rights and available services." Chosen communities will be
eligible for a $5,000 reimbursement of expenses for
conducting these awareness initiatives.
The NCVRW takes place April 10-16, 2005. The deadline for
application is Dec. 3, 2004. For more information, visit the
OVC online.
(http://www.ovc.gov/)
(http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ovc/fund/2005NCVRWfund/welcome.html)
******************
RED CROSS SEPTEMBER 11 RECOVERY GRANTS PROGRAM OFFERS
FUNDING FOR YOUTH RECOVERY AND RESILIENCE
The American Red Cross September 11 Recovery Grants Program
has issued a Request for Applications in the area of Youth
Recovery and Resilience.
Funding is available to support mental health services and
resiliency programs for children directly impacted or
personally exposed to the events of 9/11; training or
support for the caring adults in their lives; and
collaborations or partnerships among services providers and
specialized centers capable of providing professional
support for the diagnosis and treatment of children and
youth affected by traumatic experiences.
Communities that have the highest concentrations of children
and youth exposed to and/or directly impacted by the events
and trauma of 9/11 will be given the highest priority for
funding.
Applicants must be a tax-exempt, nonprofit organization as
defined under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue
Code, or partner with an organization that has nonprofit
status and experience acting as a fiscal conduit providing
management assistance services. Examples include but are not
limited to youth serving agencies, educational programs or
centers, community mental health clinics, faith-based or
other community organizations, and after-school programs.
Grants typically will be awarded for twelve-month periods,
beginning some time between January 1, 2005, and July 1,
2005. A few grants may be shorter in length, if appropriate.
In general, grant amounts will range between $25,000 and
$250,000.
Visit the Red Cross Recovery Grants Program Web site for
complete program guidelines and application instructions.
(http://www.recoverygrants.org/)
******************
TEXAS COMMUNITIES INVITED TO APPLY FOR ONESTAR NATIONAL
SERVICE COMMISSION GRANTS
The OneStar National Service Commission (OneStar NSC), which
works to increase the impact and effectiveness of Texas
civil society by promoting volunteerism, forging networks
and collaborations, and providing knowledge and tools to
build strong, healthy organizations, is accepting
applications for AmeriCorps*State programs. OneStar NSC
seeks to fund programs that engage members in addressing
health, public safety, homeland security, education, or
human service needs in Texas communities.
Specific programs include:
State Priority Grant: Designed to meet state priorities
specified by OneStar NSC. Onestar NCS seeks applications
that focus on: 1) prisoner re-entry, including mentoring
children of prisoners and strengthening marriage initiatives
to re-establish families of prisoners; 2) intermediaries in
high poverty, underserved geographic areas where AmeriCorps
programs currently do not exist; and 3) juvenile obesity
prevention.
Professional Corp Grant: Designed to assist communities
working to address professional shortages within their
community. OneStar NSC seeks to fund programs that recruit
and place qualified AmeriCorps members in positions as
teachers, nurses, doctors, police officers, lawyers,
architects, engineers, or other professionals helping to
meet critical needs in communities with inadequate numbers
of such professionals.
Education Award Grant: Designed to complement organizations
with existing volunteer programs or institutions of higher
education with community-based placements for federal
work-study students. The grant is intended to add value to
these programs by providing their volunteers or students
with post-service education awards for their service
commitment.
Visit the OneStar Foundation Web site for specific funding
information, application instructions, and background
information.
(http://www.onestarfoundation.org/onestar/nofa/)
******************
INDEPENDENT SECTOR INVITES NOMINATIONS FOR LEADERSHIP IS
AWARD
Independent Sector established the Leadership IS Award in
1999 to recognize organizations that value and develop a
culture of investing in the people of the independent sector
as they work to build community. The Leadership IS Award
supports this principle by acknowledging an organization
that incorporates the development of future leaders in its
policies and daily operations.
The recipient of the Leadership IS Award receives an award
statuette and a gift of $10,000.
The recipient organization will have demonstrated its
commitment to internal and external leadership development
by embodying and promoting an inclusive and diverse
community, including youth and emerging leaders; holding
principles of leadership development central to the way the
organization functions as reflected in its mission,
programs, and activities; possessing and incorporating
concrete strategies and systems that encourage and provide
opportunities for staff and volunteer leadership development
in the organization and the community; and having in place
and exercising strategies that advance the vision, mission,
and values central to the work of the organization and its
desired outcomes.
Anyone may nominate an organization to receive the award. To
be eligible, an organization must be a nonprofit but need
not be an Independent Sector member.
See the Independent Sector Web site for program guidelines,
information on past winners, and an online nomination form.
(http://www.independentsector.org/programs/leadership/organizationalaward.htm)
******************
JOBS/INTERNSHIPS
WHITE HOUSE FELLOWS
PROGRAM
You can become a part of one of America's most prestigious
programs for leadership and public service. Founded in
1964, the White House Fellows Program offers exceptional
young men and women first-hand experience working at the
highest levels of the Federal government.
White House Fellows typically spend a year working as
full-time, paid special assistants to senior White House
Staff, the Vice President, Cabinet Secretaries, and other
top-ranking government officials. Fellows also participate
in an education program consisting of roundtable discussions
with renowned leaders from the private and public sectors,
and trips to study U.S. policy in action both domestically
and internationally.
Applications must be postmarked by February 1, 2005 for the
2005-2006 Class. Fellowships are awarded on a strictly
non-partisan basis. Applicants must be U.S. citizens.
Employees of the Federal government are not eligible unless
they are career military personnel. There are no age
restrictions; however the program was created to give
remarkable young Americans this experience early in their
careers. Applicants must have completed their undergraduate
studies and be working in their chosen professions at the
time of consideration.
The program has fostered a legacy of leadership, with nearly
600 alumni who are respected leaders. Alumni include
Secretary of State Colin Powell, Secretary of Labor Elaine
Chao, former CNN President Tom Johnson, and American Red
Cross President Marsha Evans.
For more information about the program, to view an
informational film, and to download an application, please
visit the program website at
www.whitehouse.gov/fellows, or call the program office
at (202) 395-4522.
(www.whitehouse.gov/fellows)
******************
ANHEUSER-BUSCH AND THE NATIONAL FISH AND WILDLIFE FOUNDATION
SEEKING APPLICATIONS
Anheuser-Busch and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
are seeking applications for the 2005 Budweiser Conservation
Scholarship Program. This competitive scholarship program
supports and promotes innovative research or study that
seeks to respond to today’s most pressing conservation
issues by eligible graduate and undergraduate students who
are poised to make a significant contribution to the field
of conservation. Applications are due January 15, 2004.
(http://www.nfwf.org/budscholarship/index.htm)
******************
ROBERT WOOD JOHNSON EXECUTIVE NURSE FELLOWS PROGRAM - 2005
The Nurse Fellow Program of the Robert Wood Johnson
Foundation offers leadership development for nurses who have
senior executive roles in health services, public health,
and nursing education and who aspire to help shape the U.S.
health care system of the future. The three-year fellowships
offer participants the experiences, insights, competencies,
and skills necessary for executive leadership positions in a
health care system undergoing unprecedented change.
Applications for this program must be submitted online by
February 1, 2005.
(http://www.rwjf.org/applying/cfpDetail.jsp?cfpCode=ENL&emailid=1110%2B000007!000010!%2B11052004)
******************
AAJA STUDENT
PROGRAMS COORDINATOR
Asian American Journalist Association seeks a Student
Programs Coordinator to be responsible for administering all
AAJA projects and programs that encourage young people to
enter the journalism field. For detailed description and
application procedure, go to
http://www.aaja.org/about/jobs/.
AAJA is an equal opportunity employer and does not
discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, age, religion,
gender, sexual orientation or political affiliation.
(http://www.aaja.org/about/jobs/)
******************
TIPS/RESOURCES
FREE SPAM FILTERING SOFTWARE AVAILABLE TO NONPROFITS ON
DECEMBER 15TH
TechSoup.org and Mailshell: 2nd Annual Stop Spam Today
Campaign
On December 15, 2004 nonprofit organizations will have the
opportunity to order free anti-spam software from Mailshell
through TechSoup Stock. Organizations must be registered
with TechSoup Stock to participate in the giveaway. Also as
part of the 2nd Annual "Stop Spam Today" Campaign, the
TechSoup.org website will feature articles and discussions
about protecting your organization from the dangers of spam
from November 9 through December 15, 2004. Visit the website
listed above for more information or to register to
participate in the December 15 offer.
(http://www.stopspamtoday.org/stop_spam_fd.html?advsource=NPT110904)
******************
NEWS
November 10, 2004
ASIAN AMERICAN LEGAL DEFENSE AND EDUCATION FUND
MEDIA RELEASE
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Margaret Fung, Executive Director, 212.966.5932x201
Glenn Magpantay, Staff Attorney, 917.439.3158
Nancy Yu, Policy Analyst, 212.966.5932 x207
NATIONAL MULTILINGUAL EXIT POLL OF 11,000 ASIAN AMERICAN
VOTERS FINDS 74% FAVOR JOHN KERRY; 38% ARE FIRST-TIME VOTERS
Voters Express Greatest Concern About Jobs and the Economy
New York City . The Asian American Legal Defense and
Education Fund (AALDEF) today announced preliminary findings
from its multilingual, nonpartisan exit poll of almost
11,000 Asian American voters in eight states. Asian
American voters responded to written questionnaires
translated into 9 Asian languages at 82 poll sites in 20
cities in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts,
Rhode Island, Virginia, Michigan, and Illinois.
AALDEF Executive Director Margaret Fung said: "The record
turnout of Asian American voters demonstrated our
community's extraordinary interest in the electoral process
this year. Numerous grass-roots groups across the country
focused on increasing Asian American voter registration and
turnout, with many new alliances formed across racial and
ethnic lines."
Asian American voters were surveyed in 23 Asian languages
and dialects as they left 82 polling places in 8 states:
-
By a 4 to 1 margin, Asian Americans favored
Senator John Kerry over President George W. Bush, 74% to
24%, with 2% voting for other candidates.
-
38% of Asian Americans polled were first-time
voters.
-
The most important issues influencing Asian
Americans in their vote for President were: Economy/Jobs
(27%); War in Iraq (16%); Terrorism/Security (16%);
Health care (14%); Civil rights/immigrant rights (12%);
Education (8%); Other (4%); and Crime in neighborhoods
(3%).
-
Among first-time Asian American voters, 78% voted
for Kerry, 20% voted for Bush, and 2% voted for other
candidates. The most important issues to first-time
voters were Economy/Jobs (27%), War in Iraq (17%), and
Terrorism/Security (14%).
-
Among Bush supporters, the most important issues
were Terrorism/Security (33%), Economy/Jobs (18%), and
the War in Iraq (12%).
-
Among Kerry supporters, the most important issues
were Economy/Jobs (29%); War in Iraq (18%), and Health
Care (15%).
National exit polls conducted by the National
Election Pool (ABC, Associated Press, CBS, CNN, Fox News and
NBC News) and the Los Angeles Times likewise found that
Asian American voters favored Kerry over Bush:
-
National Election Pool (Edison Media
Research and Mitofsky International): With Asian
Americans comprising 2% of the total number of voters
surveyed nationwide (13,660 voters), 56% of Asian
Americans voted for Kerry and 44% voted for Bush.
-
Los Angeles Times: With Asian Americans
comprising 3% of a national sample of 5,514 voters at
136 polling places (including 3,357 California voters at
50 poll sites statewide), 64% of Asian Americans voted
for Kerry and 34% voted for Bush.
AALDEF's multilingual exit polls reveal vital
information about Asian American voting patterns that is
often overlooked in mainstream voter surveys. AALDEF has
conducted exit polls of Asian American voters in every major
election since 1988, noting the growing involvement of new
citizens in the electoral process. In the 2000
Presidential Election, the AALDEF exit poll surveyed 5,040
Asian American voters in New York City.
Additional results from the 2004 AALDEF exit poll will be
released soon, with more detailed information about voter
preferences, party enrollment, and issues of concern, need
for bilingual voter assistance, and a description of
problems faced by Asian American voters at the polls on
Election Day.
AALDEF also monitored hundreds of poll sites to document
incidents of anti-Asian voter disenfranchisement. AALDEF
Staff Attorney Glenn D. Magpantay said, "Just like in 2000,
this year Asian Americans again faced an array of barriers
that prevented them from exercising their right to vote."
AALDEF is analyzing hundreds of reports submitted by
volunteer attorneys, poll monitors, and individual voters,
describing how local jurisdictions implemented the federal
Voting Rights Act and implementation of the new federal Help
America Vote Act (HAVA) and will release a report on its
election protection activities in the coming months.
The 2004 AALDEF exit poll, the national multilingual
Asian-language hotline and election monitoring activities
were conducted with the assistance of several community
organizations, including the Asian American Bar Association
of New York, Asian Pacific American Agenda Coalition, Asian
Pacific American Legal Resource Center, Boston Asian
Students Alliance, Chinatown Voter Education Alliance, Harry
H. Dow Memorial Legal Assistance Fund, Korean American
Voters' Council of NY/NJ, Korean American Resource and
Cultural Center, Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under
Law-Boston, National Asian American Student Conference,
National Korean American Service and Education Consortium,
Providence Youth and Student Movement, South Asian American
Leaders of Tomorrow, South Asian American Voting Youth,
Vietnamese American Initiative for Development, Young Korean
American Service and Education Center, and Asian Pacific
American Law Student Association chapters across the
country.
***
The Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, founded
in 1974, protects and promotes the civil rights of Asian
Americans through litigation, legal advocacy and community
education in the areas of immigrant rights, civic
participation and voting rights, economic justice for
workers, hate violence and police misconduct, youth rights
and educational equity, affirmative action, and language
rights.
ASIAN AMERICAN LEGAL DEFENSE AND EDUCATION FUND
99 Hudson Street, 12th floor, New York, NY 10013-2815
Defending the civil rights of Asian Americans since 1974
T 212.966.5932 F 212.966.4303
www.aaldef.org
******************
November 12, 2004
IN
AUSTIN, VETERANS OF ALL STRIPES THANKED
Vietnamese Americans make a
statement, say thanks.
By Steven Kreytak
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
They lined
Congress Avenue in the autumn morning sunshine -- the
gray-haired elderly, the dressed-up office workers, the
wide-eyed children. They waved American flags, clapped and
shouted "thank you" to the U.S. veterans passing in the
street.
The annual Austin/Travis County
Veterans Day parade and the ceremony Thursday in front of
the Capitol included a special tribute to Vietnam veterans
and a general respect for service and patriotism.
A contingent of veterans from
South Vietnam, who fought alongside U.S. troops in the
Vietnam War and who now live in Texas, marched in the
parade.
Hundreds of Vietnamese Americans
from across Texas came to wave the yellow and red flag of
South Vietnam. It no longer flies over their native country,
but city, county and state leaders announced the passage of
resolutions declaring symbolic recognition that the flag
represents the freedom and heritage of Vietnamese Americans.
"We want to recognize the American
soldier for fighting for freedom and democracy in our
country," said Khanh Chau, 47, a member of the Vietnamese
American Community of Austin. "We lost the war, but we still
embrace the ideals of freedom and democracy."
During the parade, some veterans
rode in classic Corvettes, others in classic military
vehicles. The president of the Lone Star Military Vehicle
Preservation Association, Austinite Tim Weitz, showed off a
1940s-era jeep.
"The kids love it," said Weitz, a
43-year-old Marine Corps veteran, who gave a ride to Korean
and Vietnam War Army veteran Columbus Jennings, 70.
"This parade is very important,"
said Jennings, who lives in Austin. "It lets the youngsters
know what we did."
Fifty or so children, all 5 and
younger, from Escuelita Del Alma Learning Center sat along
the curb of the parade route, waving to the veterans and
catching candy thrown in their direction.
At the corner of
Fourth Street, Austinite Alice Morrill, 76, waved a small
American flag. For her, the parade is a personal tribute to
her late son and husband, both veterans.
"All of them fought to keep our
country free," she said.
Monica Roussett, 29, sat on a
bench next to her mother, Maria Martinez, while her three
children, ages 4 to 11, waved to the ex-soldiers. Roussett's
father, Antonio F. Martinez, a Vietnam veteran, had just
passed by.
"He needs the support. They all
do," Maria Martinez said. "A lot of them are in counseling.
Sometimes it gets harder for them as they get older."
At the corner of
Ninth Street, the Austin Independent School District
All-City High School Band played the national anthem. Most
people stopped and removed their hats.
The Austin parade was among other
tributes to service members in Central Texas.
In San Marcos, about 200 people at
the new Hays County Veterans Memorial listened to a reading
of 93 names of county residents killed in wars from World
War I to the first war in Iraq. The names are engraved on a
black granite monument flanked by the U.S., Texas and
POW/MIA flags, which flew at half-staff during the ceremony.
skreytak@statesman.com; 912-2946
(http://www.statesman.com/metrostate/content/auto/epaper/editions/friday/metro_state_1449e6e6f472e0f91061.html)
******************
November 12, 2004
Diplomat reaches out to rural Vietnamese
NEW AMBASSADOR
VISITS PROVINCES
By Ben Stocking
Mercury News Vietnam Bureau
VINH, Vietnam - As he introduces himself to Vietnamese
officials, the new U.S. ambassador keeps hearing the same
message: If you want to understand this country, get out of
Hanoi.
Last week, Michael W. Marine took that advice to heart. He
flew to a remote corner of the country to watch Americans
and Vietnamese engaged in the continuing effort to find the
remains of U.S. soldiers who died during the Vietnam War.
Marine also met with local officials in Central Vietnam,
raising issues that promise to be the focus of his tenure
here: helping fight HIV/AIDS; promoting bilateral trade and
an open business environment; and defending religious
freedom and human rights.
Marine, 57, is the third U.S. ambassador to serve in Hanoi
since the United States and Vietnam normalized relations in
1995. Marine, who replaces Raymond Burghardt, began his new
job two months ago, after serving as the No. 2 envoy at the
U.S. embassies in China and Kenya.
A career Foreign Service officer who graduated from the
University of California-Santa Barbara, Marine has served
nearly 30 years in the State Department and prides himself
on keeping his political opinions to himself.
He doesn't want to fall into an easy trap: spending too much
time in Hanoi, Vietnam's booming capital, a world apart from
the much poorer rural provinces, where most of the nation's
80 million residents live.
Marine's recent foray to the provinces wasn't glamorous.
Nghe An province doesn't boast any five-star hotels, and
aside from a massive new monument to the revolutionary
leader Ho Chi Minh, whose childhood home is nearby, it
doesn't offer much in the way of tourist attractions.
But the unassuming Marine didn't seem to tire of the
nuts-and-bolts work of diplomacy: meeting with local
officials, talking up common interests and posing for lots
of photographs.
The central purpose of his trip was to witness the return of
remains believed to belong to a missing American serviceman,
an issue that has remained a top priority for the U.S.
government since relations were normalized.
Vietnamese officials in Ha Tinh province had placed the
remains -- a collection of what appeared to be about 10
human bone fragments -- in a small wooden box along with
pieces of an old, decaying parachute coated with dirt.
Wrapped in red cloth, the container sat atop a table adorned
with burning incense, candles and fresh yellow flowers.
``This is a very important humanitarian mission we are
involved in, and we know we would not be successful without
the cooperation of the people of Vietnam,'' Marine said
during a brief ceremony. ``I want to express our deep
appreciation.''
The remains will be sent to a Defense Department forensic
laboratory in Honolulu for analysis. With luck,
investigators will be able to identify them soon so they can
be returned to the serviceman's family in the United States
for burial.
In the aftermath of the Vietnam War, the U.S. government
decided to undertake a continuous effort to recover the
remains of service members missing from World War II, the
Korean War, the Vietnam War and later the Persian Gulf War.
About 1,800 are missing in Southeast Asia.
The enterprise costs about $100 million a year. So far, 734
sets of remains have been repatriated from the region.
Marine, who served in the U.S. Marine Corps in Japan during
the Vietnam War, believes the effort is worth every cent.
``We owe those who go to war a tremendous debt of
gratitude,'' he said. ``Fulfilling our obligation to them in
this way is something that perhaps no other country would
do. But that doesn't mean we shouldn't do it.''
In Nghe An province, Marine visited a remote site where U.S.
servicemen and local Vietnamese are searching for the
remains of a Navy pilot whose F-8E disappeared in December
1966.
Villagers rocked wire mesh trays hanging from bamboo poles,
sifting through clumps of dirt taken from a small crater for
bone fragments, teeth, parachute pieces or any other
evidence of the crash.
Beyond thanking officials in Nghe An and Ha Tinh for their
help, Marine also exhorted them to create an open, fair
business environment to attract investment from U.S. firms.
And he told them the United States would spend $25 million
in Vietnam this year as part of President Bush's global
effort to combat AIDS.
Bush recently designated Vietnam as one of 15 countries at
the focus of those efforts -- the first outside Africa.
Marine urged local officials to let the U.S. Embassy know
how the AIDS money might be used to help people in their
provinces.
Marine did not shy away from raising subjects that surely
made his hosts squirm, no matter how determined they were to
keep smiling.
Politely but insistently, he confronted them about the issue
of human and religious rights.
Marine was careful to note that, in their daily lives,
Vietnamese citizens enjoy vastly more liberty today than
they did when he first visited the country 16 years ago. And
he stressed that he hadn't heard specific complaints about
violations of religious freedom in Ha Tinh or Nghe An.
But in some areas of Vietnam, he said, there have been
reports that local officials have forced villagers to
renounce their Protestant faith under threat of physical
pain.
``The question of religious freedom is very important to the
American people,'' Marine said. ``These kinds of reports
frankly hurt our mutual efforts to build the relationship
between our two peoples.''
Contact Ben Stocking at
bstocking@mercurynews.com.
(http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/world/10162622.htm)
******************
November 14, 2004
GUARD SGT. QUOC BINH TRAN, 26, MISSION VIEJO; KILLED IN IRAQ
By David Reyes, Times Staff Writer
When he left for Iraq, Sgt. Quoc Binh "Bo" Tran's family
knew they were not supposed to worry. For him, it was his
duty and the kind of adventure that fueled his daring
spirit.
Tran, 26, a mechanic in the California Army National Guard,
died after the vehicle he was riding in was struck by a
roadside bomb Nov. 7 outside Baghdad.
"He was a hands-on kind of guy," said Tran's sister Katie,
23. "He would try anything, often even until it hurt him. He
was a loving person but very independent and one who would
go into anything and not think twice about it."
Tran's
father, Van, an electrical engineer who lives in Mission
Viejo, was proud of his son, whom the family described as an
athletic, 5-foot-9-inch man who enjoyed jogging and travel.
"What's the opposite of sedentary? Well, whatever the word
is, that was Bo," said Kristie, another sister. "One of the main
reasons he joined the Guard was to travel and to serve his
country.
"My mom and my brother enjoyed a special relationship. He would
call every day and let her know how things were going. She and
my dad are very proud of him," she added.
Tran's mother, Thu Truong Tran, did express worry about his
being in the Guard, especially after the Sept. 11 terrorist
attacks. But his parents tempered their emotions and showed
support for his decision, Kristie said.
"He joined before Sept. 11 and, like everyone in this country,
he felt it was an attack on our soil," she added. "He was one of
those people who wanted to protect the United States, like we
were under his protection and he felt very proud of that. He
felt like that was his duty."
Tran joined the National Guard about three years ago after
serving in the active-duty Army, said 1st Lt. Jonathan Shiroma,
a Guard spokesman in Sacramento. He was a mechanic in Detachment
3, Company B of the 81st Brigade Combat Team. His battalion is
headquartered in Seattle but had a detachment in San Bernardino,
where he was based.
Tran was assigned to the 81st Brigade because it needed his
skills as an armored mechanic, Shiroma said.
He is the eighth member of the California Army National Guard to
be killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
The Vietnam native, his family's oldest child, was a naturalized
U.S. citizen. His father, a former second lieutenant in the
South Vietnamese army, was captured and put in a "re-education
camp" after Saigon fell in 1975.
Van Tran and his young family later escaped through the jungle
of Vietnam.
They eventually settled in Mission Viejo, where Quoc Tran
graduated from Mission Viejo High School in 1994. He attended
Saddleback Community College, where he studied to become a
mechanical engineer, his sisters said.
One of his passions was cars. "He just loved to tinker around
with motors," said one sister.
Tran got his nickname from two sources, said his sister Kristie.
"It was short for Binh, but also it was short for Beau, which
means 'beautiful' in French."
The funeral is tentatively scheduled for 9 a.m. Saturday at Peek
Family Mortuary in Westminster.
(http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/iraq/complete/la-me-tran14nov14,1,5435238.story)
******************
November 14, 2004
VIETNAM HUMAN RIGHTS NETWORK
12522 Brookhurst St. Suite 23 * Garden Grove, CA 92840 - USA
Tel: (714) 636-8895 * Fax (270) 717-9764
Email:
vnhrn@sbcglobal.net *
http://www.vietnamhumanrights.net
PRESS RELEASE
VIETNAM HUMAN RIGHTS NETWORK ANNOUNCES VIETNAM HUMAN RIGHTS
PRIZE WINNERS FOR 2004
(California) - The Vietnam Human Rights Network (VNHRN) has
awarded the 2004 Vietnam Human Rights Prize to Dr. Nguyen Dan
Que and Mr. Pham Que Duong in recognition of their brave and
persistent fight for human rights in Vietnam. At a press
conference at its new office in Little Saigon, California today,
the VNHRN Coordinating Committee announced that the award
ceremony will take place at 2 PM on December 12, 2004 at Santa
Ana Community College, Santa Ana, California on the occasion of
International Human Rights Day.
Dr. Nguyen Dan Que, 62, has been a tireless fighter for human
rights and democracy for nearly 20 years. In 1978, he and 47
members of his National Progressive Front, a non-violent
political organization, were arrested and jailed without charge
or a trial. He was released in 1988. In 1990, he founded the
High Tide Humanist Movement and in its manifesto, the
organization called for respect for human rights, political
plurality, and free elections. Dr Que was immediately arrested
and sentenced to 20 years' hard labor, plus 5 years under house
arrest for "plotting to overthrow the regime". Under
international pressure, the Vietnamese authorities released him
in September 1998 on condition that he leave Vietnam, which he
categorically refused to do. On May 11, 1999, he issued a
statement calling for democratization. In March 2003, he was
arrested again, and on July 29, 2004, he was sentenced to 30
months in prison for "abusing democratic rights to jeopardize
the interests of the state". Dr. Que was transferred to a remote
prison in Thanh Hoa province, North Vietnam last September,
making it much harder for his family to visit him.
Mr. Pham Que Duong, 71, is a former Vietnamese Communist Party
member and North Vietnamese army colonel and former editor of
the Military History Review of the Military History Institute.
In January 1999, he handed back his party membership card in
protest against what he called Hanoi leadership's improper
reaction to general Tran Do's call for a clean government. The
police followed him, tried to isolate him, and arrested him
several times. He continued to criticize the government's
cover-up and totalitarian policies, to call for true democracy,
and to defend imprisoned or mistreated human rights activists.
He was arrested on December 28, 2002 in Saigon where he had gone
to visit democracy and human rights activists. He was detained
until July 2004, given an unfair trial and sentenced to 19
months in prison for "abusing democratic rights to jeopardize
the interests of the state" and "failing to comply with the
government's house arrest order". Since he had been held
without trial for a period exceeding his sentence, he was
released and placed under house arrest.
The Human Rights Prize was founded by VNHRN in 2002 and is
awarded annually in recognition of sacrifices made for human
rights in Vietnam. The most Venerable Thich Quang Do and Father
Nguyen Van Ly, two outstanding non-violent activists for
religious freedom, were the first prize recipients. In 2003, the
Prize went to four young human rights activists: Dr. Pham Hong
Son, Lawyer Le Chi Quang, journalist Nguyen Vu Binh, and former
soldier Nguyen Khac Toan. All of them, except Le Chi Quang, are
still detained and in poor health.
In addition to recognizing those who have sacrificed everything,
including their own lives, for human rights, the Vietnam Human
Rights Prize also aims at expressing solidarity with Vietnamese
all around the world who are actively fighting for human dignity
and human rights.
For further information:
Tung Nguyen, DPA
Phone: (714) 636-8895
E-mail:
vnhrn@sbcglobal.net
******************
November 15, 2004
FEDERAL OBSERVERS TO MONITOR SAN DIEGO SPECIAL VOTE FOR CITY
COUNCIL SEAT
Associated Press
SAN DIEGO -- The U.S. Justice
Department's Civil Rights Division will monitor polls in San
Diego on Tuesday to ensure a special City Council election
complies with terms of the Voting Rights Act, officials said.
After federal officials monitored the March primary, San Diego
County reached a settlement with the Justice Department to
better serve voters with limited English skills. Under the
agreement reached in June, the county must provide voting
materials in Spanish, Tagalog and Vietnamese and poll workers
who can translate in those languages.
The observers will monitor voting in the City Council's 4th
District, which has been vacant since the sudden death of
37-year-old Councilman Charles Lewis in August. The district
east of downtown San Diego is one of the city's most ethnically
diverse.
Federal observers monitored the Nov. 2 elections in San Diego. A
report on their findings is nearing completion, Justice
Department spokesman Eric Holland said Monday.
The county registrar of voters said that for the Nov. 2 vote, it
met its targets of finding more than 1,000 bilingual poll
workers to translate for those who speak Spanish, Tagalog and
Vietnamese. The City Clerk's Office said Monday it expects to
have enough bilingual poll workers for Tuesday's special
election.
(http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/news/archive/2004/11/15/state1715EST0096.DTL)
******************
November 15, 2004
PRESS ADVISORY
DOUA THOR APPOINTED NEW DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF SEARAC
For More Information Contact:
Max Niedzwiecki or Sophy Pich
202/667-4690
Washington, DC -- The Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC)
is pleased to announce the appointment of its new Deputy
Director, Doua Thor.
Ms. Thor has worked with national and grassroots Southeast Asian
American organizations for many years, most recently as a New
Voices Fellow with Hmong National Development, Inc. (HND). She
is the Chair of the Board of Directors of the National Asian
Pacific American Women's Forum (NAPAWF), and holds an MSW degree
from the University of Michigan, where she focused on Social
Policy and Evaluation. As an intern at SEARAC in 2000, she was
largely responsible for the creation of the first national
directory of Southeast Asian American mutual assistance
associations (MAAs). Ms. Thor and her family moved to the
United States from Laos as refugees in 1979, and settled in
Detroit, Michigan.
In praise of Ms. Thor, Bouy Te, SEARAC's Board Chair, states
that "Doua is a phenomenal leader. She brings to SEARAC a
wealth of knowledge about the social and educational needs of
our Southeast Asian American community. She combines
professionalism with commitment to the community in a way that
few people can. SEARAC is very fortunate to have her as its new
Deputy Director"
Max Niedzwiecki, SEARAC's Executive Director, is also excited to
have her on-board: "With Doua here, we're ready to take on more
work with, and for, Southeast Asian Americans and other groups.
There's so much to do in fields like education, immigration,
health, and economic development. This is a really exciting
time for SEARAC."
SEARAC is a national organization advancing the interests of
Cambodian, Laotian, and Vietnamese Americans through leadership
development, capacity building, and community empowerment. For
more information visit
www.searac.org.
******************
November 15, 2004
UN ACCUSES VIETNAM OF VIOLATING INTERNATIONAL LAW FOR JAILING
DISSIDENT
By Ben Rowse
HANOI, Nov 15 (AFP) - The United Nations has criticised
Vietnam for jailing an elderly pro-democracy activist and
charged the communist regime with contravening international
law, according to a new report released Monday.
The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention said that Dr
Nguyen Dan Que, 62, a distinguished doctor and long-standing
human rights advocate, was wrongfully imprisoned for freedom
of expression. Que, who has spent a total of 18 years in
prison since the late 1970s, was sentenced to 30 months in
prison on July 29 at a one-day closed trial for "abusing
democratic rights".
He was the third cyber-dissident to be convicted that month
for using the Internet to swap information and criticise the
government. In a ruling made by judges from Algeria,
Paraguay, Spain, Hungary, and Iran, the UN body found "the
deprivation of liberty of Dr. Nguyen Dan Que is arbitrary"
and in violation of international law. "The Working Group
concludes that Dr Que's actions constitute only the peaceful
exercise of his freedom of opinion and expression which is
enshrined in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights," it said.
A copy of the judgement, which was delivered on September 16
and provided to the Vietnamese government in confidence, was
obtained by AFP from the US-based human rights group Freedom
Now, which is providing legal counsel to Que.
"We believe this ruling will embolden Dr. Que's supporters
around the world to renew their efforts to secure his
release and will provide substantial additional support for
the United States, European Union, and other countries to
apply pressure on to the Government of Vietnam," Jared
Genser, president of Freedom Now said.
Last month 12 US Senators, including Patrick Leahy, Edward
Kennedy and Elizabeth Dole, sent a letter to Vietnamese
President Tran Duc Luong saying Que's imprisonment was
"clear persecution" and demanding his immediate release.
Que, who is in poor health, was detained on March 17 last
year outside his home in the southern business capital of Ho
Chi Minh City while on the way to an Internet cafe.
Amnesty International said his arrest was prompted by a
statement he issued a few days earlier that was circulated
on the Internet in which he said there was no freedom of
information in the communist nation.
His conviction triggered strong criticism from international
human rights groups. The New York-based Human Rights Watch
accused Hanoi of continuing to use "heavy-handed attempts to
silence its critics".
On July 14, Pham Que Duong, a 73-year-old military historian
who spent nearly 19 months in pre-trial detention, was found
guilty of the same charges as Que and sentenced to 19 months
in prison.
His conviction followed the sentencing of fellow
cyber-dissident Tran Khue, a 68-year-old former literature
professor, to 19 months behind bars on similar charges on
July 9. Both men have since been released.
Some diplomats say Que's longer sentence for the same
charges could have been a result of his alleged refusal to
accept a shorter prison term in exchange for leaving the
country.
He rejected a similar offer to relocate to the United States
in 1998 after he was released from jail in an amnesty..
******************
Founded in 1986, the National Congress of Vietnamese
Americans is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community advocacy
organization working to advance the cause of Vietnamese
Americans in a plural but united America – e pluribus unum –
by participating actively and fully as civic minded citizens
engaged in the areas of education, culture and civil
liberties. |
|
