Education was our first order of business.  The members familiarized themselves with two of the fundamental cases in this issue area: the Chevron case in Ecuador and Doe v. Unocal.  Professor Macdonald also helped acquaint us with common oil industry practices, the role of the state in oil exploitation driven by foreign capital, accountability mechanisms and the current panorama of exploitative practices.

Our campaign members also ventured out to the Museum of Fine Arts to see the much-discussed documentary Crude, directed by Joe Berlinger.  The film follows the case filed against Chevron (formerly Texaco)  for the adverse effects that indigenous people continue to suffer as a result of improperly managed oil extraction on their land.  The film sparked a lively discussion, and its strengths and weaknesses will be taken into consideration for our own advocacy efforts.

Stay tuned for an update on our upcoming panel discussion!  We have some exciting experts signed on, and are in the process of assembling an “Advocate’s Guide to Corporate Responsibility in the Amazon” to be distributed at the conference and to other activists online.

In Spring 2009, the Advocates hosted our inaugural human rights letter-writing event, Write for Rights, to pressure our elected leaders to take a decisive stand on human rights issues. On Monday, November 9, 2009, we hosted the second Write for Rights in Ticknor Lounge from 7:30-9:30 PM.  Each Campaign contributed at least one letter relevant to their issue or region of focus, and we ended up with 50+ letters to mail by the end of the night.  We encourage anyone who missed the event to send any or all of the letters–linked below–on your own time!  Please modify them as you see fit; a personal touch can only help.

Health Care | Torture |  Corporate Responsibility | Jerusalem
Burma 1 | Burma 2 | Burma 3

For letters to your Members of Congress, you can look up their addresses here.

For letters to UN Ambassador Susan Rice, use the following address:

United States Mission to the United Nations
140 East 45th Street
New York, N.Y. 10017