Modern Slavery.

An appeal from Walk Free:

“The situation of migrant rights in Thailand continues to be deplorable... The case is unjust and unfair and I’m fighting it for myself and also for Thai campaigners who face the same sort of legal harassment.” (Andy Hall, following his court hearing)1

On Monday, British activist Andy Hall was indicted for criminal defamation and computer crime in a case brought about by Thai pineapple company Natural Fruit. This follows two years of persecution, after Natural Fruit took the decision to target Andy for researching alleged labour abuses at one of their factories rather than investigate the claims.

We’re horrified by this decision, which not only violates Andy’s right to free expression but also undermines wider research into labour rights abuses in Thailand and the work of other activists.

We’re doing everything in our power to try to help him: last week, the Walk Free community sent over 300,000 emails to the Thai government, urging the authorities to do everything they can to get these charges dropped. We also delivered over 180,000 signatures calling for Andy’s release to Thai officials in Thailand and the UK.

In just a few weeks Andy will have to return to court where he will be charged and possibly detained pending bail. Will you join the international outcry in support of Andy and send a message to challenge this injustice?

Call on the Thai government to drop the charges against Andy Hall now.

In solidarity,

Zoe, Jamison, Jayde, Leena and the whole Walk Free team

P.S. If found guilty, Andy faces 7 years in jail and charges of $11 million. Sonja Vartiala, executive director of Finnwatch, the organisation that released the report Andy provided the research for, has warned that, “At this point, the prospects for Andy Hall to receive a fair trial are looking grim.”2 Take action to demand that these charges are dropped NOW.

1 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/thailand/11819811/British-campaigner-indicted-in-Thailand-over-report-which-alleged-abuses-at-fruit-juice-business.html

2 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/thailand/11819811/British-campaigner-indicted-in-Thailand-over-report-which-alleged-abuses-at-fruit-juice-business.html

movement of people everywhere, fighting to end one of the world's greatest evils: Modern slavery.

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Visit ann arky's home at www.radicalglasgow.me.uk

When Is It Right To Buy A Person?

An appeal from Walk Free:

      Andy Hall could face 7 years in prison for doing something you and I do everyday -- talking about modern slavery.

         Andy Hall is a British campaigner with a special focus on the rights of migrant workers. Two years ago, on behalf of Finnwatch, he undertook an investigation into Natural Fruit, part of NatGroup, a Thai company that processes pineapples and supplies retailers around the world. Finnwatch's final report paints a picture suggesting modern slavery: "...passports and work permits confiscated; compulsory and excessive overtime; fines and unclear deductions from wages; debt bondage and violence by guards and superiors."1

      Instead of focusing on addressing these serious allegations, Natural Fruit decided to try and silence Andy with lawsuits. They have pursued civil and criminal charges and now Andy could face a prison sentence and $10 million in legal damages for his investigations.

       Are you as outraged as we are? Now is your chance to join the call for justice. Stand with Andy Hall: demand that Natural Fruit drop all charges against him and thoroughly investigate and take action to ensure there is no modern slavery or exploitation in their business.

        Now is a crucial time in Andy’s prosecution. In just three days his trial will begin. Although Natural Fruit’s behaviour is deeply disturbing it proves that the company cares about its public image. By coming together over the next few days, with activists all around the world that are standing in solidarity with Andy, we can show Natural Fruit’s senior management what we think about these excessive and intimidating charges.

        If this case proceeds and Natural Fruit are successful this would not only be a grave miscarriage of justice for Andy. This process could set a dangerous precedent for other companies in Thailand that might take a similar approach when allegations are raised of modern slavery in their supply chains. This threatens the work of anti-slavery campaigners but also workers in Thailand who might be too afraid to come forward and report abuse.

     Andy Hall is one of us -- please join the growing global outcry over his prosecution and fight for the rights of anti-slavery campaigners and their efforts to end worker exploitation.

      Demand justice for Andy and workers vulnerable to exploitation and modern slavery in Thailand now.

In solidarity,

The whole Walk Free team

Visit ann arky's home at www.radicalglasgow.me.uk

Let's Abolish Slavery!!!!

      When ever the powers that be talk of a rapidly growing economy, you can rest assured that it is growing on the backs of the poor, that growth is being feed by the life blood of people. Wealth accruing in the bank accounts of the rich is always being stolen from those who produce that wealth. In this type of economic system there are those who create the wealth, with little or no gain to themselves, and those who gain the wealth with little or no effort effort from themselves, I believe parasites is their proper title.

An appeal from Walk Free:

      It’s 3:15 am in Bhimnagar, India. With the family’s newest infant addition latched to her side, Kalawati* wakes up her husband, six-year-old daughter, and eight-year-old son to eat breakfast – a small handful of rice. The meal won’t satisfy anyone’s hunger but it’s all Kalawati’s children will eat until 1pm. They’re not heading to school; the whole family needs to begin their 18-hour work day at the brick kiln before the sun rises.

       Today will be the same for Kalawati’s children as the last – hauling buckets of water, mixing mud to make bricks, putting the mixture into brick moulds, a lunch of molasses and water, stacking bricks into piles, digging up soil for the next day’s bricks. At the end of the day, both children will try to rub the ache out of their backs while Kalawati helplessly suggests they try walking around to ease the pain knowing that it won’t work.

       That’s not the extreme in the possible tortures of a day in the life of a child slave in India. There are days when children are beaten to force them into submission; days when a mother is forced to watch a brick kiln owner dangle her son over a 700°C flame simply to frighten her. Rather, it’s just the typical day that the Indian Parliament could act on to make a distant memory for every Indian child forever.

    The Indian Parliament has extended their session to Friday, 6 September to progress a number of important bills before they prepare for election. They are paying attention to what voters are saying as well as the opinions of activists rallying all over the world in defence of the child slaves of India.

     Kalawati won’t have the chance to speak out for her children, but you can – tell the Indian Parliament to pass the Child and Adolescent Labour Abolition Bill TODAY: http://walkfree.org/indiachildslavery

      If passed, the Child and Adolescent Labour Abolition Bill would:
1) prohibit employment of children under 14 years of age;
2) outline harsh sentences for violators; and
3) provide for monitoring of suspected cases of child slavery.

     This legislation would put an end to the enslavement of children in India, but it risks not passing without a demonstration of mass public support.

Will you help? Take action now: http://walkfree.org/indiachildslavery

      Kalawati wants the same futures for her children as every other parent. And she has one more wish – that her children will know a life outside of slavery.

Thank you,

Debra, Ryan, Jessica, Kate, Mich, Amy and the Walk Free Team

*Name changed to protect identity

Visit ann arky's home at www.radicalglasgow.me.uk