DigiActive.org

Campaign: E-petition Saves Rainforest in French Guiana

Description: The French government was scheduled to start gold mining in a nature reserve in French Guiana, but an email campaign started by a concerned scientist and his student made all the difference in saving the ecosystem in this South American protectorate. The duo started the campaign with organization Ecological Internet weeks before the French Government gave the final contract to Canadian gold corporation Cambior.

Scientist Pita Verweij and her student Liesbeth Fontein researched consequences of gold mining, like deforestation and water pollution and took action.

Digital Activism tools: website, e-petition campaign

How These Tools Are Being Used: An action alert was post on Ecological Internet’s website in September 2006, describing the detrimental effects of industrial mining on the area’s environment and indigenous people. Below the action alert is space for activists to co-sign their names to a pre-generated protest letter that would automatically be emailed to then French President Jacques Chirac.

Outcome: According to Verweij, tens of thousands of protest mails were sent to the French government. The project stalled in October 2006 due to the volume of emails. The government finally decided not to grant the contract and cancelled the project in February 2008.

“The world needs to stop looking for easy answers to failing global ecosystems; and commence radical, even revolutionary, means to protect our atmosphere, land, water and oceans,” said Ecological Internet president Glen Barry in a statement.“The Earth and humanity’s very survival — being — depends upon protecting and restoring intact ecosystems, ending burning of fossil fuels, reducing human population and consumption, and other sufficient actions to avert global ecological collapse.”

Action Alert: Free Esraa and her Companions

What? Join one of the Facebook groups pushing for the freedom of the 3 digital activists jailed in Egypt: Esraa Abdel-Fattah Ahmed, Mahamed El Sharkawi,and Kareem El Beheiri

When? Now!

Where? The Facebook groups to join are divided linguistically. Join the one in the language you are most comfortable with, as you will likely be receiving messages in that language from the group.

Arabic: Free Esraa افرجوا عن إسراء ورفاقها

English: Free Esraa and her Companions! أفرجوا عن إسراء ورفاقها

French: Libérez Esraa et ses Camarades. Free Esraa.

Norsk: Free Esraa and her Companions!

How? Click one of the links above to visit the group you would and then click the “Join” button on that page.

Why? On April 6th we covered the story of Egyptian activists using a Facebook group, 6 April - اضراب عام لشعب مصر (April 6 - General Strike for the People of Egypt), to drum up participation in a general strike on Sunday, April 6. The group’s founder Esraa Abdel-Fattah Ahmed, and bloggers Mahamed El Sharkawi and Kareem El Beheiri were arrested by Egyptian police in connection with the Facebook group and the call of the strike.

Who is organizing the action? There are slightly different officers and admins for the 4 groups, but Egyptians Hany Elkhayat, Samy Harak, Wael Nawara, Manal Fahmy, and Mohamed Zaki Elsheemi seem to be involved with most of them. Dina Ibrahim is the sole admin of the French group.

Action Alert: Flood the Jail with Mail

What? “Flood the Jail with Mail” campaign in support of detained Egyptian blogger Kareem Suleiman

When?  April 7th through April 21st

Where? From around the world to a jail cell in Alexandria, Egypt

How? Supporters are urged to send their messages of solidarity by mail to Kareem to the following address:

Alexandria, Borg Al-Arab Prison, Room 1 Section 22, Prisoner Abdul Kareem Nabil Suleiman, The Arab Republic of Egypt, Kareem’s address in Arabic (mandatory to be included on the envelope)

Why? “to remind Egyptian authorities that Kareem, bloggers in general and prisoners of conscience over all, are not alone.”

Who is organizing the action? FreeKareem Campaign and the Committee to Protect Bloggers

Kareem Suleiman is an Egyptian blogger and law student who was arrested by Egyptian authorities on  Read more »

Action Alert: Take a Photo for Fouad

What? Take a photo of yourself and your friends showing support for Fouad Mourtada, who was sentence to 3 years in prison for posting a joke profile of the Moroccan King’s brother on Facebook.

When? Now!

Where? Send the picture to helpfouad AT gmail.com, the official e-mail address of his campaign

How? Create a sign with a statement in support of Fouad and then take a picture of yourself, a friend, or co-workers, holding the sign.  Then send the picture to the e-mail address above.

Why? to show that many many people support Fouad.

Who is organizing the action? The Committee to Help Fouad

Action Alert: Sign the Petition to Free Fouad Mourtada

What? e-petition protesting the 3 year prison sentence of Fouad Mourtada, who posted a joke profile of the Moroccan King’s brother on Facebook.

When? Now!

Where? on the Help Fouad web site at http://helpfouad.com/7437/index.html

How? go to the above URL and sign the e-petition
Why? to show the international opposition to this injustice

Who is organizing the action? The Committee to Help Fouad

Action Alert: Unblock Yemen Day

What? Unblock Yemen Day
When? Friday, February 15
Where? on your own blog
How? (1) Cease blogging for a day and instead (2) post one of the following banners on your blog
Why? To protest the blocking of the independent news site YemenPortal.net and at least seven other sites, as well as the violent intimidation of YemenPortal.net editor Walid Al-Saqaf.
Who is organizing the action? Mideast Youth

Banners:

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embed code: <a href=”http://digiactive.org/2008/02/11/action-alert-unblock-yemen-day/”><img style=”width: 180px; height: 200px;” src=”http://digiactive.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/unblock_yemen2.gif” /></a>

embed code: <a href=”http://digiactive.org/2008/02/11/action-alert-unblock-yemen-day/“><img style=”width: 522px; height: 157px;” src=” http://digiactive.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/unblock_yemen_large.gif” /></a>

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Action Alert: Avaaz Calls for Mediation in Kenya

What? Kenya Crisis: Support Kofi Annan Campaign
When? now!
Where? on the Avaaz website
How? Send a message to your government to show Kenya’s leaders that the world supports mediation (the total number of messages sent will be published in a full-page ad in the East Africa Standard in Kenya.)
Why? To stop the violence in Kenya.
Who is organizing the action? international digital advocacy organization Avaaz.org

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Action Alert: Day of Blog Silence for Fouad

What? Day of Blog Silence to Protest the Imprisonment of Blogger Fouad Alfarhan
When? Sunday, January 6, 2008
Where? blogs around the world
How? On that day, bloggers will not write on their blogs, but instead will post a Free Fouad banner, like the one above. (Both banners are posted full-size at the bottom of this post.)
Why? To free a blogger imprisoned for criticiznig his government and to send a message that we will not tolerate the persecution of free speech in the blogosphere.
Who is organizing the action? Mideast Youth Read more »