The First Post is the Hardest

Like anything I write this is something that will grow and change over time.  Something that in its infancy will seem a little disjointed and chaotic, perhaps even with little sense of purpose.  I suppose that is the slight difference with this and with the fiction I write in notebooks because this has more of a clear idea.  I want to use this blog to express in a public forum my thoughts and views on various human rights, animal rights and inevitably some of my views on world and national politics.  I may also have posts on my fiction writing and what is going on in my life - I will see how it develops.

Recently, I became a member of Amnesty International (I'm waiting for my free t-shirt as I type!) and I often read through the human rights issues they are fighting against on their website.  As a result of this I often write pressuring letters to various MPs and governments, lobbying for human rights. I recently wrote to the Zimbabwe Ambassador in London demanding that members of Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) be free from harassment when demonstrating their international right to peaceful protest. As it stands they are maltreated by local authorities, sometimes even beaten by them.

I also write letters as part of Born Free's ongoing Activate campaign. A few times a year they email me about a specific animal related cause and give me the address to write to. The most recent one was about an Sardinian aquarium that does not meet the needs of its turtles. They live in small tanks and are riddled with illness. My letter demanded that they be returned to a rescue centre and rehabilitated back to the wild.

As you can see what I write about varies but the unifying ideal is acceptable quality of life.  There are internationally recognised human rights, which often get breeched, that need to be adhered to.  For example, in the case of Ramze Shihab Ahmed (dual Iraqi-British national) his right to a fair trial was violated.  He was found guilty of funding terrorist groups after a fifteen minute trial, during which his own lawyer was not permitted to cross examine witnesses, based on a confession he gave under alleged torture.  Clearly, his case needs re-examining and I along with many others feel driven to say something.

I believe animals in captivity should have all their basic needs met, not be exploited, and in most cases should be rehabilitated into the wild.  I wouldn't go as far as to say having a pet (or several) is wrong or even that zoos should be disbanded, as they can be educational and their breeding programmes beneficial. What I would say however is that the animals should have fresh food and water as often as they need, a safe environment that caters to them, high quality care and veterinary care as required.  In many instances this does not happen as people do not provide animals with their necessities and I find I do not feel comfortable staying quiet.

There are many good things about people and this planet but I am also concerned by many issues that still need work. Rather than just complain about them to no one in particular I try to make my voice count towards making the change. Whether or not I actually make a difference I do not know but I feel I must keep trying. I also try to only write with regards to causes I really care about, that seems important – though I find that most causes I read about touch me in some way.