Force. As protests continue over the Police Shooting of Michael Brown, the United Nations slams the u. S. Record on Police Brutality, torture and guantanamo. We will speak to a member of the United Nations committee against torture. Then a new report reveals u. S. Drone strikes kill 28 unidentified people for every intended target. We will also speak to a peace activist, father of four, who faces two years in prints and dutch prison in sentencing today for protesting outside Air National Guard in syracuse, new york. A kangaroo court. As has been mentioned, these orders of protections which are a very and installation of the law, getting away with this. Theyre trying to keep what goes on over there a secret. The true scene of the crime. And organizers in the United States are holding a national day of action to protest the u. S. Role in the mexican drug war and the disappearance 43 mexican students in september. Actions yourehe going to hold will have repercussions. Not only for us, but students of the school, but for the parents and the thousands of families across the country. And finally, a climate caravan is stopped in ecuador. Their bus confiscated on its way to the u. N. Climate change conference in lima. The group that has organized the caravan feels there been targeted by the ecuadoran governments. All of that and more coming up. Welcome to democracy now, democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman. White house officials have confirmed president obama will nominate Ashton Carter as the next secretary of defense, replacing chuck hagel. An announcement will come after the official vetting process is complete, but carter is said to be the only candidate left after two others withdrew from consideration. Hagel was pushed out last week amid reported differences with the administrations military campaign in iraq and syria. A trained physicist, carter has a long history at the pentagon, previously serving as Deputy Defense secretary. Congressional republicans have reportedly settled on a plan to avoid a Government Shutdown through the start of the new year. The house would vote on a 2015 budget measure while holding a separate vote condemning president obamas recent executive action granting a reprieve to up to 5 million undocumented immigrants. But that vote will be symbolic as it stands no chance in the senate, which democrats still control until the new Congress Begins next month. Republicans will then revisit their efforts to block the executive action when they control both chambers. Testifying before a house panel on tuesday, Homeland Security secretary jeh johnson defended the president s executive action. After clearing all their background checks, these individuals are eligible for Work Authorization and will be able to pay taxes and contribute more fully to our economy. The reality is that given our limited resources, these people are not and have not been for years, priorities for removal. It is time we acknowledge that and encourage them to be held accountable. This is simple, common sense. Under the republican plan, the department of Homeland Security would only be funded through march, setting up a new a fight over president obamas executive action in the new year with republicans in control of congress. Iraqs Central Government in baghdad has reached a deal with the semiautonomous northern kurds on sharing in revenues from the countrys vast oil wealth. The agreement resolves a dispute that began under former iraqi Prime Minister nuri almaliki and ends talk for now of the kurds splitting off to form their own state. An Egyptian Court has sentenced nearly 200 people to die in a mass trial over the deaths of Police Officers in an attack last year. Defense attorneys say the accused were excluded from the courtroom and no effort was made to prove anyones individual guilt. It is the third such mass sentencing of alleged Muslim Brotherhood supporters in less than a year, and comes just days after former dictator mubarak was cleared of all charges in the deaths of hundreds of unarmed protesters rising again against his regime in 2011. The French Parliament has approved a measure setting a twoyear deadline to recognize Palestinian Statehood unless a negotiated solution is reached. The symbolic vote calls for recognizing the state of palestine unless israel agrees to allow Palestinian Statehood through peace talks. Britain, spain, and sweden have advanced similar measures over the past two months. The founders of hong kongs occupy central protest movement have called on demonstrators to pull back from their encampment outside government buildings. Thousands of students have camped out for weeks in a campaign for the right to hold free elections. On tuesday, movement cofounder benny tai said protesters should pull back to avoid more police repression, and said he and two others would surrender themselves to authorities. We appear on the governments hot list. A government that used Police Batons for its authority is beyond reason. For the state of the occupiers safety, for the attention of love and peace as we surrender. We urge the students to retreat, to put down roots and transform the movement to extend the spirit of the umbrella. President obama continues to Lobby Congress for approval of a 6 billion measure to fight the Ebola Outbreak in west africa. Obama spoke tuesday after a tour of the National Institutes of health. We cannot be ebola without more funding. If we want other countries to keep stepping up, we will have to continue to lead the way. And that is why im calling on congress to approve our margin see funding request to fight this disease before they leave for the holidays. It is a good Christmas Present [applause] into theerican people world. Police in missouri said the stepfather of Michael Brown is under investigation for potential incitement. A video taken just after the grand jury decision not to indict officer Darren Wilson for browns death shows louis head in an emotional outburst. He is seen saying, burn this bleep down. Theyre looking at is, that is part of a probe into acts of vandalism and arson that torched 12 buildings the night of the grand jury decision. Browns mother Lesley Mcspadden her husband was speaking from a place of raw anger and should not be judged for his emotional reaction in the moment. A new report says is virtually impossible to keep track of how many people are killed by police in the United States. According to the wall street journal, more than 550 Police Killings are missing from the fbis National Tally between 20072012. In a few dozen cases, the fbis cap bill to include the Law Enforcement agency involved. Meanwhile in new york city, grand jury decision is reportedly imminent in the case of air garner, an africanamerican man who died in a police chokehold, father of six, he died after police wrestled him to the ground and can him down. He was accused of selling loose cigarettes. The grand jury could vote by the end of the week or as early as today on whether to indict the officers involved will stop Comedian Bill Cosby is facing his first lawsuit resulting from the new wave allegations over the drugging, rape, and Sexual Assault of more than 20 women. Plaintiff judy huth is suing cosby for allegedly molesting her 40 years ago, when she was fifteen years old. The suit claims cosby forced huth to perform a sex act on him without her consent. Her complaint says the incident has caused psychological damage and mental anguish in the decades since. It comes one day after cosby resigned from the board of trustees of Temple University amid mounting claims from women who have come forward to accuse him of being a sexual predator. A caravan of environmental activist traveling to the United Nations Climate Summit in lima, peru has been stop at police in ecuador and had their bus seized. Ecuador departed from monday to denounce the extraction of oil Romney National park from the National Park to minot efforts by logical diversity. The group says they were subjected to seven stops in the first 24 hours of the trip, ultimately stranded by the side of a highway last night when ecuadoran authorities seized their school bus. We will go to ecuador and speak with the activists later in the broadcast. And those are some of the headlines, this is democracy now, democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman with juan gonzalez. Welcome to all our listeners and viewers from around the country and around the world. As protests continue over the Police Shooting of Michael Brown in ferguson, missouri, the United States is facing pressure internationally over its failure to put a halt to Police Brutality. In a new report, the United Nations committee against torture expresses deep concern over the frequent and recurrent Police Shootings or fatal pursuits of unarmed black individuals. The panels report was published following a series of hearings in geneva last month. Michael browns parents testified before the panel about their sons killing in ferguson. Michael brown, sr. Spoke to the press after testifying. It is very important for the stepy, making a powerful towards justice. We need your help. That is why were here. We need the help to get this done. That is why were here. The United Nations committee against torture also criticized a number of other u. S. Practices. On torture and imprisonment, the report criticizes the white houses refusal to prosecute george w. Bush Administration Officials for torture and to provide redress to their victims. It also faults the United States for the indefinite imprisonment of foreign nationals at Guantanamo Bay and calls for an end to forcefeedings. The u. N. Torture panel also calls on the Obama Administration to release the Senate Report on cia torture in the most complete and comprehensible form possible. This comes as Senate Democrats have accused the white house of trying to censor key portions. The panel also called for ending u. S. Custody of migrants including children in prisonlike detention facilities. To talk more about the u. N. Report, we go to copenhagan, denmark where were joined by dr. Jens modvig,chief medical officer at dignity, the Danish Institute against torture. He was one of two rapporteurs for the most recent u. N. Report on torture in the u. S. We welcome to democracy now so this was your first report on torture since 2006. Why do it now so many years later him and talk about your main findings. Well, it should be remembered the convention against torture, which has been signed by 156 countries in the world, including the United States, obliges the states to send regularly actually, after each four years, a report to the committee on what has been the progress in terms of implementing the prohibition of torture and preventing that torture takes place. So this is a regular report from the United States in its rate of the review by the committee against torture. To the United States officials participate in your investigation or provide testimony to your panel as well . If so, who was at that participated . Yes, as is normally the case, there was a delegation, 27 officials from the United States headed by ambassador keith harper and assistant secretary of state, including the acting Legal Advisor of the department of state. Over two a q a session days with the u. S. Delegation and the committee, had the opportunity to put questions to the report from the United States. Last month while the u. S. Was preventing its record on human rights to the one committee in geneva, a group of youth activists from chicago rose to their feet with their hands in the air to stage a silent protest. They wore tshirts bearing the name of dominique franklin, 23 euros who died in june after Police Tasered him during an arrest for stealing a bottle of vodka. A member of the group we charge genocide, malcolm london, said the response by u. S. Officials at the hearing has been inadequate. Quick every day in the state in the city of chicago, we charge genocide has a report online for anyone who wants to view it that documents every single day that police violate rights, abuse, Sexual Assault, murder, and kill , particularly people who look like me, who are black, and who are brown. And that is devastating. With the state brought today does not at all cover and or into those questions and is inadequate. While were dying in the street in the state department is putting themselves on the back because they let us stand in a room . Were not fighting for the right to stand in this room, were fighting for the right to be alive. Talks that is malcolm london. He was in geneva. Dr. Jens modvig, if you could talk about this issue of Police Brutality and the significance of the parents of Michael Brown coming to testify. Well, the committee against torture takes an interest in the measures that the United States has in place to control excessive use of force and Police Brutality. , all allegeds cases are investigated, prosecuted, and punished. When we look at the statistics, we heard from the United States delegation that during the last five years, a little over 300 cases have been criminally prosecuted of Police Officers. We ask for the resource of these prosecutions, but we have not received this information. There is still doubt as to whether the mechanisms the whole Police Officers accountable for excessive use of force, police retell of the, even Police Shootings, are probably probably in place. Another issue of ports is whether there independent oversight parties that can check out on the powers administered in a Law Enforcement. And also we have some doubts whether Police Review boards are sufficiently independent. So these are some of the concerns the committee has expressed with United States delegation. You putens modvig, can in context what is happening in the United States, visavis, other advanced industrialized nation, this whole issue of Excessive Force or killings by police of civilians as they perform their Law Enforcement functions . In the United States, more or less, is it somewhat to other countries or is there an outlier in terms of the amount of force used against its citizens . Well, that is difficult to assess exactly because there is not full transparency. We have asked the United States delegation for complete statistics about alleged excessive use of force and the reactions in terms of investigations and prosecutions and punishments. In this is the means to obtain transparency in this field. This is the recommendations that the committee have been doing towards the United States. Can you go through those recommendations . Are that each case of alleged excessive use or force, each complaint over Police Officers, needs to be fully investigated by an independent body. And in case there are basis for prosecution, the prosecution should be done and if found guilty, Police Officers should be punished accordingly. Further, the victims that have been subjected to excessive use of force should be able to receive remedy for this. Opinion on thean grand jury decision that was handed down against the Police Officer who killed mike brown, no indictment . No, i think the committee respects the decision of the grand jury. Were not in a position to evaluate that. I want to play for you comments president obama made six years ago short before he took office about whether the cia officials involved in torture should be prosecuted. He appeared on the abc news program this week. I dont believe anybody has broken the law. On the other hand, i also have a belief that we need to look forward as opposed to looking backwards. And part of my job is to make sure, for example, at the cia, you have extraordinarily talented people who are working very hard to keep americans safe. I dont want them to suddenly feel like theyve got to spend all of their time looking over their shoulders. Talks that was president obama speaking on abc back in january 2009. , your jens modvig response to that and what you found around the issue of torture . There is no doubt according to the convention against torture, state parties has very clear obligation to investigate cases of torture, to prosecute perpetrators of torture, and to punish severely according to the serious nature of the crime of torture. It is a very clear obligation according to the convention. What about your findings at guantanamo . Can you talk about what is happened in the United States over this period since 2001. President obama, closing guantanamo was one of his first exec at a borders within a year of course, that hasnt and its well over six years later. On a positive note, the u. S. Delegation recognized that the convention and its absolute prohibition against torture also applies to extra territories outside the u. S. Where the u. S. Has government authority. And that this includes guantanamo. So first and foremost, there is no doubt that the prohibition against torture also applies for guantanamo detainees. Hasver, the committee raised concern about the continued indefinite detention in guantanamo. Apparently, a number of hunger strikes that are implemented by the detainees in protest of the detention conditions and certainly, also, the procedures that are made official of how hunger strikers are force fed, a treatment that definitely amounts to possibly even torture. , your reportodvig talks about the Death Penalty and especially singles out an issue that weve covered extensively here on democracy now , the issue of botched executions in the United States. Could you talk about that . Quite the committee has made to recommendations in connection with the execution of Death Penalty. The first one is to recommend to the United States to make a moratorium, that is to stop the execution of the Death Penaltys. And secondly, to review the. Rocedures for executions and the reason is, obviously, there has been a number of procedure irregularities in connection with execution of the which haslty is caused unnecessary pain and suffering to those that were going to be executed. Guantanamo,sue of do you feel government officials should be prosecuted . I have no personal feelings in this respect. Im only speaking about what committee has recommended. And obviously, to the degree that torture is been committed or mistreatment has been committed, the United States has an obligation according to International Law to prosecute those responsible for this. Finally, the issue of solitary confinement in juvenile justice in the United States, what you found. There seems to be a disagreement between the United States delegation and committee of whether the use of solitary confinement is widespread or not. In the committee, we have information that is certainly very widespread. But this gives rise to one of the two recommendations, namely, to provide full statistics of the use of solitary confinement, including which groups are subjected to solitary confinement and for how long. The second recommendation of the committee is to regulate much more closely the use of solitary confinement in terms of how long it can be applied in which groups should be absolutely exempt from solitary confinement. For instance, minors and persons with Mental Health disorders. Governmentat the publishes statistics about cases of suicide, attempted suicide, and self harm that occur among those subjected to solitary confinement. Dr. Jens modvig, thank you we know this from scientific studies, this practice is mentally harmful, so it should be reduced to an absolute minimum. We want to thank you for being with us, dr. Jens modvig, chief medical officer at dignity, the Danish Institute against torture. He is a member of the u. N. Committee against torture, and was one of two rapporteurs for the most recent u. N. Report on torture in the u. S. We will link to your report at democracynow. Org. When we come back, we go to berlin to learn about a new drone report in the to syracuse, new york, a father of four facing two years in prison for protesting outside a drone base outside syracuse, new york. Stay with us. [music break] this is democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman with juan gonzalez. A new report finds u. S. Drone strikes kill 28 unidentified people for every intended target on average. While the Obama Administration has claimed its drone strikes are precise, the Group Reprieve found that strikes targeting 41 people in yemen and pakistan have killed more than 1,000 other, unnamed people. In its attempts to kill al qaeda leader Ayman Alzawahiri alone, the cia killed 76 children and 29 adults. Alzawahiri remains alive. Joining us from berlin is jennifer gibson, a staff attorney at reprieve and author of the new report, you never die twice. First of all, jennifer, why that title and talk about your main findings. I think the title is quite selfexplanatory for us. Basically, we started noticing a pattern among the drone strikes with our investigations in pakistan and yemen. The pattern was the same highvalue targets seem to die again and again and again. When we started digging into it and looking at the news reporting, what we found was in targeting 41 highvalue targets, the u. S. Took on average three times with three attempts to kill them and actually, with seven of the individuals, they do not even kill them. Instead, during the multiple attempts, what you had happened was they killed over 1000 people. How were you able to compile the data that you used in the report . What we did was obviously, the program is covert. U. S. Government, despite repeated comments of transparency, has refused to discuss the program on record in any sort of detail. All we had to rely on were public news reports. With those public news reports are often fed by intelligence officials, you either american, pakistani, or yemeni, and it is often those officials who leaked the name of the target is either being targeted or killed in the strike. Your organization reprieve has legal challenges against those involved with drone warfare. Can you talk about them . We have ongoing litigation on behalf of civilian victims of drone strikes, broke in the pakistani both in the Pakistani Court and recently germany, which is where i am today, against the German Government because a u. S. Base shows the orders to give the strikes are coming through that race. So we have brought litigation on behalf of some of the victims of that program here in german court, basically, under the constitution claiming the right to life is being violated. Could you talk in particular about the repeated attempts to . Ill the leader of al qaeda was he reputedly report to have actually been hit or just the strike against him had been launched . Ayman alzawahiri , 76 children lost their lives in attempt to kill him. 142 children have lost their lives to drone strikes. In his case, he was targeted and missed on two different occasions. He is still alive today. There are others that are perhaps even more disturbing. You have a man in pakistan who was targeted three times, killed 120 people were killed in his place. In the end, it was in a drone strike that killed him, but he died of natural causes. What are your recommendations . The administration really needs to come clean on what is happening with this program. It consistently tells the American Public this is a surgical, precise weapon, that the strikes are targeted, dont worry we are only killing bad guys. What this data suggest, theres nothing precise about the program at all. In fact, were potentially killing hundreds in an effort, unsuccessfully in some instances, to get 41 men on a kill list who may or may not be a threat to the u. S. That, in my opinion, makes it less safe rather than more safe. Jennifer gibson, thank you for being with us staff attorney , at the International Legal charity reprieve. Speaking to us from berlin, germany, as we move back to the United States. As we continue looking at the u. S. Drone program, we go now to syracuse where a longtime peace activist is facing up to two years in prison for demonstrating outside the gates of the Hancock Field Air National Guard base which is used to remotely pilot drones. Mark colville is heading to court today to be sentenced stemming from his arrest last december. As action was part of fiveyearold Nonviolent Campaign organized by the upstate drone coalition. Over that time, more than one or two people have been arrested. Mark colville is a member of the Amistad Catholic worker in new haven, connecticut. Mark, welcome to democracy now. Within a few hours, you will learn your fate. You face two years in prison. Tell us exactly what you did, the date, the time, and what your action was. Thank you for having me on juan. Ow, amy and essentially, what i did almost a year ago now, it was december 9, 2013, i attempted to intervene on behalf of of the family in afghanistan that has experienced against the couple trauma of witnessing loved ones being blown to pieces in a drone strike. One member of the family, a a man named raz mohammed, wrote a personal plea to the u. S. Court and government as well as the military to stop these drone strikes on his people. I want to interrupt you for a minute because we do have a clip of raz mohammed in his own words. I think drones are not good. I remember how in my village a drone attack killed my brotherinlaw and four of his friends. It was truly sad. A Beautiful Life was burned. Those are the words of raz mohammed from afghanistan. Talk about this, mark colville, what you did. Written we took razs plea and we walked peacefully and orderly to the outside gate of the 174th attack wing and hancock airfield with the sole purpose of try to deliver this plea directly to one of the base commanders, colonel earl evans. Advent andseason of its Christian Churches and we brought along a litany of prayers for saints and martyrs. We brought a dozen roses along with the plea. We simply wanted to have that. Eceived by the base commander the base personnel indicated colonel evans was not going to come out, so then we simply asked if we could have razs plea received and acknowledged. At that point, the military personnel were ordered not to engage us anymore in conversation. And so we decided just remain there until we received a response. About an hour later, the local police came and arrested us. Say the drone base located within the jurisdiction of this court where i am appearing today for sentencing, it is operating beyond the reach of law. And that was really the reason why chose to go to the base. S plea to be heard in a court. This appeared to be the only way that a court would hear it. In fact, it was read in open court by one of the military personnel who i crossexamined. Mark, when you hear this previous segment that we had of a report by reprieve that an average of 28 unidentified people are being killed for every single targeted drone strike, your reaction . Known, and it has been reported here on democracy now and in previous reports over the years, that as i said, the Drone Program operates it is based on a foundation of criminality. I mean, the United States government through its Drone Program, is claiming the legal right to target assassinations, extrajudicial killings, indiscriminate killings, and the targeting deliver early of civilians. For example, even the military admits that one of its modes of operation in drone strikes is something that they have called double tapping. Which is that after striking the target, the drone is directed back to that same target 20 minutes or half an hour later in order to strike again after First Responders have come to help the wounded. So it is on a foundation of criminality. As we have experienced in numerous public actions and airfield, hancock this program operates beyond the reach of courts and law. And what were trying to do is to get courts to engage the criminality in which the United States government is engaged through the Drone Program. How unusual is hancock and how central is it to the Drone Program . Well, in large part, the Drone Program is operated in secrecy. We do know that the Hancock Drone base, the one 74th attack wing, focuses its missions on afghanistan. Their weaponize drones. They carry 500 pound bombs and hellfire missiles. It is a difficult to get specific information about which attacks are launched were directed from which drone base. There are about a dozen throughout the United States that we know about. And were just trying to bring this to light. We are trying to have this brought to the scrutiny of the courts. Now im going to court this afternoon about seven hours from now. I was convicted of five separate charges percent a walking peacefully to the front outside gate of the drone base. What were those five what were those charges . Five charges. Two counts of disorderly conduct, one of trespass which, by the way, are conflictual charges because the one requires the act take place on public property and the other on private property. Obstruction of governmental administration, which is the obstruction of lawful government administration. Which we contend, and i contended in court, that the operation behind the gates of hancock is not lawful. I was also charged with a contempt of court charge based on kind of a cynical manipulation of the law that this court has engaged in by issuing orders of protection on behalf of of the base commander, colonel evans. Against protesters. As if we are a physical threat to colonel evans. So they have actually manipulated these Domestic Violence laws, essentially, to try to intimidate people and keep them from going to exercise their rights outside the base. Mark, as we wrap up and you face two years in prison, what are you telling your kids, your four children . Well, im telling my kids, and they understand, that whatever hardships we are about to endure through the injustice of this court, that we should keep raz mohammeds family ever in our vision and try to unite our own sufferings to the incredible sufferings that he and his extended family have gone through. And that is the way that we go forward. We are well prepared for whatever the judge decides to do. As i intend to tell the judge, anything that he does in the court today makes no condemnation of my actions. The court is condemning itself by stopping up its years to the law. Mark colville, thank you for being with us, with the Amistad Catholic worker in new haven, connecticut. Being sentenced today for protesting outside syracuse, new york. Thek you to our friends at pbs station in syracuse, new york. ,his is democracy now democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Happened to a group of environmentalists as they try to take their school bus through ecuador . Stay with us. [music break] this is democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman with juan gonzalez. Today, organizers in the United States are working with the movement in mexico that was triggered by the disappearance of 43 students in september. They plan to hold protests outside of federal buildings in more than 43 u. S. Cities. This is a video message from students in ayotzinapa who survived the attack, calling on people to participate. The issue concerns us at this moment a students alongside parents a much of mexican society, we are struggling for 43 colleagues who are abducted by the police department. Todays protests are organized by a group using the hashtag ustired2, which is the englishlanguage counterpart to the hashtag yamecanse, a campaign in mexico to protest state violence and human rights abuses. U. S. Aid to military and Police Forces in mexico totals more than 3 billion since 2008. Organizers are calling for a halt to the funding until human rights abuses by Security Forces are addressed. On monday, the twoyear anniversary of mexican president Enrique Pena Nietos rule was marked by mass protests. A march through mexico city ended with a rally where parents of the missing students spoke. This is Clemente Rodriguez, father of missing student cristian rodriguez. We are going to look for them. We are going to find them because it is been more than two months and we dont know anything about our children. All of this comes as mexican president Enrique Pena Nieto has announced a package of constitutional reforms that would centralize the command of local police under state agencies, and give the federal government power to dissolve local governments linked to drug cartels. Pena nieto spoke monday. Andith what has happened with what mexicans have done, theres clearly a before and after. It is clear it exposed the vulnerability of municipal governments. It is clear it exposed the institutional weaknesses in confronting organized crime, which today, is of greater number and with weapons and a capacity that are stronger than they had in the past. This is why the government and the republic and the entire country and its institutions, particularly those which had security, need to be solidly prepared to combat and face organized crime. With onein in new york of the organizers behind u. S. The initiative, roberto lovato. And were also joined in mexico city, by clemente, who son is one of the missing 43 students. Roberto, why the linkage between the u. S. And mexico . Theuse the linkage roots, cultural, political, repressive, are there in terms of government and from below. From below, we have organized mentioned, wen are saying, we are tired, too. 43 cities, more than 43 cities are going to be organized today to basically light a candle to tell the story of the 43 disappeared people as we bring light on the darkness of u. S. Aid to the government of Enrique Pena Nieto that ranks in the billions. People can go online and find a city and i would just say this if you love mexico, like many of us do, this is your greatest opportunity to send a powerful message to the people of mexico that we love you and your not alone anymore. But also to the government of barack obama for providing that aid in military aid to human rights abusers that are disappearing people, 225,000 people in many dead, many of whom were killed by their own government, and to the people of mexico, we want to say, we are with you. This is our greatest opportunity. Check out the website ustired2. Com and join something that will be historic. How do these 43 people die . The 43 people arent dead yet. That is the issue. When you talk to the families in mexico, as we have, were Still Holding out the expectation that they will be found and found alive. We need to raise the candle to that darkness that our government and even some people in our media here in the United States, dont want to talk about with the u. S. Training, arming, and Political Support for what even conservatives, human rights activists like from human rights watch, say is the worst human rights crisis in latin america and the last 30 years. Talks were also joined by Clemente Rodriguez in mexico city, his 19yearold son christian cell phones a rodriguez is one of these 43 missing students. He went to sing after just enrolling in the school in the area, a town in the Southern State of guerrero. Welcome to democracy now can you tell us the importance of having this solidarity in the United States to your cause . My son has been disappeared for over a month since september 26, and havent had any information about him. They havent seen anything from my son. Fighting to look for him to find him. Since presented myself that day to find him and the , including finding other parents and organizing with them in the hills and they dont know anything. What do you think happened to him, mr. Rodriguez . We are demanding the government of Enrique Pena Nieto to tell us the whereabouts of our sons. Tellingpena nieto is us, giving us all these things and thee findings police in inequality have been tombs, a lot of unknown but my heart tells me mys our sons are still alive. Quite and the importance of these protests in the United States . It is very important because from the border, we can demand Enrique Pena Nieto to present the 43 students. Bringerto, i want to roberto back into this discussion. For people who arent following the story of the disappeared students, they were teaching students, learning to be teachers. They were teachers called [indiscernible] theyre very engaged directly with the communities and their only crime was to demand a better life for people in mexico. That is the only thing that they did. If that is a crime in mexico, we need to stop the people calling it a crime. As the search goes on for them, mass graves and bodies have been found all over. Is that right . In mexico . If you talk to people in mexico, you hear the story all the time from parents, heartbreaking stories, searching for their children in mass graves, not knowing if they are in there. I have seen mass graves like in central america. When you smell that, you smell the decomposing flesh in the soil, you listen to those grieving parents, worried parents, that maybe that is my child in their whose remains are there. People really want to do something about that, the today is the best opportunity to do that in the streets of the United States. Our tax dollars are paying for the guns, paying for the troops, and we providing political protection to the government that is overseeing all of this, which is the governor government of Enrique Pena Nieto. Whatve to stop that aid or we call plan mexico. It is the entire country that is working with more than 2. 4 billion that weve been giving to create more tragedy in stories like this. We want to send a message to the people of mexico, you are not alone, and to the government, your darkness is done. Were going to start taking out your aid package that is destroying lives like these. Roberto, most americans are under pressure under impression this moneys when a fight drug trafficking. Could you talk about that . You look at the reporting on mexico. We just waking up to the fact that racism is Immigration Reform and the criminalization of mexico, the crisis come has led to a dehumanization that has allowed 100,000 people to die in mexico without arguing a whole lot. It is the dehumanization you need in order to perpetrate this impunity. Relationship between people afforded to mexico and killed in mexico . Be of a case in los angeles, someone in our coalition, you can see it in the l. A. Times, a man who was deported, her brother, and then captured by the police and disappeared. Families like this are getting death threats, even in the United States. The best opportunity for people to do anything is today on the streets of the United States. Thank you for being with us, roberto lovato, one of the organizers behind the ustired2 initiative. In honor of the 43 missing students. Come into rodriguez, thank you for joining us from mexico city, his 19yearold son christian is one of those missing students. As weak and in latin america, we. Urn to a caravan a caravan of 17 environment lacked was traveling to the United Nations Climate Summit in lima, peru has been stopped by authorities in ecuador and their bus has been seized. Activist with the group the parted on monday departed on monday to announce the extraction of oil from ecuadors National Park, an area of the amazon renowned for its biological diversity. The group says they were subjected to seven stops in the first 24 hours of their trip and ultimately stranded by the side of a highway last night when authorities seized the refurbished school bus. For more, we go to ecuador where were joined by two guests. Coordinator of the climate caravan and a journalist reporting for Community Radio in ecuador as well as other outlets. Explain how you ended up at a police base last night. Thanks for having us on. Basically, what happened last night is the result of the tripce having stalked out for the last 24 hours. We have been stopped about eight times in the last 24 hours come all of this resulting in last night been taken to an unknown location. It was a Police Station on the side of a highway with no lights, no lights from about half a mile out either way on the highway. We are there until 4 00 in the morning to find her own transportation. Why do you think you are being stopped like this in your school bus seized . Well, we think maybe because the president of ecuador doesnt want the world to know what is happening with the National Park. It is one of the most bio diverse places in the world. What is happening with the , denying our right [indiscernible] that we propose to the government of ecuador. We will continue to follow your journey. We will be covering the u. N. , summit in lima on week. Thank you so much for joining us. Democracy now is looking for feedback from people who appreciate the closed captioning. Email your comments to outreach democracynow. Org or mail them to democracy now p. O. Box 693 new york, new york 10013. [captioning made possible by democracy now ]
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