CHICAGO MEDIA ACTION ELECTRONIC ALERT: August 12, 2003 http://www.chicagomediaaction.org This is a reminder of two screenings this week of the film "Afghan Massacre." Details of the film and of the screenings are in the press release below. We hope you can attend. *** *** *** *** *** *** *** CONTACT: Scott Sanders, Chicago Media Action 847-679-8032; scott@chicagomediaaction.org; www.chicagomediaaction.org Event flyer: http://www.chicagomediaaction.org/pdffiles/AfghanMassacreflyer.pdf FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 12, 2003 A New Film About A Massacre of the Taliban in Afghanistan in Late 2001, to be Screened August 14th and 15th, Addresses Important Questions About the Incident and the U.S. Role in It. Since the fall of Konduz in November 2001, numerous eyewitness accounts and an overwhelming volume of evidence have shown that it is likely that America's Afghan allies committed a horrifying mass killing of between two and three thousand Taliban POWs. Thousands of prisoners were packed into metal shipping containers and driven by truck through the desert for up to four days, with no air, food or water - many died of suffocation and dehydration. Appallingly, some of the POWs say they survived the transit by licking the sweat and blood off the dead. Victims were dumped into large, bulldozed pits near Dasht-e-Leili, in northern Afghanistan. * Why have official investigations of this human rights abuse been stymied? * Are violent vengeance-seekers being bred by this lawless approach? * Where were U.S. Special Forces at the time of the slaughter and what did they know? * What has been the U.S. role since the discovery of the mass graves? * And why has the U.S. media, including PBS and WTTW, failed to give this major story continuing attention? Members of the press and public are invited to attend programs which feature the film "Afghan Massacre: Convoy of Death", (U.K. 2002 - 50 min.). This film was directed by award-winning veteran Scottish filmmaker Jamie Doran, who also created the documentary "The Making of 2001: A Space Odyssey" in consultation with Arthur C. Clarke. Appearing in person will be guest speaker John Heffernan, Senior Communications Associate for the Boston-based human rights group Physicians for Human Rights. Physicians for Human Rights, co-winner of the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize, discovered the mass graves; Heffernan was the key force behind last year's Newsweek magazine cover story which led to the U.N.'s theoretical acceptance of an official investigation into the massacre. That article concluded, "There is no real moral justification for the pain and destruction of combat if it is not to defend the rule of law.": Thursday, August 14, 7PM - open to the public Skokie Public Library, 5215 Oakton, Skokie. Friday, August 15, 8PM - admission $7 Columbia College Ferguson Theater, 600 S. Michigan Avenue, Chicago. These events are sponsored by Chicago Filmmakers, Chicago Media Action, and Not In Our Name. For directions to Skokie Public Library, call 847-673-7774. *** *** *** *** *** *** *** This is an alert from Chicago Media Action, a Chicago activist group devoted to media issues. Chicago Media Action, P.O. Box 14140, Chicago IL 60614-0140 Call toll-free 1-866-260-7198. Web: www.chicagomediaaction.org; email: cma@chicagomediaaction.org To unsubscribe from this mailing list, simply send an email requesting removal to mailinglist@chicagomediaaction.org