[Immigration news] Mysterious deaths in New Jersey immigration facility

The New York Times had a disturbing article about the Elizabeth Detention Center, an immigration jail in New Jersey. The piece explores the mysterious circumstances of 66 detainee deaths that occurred in the facility between 2004-07. The piece features the story of a 52 year old tailor from Guinea who overstayed his tourist and somehow ended up in a coma with skull fractures and brain hemorrhages.

Death of Two Sons film available on DVD

The production team of the Death of Two Sons film, including Guinea RPCV Micah Schaffer, passes along the following info:

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

Many of you have expressed to us what an important film you believe "Death of Two Sons" to be. Before the academic year comes to an end, we'd like to ask your help in getting the film seen by more people in a couple of easy places: your school and your public library.

If you are a student or teacher, or are otherwise affiliated with a school or college, please request that your school library or department purchase a copy for their collection.

You can also request the film at your local public library.

DVDs for sale at our website:

http://ent.groundspring.org/EmailNow/pub.php?module=URLTracker&cmd=track&j=206892245&u=2119971

or by calling: 212-501-6260

The educational DVD for colleges and universities, which includes the rights to exhibit the film publicly, is $249.95.

High Schools and public libraries can purchase DVDs at the retail price of $24.95.

Once you've put in a request for a school or library to purchase a copy, please email us at contact @ deathoftwosons.com so that we can follow up.

Many thanks to those of you who have helped get this film seen already.

Best,

Alrick, Micah, Claudine, Ralph, and the "Death of Two Sons" Production team.

[Blog news] Help diversify this blog!

In this blog, I generally post all kinds of news items relating to Guinea, the Peace Corps, FOG as well as development and human rights issues. If you have any news items or tips you'd like highlighted in the blog, please email me.

Furthermore, I would like to diversify the content in the blog by seeking outside submissions of all kinds. If you have any memoirs, old journal entries, political essays or any other writings on the above topics or subjects FOGers might be interested, please email it to me.

I'd like to make the blog one of the central sites in English for news, information and commentary about Guinea.

Thanks,
Brian Farenell
FOG Communications Director and Blog Admin
Email: communications @ friendsofguinea.org

[Misc] Susu translator sought

FOG secretary Dr. Stephanie Chasteen passes this along:

The government contracting organization SOS International (http://www.sosiltd.com/) is seeking a US Citizen to translate some Susu text.

The pay rate is $40/hour. You would be emailed audio and text in Susu, and you would respond with an emailed translation.

Unfortunately the job does require that the translator be a US Citizen.

If you are interested, or know someone who might be, please contact Joshua Parker at joshua.parker @ sosiltd.com with any questions.

[FOG/RPCV News] Possible reunion of late 90s Guinea RPCVs

RPCV Herb Caudill writes:

If you were in Peace Corps/Guinea, class of 1997, please join http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Guinea1997 to participate in discussions about a possible reunion in 2009, on the occasion of the 10-year anniversary of COS. Membership in the group is open (no invitation necessary). People just need to go to the address above and click the big “Join this group!” button to sign up. If you were in a Stage near ours, feel free to join as well!

[Arts news] Review of new Guinean film

Variety has a review (in English) of the new Guinean film Il va pleuvoir sur Conakry (Clouds over Conakry).

[Human rights news] Asylum help sought

Lilian Dalke of Human Rights First writes:

Human Rights First is looking for a country conditions expert on Guinea to provide an affidavit of support and testify in support of the asylum claim of one of our clients. The client is scheduled for his individual (final merits) hearing on June 24, 2008. If you are a scholar whose area of research includes Guinea and you might be able to assist in this time frame, please contact me with your CV at the information below, which I will forward to the client’s attorneys.

If you are a scholar who will not be able to assist on this particular case but might be interested in being contacted about future cases, I would appreciate hearing from you, as we handle a large number of cases from Guinea .

Thanks for any assistance you might be able to provide.

If you can help Lily, please contact her at DalkeL@HumanRightsFirst.org

[PC Guinea news] 2008 girls' conferences set for late June

PCV Camilio Forero reports: The [girls'] conference this year will be held in Mamou from June 23 - 27. The conferences this year will not be held in Kankan or Boke, as there are only 49 volunteers currently in country and we figured it would be best to combine our resources for a Girls Conference in one central location. We are planning on having about 40 attendees...

[Sports news] Guinea faces stadium ban for World Cup qualifiers

The Guinean national soccer team risks forfeiting home field advantage during its qualifying run for the 2010 World Cup. The international soccer federation FIFA has ordered the Guinean authorities to make several improvements to Conakry's 28th of September Stadium to address security concerns. Guinea's qualifying campaign is scheduled to start on May 30 at home vs Zimbabwe.

[Guinean news] Threats of another general strike

The IRIN news service has an article warning of further labor unrest in Guinea. The country's trade unions are reportedly considering whether to go ahead with a general strike at the end of March.

During the 2007 general strike, unions demanded an independent prime minister, a post filled with their accord by former diplomat Lansana Kouyaté.

However, union officials criticize the government as 'dysfunctional'. Some argue that Kouyaté has never been truly given the authority he needs to implement needed reforms.