12/19/2013 #NotYourAsianSidekick, Section 377, NEFFCON and the Peace Movement in the Philippines

[audio http://archives.kpfa.org/data/20131219-Thu1900.mp3]

Click here to download this episode.

On tonight’s installment:

nyas-img

Those of you on the Twitterverse may have seen a surge of tweets labeled #NotYourAsianSidekick. What is it? What does it mean? In the studio to talk about the twitter movement and it’s translations to on the ground organizing is Cayden Mak, New Media Director of 18 Million Rising.

Protestors gather in San Francisco's Castro neighborhood to protest the India Supreme Court decision. Photo by Urvi Nagrani

Protestors gather in San Francisco’s Castro neighborhood to protest the India Supreme Court decision.
Photo by Urvi Nagrani

Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code dates back to 1861, introduced during British rule of India, criminalizing sexual activities “against the order of nature.”

In 2009, Section 377 was struck down by the High Court of Delhi. It was declared unconstitutional with respect to sex between consenting adults.

However, the judgment was overturned last week, by the Supreme Court of India, which found that Section 377 is a Parliamentary matter, not a judicial one.

To help us understand the history, the context, and the work that begins again to repeal 377, R.J. Lozada brings in Mohammed Shaik Hussain Ali, Secretary, Trikone and Editor of Trikone Magazine. Trikone is one of the oldest South Asian LGBTQ organizations in the world, based in San Francisco, CA.

NEFFCON Nor-Cal gathers to urge the Philippine government to engage in the peace process. Photo by Megumi Yoshida.

NEFFCON Nor-Cal gathers to urge the Philippine government to engage in the peace process. Photo by Megumi Yoshida.

The National Ecumenical Forum for Filipino Concerns – North California Chapter, or NEFFCON Nor-Cal, is composed of several churches in the Northern California region.

NEFFCON-NorCal Chapter is a Forum for continuing dialogue of life leading to a shared theological perspective, common decision and coordinated courses of action on issues and concerns affecting the Filipino people in the Philippines and the Filipinos and Fil-Americans in the US. It is Ecumenical in the pristine sense of the word: “to take care of the inhabited earth” together.

Kathryn Poethig, member of NEFFCON’s organizing  committee, and longtime peace-worker in Southeast Asia, will be joining host, R.J. Lozada to talk about NEFFCON’s work, the church in the Philippines, and the long history towards peace in the Philippines.

COMMUNITY CALENDAR:

On Friday, 12/20, 9:30 AM Please join an international day of action at the Consulate of India (540 Arguello Blvd., San Francisco)to support the domestic worker exploited by the Deputy Consul General of India. Devyani Khobragade was arrested for lying to the State Department in regards to the terms of employment listed on the visa for her nanny and housekeeper in New York. She claimed the worker would be paid $4500 a month and then only paid her $3.31 an hour. She also verbally abused her, confiscated her passport and told her she had no other options.

http://www.facebook.com/events/269525926534931/

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