Get on the Bus
for Human Rights
Turns Sweet 16!
Celebrate with Amnesty Group 133
in Manhattan
on April 8, 2011!
www.gotb.org
What is Get on the Bus
for Human Rights?


Get on the Bus (GOTB) is an annual day
of human rights education and action,
organized by Amnesty International Local
Group 133.
Held each spring in New York City, GOTB
brings together high school students,
college students, Amnesty local group
members, and allies for a day of human
rights education and rallying for change.
Think Global, Act Local

AIUSA members organize largest
volunteer-run AIUSA event in the country!

Grown from 30 to 1,200 + participants!

Annual proposal process to decide key
human rights actions/campaigns.
The First Get on the Bus:
“Ken Saro-Wiwa, we will not forget!”

Get on the Bus began in 1996 when a member of AIUSA Group
133 suggested a trip to New York City to visit the United Nations.
A second group member recommended demonstrating in front of
the Nigerian Consulate to express outrage over the executions of
environmental activist/writer Ken Saro-Wiwa and the Ogoni Nine.

On April 19, 1996, 30 members of Group 133 and allies gathered at
the Nigerian Consulate to protest against the assassinations of Ken
Saro-Wiwa and his colleagues and meet with the Nigerian Consul
General. Although the protest was very small, the Consul General
was intimidated by the group and the fact that a protest occurred on
his door step.

The group also went to the United Nations, and met with staff from
the UN Secretary General’s office, as well as Amnesty’s
representatives to the United Nations.
A Day in the Life of GOTB

5:30 a.m.
Buses depart from Boston (and regional meeting points e.g.,
Worcester, Cape Cod, Maine and New Hampshire)

10 - 11 a.m.
Arrive in NYC (Cooper Union); NY, NJ, and CT based activists
travel via public transportation

11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Speakers Panel: Survivors, key activists, human rights experts

1:30 - 5 p.m.
Actions outside consulates, UN Missions, corporate
headquarters

5 p.m.
Depart for home -- Back in Boston by 11 p.m.
Some GOTB Successes

Xu Wenli: ‘99 Chinese Consulate actions; freed in
2002

Tenzin Delek Rinpoche: ‘04, ‘05, ‘06 Chinese
Consulate actions; death sentence commuted
2005

Professor Mesfin Woldemariam: ‘06, ‘07
Ethiopian Mission actions; freed Summer 2007
Recent Successes

Media Workers in Sri Lanka: ’08, ‘09 ‘10
Sri Lankan Mission actions, expressed
concerns directly to Ambassador; ‘10 Sri
Lankan journalist/prisoner of conscience
Tissa freed

Burma: ‘08, ‘09, ‘10 UN actions; ‘08
Prisoners of conscience U Win Tin and Ma
Khin Khin Leh freed; ‘10 Aung San Suu
Kyi freed
to
Get on the Bus 2011: Taking
Action to Protect Human Rights
Around the World!
China/Tibet Action Get on the Bus 2011:
China, Free Tibetan Filmmaker Dhondup
Wangchen!
Sri Lanka Action Get on the Bus 2011:
United Nations, conduct an independent
war crimes investigation in Sri Lanka!
Chad/Darfur Action Get on the Bus 2011:
Protect Refugees from Darfur and Internally
Displaced Persons!
Indonesia Action Get on the Bus 2011:
Free West Papuan Activist/Prisoner of
Conscience Filep Karma!
India Side Action Get on the Bus 2011:
Justice for Survivors in Bhopal!
Roles for SACs


Familiarize yourself with Get on the Bus and
basics of this year’s event
Do outreach to student activists in your region,
(via phone/email/in-person meetings) to:





Let activists know about this year’s GOTB
Encourage participation
Follow-up and answer questions
Help to coordinate regional transportation, if
outside the Greater Boston area
Help inspire students to become active
participants in GOTB
Opportunities for Students to
Get Involved

Works with SACs to coordinate regional
transportation and outreach, including phone
bank (outside Boston-metro area)

Outreach - monthly tabling, building
relationships with affinity groups, raising
awareness on campus and in the community

Traditional and Social Media - Contributing to
blog, helping with graphic/web design, outreach
to newspapers, radio stations, etc.
More Opportunities for Students
to Get Involved

GOTB Action Team – Help in planning event as
a whole

Action/Rally Planning Teams – Help in planning
for a particular action, such as the Tibet action

Day of GOTB - Passing out fliers, engaging
passersby leading chants, bringing homemade
posters and banners, etc.
Get on the Bus and Raise Your
Voice for Human Rights!
Amnesty International Local Group 133 of
Somerville, Massachusetts
www.gotb.org
http://tinyurl.com/facebook-gotb
www.twitter.com/aiusa_gotb
gotb@amnesty133.org