Please sign a petition calling for a Commission of Inquiry to investigate 'War on Terror' tactics

Hi everyone,

Please read the email from Avaaz below and consider signing a petition to the US government. This petition is calling for an independent organisation to be set up to investigate abusive tactics used by Bush's War on Terror. You can sign the petition at:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/end_the_war_on_terror/?cl=189600239&v=2913

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This week the US government is debating whether to set up a Commission of Inquiry to look into Bush's 'War on Terror' tactics. This could have major ramifications all the way up the chain of command.

Key US Senators, leading this call for justice, need a massive global endorsement to ensure that the Commission is set up and has real teeth. But there are powerful interests that want to cover up the truth about torture, secret detention and other unlawful abuse.

Sign this important petition below and we will present it to the Senate hearing before decisions are made this week:

 
To the US Government: We welcome President Obama’s announcements to begin to end the abusive tactics and policies of Bush's 'War on Terror'. We urge that an independent body is set up to fully investigate those practices, that those responsible are held accountable, and that future US anti terror practices rigorously conform with human rights principles and the rule of law. With this, a new beginning in global relations is possible.

- The Avaaz Team

Survivors of VIC bushfires to pay for their own housing

According to a Sydney Morning Herald article at http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/bushfire-victims-pay-for-temporary-homes-20090304-8oa0.html, survivors of the Victorian bushfires in Australia will have to pay a  fee for temporary housing. However,housing is for free for the first three months.

Inspecting the first of several temporary community villages under construction, Victorian Premier John Brumby said a maintenance fee was fair and would cover rent on utilities.

Families will be charged between about $40 and $100 a week for portable homes and caravans after the first 12 weeks.

This is worrying me, as many people left their homes with little apart from the clothes on their backs. I understand that the costs are needed for maintenance, but I'm not sure how they're going to pay for housing once the first 3 months have passed. The Victorian Premier was quoted in the article as saying this:

"I don't think it's going to cause difficulties to families, if it does obviously there'll be some provision for exceptional circumstances." 

It would have been good if the premier had mentioned what he meant by 'exceptional circumstances', and what those provisions are.