Newspaper Page Text
Page*
The Hnl tod Black
Teewlay, Sept. 27, ISM
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Amnesty concentrates on human rights
0
By LICK SMITH
H.X ..a HI., k null HrKrf
While most people lit and
complain about injustice, a
group in Athens has decided
to take action An old
proverb, "Better to light one
candle than to curse the
darkness." is the group's
philosophy
A mixture of 10 students
and Athens residents makes
up the local chapter of
Amnesty International, a
worldwide organization
dedicated to human rights
Independent of any
religious or political ties.
Amnesty International
works for the release of
•prisoners of conscience"
The group defines these as
people who have been im
prisoned for their beliefs and
who haven't used or ad
vocated violence
In response to their work,
the group received the Nobel
Peace Prize in 1977 for its
conbriiution to "securing the
ground for freedom, for
justice, and thereby also for
peace in the world "
Community groups
provide the core of Amnesty
International by writing
letters and sending petitions
to governments who hold
prisoners of conscience
According to an Amnesty
International pamphlet,
there are over 290,000
members worldwide and
13,000 members in the
United States
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Georgia has three chap
ters in Atlanta. Augusta and
Athens
The Athens' chapter,
formed in 1981, is in a
regrouping phase With only
10 members, the group is
searching for new people to
help in its fall campaign
against political killings and
its investigation of a
possible human rights
violation in Taiwan
Most members join
because they want to make a
contribution to human
rights, says Roy Howard.
Amnesty International
regional membership co
ordinator
"Being a member of Al is
something anyone can do,"
Howard says. "It’s not just
sitting around and talking
about how bad everything
is."
Besides offering a chance
to get involved, Amnesty
International appeals to
many because it's politically
impartial and researches
each case accurately, says
Larry Burns, group co
ordinator
“It's a very apolitical
organization," Burns says
"It's mission is only to work
on human rights issues ”
Bums says human rights
violations are investigated
worldwide - from the Soviet
Union to Central America
Amnesty’s research head
quarters in London does
not document any violations
until they have been verified
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Amnesty logo
by three independent
sources
"Once we go public with
information," Howard says,
“we're willing to stand by it
with anyone ”
When Amnesty In
ternational discovers a
person is a prisoner of
conscience, information is
sent to one of its local groups
so that it can adopt a
prisoner The group then
writes letters to (he
government urging the
prisoner's release
The Athens' group has two
adoption cases One of them
was a prisoner in Guinea,
who was just released
And for the past two years,
they have been writing to
Soviet prison officials to
release Vladimir Kislik, a
prominent nuclear physicist
who has been vocal about
leaving the Soviet Union
Kislik is now on a work-
release parole
“We write him letters to
let him know he hasn't been
forgotten," says Barbara
Johnson, group treasurer
If one case isn’t working
out. there arc always other
activites to work on Group
members are now writing
letters to government of
ficials in Taiwan about a
possible prisoner of con
science
“We always go through
official channels," says
Jeannie Jenkins, a graduate
student “We are always
courteous and never badger
the officials "
In addition to the letter
writing, the Athens group is
starting a campaign to make
the local community more
aware of political killings
Ken Morris, campaign co
ordinator, said there would
be petition and letter drives
and educational events with
speakers having first hand
experience about political
killings
Despite efforts to educate
the public. Amnesty In
ternational remains a
controversial group in
Athens
"Some think we're
communists," says Guy
Chan, a long time member
“And others think we re a
right wing'group "
The group used to meet at
a local bank but was asked to
leave because they were
considered too con
troversial.
The major point of con
troversy is Amnesty In
ternational’s opposition to
the death penalty. "Being
opposed to the death penalty
is unpopular in this part of
the country,” Jenkins says
“The United States is one
of the few developed
countries that hasn't
abolished the death
penalty,” he says. “We’re in
great company with the
Soviet Union and South
Africa ”
Howard says Amnesty
International opposes the
death penalty because it
violates basic human rights
Despite obstacles such as
the death penalty con
troversy, the group per
severes Members, though,
will readily admit their work
can be frustrating
"We try to rotate
responsibilities." Burns
said, "to keep people from
burning out ”
Howard said he would
continue however, to do
Amnesty International
work
"If I quit writing and
speaking out," he says,
“then repressive countries
have won They will think
they can keep people un
justly locked up "
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Kuxsell Ki>e /Thr Red and Black
Mike Bowden and Dave Williams bicycled
52,000 miles this summer
Student cyclists
trek across U.S.
for arthritis
By CYNTHIA MORTON
Hnl • nd HI.cS Sun w filer
Mike Bowden and Dave Williams — two University
students — bicycled 52,01X1 miles across the country this
summer for the Arthritis Foundation
Bowden said the trip was something he'd always wanted
to do because he is a victim of arthritis
"I just wanted to do something for those w ith arthritis,"
Bowden said, "because I've seen what it can do People
come into the doctor's office crippled bv arthritis '
Bowden, a 21-year-old agricultural engineering major,
advertised for a partner lo goacro6s the country with him
in The Red and Black
Dave Williams, a 27-year-old professional veterminary
student answered the ad
Both men said their parents were supportive of their
trip
Williams said his mother "thought it was crazy ."
And Bowden said his parents "were a bit apprehensive
when I told them about my trip " However, he said, his
parents were used to his various hiking and bicycling
excursions and were not overly concerned
Two years ago Bowden began suffering from painful
swelling in the knees, ankles, wrists and fingers His
problem was first diagnosed as polytendinitis, but later
discovered to be recurring arthritis
However, Bowden said, he did not incur any flare-ups of
the disease during his trip
He stopped twice al various clinics to get his required
medication, he said, but he did not take it regularly
because he was not In pain
Approximately loti individual pledges and some
publicity from Hu- Arthritis Foundation helped fund the
trip
The two said they encountered rain, flat tires and
broken seaLs during their excursion And although they
were not on a special diet, their meals were mostly out of
cans
"Hut every lorn miles we ate spaghetti." Bowden said
Yet despite the hardships. Williams said he would
definitely do it again, but not soon "
He added that the trip was costly, and he and Bowden
were responsible for a large portion of the trip's expenses
Bowden said he would continue to bicycle Tm thinking
of going to Europe next summer (tobicyclei. he said
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