2008 Woodie Awards
Reaching out with amnesty
Jessica Farmer
Issue date: 1/23/06 Section: Forum
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A lone figure sits on a sagging, dirty cot in a small and dank rectangular prison cell. Darkness envelops this person, not only physically because the one window providing light to the outside world is small and caked with dirt and grime, but emotionally as well.
The crime this person has committed has harmed no person or property. He or she only threatened repressive power structures in countries where the word "freedom" seems but an abstract concept.
According to the Amnesty International Web site, this "prisoner of conscience" has been "imprisoned solely for the peaceful expression of their beliefs." The person may have been sitting here for months, even years, possibly enduring physical brutality and torture with little hope of being released.
However, all is not lost. Thousands of strangers from around the world, including students from UMKC, are fighting to grant this prisoner justice. Letters pour into government officials and legislators stating that this person's basic human rights need to be recognized.
Due to the efforts of ardent activists across the globe, these requests many times lead to a prisoner's release.
Amnesty International, with the help of small chapters such as UMKC Amnesty, ensure basic human rights are upheld. This is true even in places where this ideal has seemed all but impossible in the past.
The formation of the UMKC chapter stemmed from the fact that there are no other groups working for international human rights on campus. Our goal is to inform members about global issues threatening the ideals of equality and justice and work to change potentially negative situations into positive ones.
Though Amnesty International is involved in a variety of campaigns, our chapter has chosen to focus on the Corporate Action Network. For the remainder of the school year, we will work to hold corporations accountable for their actions. This ensures fair treatment of corporate employees, upholds environmental regulations, and counters corporate human rights violations.
The crime this person has committed has harmed no person or property. He or she only threatened repressive power structures in countries where the word "freedom" seems but an abstract concept.
According to the Amnesty International Web site, this "prisoner of conscience" has been "imprisoned solely for the peaceful expression of their beliefs." The person may have been sitting here for months, even years, possibly enduring physical brutality and torture with little hope of being released.
However, all is not lost. Thousands of strangers from around the world, including students from UMKC, are fighting to grant this prisoner justice. Letters pour into government officials and legislators stating that this person's basic human rights need to be recognized.
Due to the efforts of ardent activists across the globe, these requests many times lead to a prisoner's release.
Amnesty International, with the help of small chapters such as UMKC Amnesty, ensure basic human rights are upheld. This is true even in places where this ideal has seemed all but impossible in the past.
The formation of the UMKC chapter stemmed from the fact that there are no other groups working for international human rights on campus. Our goal is to inform members about global issues threatening the ideals of equality and justice and work to change potentially negative situations into positive ones.
Though Amnesty International is involved in a variety of campaigns, our chapter has chosen to focus on the Corporate Action Network. For the remainder of the school year, we will work to hold corporations accountable for their actions. This ensures fair treatment of corporate employees, upholds environmental regulations, and counters corporate human rights violations.
