AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL PLANS CAMPAIGNS

Lesley's chapter of the international human rights movement, Amnesty International, has a number of campaigns planned for the spring semester. The group strives to raise awareness of the need to take a stand in support of people across the world who are suffering injustices such as imprisonment and torture, simply for their peaceful expression of political beliefs or their color, sex, ethnic origin, language, religion, or sexual orientation.

This semester, Lesley's chapter is involved in Amnesty's international Guatemala Campaign. This initiative seeks to take advantage of recent progress in peace negotiations in Guatemala to press for continued improvement in the human rights treatment of the people of Guatemala. A national day of student action is planned for March 21. The group also working on the Women in Africa Campaign, focused on improving the condition of women across the African continent.

Amnesty members send letters, faxes, and e-mail to government officials on behalf of those mentioned above. Persistent action generates potent pressure and has produced thousands of releases. The organization's effectiveness depends on its impartial application of a single standard of human rights to every country in the world.

To join Lesley's Amnesty International group, contact Chris Kelly at 349-8505 (ckelly@mail.lesley.edu), or Kathie Crowley (kcrowley@student.lesley.edu).