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Amnesty International recently became a campus organization at the University of Maine when the Student Government accepted its request for recognition on Feb. 6.
Amnesty International, which has no political or religious affiliations, is a worldwide effort to promote human rights. Its main objectives are to free all prisoners of conscience, ensure fair and prompt trials for political prisoners, abolish the death penalty, torture and other cruel treatment of prisoners and end political killings and disappearances.
“We want to make the people aware about the conditions of the outside world,” Erica Mitchell, the group’s coordinator said. “Things are bad for many people around the world and we can put a stop to it.”
Mitchell and Krista Marston, the group’s assistant coordinator, participated in Amnesty International at Bonny Eagle High School for three years. Now juniors in college, the friends decided to try and form a chapter at UMaine.
“It was easy to start,” Mitchell said. “Amnesty International sent me all the materials and information that we needed to start the group.”
“We work to free people who are in prison for their race, religion and political beliefs,” Marston said. “This is accomplished through letter writing campaigns and public demonstrations.”
Mitchell receives Urgent Action Appeals from the national branches, which give accounts of torture the organization hopes to address. The groups are then expected to write letters against the violation of human rights to the heads of state in those countries.
“These letters really make a difference,” Marston said. “Countries take notice because they are from the United States and we have a big influence on their actions.”
Most recently, on Feb. 7, a student leader was released in Ecuador after protesting the country’s economic policy. Mitchell says that she is notified of such prisoner releases on a regular basis.
Amnesty International’s presence at the university has thus far been word of mouth, but both coordinators hope to increase involvement through posters, e-mail, a raffle and T-shirt sales.
The group’s first priority is to begin their letter writing. Since the club is not eligible for university funding for six months, they have approached local businesses for donations in order to raise money to start the letter writing process
Mitchell is also planning to include the university in the National Week of Student Action from April 1 – 8.
“There is an election in Peru on April 8 and Amnesty International is hoping to raise awareness of the human rights conditions in Peru so the world takes notice of the election,” said Mitchell.
The group plans to write e-mails and make posters to promote the week on campus.
“Amnesty International opens people up to what goes on outside of our democracy,” Marston said. “We see the horrible things that go on in other countries and see that we can put a stop to it.”
There will be an Amnesty International meeting Wednesday, Feb. 21 at 8:30 p.m. in the Gallery Room of Memorial Union. People interested in joining Amnesty International can contact Erica Mitchell or Krista Marston on FirstClass.
Bangor Daily News