Amnesty International: Reform 2004

Candidates' Forum - Questions and Answers Page 2

This page last updated: April 13, 2005

Question
Does the Reform Slate agree that ALL of the rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights are universal, indivisible, and interrelated?

Answer:

Yes. All Reform Slate candidates support all rights. Further, since 1991 AI has promoted all rights, and has often incorporated work on behalf of all rights into its work for the release of prisoners of conscience. AI's current mission allows us to work on all of the rights in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The Reform05 slate's concern is whether we maintain our focus on individual work (for which AI won the Nobel Peace prize) for its own sake rather than as a mere means to an end. Facts such as the creation of only 11 new Action Files in 2004 (down from 2257 in 1985) indicate that AI is abandoning its long-term work on behalf of prisoners of conscience. The reality is that AI is shifting toward working for individuals only as a means to highlight systemic abuses, largely on a short-term basis. The Reform05 Slate believes this shift will decrease its effectiveness. Many times sustained long-term action is what is needed to get a prisoner released. Shifting toward thematic work means losing the human connection of individuals working on behalf of individuals, which has been largely responsible for the recruitment and retention of so many people to continue AI's work throughout its over-forty year history. As seen on AI's membership brochures, this is still the activity with which AI is most identified.

In response to AI's shift away from long-term casework on behalf of individuals, members of the Reform Slate put forward and helped to pass Resolution G2 at the 2004 Annual General Meeting. This was a wonderful, hard-fought victory. However, we still must ensure the implementation of this resolution. Your vote for the Reform Slate will help us to do that.

Your vote for the Reform Slate will ensure that AI devotes sufficient resources to focus the organization's work on long-term campaigning on behalf of prisoners of conscience in the context of the other work AI undertakes.

Question
As a member, I must vote for six candidates and the REFORM group is running only four candidates at this time, April 2005. Can you recommend the most reform-friendly candidates among those running who are not REFORM affiliated?

Answer:
Thanks for your enquiry. You do NOT have to vote for six. In fact your vote carries more weight the fewer people you vote for! So our preference would be that you vote for only the four Reform05 candidates.

Read previous week's questions ->

Acronyms explained:

IEC = International Executive Committee [in essence, the "International Board"]
UDHR = Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted by the UN General Assembly on Dec. 10, 1948 [forms the basis of our work]
CEDAW = Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women
FSA = Full Spectrum Approach [to our human rights work]
ICM = International Council Meeting [held every 2 years to make decisions for our movement]
ISP = Integrated Strategic Plan
NGO = Non-Governmental Organization [not just an AI acronym]


	Candidate Question Time
	Candidates' Forum - Questions and Answers Page 2 This page last updated: April 13, 2005 Question Does the Reform Slate agree that ALL of the rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights are universal, indivisible, and interrelated? Answer: Yes. All Reform Slate candidates support all rights. Further, since 1991 AI has promoted all rights, and has often incorporated work on behalf of all rights into its work for the release of prisoners of conscience. AI's current mission allows us to work on all of the rights in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The Reform05 slate's concern is whether we maintain our focus on individual work (for which AI won the Nobel Peace prize) for its own sake rather than as a mere means to an end. Facts such as the creation of only 11 new Action Files in 2004 (down from 2257 in 1985) indicate that AI is abandoning its long-term work on behalf of prisoners of conscience. The reality is that AI is shifting toward working for individuals only as a means to highlight systemic abuses, largely on a short-term basis. The Reform05 Slate believes this shift will decrease its effectiveness. Many times sustained long-term action is what is needed to get a prisoner released. Shifting toward thematic work means losing the human connection of individuals working on behalf of individuals, which has been largely responsible for the recruitment and retention of so many people to continue AI's work throughout its over-forty year history. As seen on AI's membership brochures, this is still the activity with which AI is most identified. In response to AI's shift away from long-term casework on behalf of individuals, members of the Reform Slate put forward and helped to pass Resolution G2 at the 2004 Annual General Meeting. This was a wonderful, hard-fought victory. However, we still must ensure the implementation of this resolution. Your vote for the Reform Slate will help us to do that. Your vote for the Reform Slate will ensure that AI devotes sufficient resources to focus the organization's work on long-term campaigning on behalf of prisoners of conscience in the context of the other work AI undertakes. Question As a member, I must vote for six candidates and the REFORM group is running only four candidates at this time, April 2005. Can you recommend the most reform-friendly candidates among those running who are not REFORM affiliated? Answer: Thanks for your enquiry. You do NOT have to vote for six. In fact your vote carries more weight the fewer people you vote for! So our preference would be that you vote for only the four Reform05 candidates. Read previous week's questions -> Acronyms explained: IEC = International Executive Committee [in essence, the "International Board"] UDHR = Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted by the UN General Assembly on Dec. 10, 1948 [forms the basis of our work] CEDAW = Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women FSA = Full Spectrum Approach [to our human rights work] ICM = International Council Meeting [held every 2 years to make decisions for our movement] ISP = Integrated Strategic Plan NGO = Non-Governmental Organization [not just an AI acronym]