What happened before Amnesty?

Press, 23 April 1983, Page 17

What happened before Amnesty?

By

DAVID M. TAYLOR,

former general secretary of the National

Council of Churches in New Zealand.

The organisation called Amnesty International was founded in 1961, and today its good work is often reported in our newspapers. Prisoners who otherwise could rot in prison without their stories being told are sometimes set free as a result of Amnesty International’s efforts. There are numerous kinds of injustice that are inflicted on men and women simply because they exercise their right to express what they honestly believe. In theory, every nation proclaims its commitment to the right of free speech. In practice, in many countries, the moment an individual begins to proclaim publicly that he or she actually supports those who are critical of the government in power, that government immediately treats that citizen as someone who is disloyal, a menace to his own country, a trouble-maker, a traitor who is plotting to overthrow his country’s institutions, and who , therefore has cast away any rights he may have had before. In country after country, such a person is secretly taken into custody, tortured, deprived of the rights of citizenship, and detained indefinitely. Amnesty International works steadily every day of the year to get a fair trial for all, and to get release for those imprisoned for speaking or writing without vioToday, there are millions of people who are highly appreciative of the good work Amnesty is doing. There is a steady increase in the number of persons giving active, costly support. The need for such a world-wide , organisation is becoming ever more obvious. Now that this has become so, it gives rise to the “ question: “What on earth happened ■'* before Amnesty was founded?” The answer is really quite

injustice, and to persuade the government concerned to amend its wavs. The work still crying out to be done is so great that there is no telling how long it must go on. The challenge is extremely real, and the chances of success in a particular country are often small. No-one pretends that Amnesty International’s task is an easy one. But at least Amnesty exists. One story can be told of one effort made within New Zealand long ago. It was an effort in the right direction, but at the time it was a failure. Ninety years ago, New Zealanders were horrified at the ’ sufferings of one minority on the other side of the world, and did

•" simple prisoners in many countries did not receive a fair go, ■ 1 injustices were everyday matters, and often the truth was hidden. Governments got away with - murder. Some still get away with ” murder, but at least there is one J , ! organisation that will take up such ■ cases and work hard to end the ' ’ ' ■■■

something about it. Their action was a forerunner of the kind of thing Amnesty International is now doing all the time. Sir George Grey stood up in the New Zealand House of Representatives on July 30, 1891, and said: “We, by this act that I propose, formally recognise that it is the duty of the New Zealand nation, however small it may be, to do all the good it possibly can for people in all parts of the world.” He then proposed that a Memorial be addressed to His Imperial Majesty, the Emperor of all the Russias, pleading that certain laws be repealed, and that equal rights be conferred upon his five million Jewish subjects. He moved that this Memorial be

signed by the Speaker of the House, and be transmitted to His Majesty. Sir Joseph Ward seconded the motion and the House agreed unanimously. The story is told by L. M. Goldman in his “History of the Jews in New Zealand." The Memorial was politely returned to Wellington from Moscow nearly a year later, without being put before His Majesty. This story illustrates how hopeless was the task of getting justice for a minority when a little country like New Zealand tried all by itself. The victims simply went on enduring the injustices heaped upon them.

From the date of that story, 1891, until the founding of Amnesty

International in 1961, other stories of innocent people suffering unjust treatment are endlessly available. Most countries insisted on taking Srisoners to court, in order to give le impression of a fair trial, but in many cases this respect for the law was superficial and phoney. This can be illustrated by stories of the communist countries in Eastern Europe and China, when they were punishing many Christian leaders on charges such as espionage, anti-State activities, receiving money from a foreign country, counter-revolutionary propaganda, and crimes against the revolution. Many faithful clergy were tortured in prison and drugged until they signed “confessions” that were outrageous and incredible. More and more Roman Catholic bishops and priests went on trial in Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Rumania, and such places. One result was a growing sympathy and understanding between formerly hostile groups. Seventh Day Adventists, Catholics, and Lutherans all understood what was going on and gave each other moral support. Other groups in society were equally' in trouble. Journalists who reported events as they saw them, found themselves treated as enemies of the State. Doctors who reported physical signs of torture by police were asking for trouble. Lawyers who defended “traitors” in court were the next object of attack In all these professions and occupations grew a number of deeply concerned people, wanting to give support to their opposite numbers in Latin America, South Africa, or wherever. So when the British lawyer, Peter Benenson, in May, 1961, saw his own article published in “The Observer Weekend Review," he had his hopes, but he could not know what reaction it would arouse. He invited interested persons to join him in an appeal to specified governments, on behalf of six particular prisoners he named. His article was headed “The Forgotten Prisoners,” and that was the beginning of Amnesty International