I
OPINION
Thursday, December 10, 1987
page 4
The Michigan Daily
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Edited and managed by students at The University of Michigan
Vol. XCVIII, No. 64 420 Maynard St.
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Unsigned editorials represent a majority of the Daily's Editorial Board. All other
cartoons, signed articles, and letters do not necessarily represent the opinion
of the Daily.
4
CIA, Ann Arbor
po e Public Safety:
for the record
4
Daily responds
In his letter dated December 1, Mr.
Andrews asserts that the November 25
protest of the CIA's recruiting at the
University was "staged by a group of
University of Michigan students and the
Michigan Daily." Ordinarily, the Daily
would no more respond to this charge than
the CIA would respond to one of the Daily's
editorials. But, because many issues of fact
are contested in the case of this particular
protest, the Daily has to point out that it had
no part in organizing or carrying out this
protest.
The Daily did endorse the protest on its
editorial page and some staff members
attended the protest. But the Daily's ethics
policy prohibits their participation as
representatives of the Daily or their covering
the event.
The Daily has never organized a political
event, except for candidate or issue forums
which present multiple points of view. The
Daily is not an activist organization. It does
not organize events representing one point of
view; although, it does occasionally endorse
them.
Mr. Andrews' commendation of the Ann
Arbor police and Captain Conn in particular
may be at least partially deserved, as even
several protesters have told the Daily that
they appreciated the pol i c e' s
professionalism. Andrews' assertion that the
Daily helped "stage" the demonstration,
however, is ridiculpus.
-Editor in Chief Rob Earle
Ann Arbor Police
respond
Ann Arbor Police Chief William J.
Corbett told the Daily that he had to agree
with the CIA's praise for Captain Conn: "I
think that I have to concur with their-
conclusion. . . . I concur wholeheartedly
with the content of the letter."
4
Soviets
rape of Afghans
R EPORTS RELEASED TWO weeks
ago by the Independent Counsel on
Ipternational Human Rights (ICIHR)
outline Soviet infractions of human
rights in Afghanistan. Though the
graphic description of torture and
genocide of the Afghan people may
sometimes be exaggerated for political
reasons, it is clear that the Soviet
presence in Afghanistan is unwel-
cpme; the Soviet troops sent to prop
up the puppet regime in Kabul should
withdraw.
The group of lawyers comprising
the ICIHR cite specific examples of
Spviet atrocities - based on inter-
views and visits - in Afghanistan
which violate the Geneva Conven-
tion. Some of the allegations include
forcibly taking children from parents,
and sending them to the Soviet Union
to be indoctrinated with Soviet val-
ues, torture, use of chemical
weapons, and a systematic persecu-
tion of Muslims practicing their reli-
gion.
Several times before, charges
against the Soviets and the illegitimate
Afghan troops have turned out to be
questionable, such as the alleged use
of chemical weapons against the Mu-
jahicdeen - the predominantly Mus-
lim movement resisting the occupa-
tion. These allegations have often
been made by people and organiza-
tions who want to stir up sentiment
against Soviet ideology; they exploit
the invasion of Afghanistan to do so.
These efforts make it difficult to judge
the severity of Soviet atrocities,
which undoubtedly do exist to some
extent.
The Mujahideen resistance against
the present Soviet-backed regime has
had widespread support amongst the
Afghan people. The present Afghan
dictatorship can only barely assert its
authority with the help of over
135,000 Soviet troops in addition to
its nwn It dnn't take much to real-
among the largest refugee groups in
the world, another clear sign that the
present Afghan regime backed by the
Soviets is brutal and unpopular. So-
viet attacks and reprisals against the
Mujahideen are largely responsible
for displacing the refugees from their
homes. Until the Soviets withdraw
and cease their intervention in
Afghanistan's affairs, the refugees are
unlikely to return to their homes - or
to what little remains of them.
The Afghanistan invasion is
unpopular even among many Soviet
and Afghanistan government troops.
Mass defections by Afghan troops
and high government officials; and
the lack of sympathy the Soviet
troops receive from their homeland
are demoralizing the occupation
forces' troops. The Soviet's grasp on
Afghanistan is weakening, and
they're likely to find it "expedient" to
withdraw soon.
The United States has supported the
Mujahideen struggle against the
Soviets, but one mustn't get his/her
hopes up to high; the only high moral
purpose the United States probably
has is to either a) discredit the Sovi-
ets, b) ensure the succession of a pro-
U.S. government, or c) all of the
above. While this outlook is rather
bleak at its least, it is based on prece-
dent in such countries as Chile, Viet-
nam, Nicaragua, Indonesia, El Sal-
vador, etc. The list goes on and on.
Afghanistan should not be tacked on
to the list also.
The Soviet presence in Afghanistan
has resulted in the creation of over a
million refugees, a military dictator-
ship, and a popular resistance move-
ment - the Mujahideen. Although
some cases are questionable, there is
overwhelming evidence that shows
the Soviets (with the Afghanistan
army) are violating human rights
there. The Soviets should take the
advice given tn the Inited Sitae
4
...Assistant Director of Public Safety
Robert Patrick kicked University graduate
student Harold Marcuse in "self-defense."
...Director of Public Safety Leo Heatley (on the right)
has faced complaints concerning civil liberties before.
Shapiro 'regrets'
following of protesters
ethics code
4
By ;VENDY SHARP
University 1-"Ysment Harold
Shapiro yesterday said campus
security officials "overreacted" to a
non-violent demonstration earlier this
month.
About a dozen protesters demon-
strated against Lawrence Livermore
Labs, which designs most of the
nation's nuclear missiles, at the
Stearns Building on North. Campus
March 7. The protesters were
videotaped by a plain-clothes police
officer, prevented from entering the
Stearns Building, and followed back
to Central Campus by a policeman
and a campus security officer.
IN A LETTER to the Michigl
Student Assembly, which had called
for a public apology from the Univer-
sity, Shapiro said the stringent
security precautions were unwarran-
ted. "Peaceful, non-violent d. rnon.
strations that do not infringe on the
legitimate rights of other members of
the University community present.no
threat to our academic community,"
present no threat to our academic
community,' Shapiro said. "following
students to Central Campus was not
appropriate and may have been an
overreaction by security personnel."
See MSA, Page 3
for members
(Continuedfrom Page 1)
"I regret that this happened on the
University campus and would hope
that this kind of situation does not
occyur again," the letter concluded.
The assembly passed a resolution
last Tuesday condeming the actions
of the police and security officers. The
-esolution also called for hanging a
3anner on the Diag demanding that
Shapiro apologize for the incident.
MSA agreed last night not to post
the banner because of Shapiro's let-
ter. "I'm happy to have received the
letter and glad that Shapiro came to
the same conclusion that we did,"
said MSA President Paul Josephson.
University Public Safety Director
Leo Heatley refused to comment on
the issue and said he was not aware of
Shapiro's letter.
4
The Daily published "Shapiro 'regrets' following of
protesters" on March 19, 1986. In the article, "campus,
security officials" refers to Public Safety. Some s a y
incidents such as Public Safety's following of protesters
4
are part of Public
Safety's bad record on civil liberties.
Wools
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