The Michigan Daily - Monday, December 12, 1988 - Page 5 Students simulate daily lives of the homeless .BY TARA GRUZEN The streets were cold, and most people just walked by ignoring their pleas for money. An occasional unlocked building or unoccupied heating vent was the only temporary escape from the freezing temperatures. Most of all, there was no one to talk to and nothing to do to pass the time. The 15 students of the Pilot Program Planet -Management class each spent roughly three hours this past weekend simulating the daily life of a homeless person. Dressed in second-hand clothes, unshaven and pretending to be penniless, the students looked for cans in the trash, asked for money from people on the streets, and ate their meals in the local soup kitchens. Link Olson, a first-year student in the class, tried unsuccessfully to buy some cigarettes with the pennies, nickels, and dimes he had brought with him for the day. "We don't deal on that level," the person behind the .counter told Link. "We don't need to sell cigarettes that bad, especially around the holidays." As ?:nk was leaving, he dropped some pennies because his hands were cold. The person at the counter laughed. The class decided to do the simulation at the suggestion of an Ann Arbor Night Shelter volunteer, who gave them a tour when they visited earlier this term. The volunteer suggested that they each spend three days and three nights simulating the life of a -homeless person, but because of safety, weather, and other commitments, the students chose to spend only three hours each. "I know that I could never really feel what it would be like to be homeless, but I did get somewhat of a better understanding of what it might be like," said first-year student Mike Nemec, who slept on the street Saturday night. Laly Villanueva, who walked along the streets dressed up for about two hours yesterday morning, said she didn't agree with the project. "I don't think dressing up was appropriate," said Villanueva, a first-year student. "I'm really not a homeless person so I'm not going to be able to know how it feels to be homeless." Jim Hartman, a graduate student in the School of Natural Resources and teacher of the class said the class tried not to mock the homeless by not overdoing it. "We didn't make fun of them but we acted like them," Hartman said. "It was an act of deception but the ends justified the means." He said students in the class will be writing to the Ann Arbor City Council about their experiences. Letters that are written to the city council will emphasize low income housing and single room occupancy as a solution for homelessness. "The class needed to spend more time understanding the issue before we could start working on it," Hartman said. "The purpose of the program was to raise awareness." Iranian recounts jail, torture BY ED KRACHMER Reza Jalali, an Iranian, recounted His experiences as a prisoner of con- science in India at the Union Satur- day night as part of a fortieth an- niversary commemoration of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Jalali's speech was part of a Hu- Oman Rights Day Celebration spon- sored by Ann Arbor's chapter of Amnesty International. "I never imagined that I could stand in front of an audience and tell of my experience," Jalali said. "I have become the spokesman for a very unfortunate and forgotten com- munity." - JALALI was exiled from Iran in 972 for his support of Kurdish cul- tural activities and fled to India. In 1981, the Iranian government re- quested that the Indian government imprison him because of his opposi- tion to the Iran-Iraq war. "In most of the cases [that Amnesty handles], they [political prisoners] are living in the wrong place at the wrong time, or have been ruled by the wrong people," Jalali sd. ~'!Jalali also described his feelings as a member of an ethnic minority in Iran. "I accepted that I'd have to go through life with much pain and suf- fering because I was different," he said. "Kurds are not allowed to speak their own language and are not al- lowed to follow their own tradi- tions." t AT. THE AGE of 15, after being arrested by the Iranian secret police for criticizing the government, he was given the choice of going to prison or leaving the country. Jalali choose the latter. After living in India for nine years, Jalali was detained in 1981 by the Indian government. Although he was not active in any anti-Indian government causes, Jalali said he was treated as a political prisoner, which included being chained to his cell wall and frequently tortured. Amnesty International intervened on his behalf, and Jalali was released in 1982. Jalali went into hiding in India for a year after his release be- cause he said he feared that the Ira- nian government would try to murder him. Jalali eventually emigrated to the United States. MUCH OF Amnesty Inter national's work involves writin letters to governments who are hol ing Amnesty prisoners of conscience Jalali said. "If you are lucky enough to liv in the U.S., then you should be thi voice for the voiceless," he sai "Maybe you should feel that whe anyone's rights are being violate our rights are being violated." "If you can send them [politica prisoners] a ray of hope, maybe yo can save a life, make sure they ar not tortured anymore, and make sur the beatings stop," he said. Jalali's speech was followed by short animated video presentation o the Universal Declaration of Huma Rights. Can You Offer a Creative Contribution to Your Field? - - :-/- I - ". 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The first assault took place in front of the undergraduate library at 11:57 p.m., said Sgt. John King of the Ann Arbor Police Department. Another took place immediately afterward on the corner of State St. and North University, followed by a third in front of Tally Hall. Officers Pete Stipe and Rick Stern chased two of the three suspects, who were jailed and will appear in 15th District Court today. One of the alleged assailants had been arrested on a number of 4ccasions, King said. "These are the kind of people the officers know and are familiar with, we come in contact with them all the time," King said. One victim was treated at the University hospital for minor in- jiries and released. -By Nicole Shaw C :3 FROM ALL OF US AT RECREATIONAL SPORTS PLASMA DONORS $ Earn Extra Cash $ Earn $20 on your first donation. You can earn up to $120 a month. Couples can earn up to $240. Repeat donors who have not donated in the last 30 days receive an additional $5 bonus for return visit. 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