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Page 4- The Michigan Daily -Wednesday, April 11, 1990
.le Mitliganlailt
EDITED AND MANAGED BY STUDENTS
AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
42() Maynard Street
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109
A RTS
NEWS
OPINION
763 0379
764 0552
747 2814
PHOTO
SPORTS
WEEKEND
764 0552
747 3336
747 4630
Unsivned editorials represent a majority of the Daily's Editorial Board. All other cartoons,
sigwd articles, and letters do not necessarily represent the opinion of the Daily.
Exxon's legacy
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Join in fight against human rights violations in Peru*
Oil company must take
IT HAS BEEN JUST OVER A YEAR
since the Exxon Valdez hit a reef in
Prince William Sound and released 11
million barrels of oil, making it the
worst oil spill in history. The environ-
mental effects of the spill were catas-
trophic, as untold pumbers of birds,
fish, and aquatic organisms were poi-
soned. The acquittal of Joseph Hazel-
wood, the captain of the Valdez, leaves
no answers and no pathways for envi-
ronmentalists to follow.
Exxon has not fulfilled its obligation
to clean up the spill, and as the mam-
moth company goes to court this week
to face criminal charges, this should be
kept in mind. Hazelwood became a
scapegoat for Exxon and initially, for
environmentalists. He was dismissed
from the company and was left to fend
fo -imself in court. But the blame for
thi:disaster goes much deeper than a
responsibility for spill
single person. It would have been easy
to find Hazelwood guilty and close the
case, but his acquittal keeps the Valdez
legacy alive.
Attention and pressure should now
be put back on Exxon to resume clean-
up efforts. The company should also
fund a study that will examine oil spills
and how to prevent them. Hazelwood,
because of his innocence, should also
be reinstated to his former position,
although the stigma of his role in this
controversy will not be eliminated.,
Although nothing can erase the
environmental damage that has already
occurred, the party responsible, Exxon
Oil, can make a concerted effort to re-
turn the affected areas to some degree
of normalcy. Exxon, the real culprit,
must be held responsible for the envi-
ronmental damage the oil spill caused.
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By Anna Stubblefield
Where is Codelia Torres Pizarro? This
16-year-old schoolgirl was detained by
military authorities while shopping one
afternoon in January, 1989. Although her
sister and some shop assistants witnessed
the arrest, the military denies her deten-
tion. Codelia is one of more than 3,000
people who have "disappeared" in Peru
over the last seven years. Their families
cannot mourn for them, because they may
still be alive. But each day it becomes
more difficult for their spouses and chil-
dren and parents to sustain hope.
The term "disappeared" is used to de-
scribe people who were arrested by gov-
ernment officials and whose whereabouts
are unknown. Their families travel from
prison to prison, military base to military
base asking for information, but the gov-
ernment denies all knowledge of the arrest
and detention. There is no legal recourse
for the families of the disappeared. They
can only return to their homes and wait. If
they ask to many questions, they may also
"disappear."
In many cases, the bodies of the
"disappeared" are found by dogs in shallow
graves or river banks a few days after the
arrest. In other cases, mass graves have
been found. People who manage to return
from detention report torture. Evaristo
Palomino Fanola was seized by army per-
sonnel outside his home in November
1987. He had recently returned to his peas-
ant community after 20 years as an indus-
trial worker in Lima.
After his arrest, he was held for four
days at an army base. His interrogates
wanted to know the whereabouts of several
people. When Fanola insisted that he did
not know any of them, he was beaten,
suspended by a rope attached to his arms
behind his back and subjected to electric
shocks. He was continuously threatened
with death and mutilation: "We will cut
off your ears, your tongue, your testicles."
"Human rights" is an empty phrase in
Peru today. In addition to the 3,000 citi-
zens who have "disappeared" while in gov-
Stubblefield is a member of Amnesty In-
ternational-U of M.
ernment custody, a comparable number
have been murdered outright, in front of
their families. The human rights crisis be-
gan in December 1982 when the govern-
ment of Peru introduced measures to com-
bat the violent opposition group, Partido
Comunista del Perd "Sendero Luminoso"
(the Communist Party of Peru "Shining
Path"). Nine adjoining provinces surround-
ing Ayacucho department, where Shining
Path is based, were placed under state of
emergency military control. Currently, 56
of Peru's 181 provinces are under military
control. These provinces are where most
human rights violations are committed.
The "strategy" of the Peru government
is to fight Shining Path by imitating
Shining Path. In order to increase its
power base, Shining Path apparently
moves into rural areas and surrounds the
towns, isolating them. Then they round
up the inhabitants, kill government offi-
cials, landowners, and traders, and threaten
to kill anyone who does not support Shin-
ing Path. Age is no consideration: even
10-year-old children are reported to have
been seized and "executed" as police in-
formers.
When Shining Path is through with its
work, the government counter-insurgency
battalions arrive. They smear blood on
their faces during training to cultivate an
image of ferocity. When they arrive to
fight Shining Path, they wear black ski
masks. They round up the villagers, per-
haps taking them to the same building
where Shining Path forces took them ear-
lier. Anyone who the government suspects
to be a Shining Path supporter is killed.
Again, age is no consideration. In a report
commissioned by the government of Peru,
Sub-Lieutenant Telmo Hurtado asserted
that even children were "dangerous" be-
cause Shining Path begins indoctrination
"from age two, three, four years old."
The citizens of Peru describe them-
selves as "caught between two fires." They
no longer look to the government for pro-
tection from the violence of Shining Path,
because the government is just as likely to
hurt them.
We must help the people of Peru sur-
vive this insanity. The government claims
that it is acting under the decrees of a state
of emergency. Yet Article 231 of the Con-
stitution of Peru declares that in a state of
emergency, the -rights suspended are the
right to inviolability of the home, freedom
of assembly, freedom of movement, and
the right not to be detained without a war-
rant issued by a court. Only these four
rights can be suspended. The right to life,
protection from cruel and unusual pun-
ishment, and the right to fair and speedy
trials cannot be suspended. The govern-
ment of Peru is violating its own consti-
tution. It is killing its own citizens.
All of this is why Amnesty Interna-
tional has chosen to focus a special
"country campaign" on Peru. Amnesty In-
ternational is a worldwide movement inde-
pendent of any government, political per-
suasion or religious creed. It plays a spe-
cific role in the international protection of
human rights:
It seeks the release of prisoners of con-
science. These are people detained for their
beliefs, color, sex, ethnic origin, language
or religion who have not used or advocated
violence;
It works for fair and prompt trials for
all political prisoners;
It opposes torture and execution in all
cases.
Amnesty International-U of M and Ann
Arbor Group 61 are co-sponsoring a two-
day event to focus attention on the human
rights emergency in Peru. There will be a
rally on the Diag today at noon. At 7:30
this evening, Ernesto Cavassa, a human
rights worker from Peru, will speak in the
Kuenzel Room of the Michigan Union. At
9, a candlelight vigil will be held on the
Diag with music and poetry to honor the
Peruvian victims.
Two members of Amnesty Interna-
tional-U of M will be locked in a mock
jail cell on the Diag beginning at noon to-
day. They will remain in "jail" until noon
tomorrow, or for as long as it takes to col-
lect 1,000 signatures on petitions to the
government of Peru.
Please take the opportunity to learn
about Peru so you can educate others.
Please sign our petitions so that you can
help end the human rights state of emer-
gency in Peru.
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Sticking around this summer?
Come write for the Daily Opinion Staff
For more info call:
Stephen Henderson at 764-0552
or come to the information meeting
Wednesday, April 18, 7 pm
Student Publications Building
Commonly asked questions about a
University code of non-academic conduct:
What is a "code"?
A4"code" is the generic term for a University policy which would regulate the non-
academic behavior of students. The major characteristic of a code is that it allows the
University to sanction students academically for their non-academic behavior. For example,
this means the University would have the power to suspend an underage student for getting
drunk at an off-campus party.
Does the University have a coe now?
No. But University President James Duderstadthas said he will begin working on one next
fall
Wy does the University want a code
-:puderstadt and others in the administration claim they need 4.code to make sure the
cainpus is safe for everyone. They argue that murderers, rapists and other criminals should
nit be part of the University community. Though not part of the "administrative line," a code
wuld also allow the University to suspend or even expel students for simply protesting
University policy or committing a misdemeanor at a party.
Why should students oppose a code?
Students' non-academic, personal lives should remain just that - personal. The Univer-
sit should not mandate what kind of behavior is acceptable outside the classroom.
I Jniversity going to implement a code?
inv-hepast, student opposition has helpedprevent the administration from adopting a code.
nt l2stWeek President Duderstadt vowed to use his nresidential power to sanction students
Sports topic is dead
To the Daily:
I don't think that it is fair for you to
assert that the Detroit Pistons have di-
rectly altered the existing face of the NBA
salary structure (4/9/90).
To do so by reference to William Bed-
ford's new contract and the Konkak debacle
is ludicrous and bad sportswriting. Huge
sums of money rewarded to NBA players
is nothing new. It's a dead topic.
So Bedford's new contract is a rela-
tively small dent in otherwise notable
sports news - even the Detroit News
noted how "quiet" the whole procedure
was. In short, let's not make too big a
deal here.
Secondly, I agree that offering Konkak
$2.5 million was pretty humorous, but
you seem to forget the intent of the offer.
Perhaps I'm being too kind. You might
not have even thought of it.
The Pistons wished to accomplish two
things in their offer to Konkak: first, find
a suitable replacement for Rick Mahorn,
second, to hurt a division foe - Atlanta
- in the process.
among the league leaders in assists.
And, by the way, your statement at the
end referring to Dennis Rodman is a clas-
sic example of "Piston-bashing." Con-
gratulations on ending a terrible article in
such a classy fashion.
Nelson Peralta
LSA junior
Fundraiser is a success
To the Daily:
I'd like to thank the University com-
munity for the generous support for Stu-
dents Against Driving Drunk (SADD) you
demonstrated last week at the University
of Michigan SADD Musicmobile
Fundraiser on the Diag held in conjunction
with Greek Week. We raised $1,170 for
SADD.
Alcohol-related crashes are the leading
cause of death for the college-aged popula-
tion. We say crashes instead of accidents
because these are preventable violent
deaths.
Over 100 Alpha Phi Omega Service
Fraternity members contributed their time
- along with members from Panhellenic,
Inter-Fraternity Council and Substance
garding the use of alcohol.
Teresa Herzog
Rape story is biased
To the Daily:
This is in response to the front page ar-
ticle concerning the woman who was raped
near the Ann Arbor Public Library
(4/9/90). Granted the article made the front
page, but we feel the Daily gave a biased
account of the incident.
While reading the article, the implica-
tion was made that because the woman
was walking alone, the rape was deserved.
Much of the descriptions led to the con-
clusion that it was the woman's responsi-
bility to avoid being raped.
The focus should not be on whether the
woman was walking alone, but on the
rapist's behavior. The question of whether
the rapist had a gun is irrelevant, the sur-
vivor of the rape believed he did, and re-
sponded to that. By qualifying the type of
description the woman gave as "vague,"
the Daily questions the authenticity of the
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