. xThe Michigan Doly-Saturday, August 1 , 1 age..
UN survey finds executions for
political reasons on upswig
GENEVA, Switzerland (AP) - Death sentences legislation to curtail personal freedoms. "The world total of executions appears to have in-
against political opponents and "disappearances" of- IT SAID THE survey found the legal situation in creased during the past three or four years," it said.
ten followed by summary executions are increasing many countries characterized by summary trials, It gave no figures.
worldwide, according to a survey commissioned by harassment of lawyers who defend accused persons The use of torture, it said, "does seem to be
the United Nations. in special courts, and a lack of adequate procedures systematic in countries in a permanent state of
Torture remains a routine practice in many coun- for appeal. emergency or countries where there is an insurrec-
tries, the study also found. The findings were The survey was compiled by the secretariat of the tional situation, particularly a liberation conflict."
disclosed yesterday in a survey prepared for a U.N. Human Rights Commission from reports received Torture may also be used occasionally both by
meeting of human rights experts here. from 10 non-governmental agencies that monitored governments and by groups opposed to the regime to
THE REPORT referred to a growing "climate of human rights practices in 52 nations. None of the 52 obtain information or to suppress or intimidate op-
corruption, intimidation, and even terror" in coun- countries was identified. position,"' the survey report said. "It's victims may
tries which, in the name of state security, follow a Thfe survey's findings will be considered by an in- be men, women or children."
"policy of clandestine violations outside the law and ternational body of 26 experts of the U.N. Sub- The report said, "Political disappearances in
the judicial system." Commission on Prevention of Discrimination opening suspicious circumstances appear to have become
In many countries, the survey found unlawful a four-week meeting here Monday. ever more frequent in a growg number of coun-
arrests may account for a large proportion of all tries.
arre p s c t THE SURVEY FOUND the death penalty has been "A large proportion of such disappearances are
" restored in several countries that had abolished it said to have been followed by summary executions,"
creasingly frequent use of emergency or exceptional earlier, it said.
NRC upset
by valve
trouble at
Palisades
SOUTH HAVEN (UPI)-The Nuclear
Regulatory Commission said yesterday
the report of a valve left open at the
Palisades nuclear power plant late last
month is more serious than two sub-
sequent radioactive gas leaks at the
plant.
All three incidents occurred within 19
days.
JAN STRASMA, AN NRC spokesman
in Chicago, said his office was concer-
ned about a cooling system valve which
accidentally was left over for 36 hours
the weekend of July 25.
"We've got some real concerns about
the valve thing being left open because
that was an operator error," Strasma
said.
Consumers Power Co. said an
operator at the plant discovered the
valve nearly two days after it im-
properly was opened. The opening ap-
parently was triggered by remote con-
trol by a technician in the plant's cowy
trol room.
THE OPERATOR WAS suspended
from control room duties but still works
at the plant, Consumers Power
spokesman Kelly Farr said.
The valve was part of a cooling
system designed to prevent a meltdown
of the reactor core.
Consumers Power officials said there
were several backup cooling systems
operating at the time of the valve error,
but NRC officials said they likely would
take action against the firm for the
mistake.
"We have completed our on-site in-
vestigation and at this point still are in-
vestigating what actions will be taken
as far as enforcement action or any
fines that will be levied on the utility,"
Strasmasaid.
The valve problem, described as
"serious," was followed by two
radioactive gas leaks. Officials said 4
per cent of allowable gas levels escaped
Aug. 1 and a releaseof 11 per cent of the
legal limits was discovered last
Tuesday.
Doiy Photo by JIM KRUZ
ANN ARBOR PERSONNEL/Human Rights Director Robert Scott discusses the city's Human Rights Ordinance in an
interview yesterday. Scott, who has been on the job for seven weeks, wants his department to have more input when it
comes to hiring employees. Scott was formerly Personnel Director at the University's Flint office.
AFFIRMATIVE ACTION IN A2:
Ordinance
By JOYCE FRIEDEN
Recently, the city of Ann Arbor hired its first female
firefighter. She is one of the only female firefighters outside
Detroit who has been hired in Michigan, according to Claude
Rowe, Ann Arbor's personnel human rights field represen-
tative.
Rowe explained that this appointment was one of many
affirmative action moves made by the city with the help of
the human rights department.
In July, 1978, a few months after the city passed a human
rights ordinance forbidding discrimination in hiring prac-
tices regarding minorities and women, the human rights of-
fice merged with the personnel department and began im-
plementing an affirmative action-equal opportunity program
for hiring city employees.
"WE'RE HERE TO make sure the human rights is
adhered to," said Director of Personnel/Human Rights
Robert Scott.
Scott, formerly the presonnel director at the University's
Flint branch, has been on the job for seven weeks and has
definite ideas about what he would like to see done differen-
tly.
"I'd like to tighten up the city's hiring process," he ex-
plained. "Some city departments are under-utilized in
minorities and females. Right now, applications are sent to
the head of the department doing the hiring ... Often, white
males are hired for the job. What makes them more qualified
foridsbia
than other applicants in instances of that kind? I think the
personnel department shouldhavemore input."
THE DEPARTMENT also makes sure that contractors
hired to work for the city are following human rights prin-
ciples. Rowe explained that all contractors planning to bid on
a city job are given an affirmative action form to fill out. The
form asks for a breakdown of the company's employees by
race and sex. "If the form is not completed, the city will not
accepta bid from them," he said.
Companies whose hiring practices do not conform to or-
dinance standards are offered the option of setting up their
own affirmative action programs, Rowe continued. "Our of-
fice is more than willing to plot out the program with them."
Rowe added that some companies have chosen to exercise
this option.
"In the long run, it costs a company more if they don't.
comply with our standards, because our requirements are
not unique-they are similar to regulations for state and
federal jobs aswell," said Rowe.
SCOTT EXPLAINED the difference between equal op-
portunity and affirmative action. "Affirmative action calls
seeking out and finding qualified minorities and women to
perform a job," he said, "while equal opportunity is giving
a member of a minority who is as qualified (as a white male)
an equal chance ata position."
See ORDINANCE, Page &