PRETTY GIRL

Students send worldwide message

December 12nd 2008
Martine Chenier, Colonel By
EastOttawa.ca (Canada)

Colonel By’s Amnesty International group has raised the bar in hopes of raising awareness, support and funds for global issues. On Dec. 10, the program is joining many other Amnesty groups across the country to celebrate Human Rights Day in the Write for Rights campaign.
The members will join together to collect signatures to help persuade the Canadian government to aid other countries, and some times our own, in the resolution of world issues.

There will be letters available to protest the forced evictions in Cambodia after officials are threatening to force approximately 150 families from their homes and the land in the centre of the city of Phnom Penh, more commonly known as Group 78, and move them in Andong. Most of those are underprivileged street vendors, teachers and junior civil servants. There are also others demanding justice and the safety of a human rights defender and her family in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and to support Iranians protesting for the equality of women, to name a few.

The group took over the school’s atrium at lunch hour with all the required information and supplies in order to help the cause.

“We’re going to have tables where people can either sign a pre-written letter or write their own letter, as well as an information table, and a bake sale,” states one of Colonel By’s Amnesty International programs leaders, Amar Nijhawan. “The letters will be sent to the appropriate government representatives, depending on the letter-writing case we choose.”

Amnesty International will also be holding a few other events in order to inform Colonel By’s students about the issues around the world.

“We have also talked about having a buy-in with guest speakers and a documentary in late March,” continues Amar about the future goals of the program.