• Amnesty International News
• Minutes of the Meeting of the Amnesty International Group 74
• ANNOUNCING
  SUMMER ETHICAL SUNDAY PROGRAM FOR KIDS

Our Amnesty International group recently received the following letter from Dr. William F. Schulz, Executive Director of Amnesty International USA, congratulating us on the release of one of our Prisoners of Conscience:

On behalf of all your friends and colleagues at Amnesty International USA, I want to congratualte Group 74 on the release of Mahmoud al-Sayyid Mahmound Basiouny and Mohsin ‘Abd al-Fattah al-QuwayI of Egypt on whose behalf I know you have worked so hard. The kind of determination you displayed is exactly what makes Amnesty the respected, effective organization it is.

Your gorup should be very proud of its efforts, and I want you to know that all of us are proud of you. Thank you for all that you did on behalf of of Mahmoud al-Sayyid Mahmound Basiouny and Mohsin ‘Abd al-Fattah al-QuwayI.

Amnesty International USA Group 74 -- Minutes of meeting 05-26-99

Present:
Herb Coston, Arthur Dobrin, Lyn Dobrin, Bob Ernst, Enid Feldman, Larry Feldman, Herb Rosenbaum, Ann Sherega, Irv Sherega, Art Silver

Post cards and petitions were sent to support prisoners in Jerusalem, Myanmar, Peoples Republic of China; to President Yasir Arafat; and to President Clinton regarding human rights violations in Kosovo.

Addition books were distributed to review as possible recipient of our human rights award. Irv reviewed Reinventing a Continent and recommended that it be considered for the award. Arthur urged everyone to look for suitable books and request review copies from the publishers.

Irv reported that a letter he had sent to the Liberia Ministry of Justice on child soldiers was returned to him marked "Service Temporarily Suspended."

Bob read a letter he received from William Schultz, the director of AI USA congratulating us on the release of our Egyptian letters. He also distributed a sample letter to send to Raga’ al-Arabi, Egyptian public prosecutor, regarding pre-trial detention of the Muslim Brothers.

Herb Coston initiated a discussion the possible effectiveness of our sending handwritten letters to government officials rather than reproduced letters, to Break the Mold, so to speak. We will try sending letters in various forms and use techniques such as affixing official-looking seals and lots of interesting stamps, in addition to handwritten letters. Art will ask Rene Silver if she can make a scroll with calligraphy to send.

Lyn will research blind internet groups who may be interested in writing on behalf of our Turkish prisoner (who is blind).

We received a request, through AI Regional Office, from CAMBA Resettlement agency in Brooklyn, regarding support for Kosovar refugees who they will be resettling. They need household items, food, toys, books, new clothes, cash, etc.

On June 8th the Great Neck group will be holding a rally marking the 10th anniversary of Tiananmen Square. They did not say what time. Contact is Peter Goetz, 767-1641.

There is a new AI Working Group on Military Security Police. Larry will look into that.

Next meeting: June 23, 8 pm. There will be no meetings in July and August. September meeting is on the 22nd.

"Being Good, Doing Right" Program for Children this August

A summer ethics program for children "Being Good, Doing Right" will be held for five mornings in August, from Monday, August 23rd through Friday, August 27th from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm. "Being Good, Doing Right" will help children learn how to make good decisions. It is open to children who will be entering grades 2 through 6 this fall. Daily sessions will focus on honesty, peacefulness, peer pressure, ecology and caring about others. The children will participate in making a theme banner and there will be games, snack and drinks and art projects.

On the closing day at noon there will be a group presentation for the children and their families. The program is sponsored by the Ethical Humanist Society of Long Island and will be held at 38 Old Country Road in Garden City. Tuition is $30 for the entire program.

For further information and to register, call 516-741-7304.