Petrelis Files

Amnesty's Non-reply Reply

In a message dated 6/6/2005 10:41:10 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time, mfeeney@aiusa.org writes:
Dear Mr. Petrelis,

Amnesty International's research is carried out by staff at our
international headquarters in London, virtually none of whom can vote in US
elections or contribute funds to US candidates. That is also where Amnesty
policy is made. Our work is guided solely by international human rights
law, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which the United
States helped create in 1948. The job of the more than 60 national sections
around the world, including Amnesty International USA, is simply to carry
out policy set at the international level. We strive to do everything
humanly possible to see that the personal political perspectives of Amnesty
leadership in the United States have no bearing whatsoever upon the nature
of our findings and the conduct of our work. Moreover, we hold all US
administrations to account for human rights abuses, and criticized the
Clinton Administration on issues ranging from the death penalty to aid for
Colombia to the conduct of the Kosovo War.

Thank you.

Best regards,
Mary Anne

Mary Anne Feeney
Assistant to the Executive Director
Amnesty International USA
mfeeney@aiusa.org



Dear Ms. Feeney:

Thanks for your reply, which really didn't address my concerns about Amnesty International leaders donating money last year to Sen. John Kerry's quest for the White House. I guess your policy allowing executives to contribute to politicians in the United States will continue, causing many people to question Amnesty's alleged nonpartisan status. You also didn't address my concern about why abuses of gay human rights in the United States were excluded from your recent report. I won't be supporting or joining Amnesty anytime soon.

Regards,
Michael Petrelis