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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 19, 1999)
Salvadorians speak against inhumane treatment ■ The University is working to establish a code of conduct to disclose companies’ working conditions By Darren Freeman Oregon Daily Emerald Two prominent Salvadorian human rights activists encour aged University students to help end oppression and injustice in El Salvador at two Thursday speeches at the University. The speeches were organized primarily by the University’s Hu man Rights Alliance and Com mittee in Solidarity with Central American People as part of their effort to require businesses mak ing products for the University disclose factory locations and maintain humane workplaces. HRA activist Julie Koehler, a junior sociology and anthropolo gy double major, said she hoped the speeches would “help people connect in their minds what we are fighting for and who we are fighting for.” The speakers included Manuel Vasquez, who organizes resistance to the El Salvador government’s alleged violations of the country’s constitution, and Irma Orellana, who is leading Salvadorian women’s fight against exploitation and sweatshop conditions. “The situation of women who work in the factories is very sad,” Orellana said with the aid of a translator. She said that women factory workers have little light and air, small workspaces forcing them to stand, limited trips to re strooms, long hours and unfair wages. At the end of a month’s work, the women are rarely paid more than the equivalent of $143, she said. Orellana said that the women are often abused by their supervi sors. “Sexual assaults and physical violence are the order of the day,” she said. “Torture, machine gunning and assassinations are as com mon as in the decades of the 70s and the 80s,” Vasquez said through the translator. Vasquez said even he has been threatened by his government, which he said has violated 43 arti C i Torture, machine gun ning and assassinations are as common as in the decades of the 70s and the 80s. Manuel Vasquez Salvadorian human rights activist JJ cles of El Salvador’s constitution. “But what can I do,” he said. “I have one life, and I’ve committed it.” Vasquez said that if his govern ment doesn’t cease oppressing its people, he would consider lead ing his organization in an insur rection attempt. Both Vasquez and Orellana ex pressed concern that loosened in ternational trade practices could lead to further exploitation of El Salvador’s people and called for University students to demand international business act re sponsibly. Orellana praised nationwide student efforts demanding com panies making products for their institutions treat workers fairly. Sarah Jacobson, a senior biolo gy major and HRA activist, was one of the chief organizers of the speech. She said she’s disap Translator Anna Thompson (left) relays Salvadorian human rights activist Irma Orellana’s message to help end injustice A,Varez Emerald pointed by the University’s effort to require businesses to disclose factory locations and uphold eth ical treatment of workers. “[The administration’s] time line doesn’t reflect the urgency of the reality that was expressed by our Salvadorian guests today,” Jacobson said. Vice President of Public Afairs and Development Duncan Mc Donald, who is leading the ad ministration’s effort, said the University “has moved as expe ditiously a possible.” McDonald said the ASUO Ex ecutive and the administration formed a committee to discuss the issue and recommend a course of action to University President Dave Frohnmayer. The committee will decide what the University should demand, how the businesses should be investi gated and how the University should enforce its rules. "I’m sorry that some groups feel we’re moving too slowly, but the University depends on a lot of conversation and reflec tion to make decisions that aren’t unilateral,” McDonald said. “That’s the way the presi dent likes to work, and that’s what we’re going to do.” Jacobson, who is serving on the committee, said she wants the committee to take its time discussing a possible code of conduct but wants to see full disclosure of factory locations now. “The sooner we require [dis closure], the sooner we’ll have that information to make in formed decisions and answer the tough questions,” Jacobson said. The committee is scheduled to meet soon and will likely make a decision by mid-December, Mc Donald said. JhcetfjJJluAic liquid audio www.FACETHE.com ^ w ■ the way music moves < Never before released LIVE DAVE MATTHEWS BAND downloads NOW available! 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