Amnesty group
raising awareness,
funds for refugees
University students are working to aid 1A million
Sudanese people forced from their homes since 2003
BY AMANDA BOLSINGER
NEWS REPORTER
How much do most college stu
dents spend in a day? Five dollars?
Ten? Sometimes twenty? In many
parts of the world, millions of peo
ple are surviving on less than a dol
lar a day, yet many Americans
aren’t even aware of it, University
Amnesty International volunteer
Evan Cope, said.
The University chapter of
Amnesty International, a group
committed to protecting human
rights around the world, is work
ing to raise money and awareness
for refugees in Sudan, a country
that has been suffering an internal
crisis since February 2003. More
than 50,000 people have been
killed and at least 1.4 million have
been forced from their homes by
nomad militias, called Janjaweed,
according to the Amnesty Interna
tional Web site.
“The attacks have been decimat
ing,” said Dan Selvig, coordinator for
the University Amnesty Internation
al chapter. “Forty-seven percent of
the villages have been burnt and de
populated. A member of United Na
tions called this the worst humanity
crisis in the world.”
Students are donating their time
and money to Amnesty International
i
..
to help stop the crisis in Sudan and
raise local awareness. The group has
been asking students to fast today
and donate the money they would
have spent on food to relief in Sudan.
“We go buy a pen for two dollars
and don’t even think about it,”
Cope said. “They live on just a dol
lar a day. As a nation of power and
wealth, we have a responsibility to
care about others.
“Anything you can contribute
will save lives.”
The group raised more than
$1,000 in the first week of the drive.
All money raised will go to refugee
camps. The money will primarily
be used to provide clean water, san
itation, public health services and
shelter.
“Sanitation and clean water are
huge issues,” Selvig said. “Anything
that can prevent epidemics needs to
be done.”
Selvig said part of the problem is
that public attention has been fo
cused on the recent elections and
many international affairs have
been ignored.
“We are a very internal country,
concerned with what’s going on in
our own borders,” Selvig said.
“What’s going on outside is outside
and doesn’t really get noticed.”
SUDAN, page 6
Lauren Wimer | Senior photographer
Gustavo Gutierrez, a world-renowned Catholic priest, meets with colleagues before speaking to nearly 600 people in the
EMU Ballroom on Friday afternoon. Gutierrez devotes his time to uniting the poor and the Catholic Church.
Father of Liberation Theology
speaks of 'beautiful' unity effort
World-renowned Peruvian Roman Catholic Priest
Gustavo Gutierrez denounces oppression of the poor
BY AMANDA BOLSINGER
NEWS REPORTER
A steady flow of people filled the
EMU Ballroom Friday to hear world
renowned speaker Gustavo Gutier
rez, a Peruvian Roman Catholic priest
who has been called the father of Lib
eration Theology and one of the most
influential men of the 20th century.
Liberation Theology is a movement
to bridge the gap between the poor
and the Catholic Church.
Gutierrez is a short man with a
think Spanish accent, but his mes
sage could not be any clearer or his
goal any larger.
“He has denounced the oppression
against the poor as sinful and called
for a commitment on part of all
Catholics,” said Carlos Aguirre, the
director of the Department of Latin
American Studies.
Gutierrez’s visit to the University
was co-hosted by the Latin American
department and the Newman Center.
Father Dave Orique of the Newman
Center was able to help arrange
Gutierrez’s visit because both men
are Dominican friars and know each
other personally.
“This is a great opportunity for the
University because Oregon isn’t a
place that he would normally come,”
Orique said.
GUTIERREZ, page 6
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