Human Rights and Environment Speaker Visits Sierra Club Groups

by Lee Thomas

Sam Parry, the Sierra Club Human Rights and Environment Coordinator from Washington D.C. was in Atlanta for several days as part of a visit to the southeastern United States to promote the historic new partnership between the Sierra Club and Amnesty International to focus on cases of human rights with an environmental angle. Sam presented a program to both the Centennial Group and Atlanta Group during his visit.

Sam's presentations focused on the case of Alexander Nikitin, who was jailed in Russia for writing a report about the dangerous condition of nuclear powered submarines, and Rodolfo Montiel and Teodoro Cabrera, two Mexican campesinos, who have been jailed and tortured for protesting logging activity that adversely impacted the environment near their village. These are two of the ten human rights and environment cases from countries around the world which are part of a new book which was recently published. The book presents details of cases of people on four continents who have been harassed, jailed, and sometimes tortured simply because they spoke up to defend the earth.

Sam was also in Atlanta to promote the Sierra Club and Amnesty International's newly formed group which works on these 10 cases and human rights and environment issues.

If you would like more information about these cases, a copy of the book or would like to join the group which meets in Atlanta at 3:00 p.m. on the second Sunday of each month, please call Lee Thomas at 770-458-3389.

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Last updated: 20 Oct 00