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RIP: Peter Benenson

By TChris, Section Civil Liberties
Posted on Sat Feb 26, 2005 at 09:57:19 AM EST
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by TChris

The founder of Amnesty International, one of the world's great organizations devoted to human rights, died at the age of 83.

[Peter] Benenson founded the organisation after reading an article about the arrest and imprisonment of two students in a cafe in Lisbon, Portugal who had drunk a toast to liberty.

Irene Khan, secretary general of AI, summed up Benenson's life with eloquence.

"He brought light into the darkness of prisons, the horror of torture chambers and tragedy of death camps around the world. This was a man whose conscience shone in a cruel and terrifying world, who believed in the power of ordinary people to bring about extraordinary change and, by creating Amnesty International, he gave each of us the opportunity to make a difference."

Rest in peace, Peter Benenson. You were a true champion of liberty.

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    RIP: Peter Benenson | 5 comments (5 topical)
    Re: RIP: Peter Benenson (none / 0) (#1)
    by Andreas on Sat Feb 26, 2005 at 10:40:15 AM EST
    One should note that support from Amnesty International has helped to free supporters of the WSWS who were kidnapped by the LTTE in Sri Lanka in 1998. See: Text of "Urgent Action Appeal" by Amnesty International That does not imply that the WSWS shares the political views of AI. There is one older WSWS-article dealing with the historical and political foundations of AI: Support for Western military intervention provokes divisions within Amnesty International By Richard Tyler, 25 August 2000

    Re: RIP: Peter Benenson (none / 0) (#2)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Feb 26, 2005 at 10:49:49 AM EST
    A lot of the Right and some of the left did not care at all for Benerson, because he did point out way to many ideals of our political persons in all areas from prison murder by the state and mass torture by all sides in this world. the mass enslavement of billions of people for the ideals of the insane world economic system are all, "real happy today". and many corrupt non governments around this world will move on to its murderous ends. I will miss him and you should to.

    Re: RIP: Peter Benenson (none / 0) (#3)
    by Che's Lounge on Sat Feb 26, 2005 at 03:53:52 PM EST
    I wonder how many people owe their lives to this man and the people who worked for AI?

    Re: RIP: Peter Benenson (none / 0) (#4)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Mon Feb 28, 2005 at 07:39:54 AM EST
    In homogae to a great human who used his life well. Condolances to his loved ones and greetings to the millions of lives he helped. May he rest in peace and guide the rest of us to continue his work - all over the world. May truth and justice prevail! May there be peace on this planet.

    Re: RIP: Peter Benenson (none / 0) (#5)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Mon Feb 28, 2005 at 01:16:48 PM EST
    Thanks to Peter Benenson many victems of human rights abuses all over the world see the light at the end of the tunnel and he passed on that gift of objecting to the horrible treatment of human beings to everyone who is willing to look a little further. He will forever be remembered as a fighter for human rights and a role model to many. May we always remember to light a candle for those who can not see the tunnel anymore and continue the work he started a long time ago.

    RIP: Peter Benenson | 5 comments (5 topical)