[van-discuss] Fw: Protest - I added the site next to Mr. Wright's info.

[Charles Boylan]

Leaflet to be distributed tonight and other nights during the Amnesty International Film Festival:


  Sent: Thursday, November 06, 2003 1:20 PM
  Subject: final draft leaflet on film


  Protest Amnesty International Cancelling the Film Showing of "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised"

  The 8th Annual Amnesty International Film Festival has arbitrarily dropped a showing of The Revolution Will Not Be Televised, the internationally acclaimed Irish documentary about the attempted coup d'etat against Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez in April 2002.

  The reasons presented by Mr. Don Wright and Amnesty International don't stand up. They say the film is politically one-sided. They even contest there was a coup in Venezuela in April 2002! 

  In fact this remarkable documentary, shown on CBC Newsworld, captures in precise detail the outrageous illegal actions of the coup organizers, and the self-sacrificing mass actions of the people and rank and file soldiers in restoring constitutional law and the lawfully elected president.

  By not showing this film, is not Amnesty International de facto taking the side of those trying to hide the reality of April 2002? What would have happened had the coup succeeded, and the self-imposed dictator managed to consolidate power? Within hours he had liquidated the Constitution, the Supreme Court, the Congress as well as the elected-President. How could Amnesty International forget what tragedy befell the people of Chile on September 11, 1973 when their elected-President was violently overthrown by the military?

  It is not acceptable for an organization priding itself as a defender of democratic and human rights to shut down a film exposing one of the most blatant violations of human and democratic rights in our hemisphere just over a year ago. This is especially so while such activity continues under our very noses at this time. Should we be blind to the empire building activities of George Bush and his anti-democratic regime in the United States? Shouldn't we assume if this regime decides to organize a coup in Venezuela, or invade another country, it will, despite all public opinion or rule of law, just proceed to do so? 

  The film The Revolution Will Not Be Televised is a compelling document reminding all of us how frail democratic rights and liberties are under the shadow of the U.S. empire and the various privileged oligarchies profiting from its rule. To eliminate this film from the Festival in response to pressures from those who oppose President Chavez shows how far Amnesty International has strayed in this case from its purported aim: defending democratic rights everywhere, for everyone!

  Please write or phone Mr. Don Wright at 604-313-4069, e-mail dwright at amnesty.ca,  or sign the petition at  http://web.amnesty.org/report2003/Ven-summary-eng and express your opposition to the cancellation of The Revolution Will Not Be Televised.

  Showing of The Revolution Will Not Be Televised in Response to Amnesty's Cancellation:

  6:30 P.M. Friday, November 28th

  Simon Fraser University, Harbour Centre, Room 1900, 

  516 W. Hastings Street (at Richards)
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