Tufts Amnesty International to hold annual letter-writing campaign

Tufts Amnesty International will hold their annual Write for Rights event on Tuesday, Dec. 8, during which students will be able to sign or write letters for 10 different human rights cases.

The event is part of Amnesty International’s 17-day letter writing campaign, which kicked off on Monday, and includes cases involving prisoners of conscience, torture survivors and human rights defenders, according to Tufts Amnesty International Vice President of Events Flora Cardoni.

Cardoni, a junior, explained that members of the organization will be hosting tables in the upper Mayer Campus Center, instead of in the lounge of Hodgdon Hall, where the event has been held in previous years.

“Each table will have two cases presented, with information and letters that people can sign or use to guide them in writing their own," she said.

Jewel Castle, Tufts Amnesty International's external liaison, said letter-writing is a big part of Amnesty International's mission.

“These letters are tangible things people can do," she said. "People write these letters, and they lead to results.”

Castle, a sophomore, explained that in past years of the campaign, prisoners have been freed or received better treatment after the letters were received.

“Last year, two million actions were taken on behalf of 10 individuals and cases through Amnesty International USA,” Castle said.

For 2013, Tufts students were responsible for 336 of the letters that were signed and submitted by Amnesty International, she added.

Tufts Amnesty International's Co-President Shanan Kumar said that the group has always exceeded the amount of letters they estimate will be signed.

"Tangible changes come out of this event, which is proof that it makes a difference," she said.

Kumar, a senior, added that the group hopes to get more students involved this year.

"A lot of people would care about this, but sometimes students don't have time to think about it on a day-to-day basis," she said. "We want this event to generate awareness in a crowd that doesn't usually come to our events."

Castle said that she believes Tufts students have an interest in these human rights cases.

“We learn a lot about what is wrong about injustices at Tufts, and this is a very real step towards justice,” she said.

According to Castle, Amnesty International is the largest grassroots human rights organization in the world, and the Write for Rights event is the largest grassroots human rights event that happens worldwide.

Tufts Amnesty International takes action against human rights violations throughout the year, Castle added.

“At Tufts, we hold meetings every week like a regular club where we have a presentation on a human rights case, and then we send letters and learn more information about a case and send them to members of government who can work to make changes in the situation,” she said.

At weekly meetings, Castle said, the group sends around 15 letters.

“The Write for Rights event is much more inclusive to the whole student body, which only helps our cause,” she added.

Next semester, Cardoni said that Tufts Amnesty International will host their annual Jamnesty event -- a concert featuring student bands, a cappella groups and independent singers in the spring that raises awareness for human rights.