Registry of Amnesty International Supporters Who Oppose Abortion

The movement of Amnesty International toward supporting a “right” to kill unborn children has been a matter of great distress among its consistent-life constituency. The sample form letter from AI found below details this movement toward supporting abortion.

All those who report on having called AI’s national office in the United States received curt responses stating that AI is maintaining neutrality, in contradiction to the form letters the same people receive after writing to AI. We have found no indication that the phone calls or the letters are being tallied in order to give decision-makers an accurate assessment of the widespread dismay their decisions can cause. The "policy consultation process" the form letter claims to be underway must be problematic when those who call are not having their names and addresses taken down, while being told emphatically that this process is nothing but a rumor.

Accordingly, Consistent Life (an international network for peace, justice and life--of which I am a board member) is organizing a drive to allow this constituency to be registered and counted (see text at link after next sentence). All those who have ever supported Amnesty International financially or in any other way are invited to sign it at: www.petitionspot.com/petitions/consistentlife

We ask sympathizers to forward this message on to all individuals and listserves who may be interested. Links on web pages and notices in newsletters and newspapers would be much appreciated, along with any other ideas for getting the word out.

The on-line format allows a running tally to be seen by anyone at any time. Tallies will be announced to the media periodically at appropriate points.

Please send this message on to interested others! Thanks.

Richard Stith (for Consistent Life)

Here is Amnesty International’s form letter detailing its movement toward possibly endorsing a “right” to abortion:

> >From: Betsy Ross <[email protected]>
> >Sent: May 5, 2006, 10:04 AM
> >Subject: Re: AIUSA and Abortion
> >
> >
> >   Thank you for taking the time to share your concerns.
> >
> >   Although AI does not currently take a position on abortion, you are
> >   correct that the AI movement is contemplating whether and how to address
> >   it.
> >
> >   As you probably already know, our policy agenda, and the policies
> >   themselves, are determined by AI members through a democratic process.
> >   The reason that abortion is being discussed right now is that members
> >   throughout the movement felt that AI's work to stop violence against
> >   women and promote women's human rights necessitates that we consider
> >   whether a more comprehensive policy on sexual and reproductive rights,
> >   potentially encompassing certain abortion-related issues, would enable
> >   AI to be more effective in these areas.  This was expressed in a
> >   decision taken last August at AI's 2005 International Council Meeting
> >   (ICM), which is AI's highest decision-making body.
> >
> >   The 2005 ICM decided that AI will develop a policy statement and a
> >   strategy for defending and promoting sexual and reproductive rights.  At
> >   the same time, the ICM decided that an extended consultation process
> >   should be undertaken to determine whether AI should adopt a policy on
> >   abortion and how such a policy should be formulated.  We have just
> >   embarked on this process.  The first stage involves considering whether
> >   and when AI should develop policies on three specific issues that have
> >   been identified as particularly urgent in the context of AI's campaign
> >   to stop violence against women:  1) access to health care for the
> >   management of complications arising from abortion; 2) access to abortion
> >   in cases of rape, sexual assault, incest or risk to a woman's life; and
> >   3) the removal of criminal penalties for those who seek or provide
> >   abortions.
> >
> >   All other abortion-related issues, including whether a woman's right to
> >   physical and mental integrity includes a right to terminate pregnancy,
> >   will be considered by the 2007 ICM.  The extended timeframe for
> >   consultation and decision-making is a reflection of the recognition that
> >   these are profound decisions that require reflection and discussion so
> >   that the AI movement can move forward as one.
> >
> >   Please let us know if you would like to receive an update on how this
> >   process is unfolding.  We expect that we may have some new information
> >   in about six months or so.