, AU8TRALlA
PRIME MINISTER
CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY EMBARGOED UNTIL DELIVERY
PRIME MINISTER'S SPEECH
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL CANDLE-LIGHTING CEREMONY
KINGS HALL 28 MAY 1986
YEARS AGO, THE VISION AND HUMANITY OF PETER BENENSON, A
CATHOLIC LAWYER OF JEWISH DESCENT, BORN OF ENGLISH AND
RUSSIAN PARENTS, GAVE BIRTH TO AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL, THE
GREAT ORGANISATION WHOSE ANNIVERSARY WE CELEBRATE TODAY.
IN RlAY 1961, THE FIRST AMNESTY APPEAL WAS MADE, ON BEHALF OF
POLITICAL PRISONERS FROM EIGHT COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD,
BOTH COMMUNIST AND NON-COMMUNIST.
IN DECEMBER OF THAT YEAR, THE FIRST SYMBOLIC LIGHTING OF THE
AMNESTY CANDLE TOOK PLACE ON THE STEPS OF THE CHURCH OF ST M. ARTINS-IN
-THE-FIELD, LONDON.
FROM THOSE SMALL BEGINNINGS, AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL HAS
DEVELOPED INTO AN ORGANISATION WITH OVER HALF A MILLION
MEMBERS, SUPPORTERS AND SUBSCRIBERS WORLD-WIDE.
IT HAS 1MADE ORDINARY PEOPLE ALL OVER THE WORLD AWARE OF THE
PLIGHT OF THOSE DEFENDING THE HUMAN RIGHTS WE IN AUSTRALIA
TAKE FOR GRALNTED. IT [ HAS SUCCEEDED IN BRINGING PRACTICAL
HELP TO THOUSANDS OF VICTIMS OF ABUSE.
AMNESTY CAN RIGHTLY CELEBRATE TODAY TWENTY-FIVE YEARS OF
SUCCESSFUL ENDEAVOUR TO IDENTIFY AND FREE PRISONERS OF
CONSCIENCE, TO SECURE FAIR AND PROM4PT TRIALS FOR POLITICAL
PRISONERS, AND TO END TORTURE AND EXECUTIONS THROUGHOUT THE
WORLD. IN AUSTRALIA AMNESTY HAS SOME 10,000 COMMITTED MEMBERS IN
BRANCHES IN ALL STATES. ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY GROUPS ARE
WORKING HARD TOWARDS RELEASE OF PRISONERS OF CONSCIENCE.
THE GOVERNMENT PARTICULARLY COMMENDS THE CURRENT CAMPAIGN
WHEREBY THE ENTIRE MEMBERSHIP IS WRITING TO 10,000 DECISION
MAKERS IN SOUTH AFRICA TOWARDS THIS END.
TODAY'S CEREMONY, FITTINGLY HELD HERE, IN THE PLACE WHICH IS
CENTRAL TO AUSTRALIA'S FUNDAMENTAL IDEALS OF FREEDOM AND
DEMOCRACY, IS SPONSORED BY TWO OF THE AUSTRALIAN AMNESTY
GROUPS, THE A. C. T. GROUP AND THE PARLIAMENTARY GROUP.
THE PARLIAMENTARY GROUP WAS FORMED IN 1973 AND CURRENTLY HAS
OVER 70 MEMBERS. THE FOUR PARTY LEADERS, JOHN HOWARD,
IAN SINCLAIR, DON CHIPP AND I ARE HONOURED AND PROUD TO BE
ITS PATRONS.
THE WORK OF AMNESTY IN IDENTIFYING AND SUPPORTING PRISONERS
OF CONSCIENCE HAS THE SUPPORT OF ALL AUSTRALIANS TO WHOM THE
IDEALS OF POLITICAL AND PERSONAL FREEDOM AND THE VALUE OF
FREE SPEECH AND OPEN PARTICIPATION IN GOVERNMENT ARE
IMPORTANT. TO NOBODY WERE THESE IDEALS AND VALUES MORE IMPORTANT THAN
TO THE LATE SENATOR ALAN MISSEN. ALAN WAS TWICE THE
CHAIRMAN OF THE PARLIAMIENTARY GROUP OF AMNESTY, AND WAS ITS
CURRENT CHAIRMAN AT THE TIME OF HIS UNTIMELY DEATH IN MARCH.
IT IS THEREFORE WITH GREAT PLEASURE THAT I AM ABLE TO
ANNOUNCE TODAY THAT THE PARLIAMENTARY AMNESTY GROUP HAS
DECIDED TO ESTABLISH A PERMANENT MEMORIAL TO ALAN WHICH WILL
REFLECT HIS LIFETIME'S COMM'ITMENT TO HUMAN RIGHTS CAUSES.
NEXT YEAR, BEFORE HUT-IAN RIGHTS WEEK, THE PARLIAMENTARY GROUP
WILL ORGANISE A HUM4AN RIGHTS LECTURE TO BE GIVEN IN ALAN
MISSEN'S NAME. WITH ANY PROCEEDS RAISED FROM THE LECTURE,
WHICH WILL BE GIVEN BY A PROMINENT PERSON WITH DIRECT
PERSONAL EXPERIENCE IN THE AREAS OF HUM-AN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS,
AMNESTY WILL THEN MAKE SOME DONATION TO A SPECIFIC AMNESTY
PROJECT, THEREBY COM4BINING BOTH SOME PUBLIC RECOGNITION OF
THE WORK OF AMNESTY WITH A PRACTICAL DEMONSTRATION OF
CONCERN. I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT ALAN WOULD HAVE APPROVED
WHOLE-HEARTEDLY OF THIS UNJDERTAKING.
AMNESTY TOOK AS ITS SYMBOL THE CANDLE SURROUNDED BY
BARBED-WIRE IN RECOGNITION OF THE TRUTH OF THE ANCIENT
CHINESE PROVERB, " BETTER TO LIGHT A CANDLE THAN CURSE THE
DARKNESS". HERE TODAY, IN LIGHTING THIS CANDLE, A CEREMONY WHICH I
PERFORM ON BEHALF OF ALL AUSTRALIANS, WE REMEMBER THE FATE
OF THOSE WHO ARE NOT FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO LIVE IN A COUNTRY
WHERE THEIR RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS ARE RESPECTED. WE SUPPORT
THE WORK WHICH AMNESTY HAS DONE FOR A QUARTER OF A CENTURY
ON THEIR BEHALF, AND I INVITE THE LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION
TO JOIN WITH ME IN OUR EXPRESSION OF SUPPORT FOR AMNESTY'S
CONTINUING EFFORTS.