Amnesty International's ongoing campaign on human rights abuses in the United States provided an extra spark of energy as more than 500 activists attended AIUSA's 1999 Annual General Meeting. The AGM was held April 16-18 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

In his opening statement, Executive Director William F. Schulz recounted some of the successes that Amnesty has enjoyed so far, at the USA Campaign's approximate halfway point.

"When this campaign began, skeptics wondered if we really could move this massive, stubborn country to change," said Schulz, who then listed several areas in which the campaign has already scored significant results.

"Days after we slammed the use of electroshock stun belts as inhumane in a nationally broadcast NBC news program, the New York Corrections Department cancelled an order for their use in New York City jails," Schulz pointed out. "The New York Post reported -- disapprovingly, I might add -- that the order was cancelled after Amnesty condemned their use."

Schulz also cited the appointment of an independent inquiry to examine alleged human rights abuses at Maine's youth detention center, and a pair of bills in Virginia and Washington criminalizing sexual misconduct by male guards against female prisoners. Amnesty had originally brought both issues to public attention as part of the USA Campaign.

"Have we been effective? You bet we have," Schulz declared.

The AGM, which drew activists from as far as Alaska and included several international guests, featured workshops, panel discussions and other activities reflecting this year's theme, "Human Rights Here and Now: Educating for the Future." A plenary session and two panel discussions at the meeting focused on human rights education.

At an educators panel held on April 17, Todd Jennings, a professor of education at California State University, San Bernardino, reminded teachers of their special responsibility under the UDHR. "It is the only craft specifically named in the preamble to the Universal Declaration," Jennings said.

Other AGM guests included Sen. Paul Wellstone (D-Minnesota), Minneapolis Mayor Sharon Sayless Belton, actor and activist Patrick Stewart, author and veteran prisoner advocate Angela Davis and American Indian Movement representative Vernon Bellecourt. Also on hand was Cyrus Peltier, the grandson of imprisoned American Indian leader Leonard Peltier.

In addition, children's human rights activist Adriana Portillo Bartow was named as the winner of the 1999 Ginetta Sagan Fund Award during a special ceremony at the AGM. Portillo Bartow was recognized for her work with disadvantaged youth in the Chicago area and for her efforts on behalf of "disappeared" children in her native Guatemala.