Amnesty’s Aims

We at Amnesty International U.S.A. were surprised at the level of criticism of Amnesty International and the “Human Rights Now!” tour expressed by Def Leppard manager Peter Mensch (Pop Eye, by Patrick Goldstein, Sept. 11).

The realities behind tour decisions concerning participating artists, as well as many other decisions, were enormously complicated and difficult. We wanted all of the groups asked about their availability for the tour to perform.

However, the logistical realities of scheduling and coordinating a six-week, 20-plus venue, global tour had to be reconciled within the context of financial expenses and logistical limitations.

A project of this nature has never been undertaken, and the complex problems that emerged as we planned and started to finalize details had to be resolved by limiting the number of performing groups--not because we did not want them--but because it was not financially nor logistically possible to take as many artists as originally envisioned.

Amnesty International is not a rock ‘n’ roll organization: we are a human rights organization and it is our firm intent to be consistent with our mission--the eradication of human rights abuses by building awareness with people around the world and by exposing governments who violate human rights.

JOHN G. HEALEY

Executive director

Amnesty International U.S.A.