A look at noteworthy addresses in the...

A look at noteworthy addresses in the Southland . Elena Bonner, international human rights activist and widow of Andrei Sakharov, spoke Thursday at the Los Angeles Hilton Hotel. Her speech was sponsored by Town Hall of California. From Bonner’s remarks: On This Moment in History “I want to speak about the historical moment we are living through, both you here in the Western Hemisphere and those of us in the Eastern Hemisphere. On one hand, many of us, and first of all those of us who have for years defended human rights, have greeted with gladness the fall of the Soviet empire. On the other hand, in our weakness, incredible new atrocities, violence and bloodshed has resulted. . . . We have achieved the task of bringing down the communist tyranny, but we in no way would have wanted to see what is happening right now. . . . This is a special moment in history, it is like a delivery of a baby, with pain, blood, torn tissue, which all accompany the moment of the birth. In our individual lives, the experience continues for a couple of hours or a day, in the history of humankind this continues for several years. The question is, when will it end? And will we be able to see that from all this pain a healthy child will be born?”

On Human Rights and Geopolitical Considerations

“Our concept of international law was developed and established within the framework of another era. . . . The main principle was to be the territorial integrity of each state. . . . That same principle was expressed even more strongly by the Helsinki agreements . . . which took as their base the existing postwar borders in Europe and proclaimed those borders inviolable.

. . . But the principle of territorial integrity is not part of human rights, it’s part of state rights. The principle of self-determination is one of the fundamental human rights. We have to decide for ourselves whether we only talk about human rights or whether we are prepared, (as we begin) the 21st Century, to actually defend human rights.

The defense of human rights means that sometimes we have to act without regard for geopolitical considerations. . . . We also should remember that in defending human rights we cannot apply different criteria to different regions, to different people.

. . . I believe for us, especially for the young people present who may be graduating this year, the question of the defense of human rights is the paramount issue--the question of life and death for the future. Whereas the geopolitical considerations of many politicians is the question of their own prestige, the issue for us is what do we want to defend? Our life and death problems or their prestige?”

Looking Ahead Next Friday: Yael Dayan, a member of the Israeli Parliament, Peace Now and the daughter of Moshe Dayan, and Moustafa Barghouthi, Palestinian delegate to the Middle East peace process, will discuss “Breaking the Deadlock: An Israeli and Palestinian Perspective,” Regent Beverly Wilshire, noon. Sponsored by the Los Angeles World Affairs Council, (213) 628-2333.

Announcements concerning prominent speakers in Los Angeles should be sent to Speaking Up, c/o Times researcher Nona Yates, Los Angeles Times, Times Mirror Square, Los Angeles, CA 90053