Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1993-03-17, Page 70 RI 41* ... LucltrioVd i4rt't'3ftkl; ^PYedrlesday, March 17,11993 — 'Page 7 Human rights advocate says women worldwide continue to suffer by Nancy Harper Handcuffed, blindfolded, made to stand facing a wall without food or water for days on end, she• endured constant beatings, interrogations, torture and rape. Her name was Daisy. An El Sal- vadoran woman accused by the military of having leftist sym- pathies, Daisy's story is an all too common tragedy in the war -ravaged countries of Central America. 'It is typical of what women in many parts of the world endure," human rights advocate Karen Ridd told a group of several hundred people at a recent international Women's Day conference. With "different faces, different details, different levels of oppres- sion", Ridd said women' all over the globe continue to suffer. Daisy's story is one of pain, of torture' and of ultimate sadness. Imprisoned for nothing more than suspicion of having leftist .sym- pathies, the police finally let her go, saying they "didn't really have anything against her in the first place". Daisy returned to' work, knowing it was there that she had first been suspected' and that it was her as- sociations at work that caused her to be picked up by the military. She was determined to work for change, motivated to make life better for future generations, hoping that if she could work for positive change that others wouldn't have to be subjected to the kind of torttire she had. But after being released, Daisy's mutilated body was found several days later. Murdered, her voice snuffed out by a paranoid military power, her story lives bn through people like Karen Ridd. "I tell her story to stop the silence," Ridd told the audience which had gathered at the Canadian Auto Workers complex to mark International Women's Day. The theme of the conference, "Women and Their Stories", was designed to honour and celebrate the victories of women, as well as to lay bare the injustices that women all over the world continue to suffer.' • "We will keep telling (women's) stories again and again because they are our stories," Ridd said. "By telling them again and again we will move to a place where we won't have to tell them." A member of Peace Brigades International, Ridd herself was imprisoned by the Treasury Police in -El Salvador on suspicion of aiding leftist rebels. She has since become a voice for the oppressed peoples of Central America and travels across Canada speaking out against human rights violations. Joining Ridd as guest speakers were two area high school students; native storyteller Lenore Keeshig- Tobias and author Susan Gibson. • A selection of poetry and stories from Keeshig-Tobias • focused on .native women's issues and violence against women, as well as positive and ' uplifting stories about the strength of women. Gibson, a poet and writer from Owen Sound, stressed the impor- tance of women working together to break the silence and stop a per- petual cycle of violence, political under -representation and economic dependence. "We must begin to take action together," she said. Through the telling of women's stories - both the victories and the injustices - the silence can be broken, she explained. "With no stories, we have no action and we have no change," she said. Salaries and staff number scrutinized during budget cuts by board of education CHESLEY--Salaries and staff • numbers are under scrutiny as the Bruce County Board of Education continues efforts to cut back its $73 million budget. Allan Mackay, finance chair, said the draft budget stands at a 2.5 per cent increase for local ratepayers. "We're trying • not to cut programs," Mackay said, though he admitted'some program areas could be trimmed to keep costs down. Few details were released at the board's March 2 meeting, but Mackay sai'd the draft budget is ' $150,000 smaller. than last year's and well below the $74.4 million the board spent in 1991. The mill rate estimate is higher because provincial grants are $1 million less than in 1992 at $34,480,000. A $200,000 cut ,in the grant for busing was announced last month, and the provincial grants for "salary component....has been increased by 0 per cent," according to a letter from David • Cooke, minister of, education. Special Olympics... •f1r'om page 5 drivers and people to help out at tournaments and special 'meets. She added that because the overall body of Special Olympics is well eStab- lished, there are a wide variety] of manuals and programs to assist volunteers. "In ordei to move forward, we need to rely onpeople taking part" Everyone is a volunteer, she `said, and the local group is still working to get off the ground and letting people know there is an opportunity out there. Ms. Robinson said .one of the area's local athletes, Samantha Mayer of Lucknow, won the gold for figure skating in Barrie over the weekend of Feb. 27. ' The following is a list of recog- nized Special' Olympics Sports:. floor hockey, track and field, speed skating, cross country skiing, rhyth- mic gymnastics, softball, powerlifting, spi ing board diving, swimming, five pin bowling, figure skating, artistic gymnastics, broomball, soccer,, 10 pin bowling, alpine skiing, snowshoeing, syn- chronized swimming, curling, bas- ketball, equestrian. • Goals The goal of the Ontario Special Olympics is to contribute to the physical, social and psychological development of those who are men- tally handicapped through positive and successful experiences in sports. However, the ultimate goal is to prepare these athletes for successful ;,participation in regular community athletics. Currently there are more than 6,100 registered athletes in Ontario. For more information on how to take part contact Connie Robinson at 357-1452 or Jennifer Dierolf at 529-7074. Come pne Come All Elaine Irwin Memorial Bantam House League Tournament Friday, 'March 19, 1993 Lucknow ,Arena Games starting 8:30 a rh Consolation Game 6.30 pm Championship Game 7:45 pm AZTEC THEATRE ict39NCARDINE 2 Starting Friday, Marsh 19 Fri. & Sat, at 7:00 & 9:00 pm -- Sun. to Thurs. at 8 p.m.. `UNFORGETTABLE;' I hxu• Wh.,dc,, AB( !'V , BOS 1 ()N .RICHARD •JOD•IE GERE • FOSTER tihcknewhnfeic 1111 nil 11 111, lode She kne e%cnthingairtui him Big the troth SOMMERSBY AA C;;/WARMER NAOS ALL SEATS $3.50 Mon. to Thurs. "It's a funny way of saying it," Mackay noted without a laugh. "We will endeavor to do that. It's a tough pill to swallow for all parties that there will be no increase in money." Mackay said the province's $1 million cut in grants is not as big a shock to the Bruce board as it was to some. • "We're fortunate we didn't believe we'd get thelncrease (the province promised earlier)," Mackay said. "Since August we've been budgeting for 0 per cent. A month ago we moved to a decrease (in grant expectations)." The board will absorb about half of the $200,000 cut in busing grants by. holding the line on rates and sharing more routes with Grey County school bus operators. "We : agreed en masse" to hold bus rates at the 1992 level, Mackay said of a meeting with operators. He noted the five per cent grant cut was a "big incentive." The board still doesn't have the final figures from the ministry on provincial grant levels, but Mackay hopes to present the '93 budget in,. •April. HELPING THE WORLD WRITE NOW CODE For Information call 1 -800 -661 -CODE =-` • PARK THEATRE • a- TUESDAY1 TUE.-THUR. MARCH 16-25 TUE.-SAT. 7 & 9 pm SUN.-THUR. 7:30 pm TUE.-SUN. MAT. 2 pm MAT. ALL SEATS '3.50 PARENTAL GUIDANCE LONG DISTANCE? CALL 1-800-265-3438 FOR TOLL FREE MOVIE INFO Lucknow and District FIGURE SKATING CL . B Presents Saturday, March 20t 993 Lucknow Arena 8:00 p.m. * Door Prizes * Silver Collection * Raffle "Great Family Entertainment" Hope To See You There. Thanks For Your Support It's the funniest show in town ' • Yuk u s WILD, WACKY & WONDERFUL Lucknow & District Community Center Doors open. at 8:00 pm - Show starts at 9:00 pm sharp '8.00 Advance or '10.00 at door, Available from any Lucknow Kinsmen or call 528-3834 - 528-3108 or 529-3333 DANCE to follow SHOW Limited number of 'tickets, Age of Majority Sponsored by TI IE LUCKNOW & "DISTRICT KINSMEN. Proceeds to Community Betterment.