Out of the Silence - Synopsis
INTRODUCTION
Out of the Silence
documents the growth of the international human rights movement, underscores
the importance of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and focuses on the
work of individuals and nongovernmental organizations (NGO's) in protecting
human rights. No matter what country you live in, what rights you advocate, or
what level of human rights abuse you experience, there are common strategies
and resources available to everyone involved in human rights work. Our hope is that this video will be used for
raising general awareness, for educational purposes in the community, for
organizing, and simply to create a sense of solidarity with others involved in
the fight; secondarily, where appropriate, as a set of strategies resources to consider.
SYNOPSIS
Out of the Silence is a
fifty minute video in three parts. It can be shown as a single program or in
separate parts. If possible, every viewing should provide additional time for
discussion.
Part 1. Universal
Declaration of Human Rights
The first part (9 minutes)
describes how the Universal Declaration of Human Rights came into being, and
its importance in establishing international human rights standards. While the
Universal Declaration is not legally binding, those governments who signed it
become accountable for their actions. This segment discusses how organizations
like yours strive to close the gap between a government's promises and its
practices - especially the abuse of basic human rights.
Part 2. Czechoslovakia
The second part of the
video (20minutes) documents the history of the struggle for human rights in
Czechoslovakia. This segment describes ways in which Czech human rights
activists organized peaceful opposition to the repressive Czech regime, what
they did to create the "political space" required to keep the
movement alive, and what strategies they used to apply increased pressure on
the Czech government to end human rights violations - until finally achieving
in late 1989 a rare victory in the fight for human rights and a return to
democratic rule in Czechoslovakia.
Part 3. Guatemala
The third part of the video
(23 minutes) captures the tragic situation in Guatemala, where human rights
violations are among the worst in the Western Hemisphere. This segment describes
government repression against the indigenous people in the highlands of
Guatemala, then follows the efforts of a small group of peasants who have come
together to legally challenge the military's forced conscription of peasants
into Civil Patrols. We witness firsthand the organizing methods of those
working to gain human rights, how they use the country's new constitution as a
tool, and how they monitor and report human rights violations. We see the risks
they take and the price they pay. This segment also profiles the work of the
international human rights community (NGO's, the UN, etc.) in rallying to the
defense of the victims, shedding light on the continuing human rights nightmare
in Guatemala, and demanding government accountability.