From the Editor

There's a lot for you to absorb this time. In recognition of the fiftieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, we are devoting considerable space this time to questions of human rights. In a letter to the editor, Mordechai Vanunu launches a discussion of his own rights as a political prisoner, and Senator Douglas Roche follows that up by discussing the existence of nuclear weapons as an infringement of human rights. Anne Adelson's article is a report on a meeting between holocaust survivors and survivors of the Rwandan genocide. We also offer two articles on the economic and social aspects of human rights, both of which were originally speeches given which will be broadcast in March on Vision Television. The first is by Mary Robinson, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, and the second is by Phil Fontaine, Chief of the Assembly of First Nations, who reminds us of the hardships borne by Native people in Canada. The final article in this series is Susan McClelland's discussion of Amnesty International's report on human rights violations in the United States, noting that when foreigners are arrested in that country, they may not be informed of their right to contact their consulates. The case of Canadian Stan Faulder, who is being executed in Texas for murder, illustrates the pattern.

However, in addition to human rights, we cover a variety of topics related to peace and warfare. Terry Crawford-Browne presents some shocking news about the South African government's involvement in the arms trade. Susan Jagminas brings us up to date on the scientific investigations still being carried out to determine the nature of "Gulf War Syndrome," an unknown disease frequently experienced by Gulf War veterans. Tim Donais offers some observations on the foreign policy objectives that Canada will pursue as a member of the Security Council - especially the commitment to put the security of human beings ahead of the security of nation-states. Valerie Zawilski reports on the activities of women who are networking globally to deal with the wars in which they find themselves. Drawing on a new CD-ROM that is on sale to the public now, John Mohawk shares some stories about peacemaking traditions among the Six Nations. Michel Chossudovsky discusses the currently controversial MAI treaty which he sees as jeopardizing democratic accountability in Canada and other liberal countries. And finally, Ron Shirtliff offers an appreciative review of Trudy Govier's new book, Dilemmas of Trust.