Network - Human rights and the Arms Crisis

HUMAN RIGHTS : Thankful for Small Liberties

RICARDO CARRERE, a 39 yearrold Uruguayan man, held a Dublin audience spellbound-at the Ammnesty International AGM here last month while he recounted the graphic details of his seven year ordeal in an Uruguayan prison.

Carrere was arrested by the Uruguayan Government in 1974 on charges of being a communist. He was held incommunicado for eight months and says he was tortured daily in an attempt to force "a confession out of him. In 1975 Carrere vv'~s convicted of membership in Uruguay's nonnviolent Revolutionary Communist Party and sentenced to seven years in prison.

Four years later Carrere'S wife persuaded Amnesty International to "adopt" Ricardojand to pUt pressure on the Uruguayan governnment to release him. Carrere was finally freed last year after servvmg all but two months of his senntence. Because the Uruguayan authorities have a habit of prompttly re-arresting convicts on trumpeddup charges CafrereWfiimmediately fled Uruguay for England.

Today Carrere lives in London where he receives. social welfare and' does volunteer work for Amnesty International. He is separated from his wife, who aha, lives in London, but he visits his 8" year-old daughter regularly.

Carrere says that in spite of the fact that the U,rugui;1Yan authhorities deprived him of some of the best years of hi's life, he is not bitter: "It was not an experience J recommend to anY0;je but It's an experience. I'm not happy about the way I spent those seven years bu t I haven't lost them," Carrere insisted-in almost flawless English d uring an interrview prior to the AGM address.

After one year of freedom Carrere says he is stillfhankful for smallIiberties: "Like the silly things we all take for granted ... to be able to put out the light late at night, tovsmoke a cigarette when you want one, to take a bath when you like and to eat when You're hungry. It's all those small stupid things you long for in prison," he said.

Carrere's one wish for Uruguay is a return to a stable democracy, which he says, would provide him with the opportunity to go "home again".

ARMS

Four Cowboys of the Apocalypse

FOUR well known "Dublin businessmen have been amusing their friends and colleagues with an almost unbelievable account of their final day of pheasant hunting last winter. .

It seems the quartet set out early on a Saturday morning for a foray into the wilds of County E Meath. Once into the county they asked permission of a farmer to shoot on his land. Permission was promptly denied, on grounds that the farmer himself was a hunter and didn't want his pheasant stock 8 depleted by the well -heeled city slickers.  

The scene was repeated at every farm visitedby the businessmen, until it was early afternoon and nearly time to return home.

As they began the drive back to Dublin, the quartet spied a dilapidated-looking farmhouse and quickly swung their shiny car in the drive. The driver of the car bounded out, asked permission to shoot pheasant and was astounded when the farmer acquiesced: "On one condition," said the farmer. "I'm not a hunter myself, don't even own a gun. Down in that field is an old nag I've been meanning.to have put down. You shoot my horse for me and you can hunt all you like."

The Dubliner quickly agreed, but ireturncd 'to his companions' waiting in the car, with a dissgusted look on his face. As he slid behind the wheel he said: 'That f---er won't let us shoot here, either. I've bloody well had it." Whereupon he seized his shotgun, jumped (Tom the car and shot the farmer's horse.

The trio in the car were reporrtedly horrified then jubilant. "That'll teach 'em" said one ore his companions as he grabbed his weapon and shot one of the poor farmer's cows.

Reparations were made to the astounded farmer.