Human rights lawyer Jennifer Harbury to speak at Evergreen

Jennifer Harbury, an acclaimed human rights lawyer, activist and author will make a free public presentation at The Evergreen State College on May 10, 2006. Ms Harbury’s most recent book is Truth, Torture and the American Way: The History and Consequences of U.S. Involvement in Torture (Beacon Press, 2005).

Harbury's talk is May 10th from 1:00-3:00pm in Lecture Hall 1 at Evergreen. The subject the talk is “Torture and U.S. Foreign Policy: What Can We Do?” A question and answer session will follow her presentation.

Jennifer Harbury came to public attention in the 1990s when she participated in vigils and hunger strikes in front of the White House and the National Palace of Guatemala, attempting to hold the US and Guatemalan governments to account for the 1992 disappearance of her husband, Efrain Bamaca Velasquez (Comandante Everardo) of the Mayan resistance group URNG (National Revolutionary Union of Guatemala). As a result of public pressure and support from some members of the U.S. Congress, it came to light that her husband had been tortured and murdered by Guatemalan military officers who were on the CIA payroll. Ms Harbury presently continues her work in association with the Torture Abolition and Survivors Support Coalition in Washington, D.C.

Jennifer Harbury, who was invited to Evergreen by the Master of Public Administration (MPA) program, will give several lectures on campus. In addition to the MPA, her visit is sponsored by the programs “Making a Difference: Doing Social Change” and “Vietnam and Iraq Wars: Uncomfortable Parallels,” as well as the Women’s Resource Center and the Deans’ fund for speakers.

For further information about Ms Harbury’s visit to Evergreen, contact Martha Schmidt, visiting professor, MPA, by phone at 360-867-5606 or by email.