Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (April 20, 1998)
Historian discusses evolution of human rights in Cambodia By Kim Sweet Staff Reporter More than 30 students crammed into a small lecture room on Friday to hear about an issue that one his torian said has only recently become important on the political agenda - human rights. “Ten to 15 years ago, this was not a topic that would have filled a room,” David Chandler said. “It should have.” Chandler, an expert in Southeast Asian history and a Pol Pot biographer, was on hand to talk to people about the former leader of the radical Khmer Rouge party as well as human rights in Cambodia. Chandler’s lecture was part of a series sponsored by international human rights and human diversity studies. He said he believes his role as an historian is to look at the histori cal context of human rights and realize that conditions are not the same everywhere. He stresses not taking a “holier than thou” approach. “This is not something bad peo ple do while good people take courses,” he said. Lisa Sock, a senior political sci ence major, said she was inspired by Chandler’s thoughts. “The historian’s view really puts the human view into human rights,” she said. While Chandler has written records from journals kept by pris oners, and has even talked to some of the survivors, he has no record or memories of the perpetrators. Historians have no way of knowing how human rights viola tors were socialized into the role, Chandler said. They often were subjected to the same conditions as the prisoners were. During Chandler’s visits to Cambodia, he was allowed to see Pol Pot’s secret prisons where, in a three-vear neriod. 14.000 Drisoners were housed and later killed. Chandler went through piles and piles of forced confessions that were recorded by prisoners. It was through these documents that Chandler got an idea of how the prisons operated. “It was a machine for abuse,” Chandler said, “humiliating and finally killing all the people there.” On one of his visits to Cambodia, Chandler visited the ruins of the Pol Pot period. The idea « The historian s view really puts the human view in human rights.” Lisa Sock senior political science major of buildings dedicated to rulers who violated human rights made the sight less than beautiful, he said. MTt yyi orla tVicx mine mnnVt disturbing - unlike the ruins of Rome and Greece,” Chandler said. Though Chandler did write the biography of Pol Pot, he did not get to interview him for the book. This was for the better, Chandler said. Chandler said interviewing Pol Pot would have meant giving the leader another outlet for his propa ganda. “He would have gotten his voice into the media,” Chandler said. “I didn’t want to allow this mass mur derer his time in the sun in my biog raphy.” Student athletes honored for campus contributions By Shannon Heffelfinger Senior Reporter After a year of earning awards • for contributing to their athletic teams, Nebraska student athletes were honored Sunday for the contri butions they made in the classroom during 1997. Athletic Director Bill Byrne, former NU Football Coach Tom Osborne and Chancellor James Moeser honored 219 student ath letes at the eighth annual Student Athlete Academic Awards Banquet Sunday night at the Bob Devaney Sports Center. All students in attendance had at least a 3:0 GPA, while 44 received highest honors after posting a 3.75 GPA last semester. “You athletes exemplify all we associate with success,” Moeser said. “You are outstanding citizens and inspiring athletes. You are truly first-class, and the university is proud of you.” Osborne, the keynote speaker, emphasized discipline, the ability to deal with adversity, teamwork and balance as essential qualities in suc cessful student athletes. “I would be hard-pressed to find a group of 220 people that I think will make more of a difference on campus than this group,” Osborne said. Nebraska Athletic Director Bill Byrne presented the Student Athlete of the Year awards to Jenny Smith, a catcher on the Comhusker softball team, and NU wrestler Ryan Tobin. Tobin, a Big 12 Conference Champion and three-time NCAA All-American, has a 3.7 GPA. Smith earned Academic All-Big 12 honors and GTE/CoSIDA Academic All District VII honors in 1997 and has helped the Huskers to a perfect 14-0 league record this season. “I just want to thank the Lord for bringing me here and always point ing to the right road signs,” Smith QaiH UT fppl m\7 PYnpripnpp Vipt*p ic starting to come full circle with this award. My team is also doing really well this year, and we will hopefully be Big 12 champions.” Before Byrne presented Smith and Tobin their individual honors, Asssociate Athletic Director and Senior Women’s Administrator Dr. Barbara Hibner gave the Herman Awards to the men’s and women’s teams with the highest combined GPA. The men’s tennis team and the women’s cross country team won the Herman Awards. Basketball to aid study of arthritis From Staff Reports The Alpha Omicron Pi Sorority will hold an all-male, five-on-five universitywide bas ketball tournament called “Hoop It” on Sunday. The tournament is the sorori ty’s major philanthropy, and the proceeds will go toward arthritis research. “It is for a good cause,” said Kelly VanDerWerff, the sorority’s philanthropy chairman. “We’ve done this for a long time. It’s like an AOPi tradition and is some thing that all the girls look forward to doing every year.” Hoop-It will take place at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Campus Recreation Center and will be an all-day event. Last year, more than 40 teams participated, and more than $3,500 was raised through donations. “Every girl has to get sponsors to donate $25,” VanDerWerff said. “We’ll probably get around the same amount of money as we did last year.” Teams who would like to regis ter for the tournament should con tact Kelly VanDerWerff at (402) 436-0653. The deadline for regis tration is today at 6 p.m. I—_I Flesh Melt .Ja/k of the Ml PIP FLASH SAY THAI?!? www. FLASH FAN .com THE GIVE YOUR BUTT CHEEKS A REST CONTEST could make that busted up loun09 IV V pad your ticket to a new recliner and a night on the town. Snap a shot of your worst piece of furniture and get it to the Journal Star by April 27. If you have the raunchiest, stankiest. most putrid. Sandford and Son, flea infested, marathon TV watched-upon, frat house reject, stick of furniture we have ever had the dis pleasure of laying our eyes on—you win. THE RULES I "" *7 1. You must be 21 or older to enter. ■ j^e Entry Form 1 2. Entries, photo, and entry form, must be \ * If mailed or delivered to the Journal Star Name_ 1 by April 27. I f spMra 3. If you win, the piece of furniture will be _ Aqb_ Day Phone____ ■ needed to make celebrity appearances. f 1 Befijila 4. Pets are not furniture. . Address___ VPrj l ■ — THE STUFF ■ ' m 1. A new chair from Rod Kush’s Furniture. I I /cg^T|f r 2. Tickets for two to concert events in May, I Furniture’s Nickname_ ■huh. i*n..nnn courtesy of Homer’s. I I 3. Dinner for two at Grandmother’s. I ^*PP|i“«on *»y the Lincoln Journal Star. 4. A room for two at The Cornhusker Hotel. * 926 P Street- Lmco,ni NE 68508 I (SlxWtwt 5. A bottle of wine from The Still. ^