Amnesty International Hypocrisy?

For years I have been a member of Amnesty International, I have written numerous letters in
support of their various causes. I generally think they are a good organization who help a lot
of people. When I began to realise what I was going through was something called gang stalking
and other targets had written to them and not received any assistance, I was a little bit
surprised, so I thought I would write to them and see what the score was.
Below is the response that I received regarding my inquiry about their policy for assisting
targets of gang stalking. OK no big deal, psychological torture that drives targets to suicide,
or gets them falsely institutionalised is out of their realm, I get that. Cool whatever. That was August 18, 2006.

[quote]
Dear Friend,
Thank you for your e-mail to Amnesty International Australia.
Amnesty International exists to undertake impartial research and action focused on preventing and ending grave abuses of human rights. Our main focus is on particular types of systemic or entrenched human rights abuse. These include the rights to physical and mental integrity (such as torture and the death penalty), the rights to freedom of conscience and expression (such as imprisonment for expressing your political views), and freedom from discrimination (such as patterns of violence against women).
I have read your message and have considered whether the matters raised
are ones with which Amnesty International can assist. I am sorry to advise that your concern does not fall within Amnesty International’s mission and hence we will not be able to assist you.
I regret that we are unable to take this matter further for you and wish you well with your efforts to have your concerns addressed.
Thank you for your inquiry.
Best Regards,
Amber MaxwellSupporter Liaison OfficerAmnesty International Australia29 Shepherd St, Chippendale, NSWLocked Bag 23, Broadway, NSW 2007e-mail: hello@amnesty.org.auPh: 1300 300 920Fax: +61 2 9217 7663
Help Stop Violence Against Women! Become a Human Rights Defender.Call 1300 300 920 or visit www.amnesty.org.au
[/quote]

Then however based on the above response I wrote them back about their policy on electronic
harassment. No response. I waited a week. Oh the above response had taken only 48 hrs to
receive. I wrote them again about electronic harassment, which I am sure their guidelines do
cover. No response. Waited 2 weeks wrote them back again. I finally called and left a message.
The girl on the phone seemed dumb founded and took a message, with my exact question regarding their policy and said that she would have someone call me or email me with the response to my inquiry. They called back, but not with a response, they called to say that I should call them between 9-5. Mon - Fri.

I left it for a few days and then called them back. This is after I sent off an email again
specifically to the Toronto and Ottawa division of Amnesty International. When I called the
Toronto office, I was referred to the Ottawa office, cause Toronto did not know. She said to
speak to Hilary at extension 247. I called was transferred to Natasha in their donations
department, she said the calls get transferred when Ottawa is out on lunch, but she really felt
that I should be speaking to the Toronto office. I explained that I was just transferred from
there, she asked if I would like to leave a message, with my inquiry. Explained that I had
already done this, and they had called to leave a message saying to call during this time
period. She could not answer the question clearly. I said I would call back in a bit. I called
back Ottawa an hour or so later, the guy on the phone who answered said he was well versed on
policy and would be able to answer a simply policy question. I asked what their policy is on
electronic harassment weapons. Eg. Microwave weapons to be precise. (These are also called none lethal weapons, I don't see what's so none lethal about them, they cause pain, and will give a target cancer with enough exposure.) He also seemed dumb founded, and could not answer the question, and refers me to extension Denise at extension 249. I of course get her answering
machine where I await an answer.

The thing that I find frustrating about Amnesty is that for years I have been writing letters to
politicians about various causes in support of Amnesty, and now when I want a simple answer from them, I almost have to go on a letter writing campaign of my own to get a simple response. I am pretty sure that Amnesty based on the above letter is suppose to cover this form of
harassment, I am sure that confirming this in a letter is not going to crumble the whole
organisation into the ground. I genuinely feel that after over a month and a half of follow up
and trying to get a response from them, that they are genuinely avoiding the issue. I find this
to be shameful, and hypocritical because this is the same BS, I have had to write to politicians
on their behalf, when they would use staling practices, or not take a cause seriously enough.
The latest being the situation in Darfur.

Now I do understand that the imminent danger of being chopped up to death, by roving militia
does not compare to a slow and painful death, by cancer causing none lethal weaponry, but a
response from this organisation is all that I am asking for. I just find it pitiful and
shameful, I have always supported them throughout the years, and now when I am not even asking for support at this stage, just asking for their policy on the issue, I can't even get a
response. This is what other organisations, and politicians do to them, now it seems to be what
they are doing. If this is the case I want to say that I find it to be hypocritical and
shameful.