Human Rights

Kenneth Roth, deputy director of Human Rights Watch and editor of its annual World Report. The report, which was just released, reviews human rights developments in 1992 and examines U.S. human rights policies.

Andrew Whitley, the executive director of the human rights organization, Middle-East Watch. Their new book, "Syria Unmasked," documents the brutal human rights violations that have occurred under the rule of Hafez Asad. (It's published by Yale University Press).

Book critic John Leonard reviews Alberto Manguel's novel, "News From a Foreign Country Came," about families and terrorism in cities around the world.

Two interviews during this half hour:

Daniel Pipes, the Director of the Foreign Policy Research Institute discusses his recent trip to post-war Kuwait, and the future of that country. Then, Terry talks with Andrew Whitley, executive director of Middle East Watch. He'll discuss human rights violations in Kuwait; both abuses the Iraqis commited against the Kuwaitis, and the abuses the Kuwaitis are committing against the Palestinians.

We look at the state of human rights in the region--particularly in Iraq before the start of the Gulf War--as well as elsewhere around the world. Kenneth Roth, the deputy director of Human Rights Watch, shares his insights.

In light of the Gulf crisis, Terry talks with Andrew Whitley, executive director of Middle East Watch. That group is a division of Human Rights Watch, an organization that monitors human rights violations in different regions of the world. Next, Terry talks with Sergeant George Rowen, of the of the New York National Guard. Rowen leaves for the Gulf in two weeks; his wife, who's also in the Guard, is stationed in Saudi Arabia.

Book critic John Leonard reviews "Cuba: A Journey," journalist Jacobo Timerman's scathing account of everyday life under Castro.

Reporter Lawrence Weschler. Weschler is a staff writer for the "New Yorker," where he writes on human rights, political, and cultural issues. Weschler's new book, "A Miracle, A Universe: Settling Accounts with Torturers," (published by Pantheon) looks at how victims of torture in Brazil and Uruguay worked to bring their captors activities to light (portions of the book ran as a five-part series in the New Yorker). Weschler's earlier books include "The Passion of Poland," and "Shapinsky's Karma."

Father Robert Drinan. For ten years, he was a Congressman from Massachusetts. He left his seat when the Pope ordered all priests to leave elected office. He now teaches law at Georgetown University and has recently completed a book on human rights.