About Le Anne Clausen Expertise I can answer questions about human rights work as a vocation, human rights as they pertain to the Middle East and/or Muslim world, particularly Palestine/Israel, Iraq, and Afghanistan. While in Iraq, I helped to investigate prisoner abuses, including those at Abu Ghraib. I can also answer questions on women's rights in the Middle East. I cannot give you legal advice.
Experience I was a human rights worker for four years in the Middle East, including Palestine, Israel, and Iraq. I also participated in a human rights delegation to Afghanistan in summer 2005. I have an MA in Christian-Muslim relations, with special study on women's issues; I also worked one year for an Arab women's grassroots human rights organization. I am currently working to build an interfaith peace-teams based human rights organization
Publications "Be the Healers" (considering next steps for addressing the Abu Ghraib scandal), July 2004 edition, "The Lutheran" magazine.
Also: www.christian-muslim.net; www.young-activist.blogspot.com; additional interviews and articles about me are available via Google search.
Question hi,
im currently doing a research paper on the body works exhibit. This exhibit showcases human corpses that are, basically preserved with plastic. The controversy behind this issue are the recent accusations against the organizers using the bodies of political prisoners from china and bodies of people who died of unnatural causes. My question is whether
1. you think the accusations are true, considering the fact that china has an active illegal organ donor industry
2. and whether you think holding the exhibition in the name of education is ethical.
3. is this a gross violation of human rights
I shall be very grateful if you could offer me your stand on this issue
Answer Greetings Namita, thanks for your question. I attended the BodyWorlds exhibit (Dr. Von Hagen's) when it came to Chicago, and it was interesting to see how they have responded to the human rights concerns by posting some of the donation forms, etc., at the end of the display. It's very hard to know, given that there is not an independently verified paper trail matching bodies to donor forms--although there are donor forms linked to death certificates.
There are two major exhibits, produced by two different companies, and the second one is up front about their using unwilling donors. That concerns me very deeply. As it does many places which have refused to show it.
I would say that the practice of plastinating the bodies of political prisoners or poor people without full consent of themselves and their families is a gross violation of human rights--everyone has the right to a decent burial.
However, if a person fully voluntarily donated their body, with their family's blessing, this I would find an ethical exercise of their rights as a person--as is done for people who donate their bodies to medical schools, etc.
