(2009-0960-F) Amy Biehl

The materials in FOIA 2009-0960-F are a selective body of documents responsive to the topic of the FOIA. Researchers should consult the archivist about related materials. Amy Elizabeth Biehl of Newport Beach, California was killed on August 25, 1993 in the Guguletu Township outside of Cape Town, South Africa. She was 26 years old. Ms. Biehl dedicated her life to ending apartheid, the system of racial segregation and discrimination that existed in South Africa from 1948 - 1994. She traveled to the country as a Fulbright Exchange Scholar conducting research on women’s rights and helping register voters in underprivileged communities. On the evening of August 25, she was driving friends home to the black township of Guguletu when she was killed. Four young men, members of the Pan African Student Organization (PASO), were convicted of her murder and sentenced to 18 years. In 1998, after serving 5 years of their sentence, they were granted amnesty from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, a decision that was supported by Amy Biehl’s parents, Peter and Linda Biehl. The Amy Biehl Foundation, a non-profit organization benefiting children in the Western Cape of South Africa, was created by her parents in her name. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission was created in 1995 by Nelson Mandela’s Government of National Unity. Its purpose was to help South Africa heal from the years of apartheid by investigating human rights abuses, assisting with rehabilitation, and granting amnesty for politically motivated crimes. Responsive records from the WHORM subject file include a condolence letter to the parents of Amy Biehl after her death. Also included is correspondence and information about the foundation created by her parents in her name. Responsive records from the NSC Cable, Email, and Records Management Systems include press reports on the murder and trial that followed, and the 1993 Country Report on Human Rights Practices in South Africa. Peter and Linda Biehl attended the White House State Dinner for the Republic of South Africa on May 22, 2000. The guest list for the event is included. President Clinton’s remarks from the September 23, 1998 presentation of the Congressional Gold Medal to President Mandela are also included, along with President Clinton’s condolence letter to Amy’s parents and correspondence with Amy’s sister, Molly.