Closing the School of the Americas!!

[9215]

Voice4Change
Uniting Our Voices
http://www.voice4change.org



November 14, 2003





Take Action! Close the School of the Americas

The School of the Americas (SOA) - in 2001 renamed the Western Hemisphere
Institute for Security Cooperation - is a combat training school for Latin
American soldiers located at Fort Benning, Georgia. During its 56 years of
existence, the SOA has used U.S. tax dollars to train more than 60,000
Latin American soldiers in counterinsurgency techniques, sniper training,
commando and psychological warfare, military intelligence and interrogation
tactics. These graduates have consistently used their skills to wage war
against their own country's civilians. Among those targeted by SOA
graduates are educators, union organizers, religious workers, student
leaders, and others who work for the rights of the poor. Hundreds of
thousands of Latin Americans have been tortured, raped, assassinated,
"disappeared," massacred, and forced into exile by those trained at this
"School of Assassins."

Contact your congressperson and urge them to support HR 1258, a bill to
close, investigate, and prevent another cosmetic remake of the SOA. It is
vital that co-sponsors be added before Congress adjourns on November 21.

Learn more about the School of the Americas:
http://go.sojo.net/campaign/close_the_SOA/explanation

Take Action:
http://go.sojo.net/campaign/close_the_SOA

Forward this alert as widely as possible:
http://www.voice4change.org/stories/send2friends.asp?id=031114~soj.asp

[this_side_up]

1. does anyone know

if they opened a branch in Costa Rica?

I don't remember the details from a couple of years
ago but CR was the intent.

[BrotherBuzz]

3. Well, it used to be in Panama...

Didn't it? Seems like Gitmo might be an appropriate location. In any event, SOA, or whatever they want to call it, isn't going to disappear soon!

[Say_What]

6. Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation is what they're

now calling the School of the Assasins. Next week they're demonstrating at Fort Benning. Priests, nuns, and other activists who demonstrate have been jailed for the civil disobedience--and some with lengthy sentences.

---

<clips>

November 21-23: Vigil and Nonviolent Civil Resistance Action

Join thousands from across the Americas from November 21-23, 2003 at the gates of the U.S. military base Fort Benning in Georgia - home of the notorious School of the Americas (renamed Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation) - to stand in Solidarity with the victims of the School of Assassins and to speak out against terror and violence. Cross the line - engage in nonviolent direct action to make your voice heard, to close the SOA/WHISC, and to change oppressive U.S. foreign policy. Click here for more information about the November vigil action

Background: The US Army School of Americas (SOA), based in Fort Benning, Georgia, trains Latin American soldiers in combat, counter-insurgency, and counter-narcotics. Graduates of the SOA are responsible for some of the worst human rights abuses in Latin America. Among the SOA's nearly 60,000 graduates are notorious dictators Manuel Noriega and Omar Torrijos of Panama, Leopoldo Galtieri and Roberto Viola of Argentina, Juan Velasco Alvarado of Peru, Guillermo Rodriguez of Ecuador, and Hugo Banzer Suarez of Bolivia. Lower-level SOA graduates have participated in human rights abuses that include the assassination of Archbishop Oscar Romero and the El Mozote Massacre of 900 civilians. (See Grads in the News.)

http://www.soaw.org/new/

BTW, Clark spoke at the SOA graduation in 1996--told them how wonderful they were and what a great thing it was to be associated with them. If you Google Clark +school of the americas you'll probably come up with the link.

[sweetheart]

2. hipocrasy of the american terrorist training camps

The article does not quite frame the crime in the language that the BFEE uses to accuse other nations. It IS a terrorist training academy... it has trained known terrorists, and is gross evidence how the USA is a state sponsor of terrorism giving refuge and support to terrorist activities.

If they don't shut it down, i hope they don't complain too much when somebody flies over and bombs it. Given the BFEE statements about state sponsorship and terrorist training camps, it is the least they should expect from the anti-terrorism coalition.

[Judi Lynn]

4. Excellent letter to Congresscritters, 9215.

Thanks for the post here. Had not heard there's something stirring to close this hellish arm of the U.S.'s worst designs against the world.

Very happy to send the e-mail. Thanks for giving us a chance.

[Say_What]

7. Guess who's on the SOA board?? Otto REICH!!

[Judi Lynn]

9. Doesn't seem possible the country could EVER get so low

a piece of work like Reich could be thrown into the SOA mix.

[Pastiche423]

5. Requested my Congress people

to support HR 1258 yesterday.

This terroist school must be shut down!

In 1996, clark gave a speech at the graduation of the School of Americas:

"WHEN I LOOK OUT AT THE FAMILIES, AND ALL OF THE FRIENDS OF THE
GRADUATES...AS WELL AS OUR DISTINGUISHED BOARD OF VISITORS HERE, THE
COMMANDANT OF THE SCHOOL AND ALL OF YOU WHO ARE GRADUATING, IT'S A
THRILLING EXPERIENCE TO BE HERE WITH YOU -- TO EXPERIENCE THAT EMOTION
AND PRIDE."

More...

http://carlisle-www.army.mil/usamhi/usarsa/SPEECH/cgscspch.htm

[JohnKleeb]

12. oh god

:puke: now pastiche. I know we dont share candiates but to my recollection you do like Kucinich right, I hear he was speaking out against that and he even got the endorsement of a leading Catholic priest who is the leader of some movement against it.

[Say_What]

8. For anyone who follows Latin America, that Colombian General that

resigned this past week--General Mora--he's a graduate of the SOA. If anyone is interested they can search the archives for thread on Colombia to find out more. I posted stuff about him this week.

[Judi Lynn]

10. Just found this ort in google concerning General Mora

(snip) SOA Graduates in the News




Last Updated 6/18/02

--SOA Graduate Army Major César Alonso Maldonado Vidales along with Captain Jorge Ernesto Rojas Galindo were detained, according to Human Rights Watch, "in relation to the December 2000 attack on trade unionist Wilson Borja." Maj. Maldonado, assigned to army intelligence at Bogotá's Thirteenth Brigade, had cell phone records that linked him to one of the assassins. A witness and former soldier also verified his relation to the attack and "named high-ranking officers who he claims approved it," among them, was SOA Graduate, General Jorge Enrique Mora, who is currently the commander of the Colombian Army. (snip/...)

http://www.gateway2china.com/community/messages/2654.html

[Say_What]

11. Bingo!! Thanks for posting that...

:hi:

[alphafemale]

13. Well...I'll be there!

Maybe we could have a mini DU meet-up? :hi:

[alphafemale]

14. Kick for this weekend. Hey GA DU'ers!