Close the SOA

This weekend, we remember in a special way all those who will be protesting at SOA/WHINSEC, especially Sisters Janice, Juliana, Mary Joan and Ruthann. What can we do this weekend in solidarity with those who protest? 1. Pray 2. Click here to tell President Obama to close the SOA. 3. Follow the schedule of events on the SOA Watch website and enter into solidarity with the protestors by educating yourself on the issues being discussed. 4. "Like" SOA Watch on Facebook. 5. Watch the trailer for the new DVD, "Somos Una América" (below), and consider buying the DVD. (E-mail subscribers: If you do not see a video below, click here to go to the blog post to watch it.)

Say "No" to SOA/WHINSEC

As you know, our Sisters will be joining thousands of others in the protest at SOA/WHINSEC this weekend. We offer our prayers for Sisters Janice, Juliana, Mary Joan, and Ruthann. Hopefully, you will be praying the Evening Prayer that we sent out for this purpose. Additionally, we can show our support by contacting our Representatives. See the message from NETWORK below:

H.R. 3368 the Latin America Military Training Review Act was reintroduced in the House of Representatives on November 4, 2011. This bill would suspend operations at the SOA/WHINSEC*, investigate torture manuals and human rights abuses associated with the school, and conduct an assessment of military training in Latin America. Your tax dollars are paying for this institution.

Thousands of people will be heading to Columbus, GA, the home of SOA/WHINSEC, this weekend for the twentieth time with the message: CLOSE IT DOWN!

The time is right to show support for the people of Central and South America. Tell your representative to sign on as a co-sponsor to H.R. 3368 the Latin America Military Training Review Act.

Click here to send an e-mail to your representative.* School of the Americas/Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation

August 16: Call the White House!

Last week, we asked you to contact your representatives to encourage them to sign on to the letter that will be sent to President Obama to ask him to close the SOA. The letter, with 69 signatures of representatives, will be given to the President on August 16. The letter will have the most impact if it is accompanied by calls from around the country telling the President to "Shut it down!" So, call the White House on Tuesday, August 16 and let him know that you support the closure and investigation of SOA/WHINSEC. Click here for instructions and a possible script. Share this information with your friends throughout the country.

Nancy Smith, SOA Prisoner of Conscience

The following video features Nancy Smith, SOA Prisoner of Conscience, who (on January 5, 2011) was sentenced to six months in prison for her involvement in the non-violent protest to close the School of the Americas. E-mail subscribers: If you cannot see the video below, click here to watch.

News from the SOA Rally

From the SOA Watch: On Saturday, thousands converged at the gates of Ft. Benning, in the annual vigil and rally to close the School of the Americas/WHINSEC. Over the years since 9/11, under the pretext of "terrorism", it has become increasingly more difficult for activists to engage in non-violent civil disobedience, which has been a cornerstone of our movement. Through fences, increased police presence, FBI pre-rally consulation with local police forces, security cameras, searches and in the past, metal detectors at vigil entrances, those who wish to cross the line into the base have been prevented in doing so.This year, some within our movement decided to accompany federal line crossers to their place of crossing at a different entrance. When activists tried to leave the "free speech zone", they were blocked by police and only allowed to leave via the sidewalk. Many were simply leaving to return to their hotels or homes. When the Puppetistas followed the sidewalk towards the intersection of Victory Drive and Ft. Benning Road, the Columbus police moved in to arrest the Puppetistas, and began to arrest anyone, while also targeting various journalists who were filming the repression. One local man was arrested while taking pictures of the unfolding events.Bail was initially set at up to $5,500 per person, with many people being charged with several misdemeanors. This is still hindering a quick release from jail, and was intended to intimidate activists.Today, Sunday, we remembered the martyrs from across Latin America with our traditional solemn funeral procession, chanting "Presente!" after the names of SOA victims, including recent killings and disappearances in Honduras and Mexico.Two more young people joined the growing list of Prisoners of Conscience, risking extended federal prison time and fines. David Omandi of the Los Angeles Catholic Worker and Christopher Spicer of the White Rose Catholic Worker of Chicago took their witness to the School of the Americas, after jumping over the first set of barbed-wire fencing at the entrance to the base, and were immediately detained by military police amidst cheers from supporters.Yesterday, Father Louis Vitale (California) and Nancy Smith (New York) delivered their message of solidarity with our sisters and brothers in Latin America after entering the base from the highway ramp. This is the first time crossing the line for Nancy, Christopher and David, and the fourth time for Fr. Louis. They continue to keep the light of truth alive for the history books, so we can look back and see the flowers that grow from the seeds of resistance we plant today.

Blessings for the SOA/WHINSEC Trip

For several years, the Sisters of Christian Charity of both North American provinces have been participating in the vigil and non-violent protest to close the School of the Americas/WHINSEC, located at Fort Benning, GA. This year, the Eastern Province will be represented by Sister Maria Lan Nguyen and Sister Maria Teresa Nguyen. This past weekend, we commissioned and blessed them, promising our prayerful support as they represent us at Fort Benning in November. These pictures were taken at the commissioning. In the top photo, many of the Sisters who represented us over the years gathered around the banner that is carried at the SOA. The middle photo shows Sister Josita leading the blessing and the lower photo shows Sister Joseph presenting the SCC banner to Sisters Maria Teresa and Maria Lan. Click here for more information.

Counting Down to Fort Benning

We remember Sister Andrea and Sister Immaculata in our prayers as they prepare to converge!

From the SOA Watch:

GET READY FOR THE NOVEMBER VIGIL Nov. 20-22: Converge on Fort Benning, Georgia

Commemorate and Resist: Join thousands at the gates of Fort Benning from November 20-22, 2009. It is more important than ever to take a stand for justice in the Americas and to resist the militarization of our hemisphere. Over the past week, SOA Watch activists protested at the U.S. Southern Command in Florida and at a military base in Colombia, to speak out against the School of the Americas, the continuing SOA graduate led military coup in Honduras and the increasing U.S. military presence in Colombia. In several days, all of us will converge on Fort Benning, Georgia. Other protests in the lead-up to the November vigil are taking place at Fort Huachuca in Arizona on November 14 and 15 and on Friday, November 20 at the Immigrant prison in Lumpkin, Georgia. Human rights activists will also visit the Corporate Headquaters of Chiquita, Drummond & Coca-Cola on their way to the vigil toprotest against their crimes against people of Colombia! For a complete schedule of events for the convergence visit:http://soaw.org/article.php?id=1693

Ursuline Sister Sentened to 60 Days in Prison

Press release from the Ursuline Sisters of Cleveland (dated January 26, 2009):

Ursuline Sister of Cleveland Diane Therese Pinchot was sentenced to 60 days in prison for misdemeanor trespassing onto the grounds of Fort Benning in Georgia Nov. 23, 2008. She did not receive a fine. She says she trespassed and risked arrest and a prison sentence “to raise awareness of the need to close the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation (WHINSEC),” formerly known as the U.S. Army School of the Americas (SOA), a military training school for Latin American security personnel located at Fort Benning.

Sister Diane Therese’s action—like her religious order’s corporate stance calling for the closure of SOA/WHINSEC—is grounded in the December 1980 rape and murder of fellow Ursuline and friend Sister Dorothy Kazel and her companions, lay missioner Jean Donovan and Maryknoll Sisters Maura Clarke and Ita Ford in El Salvador. Three of the five Salvadoran National Guardsmen convicted of the crimes were trained at the SOA. The two officers who ordered the killings have yet to be charged for their involvement.

“Dorothy’s death and the thousands of other deaths and disappearances taught us nothing if today the same U.S. government is still training Latin American soldiers the skills of torture and war,” says Sister Diane Therese.

On weekend of her arrest Sister Diane Therese joined more than 20,000 people at the gates of Fort Benning to participate in an annual vigil to call for an examination of U.S. foreign policy as it relates to Latin America and closing SOA/WHINSEC. The vigil takes place each year in conjunction with the anniversary of the 1989 massacre of six Jesuit priests, their housekeeper and the housekeeper’s daughter at the hands of a Salvadoran Army patrol. Nineteen of the military officers cited for the murders received training at the U.S. Army School of the Americas.

Former students and graduates of SOA/WHINSEC consistently make the news for committing violent crimes against the people of their home countries, including massacres of entire villages. Recently former students and graduates have been increasingly associated with committing violent crimes on behalf of drug cartels.

Since protests against the SOA/WHINSEC began 19 years ago, more than 225 “prisoners of conscience” have served sentences of up to two years for nonviolent civil disobedience.

SOA Prayer

For those protesting at Fort Benning today: O God, send us forth as your witnesses. Help us to testify to who you are in this moment in our history. Help us to take up the cause of the poor, the rejected, the outcast, the oppressed and violated as our own. Let us not fear what is asked of us, but rather fear infidelity to your word. Make us prophets to our world. Amen.
-Prayer service available at: http://www.archmil.org/news/userfiles/prayer.doc

Close the SOA

Prayer for our Sisters who head out to Fort Benning next week: We gather this day, O God to remember and celebrate that you are a God of Liberation and justice. As Creator, we know you to be one who rejoices with us in the beauty and bounty of all creation; as Redeemer, we trust you to be one who weeps with us over the violence of human suffering; and, as Sustainer, we understand you to be one who is angered with us at human indifference. Weave your power and presence into our hearts and minds this day as we struggle to be a people who comfort your human family with celebrations, tears, and action. Amen.
- Prayer service availabe at http://www.archmil.org/news/userfiles/prayer.doc

To Sisters Elizabeth, Mary Irene, Janice Boyer, Juliana, and Monica: We are with you in Spirit!

SOAW News

On Sunday, November 9, 2008, human rights activists will march on the United States Southern Command (U.S. SOUTHCOM) Headquarters of the US military. They will demand an end to the training of terrorists and torturers in the U.S. & the direction of SOA “graduates” by the U.S. Southern Command. SOUTHCOM is located in Doral, Florida. It is responsible for all U.S. military activities in South America and Central America (including Guantanamo). Click here for more information.

Close the SOA

The November 2008 organizing packet is available here. Please pray for the SCC's who will be participating this year (November 21-23): Sister Elizabeth, Sister Mary Irene, Sister Janice B., Sister Juliana, and Sister Monica.

Close the SOA

SOAW resources (sample letters and fliers, for example) are available here.

Close the SOA

From the SOAW web site (www.soaw.org):

SOA Watch is a nonviolent grassroots movement that works through creative protest and resistance, legislative and media work to stand in solidarity with the people of Latin America, to close the SOA/WHINSEC and to change oppressive U.S. foreign policy that institutions like the SOA represent. We are grateful to our sisters and brothers throughout Latin America and the the Caribbean for their inspiration and the invitation to join them in their struggle for economic and social justice.

For more information, go to the web site listed above.

Close the SOA

From the SOAW web site (http://www.soaw.org/):

In an attempt to deflect public criticism and disassociate the school from its dubious reputation, the SOA was renamed the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation (WHINSEC) in 2001. The name change was a result of a Department of Defense proposal included in the Defense Authorization Bill for Fiscal 2001, at a time when SOA opponents were poised to win a congressional vote on legislation that would have dismantled the school. The name-change measure passed when the House of Representatives defeated a bi-partisan amendment to close the SOA and conduct a congressional investigation by a narrow ten-vote margin. (See Talking Points, Critique of New School, Vote Roll Call.)

In a media interview, Georgia Senator and SOA supporter the late Paul Coverdell characterized the DOD proposal as a "cosmetic" change that would ensure that the SOA could continue its mission and operation. Critics of the SOA concur.

Close the SOA

Once a week from now until the annual vigil to close the School of the Americas/WHINSEC, this blog will bring you bits of information about the SOA.

From the SOAW web site (http://www.soaw.org):

About the School of the Americas / Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation

The US Army School of Americas (SOA), based in Fort Benning, Georgia, trains Latin American security personnel in combat, counter-insurgency, and counter-narcotics. SOA graduates are responsible for some of the worst human rights abuses in Latin America. In 1996 the Pentagon was forced to release training manuals used at the school that advocated torture, extortion and execution. 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).

April Fast to Close the SOA

From April 23-25, people across the Americas will engage in fasts and creative actions to CLOSE THE SOA, a combat training school for Latin American soldiers located in Fort Benning, GA.

From the SOA Watch web site: "Initially established in Panama in 1946, [SOA] was kicked out of that country in 1984 under the terms of the Panama Canal Treaty. Former Panamanian President, Jorge Illueca, stated that the School of the Americas was the 'biggest base for destabilization in Latin America.' The SOA, frequently dubbed the 'School of Assassins,' has left a trail of blood and suffering in every country where its graduates have returned. Over its 59 years, the SOA has trained over 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 a war against their own people. 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 refuge by those trained at the School of the Assassins."
For more information about the fast, go to http://www.soaw.org/fast.