[saymaListserv] School of the Americas

[Quakerkristi at aol.com]

Well I'm back from the QUIT conference...and found this notice from the 
MidSouth Peace and Justice Center that is very pertinent  The School of the 
Americas is one of the organizations that has been implicated - through its graduates 
- of a great deal of atrociities in Latin America, including torture and 
terror.

One of the main speakers at the conference, Carlos Maurico works closely with 
the effort -School of the Americas Watch.  He spoke hopefully of this vote.  
He also spoke of visiting heads of State in several South American Countries 
this year, who have agreed to stop sending their officers to the school.  (As 
an interesting note, a good number of the heads of state and ministers of 
defense/interior were women - which challenges my stereotypes)  Right now around 
90% of those attending the school are Columbian.

If you care about this issue please take the time to learn a little about the 
SOA and consider sending the message to our representatives - to join the 
effort to close the school.

Thanks,  Kristi Estes





From: SOA Watch in DC mailto:media at soaw.org
Reply-To: soaw at mail.democracyinaction.org
To: theresecullen at hotmail.com
Subject: This is it! Congress Votes Next Week to Close the SOA!
Date: Thu, 1 Jun 2006 11:05:36 -0400 (EDT)



School of the Americas Watch
http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?key=131813123&url_num=1&url=htt
p://www.soaw.org/new/ | 202-234-3440 | Click to subscribe
Special Legislative Update
June 1, 2006

Next week, the week of June 5, Congress will vote on an amendment to close 
the SOA/ WHINSEC. Rep. McGovern (MA) will introduce an amendment to the Foreign 
Operations appropriations bill to cut funding for the SOA/ WHINSEC!

We expect a close vote and need as many people as possible flooding the 
offices of the House of Representatives with calls in support of a YES vote on the 
amendment. This is it! And it's the people power of our movement that will get 
this amendment passed! Visit the Legislative Action Index for more 
information: 
http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?key=131813123&url_num=3&url=http://www.soaw.org/new/article.php?id=96.

National Call-in Days to Close the SOA/WHINSEC

Tuesday, June 6 and Wednesday, June 7:
Call Congress at 202-224-3121 or toll free at 888-355-3588.
Please take the time to call the DC office of your Representative through the 
Capitol Hill Switchboard at 202-224-3121 or toll free at 1-888-355-3588. Ask 
to speak with the foreign affairs legislative assistant. Here is a suggested 
message for you to convey: 
"I am calling Congressman/woman ________ to urge him/her to vote YES on the 
McGovern amendment to the Foreign Operations Appropriations bill. This 
amendment is a cut in funding for the School of the Americas/ WHINSEC. New information 
indicates that WHINSEC has allowed known human rights abusers to instruct and 
receive training at the school. Argentina and Uruguay are two more countries 
that have made public announcements they will no longer send students to the 
school, citing the negative image and history of this institution. Voting YES 
on this amendment sends a positive human rights message to Latin America and 
will help to improve the U.S. image abroad. As an elected official in Washington 
D.C., I hope you will represent me and vote YES on any amendment in the House 
that would cut funding for the school."
Click here to send an email and fax to your Representative. (Be sure to click 
the “Send a Fax” box to have the fax sent).

Are you in or near Washington, DC? On Tuesday, June 6 and Wednesday, June 7, 
we will be delivering material to Members of Congress and knocking on their 
doors, asking them to join our movement and vote to close the SOA. Please join 
us! If you can be with us for some or all of the day on Tuesday or Wednesday, 
please email Eric at elecompte(at)soaw(dot)org.

For more information, visit the SOA Watch website at 
http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?key=131813123&url_num=5&url=http://www.soaw.org and the 
Legislative Action Index at 
http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?key=131813123&url_num=6
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