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Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 6.
Information prepared by Nicaragua Network, 202-544-9355, e-mail: nicanet@afgj.org
(A) Please Phone/Fax:
Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA)
Member of Senate Foreign Relations Committee
Phone 202-224-3553
Fax 202-228-1338 or 415-956-6701
(B) Please Phone/Fax:
Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA)
Phone 202-224-3841
Fax 202-228-3954
MESSAGE for SENATOR BOXER
(Please adapt for Senator Feinstein.):
At the hearings, please raise questions to determine: "What did Negroponte know about the activities of and human rights violations carried out by Battalion 316?"
As Ambassador, Negroponte should have been well aware of the rampant
Human rights violations being committed by Battalion 316 during his tenure
in office. Countless personal and written appeals for help from relatives
of the disappeared were directed to the U.S. Embassy in Tegucigalpa.
Former Honduran Congressman Efrain Diaz Arrivillaga spoke several times
about the military's abuses directly to Negroponte. Almost every
day, Honduran newspapers published stories about the military's violence
as well as full-page ads with pictures of the missing. In 1982 alone,
at least 318 stories were published about military abuses, some directly
naming Gen. Alvarez. Relatives of Battalion 316's victims marched
by the hundreds through Tegucigalpa demanding the return of the missing.
In August 1982, at a packed press conference in Mexico City, ousted intelligence
chief for the Honduran armed forces Colonel Leonidas Torres Arias described
Battalion
316 as "a death squad operating in Honduras that was being led by armed
forces chief, General Gustavo Alvarez."
If Negroponte was unaware of these rampant human rights violations, then he failed one of his key duties as ambassador – to provide relevant and up-to-date information to the U.S. Congress and the public regarding the situation in Honduras. If he was aware of these violations and failed to inform Congress of them, he violated his legal duty under the Foreign Assistance Act.
SOA WATCH WEST MEMBER SR. LAETITIA BORDES has given her testimony with
regard to Negroponte. Rick Chidester, a junior Embassy Official under
Negroponte, reported to the Baltimore Sun that he was forced to omit an
exhaustive gathering of human rights violations from his 1982 State Department
report. In 1996, Negroponte's predecessor Jack Binns exposed Negroponte
for having lied when, in 1982, he claimed to have no knowledge of the disappearance
of
over 32 Salvadoran nuns and women of faith who had fled to Honduras
in 1981. Binns reported that in 1982 the U.S. Embassy was fully aware
that the women had been tortured and killed by the Honduran secret police.
General Luis Alonso Discua Elvir, commander of Battalion 316 during Negroponte's
tenure and an SOA graduate, has publicly claimed to have information linking
Negroponte with Battalion 316's activities. In 1994, the Honduran
Human Rights Commission charged Negroponte personally with several human
rights abuses.
After more than four years of harassment, intimidation, and threats by the Colombian military, the paramilitaries and the guerrillas, the Peace Community of San José de Apartadó has suffered its 90th murder. The murder came as part of the latest military-paramilitary wave of terror against this autonomous, non-aligned peace community.Helpful report follows. It was written by Lindasusan Ulrich who has shared news about Lori Berenson about many San Francisco meetings.On Monday, July 30, 15 armed men dressed in military fatigues and boots entered the village of La Unión, part of the Peace Community, bearing automatic weapons. At the same time, 300 more armed men surrounded the community. Among the armed men were several known members of the Colombian army. The armed men forced all community members into the town square and gave them an ultimatum. "We are going to establish a base here. You can work with us, leave the area, or die." The armed men then proceeded to demand the names of the community leaders and threaten the residents with torture and death. In the course of this attack, the armed men fatally shot ALEXANDER GUZMAN, a 17-year-old boy who tried to escape. They also identified themselves as the perpetrators of the July 8, 2000 massacre that killed six community leaders. The armed men robbed the community of funds and livestock before leaving and threatening to return.
As a result of this most recent attack, 55 families have been forced to flee their homes in La Unión and move to the urban sector of San José de Apartadó. In their haste to abandon the area, they were forced to leave their crops, their livestock, and all their belongings.
As with every attack on the community, the residents of the Peace Community have relayed all of these events to Colombian President Andrés Pastrana and other national and local officials in the Colombian government. These efforts at restoring justice have proven futile for the past four years. The Peace Community asks the international community to:TAKE ACTION!
Contact Colombian officials to demand a full investigation into this most recent attack and all previous attacks on the peace community. Of the 90 members of the Peace Community who have been killed, not ONE SINGLE CASE has been investigated and no one has been tried for these crimes.
Contact U.S. officials to demand an end to U.S. military aid that is directed to a Colombian military which collaborates with paramilitary death squads, as demonstrated in this most recent case of the Peace Community.
Provide donations to the community for the money which has repeatedly been stolen by armed actors, in order to starve the community. Checks can be sent to Colombia Support Network. Please make checks out to: WICOLA/CSN and write "PEACE COMMUNITY" in the memo. 100% of donations will go to the Peace Community.
COLOMBIAN OFFICIALS
Andrés Pastrana Arango (President of Colombia)
Presidente de La Republica
Carrera 8 n. 7-26 Palacio de Nariño
Santafé de Bogotá
Colombia
Phone: +57 (1) 284 33 00
Fax: +57 (1) 286 74 34; +57 (1) 286 68 42
E-mail: rdh@presidencia.gov.co or pastrana@presidencia.gov.coEduardo Cifuentes (Human Rights Ombudsman)
Defensor del Pueblo
Calle 55 No. 10-46
Santafe de Bogota
Phone: 57 (1) 314-7300
Fax: +57 (1) 314-4000; +57 (1) 314-2246Reinaldo Botero (Director of Presidential Human Rights/Int'l Humanitarian Law Program)
Director Programa Presidencial de Derechos Humanos y Derecho Internacional Humanitario
Calle 7 No 5-56
Santafe de Bogota
Colomiba
Phone: +57 (1) 336-0311
Fax: +57 (1) 336-2509
rbotero@presidencia.gov.co
U.S. OFFICIALS
Colin Powell
Secretary of State
U.S. Department of State
Washington, DC 20520
Phone: +1 (202) 647-6575
Fax: +1 (202) 647-7120
E-mail: secretary@state.govMari Dieterich
Secretary for Human Rights
U.S. Embassy in Colombia
Phone: +57 (1) 315-0811 ext. 2451 or +57 (1) 315-2129
Fax: +57 (1) 315-2163
E-mail DieterichME@state.govYour Senators and Representative(s)
Phone: Capitol Switchboard: +1 (202) 224-3121
Colombia Support Network
P.O. Box 1505
Madison, WI 53701-1505
608/257-8753 (voice)
608/255-6621 (fax)
csn@igc.org
http://www.colombiasupport.netForward this mail and encourage others to join csn-web. Please visit www.colombiasupport.net!
Dear SOA Watch West supporters,
- Subject: Negroponte Nomination
Date: Tue, 10 Jul 2001 13:30:38 -0700As many of you know, Sr. Laeticia Bordes has been leading a nationwide campaign to block the nomination of John Negroponte as the next UN Ambassador from the US. (See article below.) This week the Senate Foreign Relations Committee is doing their background research on Negroponte. If the nomination is opposed by the committee, it will not go to the Senate.
We ask you to please phone the following members of the Foreign Relations Committee regarding the hearings on the nomination of John Negroponte as UN Ambassador. Please call THIS WEEK (between July 10-13). Ask them to OPPOSE the nomination and request that President Bush revoke it.
MEMBERS OF FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE
Democrats:
Joseph Biden, Delaware - Ranking Member (202) 224-5042
Paul Sarbanes, Maryland (Very supportive, make sure he doesn't back down) (202) 224-4524
Christopher Dodd, Connecticut (202) 224-2823
John Kerry, Massachusetts (202) 224-2742
Russell Feingold, Wisconsin (202) 224-5323
Paul Wellstone, Minnesota (202) 224-5641
Barbara Boxer, California (202) 224-3553
Robert Torricelli, New Jersey (202) 224-3224
Bill Nelson, Florida (202) 224-5274Republican:
Lincoln Chafee, Rhode Island (202) 224-2921 (He's a liberal republican. Might vote with Democrats)
If you know any folks in any of the above states, please alert them to put in a call to their Senator.
Thank you so much.
Sister Laetitia Bordes, s.h. for SOA Watch West
282 Shoreview Avenue
Pacifica, CA 94044
Tel. (650) 359-6635[For Sr. Laetitia's great article on Negroponte, click on: NEW RIPPLES IN AN EVIL STORY
*************************************************
SOA Watch West News ~ SOAWW News ~ May 21, 2001
NATIONAL CALL-IN DAY and WEEK!
Urge Your Rep. to Co-Sponsor House Bill HR 1810
to Close the "new" WHISC, which is the "old" SOAOn May 22, 26 SOA Watch Human Rights Defenders from 12 states go to trial in Columbus, GA, for nonviolent protest against the SOA/WHISC.) Charlie Liteky of San Francisco is in the 10th month of his 12-month sentence.
Please express solidarity by contacting your Representatives and asking her/him to co-sponsor HR 1810, the bill to close WHISC, the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation.
ACTION:
1. Call 202-224-3121 (Capitol Switchboard)
2. Urge your Representative to co-sponsor HR 1810 to close WHISC. Contact Cindy Buhl (Rep. McGovern's office) or John Hendricks (Rep. Scarborough's Office) to co-sponsor.
3. Mention Charlie Liteky and the trial.
4. E-mail Dolores Priem (doloresmp@aol.com) with any important information you learn from your call.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Representatives Jim McGovern (D-MA), Joe Scarborough (R-FL), Joe Moakley (D-MA), Connie Morella (R-MD), Christopher Shays (R-CT), and Lane Evans (D-IL) introduced a bill to close the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation on Thursday, May 10, 2001.
The bill, HR 1810, is modeled after last year's Moakley/Scarborough/McGovern/Campbell amendment to the Defense Authorization Bill. It calls for the closure of the school and the establishment of a joint congressional task force to assess U.S. training of Latin American military. (For text of bill visit Congressional web site at [Link I was given doesn't work. Please re-visit this page for the proper link.])
The school's name has changed - but the courses, instructors, and purpose remain the same.
------------------------------------------------------------------
Hopefully by now you've all heard the great news: the Supreme Military Council in Peru nullified Lori Berenson's life sentence.
The government of Perú has admitted that it made a mistake, that Lori Berenson was never a leader of a terrorist group, that she should not have been tried by a military tribunal, that she was not guilty of treason to the fatherland, and, therefore, her life sentence was nullified.
But she is still far from free -- there's talk of a civilian trial, though all the charges have been dismissed and she is presently serving time for no reason. And if there is a new trial, there is good reason to believe that it cannot be fair, given the state of the Peruvian judicial system and the biased coverage of her case over the last 4 years and 9 months. We must continue to pressure the U.S. government to bring Lori home.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1) Write letter to the editor.
Some highlights you might want to include:
- The Peruvian
government admitted it made a mistake.
- The recent
developments are a great first step, but Lori still cannot receive a fair
trial in Peru. According to the US State Dept.'s Human Rights Report, "Proceedings...for
terrorism in civilian courts do not meet internationally accepted standards
of openness, fairness, and due process."
- In the recent
session of Congress, 222 Representatives and 43 Senators demanded Lori's
release.
- High members
of the Peruvian government, including President Fujimori, have made prejudicial
statements against Lori in the press, whereas she has never been able to
defend herself publicly.
- Her health
is severely impaired, and she should be released immediately.
2) Keep clippings of any articles, letters, etc. that you see in local newspapers and send copies to the national office:
The Committee to Free Lori Berenson3) Call your Representatives and Senators and ask them to step up the pressure on President Clinton. If they signed the recent Dear Collegue letter (see www.freelori.org to find out), thank them for their support and ask if they'll write a personal note or make a call, reminding Clinton of their support for Lori. If they didn't sign, ask them to contact Clinton and show their support now that she has been vindicated.
110 Maryland Avenue, NE
Suite 102
Washington DC 20002
4) Distribute this email and ask friends all over the country to help.
For more information, including her parents' statement to the press, visit www.freelori.org.
Thanks,
Lindasusan Ulrich
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We just got word from Fr. Roy Bourgeois of the SOA Watch that the House is expected to vote tomorrow, Thursday, May 18, on the Moakley Amendment to the Defense Authorization Bill to cut funding to the School of the Americas. The Moakley Amendment has bipartisan support, including cosponsorship by Tom Campbell (R-San Jose). It calls for the Pentagon to close the School and not reopen any facility until a Congressional task force assesses the current training needs in Latin America."Any ignoring of differences
is an act of violence."--Anita Menchu Tum
PLEASE CALL YOUR REPRESENTATIVE TODAY to ask him or her to:
1) CLOSE THE SOA and
DO NOT REOPEN IT UNDER ANY NAME.
2) SUPPORT the MOAKLEY
AMENDMENT to the Defense Authorization Bill.
Capitol Switchboard: 202/224-3121
Even if your Representative is already on board with the Moakley amendment, a call expressing your support and gratitude is important!
Here's a brief History:
HISTORY
The Department of Defense has proposed and the House and Senate Armed
Services Committees have approved legislation to close the School of the
Americas. The legislation says that a new school named the Defense Institute
for Hemispheric Security Cooperation will open immediately. The "new" school
---will still be located
at Ft. Benning,
---will still train
Latin American soldiers, and
---will still teach
commando tactics, military intelligence, psychological operations, and
combat skills.
Even SOA supporter, Sen. Paul Coverdell (GA) calls the name change "cosmetic " -- a way to allow the SOA to "continue its purpose." Rep. Joe Moakley (MA) says it's "like pouring perfume on a toxic dump."
Both the House and the Senate will vote on the Dept. of Defense's proposal as part of the Defense Authorization Bill.
The Bill will reach the House floor on Thursday, May 18. It is expected to reach the Senate next week.
PLEASE CALL YOUR REPRESENTATIVE TODAY, Wednesday, May 17.
Call often! Get others to call!
Thank you.
For further information and updates, visit the SOAW National Website
Item #1 needs your IMMEDIATE action. Check through the rest of the items as time allows.
(1) CONGRESSIONAL
ACTION ALERT for May 15-23 (Monday through following Tuesday)
(2) Detailed
Critique of the Dept. of Defense Proposal
(3) Columbus
(GA) News Article: An Overview of new Proposal Process
(4) Thursday,
JUNE 1: Next SOAWW MEETING in SAN FRANCISCO
(5) Strategy
Discussion from San Francisco Meeting of May 4
(6) SOA Protesters
and Convicts
===========================================
(1) CONGRESSIONAL ACTION ALERT for May 15-23
SOA VOTE IN NEXT TWO WEEKS! CALL THE CAPITOL NOW!
DO NOT DELAY OR IT WILL BE TOO LATE!
Don't Let the Pentagon Get Away With This Deception!
Pass this action item on to your friends immediately!
Within the next
two weeks, the Department of Defense will ask Congress to Close the School
of the Americas and immediately reopen a new school under a different name.
The name has been changed at every briefing or interview. The "new" school
--will still
be located at Ft. Benning,
--will still
train Latin American soldiers, and
--will still
teach commando tactics, military intelligence, psychological operations,
and combat skills.
Even SOA supporter,
Sen. Paul Coverdell (GA) calls the name change "cosmetic " -- a way to
allow the SOA to "continue its purpose." Rep. Joe Moakley (MA) says it's
"like pouring perfume on a toxic dump."
BOTH the HOUSE
and the SENATE will vote on the Dept. of Defense's proposal as part of
the Defense Authorization Bill. The vote is now expected at the end of
May.
PLEASE CONTACT YOUR REPRESENTATIVE AND BOTH SENATORS NOW!
Capitol Switchboard:
202-224-3121
U.S. Senate Washington, DC 20510
U.S. House Washington, DC 20515
URGE THEM TO
---CLOSE THE
SOA and DO NOT REOPEN IT UNDER ANY NAME.
---REJECT the
Dept. of Defense's "SOA PROPOSAL" on the Defense Authorization Bill
Members of the House Armed Services Committee from Northern California include Rep Ellen Tauscher (Walnut Creek-Antioch) and Rep. Mike Thompson (Napa-Eureka).
(2) A Critique of the Dept of Defense's Proposal for a "New" School of the Americas -- click on: CRITIQUE
This critique recommends a thorough, independent investigation and report
on the SOA. It also compares the Old and New versions of the SOA in terms
of:
Authority
Purpose and
Mission
Curricula
Board of Visitors
Annual Report.
(3) Overview of the current Congressional process as reported in the Columbus (GA) newspaper. Foresees opening the New SOA in Feb 2001 when there's a new President and some new members of Congress. Available at: OVERVIEW
(4) THUR., JUNE 1: Next SOAWW Meeting in San Francisco, 7:00 to 8:30 PM First Unitarian Universalist Center, Franklin at Geary Discussion will focus on new strategies for SOAWW. Please come or send your proposals to Dolores, Judy or Laetitia.
(5) Summary of Discussion at SOAWW Meeting in San Francisco on May 4. The SOAWW (San Francisco branch) met and discussed strategy options in light of the Dept. of Defense presenting "an alternative plan" for the SOA by changing the name and making some other cosmetic changes. We assume that HR 732 and S 873 will not be brought up for floor votes.
Our lively discussion centered on two ideas. One would be to join
forces with the current movement of a variety of groups organizing around
global economic issues articulated at the WTO/IMF protests in Seattle and
Washington, DC. These groups vary in strength and focus and represent
many different interests. The SF group Global Exchange is one of
the prime
organizers focusing on the economic and environmental results of global
capitalism which benefit the few to the detriment of the vast majority
of populations, esp. in the third world.
Some benefits: Timeliness and newsworthiness. Downside: Fr. Bourgeois and SOAW have developed a large national movement focusing on one issue: closing the SOA. Single issue efforts are always clearer and easier for the general public to understand. This is a large element of our success. Some mentioned the fear that the SOAW organizations would become fractionalized - exactly what the opposition wants. While SOAW has been a big pain to the US Army and right-wing supporters, working on economic issues may dissipate our specific effectiveness.
A second idea was to keep our focus on U.S. militarism in this hemisphere. We know how to bring this to the public's attention with current data directly linking hemispheric atrocities to the U.S. government policy of training surrogate soldiers. This has been done effectively. We could broaden our scope, however, to demand an end to U.S. military involvement in other training centers in the U.S. and those in places like Colombia.
Benefits: This would keep our organization more clearly distinct, working again on a BROADER but related single issue. Many Americans still need to be educated about this. We can also make the link that economic and environmental policies are not just made in a vacuum but require ENFORCEMENT.
The general consensus (of the sixteen people present) was to stick with single area of U.S. militarism. We would continue to focus efforts on the peoples and countries of this hemisphere. This would draw upon the resources and commitments of current SOAWW activists.
(6) SOA Protesters and Convicts
-----On April 28, 3 Activists went to the grounds of the SOA and memorialized
Bishop Juan Gerardi and his leadership in the report of atrocities in Guatemala,
"GUATEMALA NUNCA MAS." They were arrested but have not been arraigned.
Story available: http://www.l-e-o.com/news/0429SOA_prot.htm
-----On June 8, 10 Activists will be sentenced in Columbus, GA for
their memorials to the victims of SOA graduates on Nov. 22 and Dec. 12.
Watch for news of the outcome on the national and local Web sites mentioned
at the top.
PLEASE CALL YOUR REPRESENTATIVE AND BOTH SENATORS NOW THROUGH WEDNESDAY,
May 17.
Call early! Call often! Get others to call!
Capitol Switchboard: 202/224-3121
MESSAGE:
---CLOSE THE SOA and DO NOT REOPEN IT UNDER ANY NAME.
---SUPPORT THE MOAKLEY AMENDMENT to the Defense Authorization Bill.
Latest name proposed for "New SOA" is "Defense Institute for Hemispheric Security Cooperation."
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