SOAW–West News for June, 2005

SOAWW - School of the Americas Watch West - July 18, 2005

SOA Watch 2005 Vigil and Protest at Fort Benning, Georgia - November 18-20

Note: Items for SOAWW emails may be sent to
Dolores Perez Priem - doloresmp@aol.com

Regular SOAWW monthly meetings:

SOAWW - East Bay (Third Wednesday of the month)
Wednesday, July 20, 2005 at 7 pm
Regular meeting at the World Ground Cafe
3726 MacArthur Blvd, Oakland - Agenda Items:

-- Join us in welcoming back Prisoners of Conscience Aaron Shuman and Brian DeRouen from their respective prisons, for telling the truth! They will talk about their experiences.

-- True Brainstorming Session. Ideas and formulating doable specifics concerning fundraising, benefit and Caravan efforts especially in helping get the word out about these activities. Items to be discussed: Carlos Caravan - probably cars this year; name for this year's caravan; list of specific actions; types of petitions to sign; roles riders; inexpensive hand outs; someone to coordinate El Paso for the Caravan

-- National information: SOA Watch is working together with an incredible collection of interfaith and human rights advocates to organize "Call for Justice Weekend" in Washington, DC on Sept 24, 25 and 26. Specifically, Sunday Sept. 25th : A Citizens' Trial of Mr. Rumsfeld, Mr. Gonzales, et al, for violations of international and U.S. laws prohibiting torture.

-- Plans for Benefit at St. Joseph's Berkeley, Friday Nov.4th We've been asked to help raise $2400 for six musicians to go back to Ft. Benning and we can't do that alone. List of possible cosponsors for our November 4th Benefit, e.g. each come up with 2 or 3 businesses who'd contribute $2-300 or some amount each. Ways of advertising the event with print, radio, newspaper.

Event news from Marilyn Langlois of Haiti Action:

-- Participate with us in coordinated protests in U.S. and Canadian cities to condemn the U.N. massacre in Cite Soleil, Haiti. Cite Soleil has been the focus of attacks by both UN forces and the Haitian police because it remains a powerful base of support for the democratically elected President Jean-Bertrand Aristide and the Lavalas movement. James Foley labeled Haitian grassroots activists as "terrorists" and "gang members," sending a clear signal that it was now open season on civilians. Since a U.S.-orchestrated coup overthrew the democratic government in February 2004, a United Nations force of 7500 troops has occupied Haiti. The U.N. has supported the coup regime, which has killed and imprisoned thousands of innocent people. As the U.N. mouths its concerns for human rights around the world, it attacks the poorest communities in Haiti and backs up the violent repression carried out by the Haitian police. Brazil continues to do the bidding of the United States by heading-up this brutal U.N. military operation in Haiti. Please join us:
Thursday, July 21, Gather: 4 P.M. - Powell and Market, San Francisco, march to Brazilian Consulate, 300 Montgomery: 4:30 P.M.
Sponsored by the HAITI ACTION COMMITTEE
For more information: www.haitiaction.net Email: haitiaction@yahoo.com
Tel: 510.483.7481

August meeting in SF:

SOAWW - San Francisco (First Thursday of the month)
Thursday, August 4th, 2005 at 7 pm
1st Unitarian Universalist Society of San Francisco
1187 Franklin St (corner Geary) Agenda to be announced.

SOAWW CONTACTS:
SOAWW - East Bay: Robert Nixon - 510-533-3120 - robertnixon@mindspring.com
SOAWW - Contra Costa: Natalie Russell - 925-934-0759 - russell1626@juno.com
SOAWW - Sacramento: Janice Freeman - 916-812-7680 - janice@compudigital.com
SOAWW - Placer: Denise Sewart - 916-300-0482 - dsewart@surewest.net
SOAWW - San Jose: William O'Connell - 408-286-9341 - wocdoc@earthlink.net
SOAWW - San Francisco: Dolores Perez Priem - 415-387-2287 - doloresmp@aol.com

Prepared by School of the Americas Watch West.