Once again this year seven staff members from the 8th Day Center will be traveling to Ft. Benning, GA on November 17 - 19, 2000 to participate in the vigil and nonviolent civil disobedience to Close the School of the Americas (SOA).  Congress may have changed its name, but the limited reforms do not change the basic fact that the SOA graduates use military solutions to resolve civilian issues.  For those unable to travel to Ft. Benning and wanting to do an action to be in solidarity with the SOA Watch efforts here are a few suggestions.

ACTIONS
1. Write a letter to your Congressperson and/or Senators asking for their support to close the SOA. (See Sample Letter below) This letter writing campaign is a continuing effort to pressure Congresspersons (old or newly elected) to join the movement to close the SOA.

2. View the new SOAW  20" video, GUNS AND GREED, with your family/community/friends. GUNS AND GREED not only gives a brief history and purpose of the ten years of protest, but makes the connections between the SOA and issues relative to economic globalization. This video can be borrowed from 8th Day Center or we have a few for purchase at $8.95 including postage!
 
3. Use the prayer service prepared by 8th Day for this occasion with your  community/parish/family.  E-mail Kathleen at kakd@claret.org for a quick reply.
 
We will keep you posted on  School of the Americas Watch future activities in our E-Mail Bulletins.

Sample Letter  
For the e-mail address for your congressperson or senator go to  http://www.capweb.net/classic/email.html
 
Or send you letters to

US House of Representatives,
Washington, DC 20515 /

US Senate,
Washington, DC 20510
 
Dear Representative [Senator],

I am writing to urge you to support legislation to close the US Army School of the Americas (SOA), soon to be renamed the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation, located at Ft. Benning, Georgia. 

Earlier this year, as part of the Defense Authorization Bill, minor changes were proposed to the SOA, including closing the school and immediately reopening it under a new name. A bipartisan amendment offered by Rep. Moakley sought not only to keep the SOA closed, but to create a bipartisan congressional task force to investigate the links between the US military training at the SOA and the countless human rights abuses attributed to its graduates. The amendment was narrowly defeated by a vote of 214-204.

The changes to the SOA are cosmetic at best. The School of the Americas' continuing connection
to atrocities and human rights abuses remains unacknowledged, unaddressed, and unchanged. Furthermore, the new school will still be located at Ft. Benning, will still train Latin American soldiers in commando tactics, military intelligence, and psychological operations, and will continue to cost US taxpayers millions of dollars annually.

One cannot ignore the horrific history of this school, nor pretend that a mere name change will
erase or end the school's bloody legacy. The SOA has trained some of the worst human rights abusers and dictators in our hemisphere, including 2 of the 3 officers cited for the assassination of Archbishop Oscar Romero in El Salvador, 3 officers cited for the Trujillo "chain saw" massacre of 107 villagers in Colombia, as well as General Rios Montt of Guatemala who is currently being indicted on charges of "genocide" and "crimes against humanity." And the list goes on. Consistently countries with the worst human rights records have sent the most soldiers to be trained at the SOA -- the connection is clear.
 
The limited reforms offered by the Defense Authorization Bill totally ignore the horrific human
rights history of the SOA. They do not address the fundamental issue: the SOA attempts to use military solutions to resolve civilian issues. Establishing reasonable living conditions for the people of Latin America and strengthening civil institutions will do more to stabilize the region than training militaries. The SOA is not a means to these ends. Closing the SOA would send a powerful message that the United States no longer wants to be associated with the atrocities committed by graduates of the school.

I do not support these limited reforms for this infamous school and urge you not to concede to them either. Reforms will not alleviate the suffering inflicted on the tens of thousands of victims throughout Latin America. They grieve without closure for their loved ones, and continue to suffer from the physical and psychological abuse they were forced to endure at the hands of SOA graduates.

I am appalled and angered knowing that millions of my tax dollars are being used at the SOA to
train death squad leaders and soldiers who use their acquired skills to target civilian populations. I urge you to support all Congressional efforts which would close the SOA without delay.

Please write me with your position on this issue. [If a supporter: I look forward to your continuing
support in the effort to close this School of Assassins, by whatever name it is called.] I am writing to ask your position on the SOA in light of these recent changes. [If a supporter: Thank you for your support of efforts to close the SOA. I am writing to confirm your continued support of efforts towards this goal.]

Thank you for your time and commitment to this important matter.

Sincerely,

(provide your name and address)