SOA WATCH NEWS & UPDATES - http://www.SOAW.
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JOIN US & TAKE A STAND FOR HUMAN RIGHTS - NOV. 16-18, 2007
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The November 16-18 Vigil to Close the School of the Americas is only a few
days away!
Come celebrate with us and join torture survivors, students, social
movement leaders, religious workers, the Indigo Girls, Congressman Jim
McGovern, presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich, the 1000 Grandmothers,
the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, singer/songwriter Carrie Newcomer,
Students for a Democratic Society, Rabbi Michael Lerner, Veterans for
Peace, gulf war resister Aimee Allison, social movement leader Josefina
Lazo from El Salvador, Jim Schmitz of AFSCME, Miguel Angel Vasquez de la
Rosa from Oaxaca and thousands more in denouncing SOA/WHINSEC-
violence in Latin America and demand a radical change in U.S. foreign
policy!
--> Watch an inspiring VIDEO of the November Vigil to Close the
SOA/WHINSEC produced by SCM Canada to promote their pilgrimage to this
year's vigil - http://www.soaw.
http://www.soaw.
--> Visit the November Vigil page for new updates on the weekend's
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS, TRAVEL AND ACCOMODATIONS and RIDE BOARD -
http://www.soaw.
--> ACCESSIBILITY & INTERPRETATION: ASL and English<>Spanish
interpretation services will be available during the vigil weekend. Find
out more about interpretation services, large print and Braille programs
and wheelchair accessibility - http://www.soaw.
ATENCION! - SOA Watch cuenta con un servicio de interpretacion simultanea
de espanol<>ingles durante la Vigilia. Las/os interpretes tendran una mesa
cerca del escenario donde se distribuiran los equipos de interpretacion
(radio y audifonos). Para obtener mas informacion contactarse con Jenny
Dillon - jdforpnj@riseup.
** Please pass this information on to Spanish speaking friends who are
planning or thinking about joining the vigil.
--> VOLUNTEER: The Vigil is the result of thousands of volunteers who
dedicate their time, skills and energy in making this one of the largest
and most exciting annual demonstrations. If you'd like to volunteer,
contact one of the SOA Watch Working Groups which best fits your areas of
interest and know-how - http://www.soaw.
--> CALLING ON 1000 GRANDMOTHERS: The 1000 Grandmother'
Grandmothers from every state to organize and take part in the November
Vigil. This year they are collecting quilt squares to make into a great,
beautiful quilt, possibly to be raffled at the Tea Party. The theme is "A
Grandmother'
--> CARAVANS & SPEAKING TOURS -
* "JOURNEY FOR JUSTICE 2007": cross-county speaking tour whose main
intention is to raise public awareness of the SOA/WHINSEC -
http://journeyforju
* "ARMY OF NONE TOUR 2007": Strategies to Counter Military Recruitment,
End War, and Build a Better World -
http://www.soaw.
* "THEATER OF THE OPPRESSED": Hector Aristizabal -
http://www.soaw.
* "CARDBOARD CHAOS": Puppetistas on Bikes - Fifth Annual Southeast Tour
November 7-12, 2007 - http://www.soaw.
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PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES SPEAK ON THE SOA/WHINSEC
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A few days ago, "The Nation" published an article discussing the positions
of each of the Democratic candidates for the President of the United
States on closing the School of the Americas (SOA), now renamed WHINSEC.
Never before have so many candidates responded to a request for their
position, which demonstrates how powerful the issue and our grassroots
legislative campaign has become!
This new information is the perfect starting point for an intense
grassroots bird-dogging campaign now that we know where the candidates
stand! For more information on bird-dogging tips and the 2008 elections,
print out the SOA Watch 2008 Elections Packet and make history in the SOA
Watch Legislative Campaign!
--> SOA Watch ELECTIONS PACKET - http://www.soaw.
For more information on the Legislative Campaign, visit
www.soaw.org/
Bowman, at pbowman(@)soaw.
--> READ The Nation article -
http://www.thenatio
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SOA GRAD LOSES BID TO PRESIDENCY IN GUATEMALA
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In a presidential election mired in violence, threats and assassinations;
SOA graduate and former Director of Military Intelligence, General Otto
Perez Molina's lost Guatemala's presidential election. He was defeated by
social-democrat Alvaro Colom who obtained 52.8% of the votes in contrast
to Perez Molina's 47.2
Otto Perez Molina attended the Command and General Staff College at the
School of the Americas in 1985. During his time in the Guatemalan army he
served as director of the G-2 (military intelligence)
member of the group of army officers who backed Defense Minister Oscar
Mejia's coup d'etat against de facto president Efrain Rios Montt.
Guatemala has the highest crime and murder rate in Latin America and is
slowly re-building after a 30-year long civil war and a succession of
brutal military dictatorships which took the lives of hundreds of
thousands of Guatemaltecos.
Victor Galvez, a Guatemalan political analyst, said the result showed
Guatemalans rejected Perez Molina's rightist solutions to their country's
problems. "It's a message that people don't want to return to the military
past," he said. "In the end, the firm hand turned against Perez Molina."
Read more about this breaking news -
http://www.soaw.
Thanks to:
Erik Toren
ectoren@sbcglobal.net
