Sun 1pm-3pm "Close the SOA" Vigil U.S. Embassy Dublin

dublin | anti-war / imperialism | event notice Thursday November 06, 2008 12:18 by Ciaron - Catholic Worker/ Ploughshares 087 918 4552

Sunday Nov 16th
1pm-3pm
Outside Dublin's U.S. Embassy
*Testimonies/ Speeches from Latin Americans (and others who have worked there) relating how the S.O.A. and U.S. foreign policy has brought torture, death and oppression to their countries.
*Also speakers on nonviolent resistance to .S.O.A. this will include Petria who has been arrested for trespass at rhe S.O.A.
More info Ph. 087 918 4552

In the early hours of Nov 16th.1989,17 members of an elite El Salvadoran Military Battalion,
recently retturned form training at the "School of the Americas" www.soaw.org Ft. Benning, Georgia, USA, broke into the Jesuit residence on the university campus in San Salvador. They massacred 6 Jesuits (one who had graduated from Milltown, Dublin), their Salvadoran housekeepr and her daughter. They cut the brains out of several corpses and turned their flame thrower on the library.

The following year Vietnam Veteran/ later to become Maryknoll missionary Fr. Roy Bourgeois, Vietnam War "Congretional Medal of Honour" winner Charlie Litkey http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article17846.htm and his brother Pat Litkey made their way to the front office of the S.O.A. at Ft. Benning. The three poured a large quantitiy of human blood, donated to the action, over the trophy case and entrance to the .S.O.A. They were arrested and sentenced to 6-12 months imprisonment.

This Nov 16th. anniversary has become a major time for mobilsation and nonviolent resistance to close the School of the Ameicas. In 2007, 20,000+ assembled to close the School. 11 activists entered the based, were arrested and sentenced to 30-90 days http://www.soaw.org/article.php?id=1621 Since 1989 aom 226 SOAW activists have collectively spent 95 years in jail for nonviolently resisting the base.

In 2008 the mobilistaion and nonviolent resistance will be taking place from Nov 21-23 http://www.soaw.org/article.php?id=1693 at SOA Ft. Benning.

The vigil outside the U.S. Embassy in Dublin Sunday Nov 16th. 1pm-3pm will remember the thousands of victims of the S.O.A.and U.S. foreign policy in Latin America. The vigil will demand the immediate closure of the S.O.A. Testimonies of the effect of the S.O.A. will be given by people from, and who have worked in, a variety of Latim American countries. The vigil will be in solidarity with those heading to FT. Benning to make the same demand with their voices and bodies.