SOA NEWS
March 10, 2000
NINE "GUILTY AS CHARGED" for US ARMY SCHOOL OF THE
AMERICAS PROTEST
SIX MORE RISK JAIL TIME IN SOLIDARITY ACTION TO CLOSE THE
SOA
COLUMBUS, GA - In US District Court today, federal Judge Hugh
Lawson found nine human rights defenders guilty for entering Ft.
Benning to protest the US Army School of the Americas (SOA). The
group that includes veterans, Protestant clergy, a Catholic nun,
a chemist, and three counselors, face up to six months in federal
prison and a $5,000 fine. The judge delayed final sentencing pending
a pre-sentencing report on each defendant. The nine joined 12,000
gathered at the gates of Ft. Benning in November 1999 to call
for the closing of the notorious institution that is linked to
human rights atrocities. The SOA trains Latin American troops
in commando tactics, military intelligence, and psychological
operations.
Immediately after the guilty verdict was rendered, six other
human rights defenders, including three Catholic nuns, a retired
social worker, and a homeless advocate, left the courthouse to
plant crosses and place coffins at the School of the Americas.
The six entered Ft. Benning in defiance of a "bar order"
banning them from the facility, and each risks six months in prison
and a hefty fine like the nine found guilty today.
The SOA is under heavy criticism from veterans groups, religious
leaders, the AFL-CIO, Members of Congress, and others for its
connection with human rights abuses. The SOA trains 900-2,000
soldiers annually, and has readied over 60,000 Latin American
troops in its 53-year history. SOA-trained military were cited
by a UN Truth Commission Report for the brutal assassination of
Archbishop Oscar Romero in El Salvador, the massacre of over 900
civilians in the community of El Mozote, and the rape and murder
of four US churchwomen.
In January this year, an SOA-trained Army officer from Guatemala
was arrested for the 1998 murder of human rights champion, Bishop
Juan Gerardi. A February, 2000 Human Rights Watch Report names
seven SOA graduates for kidnapping, murder, massacres, and for
setting up brutal paramilitary forces in Colombia. Colombia, now
in a human rights crisis, has sent over 10,000 soldiers to the
SOA. In July 1999, the US House of Representatives voted 230-197
to cut funds to the SOA. The measure did not survive the conference
committee, but another vote is expected later this year. Rep Joe
Moakley (MA) and Sen. Richard Durbin (IL) lead the congressional
effort.
NINE SCHOOL OF THE AMERICAS DEFENDANTS FOUND GUILTY - FACING
6 MONTHS IN PRISON
1. Brooks Anderson, 66, Retired Lutheran Pastor, participated
in Selma to Montgomery civil rights march, married, 4 children,
9 grandchildren, Duluth, MN
2. Judy Bierbaum, 43, Children's Sexual Abuse Therapist, Catholic,
Children's Champion Award in 1997, Governor's Outstanding Women
of New Mexico Award in 1998, Albuquerque, NM
3. Thomas Bottolene, 50,Full-time multi-issue Nonviolent Activist
for Peace and Justice, father of 4, grandfather, organizer, graphic
artist, St. Paul, MN
4. Charles Butler, 73, Retired United Methodist Pastor, Missionary
in Panama for 25 years, Army Veteran stationed at Ft. Benning,
married, 3 children, Rochester, MN
5. Kathleen Fisher, Environmental Chemist, Quaker, worked
4 years in Zimbabwe and Swaziland for the Mennonite Central Committee,
on staff of U.S. Grail, an international women's social justice
and environmental non-profit, Portland, OR
6. Gerhard Fischer, 71, Retired Pharmacist/Business person,
US Navy Veteran of Korean conflict, Lutheran, married, 5 daughters,
9 grandchildren, Brookfield, WI
7. John Honeck, 39, Residence Counselor for Mentally Retarded
Adults, Tutor, Catholic, married, 3 children - 6, 8, and 12 years
old, Hamlin, NY
8. Margaret Knapke, 47, Natural Therapeutics Practitioner,
worked with war-traumatized people from El Salvador, Master of
Philosophy, Dayton, OH
9. Sr. Megan Rice, SHCJ, 70, Catholic Sister of the Holy Child
Jesus, 34 years in Nigeria and Ghana, served 6 months in Federal
Prison for previous SOA protest, Baltimore, MD
SIX ENTERING FT. BENNING on Friday, MARCH 10
1. Sr. Kathleen Desautels, SP, 62, Catholic Sister of Providence
of St. Mary of the Woods, staff of 8th Day Center for Justice
Chicago, IL
2. Joyce Ellwanger, 63, Community Organizer (retired), Lutheran,
solidarity work on El Salvador issues, Milwaukee, WI
3. Ann Huntwork, 68, Medical Social Worker (retired), active
in AIDS, Mid East, and SOA issues, Portland, OR
4. Sr. Mary Dennis Lentsch, PBVM, 63, Staff of Office of Justice-Peace-Integrity
of Creation of Diocese of Knoxville, high school teacher for 25
years, Apison, TN
5. Sr. Kathleen McCabe, OSF, 56, Catholic Sister of St. Francis
of Philadelphia, former teacher, principal, therapist, and spiritual
director, Newtown Square, PA
6. Bruce Triggs, 31, Tacoma Catholic Worker Community, homeless
advocate, Tacoma, WA
Contact: Ken Kennon or Carol Richardson, (706) 682-5369
SOA Watch - PO Box 4566 - Washington DC 20017 - 202-234-3440
- www.soaw.org
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