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  <channel>
    <title>columbusga &amp;mdash; Fight Back! News</title>
    <link>https://fightbacknews.org/tag:columbusga</link>
    <description>News and Views from the People&#39;s Struggle</description>
    <pubDate>Wed, 29 Apr 2026 13:16:52 +0000</pubDate>
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      <title>columbusga &amp;mdash; Fight Back! News</title>
      <link>https://fightbacknews.org/tag:columbusga</link>
    </image>
    <item>
      <title>Florida SDS, anti-war activists protest SOA </title>
      <link>https://fightbacknews.org/florida-sds-anti-war-activists-protest-soa?pk_campaign=rss-feed</link>
      <description>&lt;![CDATA[Demands freedom for Colombian revolutionary Simon Trinidad &#xA;&#xA;Columbus, GA - Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) and anti-war activists from college campuses in Tampa, Gainesville and Tallahassee, Florida traveled to Columbus to protest the School of the Americas (SOA) on Nov. 20.&#xA;&#xA;!--more--&#xA;&#xA;Peace and justice activists have been protesting to close the SOA, also known as the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation (WHINSEC), for 20 years now. The SOA trains Latin America military death squads who murder leftists and union leaders, especially in Colombia. Protesters also joined together in front of the nearby Stewart Detention Center to demand “Not one more deportation!” of undocumented immigrants. Many undocumented immigrants in the U.S. are fleeing from countries where SOA-trained military death squads operate.&#xA;&#xA;The Florida students and anti-war activists educated other SOA protesters about Simon Trinidad, a Colombian political prisoner in the U.S. They are demanding Trinidad be released in order to participate in the peace negotiations between the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and the Colombian government. The activists promoted a Nov. 24 call-in day to the White House to free Simon Trinidad.&#xA;&#xA;“I support Simon Trinidad because he is doing what any person should do: serve their people and their interests by ending a destructive civil war through peace negotiations. He doesn&#39;t deserve to be jailed, and the peace process should be supported,” said Homam Nasser, an organizer with the Committee to Stop FBI Repression–Tampa.&#xA;&#xA;Elizabeth Kramer with Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) explained, “U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) funds research on torturing methods and drone technology, has a student population to recruit from, and a well-funded ROTC program, amongst many other things at the University of South Florida.”&#xA;&#xA;Kramer continued, “We as students, in our opposition to American imperialism and campus militarization, support SOA Watch. We are here to protest U.S. military operations in Latin America and support freedom for Simon Trinidad.”&#xA;&#xA;Tampa Bay SDS currently has a campaign to cut the contracts between University of South Florida and SOUTHCOM and Central Command (CENTCOM), which direct wars and death squads in Latin America and the Middle East.&#xA;&#xA;#ColumbusGA #AntiwarMovement #StudentsForADemocraticSociety #Colombia #SchoolOfAmericas #SimónTrinidad #PoliticalRepression&#xA;&#xA;div id=&#34;sharingbuttons.io&#34;/div]]&gt;</description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>_Demands freedom for Colombian revolutionary Simon Trinidad _</p>

<p>Columbus, GA – Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) and anti-war activists from college campuses in Tampa, Gainesville and Tallahassee, Florida traveled to Columbus to protest the School of the Americas (SOA) on Nov. 20.</p>



<p>Peace and justice activists have been protesting to close the SOA, also known as the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation (WHINSEC), for 20 years now. The SOA trains Latin America military death squads who murder leftists and union leaders, especially in Colombia. Protesters also joined together in front of the nearby Stewart Detention Center to demand “Not one more deportation!” of undocumented immigrants. Many undocumented immigrants in the U.S. are fleeing from countries where SOA-trained military death squads operate.</p>

<p>The Florida students and anti-war activists educated other SOA protesters about Simon Trinidad, a Colombian political prisoner in the U.S. They are demanding Trinidad be released in order to participate in the peace negotiations between the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and the Colombian government. The activists promoted a Nov. 24 call-in day to the White House to free Simon Trinidad.</p>

<p>“I support Simon Trinidad because he is doing what any person should do: serve their people and their interests by ending a destructive civil war through peace negotiations. He doesn&#39;t deserve to be jailed, and the peace process should be supported,” said Homam Nasser, an organizer with the Committee to Stop FBI Repression–Tampa.</p>

<p>Elizabeth Kramer with Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) explained, “U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) funds research on torturing methods and drone technology, has a student population to recruit from, and a well-funded ROTC program, amongst many other things at the University of South Florida.”</p>

<p>Kramer continued, “We as students, in our opposition to American imperialism and campus militarization, support SOA Watch. We are here to protest U.S. military operations in Latin America and support freedom for Simon Trinidad.”</p>

<p>Tampa Bay SDS currently has a campaign to cut the contracts between University of South Florida and SOUTHCOM and Central Command (CENTCOM), which direct wars and death squads in Latin America and the Middle East.</p>

<p><a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:ColumbusGA" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">ColumbusGA</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:AntiwarMovement" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">AntiwarMovement</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:StudentsForADemocraticSociety" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">StudentsForADemocraticSociety</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:Colombia" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">Colombia</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:SchoolOfAmericas" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">SchoolOfAmericas</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:Sim%C3%B3nTrinidad" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">SimónTrinidad</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:PoliticalRepression" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">PoliticalRepression</span></a></p>

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      <guid>https://fightbacknews.org/florida-sds-anti-war-activists-protest-soa</guid>
      <pubDate>Wed, 25 Nov 2015 01:28:56 +0000</pubDate>
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      <title>School of the America’s protest: &#34;Peace for Colombia! Close the SOA! Free Simon Trinidad!&#34;</title>
      <link>https://fightbacknews.org/school-america-s-protest-peace-colombia-close-soa-free-simon-trinidad?pk_campaign=rss-feed</link>
      <description>&lt;![CDATA[SDS and Colombia solidarity activists at School of the Americas protest&#34;)&#xA;&#xA;Columbus, GA - A large group of anti-war and international solidarity activists passed out hundreds of flyers at the annual School of the Americas (SOA) protest at Fort Benning, Georgia on Nov. 21. The flyer calls to support the peace process in Colombia, freedom for Simon Trinidad and to close the SOA, where Latin American death squads and dictators are trained. The Colombian military trains regularly at the SOA and has the worst human rights record in the hemisphere.&#xA;&#xA;!--more--&#xA;&#xA;Trinidad, a member of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, is held in the Florence, Colorado supermax prison as a political prisoner of the U.S. government. The FARC say Simon Trinidad is needed to complete the peace negotiations with the Colombian government in Havana, Cuba. Activists are organizing a Thanksgiving week call-in day to President Obama to &#34;Free Simon Trinidad!&#34;&#xA;&#xA;On Nov. 21, Florida members of Students for a Democratic Society, the Tampa Committee to Stop FBI Repression and the Freedom Road Socialist Organization rallied with hundreds of others to close a for-profit detention center holding undocumented immigrants, including many women and children. On Nov. 22, a memorial procession for the tens of thousands of victims of the SOA marches to the gates of Fort Benning.&#xA;&#xA;The call-in day is on Tuesday, Nov. 24, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern time. Organizers are asking people to call President Obama at 1-202-456-1111 and say, &#34;I want President Obama to support peace for Colombia, and to free Simon Trinidad. Simon Trinidad belongs at the peace negotiating table, not in solitary confinement at the Florence Colorado Supermax prison.&#34;&#xA;&#xA;#ColumbusGA #AntiwarMovement #StudentMovement #Colombia #SchoolOfTheAmericas #SimónTrinidad&#xA;&#xA;div id=&#34;sharingbuttons.io&#34;/div]]&gt;</description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img src="https://i.snap.as/1LOUFOeb.jpg" alt="SDS and Colombia solidarity activists at School of the Americas protest" title="SDS and Colombia solidarity activists at School of the Americas protest \(Fight Back! News/Staff\)"/></p>

<p>Columbus, GA – A large group of anti-war and international solidarity activists passed out hundreds of flyers at the annual School of the Americas (SOA) protest at Fort Benning, Georgia on Nov. 21. The flyer calls to support the peace process in Colombia, freedom for Simon Trinidad and to close the SOA, where Latin American death squads and dictators are trained. The Colombian military trains regularly at the SOA and has the worst human rights record in the hemisphere.</p>



<p>Trinidad, a member of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, is held in the Florence, Colorado supermax prison as a political prisoner of the U.S. government. The FARC say Simon Trinidad is needed to complete the peace negotiations with the Colombian government in Havana, Cuba. Activists are organizing a Thanksgiving week call-in day to President Obama to “Free Simon Trinidad!”</p>

<p>On Nov. 21, Florida members of Students for a Democratic Society, the Tampa Committee to Stop FBI Repression and the Freedom Road Socialist Organization rallied with hundreds of others to close a for-profit detention center holding undocumented immigrants, including many women and children. On Nov. 22, a memorial procession for the tens of thousands of victims of the SOA marches to the gates of Fort Benning.</p>

<p>The call-in day is on Tuesday, Nov. 24, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern time. Organizers are asking people to call President Obama at 1-202-456-1111 and say, “I want President Obama to support peace for Colombia, and to free Simon Trinidad. Simon Trinidad belongs at the peace negotiating table, not in solitary confinement at the Florence Colorado Supermax prison.”</p>

<p><a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:ColumbusGA" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">ColumbusGA</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:AntiwarMovement" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">AntiwarMovement</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:StudentMovement" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">StudentMovement</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:Colombia" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">Colombia</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:SchoolOfTheAmericas" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">SchoolOfTheAmericas</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:Sim%C3%B3nTrinidad" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">SimónTrinidad</span></a></p>

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      <guid>https://fightbacknews.org/school-america-s-protest-peace-colombia-close-soa-free-simon-trinidad</guid>
      <pubDate>Sun, 22 Nov 2015 21:36:37 +0000</pubDate>
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      <title>Raices en Tampa goes to SOA</title>
      <link>https://fightbacknews.org/raices-en-tampa-goes-soa?pk_campaign=rss-feed</link>
      <description>&lt;![CDATA[Columbus, GA - Over 1000 people attended the annual School of the Americas protest, at Fort Benning the weekend of Nov. 22. Every year thousands meet here to denounce the decades of U.S. military intervention, aid and overall presence in Latin America.&#xA;&#xA;!--more--&#xA;&#xA;The School of the Americas opened its doors in 1946 with the purpose of training Latin American military personal in anti-communist counter-insurgency training. This amounted to lessons in torture, extra-judicial killings, death squads and in general the skills involved in going to war against the masses of workers and farmers.&#xA;&#xA;Throughout the 1980s the SOA trained hundreds of Latin American personnel including some of the continent’s most notoriously repressive, notably Argentina’s military regime, Colombia’s death squad-linked military and even the founders of the Zetas drug cartel in Mexico. In 2000, SOA was forced change its name to the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation. It receives its $14 million budget from the federal government. More recently their trainees have had a hand in the failed coup attempts in Venezuela.&#xA;&#xA;A group of nine activists from Tampa, Florida went to the SOA protest, as representatives of the immigrant rights group, Raices in Tampa. They were among few immigrant rights groups that attended the protest and they made the connection between imperialism and the migration from Central and South American to the U.S.&#xA;&#xA;Having trained police, military, government and narco elements alike in Mexico and Colombia, the SOA is a good target for immigrants rights groups. “It was a great experience for me because I got to meet a lot of dedicated individuals like myself who are willing to go anywhere to defend the oppressed,” said Oscar Hernandez, local organizer with Raices in Tampa.&#xA;&#xA;Individuals were present from all over the world, including the Latin American countries most affected by SOA’s doctrine of state-sponsored instability. Raices in Tampa attended a workshop given by representatives of Colombia’s popular movement Marcha Patriotica. Here connections were made between the U.S. prison system and its plans to export this prison system to Latin America and Africa. The majority of prison personnel trained at SOA are Mexican and Colombian.&#xA;&#xA;“As a Honduran is very hard to see how my country is used by the U.S, how they are training my people to kill each other. I&#39;m hopeful that one day this will stop. I was glad of being part of SOA protest and see so many people that shared my emotions,” said Alicia Gazga, also with Raices in Tampa.&#xA;&#xA;#ColumbusGA #SchoolOfTheAmericas #SOAWatch #FortBenning #RaicesEnTampa&#xA;&#xA;div id=&#34;sharingbuttons.io&#34;/div]]&gt;</description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Columbus, GA – Over 1000 people attended the annual School of the Americas protest, at Fort Benning the weekend of Nov. 22. Every year thousands meet here to denounce the decades of U.S. military intervention, aid and overall presence in Latin America.</p>



<p>The School of the Americas opened its doors in 1946 with the purpose of training Latin American military personal in anti-communist counter-insurgency training. This amounted to lessons in torture, extra-judicial killings, death squads and in general the skills involved in going to war against the masses of workers and farmers.</p>

<p>Throughout the 1980s the SOA trained hundreds of Latin American personnel including some of the continent’s most notoriously repressive, notably Argentina’s military regime, Colombia’s death squad-linked military and even the founders of the Zetas drug cartel in Mexico. In 2000, SOA was forced change its name to the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation. It receives its $14 million budget from the federal government. More recently their trainees have had a hand in the failed coup attempts in Venezuela.</p>

<p>A group of nine activists from Tampa, Florida went to the SOA protest, as representatives of the immigrant rights group, Raices in Tampa. They were among few immigrant rights groups that attended the protest and they made the connection between imperialism and the migration from Central and South American to the U.S.</p>

<p>Having trained police, military, government and narco elements alike in Mexico and Colombia, the SOA is a good target for immigrants rights groups. “It was a great experience for me because I got to meet a lot of dedicated individuals like myself who are willing to go anywhere to defend the oppressed,” said Oscar Hernandez, local organizer with Raices in Tampa.</p>

<p>Individuals were present from all over the world, including the Latin American countries most affected by SOA’s doctrine of state-sponsored instability. Raices in Tampa attended a workshop given by representatives of Colombia’s popular movement Marcha Patriotica. Here connections were made between the U.S. prison system and its plans to export this prison system to Latin America and Africa. The majority of prison personnel trained at SOA are Mexican and Colombian.</p>

<p>“As a Honduran is very hard to see how my country is used by the U.S, how they are training my people to kill each other. I&#39;m hopeful that one day this will stop. I was glad of being part of SOA protest and see so many people that shared my emotions,” said Alicia Gazga, also with Raices in Tampa.</p>

<p><a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:ColumbusGA" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">ColumbusGA</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:SchoolOfTheAmericas" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">SchoolOfTheAmericas</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:SOAWatch" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">SOAWatch</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:FortBenning" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">FortBenning</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:RaicesEnTampa" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">RaicesEnTampa</span></a></p>

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      <guid>https://fightbacknews.org/raices-en-tampa-goes-soa</guid>
      <pubDate>Fri, 28 Nov 2014 23:16:23 +0000</pubDate>
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      <title>Students Say &#34;Shut Down the SOA!&#34;</title>
      <link>https://fightbacknews.org/students-say-shut-down-soa?pk_campaign=rss-feed</link>
      <description>&lt;![CDATA[Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS).&#xA;&#xA;!--more--&#xA;&#xA;November 21-23 Students for a Democratic Society will be joining thousands of other activists, from across the country, outside the gates of Fort Benning in Columbus, GA to say, “Shut down the School of the Americas!” The School of the Americas (SOA) is training ground for Latin American soldiers who are taught torture, psychological warfare, as well as how to carry out coups and overthrow democratically elected governments across Latin America. SOA graduates are responsible for overthrowing and attempts to overthrow democratically elected governments in places such as Honduras and Venezuela. SOA graduates are responsible for the rape, murder, and “disappearances” of hundreds of thousands of students, teachers, union leaders, clergy, and people who stand on the side of the poor and oppressed throughout the Americas, but especially in Colombia.&#xA;&#xA;Recently, 43 student activists from Ayotzinapa, Mexico were “disappeared” by Mexican police. Mexico is one country that sends its military and security forces to train at the SOA. It is more important than ever to raise the demand to shut down the SOA and fight for justice for the 43 students from Ayotzinapa and for all those murdered by SOA graduates.&#xA;&#xA;SDS’ers often say, “When we dare to fight, we dare to win!” And, we believe that we will win. One example of this is earlier this year when the Columbus, GA Police Department threatened to attempt to stop us from protesting outside the gates of Fort Benning this November. SDS was one of many organizations that vowed to be outside the gates of Fort Benning no matter what. We fought this attack saying, “Shut down the SOA, not free speech!” By our collective effort we were able to force the Columbus Police Department to back down. But we do not back down. We will continue to fight because we have seen time and time again that when we fight, we can win.&#xA;&#xA;SDS will be hosting a student meet up on Saturday night after the concert in the convention center at the Fountain City Coffee shop (located at 1007 Broadway) in downtown Columbus. Anyone who believes that we can win and is interested in building the student movement is invited to join us!&#xA;&#xA;See you in the streets!&#xA;&#xA;#ColumbusGA #AntiwarMovement #SDS #SchoolOfTheAmericas #PoliticalRepression&#xA;&#xA;div id=&#34;sharingbuttons.io&#34;/div]]&gt;</description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em>Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS).</em></p>



<p>November 21-23 Students for a Democratic Society will be joining thousands of other activists, from across the country, outside the gates of Fort Benning in Columbus, GA to say, “Shut down the School of the Americas!” The School of the Americas (SOA) is training ground for Latin American soldiers who are taught torture, psychological warfare, as well as how to carry out coups and overthrow democratically elected governments across Latin America. SOA graduates are responsible for overthrowing and attempts to overthrow democratically elected governments in places such as Honduras and Venezuela. SOA graduates are responsible for the rape, murder, and “disappearances” of hundreds of thousands of students, teachers, union leaders, clergy, and people who stand on the side of the poor and oppressed throughout the Americas, but especially in Colombia.</p>

<p>Recently, 43 student activists from Ayotzinapa, Mexico were “disappeared” by Mexican police. Mexico is one country that sends its military and security forces to train at the SOA. It is more important than ever to raise the demand to shut down the SOA and fight for justice for the 43 students from Ayotzinapa and for all those murdered by SOA graduates.</p>

<p>SDS’ers often say, “When we dare to fight, we dare to win!” And, we believe that we will win. One example of this is earlier this year when the Columbus, GA Police Department threatened to attempt to stop us from protesting outside the gates of Fort Benning this November. SDS was one of many organizations that vowed to be outside the gates of Fort Benning no matter what. We fought this attack saying, “Shut down the SOA, not free speech!” By our collective effort we were able to force the Columbus Police Department to back down. But we do not back down. We will continue to fight because we have seen time and time again that when we fight, we can win.</p>

<p>SDS will be hosting a student meet up on Saturday night after the concert in the convention center at the Fountain City Coffee shop (located at 1007 Broadway) in downtown Columbus. Anyone who believes that we can win and is interested in building the student movement is invited to join us!</p>

<p>See you in the streets!</p>

<p><a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:ColumbusGA" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">ColumbusGA</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:AntiwarMovement" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">AntiwarMovement</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:SDS" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">SDS</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:SchoolOfTheAmericas" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">SchoolOfTheAmericas</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:PoliticalRepression" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">PoliticalRepression</span></a></p>

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      <guid>https://fightbacknews.org/students-say-shut-down-soa</guid>
      <pubDate>Tue, 18 Nov 2014 15:46:37 +0000</pubDate>
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      <title>Fight Back! Forum at the SOA: No to U.S. Intervention in Colombia</title>
      <link>https://fightbacknews.org/no-us-intervention-colombia?pk_campaign=rss-feed</link>
      <description>&lt;![CDATA[The following flier will be distributed at the School of Americas Protest in Columbus Georgia on Nov. 21.&#xA;&#xA;!--more--&#xA;&#xA;Fight Back! Forum at the SOA: No to U.S. Intervention in Colombia!&#xA;&#xA;Saturday, November 21, 2009&#xA;&#xA;Time: 7:00pm - 9:00pm&#xA;&#xA;Location: Howard Johnson Presidential Room&#xA;&#xA;1101 Veterans Pkwy, Columbus, GA&#xA;&#xA;No To US Bases In Colombia!&#xA;&#xA;Close the School of the Americas!&#xA;&#xA;Free Lily Obando!&#xA;&#xA;The US is expanding its dirty war in Colombia. Training death squads at the School of the Americas is a big part of that, but there is more. The Pentagon will soon occupy seven bases in Colombia, adding to the $7 billion spent on a war against the Colombian people over ten years. US troops will increase to 1400, with 600 US mercenaries fighting in the counter-insurgency war. The US will pour $46 million into the Palenquero base alone for &#34;refurbishing&#34;. This is bad news for the Colombian people who live under a corrupt and criminal government led by President Uribe. It is also bad news here at home too, as we face the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression--as well as a health care crisis, a housing crisis, and two ongoing US occupations. Why is the White House escalating the war in Colombia instead of seeking peace? Our HOPE is for peace with our neighbors, not more US bases! We want CHANGE, not more US intervention!&#xA;&#xA;The fact is that the US Empire is in decline and is losing its grip on Latin America. Throughout the region, people’s movements are sweeping into power, with democratic, reform minded, and socialist leaders. Militarizing Colombia is central to US plans to stop this progressive wave and reverse it. However, Plan Colombia, the current US war plan, is failing. Plan Colombia is aimed against the most powerful revolutionary group in Latin America—the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). The FARC organizes poor peasants and the disenfranchised to defend themselves against the rich Colombian elite and to take back their country from US corporations. Inside Colombia, the revolution, both armed and unarmed, is deepening and spreading, even reaching the cities. In the face of this, the White House and Congress are siding with the wealthy land owners and big corporations by funding and supporting Colombia’s corrupt government—nearly tripling the Colombian Military in ten years. The new US bases will clearly threaten Colombia&#39;s neighbors too.&#xA;&#xA;Colombian Death Squads - &#34;Made In America&#34;&#xA;&#xA;Colombia sends more soldiers to the School of the Americas than any other country in Latin America. Colombia also has the highest number of human rights abuses. The Pentagon directs the Colombian Military and their training at SOA, and gives the nod to their death squads. Colombia&#39;s former top general, Mario Montoya trained and instructed others at the SOA. Montoya along with two other Colombian generals and 24 Military officers were forced to resign last year due to the &#34;false positives&#34; scandal - they &#34;hired&#34; unemployed men in the cities, shot them dead in rural areas, and then dressed them in FARC uniforms to claim success against the revolutionaries. We say, &#34;Close the SOA!&#34;&#xA;&#xA;Free Lily Obando&#xA;&#xA;Liliani &#34;Lily&#34; Obando is a political prisoner of the Colombian government. Unfortunately, Lily&#39;s story is all too familiar—she works as union organizer with FENSUAGRO, the largest peasant and farm worker federation. She produces documentary films and writes about the struggles of those who work the land. Here films show that in Colombia, there are more displaced people - around four million, than in Iraq. It is outrageous! Thousands of labor unionists and other activists are routinely assassinated and threatened by death squads. Coca-Cola, Drummond Coal, and Chiquita Banana are all known for funding death squads.&#xA;&#xA;Like many unions and other groups, FENSUAGRO is heavily repressed. The Colombian Army and their death squads killed 1500 members of FENSUAGRO over the past 30 years. Counting 450 murdered since President Uribe took over in 2002. Lily Obando was about to release her study of these assassinations when Uribe ordered her arrest in August 2008. Besides assassinating popular leaders, arrest and detention is the new tactic of the reactionary government. Liliani Obando is charged with &#34;rebellion&#34; and &#34;managing resources related to terrorist activities&#34;. Despite the danger, Lily is willing to challenge the injustices that are imposed by the US supported war in Colombia. Now Lily is fighting for the rights of women prisoners. Since her imprisonment, Lily’s two young children and her elderly mother barely scrape by. We demand &#34;Free Lily Obando!&#34;&#xA;&#xA;Speakers Include:&#xA;&#xA;James Jordan from the Campaign for Labor Rights&#xA;Angela Denio from the National Committee to Free Ricardo Palmera&#xA;Sarah Buchner from Students for a Democratic Society&#xA;Jeremy Miller from the Colombia Action Network&#xA;Kosta Harlan from Freedom Road Socialist Organization&#xA;&#xA;#ColombusGA #ColumbusGA #Colombia #NationalCommitteeToFreeRicardoPalmera #ColombiaActionNetwork #SchoolOfTheAmericas #LilianyObando #Americas&#xA;&#xA;div id=&#34;sharingbuttons.io&#34;/div]]&gt;</description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em>The following flier will be distributed at the School of Americas Protest in Columbus Georgia on Nov. 21.</em></p>



<p><strong>Fight Back! Forum at the SOA: No to U.S. Intervention in Colombia!</strong></p>

<p><strong>Saturday, November 21, 2009</strong></p>

<p>Time: 7:00pm – 9:00pm</p>

<p>Location: Howard Johnson Presidential Room</p>

<p>1101 Veterans Pkwy, Columbus, GA</p>

<p><em><strong>No To US Bases In Colombia!</strong></em></p>

<p><em><strong>Close the School of the Americas!</strong></em></p>

<p><em><strong>Free Lily Obando!</strong></em></p>

<p>The US is expanding its dirty war in Colombia. Training death squads at the School of the Americas is a big part of that, but there is more. The Pentagon will soon occupy seven bases in Colombia, adding to the $7 billion spent on a war against the Colombian people over ten years. US troops will increase to 1400, with 600 US mercenaries fighting in the counter-insurgency war. The US will pour $46 million into the Palenquero base alone for “refurbishing”. This is bad news for the Colombian people who live under a corrupt and criminal government led by President Uribe. It is also bad news here at home too, as we face the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression—as well as a health care crisis, a housing crisis, and two ongoing US occupations. Why is the White House escalating the war in Colombia instead of seeking peace? Our HOPE is for peace with our neighbors, not more US bases! We want CHANGE, not more US intervention!</p>

<p>The fact is that the US Empire is in decline and is losing its grip on Latin America. Throughout the region, people’s movements are sweeping into power, with democratic, reform minded, and socialist leaders. Militarizing Colombia is central to US plans to stop this progressive wave and reverse it. However, Plan Colombia, the current US war plan, is failing. Plan Colombia is aimed against the most powerful revolutionary group in Latin America—the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). The FARC organizes poor peasants and the disenfranchised to defend themselves against the rich Colombian elite and to take back their country from US corporations. Inside Colombia, the revolution, both armed and unarmed, is deepening and spreading, even reaching the cities. In the face of this, the White House and Congress are siding with the wealthy land owners and big corporations by funding and supporting Colombia’s corrupt government—nearly tripling the Colombian Military in ten years. The new US bases will clearly threaten Colombia&#39;s neighbors too.</p>

<p><strong>Colombian Death Squads – “Made In America”</strong></p>

<p>Colombia sends more soldiers to the School of the Americas than any other country in Latin America. Colombia also has the highest number of human rights abuses. The Pentagon directs the Colombian Military and their training at SOA, and gives the nod to their death squads. Colombia&#39;s former top general, Mario Montoya trained and instructed others at the SOA. Montoya along with two other Colombian generals and 24 Military officers were forced to resign last year due to the “false positives” scandal – they “hired” unemployed men in the cities, shot them dead in rural areas, and then dressed them in FARC uniforms to claim success against the revolutionaries. We say, “Close the SOA!”</p>

<p><strong>Free Lily Obando</strong></p>

<p>Liliani “Lily” Obando is a political prisoner of the Colombian government. Unfortunately, Lily&#39;s story is all too familiar—she works as union organizer with FENSUAGRO, the largest peasant and farm worker federation. She produces documentary films and writes about the struggles of those who work the land. Here films show that in Colombia, there are more displaced people – around four million, than in Iraq. It is outrageous! Thousands of labor unionists and other activists are routinely assassinated and threatened by death squads. Coca-Cola, Drummond Coal, and Chiquita Banana are all known for funding death squads.</p>

<p>Like many unions and other groups, FENSUAGRO is heavily repressed. The Colombian Army and their death squads killed 1500 members of FENSUAGRO over the past 30 years. Counting 450 murdered since President Uribe took over in 2002. Lily Obando was about to release her study of these assassinations when Uribe ordered her arrest in August 2008. Besides assassinating popular leaders, arrest and detention is the new tactic of the reactionary government. Liliani Obando is charged with “rebellion” and “managing resources related to terrorist activities”. Despite the danger, Lily is willing to challenge the injustices that are imposed by the US supported war in Colombia. Now Lily is fighting for the rights of women prisoners. Since her imprisonment, Lily’s two young children and her elderly mother barely scrape by. We demand “Free Lily Obando!”</p>

<p>Speakers Include:</p>
<ul><li>James Jordan from the Campaign for Labor Rights</li>
<li>Angela Denio from the National Committee to Free Ricardo Palmera</li>
<li>Sarah Buchner from Students for a Democratic Society</li>
<li>Jeremy Miller from the Colombia Action Network</li>
<li>Kosta Harlan from Freedom Road Socialist Organization</li></ul>

<p><a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:ColombusGA" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">ColombusGA</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:ColumbusGA" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">ColumbusGA</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:Colombia" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">Colombia</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:NationalCommitteeToFreeRicardoPalmera" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">NationalCommitteeToFreeRicardoPalmera</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:ColombiaActionNetwork" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">ColombiaActionNetwork</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:SchoolOfTheAmericas" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">SchoolOfTheAmericas</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:LilianyObando" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">LilianyObando</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:Americas" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">Americas</span></a></p>

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      <guid>https://fightbacknews.org/no-us-intervention-colombia</guid>
      <pubDate>Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:35:29 +0000</pubDate>
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      <title>Miles Dicen: Cierre La Escuela de Asesinos</title>
      <link>https://fightbacknews.org/escuela?pk_campaign=rss-feed</link>
      <description>&lt;![CDATA[Columbus, GA - Diez mil personas llegaron a Columbus, Georgia el 18 y 19 de noviembre para cerrar la escuela de las americas, o mejor dicho, la escuela de asesinos (SOA por sus siglos en inglés). La SOA ha entrenado mas que 60,000 soldados latinoamericanos en la estrategia de contrainsurgencia, para prepararles a regresar a sus países y reprimir su propia gente.&#xA;&#xA;!--more--&#xA;&#xA;El gobierno de los EEUU provee el presupuesto para la escuela. Por eso, los manifestantes exigieron que el gobierno la cierre. Este año, unas 3,400 personas arresgaron sus cuerpos cuando entraron ilegalmente a la base militar en un grupo masivo. Los demás ofrecieron su apoyo y apausos desde afuera.&#xA;&#xA;La acción fue un proceso muy poderoso y emocionente que duró algunas horas. Ola tras ola de manifestantes cruzó a la base, mientras que se anunciaban con una voz solemna pero poderosa los nombres de latinoamericanos matados por soldados entrenados en esa misma escuela. Miles de manifestantes llevaban cruces con los nombres de los latinoamericanos matados. Con cada nombre llamado, el pueblo respondió con un grito de &#34;¡presente!&#34; Los que han perdido sus vidas no se olvidarán.&#xA;&#xA;Un movimiento creciente&#xA;&#xA;Las protestas anuales contra la SOA han crecido dramáticamente. También ha cambiado el espíritu de las protestas. Linda Jones, del comité ante-guerra de Minnesota, dijo: &#34;Este es mi segundo año en la protesta, pero hay una diferencia entre el año pasado y este año. Y creo que una gran parte de esto es debido al nuevo movimiento de la globalización, después de las protestas en Seattle, Praga, y las convenciones de los partidos Demócrata y Republicano. El pueblo entiende que en concentrarse para cerrar la SOA, también están protestando el Fondo Monetario Internacional (FMI), el Banco Mundial (BM), y todo, para crear un movimiento fuerte en contra de la política extranjera EU en general. El pueblo está creando nuevas ideas creativas para fortaceler en movimiento.&#34;&#xA;&#xA;El primer día de la protesta, unas 200 personas hicieron una obra teatral de títeres, jugando los papeles de los graduados de la SOA, tales como los dictadores latinoamericanos; el pueblo latinoamericano; y los revolucionarios que lucharon. El segundo día, los 200 titiriteros avanzaron a la base, sacrificándose en una protesta de alto riesgo que inspiró a los demás manifestantes.&#xA;&#xA;La SOA existe para proteger el sistema capitalista&#xA;&#xA;Algunas pancartas en la protesta decían: &#34;Resista la SOA: Arranque el sistema global protegido por ella.&#34; Esa lema describe el papel de la SOA en la capacitación de las fuerzas militares que respaldan el capitalismo por su represión de los latinoamericanos que se organizan para la reforma o la revolución. Los soldados en la SOA reciben instrucción en como torturar, asesinar, y chantajear, tácticas que han sido usadas en contra de miles de latinoamericanos - ciudadanos, activistas, y revolucionarios que luchan por una sociedad mejor.&#xA;&#xA;La SOA y Colombia&#xA;&#xA;Este se puede ver claramente en Colombia (el cual fue el enfoque de la proteste este año), donde hay 10,000 graduados de la SOA - mas que cualquier otro país - y que también tiene la peor historia de violaciones de derechos humanos en el hemisferio. En este contexto, el Presidente Clinton recientemente envió $1.3 mil millones a los cuerpos militares colombianos, los cuales están usando el dinero y las materiales de guerra de alto tecnología en su guerra civil en contra de los movimientos de liberación liderados por las FARC (las Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias Colombianas) y el ELN (Ejército de Liberación Nacional.)&#xA;&#xA;Anh Pham del Comité Ante-Guerra de Minnesota dijo: &#34;El enfoque en Colombia era importantísimo. Fue una protesta muy poderosa cuado asistí en 1998, y ahora con el enfoque en Colombia este año sentí la urgencia de regresar para manifestar contra la capacitación de mas asesinos, e intentar detener su regreso a Colombia.&#34;&#xA;&#xA;Red de acción por Colombia se reúne y consolida su organización&#xA;&#xA;Después de la protesta del primer día, 75 personas se reunieron con la Red de acción por Colombia (CAN, por sus siglos en inglés), la cual se organiza en contra de la ayuda militar a Colombia. Los comités de la CAN de Nueva York, Chicago, y Minneapolis presentaron informes de su trabajo organizativo. Los grupos de Charleston, South Carolina; Duluth, Minnesota; y otras ciudades también participaron. El próximo paso para la CAN será un día de acciones y una conferencia de fundación en la primavera de 2001. La reunión de la CAN creó una estructura para trabajar juntos después de la protesta de la SOA.&#xA;&#xA;En este año nuevo el movimiento contra la intervención gringa en Colombia va a seguir creciendo junto con el movimiento para cerrar la escuela de los asesinos.&#xA;&#xA;#ColumbusGA #News #Colombia #Americas #SOA #EscuelaDeLasAmericas&#xA;&#xA;div id=&#34;sharingbuttons.io&#34;/div]]&gt;</description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong>Columbus, GA -</strong> Diez mil personas llegaron a Columbus, Georgia el 18 y 19 de noviembre para cerrar la escuela de las americas, o mejor dicho, la escuela de asesinos (SOA por sus siglos en inglés). La SOA ha entrenado mas que 60,000 soldados latinoamericanos en la estrategia de contrainsurgencia, para prepararles a regresar a sus países y reprimir su propia gente.</p>



<p>El gobierno de los EEUU provee el presupuesto para la escuela. Por eso, los manifestantes exigieron que el gobierno la cierre. Este año, unas 3,400 personas arresgaron sus cuerpos cuando entraron ilegalmente a la base militar en un grupo masivo. Los demás ofrecieron su apoyo y apausos desde afuera.</p>

<p>La acción fue un proceso muy poderoso y emocionente que duró algunas horas. Ola tras ola de manifestantes cruzó a la base, mientras que se anunciaban con una voz solemna pero poderosa los nombres de latinoamericanos matados por soldados entrenados en esa misma escuela. Miles de manifestantes llevaban cruces con los nombres de los latinoamericanos matados. Con cada nombre llamado, el pueblo respondió con un grito de “¡presente!” Los que han perdido sus vidas no se olvidarán.</p>

<p><strong>Un movimiento creciente</strong></p>

<p>Las protestas anuales contra la SOA han crecido dramáticamente. También ha cambiado el espíritu de las protestas. Linda Jones, del comité ante-guerra de Minnesota, dijo: “Este es mi segundo año en la protesta, pero hay una diferencia entre el año pasado y este año. Y creo que una gran parte de esto es debido al nuevo movimiento de la globalización, después de las protestas en Seattle, Praga, y las convenciones de los partidos Demócrata y Republicano. El pueblo entiende que en concentrarse para cerrar la SOA, también están protestando el Fondo Monetario Internacional (FMI), el Banco Mundial (BM), y todo, para crear un movimiento fuerte en contra de la política extranjera EU en general. El pueblo está creando nuevas ideas creativas para fortaceler en movimiento.”</p>

<p>El primer día de la protesta, unas 200 personas hicieron una obra teatral de títeres, jugando los papeles de los graduados de la SOA, tales como los dictadores latinoamericanos; el pueblo latinoamericano; y los revolucionarios que lucharon. El segundo día, los 200 titiriteros avanzaron a la base, sacrificándose en una protesta de alto riesgo que inspiró a los demás manifestantes.</p>

<p><strong>La SOA existe para proteger el sistema capitalista</strong></p>

<p>Algunas pancartas en la protesta decían: “Resista la SOA: Arranque el sistema global protegido por ella.” Esa lema describe el papel de la SOA en la capacitación de las fuerzas militares que respaldan el capitalismo por su represión de los latinoamericanos que se organizan para la reforma o la revolución. Los soldados en la SOA reciben instrucción en como torturar, asesinar, y chantajear, tácticas que han sido usadas en contra de miles de latinoamericanos – ciudadanos, activistas, y revolucionarios que luchan por una sociedad mejor.</p>

<p><strong>La SOA y Colombia</strong></p>

<p>Este se puede ver claramente en Colombia (el cual fue el enfoque de la proteste este año), donde hay 10,000 graduados de la SOA – mas que cualquier otro país – y que también tiene la peor historia de violaciones de derechos humanos en el hemisferio. En este contexto, el Presidente Clinton recientemente envió $1.3 mil millones a los cuerpos militares colombianos, los cuales están usando el dinero y las materiales de guerra de alto tecnología en su guerra civil en contra de los movimientos de liberación liderados por las FARC (las Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias Colombianas) y el ELN (Ejército de Liberación Nacional.)</p>

<p>Anh Pham del Comité Ante-Guerra de Minnesota dijo: “El enfoque en Colombia era importantísimo. Fue una protesta muy poderosa cuado asistí en 1998, y ahora con el enfoque en Colombia este año sentí la urgencia de regresar para manifestar contra la capacitación de mas asesinos, e intentar detener su regreso a Colombia.”</p>

<p><strong>Red de acción por Colombia se reúne y consolida su organización</strong></p>

<p>Después de la protesta del primer día, 75 personas se reunieron con la Red de acción por Colombia (CAN, por sus siglos en inglés), la cual se organiza en contra de la ayuda militar a Colombia. Los comités de la CAN de Nueva York, Chicago, y Minneapolis presentaron informes de su trabajo organizativo. Los grupos de Charleston, South Carolina; Duluth, Minnesota; y otras ciudades también participaron. El próximo paso para la CAN será un día de acciones y una conferencia de fundación en la primavera de 2001. La reunión de la CAN creó una estructura para trabajar juntos después de la protesta de la SOA.</p>

<p>En este año nuevo el movimiento contra la intervención gringa en Colombia va a seguir creciendo junto con el movimiento para cerrar la escuela de los asesinos.</p>

<p><a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:ColumbusGA" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">ColumbusGA</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:News" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">News</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:Colombia" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">Colombia</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:Americas" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">Americas</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:SOA" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">SOA</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:EscuelaDeLasAmericas" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">EscuelaDeLasAmericas</span></a></p>

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      <guid>https://fightbacknews.org/escuela</guid>
      <pubDate>Fri, 07 Aug 2009 02:04:46 +0000</pubDate>
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      <title>Georgia: Huge protest against &#39;School of Assassins&#39;</title>
      <link>https://fightbacknews.org/georgia-huge-protest-against-soa?pk_campaign=rss-feed</link>
      <description>&lt;![CDATA[Charla Schlueter from SDS at UNC-Asheville speaks at the SOA protest.&#34;)&#xA;&#xA;Columbus, GA - Over 20,000 people from across the country flooded Fort Benning on the Nov. 22-23 weekend, calling for the School of the Americas (SOA), a U.S. military training institute that trains Latin American soldiers in ‘counter-insurgency’ techniques, to be shut down. During the vigil to honor the memory of the thousands of men, women and children that have been tortured, kidnapped and murdered by SOA graduates, six people, in an act of civil disobedience, crossed onto the military base and were arrested. They face up to six months in federal prison for taking action to close down the SOA - the ‘School of Assassins.’&#xA;&#xA;!--more--&#xA;&#xA;Throughout the weekend, groups that organize in solidarity with Colombia emphasized the need for people in the U.S. to take action to stop the U.S. government’s support for war and repression in Colombia.&#xA;&#xA;Colombia is particularly affected by both the SOA and U.S. foreign policy. Colombia sends more soldiers to the SOA than any other country. Under aid packages such as Plan Colombia, Colombia receives billions of dollars from the United States. It is no coincidence that Colombia has one of the worst human rights records in the hemisphere, with over 40 Colombian trade unionists killed this year alone.&#xA;&#xA;Charla Schlueter, a member of the University of North Carolina at Asheville chapter of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), spoke at Saturday’s rally, highlighting the ways her chapter has stood in solidarity with Colombia, such as participating in the campaign to free the Colombian political prisoner Ricardo Palmera. “SDS helped exposed Palmera’s trials to be the farce that they were,” said Schlueter. “We oppose the extradition of Colombians like Palmera to the U.S. to be put on trial. We recognize that this is a neo-colonial practice that undermines the sovereignty of Colombia and that is used as a weapon to blackmail those fighting for justice.”&#xA;&#xA;Chapin Gray from Colombia Action Network spoke during Sunday’s program, urging people to join the campaign to free Lily Obando, another political prisoner from Colombia. Obando is an organizer for FENSUARGRO, the peasant workers’ union who was arrested last August by the Colombian National Police under vague charges of “rebellion.”&#xA;&#xA;“Whatever chains and gags they intend to put on us, the justice of our struggle requires that we continue resisting wherever we may be,” said Gray, quoting from a letter Obando sent to U.S. activists from her jail cell in Bogata. “The bars of the jail do not matter if you, wherever you may be, help us so that our voices may move beyond the walls and not be stopped.”&#xA;&#xA;Over 150 people crowded the room to attend the event called “Eye Witness Reports from the People’s Struggle in Colombia,” hosted by Fight Back! newspaper. The forum featured Meredith Aby of the Colombia Action Network speaking on behalf of Lily Obando’s release, Angela Denio of National Committee to Free Ricardo Palmera and Doug Michel of SDS on his experiences meeting with Patriotic Union member Imelda Daza Cotes, who is living in exile, and his experiences meeting with the student movement in Colombia.&#xA;&#xA;Each speaker emphasized the importance of giving support and solidarity to all progressive forces fighting for change in Colombia. “It is important for people to understand the FARC as an integral part of the Colombian people’s resistance to U.S. intervention in their country,” said Kosta Harlan from Freedom Road Socialist Organization, who moderated the forum. “It’s our obligation as Colombia solidarity activists to educate people here on why Colombians have taken up arms. It is a response to the murderous assaults on social movements and trade unions by Bush, U.S. corporations and the Colombian elite. The U.S. corporations seek nothing but continued exploitation of millions of workers and campesinos - and their kidnappings, disappearances and murders of social activists need to be denounced.”&#xA;&#xA;Colombia Action Network activists flyered for Lily Obando&#39;s release at the SOA&#34;)&#xA;&#xA;Chapin Gray speaking for the Colombia Action Network at the SOA&#34;)&#xA;&#xA;#ColumbusGA #AntiwarMovement #Americas #SchoolOfTheAmericas #SOA&#xA;&#xA;div id=&#34;sharingbuttons.io&#34;/div]]&gt;</description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img src="https://i.snap.as/WH1J8V2C.gif" alt="Charla Schlueter from SDS at UNC-Asheville speaks at the SOA protest." title="Charla Schlueter from SDS at UNC-Asheville speaks at the SOA protest. \(Fight Back! News/Staff\)"/></p>

<p><strong>Columbus, GA -</strong> Over 20,000 people from across the country flooded Fort Benning on the Nov. 22-23 weekend, calling for the School of the Americas (SOA), a U.S. military training institute that trains Latin American soldiers in ‘counter-insurgency’ techniques, to be shut down. During the vigil to honor the memory of the thousands of men, women and children that have been tortured, kidnapped and murdered by SOA graduates, six people, in an act of civil disobedience, crossed onto the military base and were arrested. They face up to six months in federal prison for taking action to close down the SOA – the ‘School of Assassins.’</p>



<p>Throughout the weekend, groups that organize in solidarity with Colombia emphasized the need for people in the U.S. to take action to stop the U.S. government’s support for war and repression in Colombia.</p>

<p>Colombia is particularly affected by both the SOA and U.S. foreign policy. Colombia sends more soldiers to the SOA than any other country. Under aid packages such as Plan Colombia, Colombia receives billions of dollars from the United States. It is no coincidence that Colombia has one of the worst human rights records in the hemisphere, with over 40 Colombian trade unionists killed this year alone.</p>

<p>Charla Schlueter, a member of the University of North Carolina at Asheville chapter of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), spoke at Saturday’s rally, highlighting the ways her chapter has stood in solidarity with Colombia, such as participating in the campaign to free the Colombian political prisoner Ricardo Palmera. “SDS helped exposed Palmera’s trials to be the farce that they were,” said Schlueter. “We oppose the extradition of Colombians like Palmera to the U.S. to be put on trial. We recognize that this is a neo-colonial practice that undermines the sovereignty of Colombia and that is used as a weapon to blackmail those fighting for justice.”</p>

<p>Chapin Gray from Colombia Action Network spoke during Sunday’s program, urging people to join the campaign to free Lily Obando, another political prisoner from Colombia. Obando is an organizer for FENSUARGRO, the peasant workers’ union who was arrested last August by the Colombian National Police under vague charges of “rebellion.”</p>

<p>“Whatever chains and gags they intend to put on us, the justice of our struggle requires that we continue resisting wherever we may be,” said Gray, quoting from a letter Obando sent to U.S. activists from her jail cell in Bogata. “The bars of the jail do not matter if you, wherever you may be, help us so that our voices may move beyond the walls and not be stopped.”</p>

<p>Over 150 people crowded the room to attend the event called “Eye Witness Reports from the People’s Struggle in Colombia,” hosted by Fight Back! newspaper. The forum featured Meredith Aby of the Colombia Action Network speaking on behalf of Lily Obando’s release, Angela Denio of National Committee to Free Ricardo Palmera and Doug Michel of SDS on his experiences meeting with Patriotic Union member Imelda Daza Cotes, who is living in exile, and his experiences meeting with the student movement in Colombia.</p>

<p>Each speaker emphasized the importance of giving support and solidarity to all progressive forces fighting for change in Colombia. “It is important for people to understand the FARC as an integral part of the Colombian people’s resistance to U.S. intervention in their country,” said Kosta Harlan from Freedom Road Socialist Organization, who moderated the forum. “It’s our obligation as Colombia solidarity activists to educate people here on why Colombians have taken up arms. It is a response to the murderous assaults on social movements and trade unions by Bush, U.S. corporations and the Colombian elite. The U.S. corporations seek nothing but continued exploitation of millions of workers and campesinos – and their kidnappings, disappearances and murders of social activists need to be denounced.”</p>

<p><img src="https://i.snap.as/W9tgckgy.gif" alt="Colombia Action Network activists flyered for Lily Obando&#39;s release at the SOA" title="Colombia Action Network activists flyered for Lily Obando&#39;s release at the SOA \(Fight Back! News/Staff\)"/></p>

<p><img src="https://i.snap.as/JSqnWO5M.gif" alt="Chapin Gray speaking for the Colombia Action Network at the SOA" title="Chapin Gray speaking for the Colombia Action Network at the SOA \(Fight Back! News/Staff\)"/></p>

<p><a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:ColumbusGA" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">ColumbusGA</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:AntiwarMovement" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">AntiwarMovement</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:Americas" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">Americas</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:SchoolOfTheAmericas" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">SchoolOfTheAmericas</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:SOA" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">SOA</span></a></p>

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      <pubDate>Fri, 31 Jul 2009 04:48:40 +0000</pubDate>
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      <title>Fight Back News Service is circulating the following call from the Colombia Action Network to demonstrate at the School of the Americas.: Protest at School of the Americas Nov. 21-23</title>
      <link>https://fightbacknews.org/protest-at-school-of-americas?pk_campaign=rss-feed</link>
      <description>&lt;![CDATA[Join the Colombia Action Network at the School of the Americas Demonstration! Ft. Benning, GA, November 21-23, 2008&#xA;&#xA;Help us shut down the School of the Americas (SOA) this November! The SOA is a U.S. tax payer funded combat training school for Latin American soldiers, located at Fort Benning, Georgia. Frequently called the &#34;School of Assassins,&#34; its graduates have left a trail of terror and suffering in every country where its graduates have returned. Over its 61 years, the SOA has trained over 60,000 Latin American soldiers in counterinsurgency techniques, psychological warfare, and interrogation tactics. SOA graduates have consistently used their skills to wage war against social movements and progressive communities in their own countries. Among those targeted by SOA graduates are trade unionists, human rights workers, teachers, religious workers, student leaders, and others who work for the rights of the poor. SOA training manuals made public in 1996 revealed that torture, extortion, and kidnapping are part of the curriculum. Hundreds of thousands of Latin Americans have been assassinated, &#34;disappeared,&#34; massacred, and displaced by those trained at the SOA.&#xA;&#xA;!--more--&#xA;&#xA;Colombia has sent more troops to train at the SOA than any other Latin American country. The 1993 human rights report &#34;State Terrorism in Colombia&#34; issued by Pax Chirsti cites 247 Colombian officers for human rights violations. One half of those cited were SOA graduates. Some were even featured as guest speakers or instructors or included in the &#34;Hall of Fame&#34; after their involvement in massacres. For example, Gen. Farouk Yanine Diaz was a guest speaker at the school in 1990 and 1991 after his involvement in the 1988 Uraba massacre of 20 banana workers, the assassination of the mayor of Sabana de Torres, and the massacre of 19 businessmen. SOA graduates have been linked to some of Colombia&#39;s most heinous massacres, including in Segovia (1988) in which 43 people were killed, the Trujillo chainsaw massacres (1988-91), and Riofrio massacre (1993). The Colombian legislature even agrees that a military officer was sent to the SOA to avoid having to answer questions about the Fusagauga massacre of a campesino family.&#xA;&#xA;Every November, thousands gather at Fort Benning to demand two things: the immediate closure of the School of the Americas and a drastic change in the oppressive U.S. foreign policy that the SOA represents. This year&#39;s demonstration will be held Nov 22-23. Events on Friday and Saturday include street theater, concerts, speakers, film showings, and networking opportunities. Sunday&#39;s program includes a solemn procession to the gates of Ft. Benning and a reading of names of those victimized by SOA graduates.&#xA;&#xA;Join activists from the Colombia Action Network as we participate in the movement to close the SOA! We would love to see you there! More information about the SOA and the demonstration can be found at soaw.org.&#xA;&#xA;#ColumbusGA #Americas #Statement #ColombiaActionNetwork #SchoolOfTheAmericas #SOA #CAN&#xA;&#xA;div id=&#34;sharingbuttons.io&#34;/div]]&gt;</description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em>Join the Colombia Action Network at the School of the Americas Demonstration! Ft. Benning, GA, November 21-23, 2008</em></p>

<p>Help us shut down the School of the Americas (SOA) this November! The SOA is a U.S. tax payer funded combat training school for Latin American soldiers, located at Fort Benning, Georgia. Frequently called the “School of Assassins,” its graduates have left a trail of terror and suffering in every country where its graduates have returned. Over its 61 years, the SOA has trained over 60,000 Latin American soldiers in counterinsurgency techniques, psychological warfare, and interrogation tactics. SOA graduates have consistently used their skills to wage war against social movements and progressive communities in their own countries. Among those targeted by SOA graduates are trade unionists, human rights workers, teachers, religious workers, student leaders, and others who work for the rights of the poor. SOA training manuals made public in 1996 revealed that torture, extortion, and kidnapping are part of the curriculum. Hundreds of thousands of Latin Americans have been assassinated, “disappeared,” massacred, and displaced by those trained at the SOA.</p>



<p>Colombia has sent more troops to train at the SOA than any other Latin American country. The 1993 human rights report “State Terrorism in Colombia” issued by Pax Chirsti cites 247 Colombian officers for human rights violations. One half of those cited were SOA graduates. Some were even featured as guest speakers or instructors or included in the “Hall of Fame” after their involvement in massacres. For example, Gen. Farouk Yanine Diaz was a guest speaker at the school in 1990 and 1991 after his involvement in the 1988 Uraba massacre of 20 banana workers, the assassination of the mayor of Sabana de Torres, and the massacre of 19 businessmen. SOA graduates have been linked to some of Colombia&#39;s most heinous massacres, including in Segovia (1988) in which 43 people were killed, the Trujillo chainsaw massacres (1988-91), and Riofrio massacre (1993). The Colombian legislature even agrees that a military officer was sent to the SOA to avoid having to answer questions about the Fusagauga massacre of a campesino family.</p>

<p>Every November, thousands gather at Fort Benning to demand two things: the immediate closure of the School of the Americas and a drastic change in the oppressive U.S. foreign policy that the SOA represents. This year&#39;s demonstration will be held Nov 22-23. Events on Friday and Saturday include street theater, concerts, speakers, film showings, and networking opportunities. Sunday&#39;s program includes a solemn procession to the gates of Ft. Benning and a reading of names of those victimized by SOA graduates.</p>

<p>Join activists from the Colombia Action Network as we participate in the movement to close the SOA! We would love to see you there! More information about the SOA and the demonstration can be found at soaw.org.</p>

<p><a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:ColumbusGA" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">ColumbusGA</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:Americas" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">Americas</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:Statement" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">Statement</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:ColombiaActionNetwork" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">ColombiaActionNetwork</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:SchoolOfTheAmericas" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">SchoolOfTheAmericas</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:SOA" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">SOA</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:CAN" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">CAN</span></a></p>

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      <guid>https://fightbacknews.org/protest-at-school-of-americas</guid>
      <pubDate>Fri, 31 Jul 2009 04:39:47 +0000</pubDate>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Georgia: 25,000 protest at &#39;School of Assassins&#39;</title>
      <link>https://fightbacknews.org/soaprotest?pk_campaign=rss-feed</link>
      <description>&lt;![CDATA[Columbus, GA - 25,000 protesters arrived at the gates of Fort Benning, Georgia to participate in the 2007 SOA Watch vigil to close the School of the Americas, Nov. 16 -18. The SOA, which trains military personal from Latin America in subjects like counter-insurgency recently changed names. It is now called the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation, but name changes can not take away the bloody history of this tool of U.S. imperialism and oppression. SOA graduates have been implicated in killings, torture and massacres.&#xA;&#xA;!--more--&#xA;&#xA;These vigils have been happening for 18 years and are a time for all those concerned with social and economic justice in Latin America to come together. On the third day of the vigil, Sunday, Nov. 18, the atmosphere was somber when the names of those people who have been killed by graduates of the institute were read.&#xA;&#xA;Jeremy Miller, a member of the University of North Carolina at Asheville Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) was moved during the Sunday event, saying, “All this murder and injustice that the U.S. is perpetrating in Latin America, it makes me sick, and I think specifically of the billions spent on Plan Colombia. I think it’s our duty as American people to speak out against it, like the people here are doing, and we have to show solidarity with the people of Latin America and their fight to be free from U.S. imperialism.”&#xA;&#xA;Chapin Gray from the Tuscaloosa chapter of SDS, who spoke to the crowd on Sunday, later said, “SDS comes to the SOA Watch vigil see the SOA terrorist training camp shut down, but beyond that to take a stand against the U.S. government and what the multinational corporations are doing in Latin America. In our individual chapters we try to do actions in solidarity with Latin America, like our protesting Drummond coal corporation for its murders of trade unionists in Colombia. SOA, Drummond, Iraq they are all intertwined in the broader picture of U.S. imperialism. That’s what we are trying to fight against.”&#xA;&#xA;This year eleven protesters aged 25 to 76 bravely crossed the barriers into Fort Benning to demand the school’s closure. Many who have done so in the past have received months-long sentences for trespassing. The police also arrested four individuals who were carrying white crosses, each having a name written on it of one of the victims of SOA graduates. The police said the crosses were beyond certain allowed dimensions and that they could have been used as ‘deadly weapons.’ They were charged with obstructing a police officer.&#xA;&#xA;#ColumbusGA #AntiwarMovement #Americas #SchoolOfTheAmericas #SOA #SOAWatch&#xA;&#xA;div id=&#34;sharingbuttons.io&#34;/div]]&gt;</description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong>Columbus, GA -</strong> 25,000 protesters arrived at the gates of Fort Benning, Georgia to participate in the 2007 SOA Watch vigil to close the School of the Americas, Nov. 16 -18. The SOA, which trains military personal from Latin America in subjects like counter-insurgency recently changed names. It is now called the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation, but name changes can not take away the bloody history of this tool of U.S. imperialism and oppression. SOA graduates have been implicated in killings, torture and massacres.</p>



<p>These vigils have been happening for 18 years and are a time for all those concerned with social and economic justice in Latin America to come together. On the third day of the vigil, Sunday, Nov. 18, the atmosphere was somber when the names of those people who have been killed by graduates of the institute were read.</p>

<p>Jeremy Miller, a member of the University of North Carolina at Asheville Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) was moved during the Sunday event, saying, “All this murder and injustice that the U.S. is perpetrating in Latin America, it makes me sick, and I think specifically of the billions spent on Plan Colombia. I think it’s our duty as American people to speak out against it, like the people here are doing, and we have to show solidarity with the people of Latin America and their fight to be free from U.S. imperialism.”</p>

<p>Chapin Gray from the Tuscaloosa chapter of SDS, who spoke to the crowd on Sunday, later said, “SDS comes to the SOA Watch vigil see the SOA terrorist training camp shut down, but beyond that to take a stand against the U.S. government and what the multinational corporations are doing in Latin America. In our individual chapters we try to do actions in solidarity with Latin America, like our protesting Drummond coal corporation for its murders of trade unionists in Colombia. SOA, Drummond, Iraq they are all intertwined in the broader picture of U.S. imperialism. That’s what we are trying to fight against.”</p>

<p>This year eleven protesters aged 25 to 76 bravely crossed the barriers into Fort Benning to demand the school’s closure. Many who have done so in the past have received months-long sentences for trespassing. The police also arrested four individuals who were carrying white crosses, each having a name written on it of one of the victims of SOA graduates. The police said the crosses were beyond certain allowed dimensions and that they could have been used as ‘deadly weapons.’ They were charged with obstructing a police officer.</p>

<p><a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:ColumbusGA" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">ColumbusGA</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:AntiwarMovement" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">AntiwarMovement</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:Americas" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">Americas</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:SchoolOfTheAmericas" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">SchoolOfTheAmericas</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:SOA" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">SOA</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:SOAWatch" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">SOAWatch</span></a></p>

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      <guid>https://fightbacknews.org/soaprotest</guid>
      <pubDate>Fri, 31 Jul 2009 04:09:32 +0000</pubDate>
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    <item>
      <title>Georgia Protest:: Shut Down School of the Assassins</title>
      <link>https://fightbacknews.org/soa-bhtr?pk_campaign=rss-feed</link>
      <description>&lt;![CDATA[A &#34;Viva APPO&#34; puppetista represents those who have recently been killed in Oaxac&#34;)&#xA;&#xA;Columbus, GA - Nearly 22,000 activists from around the country, gathered Nov. 17 through 20 to protest the School of the Americas (SOA) at Fort Benning, Georgia. The School of the America’s special U.S. military program has trained military personnel to use methods of torture and killing throughout Latin America for over 59 years. SOA Watch, an organization dedicated to shutting down this program of terrorism, hosted the demonstration.&#xA;&#xA;!--more--&#xA;&#xA;The School of the Assassins, as it is frequently called, has trained over 60,000 Latin American soldiers in counterinsurgency techniques, sniper training, commando and psychological warfare, military intelligence and interrogation tactics, according to the SOA Watch. These troops are then sent back to their country to target union members, educators and social justice organizers. The School of the Americas was ‘closed’ in 2001 only to be renamed - but the school continues to be open and has not changed its tactics of violence and oppression.&#xA;&#xA;Many Latin American solidarity organizations attended this year’s demonstration, such as the Committee to Free Ricardo Palmera. Committee members and supporters held a large banner in the middle of the street and passed out fliers condemning the U.S. justice system for kidnapping Colombian revolutionary Ricardo Palmera - an act that defies Colombian sovereignty.&#xA;&#xA;This was my third time participating in the protest and, after spending two weeks in Colombia this summer, the experience was especially powerful,” says Katrina Plotz, from the Colombia Action Network. “Colombia has sent more soldiers to the SOA than any other country, and the U.S. is currently sponsoring a war against the Colombian people,” Plotz said. “I left with a renewed sense of hope that the SOA will be shut down, and a renewed commitment to stand in solidarity with the people of Latin America.”&#xA;&#xA;Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) was also present in the large turnout of young people attending the protest. On Saturday, over 90 student organizers from 20 different campuses nationwide met for a discussion of what SDS is about, building a student movement, and how to coordinate a nationwide action.&#xA;&#xA;“This was a landmark event in the history of the newly reformed SDS,” says Chapin Gray, a student organizer from SDS in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. “We decided it would be a great opportunity to network with each other. We came to a unanimous decision to have March 20, the fourth anniversary of the Iraq War, as a day for students to have national coordinated anti-war demonstrations under Students for a Democratic Society. It’s a very important step in unifying SDS across the nation.”&#xA;&#xA;One of the keynote speakers after the vigil was Kati Ketz, from the UNC-Asheville Socialist Unity League of SDS.&#xA;&#xA;“It’s so important to build a strong, coordinated student movement in this age of imperialism,” says Ketz. She went on to explain how Colombia’s President Uribe has violently repressed student activists, yet they continue to fight back against an unjust government. “We students should take inspiration from our Colombian brothers and sisters and take all this energy we have brought here back to our campuses and get organized!”&#xA;&#xA;Recently, countries such as Venezuela, Uruguay and Argentina have stated that they will no longer accept graduates from the SOA. Father Roy Bourgeois, SOA Watch’s founder, sees this as a great accomplishment and hopes that this year’s U.S. Congress will finally shut down the School of the Americas.&#xA;&#xA;A procession of mourners carry caskets during the SOA demonstration&#34;)&#xA;&#xA;SDS and other student organizers meet to discuss national coordinated actions&#34;)&#xA;&#xA;#ColumbusGA #News #Americas #SchoolOfTheAmericas #SOA&#xA;&#xA;div id=&#34;sharingbuttons.io&#34;/div]]&gt;</description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img src="https://i.snap.as/gO309c33.jpg" alt="A &#34;Viva APPO&#34; puppetista represents those who have recently been killed in Oaxac" title="A \&#34;Viva APPO\&#34; puppetista represents those who have recently been killed in Oaxac A \&#34;Viva APPO\&#34; puppetista represents those who have recently been killed in Oaxaca, Mexico \(Fight Back! News/ Doug Michel\)"/></p>

<p><strong>Columbus, GA -</strong> Nearly 22,000 activists from around the country, gathered Nov. 17 through 20 to protest the School of the Americas (SOA) at Fort Benning, Georgia. The School of the America’s special U.S. military program has trained military personnel to use methods of torture and killing throughout Latin America for over 59 years. SOA Watch, an organization dedicated to shutting down this program of terrorism, hosted the demonstration.</p>



<p>The School of the Assassins, as it is frequently called, has trained over 60,000 Latin American soldiers in counterinsurgency techniques, sniper training, commando and psychological warfare, military intelligence and interrogation tactics, according to the SOA Watch. These troops are then sent back to their country to target union members, educators and social justice organizers. The School of the Americas was ‘closed’ in 2001 only to be renamed – but the school continues to be open and has not changed its tactics of violence and oppression.</p>

<p>Many Latin American solidarity organizations attended this year’s demonstration, such as the Committee to Free Ricardo Palmera. Committee members and supporters held a large banner in the middle of the street and passed out fliers condemning the U.S. justice system for kidnapping Colombian revolutionary Ricardo Palmera – an act that defies Colombian sovereignty.</p>

<p>This was my third time participating in the protest and, after spending two weeks in Colombia this summer, the experience was especially powerful,” says Katrina Plotz, from the Colombia Action Network. “Colombia has sent more soldiers to the SOA than any other country, and the U.S. is currently sponsoring a war against the Colombian people,” Plotz said. “I left with a renewed sense of hope that the SOA will be shut down, and a renewed commitment to stand in solidarity with the people of Latin America.”</p>

<p>Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) was also present in the large turnout of young people attending the protest. On Saturday, over 90 student organizers from 20 different campuses nationwide met for a discussion of what SDS is about, building a student movement, and how to coordinate a nationwide action.</p>

<p>“This was a landmark event in the history of the newly reformed SDS,” says Chapin Gray, a student organizer from SDS in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. “We decided it would be a great opportunity to network with each other. We came to a unanimous decision to have March 20, the fourth anniversary of the Iraq War, as a day for students to have national coordinated anti-war demonstrations under Students for a Democratic Society. It’s a very important step in unifying SDS across the nation.”</p>

<p>One of the keynote speakers after the vigil was Kati Ketz, from the UNC-Asheville Socialist Unity League of SDS.</p>

<p>“It’s so important to build a strong, coordinated student movement in this age of imperialism,” says Ketz. She went on to explain how Colombia’s President Uribe has violently repressed student activists, yet they continue to fight back against an unjust government. “We students should take inspiration from our Colombian brothers and sisters and take all this energy we have brought here back to our campuses and get organized!”</p>

<p>Recently, countries such as Venezuela, Uruguay and Argentina have stated that they will no longer accept graduates from the SOA. Father Roy Bourgeois, SOA Watch’s founder, sees this as a great accomplishment and hopes that this year’s U.S. Congress will finally shut down the School of the Americas.</p>

<p><img src="https://i.snap.as/Cvh5PHpu.jpg" alt="A procession of mourners carry caskets during the SOA demonstration" title="A procession of mourners carry caskets during the SOA demonstration \(Fight Back! News/Doug Michel\)"/></p>

<p><img src="https://i.snap.as/l15WlrMC.jpg" alt="SDS and other student organizers meet to discuss national coordinated actions" title="SDS and other student organizers meet to discuss national coordinated actions \(Fight Back! News/Doug Michel\)"/></p>

<p><a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:ColumbusGA" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">ColumbusGA</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:News" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">News</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:Americas" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">Americas</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:SchoolOfTheAmericas" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">SchoolOfTheAmericas</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:SOA" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">SOA</span></a></p>

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      <guid>https://fightbacknews.org/soa-bhtr</guid>
      <pubDate>Fri, 31 Jul 2009 03:37:40 +0000</pubDate>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Close the School of the Assassins!</title>
      <link>https://fightbacknews.org/closesoa?pk_campaign=rss-feed</link>
      <description>&lt;![CDATA[Columbus, GA - &#34;Shut Down the S.O.A.! Shut Down the S.O.A.!&#34; rings in the ears of everyone the 12,000-plus protesters, students, faith activists, and also the sales clerks, waitresses, workers, U.S. and Latin American soldiers at the School of the Americas, Fort Benning, in Columbus, Georgia, Nov. 17-19. Far away in Colombia the leaders of trade unions, student organizations, peasant associations, and human rights groups also think quietly about and discuss, in out-of-the-way places, the need to shut down the S.O.A.&#xA;&#xA;!--more--&#xA;&#xA;Activists in the U.S. will witness and do acts of civil disobedience at Fort Benning in solidarity with the poor and oppressed in Colombia. Meanwhile, the Colombian people prepare for the day when the Colombian Army and the paramilitary death squads that the S.O.A. trains will show up to torture and execute people in their village or barrio. This is happening on a weekly basis now that &#34;Plan Colombia&#34; has begun.&#xA;&#xA;Clinton and Gore&#39;s Plan Colombia has unleashed a type of fascist terror in parts of Colombia. Trained and directed by Colombia&#39;s S.O.A.-educated military, with over 10,000 S.O.A. graduates, the paramilitary death squads are at the core of the CIA/Pentagon/White House Plan Colombia. The paramilitaries&#39; job is to terrorize both rural and urban populations into submission. Anyone who acts to organize their community, school, work place, or farm becomes a &#34;legitimate target&#34; because they are a threat to &#34;national security&#34;.&#xA;&#xA;Clinton stomped all over the human rights requirements in the $1,300,000,000 Plan Colombia aid package. He approved the funding, in spite of the fact that only one of the seven human rights requirements were met by the Colombian government and military. Clinton and Gore do not care about human rights.&#xA;&#xA;Clinton and Gore both know the Colombian war is for preserving the economic domination of U.S. big business. Al Gore knows he has to defend his own and his billionaire/millionaire friends&#39; ownership of oil, silver, minerals, bananas, coffee, technology, and waterways. While the number one business in the world is weapons, the number two business is illegal drugs, and the capitalist class that runs the U.S. has the commanding interest in both markets. The rich rulers of the U.S. will not allow either market out of their control. The S.O.A. is the rich man&#39;s University of State Terror.&#xA;&#xA;The protesters at the School Of the Americas will create a larger and more militant demonstration this year. The movement against the S.O.A. is surging yet again because of the Plan Colombia and its murderous affects. There will be more students who are organizing to stop U.S. intervention in Colombia. Students are forming chapters of the Colombia Action Network to stop the war in Colombia. Jackson Potter, a college senior said, &#34;I oppose the S.O.A. because it is where most of the human rights violators in Colombia are trained and then invited back to teach classes!&#34;&#xA;&#xA;More trade unionists will be at the S.O.A. this year because half of the trade unionists killed or disappeared in the world last year were Colombians; a union leader is killed every three days by Colombia&#39;s death squads. The religious activists continue to march forward in growing numbers seeking peace with justice. This demonstration should push the anti-S.O.A. protests to a new level. The protest will reach people across the U.S. and give hope to those fighting for justice in Colombia. We will shut down the S.O.A.!&#xA;&#xA;#ColumbusGA #AntiwarMovement #News #Colombia #SchoolOfAmericas&#xA;&#xA;div id=&#34;sharingbuttons.io&#34;/div]]&gt;</description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Columbus, GA – “Shut Down the S.O.A.! Shut Down the S.O.A.!” rings in the ears of everyone the 12,000-plus protesters, students, faith activists, and also the sales clerks, waitresses, workers, U.S. and Latin American soldiers at the School of the Americas, Fort Benning, in Columbus, Georgia, Nov. 17-19. Far away in Colombia the leaders of trade unions, student organizations, peasant associations, and human rights groups also think quietly about and discuss, in out-of-the-way places, the need to shut down the S.O.A.</p>



<p>Activists in the U.S. will witness and do acts of civil disobedience at Fort Benning in solidarity with the poor and oppressed in Colombia. Meanwhile, the Colombian people prepare for the day when the Colombian Army and the paramilitary death squads that the S.O.A. trains will show up to torture and execute people in their village or barrio. This is happening on a weekly basis now that “Plan Colombia” has begun.</p>

<p>Clinton and Gore&#39;s Plan Colombia has unleashed a type of fascist terror in parts of Colombia. Trained and directed by Colombia&#39;s S.O.A.-educated military, with over 10,000 S.O.A. graduates, the paramilitary death squads are at the core of the CIA/Pentagon/White House Plan Colombia. The paramilitaries&#39; job is to terrorize both rural and urban populations into submission. Anyone who acts to organize their community, school, work place, or farm becomes a “legitimate target” because they are a threat to “national security”.</p>

<p>Clinton stomped all over the human rights requirements in the $1,300,000,000 Plan Colombia aid package. He approved the funding, in spite of the fact that only one of the seven human rights requirements were met by the Colombian government and military. Clinton and Gore do not care about human rights.</p>

<p>Clinton and Gore both know the Colombian war is for preserving the economic domination of U.S. big business. Al Gore knows he has to defend his own and his billionaire/millionaire friends&#39; ownership of oil, silver, minerals, bananas, coffee, technology, and waterways. While the number one business in the world is weapons, the number two business is illegal drugs, and the capitalist class that runs the U.S. has the commanding interest in both markets. The rich rulers of the U.S. will not allow either market out of their control. The S.O.A. is the rich man&#39;s University of State Terror.</p>

<p>The protesters at the School Of the Americas will create a larger and more militant demonstration this year. The movement against the S.O.A. is surging yet again because of the Plan Colombia and its murderous affects. There will be more students who are organizing to stop U.S. intervention in Colombia. Students are forming chapters of the Colombia Action Network to stop the war in Colombia. Jackson Potter, a college senior said, “I oppose the S.O.A. because it is where most of the human rights violators in Colombia are trained and then invited back to teach classes!”</p>

<p>More trade unionists will be at the S.O.A. this year because half of the trade unionists killed or disappeared in the world last year were Colombians; a union leader is killed every three days by Colombia&#39;s death squads. The religious activists continue to march forward in growing numbers seeking peace with justice. This demonstration should push the anti-S.O.A. protests to a new level. The protest will reach people across the U.S. and give hope to those fighting for justice in Colombia. We will shut down the S.O.A.!</p>

<p><a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:ColumbusGA" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">ColumbusGA</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:AntiwarMovement" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">AntiwarMovement</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:News" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">News</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:Colombia" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">Colombia</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:SchoolOfAmericas" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">SchoolOfAmericas</span></a></p>

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      <guid>https://fightbacknews.org/closesoa</guid>
      <pubDate>Thu, 30 Jul 2009 21:19:29 +0000</pubDate>
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