Ft. Benning, GA – Meredith Aby, an anti-war leader from Minnesota, spoke out against U.S. political repression at the School of the Americas protest. Aby gave a presentation about the FBI raid on her home that happened because of her being an anti-war, Palestine and Colombia solidarity activist. 60 people attended, overflowing the room.

The Committee to Stop FBI Repression formed two years ago in response to a systematic FBI attack against anti-war and international solidarity activists. The FBI raided seven homes and the office of the Twin Cites based Anti-War Committee. 23 anti-war and international solidarity activists were subpoenaed to a federal grand jury. All 23, including Meredith Aby, resisted the undemocratic grand jury. “Yes, I have been to Palestine. Yes, I have friends who have donated food to starving Palestinian people. Is that providing material support to terrorists? I don’t think so,” stated Meredith.

Audience members asked questions ranging from her thoughts and feelings toward the FBI raids of her home, to how they personally can resist political repression by the U.S. government. “If it were not for community support,” she stated, “I would probably be sitting in a jail cell right now.”

Aby offered insight on the dirty tricks the government uses to infiltrate peoples movements – in particular a spy who lied about everything and to everyone she came into contact with. Aby noted that the big aim of the FBI is to divide people’s movements by causing fear of interaction with fellow activists. Aby said, “The way to overcome this is solidarity. There is strength in numbers, and the outpouring of solidarity with the Anti-War 23, especially with Palestinian-American activist Hatem Abudayyeh of Chicago, is overwhelming. The U.S. government and the politicians understand this.”

Aby continued, “Activists must stand together and resist the fears the government aims to put in our hearts and minds. We must resist the grand jury, like the radical heroes in the Northwest. We must organize to oppose political repression, to protect our movements and leaders. We must stand with all the Arab and Muslim people wrongly imprisoned in the U.S. by the phony war on terror, like the Holy Land Five, in prison for sending food to hungry people, for educating children and providing health care to families. We can push back the FBI and the political repression.”

For more information on the Committee to Stop FBI Repression, please visit www.stopfbi.net.

#FtBenningGA #AntiwarMovement #SchoolOfTheAmericas #SOA #CommitteeToStopFBIRepression

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.

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.

Un movimiento creciente

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.”

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.

La SOA existe para proteger el sistema capitalista

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.

La SOA y Colombia

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.)

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.”

Red de acción por Colombia se reúne y consolida su organización

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.

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.

#ColumbusGA #News #Colombia #Americas #SOA #EscuelaDeLasAmericas

An Iraq Moratorium protest is put on monthly in Milwaukee by SDS. Organizer Kas Schwerdfeger states, “SDS organizes all over the country to protest U.S. imperialism. The occupation of Iraq and the School of Americas are clear examples of U.S. imperialism. Students in Milwaukee are ready to help bring this message to our elected officials.”

The protest called for the immediate closure of the SOA and withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq, Afghanistan and all foreign countries under U.S. occupation. The crowd of university students, veterans and community members marched and gathered for a speak-out across from the city hall. Army veteran Aaron Lloyd and Iraq war veteran Ryan Nofsinger gave testimony on their first-hand experiences. Spoken-word artist Rachel Mateson exposed the responsibility of people on all sides of this imperialist crisis.

In response to the events on Friday, first time protester and University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee freshman Christina Jirjis, said, “This was a great, unifying experience and I was encouraged by all the support for this cause that we received out there. I will definitely continue to be active towards this endeavor.”

#MilwaukeeWI #AntiwarMovement #StudentMovement #News #Americas #SchoolOfTheAmericas #SOA

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.’

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.

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.

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.”

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.”

“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.”

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.

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.”