Write a Letter to a Peace Prisoner or Military Resister!

international | anti-war / imperialism | news report

Monday May 10, 2004 15:47

by Pit Stop Ploughshares

pitstoploughshares at hotmail dot com

087 918 4552

They're in There For Us, We're on the Loose for Them!

As serious nonviolent resistance grows to the US/UK war on Iraq, brothers and sisters find themselves before the courts and in custody.

A simple letter or a postcard can make all the difference to a sense of solidarity, morale, a sends a signal to jail/brig authorities that our friends are not alone etc.

**Consider sending a letter or postcard to a military resister or anti-war prisoner listed below.

Here in Ireland, Mary Kelly goes to trial on June 15th. in Kilrush, Co. Clare.

The Pit Stop Ploughshares return to the Four Courts on May 27th.
www.ploughsharesireland.org

Dear sisters and brothers,

The Guardian (5 May, http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,3604,1209441,00.html) published a huge article about Camilo Mejia, originally from Nicaragua and a soldier in the US army, who declared himself a conscientious objector and refused to go back to his post in Iraq. He is going to appear before a military court on May 19, the charge is desertion.

Camilo's mother has appealed for support and we take this opportunity to invite everyone to send messages of solidarity to Camilo and to register our protest with the military. At a time when so much information is emerging about the rape and torture of Iraqi prisoners by US and UK soldiers, it is crucial that we support those who publicly disassociate themselves from this and the slaughter of women, children and men in the war.

Please send us copy of whatever you write, we'll publish it on our website www.refusingtokill.net.

Yours for refusing to kill,

Giorgio Giandomenici
for Payday - an international and multiracial network of men working with the Global Women's Strike

Camilo Mejia's mother requests support
Letter by Maritza Castillo and circulated by Military Families Speak Out http://www.mfso.org"www.mfso.org

My name is Maritza Castillo and I'm an active member of Military Family Speak Out (MFSO). I'm also the mother of Staff Sergeant Camilo Mejia.

On March 24, 2004, Louis Font, my son's lawyer informed me about the charges that my son is being accused of. This is what he told me:

"Staff Sgt. Camilo Mejia, 28, of Miami, Florida was charged by his commanders at Ft. Stewart, Georgia with desertion on Wednesday, March 24, 2004. He will be tried by a Special Court Martial, which means that the maximum sentence he can receive is one year imprisonment and a Bad Conduct Discharge."

I've also learned that army officials have restricted Camilo to Ft. Stewart and have barred him from conducting face to face interviews on the base with the media. Louis Font, his civilian attorney, plans to challenge this "gag" order, arguing that my son's rights to free speech are being abridged.

President Bush does not give any explanation about the weapons of mass destruction that have not been found and for which he invaded and bombarded the people of Iraq and sent our young soldiers to die in this illegal and immoral war. Instead he makes a mockery about the reasons he's had to spend the money of the American people in this bellicose adventure. When he is asked about the weapons of mass destruction and the chemical weapons, he responds with vulgar gestures.

It is in this context that the army ignores the conscientious objection application that my son Camilo submitted to this institution. Instead they accuse him of desertion.

I'm addressing the people of the United States of America, the Hispanic Community and the world to express my deepest sorrow and indignation about the injustice that is being made against my son. I want to ask you to continue giving him your support. Please write letters to Camilo expressing your support towards his cause. Send letters to the Army Officials and to the Congress of the United States demanding that his conscientious objection application be accepted.
Camilo's Address:
Ssg. Mejia Camilo
A Company USAG MED-HOLD 865
Hase Road,
Ft. Stewart, GA 31315

Commanding General, Fort Stewart's Address:
Major General William G. Webster, Jr.
Commanding General, Fort Stewart,
42 Wayne Place,
Ft Stewart GA 31314

Peace and Solidarity to the world.

Maritza Castillo

Military Families Speak Out http://www.mfso.org

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Comments (5 of 5)

More Peace Prisoners

by Jonah House

Mon May 10, 2004 15:58

Baltimore/USA

The Bureau of Prisons Inmate Locator link at www.bop.gov can confirm the prison address and release status of federal prisoners currently in federal facilities

Sacred Earth and Space Plowshares

Jackie Hudson 08808-039 (30 months – out 7/05 or with good time 3/05)
Federal Prison Camp, Victorville
P.O. Box 5100
Adelanto, CA 92301
USA

Carol Gilbert 10856-039 (33 months – out 10/05 or with good time, 5/05))
Alderson FPC
Box A
Alderson, WV 24910
USA

Ardeth Platte 10857-039 (41 months – out 6/06 or with goodtime, 12/05)
Federal Correction Institution
331/2 Pembroke Station
Danbury, CT 06811
USA

Nuclear Resister

Helen Woodson 03231-045
c/o Bates County Jail
P.O. Box 60
Butler, MO 64730
USA
(Protest at federal courthouse, Kansas City, Missouri, 3/11/04 violates parole following 3/9/04 release from prison.)

Native American Political Prisoner

Overseas, These Nuclear Resisters Are Known To Be In Prison:

Mordechai Vanunu (18 years – out 4/21/04)
RELEASED
Nuclear whistleblower convicted of espionage and treason – Kidnapped by Israeli agents, 9/30/86)

Yuri I. Bandazhevsky (8 years – in 6/01)
Prison Minsk
ul Kavarijskaya 36
POB 351
Minsk, 220600
Belarus
(Chernobyl researcher and whistleblower fraudulently convicted of corruption, 6/01)

The Following People Are Now In Prison For Anti-War Related Activities
Vieques

José Vélez Acosta 23883-069 (33 months – in 5/9/03)
unknown

José Pérez González21519-069 (5 years – in 5/9/03)

Néstor de Jesús Guishard21716-069 (14 months – in 4/12/03)

José Montañez Sanes26317-069 (18 months – in 30/1/04)
MDC Guaynabo
P.O. Box 2147
San Juan, PR 00922-2147
USA

Jorge Cruz 26318-069 (18 months – in 28/2/04)
FCI Edgefield
501 Gary Hill Road
P.O. Box 723
Edgefield, SC 29824
USA

Jesús Delgado (6 months house arrest)
c/o May 1 Arrestees Support Committee
P.O. Box 191792
San Juan, PR 00919-1792
USA
(Conspiracy, damage to federal property, &/or probation violation 1/5/03 – resisting U.S. military bombardment of Vieques, Puerto Rico)

School Of The Americas

Gary Ashbeck 92088-020 (six months – out 22/5/04)
Schuylkill FCI
Box 670
Minersville, PA 17954
USA

Eric Robinson (six months – out 28/7/04)
(Trespass at the School of the Americas, Ft. Benning, Georgia – 11/22/03)

Leisa Ann Barnes (three months out 2/7/04)
# 92089-020
FCI Dublin - Federal
5701 8th St. - Camp Parks
Dublin, CA 94568
USA

Donald Beisswenger ( six months out 10/04)
# 92091-020
Manchester FCI
PO Box 4000
Manchester, KY 40962
USA

Cynthia Brinkman (six months out 10/04)
# 92092-020
FPC Pekin
PO Box 5000
Pekin, IL 61555-5000
USA

David L. Corcoran (six months out 10/04)
# 90282-020
FPC Oxford
PO Box 1085
Oxford, WI 53952
USA

Scott Diehl ( out 7/04)
# 92093-020
Waseca FCI
Unit A
PO Box 1731
Waseca, MN 56093
USA

Faith Fippinger ( out 7/04)
# 92094-020
Coleman FCC
PO Box 1027
Coleman, FL 33521
USA

Alice Gerard ( out 7/04)
# 92095-020
Danbury FCI
33 1/2 Pembroke St. 37
Danbury, CT 06811
USA

Kathleen Frances Kelly ( out 8/04 )
# 04971-045
FPC Pekin
PO Box 5000
Pekin, IL 61555-5000
USA

Frances E. Lamb ( out 10/04)
# 92100-020
Danbury FCI
33 1/2 Pembroke St.
Rt. 37
Danbury, CT. 06811
USA

Margaret E. Morton ( out 7/04)
# 92102-020
Dublin FCI
5701 8th St. - Camp Parks
Dublin, CA 94568
USA

Anthony O'Leary ( out 7/04))
# 92123-020
FPC Duluth
PO Box 1000
Duluth, MN 55814
USA

Gregory Poferl ( out 7/04)
# 92106-020
Waseca FCI
Unit D
PO Box 1731
Waseca, MN 56093
USA

Bernard A. Survil ( out 4/7)
# 92104-020
FPC McKean
PO Box 8000
Bradford, PA 16701
USA
Bernard received a three-month sentence.

Fr. Jerry Zawada ( out 11/04 1)
# 04995-045
FPC Oxford
PO Box 1085
Oxford, WI 53952
USA

8 Catholic Workers on Trial in Imaha

by Frank Cordaro - Des Moines (USA) Catholic Worker

Wed May 12, 2004 03:51

*Support Letters c/-
The Phil Berrigan Catholic Worker House
713 Indiana St., Des Moines IA 50314
Ph (515) 282-4781
DMCW

All 8 C.W.ers who crossed the line at Offutt Strategic Air Command last March 16 are being charged in Omaha Fed Court for trespassing.

3 Court Dates have been set. Each charged has their own time - see below for dates and times for each defendant.

Please consider what you can do to support these good people. Some will plead guilty or no contest and move directly to sentencing. Others may plead innocents and go to trial. All could use your support.; prayers, presence in court, cash for expenses and jail fund, hospitality in Omaha, ext...

Drop them an e-mail message, let them know your support. (see e-mail address below)

Court Dates / Name / E-mail / Time in Court

Wed May 26

Chris Dunn
at 1:30 p.m.

Jerry Edner
at 2 p.m.

Thurs May 27

Bill Frankel- Streit
at 2:30 p.m.

Greg Boetje
at 3 p.m.

These are all in front of Judge Gossett. Judge Gossett is new.

Wed. June 2 -

Bill Basinger
at 1:30 p.m.

Galen Leonhardy
at 2:00 p.m.

Rosalie Riegle
at 2:30p.m.

Paul Gallagher
at 3:00 p.m.

These are all in front of Judge Thalken

more latter

Frank Cordaro
The Phil Berrigan Catholic Worker House
713 Indiana St., Des Moines IA 50314
Ph (515) 282-4781
DMCW Web Page

Letter from Sr. Carol Gilbert OP-serving 2 Years for Weapons Inspection

Wed May 12, 2004 07:55

1301 Moreland Ave. Baltimore MD 21216 USA

*Along with 2 other Dominican nuns Carol is part of the Sacred ERarth Plowshares who received 2-3 years imprisonment for a -plowshares witness and weapons inspectionof an ICBM missile silo in Colorad USA.

Letters to Sr. Carol Gilbert can be written c/-
Jonah House, 1301 Moreland Av. Baltimore,
MD 21216 USA (THEY WILL BE REDIRECTED FROM THEIR TO HER FEDERAL PRISON IN ALDERSON, WEST VIRGINIA!)

PONDERINGS FROM THE ETERNAL NOW
MAY 2004 - #10

by Sr. Carol Gilbert
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dearest Friends,

This isn't the letter I was expecting to send you this month but sometimes something so horrendous comes along it must take precedence. Such is the following story. In reading my May issue of "Harper's Magazine", I came upon a small piece of interviews conducted by Human Rights Watch researchers in Pakistan and Vivian White, a reporter for the BBC, with recently released prisoners of Camp X-Ray, the U.S. detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
I was not shocked at the use of tape, cuffs, gas, chains, cages, bright lights, noise, beatings, sleep deprivation and painful positions. What did horrify me were the "injections" and the "pills".

"They injected me. I was unconscious." A. Khan
"They gave us pills that made us feel numb or made us drunk." K.M.
The other method that the guards used to make us quiet was injections. Guards would enter the cell with sticks and masks, and two or three of them would hold a prisoner while one of them injected him in any part of his body. Immediately after the injection, the person would faint. Then he was put into isolation. Twice they injected me and took me to the isolation room, a dark room with cold air blowing." A.K.
"Other countries torture prisoners with electric shocks, but they tortured me with injections. After I received an injection, my eyes would remain fixed upwards, and my muscles would get stiff. I would stay like that for a day and sometimes longer, until I was given another injection, which would relax me, and then I could move my eyes and muscles again. Sometimes they would give me pills after the first injection. I saw other prisoners receive injections as well." S.M.A.
According to the article the U.S. is currently holding about 650 suspects at Guantanamo Bay. These interviews don't sound that different to me than the Nazi experiments. I reflect on the Chinese proverb: " To know what is going on takes sense: to know what to do about it takes wisdom." What do we do with this burden of knowing?

Spring has arrived in all its glory at Alderson. We are in awe as we watch the birds build their nests and smell the lilacs and honeysuckles. The mountains are alive with various shades of green as the trees burst forth. As I write this, I've just seen two Baltimore orioles in one of the huge pines outside the recreation building.

Our population of 1,028 women saw 200 of us sign up for garden plots – two to a plot. We have ordered the seeds and await our planting date. Deep gratitude must go to our team of lawyers who have worked tirelessly with no pay on an appeal these past months. It was submitted on April 30th.

Again, my deepest gratitude to each of you. No one from the S.O. A. (School of the Americas) is coming here and so I sit with the silence and the stillness of within.

I'll close with these words from Historian Howard Zinn, which express our Eternal Now: "To be hopeful in bad times is not just foolishly romantic. It is based on the fact that human history is a history not only of cruelty, but also of compassion, sacrifice, courage, kindness. And if we do act, in however small a way, we don't have to wait for some grand, utopian future.

The future is an infinite succession of presents, and to live now as we think human beings should live, in defiance of all that is bad around us, is itself a marvelous victory."

With deep love,
Carol

Write or email support to Mordechai Vanunu

by Felice - Nuclear Resister

Wed May 12, 2004 08:03

Arizona, USA

* Mordechai Vanunu was recently released after serving 17 1/2/ years in Ashelon Prison, Israel (11 years in solitary confinement).
He had exposed Israel's covert production of nuclear weapons.

Write and e-mail to Mordechai Vanunu

Dear friends,

Mordechai would love to hear from his friends and supporters. You can write to him at:
Mordechai Vanunu
c/o Cathedral Church of St. George
20 Nablus Road
PO Box 19018
Jerusalem 91190
Israel

He can also receive email now at vanunumvjc@hotmail.com

The U.S. Campaign to Free Mordechai Vanunu would appreciate any news clippings about the release for our files. Please send to the campaign at PO Box 43384, Tucson, AZ 85733 US. Also, if anyone taped any of the TV or radio coverage, we would appreciate a copy. Thanks!

Below is a recent article of interest.

Peace,
Felice Cohen-Joppa
Coordinator

England- Fairford Five Allowed by Trial Judge to Speak of War crimes

by Fairford Five - Disarmament Acrions at Fairford B52 Base

Wed May 12, 2004 13:18

England

*Contact addresses for the Fairford 5 on
www.B52two.org.uk

Fairford Five Allowed

to Speak of War Crimes

This morning at the Royal Courts of Justice in the Strand, Mr. Justice Grigson delivered his ruling on what legal arguments will be allowed in the trials of the "Fairford Five," anti-war protesters awaiting trial for disarmament actions at a Gloucestershire air base. In three separate actions at RAF Fairford last year, all five defendants tried to reach and damage US bomber planes, or damaged aircraft support vehicles, in their efforts to resist the war on Iraq.

In a surprise move, the judge allowed that "secondary effects" of government foreign policy could be open to examination in British courts - although not whether the war on Iraq was itself illegal. Whether "secondary effects" would include such controversial acts of war as the loading of cluster bombs onto the US planes at Fairford, remains to be seen.

The judge also allowed the possibility of defences under the Criminal Damage Act of 1971 and the Criminal Law Act of 1967. Defendants might, he said, argue that they used "reasonable force" to protect property, or to prevent what they honestly believed to be war crimes. Whether it was "reasonable" for the accused to feel driven to protect the citizens of Iraq by taking direct action at Fairford as they did, is a matter the judge considers best left to a jury.

The accused have said that the Iraq war was itself a criminal act, and that they have lawful excuse for their resistance. Today, in his written judgement, Mr. Justice Grigson formally rejected this claim. As in his statements in Bristol crown court two weeks ago, the judge ruled that UK foreign policy is protected by "Crown prerogative," and that matters such as the lawfulness of a war cannot be examined in a British court.

In James Bond’s phrase, the British and US governments still have "Licence to kill," and to set themselves above the law of the land.

Lawyers for the Fairford Five have already said they will seek a new ruling from the Court of Appeal, on whether discussion of the lawfulness of the war is "non-justiciable."

With an explicitness unusual in a High Court judgement, Mr. Justice Grigson gives leave to both Crown and Defence lawyers to challenge any of his rulings, as they see fit.

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Write a Letter to a Peace Prisoner or Military Resister!

Comments (5 of 5)