12Noon-2pm *Solidarity Vigil at U.S. Embassy with Nonviolent Resistance at "School of the Americas"

dublin | anti-war / imperialism | event notice Tuesday November 07, 2006 20:37 by Ploughshares 087 918 4552

They're Heading to Ft. Benning for Us, We're Outside the U.S. Embassy for Them!

On Saturday Nov 18th. from 12 noon- 2pm
there will be a solidarity vigil outside the U.S. Embassy Dublin
(Cnr. Elgin and Pembroke Rds. Balsbridge, Dublin 4)
calling for the closure of the "School of the Americas" and the Demilitarisation of Shannon Airport.
The vigil is in solidarity with the mass convergeance & nonviolent direct action at Ft. Benning, Georgia, USA. The vigil is in concert with other solidarity vigils in Manta/Ecuador, San Salvador/El Salvador, Asuncion/Paraguay, Colombia and throughout the U.S.

Nov 17th.-19th. will see the largest anti-war convergance at a military base in the U.S. since the Vietnem War. This focus in the U.S. is on the School of the Americas at Fort Benning, Georgia. It has been an annual focus since the murder of 6 Jesuits (one a graduate of Milltown, Dublin) and two Salvadoran women by graduates of the SOA in the early hours of Nov 16th. 1989. The SOA specialises in low intenstity warfare training, torture techniques to equip Laitin American troops to carry on the war on the poor.

Coincidently, many of the U.S. troops transiting through Shanon Airport have been coming form Ft. Benning where they have received their final combat training.

Converge on Fort Benning: November 17-19, 2006
Commemorate the Victims and Celebrate the Resistance

This November 17-19, civil rights movement leaders, torture survivors, grandmothers, war veterans, faith communities, union organizers, families, puppeteers and social justice activists from across the Americas will converge on Fort Benning, Georgia, to speak out against the SOA/WHINSEC and to change oppressive U.S. foreign policy. At the same time, social movement activists will gather in Central and South America, calling for an end to U.S. intervention and the closure of the SOA/WHINSEC. Together, and in numbers too big to be ignored, we will take a stand for justice, peace and accountability and against the racist system of violence and domination that is represented by the SOA/WHINSEC. Repressive militaries are not the answer to the problems of our day and age.

Every year groups of people decide to take their message onto the base, publicly defying the laws which prevent political speech on military bases and making a bold call for the closure of the “School of Assassins.” Many of these people receive 6-12 months imprisonment for their nonviolent resistance.

Nov.17-19: Three Days for Justice, Peace and Accountability. Three Days Against the Racist System of Violence and Domination

The November Vigil and Action to close the SOA/WHINSEC has grown into a major convergence point for people from across the Americas. This year's gathering at the gates is shaping up to become the biggest demonstration at a U.S. military base since the Vietnam war. The vigil features amazing musicians like Emily Saliers from the Indigo Girls, percussionists from Colombia and HipHop artists from Chicago and New York. Among the speakers are high-profile figures like Charles Steele, Jr., national President of SCLC(Southern Christian Leadership Conference), Linda Chavez-Thompson, executive vice president of the AFL-CIO and torture survivors and social movement activists from Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala and Haiti.

Workshops, teach-ins, trainings, organizing meetings and benefit concerts will take place in the Columbus Convention Center and Howard Johnson Hotel, covering topics such as Ending Impunity in Argentina, Alternative Security, Counter-Recruitment, Theatre of the Oppressed and more.