LASC -- Latin America Solidarity Coalition

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Petition to Presidential Candidates:
Close the SOA/WHINSEC

The Latin America Solidarity Coalition (LASC) is circulating this petition to the Senators Barack Obama and John McCain. Urge them to take a public stand for the closure of the School of the Americas (SOA/WHINSEC) and to commit to close this notorious institution by executive order if they will be elected as the next President of the United States of America.

Senators Barack Obama, John McCain,

The School of the Americas (renamed the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation) is part of the conventional thinking that military repression is a solution to social and political problems. The existence of the SOA/ WHINSEC is part of a larger failure in U.S. foreign policy towards Latin America. It is a symbol of oppression and U.S. domination for most Latin Americans. Graduates of the school have a long history of human rights violations. From the atrocities in El Salvador and Guatemala in the 1980's to recent violations in Colombia, graduates consistently appear in reports on human rights abuses in Latin America. SOA/ WHINSEC training has resulted in civilian massacres, assassinations, disappearances, death threats and has led to both attempted and successful coups of democratically elected governments in the hemisphere. Closing the SOA/ WHINSEC, whatever its name, would demonstrate that the United States has made a clean break from the tragic history of the school and its graduates. Argentina, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Uruguay and Venezuela all denounced the school for its connection to human rights abuses throughout the Americas and vowed to cut its ties to the SOA/WHINSEC.

We are concerned that you have not taken a public position against the SOA/ WHINSEC. We are asking that you commit to close the SOA/WHINSEC by executive order if you are elected as the next President of the United States of America.

The issue of investigating and closing the notorious SOA/ WHINSEC is one that is widely supported well beyond the Latin America Solidarity movement. Last year a vote to prohibit funding for the school failed by a small margin of six votes.  The AFL-CIO, AFSCME, the United Auto Workers, the United Steelworkers, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, the NAACP, the United Methodist Church, the Presbyterian Church, the United Church of Christ and over 100 U.S. Catholic Bishops all advocate the institute?s closure.

Despite efforts to evade criticism by renaming the school and implementing cosmetic changes, the SOA/ WHINSEC continues to be linked to human rights and drug trafficking crimes throughout Latin America. In August, several Colombian military officials were arrested for aiding drug cartels, over half of which taught at, or took classes at, the school. This included two instructors of 2004 classes at WHINSEC. In three recent cases, known human rights abusers have been admitted to the school, despite documented instances of serious crimes.

We urge you to demonstrate your commitment to human rights in Latin America, and all over the world, by voicing your commitment to close and investigate the SOA/ WHINSEC.

The Latin America Solidarity Coalition (LASC) is an association of national and local US-based grassroots Latin America and Caribbean solidarity groups, many of which have long histories of working with grassroots organizations throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. We are also opposed to other ways in which the U.S. government seeks to maintain control of Latin American military and police forces, including the 2005 opening of another ?International Law Enforcement Academy? (ILEA) to train police forces in all of Latin America. We do not believe the United States has a place in teaching other nations the practice of war or policing, while its government is blatantly violating international law and refusing to ratify international pacts that could protect civilian populations and sovereign nations from further violence, such as the Rome Statute for the creation of the International Criminal Court. This is why we are working to change U.S. military policy.

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0-25 of 9026 signatures
Number Date Name Organization Location Personal message

9026 October 06, 2008 Marietta Hanus Order of St. Francis Milwaukee, WI,

9025 October 06, 2008 Marlene Kochert Sisters of St. Francis Tohatchi, NM, US

9024 October 06, 2008 Margaret Smith Fort Collins, CO, US The new U.S. Army policy (to be announced 10/06/08 on more "stability operations" (peacekeeping) and less major ground combat would seem to make SOA/WHINSEC less important than it has been thought (by some in the military) to be. It's a good time to close it!

9023 October 06, 2008 Fred Longhenry Baltimore, MD, US

9022 October 06, 2008 Denise R. Be Cotte Long Beach, CA, US

9021 October 06, 2008 Donald Diedrick Carol Stream, IL, US Thanks for your consideration.

9020 October 06, 2008 Jo Day Olympia, WA, US

9019 October 06, 2008 Jane Abell Dominican Sisters Houdton, TX, US

9018 October 06, 2008 teresa parker seaside, OR, US

9017 October 06, 2008 Rick Provencio Free Speech Society El Paso, TX, US We need to share our beliefs in democracy not for military management of thirdworld countries.

9016 October 06, 2008 Annie Riley Pax Christi, Network Saint Paul, MN, US

9015 October 06, 2008 Jim Patten Bellevue, WA, US

9014 October 06, 2008 Jeff McMahon Tempe, AZ, US

9013 October 06, 2008 Lucille Chagnon Chincoteague, VA, US

9012 October 06, 2008 Jacqueline Carter Carrollton, TX, US

9011 October 06, 2008 Roger Pervere Stockton, CA, US Its time that we get out of other Countries problems and stop sterring up trouble in these countries.

9010 October 06, 2008 Thomas Smith Eugene, OR, US The American People, as well as the citizens of the countries of Latin America, have a right to know who has attended the school and to hold accountable the program and its graduates based on their behavior.

9009 October 06, 2008 Sister Helen Ridder Adorers of the Blood of Christ Wichita, KS, US If we really are serious about ending terror in the world, we had better be serious about treating people we have incarcerated in G.B. with dignity and respect.

Remember we need to keep our own constitutional rights intact so we do not become just another police society. To hide our immoral behavior in G.B., and to do it in the name of protecting U.S. citizens is the path that has given power to most dictators in the history of the world.

Thank you.

9008 October 06, 2008 TED JAKUBANIS SIMI VALLEY, CA, US

9007 October 06, 2008 May Dorn Clay, NY, US No wonder some hate U.S. We boast about freedom and then act like this! We will remember !

9006 October 06, 2008 Sr.Lucia Kenny Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary Tarrytown, NY, US

9005 October 06, 2008 joseph fethers brooklyn, NY, US

9004 October 06, 2008 Michelle Parsneau Mankato, MN, US

9003 October 06, 2008 Bobh Huss Social Justice St. Charles, MO, US

9002 October 06, 2008 Mencik Jitka springerville, AZ,

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Petition to Presidential Candidates: Close the SOA/WHINSEC

Petition to Presidential Candidates:
Close the SOA/WHINSEC