SOA Watch Action: Congress to Vote on SOA/ WHINSEC Secrecy

[CISPES National Office]

[The CISPES National Office has received this important action alert from
the School of the Americas Watch. We urge you to respond! For more
information, visit www.soaw.org
<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102619703912&s=4996&e=001i50NRM0ZjDAEjglZCXcMRlIa
z9PqLXK8ktqu5ry1YsKUzEgg4AVROwWid0cqA-874TTv8feEgma_PYpBFXseMMZNvJx0ZfS4yBKu
7PoOQEE=> ]

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Congress to Vote on Amendment to Force the SOA/ WHINSEC to Release the Names
of Graduates and Instructors.


 
<http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=VA1gBLy1Lc4duOln0b7p
SZCynTv2IgCp>
<http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=VA1gBLy1Lc4duOln0b7p
SZCynTv2IgCp>
<http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=VA1gBLy1Lc4duOln0b7p
SZCynTv2IgCp> 


Click
<http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=lBcyheht2wjFm%2BSzCv
QdKpCynTv2IgCp>  here to send an email and fax to your Representative. Start
calling Congress NOW!


SOA Watch has received confirmation that Congress will vote on an amendment
to the Defense Authorization Act that would require that the School of the
Americas/ WHINSEC to release the names, ranks, country of origin, courses
and dates attended of students and instructors at the institute.

The amendment will be offered by Representative Jim McGovern (D-MA),
Representative Joe Sestak (D-PA), Representative Sanford Bishop (D-GA) and
Representative John Lewis (D-GA) and we expect the vote to happen on
Wednesday, June 24.

For the past few years, despite the WHINSEC PR machine proclaiming an open
and transparent school, the WHINSEC has been unwilling to provide
information about the students and instructors. The Pentagon secrecy took
effect after research revealed that the SOA/ WHINSEC continues to train
known human rights abusers, and that instructors have been involved in
numerous crimes. Freedom of Information Act requests since FY 2005 have all
been denied, proof of WHINSEC's unwillingness to submit to oversight from
the public whose tax-payer dollars help fund the school.

Access to information regarding SOA/ WHINSEC graduates of previous years has
been a valuable asset to human rights organizations who have been able to
identify Latin American military officers and police that have committed
human rights abuses or engaged in criminal activity in their home countries
after attending the school as instructors or students.

SOA Watch supports the release of this important information at all U.S.
military training facilities in the spirit of openness, transparency, and
the public's "right to know." We see gaining access to the names of SOA/
WHINSEC graduates and instructors as a crucial step towards closing the SOA/
WHINSEC for good.


We expect a close vote and it is crucial for the success of this amendment
that you contact your Representative TODAY and TOMORROW! 


SEND
<http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=hzU4mTjBoD0fUXmTfkN8
DZCynTv2IgCp>  AN EMAIL AND FAX TO YOUR REPRESENTATIVE NOW!


Be sure to click the "Send
<http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=bstO%2BgQq4PSR0P2yr1
jVEpCynTv2IgCp>  a Fax" box to have the fax sent. 


CALL YOUR REPRESENTATIVE!!! -- TUESDAY, June 23 AND WEDNESDAY, June 24


Call the Congressional Switchboard at 202-224-3121 or toll free at
1-800-473-6711

Ask to speak with the military legislative assistant. Here is a suggested
message for you to convey:

"Hello, My name is __________, and as your constituent, I urge you to vote
YES on the McGovern-Sestak-Bishop (GA)-Lewis (GA) amendment to the National
Defense Authorization bill.

The amendment would release the names, country of origin, rank and dates of
attendance at WHINSEC for graduates and instructors. This amendment is
supported by Chairman of the Armed Services Committee, Congressman Ike
Skelton.

As you may know the School of the Americas, renamed WHINSEC, has a notorious
history linked to serious crimes and human rights abuses throughout Latin
America. In the past few years under WHINSEC, known human rights abusers
have attended the school and WHINSEC instructors have been arrested in
Colombia for returning home and aiding the drug cartels. None of this
information would be known if the basic information about enrollment at
WHINSEC were not disclosed. This information is vital to the work of
Congress and human rights organizations who seek protection of human rights
and promoting transparency, however all FOIA requests for this information
are now being denied.

What is WHINSEC hiding?! Voting YES on the McGovern-Sestak-Bishop (GA)-Lewis
(GA) amendment is a vote FOR human rights and FOR transparency. I urge your
boss to vote YES!!! 

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