Close the SOA -- School Of Assassins!

Two members of VVAW AI in Seattle met up with two members from Atlanta and participated in this year's SOA action in Columbus, GA-Fort Benning. We joined with 10,000-12,000 others in the 10th annual protest against the School of the Assassins taking place on the anniversary of the massacre of six Jesuits and their housekeeper and her daughter. The majority of the soldiers involved had been trained at the SOA. In the midst of our campaign to end the sanctions on Iraq and with the prospect of gearing up against U.S. intervention in Columbia - we definitely wanted to be in the house this year. And we weren't alone. Veterans were very much in evidence with dozens of members of Veterans for Peace.

Through the course of the weekend many things became clearer. First-the SOA is a facility for training soldiers in dealing with "internal" enemies-not external ones. Activists like the thousands of us protesting this school of assassins could very well be the targets of the SOA graduates in the countries from South America where they return. The SOA doesn't train soldiers to defend their country from foreign threats (like the U.S.!) but from domestic opposition (like FARC - who, whatever anyone's position is on them, have a basic right to fight for sovereignty). Thus, the "victims" of the graduates of the SOA are the conscious targets of its training. The soldiers trained at the SOA have a basic role of defending the existing power/class structures of the countries they come from. It's no wonder that this year saw the "merging" of anti-globalization youth with religious activists in this struggle. Some of the WTO activists were promoting that the SOA is the military hand of the IMF. But this doesn't address its role outside the WTO. The very structures that the SOA graduates support are in line with U.S. interests in those countries/regions, especially if they want to stay in "good graces" with the U.S. soldiers from countries that oppose U.S. interests would never be invited to receive SOA training.

ÉOn Saturday, we spent the day getting out Colombia leaflets, StormWarning! and copies of the Iraq statement. People were very receptive and took multiple copies. That evening we went to an introduction session for the next day's crossing.

On Sunday, we all met up, ready for the crossing. We formed an affinity group with members planning on staying back for contingency support. As each name of SOA victims was sung from the stage, the thousands gathered responded by saying "presente" and raising the white cross bearing an SOA victim's name. Row by row, 3400 people crossed the line onto the base and marched in a solemn funeral procession to deliver the funeral coffins and crosses to those attending the school. Joining in the procession were members of the "Black Bloc" who with a consensus showed up in total solidarity with the non-violent spirit of the event. The crowd was stark - older folks - nuns, priests, religious activists 50 - 80 years old and thousands of college students in their late teens and early twenties. Huge contingents of students were organized from colleges like Oberlin, from Jesuit and other religious schools and even from a high school in North Carolina. Father Roy Bourgeois, a fellow Vietnam veteran, was the first arrested. Martin Sheen was arrested for the first time. The "solemn protesters," as they went limp, were carried off in "stretchers" while the "high-risk" protesters of Art & Revolution were sometimes dragged face-down. What was new this year was more "active" civil disobedience as well as a second "high risk" march by supporters of Art & Revolution. This demonstration entered the base on the higher "out road" and as it caught up with the funeral procession, some of the youth began running up the hill to join the more raucous protest. Some even made it before the plain-clothed military police appeared to intercept them. The "high-risk" was that these protestors were treated more like those at WTO than with the negotiated treatment that accorded the procession.

Other actions included an affinity group from Missouri which performed an individual act of civil disobedience by entering Ft. Benning from a nearby city park. About 5 "SOA paramilitary forces" equipped with cardboard machine guns herded some 20 cowed and frightened "Latino peasants" into a circle, just inside the gates of Ft. Benning. The "SOA grads" fired their cardboard machine guns shouting "ratatatatata" into the crowd of peasants. Screaming with agony the peasants fell "dead" into a tangled heap of bodies streaked with red paint. As the cold pelting rain fell on the bodies the paint bled more and more, pooling beside the victims creating a macabre and brutal scene. Simultaneously with the "SOA massacre of peasants," a group of 6 "Nuns" each carrying swaddled baby dolls and garden spades speed-walked past the melee for about 100 yards. There they dropped to the rain sodden grass and began wailing in grief for the dead "babies" they held in their arms.

From the thousands of people protesting, three local black Columbus youth were singled out, apprehended, interrogated and threatened by Columbus police during the second wave of the School of the Americas funeral procession. The three young men, Terence and Travorus Walker and Kevin Ravenell, are residents of the apartments located directly outside the gates of the Ft. Benning base. Drawn by the massive numbers, music and festivities outside their home, the three youth came out onto the street to check out the scene. They soon joined the puppeteers and proceeded to lead the parade across the line. As they chose to walk out of the base with hundreds of others-they were cuffed and arrested. In all 2148 people were arrested and processed. Others were either put on busses or dropped off at nearby parks or given the choice to walk off the base. About 200 people walked backwards off the base, facing their enemy and singing songs. The mood of those that crossed was of proud defiance. Many, including a well-known peace activist on federal parole, defied threats of jail to cross. And some, including our friend on federal parole, found a way to slip through the hands of the military - while in their clutches! Right on brother! Some of those arrested and processed were given MREs (Meals Ready to Eat). When asked if any of the MREs were vegetarian, the answer was yes and they are referred to as "Humanitarian MREs." Because the "humanitarian" military understands that some people do not eat meat and yet will need food in hard times. The "Humanitarian MREs" turned out to be a plastic bags with a small box of breakfast cereal, Hershey's candy, granola bars, peanuts and coffee or tea. Ironically, it shows the real humanity the military is concerned with-the corporations whose products they are marketing. The processing consisted of waiting on busses, waiting in tents, being searched with a hand-held scanner, being ID'ed and photographed and finally being issued a 5 year ban and bar letter. In all, it took on average six hours to get through. The protestors were released at a park several miles from the base. As each person climbed off the bus, they proudly held up their "ban letter" in defiance. A brother veteran (and one of the Presidio 27) who traveled with us spent his time working with the Independent Media Center and interviewed dozens of activists. He reported the following: Many of the crowds were motivated by moral duty, others were motivated by the privilege that we in this country have and felt it necessary to act. But still others, primarily youth reported that they felt an "obligation" to act on behalf of others of the world who are targets of the very system in which these activists live. A higher level of internationalism prevailed and signaled some very good prospects and directions for the future. And as we mentioned the anti-globalization movement forged through the WTO, A16, the RNC and DNC had a huge impact on the crowd and had a profound effect on the youth. It was good to be there and good that we were there.

New Name. Same Shame! Close the SOA!
U.S. Out of Columbia and All of Central and South America.