Fifty-five arrested at SOA protest
by DOROTHY VIDULICH
Several thousand protesters from the
United States, Canada and Latin America rallied in Washington the first weekend
in May against the U.S. Armys training program for Central and South
American military at the Fort Benning, Ga.-based School of the Americas, called
SOA.
Gathering May 1 in Lafayette Park across from the White House,
people from Mexico, Haiti, Guatemala, Columbia, Chile and Honduras gave
personal testimony of the rapes, murders and massacres perpetrated under the
leadership of U.S.-trained SOA graduates. Opponents of the school have dubbed
it the School of Assassins.
In a Liturgy of Hope held May 2 on the east steps of
the U.S. Capitol, Jesuit Fr. James Hug said, We have the power to close
the School of the Americas and close down the culture of violence that destroys
our peace.
Referring to the Capitol, Hug continued, We have come to
surround this place of power with the gentle power of our prayer that this
destruction of human life will never again take place.
Nearly 400 protesters held an early morning vigil at the Pentagon
May 3. Fifty-six were arrested for nonviolent civil disobedience. Hundreds more
returned to the Capitol to lobby their representatives to support 113 members
of the House and 10 senators pushing a bill to close the school. The bill is
expected to be voted on in September.
About 115 U.S. Catholic bishops have signed a resolution asking
the U.S. government to close the school.
National Catholic Reporter, May 14,
1999
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