The nonviolent resistance campaign to close the School of the Americas (SOA) continues, with eight resisters soon to join a ninth to serve federal prison sentences, and more arrests at the infamous training academy for Latin American death squads located at Fort Benning, Georgia.

On April 28, to commemorate the second anniversary of Guatemalan Roman Catholic Bishop Juan Garardi's assassination by a soldier trained at the School of the Americas, three activists from the St. Francis Catholic Worker Community in Columbia, Missouri, recreated the bishop's murder at the entrance to the SOA training building.

One activist, dressed in clerical garb, lay as if dead near the entrance to the SOA with simulated blood and head wounds from a nearby concrete block while two others in black shrouds and white death masks attempted to read from the dead bishop's "Nunca Mas" report. This report cited the U.S. trained and supported Guatemalan military as being responsible for 93% of the more than 200,000 civilians killed during the war. While attempting to continue their protest, base commander Col. Weidner emerged from his office and repeatedly interrupted the activists.

Two days after he released the report, Bishop Gerardi's skull was crushed by repeated blows with a concrete block. Nearly two years later authorities finally arrested a former D-2 military intelligence chief and his son for the murder. The D-2 had been named in Bishop Gerardi's report as responsible for the interrogation and torture of Guatemalan citizens.

Maureen Doyle, Chrissy Kirchhoefer, and Steve Jacobs have all participated in previous SOA protests and live in a faith-based community which feeds and shelters the homeless.

The three activists were taken into custody by base security on Ft. Benning. They were charged with disorderly conduct, trespass and damage to government property. They were given ban and bar letters and driven off the base to a city park and released. Their names were given to the federal prosecutor. Maureen Doyle and Steve Jacobs also face prosecution for re-entry trespass, but the three have not yet received a summons to court.

Before driving back to Missouri, the three left a 12' wooden cross and a letter for Col. Weidner leaning against the Army's welcome sign at Ft. Benning's south gate. The letter asked, in part, "Reasonable people would say, 'If Saddam Hussein's army killed his people, it would be wrong to train his soldiers .' Well, reasonable people will also be able to see that Latin American soldiers kill their own people routinely... so if it's wrong to train Iraqi soldiers, why isn't it wrong to train Latino soldiers who have committed the same types of atrocities?..."

May 24 was declared a national day of resistance, and that morning, nine college students, one joined by her mother and grandmother, were arrested at Ft. Benning. They were acting in response to the May 18 vote in the House of Representatives, which affects cosmetic changes to the School, including a name change to Defense Institute for Hemispheric Security Cooperation.

In front of SOA headquarters, those assembled rolled out a banner which read "The Road To Shame," and listed atrocities committed by SOA graduates. To one side protesters, dressed in black shrouds and white masks, held a banner that read "New Name -- Same Shame: Wrong Way." On the other side protesters held a banner reading "For the People, Not The Military. This Way." Others sowed seeds and read a statement in English and Spanish. The activists were cited and released, pending possible federal court action.

Demonstrations were held in 17 cities across the country that day. One other arrest was reported, in Washington, D.C., when Kate Loewe was arrested during street theater in front of the White House. She was released and given an August 16 court date.

SOA 10 SENTENCED

In the U.S District Court in Columbus, Georgia, on June 8, Judge Hugh Lawson sentenced ten people convicted of re-entry trespass at Ft. Benning. The protesters received sentences of up to 12 months in prison for their part in a November 1999 funeral procession onto Fort Benning, calling for the closure of the SOA.

Congressional Medal of Honor winner Charles Liteky received the maximum sentence of six months in prison and a $5000 fine on each of two counts of trespassing for a total of 12 months in prison and a $10,000 fine. Liteky stated, "I dedicate my time in prison to the victims of the SOA, living and dead. When I enter prison it will be as a prisoner of war, the war against the poor ."

Sr. Megan Rice, who served a six month sentence for her part in a 1997 SOA protest, was sentenced to six months in prison and a $5,000 fine. She was the only one taken immediately into custody, and is currently in transit to a federal prison.

Seven others - Brooks Anderson, Judy Bierbaum, Thomas Bottolene, Charles Butler, Gerhard Fischer, John Honeck, and Margaret Knapke - were each sentenced to three months in prison and a $2,500 fine after stating that they would return to Fort Benning again and again until the SOA is closed. Defendant Kathleen Fisher, who did agree not to return and risk arrest at the post was sentenced to 12 months of probation and $1,000 fine.

The protesters returned home to continue their anti-SOA organizing while awaiting orders to report to federal prison. Those orders began arriving in mid-July, and at press time at least three of the seven had been ordered to report to prison on July 31 - Charlie Liteky to Lompos, Margaret Knapke to Lexington, and Tom Bottolene.

For more information, and updates on prisoners' sentences and addresses, contact SOA Watch, P.O. Box 4566, Washington, DC 20017; (202)234-3440; www.soaw.org. Updated prisoner information will also be available at Inside and Out.

Letters of support can be sent to Sr. Megan Rice, Brooks Anderson, Judy Bierbaum, Thomas Bottolene, Charles Butler, Gerhard Fischer, John Honeck, and Margaret Knapke c/o SOA Watch, P.O. Box 4566, Washington, DC 20017.