U.S. human rights defenders get maximum prison sentence for truth

On Monday, January 25, 2010, U.S. Magistrate G. Mallon Faircloth sentenced human rights advocates, called the SOA4 to maximum federal prison for six months for direct action opposing the School of the Americas (SOA/WHINSEC).

The Judge Founds SOA Watch workers guilty for carrying protest against the SOA/WHINSEC onto Fort Benning and issued an arrest warrant for Michael Walli for refusing to appear for the trial.

SOA, re-named Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation (WHINSEC), is the controversial U.S. Army training school for Latin American soldiers that has trained torturers and terrorists. Th school is dubbed School of the Assassins.

Internationally known as the Prophetic Priest, Father Roy Bourgeois, a Roman Catholic priest and founder of SOA Watch organization working to close the SOA, said, "Judge Faircloth has sentenced our sister and brothers to 6 months in federal prison for speaking the truth about the SOA/WHINSEC. We are saddened by the court's continued blindness and hardness of heart, but we are stronger than ever in solidarity.

"These sentences are symbolic of our nation's misdirection, but they are also great steps forward for our resistance movement. It is truer today, than ever before, that although they jail the resisters they have not, and cannot, jail the resistance."

SOA 4

Th SOA4 are:

Nancy Gwin, long-time activist from Syracuse, New York - sentenced to six months in prison

Father Louie Vitale, veteran and priest from Oakland, CA - sentenced to six months in prison

Ken Hayes, SOA Watch Council member from Austin, TX - sentenced to six months in prison

Michael Walli, a member of the Catholic Worker movement from Washington, DC refused to appear for the trial in Georgia. Walli had told the court during his November arraignment that he would not pay any bail and that he would not voluntarily return for the trial.

"I walk out and it's goodbye" Walli told Judge Mallon Faircloth.

Michael Walli made good on his promise and on Monday, Judge Mallon Faircloth issued a warrant for his arrest.

The "SOA 4" were among tens of thousands of celebrities and human rights defenders from around the globe who gathered on November 20-22, 2009 at the gates of Fort Benning in Columbus, Georgia to demand a change in U.S. policy in Latin America and closing SOA/WHINSEC.

The group peacefully crossed onto Fort Benning while thousands stood vigil at the gates of the base in memory of those killed by graduates of the U.S. institution.

SOA/WHINSEC military training facility for Latin American security personnel made headlines in 1996 when the Pentagon released training manuals used at the school that advocated torture, extortion and execution.

SOA/WHINSEC trainees and graduates have been responsible for Latin American coups such including the present Honduras coup, plus torturing, raping, assassinating, disappearing, massacring families and villages of poor people. 

These U.S. trained terrorists have been responsible for forcing Latin American poor people to escape violence and take refuge in the U.S. Refugees from tragedy are identified and called “illegal aliens.” This is documented in the edutaining, annimated, short (under 10 minutes) video, Borders, by Cannibol.com.

Father Roy is scheduled for his California tour over the next three days.