SOA Watch

Keep Up the Pressure - Tell your Senator to Take a Stand for Human Rights and Transparency

The culture of secrecy and lack of accountability surrounding Defense Department policies suffered a blow on June 25, when the U.S. House of Representatives voted for the release of names, rank, country of origin, courses and dates of attendance of WHINSEC's graduates and instructors to the public.

In order for this to become law, it has to be approved by a joint House and Senate conference committee. We need you to sustain intense pressure on the Senate for the next few weeks to make sure this amendment is approved by the conference committee!

By entering your address, your letter will automatically be directed to your Senator's office. Follow up to make sure they received your request by calling the Congressional switchboard at 1-800-473-6711. Ask to be connected with your Senator's office, and when you are connected, make sure to identify yourself as a constituent and ask to speak with the military legislative assistant in the office. Make sure to click the "Send a fax" button below!!

November 21, 2009

Subject:

Dear Senator,

As your constituent, I urge you to support the public release of names, rank, country of origin, dates and courses attended for graduates and instructors of the SOA/ WHINSEC. As you may know, on Thursday, June 25th, 2009, the House of Representatives passed the McGovern- Sestak-Bishop (GA)-Lewis (GA) amendment that would require the release of this information. In a decisive statement in favor of transparency and human rights, the amendment was agreed to with a wide margin of victory in a 224 - 190 vote. 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. I urge you to advocate, at any opportunity in committee, on the Senate floor, or in conference committee, the immediate release of this information to the public. Thank you.
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