SOA Watch lobby day is September 23

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September 2003

SOA Watch lobby day is September 23
Refugees become casualties of war on terror

SOA Watch lobby day is September 23
On March 13, 2003, Representative Jim McGovern (D-MA) and 49 other Representatives introduced a bill to close the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation (successor to the infamous School of the Americas).

The bill, "The Latin America Military Training Review Act of 2003," repeals authority for the SOA/WHISC and states that no successor school can be opened for at least 10 months. It also demands the establishment of a joint congressional task force to assess U.S. training of Latin American military.

On September 23, the School of the Americas Watch and dozens of religious groups, orders, and communities will hold a lobby day in Washington to support the legislation to close down the SOA/WHISC.

So far sponsors include: SOA Watch; NETWORK, A National Catholic Social Justice Lobby; The Leadership Conference of Women Religious; Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns; Institute Leadership Team-Sisters of Mercy of the Americas; Pax Christi USA; Sinsinawa Dominican Peace and Justice Office; Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes; Conference of Major Superiors of Men.

SOA Wartch extends a special invitation to religious orders and communities to endorse this event and send representatives to Washington on September 23.

It extends a very special invitation to the women and men who have received sentences for their actions of civil disobedience to close the SOA/WHISC, and requests their presence at a reception to take place on Monday evening, September 22, at NETWORK. It asks that you come toWashington to lobby and calls upon you to contact your religious communities to ask them to support you in your efforts once again.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Monday, September 22

7pm - Reception, NETWORK, A National Catholic Social Justice Lobby, 801 Pennsylvania Ave, SE, LL03

Tuesday, September 23

9-5pm - Check-in, Methodist Building, 100 Maryland Ave, NE

11am - Press Conference, location TBA

5:30pm - Prayer Service, location TBA

For more information:
E-mail gtaylor@soaw.org.

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