[Occupymendocino] [FYI - Honduras Call-In Day TODAY and Convention Protests]

[nlnelson at mcn.org]

Another chance to speak out about our military imperialism. When I was in
Honduras in Jan. on delegation with Honduras Solidarity Network, we met
with  Honduran military officers, and they all had extensive training
with/from our military, in US and at home - confirming all the info in
this piece.

And meanwhile, at home, domestic victim of imperialism, Leonard Peletier,
always needs our calls for his pardon.

in solidarity, Nancy Wallace-Nelson


---------------------------- Original Message ----------------------------
Subject: Honduras Call-In Day TODAY and Convention Protests
From:    "SOA Watch" <info at soaw.org>
Date:    Thu, July 14, 2016 5:56 am
To:      nlnelson at mcn.org
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Nancy Liela,

In order to create real change, we can't rely on politicians to make it
happen for us. We have to build broad-based grassroots movements, and hold
those who are making decisions that affect our lives accountable.

We are inviting you to take part in the National Call-In Day for Honduras
TODAY, to protest at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland and
at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, and to join the SOA
Watch Convergence at the US/Mexico Border [ http://soaw.org/border ], that
is taking place in October in the lead up to the elections:
_________________________________________

Call your Representative today and ask him/her to co-sponsor the Berta
Cáceres Human Rights in Honduras Act, HR 5474
Congressional Switchboard: (202) 224-3121

This week marks the three year anniversary of the murder of Indigenous
leader Tomas Garcia by the Honduran military during a peaceful protest
against the Agua Zarca Dam.  [ images/stories/Honduras/missing-tomas.jpg
]A community leader and father of seven, Tomas is just one of far too many
Hondurans persecuted and murdered by the Honduran security forces for
simply standing up for their rights. Berta Caceres herself was arrested by
the Honduran military on trumped up charges in an attempt to discredit and
silence her. When that didn't work, she was murdered.

Army Major Mariano Diaz - a graduate of the TESON special forces training
course created by the US Army Rangers - has been arrested and charged in
Berta's murder, raising serious concerns regarding the chain of command.
To that end, COPINH and Berta's family insist there must be an
international, independent investigation into the higher levels of the
Honduran government and Armed Forces to ensure all those who ordered the
murder are also prosecuted.

The Honduran security forces have also been linked to numerous murders of
small farmers in the Bajo Aguan region of Honduras, and a recent article
published in The Guardian reveals that Berta, as well as prominent
campesino leaders in the Aguan, "appeared on a hitlist distributed to
US-trained special forces units of the Honduran military:"
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jun/21/berta-caceres-name-honduran-military-hitlist-former-soldier

After she won the 2015 Goldman Environmental Prize, Berta Caceres met with
members of the U.S. Congress and asked them to stop financing and
supporting the repressive Honduran government, including the security
forces. A few weeks ago, Tomas Gomez, a close colleague of Berta, traveled
to Washington to do the same, remarking that Berta had been in Washington
a year earlier, informing them of Tomas Garcia and others who had been
murdered. Now it was Tomas' turn to inform them of Berta's murder. Gomez
mentioned that if the support for the Honduran regime didn't stop,
somebody else would have to come next year with news of his murder. And
that they would keep coming and denouncing murder after murder of
Indigenous and social movement leaders in Honduras until there was nobody
left. Just days ago, yet another community leader active opposing a major
hydroelectric project in Lenca territory, Lesbia Yaneth Urquía, was
murdered in the department of La Paz.

How many more people must be killed before Congress stops financing and
training the repressive Honduran security forces?

Call your Representative today and ask him/her to co-sponsor H.R. 5474,
the Berta Caceres Human Rights in Honduras Act.

Call the Congressional Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask to speak to
your representative, then request the foreign policy aide.  24
Representatives have already co-sponsored the bill.  If your
Representative is on the list below, please instead thank them for
co-sponsoring!

Sample script: "My name is _____. I am a constituent from (your town/city)
in (your state). I am calling to ask Rep. _____ to co-sponsor H.R. 5474,
The Berta Cáceres Human Rights in Honduras Act calling for a suspension
of U.S. security aid to Honduras until human rights violations committed
by the Honduran security forces cease. Has Rep. _______ seen this bill?
Can I count on him/her to sign on? Please call me this week at (_your
phone number_) to let me know if you have seen the bill, and if Rep. _____
will co-sponsor it."

Please mention the growing list of support among Congressional
representatives!   Below is a list of current co-sponsors:

------Current Co-sponsors--------
1. Johnson (GA)
2. Conyers (MI)
3. Ellison (MN)
4. Kaptur (OH)
5. Serrano (NY)
6. Schakowsky (IL)
7. McGovern (MA)
8. Lee (CA)
9. McCollum (MN)
10, Kind (WI)
11. DeLauro (CT)
12. Gutierrez (IL)
13. Lawrence (MI)
14. Farr (CA)
15. Danny Davis (IL)
16. Napolitano (CA)
17. Pocan (WI)
18. Nolan (MN)
19. Susan Davis (CA)
20. Waters (CA)
21. Norton (DC)
22. Tonko (NY)
23. Maloney (NY)
24. Bonamici (OR)

You can also request the aide's e-mail to follow-up in a few days or
provide more information.

Let us know how your call goes:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfwzhq0vVJKKFBMn_NEpsuFyir5F43N3jj-SJxFRKrhNOJuXg/viewform
Thank you so much for your continued support!

_________________________________________

Join the protests at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland:

People's Justice & Peace Convention
July 15-16, Olivet Institutional Baptist Church, 8712 Quincy Ave., Cleveland
July 17, Ohio City Masonic Arts Center, 2831 Franklin Blvd, Cleveland

Detailed information at http://www.pjpc2016.org

Current public policies disproportionately benefit corporations and the
wealthiest individuals and promote and expand U.S. militarism, while the
concerns of the vast majority of people are ignored, distorted and/or
manipulated for political and/or economic gain. The People's Convention
will include a diversity of voices and experiences, transcending any one
political party or perspective. Its purpose is to lift up issues and
problems that the Republican National Convention (RNC) will not
authentically address and to develop collectively agreed-to solutions, a
"People's Justice & Peace Platform," that will achieve just, nonviolent,
democratic and sustainable results.

Speakers • Workshops • Edutainment • Participatory development of
"People's Justice & Peace Platform" to be presented to both the RNC and
Democratic National Convention (DNC)

For information on additional RNC-related actions/events:
http://www.counterrnc2016.org/index.html
_________________________________________

Join the protests at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia:

Protests are also planned during the DNC in Philadelphia, where Hillary
Clinton will become the presidential candidate of her party. Hillary
Clinton's track record on Latin America issues has been dismal and her
role during the 2009 SOA graduate-led military coup in Honduras has dogged
her throughout the election campaign. It is up to grassroots activists to
keep up the pressure and to hold her accountable.

Grassroots Global Justice Alliance (GGJ) is organizing a People's Caravan
from Cleveland to Philadelphia of 40-50 frontline community leaders from
the US and Honduras. The caravan will begin in Cleveland on Thursday 7/21
at the closing of the Republican National Convention and end on Tuesday
7/26 with Justice for Berta Cáceres actions in Philadelphia during the
Democratic National Convention.

Great news: Last weekend, longtime SOA Watch activist Marcos Rubenstein
was able to get a commitment to include the call for the closing of the
SOA/ WHINSEC added as a plank into the draft of the policy platform of the
Democratic Party.

More information about planned protests in Philadelphia:
http://www.codepink.org/2016_convention_schedule and
http://ggjalliance.org/ittakesroots2changethesystem

_________________________________________

SOA Watch Convergence at the US/Mexico Border in October:

This October 7-10, in the lead-up to the elections, converge in Nogales,
Sonora/Arizona at the U.S./Mexico border to demand a fundamental shift in
U.S. foreign policy.

We need to build grassroots power to change our culture and the challenge
the racist status quo, and we need to take action: http://SOAW.org/border


Please make a donation to support the organizing work of SOA Watch:
http://SOAW.org/donate
_________________________________________

We appreciate your interest! You are subscribed to the SOA Watch list as
nlnelson at mcn.org.
If you'd like to unsubscribe from these messages, or change your email
address, please visit
http://www.soaw.org/component/content/article/3535-unsubscribe-and-update-landing
The movement to close the SOA is a community, and all ideas are welcome.
SOA Watch, 733 Euclid Street NW, Washington, DC 20001

If you like the work of SOA Watch, you can donate here:
http://soaw.org/donate
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.mcn.org/pipermail/occupymendocino/attachments/20160714/dfdb731b/attachment.html