Close the School of the Americas

July 1, 1998

ISSUE:

The U.S. Army School of the Americas, the primary U.S. school for training Latin American militaries, retains its reputation as a training center for human rights violators. Although the school claims that it has made changes, its human rights curriculum remains limited and oversight is weak. Meanwhile, a new report from the Guatemalan Archbishop's office reveals that SOA graduates were involved in some of the most horrific human rights violations during forty years of war in that country.

Congress is moving through legislation in the hope of finishing as many bills as possible before the August recess. Now is the time to offer strong support for pending legislation to close and/or defund the School of the Americas. Bills to close the school are sponsored in the House by Rep. Joseph Kennedy (D- Mass.) and in the Senate by Sen. Richard Durbin (D-Ill.).

In addition, Rep. Esteban Torres (D-Calif.) or another member will offer an amendment to the foreign operations appropriations bill to cut funds to the school. He may do this when the bill is first marked up in subcommittee in mid-July, or he may wait until the bill is debated in the full House, which may happen as early as the end of July. Sen. Durbin is likely to offer a similar amendment to the foreign operations bill when it is debated in the full Senate.

ACTION:

Contact your Representative and two Senators. Urge them to co-sponsor Rep. Kennedy's bill to close the School of the Americas (H.R. 611) or Sen. Durbin's similar bill (S. 980). If they have already signed on as co-sponsors, thank them and ask them to work for the bill's passage. Also urge them to vote "yes" to any amendment to cut funds to the school on the foreign operations appropriations bill.

You may wish to use the sample letter on the other side as a model, but write in your own words.

WHEN:

As soon as possible.

WRITE or PHONE:

Your two Senators and your Representative.

Honorable ________
U.S. Senate
Washington, DC 20510

Honorable ________
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515

Capitol switchboard: (202) 224-3121

SAMPLE LETTER

Dear Representative [or Senator] ________:

I urge you to support the closing of the U.S. Army School of the Americas by co-sponsoring H.R. 611 [if Senate, S. 980], and by voting to cut funds to the school.

Evidence continues to mount that the School of the Americas (SOA) has failed in its stated mission to defend democratic institutions and values. Reports on human rights violations in Latin America establish a disturbing connection to the SOA.

A case in point is Guatemala. The human rights report released by Bishop Juan Gerardi two days before his assassination in April charges the Guatemalan military intelligence agency D-2 with "a central role in the conduct of military operations, in massacres, extrajudicial executions, forced disappearance and torture." Three D-2 directors and many others in leadership positions within the agency were SOA graduates. The creator of the infamous civil patrols, responsible for thousands of human rights violations, was SOA graduate General Lucas Garcia. Two of the three people named in the report in connection with the killing of anthropologist Myrna Mack were SOA graduates.

A similar pattern appears in Colombia. In State Terror in Colombia, compiled in 1992 by international human rights organizations, 124 out of 247 Colombian military officials named as human rights violators were SOA graduates.

Rather than work at genuine reform, proponents of the school have mounted a public relations campaign. The human rights curriculum required for all students remains minimal. Finally, the school's attempt to remake itself as an anti-narcotics center cannot be taken seriously. Former SOA instructor Major Blair claims that SOA students and instructors have used their attendance at the school as a means to launder drug money.

Closing the school would not end U.S. training of Latin American militaries, which continues in many forms in Latin America and the United States. It would make a definitive break with a symbol of U.S. support for human rights violators in Latin America. Please vote to close the School of the Americas.

Sincerely,

GENERAL ASSEMBLY GUIDANCE:

The 1994 General Assembly adopted a resolution calling on the U.S. government to "eliminate any and all funding for the School of the Americas, and close the school." That position was reaffirmed in 1995 and remains the Assembly's position today.