Every October, Long Island SOA Watch brings to Long Island a speaker to talk about events related to Latin America and the involvement of the SOA in training Latin American military in counterinsurgency and torture.
This year we are honored to host Fr. Bernard Survil, who will speak about Guatemala. [See the links to the flyers below this letter.] We invite your organization to co-sponsor the event. Please let us know as soon as possible.
We also hope to motivate people to travel to the vigil in front of the SOA at Fort Benning, Georgia, this coming November.
In solidarity,
Mara Bard
Coordinator of LI SOA Watch, Nassau Chapter
Please distribute the following flyers and spread the word!
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Guatemala-Event-English-flyer
Guatemala-Event-Spanish-flyer
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Long Island School of the Americas Watch Presents:
An Informative Conference for People of Goodwill
Why THE SOA/WHINSEC’S DAYS ARE NUMBERED:
THE LEGACY OF BISHOP GERARDI
Guest Speaker:
Fr. Bernard Survil
Chaplain at Clelian Heights School for Exceptional Children, Greensburg, PA
Thursday, October 30, 2008, at 7pm
St. Anthony Society Hall at St. Brigid’s Church
85 Post Ave., Westbury, NY
Last April, Fr. Survil led a pilgrimage to Guatemala for the 10th Anniversary Memorial Mass for Bishop Juan Gerardi, who was assassinated by graduates of the SOA in 1998. He will share with us his experience and information about Guatemala.
From 1974 to 2002, Fr. Survil did pastoral work in war-torn El Salvador, Nicaragua and Guatemala, and was expelled from each of those countries and from Honduras. During his detention in El Salvador’s National Guard barracks, he suffered psychological torture in the presence of an unidentified American. In 2003, during the annual vigil to close the SOA at Ft. Benning, GA, he, together with 27 other people, “crossed the line” and was found guilty of criminal trespass, and served 3 months in Federal Prison. He was an active opponent of the invasion of Iraq.
Co-sponsors: (List in formation) Five Towns Forum, IFCO/Pastors for Peace, L.I. Alliance for Peaceful Alternatives, L.I. Immigrant Alliance, LI South Country Peace Group, Pax Christi L.I., PeaceSmiths, St. Brigid’s Casa Mary Johanna, South Country Peace Group, Suffolk Peace Network, Suffolk Progressive Vision, The Great South Bay Forum, Veteran for Peace L.I., Workplace Project
Directions to St. Brigid’s St. Anthony Hall: Take the Meadobrook Pkwy to Exit M1 (Old Country Rd.). Make right onto Old Country Rd. Go about ¼ mile and make a left on Post Ave. (you will see Holy Rood Cemetery at the corner). The church is ½ block away and St. Anthony Hall is across the church. Parking available in front of the church and at the cemetery side too.