LASC Militarism Conference Workshop Schedule Announced

The program committee for the Latin America Solidarity Coalition’s conference to build a stronger movement to end US militarism and the militarization of relations with Latin America has announced the workshop schedule for the conference. An outstanding line-up of workshops makes this conference on US militarism one of the most important conferences for the anti-war and solidarity movements in years. “This is a ‘must attend’ event for serious organizers and organizers-to-be,” said Chuck Kaufman of the Alliance for Global Justice, one of 82 co-sponsoring organizations.

Pre-registration for the conference and more information is available at www.lasolidarity.org. Those who pre-register, besides saving $10 off the registration fee at the door, will be invited to a special reception hosted by the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela on Friday, April 8 preceding the opening plenary on Friday evening. The conference, which will be held at The American University Ward Circle Building, will also include a Saturday evening concert with a special address by one of the anti-war activists targeted by the FBI/Grand Jury witch hunt in Chicago and Minneapolis, and a Sunday afternoon SOA Watch organized march on the White House followed by Monday, April 11 lobbying on Capitol Hill. Following is the workshop schedule. Titles and times are subject to last minute change. Full workshop descriptions and changes will be published at www.lasolidarity.org prior to the conference.

Saturday, April 9 11-12:30pm
1. From SouthCom to San Diego’s Naval Port: Being part of the Larger Movement Against Militarization, Ray del Papa (SOA Watch) and Susana Pimiento (FOR)

2. When Threats and Economic Blackmail Fail, US Sponsored Coups Follow: Gerardo Torres, Pierre Lebossiere, Haiti Action Committee, Honduras Solidarity Network, and Venezuela Solidarity Campaign

3. Megaprojects and the Militarization of Mexico; a quest for land and resources: Carolina Dutton and Jose (Chiapas Support Committee)

4. Cuban Sovereignty and the struggle to free the Cuban Five: Banbose Shango, Nalda Vigezzi, Juan Jacomino and Alicia Jrapko, International Committee for the Freedom of the Cuban 5 and the National Network on Cuba

5. The School of the Americas and the Movement to Shut it Down!, Hendrik Voss, SOA Watch

6. Community Building as Resistance and an Alternative to Neoliberalism: Tony Nelson and Luz Rivera, Mexico Solidarity Network

7. Confronting Media Disinformation: Greg Wilpert, Mike Fox, Alex Main, James Suggett, Venezuelanalysis.com, CEPR

8. The Ecological Effects of a Wars and A Militarized World (and possibilities from Bolivarian Central and South America): Beth Adams, MSW(BU)

9. Costa Rica: How Militarization Threatens the Tradition of Peace: Roberto Zamora, Nicole Sault, Centro de Amigos Para la Paz

10. Invest in Caring Not Killing – Women Organizing against Militarization: Global Women’s Strike, Phoebe Jones, Jazmin Banks, Amanda Clark, Margaret Prescod

11. FBI Repression from Latin America to Your Front Door: Committee to Stop FBI Repression

12. Spies and Guns for Hire / A U.S. Shadow Military: The Increased Role of Blackwater and Other Mercenary Companies in U.S. Foreign Policy: Dan Kenney

1:30-3pm
1. Militarization and Counter-Militarization of the American Education System: Anthony Ramierez, Jesse Graves, Ya-Ya Network (Youth Activists-Youth Allies)

2. U.S. Trade Union solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Colombia, Honduras, Mexico, Cuba: Dan Kovalik (United Steelworkers) and others

3. Making Space for Peace: Protective Accompaniment as a Means of Confronting Militarization in Latin America: Peace Brigades International, Emily Nelson and Katherine Hughes-Fraitekh

4. Activist Education: Deconstructing Militarization and Building a Training Program Jamie Way and Becca Polk, AFGJ and SOA Watch

5. ALBA: Latin America’s Alternative to US Militarization (and one of the main reasons why the US is increasing militarization in Latin America!): Lisa Sullivan (SOA Watch- Venezuela), Charlie Hardy

6. Honduras: The Popular Struggle for Democracy: Gerardo Torres

7. Film: Return to El Salvador and Q&A with filmmaker Jamie Moffet

8. Film: The Covert US War Against Cuba: Bernie Dwyer, director of Mission Against Terror: Case of the Cuban 5, Philip Agee, Cuba and the CIA, Radio Havana Radio

9. “Secure Communities” – Secure for Whom?!: What the Program means and what to do about it!: Diana Bohn & others

10. From Fear to Understanding: How can we better address Fear in our communities?: Joe Nangle, Marie Dennis

11. The Crisis in Ciudad Juarez and US Militarization in Mexico with Perla de la Rosa

12. Haiti’s Grassroots resisting Military and Non-Profit Occupation: Haiti Action, Women of Color in the Global Women’s Strike, Pierre Labossiere, Margaret Prescod, James Jordan

3:15-4:45pm
1. Research for Anti-Militarism Campaigns: John Lindsay-Poland, FOR

2. Grassroots Congressional Lobbying to Close the SOA and Resist Militarization, Alison Snow, SOA Watch

3. Serving God in a Culture of Militarism: E. Daniel Riehl

4. Using Human Rights Law in International Solidarity Work: Laura Raymond, Anjana Samant, Laura Carey, Legal Fellow, Tamara Brown, Center for Constitutional Rights and Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti

5. Film, “We must Kill the Bandits” by Kevin Pina

6. Supporting Refuseniks and Their Families Internationally: Eric Gjertsen (Payday men’s network), Sam Weinstein (Utility Workers Union of America)

7. Prisoners of Empire: How the US Uses Jails for Repression at Home and Abroad: Camilo Matos, Jasmine Kramer, Stan Smith, James Jordan, Phoebe Jones, Helen Jaccard, Alliance for Global Justice, Boricua Human Rights Network, Global Women’s Strike, Payday, Veterans for Peace

8. Changing the Security Discourse; Moving the Money From the Pentagon to the People: Jackie Cabasso, Western States Legal Foundation/New Priorities Network, Blasé Bonpane, Office of the Americas, Judith LeBlanc, Peace Action/New Priorities Network

9. The Drug War and the Merida Initiative – Laura Carlsen, Americas Program and Daniel Brito Drug Policy Alliance

10. Film, “Quien Dijo Miedo,” Task Force on the Americas

11. Mesoamerica Resiste!, Beehive Collective

12. Adios Uribe: Jeremy John and Charity Ryerson

Sunday, April 10 10-11:30am
1. How to build a strategic, grassroots campaign against US militarism: CISPES

2. Mining and Women’s Rights: Criminalization of Peaceful Resistance in Guatemala AND Organizing Against the Repression of Q’eqchi’ Communities in Guatemala: NISGUA

3. Bring Our War $$ Home: Lisa Savage, CODEPINK

4. Language Justice: Building multilingual movements to confront militarization: Josh Diamond, Wayside Center for Popular Education

5. Using Multimedia in Anti-Militarization/Solidarity Work: Michael Fox, Silvia Leindecker, NACLA, Estreito Medios Productions

6. Youth, Student & Academia Strategy Caucus: Jamie Way, Bruce Wilkinson, Becca Polk

7. Women’s Strategy Caucus: Barbara Larcom

8. Labor Strategy Caucus: Dan Kovalik, Stan Smith

9. Veterans Strategy Caucus: Helen Jaccard and others

10. Environmental Strategy Caucus: James Jordan

11. Faith-based Strategy Caucus: Daniel Riehl, Dave Kane

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