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Activists protest U.S.-sponsored torture |
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Hundreds of activists came to Washington, D.C. from around the country September 24-26 to participate in the Call for Justice Weekend.
An interfaith coalition, organized by UUSC, presented a weekend of activities designed to call attention to U.S.-sponsored torture. For three days, participants attended workshops, witnessed a formal mock trial of U.S. officials “indicted” for aiding and abetting torture around the world, and made visits to Senate and House offices demanding an end to torture. Many Call for Justice Weekend attendees also took part in other social justice activities taking place in Washington, including a massive antiwar rally organized by United for Peace and Justice. A highlight of the Call for Justice Weekend was the formal mock trial of Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, and former CIA Director George Tenet. With more than 500 participants attending, the hotel ballroom that served as the “courtroom” was overflowing. Real-life attorneys Jumana Musa of Amnesty International and Margaret Montoya cross-examined the defendants, who were portrayed by actor David Clennon, activist Francisco Letelier, and historian Steven Volk. In addition, several survivors and experts gave testimony, including Jennifer Harbury, director of UUSC’s STOP (Stop Torture Permanently) Campaign, whose husband was tortured and executed by Guatemalan military officers who were on the payroll of the CIA. View the proceedings of the formal mock trial. One expert witness was retired U.S. Army Col. Ann Wright, who testified, “You don’t get good intelligence through the use of torture. A prisoner is going to say anything he or she thinks you want to hear. There is no evidence that torture of an individual has saved the life of any American.” “I think these practices are outrageous, un-American, and extremely dangerous,” said Col. Wright, who served in the Army for over 29 years and 16 years as a United States diplomat. She resigned her post as a diplomat in opposition to the war on Iraq and now speaks out against the Bush administration policies that encourage torture. After several hours of testimony, the judge, portrayed by Van Jones, a well-known civil rights activist and lawyer, turned to the audience, which acted as a jury. Cheering, they pronounced the defendants “guilty” of aiding and abetting torture in places such as Afghanistan, Iraq, and Guantanamo. Nobel Peace Prize laureate Mairead Maguire of Northern Ireland was a guest commentator at the trial. As she had done on Saturday during a panel presentation, she gave an impassioned speech that stirred the entire crowd. “I listen all around the world to what people are saying about America , and what they are saying is ‘America, wake up, you are in danger of losing your soul,’” she said. “We want America to be the best it can be. We need America to be what it was meant to be about: democracy, freedom, and human rights.” Throughout the weekend, torture survivors gave emotional testimony about their personal experiences. The survivors, who hailed mainly from Africa and Latin America, kept the audience riveted as they told their painful stories. In addition, Rev. Joseph Lowery, cofounder with the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, discussed torture in the United States in the context of the civil rights movement, while another survivor recounted her experiences being tortured at the hands of U.S. police officials. One message that came through loud and clear from several of the Central American survivors was that a U.S. agent was present in their cells as they were being tortured, often giving the orders. U.S.-sponsored torture is nothing new; the terrible photographs from Abu Ghraib are just the latest in the pattern of the illegal practice of torture condoned by the U.S. government. Another survivor, whose name was given only as Manuel, said, “It is very hard to talk about torture, but we cannot forget. We are alive so we can speak about our sorrows.” The weekend was capped with an advocacy day on Capitol Hill on the final day of the special weekend. Participants joined survivors and religious leaders for a moving interfaith ceremony. Rev. William Sinkford, president of the Unitarian Universalist Association, spoke at the ceremony and participated in a solemn procession for several blocks to the steps of the Capitol. There, the activists took part in a short ceremony before heading over to the Senate and House office buildings to visit their elected officials. Torture survivor Anthony Ibeagha challenged everyone who attended the conference to confront their elected leaders about their position on policies that support U.S.-sponsored torture. “The people in power that make policies are no better than us. What makes me think I am not capable of calling them to order?” he questioned. “Every individual has the responsibility, the capability to call our Congress, our leaders, to order.” It was in that spirit that the activists visited their elected officials. Participants dropped off letters or attended meetings to urge their representatives to support legislation that puts an end to U.S.-sponsored torture. |
