[pjw] EVENT REMINDER: "Shut Down Guantanamo-- Stop Inspiring Terrorism" Monday Jan 11, 3:30-5:30 PM

[Peace and Justice Works]

Greetings once more---

Before we get to the final reminder (below) for tomorrow's "Shut Down 
Guantanamo" visibility action on the east end of the Hawthorne Bridge, 
here is today's tidbit in the 25 year history of the US war on Iraq.

http://www.pjw.info/gw25yl/GW5ylflyer.pdf

It's the promotional flyer for PJW's event marking then-five years of the 
war in 1996, recalling the time of the first bombing (3:35 PM) to ask for 
a moment of silence, and focusing on ending the sanctions.

In the announcement below, you may notice that we now have two additional 
cosponsors for the Guantanamo event-- Oregon PSR and Women's International 
League for Peace and Freedom. We do have three lovely banners strung up on 
the tower that say "Close Gitmo Now-- Stop Inspiring Terror."

Hope to see you Monday afternoon (and Friday)!

dan h
peace and justice works iraq affinity group

---------- Forwarded message ----------

Peace and Justice Works
   Iraq Affinity Group
   PO Box 42456
   Portland, OR   97242
   (503) 236-3065  (Office)
   iraq at pjw.info
   http://www.pjw.info/Iraq.html


News Item

For immediate Release      January 10, 2016


"Shut Down Guantanamo-- Stop Inspiring Terrorism"
  Visibility Action
Monday, January 11, 2016
3:30-5:30 PM
  SE Hawthorne & Grand (East end of Hawthorne Bridge)

Join Portlanders calling to close down the prison camp in Guantanamo Bay, 
Cuba, exactly 14 years to the day after it opened, with a visibility 
action at the east end of the Hawthorne bridge, SE Hawthorne and Grand on 
Monday, January 11 from 3:30 to 5:30 PM. Peace and Justice Works Iraq 
Affinity Group will use its 12-foot-tall "tower of peace" to call 
attention to the notorious prison where over 100 people still languish in 
a facility that undermines the supposed rule of law that separates our 
country from chaos.

Despite a strong signing statement indicating he still desires to close 
Guantanamo and vetoing the first version of the legislation, President 
Obama signed the 2016 defense authorization bill which continues to 
restrict his ability to transfer prisoners out of the facility. While the 
prison population has been reduced from 775 to 107, Obama has not been 
successful in closing down the prison in seven years in office, despite 
campaign pledges to do so.

Most held at the facility have been denied access to legal help; many have 
been exposed to harsh conditions that have been described as torture. In 
2014, dozens of prisoners participated in a hunger strike which drew 
international attention. The US responded in part by force-feeding the 
protesting prisoners, then deciding to stop reporting on the prisoners' 
actions. Forty-eight of the detainees have been cleared for release. Only 
three who are there were convicted of crimes (Human Rights First, 
11/16/15).

Guantanamo has been referred to as "the most expensive prison on earth," 
with the Miami Herald reporting in 2011 that it then cost $800,000 per 
year per inmate, climbing to an estimated $2.6 million per person in 2014 
(Politifact, 12/21/14). Overall, the costs from 2002 to today are well 
over $3 billion.

Organizers of the event believe that continuing to hold people in an 
off-shore prison without prosecution is an unacceptable violation of human 
rights, which is inspiring people to take action against the United States 
in acts of so-called "terrorism." It is time to shut it down.

Local groups organizing the action include the Peace and Justice Works Iraq 
Affinity Group, Amnesty International Group 48, the Portland Close Guantanamo 
Coalition, Jewish Voice for Peace-Portland, Oregon Physicians for Social 
Responsibility, and Women's International League for Peace and Freedom. 
For more information contact Peace and Justice Works at 503-236-3065.