From the Archive

Hunger Strike – Day 96 Update

Day 96 of the Guantanamo Hunger Strike  

Dear Friends: The Peace Poets and Witness Against Torture have collaborated on a Hunger Strike Video that WE NEED YOUR HELP posting, sharing & promoting.  If you are on Facebook, please share directly from the Witness Against Torture Page (& ‘like’ the page if you haven’t already).

Friday, May 17marks the 100th day of the Guantanamo Hunger Strike.  A coalition has formed to hold International Days of Action against Guantanamo from May 17-19.

Hunger Strike Song Performance in Times Square!
It’s time to sing our hearts out for Justice!  Join us on Friday, May 17, 5pm in Times Sqaure b’twn 43rd and 44th to do a mass sing along of the Hunger Strike Song.  Come and join and raise the volume of the people’s voice demanding an end to torture and indefinite detention.

Fast for Justice
Choose May 17, 18 or 19 to participate in a one-day solidarity fast, and let us know that you are participating.  May 17 Global call-in action: Call the White House or the US embassy in your country.  The White House comment line number is 202.456.1111

White House Protest, Petition Delivery, an Nonviolent Resistance: May 17, 12-1pm
We are combining the various petitions (over 300,000 signatures!) calling for Guantanamo to close into one package, and organizations are signing onto a cover letter that highlights the demands of immediately transferring those cleared to leave, appointing a high level White House official to lead the effort to close the detention facility, and ensuring that all held at Guantanamo are released unless fairly tried in federal court.  Please sign this petition if you haven’t already, and if you are a member of an organization or group that would like to sign onto the cover letter, let us know.  ***To underscore the urgency of the situation in Guantanamo, there will be a group willing to participate in nonviolent civil resistance on May 17 as well.  Let us know if you are interested in participating.

May 17 Tweet-In to the White House: @BarackObama @WhiteHouse keep your promise to #CloseGitmo.

Congressional Briefing on Guantanamo: This past Friday, May 10, experts on the situation at Guantanamo took part in a Congresssionl Briefing that was extremely well attended.  You can watch the briefing , and then call or e-mail your congressperson and senator to ask them to watch it as well – and support quick executive action to close the prison.

Matt Daloisio

for Witness Against Torture

*see Jake Olzen’s article Hunger strike reinvigorates movement to close Guantánamo

MAY 17 in NYC & CHICAGO

New York City: May 17 and 18
Join us on Friday, May 17  at 5pm at the Military Recruiting Center at Times Square to do a mass sing along of the Hunger Strike Song.  We may do the song again on May 18 in Union Square and Times Square. Stay tuned!  For details, contact Luke Nephew or Jeremy Varon.

Chicago: May 17 in Federal Plaza
Chicago folks will meet at Federal Plaza on May 17 at 4 P.M. for a brief rally and then hold a procession of people in orange jumpsuits and black hoods up State Street to Daley Plaza where they will read poems from Guantanamo prisoners and place the photos at the Eternal Flame.

For more information on vigils (or to let us know about a vigil you are planning), contact witnesstorture@gmail.com

PHONE CALLS & LETTER WRITING

We have generated over 500 calls since the Hunger Strike began.  We are particularly focusing on calls to the U.S. Southern Command (where you will be able to speak to a person), but ask folks to call all of the numbers here:  Call the White House (202-456-1111, 202-456-1414), U.S. Southern Command (305-437-1213) and Department of Defense (703-571-3343) to express concern over the hunger strike and insist on Guantanamo’s closing.  You can call or e-mail your congressperson and senator to ask them to support quick executive action to close the prison as well.

The Men in Guantanamo know of our efforts in response to their hunger strike and indefinite detention.  Download and send this letter to a man detained in Guantánamo.

WITNESS AGAINST TORTURE SOCIAL MEDIA

Our Facebook page has been getting more and more traffic, and some weeks has reached over 200,000 people.  This is only possible when people like, share, and comment on posts.  Please ‘like’ us on Facebook. & Follow Us on Twitter.

Post any pictures of your local activities to Flickr/, and we will help spread the word on Tumblr

DONATE

Witness Against Torture is completely volunteer driven and run.  We have no paid staff, but do have expenses associated with our organizing work.  If you are able, please donate here.