In Focus
2021 Fast for Justice: Join us from home
2021 Week of Action: January 11 – 15
19 Years of Guantanamo. Shut it down!
See the week’s schedule below. RSVP for these virtual events, gatherings, and actions from wherever you are!
Let’s renew our commitment to the 40 Muslim men still imprisoned in Guantanamo and the hundreds of others who suffered years of torture and abuse behind the prison’s walls.
January 11 anniversary events
- 1:00 pm ET: Virtual vigil 19 Years of Guantanamo: Remembering the Men Detained. RSVP and bring a candle or sign. View the recording here.
- 5-6:30 pm ET: Panel Presentation Rights or Rightlessness? The Lives of Men Imprisoned at Guantanamo. View the recording here. (Program starts at the 4:30 mark.)
- 8:00 pm ET: WAT Fast for Justice Circle First of 5 evenings of Virtual Meetings RSVP to receive the Zoom link for all the evening meetings.
Fast for Justice Circles: Monday – Friday
- January 11-15: Zoom Circles at 8 pm ET each night to support us in our fasting and/or action. Fasting is a personal choice.
RSVP to receive the Zoom link.
Circles will be like our gatherings in DC: opening with centering music, a reflection, a topic or theme, checking in with each other and sharing around the circle.
Monday, J11: WAT history – Discussion with Frida Berrigan and Matt Daloisio
Tuesday, J12: The US “War on Terror” – Discussion and video with Maha Hilal
Wednesday, J13: Executions and State/Police Violence – Discussion with Art Laffin
Thursday, J14: Witnessing Against Atrocities – Discussion with Mark Colville, Kings Bay Plowshares 7
Friday, J15: Celebrating Our Community Resilience – Celebration with Peace Poets (Lumi and LuAya)
Daily Solidarity Action Menu
- Fast for the men detained in Guantanamo, especially in solidarity with the hunger strikers. Choose your fast: Liquid only? Ramadan? Lenten? Other?
- Write letters to the detainees. During the pandemic attorneys have reduced visits and the Red Cross has stopped visiting.
- Attend local vigils. (many are listed below)
- Lobby Congress. Biden will act more quickly with Congressional and public support. This link provides background, talking points and phone numbers.
- Oppose Senate approval of torture apologist Avril Haines. Call script and phone numbers.
- Respond to blogs and articles you read with online comments.
- Write letters to the editor of your local paper.
- Sign a global petition to President-elect Biden
- Share photos of DC activists demonstrating at US Capitol on January 11.
- Read up on Guantanamo.
Andy Worthington summarizes and critiques a recent NYT article documenting decaying prison infrastructure.
Newsweek published an op-ed by Mohamedou Salahi on Jan. 11.
Major report on Guantanamo has been released by Amnesty International on Jan. 11. USA: Right or Wrong, Decision Time on Guantanamo.
Report from Bridge Initiative Team at Georgetown University : Guantanamo Bay Military Prison: Narratives and Numbers
In addition to these vigils, check your local happenings (let us know about others to add: witnesstorture@gmail.com):
- January 11: Upper NY Veterans for Peace/ Western Massachusetts Peace Action.
- January 11 at 10 AM PT: Interfaith Community for Justice and Peace webinar in Los Angeles: http://www.icujp.org/
close_guantanamo_2021. - January 11 at noon to 1 PM ET: No More Guantanamos vigil, Commons, Greenfield MA.
- January 11 at 1:30-2:30 PM: No More Guantanamos vigil, Downtown Northampton, MA.
- January 11 at 4:00 PM: Bethlehem Neighbors for Peace vigil, corner of Delaware and Kenwood Avenues (the five corners) in Delmar.
- January 15 at noon: Schenectady Neighbors for Peace vigil, corner of State Street and Erie Boulevard in Schenectady.
Last but not least, here are some Fasting Tips 2020!
Please join us!
In peace and solidarity,
Helen, Josie, Maha, Jeremy and Richard for the WAT Organizing Team
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