From the Archive
Hunger Strike – Day 134 Update
Dear Friends:
As I write this email, Guantanamo has been open for 4,177 days.
In a major speech on national security on May 23, President Obama promised to begin releasing the 86 prisoners still held at Guantanamo Bay who were cleared to leave by his inter-agency task force in January 2010 but are still held.
It has been 27 DAYS since President Obama’s speech. 0 men have been released.
There can be No More Excuses on Guantanamo. We will be judged by our actions, not our speeches.
Please JOIN US TO ACT on behalf of the men who remain detained.
Witness Against Torture and allies are making plans to mark June 26, the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, by calling on our political leaders to close Guantanamo in a fair and just way, end US torture, and begin making amends to those persecuted by US detention policy.
Join us on June 26TH in DC or your own community. Sign yourself and your community up to participate in the rolling fast. Support those in the US who are engaging in an open ended fast in solidarity with the men in Guantanamo. Visit the new Guantanamo Grassroots Coalition website www.closegitmo.net for news, videos, and lots of information.
Through our relationships with lawyers traveling to Guantanamo, word of our work has been reaching the men detained there. Their sacrifice has provided the space for this movement to grow. Now our work continues, and it is more crucial now than ever before to keep the pressure on.
Peace-
Matt Daloisio
for Witness Against Torture
*for those in NYC tonight, join us for an important event at Cooper Union focused on Snowden, Manning & Guantanamo (info below).
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JUNE 26TH – International Day in Support of Victims of Torture
In Washington DC on June 26TH, Witness Against Torture will join allies at the White House for a 12pm vigil. We will have orange jumpsuits and signs bearing the names of each of the 86 men who have been cleared for release, but are still being held.
There will be opportunities to participate in nonviolent resistance as well, led by those participating in the open ended fast.
We will provide housing for people coming from out of town at St. Stephens (1525 Newton St. NW). Please contact witnesstorture@gmail.com if you need a place to stay, and if you are considering participating in nonviolent resistance on June 26TH. We will meet at 9am the morning of June 26TH at St. Stephens to make final plans for the day’s scenario(s).
For those able to make it to DC on June 25TH, we are co-sponsoring a panel discussion with Juan Mendez, the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, 6:30pm at the Lutheran Church of the Reformation (212 East Capitol Street)
Actions are also planned in Chicago and London.
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TONIGHT IN NYC – An Evening of Conscience: Emergency Forum
We Will Not Be Complicit. We DO NOT Consent!
No Government Spying on Whole Populations.
Hands Off Snowden & Manning.
Close Guantanamo NOW.
7:00 pm, Wednesday, June 19
7 E 7th Street and the Bowery
Sponsored by World Can’t Wait and the Continuing Education Department at The
Cooper Union
http://www.worldcantwait.net
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WITNESS AGAINST TORTURE ROLLING FAST
Give up food for a day as part of Witness Against Torture’s ROLLING FAST. Over 200 people have participated by fasting for some period of time since the Guantanamo Hunger Strike began. Sign up for one day, or more. Sign up as a community or as an office!
Download and send this letter to a man detained in Guantánamo. The men on Hunger Strike know of, and very much appreciate our collective efforts at solidarity.
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TAKE A LOOK AT THESE FACES. THEY MIGHT NOT BE HERE TOMORROW.
The Peace Poets, Witness Against Torture, and anti-mass incarceration activists have collaborated on The Hunger Strike Song. (PLEASE POST AND SHARE)
CagePrisoners and Johina Aamer (daughter of Guantanamo detainee Shaker Aamer) have put together this powerful piece as well: What Have You Done in the Last Eleven Years?
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PHONE CALLS & LETTER WRITING
We have generated 100s of 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.
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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 and Follow Us on Twitter.
Post any pictures of your local activities to Flickr, and we will help spread the word on Tumblr. Visit the new Guantanamo Grassroots Coalition website.
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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.
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Join us on social media