WILPF members jailed to Stop the School of the Americas

For decades the US has trained tens of thousands of Latin American military, first in Panama at the School of the Americas, and now in Georgia at the renamed Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation. Former students of SOA have used their skills for coups, torture, and repression from Mexico to Chile. Every year the nonviolent movement to close down this training center has grown and WILPF members, staff and interns have gone to Georgia to protest, call for closing and "cross the line" in mass civil disobedience.

On November 21, 2005, 40 SOA protesters were arrested for crossing onto the grounds of the SOA WHINSEC. 3 of this most recent group are WILPF members: Robin Lloyd, Rita Hohenshell and Chris Gaunt. Chris who pled guilty days after her arrest began serving her 3 month sentence immediately. The other two will be reporting to prison April 11 for 90 days. Statements and background can be accessed at www.soawatch.org. Robin Lloyd's statement to the court can be here and in the Spring issue of Peace and Freedom magazine.

To send messages of support to the WILPF 3, write:

Robin Lloyd #92572-020
FCI Danbury
Federal Correctional Institution
Route 37
Danbury, CT 06811

Christine Gaunt #91356-020
FCI Pekin
Satellte Camp
P.O. Box 5000
Pekin, IL 61555

Rita Hohenshell #90280-020
FCI Pekin
Satellite Camp
PO Box 5000
Pekin, IL 61555

Robin, Rita and Chris have asked that letters should be written to their fellow prisoners as well, so letters should be addressed to the circumstances of all these imprisoned women.