12,000 Protest U.S. Army School of the Americas
at Fort Benning, Georgia
February 7, 2000 (From Peru Action and News, March 2000)
Report and Yearbook based on the School of the Americas Watch website: www.soaw.org.
United in protest of the U.S. Army School of the Americas, nearly 5,000 people risked arrest and crossed the line onto the Ft. Benning military base on November 21, 1999. Of those, 65 were arrested and 23 who had crossed the line in previous years face prosecution for trespassing on federal property.
Although nearly 5,000 people from around the country risked arrest, the Army processed only 65 individuals, most of whom led the march onto the base wearing black mourning shrouds and “death masks” and bearing coffins. Once on the base, they smeared red paint on themselves and lay next to the coffins. An estimated 12,000 people from around the US, as well as Peru, Mexico, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico and Canada attended the day-long vigil, compared to 7,000 last year. “We will keep coming back in greater numbers until the school is shut down,” said SOA Watch founder and co-director Father Roy Bourgeois. November 2000 will mark the 10th year that SOA Watch will organize a mass vigil at Ft. Benning.
School of the Americas Protest at Fort Benning, Georgia, November 1999
“School of Assassins” Yearbook Peru
Graduates of the School of the Americas have been responsible for some of the worst atrocities in Peru (and the rest of Latin America). These Peruvian graduates represent the very tip of the iceberg:|
General Ismael Araujo, 1962, Military Intelligence Officer - Lurigancho Prison Massacre, 1986: Accused of involvement in this prison massacre in which more than 120 PCP supporters were killed—the majority executed after they had surrendered.
General Jorge Rabanal, 1964, Jungle Operations - Lurigancho Prison Massacre, 1986: Gen. Rabanal commanded the operation in which 120 PCP supporters were executed. He was found guilty in a civilian court, though a military court later reversed the decision. Major Telmo Hurtado, 1982, Cadet Arms Orientation - Accomarca Massacre, 1985: On August 14, 1985, Hurtado participated in an army massacre of 69 campesinos (including six children) suspected of being PCP sympathizers in Accomarca, Ayacucho. Only Hurtado, at that time a lieutenant and the most junior officer involved, was convicted, although eyewitness testimony linked five officers to the massacre. In 1992 Hurtado was sentenced to 6 years in prison for “abuse of authority.” However, last year he turned up as a Major in charge of anti-rebel civilian militias on the Milagros military base near the Ecuador boarder—a testament to the impunity enjoyed by most of the Peruvian military. First Lieutenant Guillermo Paz Bustamante, 1982, Cadet Arms Orientation - Accomarca Massacre, 1985: Participated in the massacre of 69 campesinos. He was charged only with failing to report the deaths of two peasants. The military chose not to convict him because he “was tired and was experiencing a very tense situation.” Lt Cornel Carlos Delgado Medina, 1965, Cadet Orientation - Accomarca massacre, 1985: Planned the operation that massacred 69 peasants. General Wilfredo Mori, 1972 Internal Security Operations - Accomarca Massacre, 1985: Approved the operation that massacred 69 civilians. He was forced into early retirement. General Manuel Delgado Rojas, 1966, Parachute Rigger - Paramilitary supporter, 1990: Publicly praised the military sponsored death squad that occupied a village and assassinated popular leaders.
Commander Manuel Guzmán, 1976, Commando Operations - “La Cantuta” murders, 1992: Carried out the kidnappings and delivered the prisoners to a Special Operations team commanded by Major Martin Rivas. |
General Juan Rivero Lazo, 1963, Cadet Orientation Course - “La Cantuta” murders, 1992 (convicted): Former head of Peru’s Army Directorate of Intelligence (DINTE), sentenced to five years in prison in 1994 for the. He was the highest ranking of the five SOA graduates to be sentenced for the murders.
Captain Hector Lazo, 1973, o-20 - Obstruction of Justice, 1984: Cpt. Lazo was charged by the General Secretary of the Public Ministry with obstructing the investigation of mass graves in Huanta. Major José Mayor Vasquez, 1975, Cadet Combat Arms and Combat - Summary execution of nine persons, 1993: In March 1993, a military patrol in La Libertad department forced nine prisoners into an abandoned mine. The mine was later blown up with dynamite. The army later informed that Maj. Mayor Vasquez had been detained for the crime. Major Luis Angel Morales Cespedes, 1976, Officer Cadet Course - Murder: Ordered subordinates to murder a civilian and hide his body. Later sentenced to15 years in prison. General José Valdivia Duenas, 1962, Communications Officer - Cayara Massacre: On May 14, 1988, army soldiers under Duenas’ command killed (with gunshot, bayonets, and farming tools) between 28 and 31 men of Cayara. Returning days later, the soldiers arrested many villagers, dozens of whom disappeared (only 3 bodies were recovered). Duenas was subsequently promoted. General Juan Velasco Alvarado, 1945, GS Functions Dictator - 1968-75: Achieved power by overthrowing elected civilian government.
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Major Santiago Martin Rivas, 1977, Cadet Orientation Course - 
Major Carlos Pichilingue Guevara, 1980, Cadet Orientation Course - “La Cantuta” murders, 1992 (convicted): Sentenced to 20 years in 1994. Pichilingue, with Martin Rivas (above) was one of the leaders of the death squad.
General Nicolás de Bari Hermoza Ríos, 1976, Command and General Staff College - “La Cantuta” murders, 1992: As Commander of the Peruvian Army, Hermoza refused to let the Peruvian Congress question officers involved in the “La Cantuta” murders. He issued threats against the commission investigating the case and paraded tanks through the streets to back up his words. Later, a top governmental security adviser claimed Hermoza was involved in the formation of “The Colina” death squad that carried out the murders.
Vladimiro Montesinos, 1965, Cadet Course - “La Cantuta” murders, 1992; death squad leader, torturer, presidential advisor: It is believed that Montesinos runs “The Colina” death squad, which is a part of Peru’s National Intelligence Service (SIN). Montesinos is President Fujimori’s advisor, and widely thought to be the chief of SIN. Four officers tortured after plotting a coup against Fujimori in November 1992 state that Montesinos took an active part in torturing them.
Colonel José Orihuela, 1974, Internal Security Ops Basic: As commanding officer of the “Ayacucho Front” against the revolution he participated in the capture of Comrade Feliciano. He was killed by PCP fighters in a daring ambush on an Army helicopter in Satipo, Oct 1999.
been involved in drug trafficking, money laundering, and/or corruption.
