Colombia. Gore's death squads kill 3 U'wa. ALERTS. MOBILIZATION. Worldwide action, rage.

Clinton/Gore's drug-war death squads working overtime in Colombia. Even though the Republican right pushed hardest for the military aid to Colombia, the Gore info below shows why "lesser of evils" voting is a wasted vote in the US corporate regime. PUBLIC OPINION RULES IN THE END. Pass this on, vote Nader, and get ready for the death squads in America. Ban handguns, but keep your rifles oiled.

There is another article added after Lauren Sullivan's compilation of articles. It is called "STATESIDE RESISTANCE TO US DEATH SQUAD POLICY FINALLY" and is about a September 21, 2000. conference that will show evidence of Colombian military and US involvement in a 1998 death-squad paramilitary massacre in Colombia.

*Drug War, Death Squad LINKS worldwide. Revised. Huge LINKS list. Lists in alphabetical and chronological order.

http://www.angelfire.com/rnb/y/squads.htm

"The first truth is that the liberty of a democracy is not safe if the people tolerate the growth of private power to a point where it becomes stronger than their democratic state itself. That, in essence, is fascism - ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling power. Among us today a concentration of private power without equal in history is growing."

-President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. (One Thousand Americans, George Seldes, page 5.)

http://www.emperors-clothes.com/articles/randy/swas3.htm

"Fascism should more appropriately be called corporatism because it is a merger of state and corporate power." -Mussolini

"The only difference between Bush and Gore is the velocity with which their knees hit the floor when corporations knock at the door."

-Ralph Nader (Green Party presidential candidate)



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From: Lauren Sullivan

http://www.egroups.com/message/colombiavigil/91

Date: Wed Sep 20, 2000 12:20pm

Subject: U'WA solidarity actions! 200 people occupy Gore's Olympia office!



ACTIONS TARGET GORE ACROSS THE COUNTRY



UWA SUPPORTERS SEND GORE A MESSAGE "OXY OUT OF U'WA LAND!"



MORE ACTIONS TO FOLLOW! ORGANIZE ONE IN YOUR COMMUNITY!



In this Update :

1) Rundown of solidarity actions over the last week

2) Press release - 200 activists occupy Democratic office in Olympia,

Washington!

3) IMPORTANT! transcript of Sept 15th U'wa press conference regarding new

land titles which add more weight to U'wa case that Oxy's drilling is ILLEGAL! 4) URGENT ACTION ALERT for Colombia's Embera Katio People. Paramilitaries attack community Assassinate 3 and kidnap 21. Calls needed!



------------------------------------



-----------------------------------

#1



Since last week when the U'wa received notice of the government's plan to evict them to make way for Oxy's final shipments of drilling equipment there has been an incredible wave of solidarity actions. Across the U.S. activists are confronting Al Gore and demanding he use his personal and political connections to Oxy and the Colombia government to stop the drilling on U'wa land! A quick rundown :




* Sept 14th Activists from across the NE descend upon New Hampshire and disrupt a Gore campaign stop. Chants of solidarity for the U'wa can be heard throughout Gore's speech.




* Sept 16th, Portland OR - Spearheaded by Lewis and Clark's Radical Action Group, 150 activists from a broad range of groups, including Jobs with Justice, STARC, the Liberation Collective, Cascadia Forest Defenders, the City Repair Project, the Green Party, as well as students from Reed and Portland State University rallied at Gore's local HQ. 4 U'wa supporters where arrested after they refused to leave the office until Al Gore took action to support the U'wa.




* Sept 19th ACTIONS IN 4 STATES - California, Iowa, Wisconsin and

Washington!




* Santa Rosa, CA 10 activists demonstrated outside their local democratic party office, educating hundreds of passerbys about Gore's hypocrisy.




* Madison, Wisconsin the UW Greens picketed Al Gore's daughter who was giving a campaign speech and asked questions about Gore's silence on the U'wa.




* Des Moines, Iowa a coalition of students from across the region were joined by STARC activists and Call to Action to do a lockdown to an oil barrel which symbolically leaked blood. They attracted tons of local and regional media!




* Olympia Washington, 200 human rights activists and forest defenders marchon the local Democratic Party office and then proceed to takeover the building for 6 hours! The office was completely shutting down! No business as usual until the U'wa and all other impacted people's get justice! When police tried to remove them 3 people locked down and were supported by a dozen more. At least ten people were arrested and the police where reported to have used pain compliance holds and some brutality. However when the police removed the lock-downed activists and attempted to take them to a police vehicle dozens of supporters outside blockaded the vehicle created a confusing scene which resulted in the "un-arresting" of the 3 activists. See the press release below!




Meanwhile in Colombia the U'wa are holding their ground. Phone lines into Cubara (the town nearest the Gibraltar 1 well site) are down but reports are that the militarization continues. There has been no eviction yet but we have received reports that government planes are repeatedly flying over the U'wa encampment and shooting into the nearby woods. However the U'wa refused to be intimidated and have vowed to block any further equipment

that Oxy attempts to bring to the drillsite.

On September 15th, the U'wa went public with very important legal documents showing that the King of Spain granted them legal title to the entire area around the drillsite as well as the sub-surface rights. (SEE #3 BELOW) These colonial lands claims have standing in Colombian courts and have been a factor in several land disputes over the past decade. This is very exciting news and more reason why Al Gore can call upon Oxy and the Colombian government to stop this project and let the U'wa live in peace! KEEP THE PRESSURE ON!

Tell Al Gore that his silence = a death sentence for the U'wa!

CONTACT AL GORE!



Gore2000

601 Mainstream Dr. Nashville, TN 37228

Phone: 615-340-2000 Fax: 202-456-2685



find local contact numbers and your nearest Gore office at :



http://www.algore2000.com/states/index.html

and nearest DNC office at: http://www.democrats.org/action/



Contact Patrick or Lauren at RAN at 1-800-989-RAIN/415-398-4404 or organize@r... if you are willing to organize an emergency response demonstration, action or solidarity event!





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#2



For Immediate Release

September 19, 2000



Contacts:

Kim Marx: on-site 360-970-4320 (mobile) Lauren Sullivan/Patrick Reinsborough 415-398-4404 or 415-596-7246 (mobile)



200 Activists Occupy Al Gore's Olympia Office Demand Gore Take a Stand for the U'wa of Colombia



On-site Press Conference at 6PM PDT (502 E. 4th Street, Olympia)



Olympia, WA-Some 200 activists have occupied Al Gore's offices since 12 Noon today and vow to stay through the night and beyond until the vice president comes out against Occidental Petroleum's drilling project on the U

If it is true U.S. Corporations contract Death Squads to murder in other countries, indigenous people, their employees, political and environmental opposition, it is prudent to consider the same corporations may harm their opponents in the U.S.

Since Corporations (BIG Business) influence the FBI, who now appear to be targeting in the U.S., Free Speech and Assembly, I have provided you the following information:

Re: FBI Target Proactive Oregon Activists

Proactive 0rganizations may wish to read this 12/6/2000 OREGONIAN NEWS ARTICLE. It affects law-abiding citizens. Anyone.



UNDERNEWS

Dec 6, 2000

THE PROGRESSIVE REVIEW

Washington's most unofficial source

Editor: Sam Smith

1312 18th St. NW #502, Washington DC 20036

202-835-0770 Fax: 835-0779

E-MAIL: news@prorev.com

WEB SITE: http://prorev.com

READERS FORUM: http://prorev.com/bb.htm

-----------------------------------------------------

BOTH RIGHT AND LEFT

TARGETED FOR PROSECUTION

BY FBI AND POLICE

[A remarkable memorandum of understanding between the FBI and the Portland OR police states that the Portland Joint Terrorism Task Force will "identify and target for prosecution those individuals or groups who are responsible for Right Wing and/or Left Wing movements, as well as acts of the

anti-abortion movement and the Animal Liberation Front/Earth Liberation

Front."]

OREGONIAN: A coalition of community activists urged the Portland City

Council to rescind its recent support for a joint Portland police and FBI

task force on domestic terrorism. The Portland Joint Terrorism Task Force, made up of eight Portland criminal intelligence officers, 12 federal agents and three other state law enforcement officers, was formed in September to investigate "criminal extremist activity." But some community members are concerned the task force will inappropriately target special-interest groups. Members of the League of Women Voters, the American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon, the Portland chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Portland Copwatch, the National

Page 2 of 5

Lawyers Guild and the Portland Accountability Campaign stood together outside City Hall to call for its demise. They criticized Mayor Vera Katz, who serves as police commissioner, and the City Council for issuing support for the task force last week without public input and wondered why the task force was formed this fall.

The FBI has similar task forces set up in 30 of its 56 divisions nationwide, said Gordon Compton, FBI spokesman in Portland . . . "We want to be proactive and keep these things from happening," Compton said. Much of the community concerns arose from the initial wording of the City Council ordinance. It said the group's mission was to "identify and target for prosecution those individuals or groups who are responsible for Right Wing and/or Left Wing movements, as well as acts of the anti-abortion movement and the Animal Liberation Front/Earth Liberation Front." . . . Commissioner Charlie Hales called the wording "something out of the Nixon administration." In the adopted ordinance, unanimously approved Nov. 22, the wording was altered to restrict task force activity to the investigation of "criminal terrorism.". . . But those speaking out said the task force's mission is too broad.

They are concerned law enforcement will investigate anyone who engages in political activity or associates with an activist group . . . The task

force's mission statement, signed in late September by David Szady, special agent in charge of Oregon's FBI, and Portland Chief Mark Kroeker, still holds that it will identify and target individuals or groups who are responsible for acts of "criminal terrorism within the traditional criteria of the Right Wing or Left Wing movements, as well as acts of criminal terrorism committed by special interest groups, such as the anti-abortion movement and the Animal Liberation Front/Earth Liberation Front."

________________________________________________________________________

When Do Demonstrators Become--Terrorists?

by, Ross Regnart

The Anti--Terrorist Act of 1996 appears aimed at public dissent: The ACT contains language which can charge law--abiding citizens of being agents or affording support to terrorist organizations: Broadly written--intent to commit terrorist acts is defined: (Appeared To Be Intended Toward Violence or Activities Which Could Intimidate or Coerce a Civilian Population; or To Influence the Policy of a Government).

Page 3 of 5

(18USC Sec. 2331): Any picket line or demonstration, alleged by police to have blocked or obstructed public access, could qualify as "Terrorist Activities" to intimidate or coerce a civilian population: Terrorist charges make it possible for police to forfeit attending demonstrators’ homes used for meetings and the vehicles they used for transportation to the event. Concern: Police agencies may selectively charge a person or organization with either a low level offense, or terrorist offense, for the same illegal act: Example: A fist fight between union demonstrators and persons crossing a picket line, can be upgraded by police to charge union members with (Terrorist Activity). The 1996 Anti-Terrorist Act, broadly--redefined "Terrorist Acts as involving any violent act or acts dangerous to human life that are a violation of the criminal laws of the United States or any state." The violent or physical act need not cause bodily harm:

The Act can be used by police to target any group of persons that would dare demonstrate for or against any issue.



U.S. ANTI--TERRORIST ACT--

OR ANTI--FREE SPEECH and ASSEMBLY ACT?

The 1996 Anti-Terrorist Act has wide reaching forfeiture provisions. The Act utilizes the broad term (supporting organizations that transcend boundaries). Any organization or group that advocates support for a cause or organization within a U.S. jurisdiction, or across a state line, or in another country, is considered by U.S. Government to be (transcending boundaries). Consequently, any environmental group or organization is vulnerable to being charged with supporting (terrorist activity) should any member of an organization they supported--be charged by the U.S. or other government, with having (intimidated or coerced a civilian population; or influenced the policy of a government). Please see USC18 2991, including additional provisions.

U.S. Government can now seize the assets of innocent organizations and/or members alleged to have supported an organization, group, or person(s) committing a terrorist activity. Excessive government property forfeiture provisions are tied to the 1996 Anti-Terrorist act: U.S. Government can forfeit SOURCE ASSETS that supported terrorist activity. So if a person for example uses income from their business or bank account to support an organization or persons the U.S. Government later alleges committed or supported terrorist acts, the U.S. Government may seize the contributor's business or bank account as a SOURCE ASSET. Keep in mind, intimidation may qualify as a terrorist act. So if the press or government has criminalized an organization, the



Page 4 of 5

presence of the organization's members at a demonstration or other event may be enough for a police agency to allege the member’s or their organization (intimidated a civilian population; or influenced the policy of a government) under 18USC 2991 International Terrorist Activities. Government may now use the 1996 Anti-Terrorist Act to selectively eradicate any group or person which is believed to be objectionable.

CONCERN: Police can charge lawful citizens who attend demonstrations and other public events with affording support to demonstrators whose activities may constitute Terrorist Activities under USC18 2991. Innocent attending demonstrators run the risk of being charged as terrorists, then having to prove by their presence at a demonstration, they were not supporting the illegal activities of the alleged terrorist demonstrators. CATCH 22: Lawful demonstrators may be convicted simply because they did not think to leave an event where some demonstrators were committing illegal acts. Broad provisions of the 1996 Anti-Terrorist Act may eventually scare-off citizens from attending lawful demonstrations and/or contributing money to progressive causes.

CONCERN: A corrupt government and/or its paid operatives, may too easily cause the arrest of innocent demonstrators and/or cause government forfeiture of their assets. Note: Conviction of an activist or organization is NOT necessary for government to forfeit an owner's property. U.S. Government may civil forfeit a citizen's assets using only a (Preponderance of Evidence) by showing an owner’s property was involved in a felony that would make it subject to forfeiture.

200 felonies can now cause government forfeiture of property:

Republican Congressman Henry Hyde got passed in Congress (The Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act of 2000) HR 1658. The statue of limitations, the time period police have to civilly forfeit property, begin five years from the time police claim to have learned an asset was made subject to forfeiture. Concern: Police can claim that anytime in the future.

CONCERN: Corporate security and private intelligence companies now work so closing with U.S. police agencies, they appear to merge. Private security corporations by working closely with U.S. police agencies are in a position to influence local and federal police as to which political/environmental opponents should be arrested, or have their assets forfeited. Note: Neither charged defendants, nor anyone else, can use the Freedom of Information Act to penetrate corporate information banks to learn if a corporation illegally obtained or provided information to a police agency. Increasingly, corporate informants work both sides of the street when they get paid for providing police the same information

Page 5 of 5

about, e.g., a political or environmental group. It is a dangerous trend in the United States when police agencies merge with corporate security forces, become perhaps an illegal enterprise, to violate a person’s Constitutional and civil rights.

Secret Witnesses, Secret Jurors, Secret Testimony, Hidden Evidence: Once U.S. Government or police charge a person or organization under 18USC 2991, (International Terrorist Activity) the U.S. Government may use secret witnesses, secret jurors, secret testimony, and other hidden evidence to convict a defendant and/or forfeit their assets. All this secrecy can be invoked by U.S. Government to protect alleged--national security, an ongoing investigation, undisclosed witnesses and jurors. The same police agencies involved in the investigation may get to share in the citizen's assets after they are forfeited by the government. This is especially dangerous since police routinely purchase testimony. Persons charged under the 1996 Anti-Terrorist Act, may have difficulty defending themselves even against the death penalty--when they may not be allowed to know the secret evidence against them, or cross examine government's secret witnesses. Such Star Chamber Courts do not serve the interests of a free society.

Had the 1996 Anti-Terrorist Act been in effect during the days of COINTELPRO, 1960 through the 1980's, many foundations and citizens to avoid risks such as being charged as terrorists or losing their assets to forfeiture, would have given contributions only to organizations that the U.S. Government approved of, not to progressive organizations or persons who would dare question or confront government policies or attempt to legally stop corporate polluters.

GOVERNMENT COINTELPRO RED SQUADS appear to be back. This time the squads have in their arsenal the 1996 Ant-Terrorist Act and new property forfeiture laws which they may use to eradicate their political, environmental and human rights opponents.