Southeast Region

Reports and Information on Past Events Latin American Delegations and Activities SOA: School of the Americas/Assassins Protests Documents, letters, and news reports of SOA protests and Gail Phares's trial and imprisonment Annual Pilgrimages and Other NC Events Summary of Recent News and Activities 21 Apr 2012: CELEBRATION OF STUDENT PEACEMAKERS, Friday, April 27th, 5:30-7:00 pm Free supper (but donations are more than welcome!) and program to celebrate our student peacemakers at Raleigh UU Fellowship, 3313 Wade Avenue, Raleigh. Meet and hear from: - 2011 Award Winners returned from Cuba with Witness for Peace – 2012 Award Winners traveling to Latin America – 2012 Award winners returned from peace lobbying in Washington On Wed. Feb. 29, 2112, Witness for Peace Southeast and the NCSU College of Humanities and Social Sciences International Programs committee cosponsored a presentation titled "Why Logan's Dad Spent a Year and a Half in Immigration Detention for No Reason." Emily Zucchino, our associated director, introduced the couple and spoke about Witness for Peace activities. About 30 people attended the event which took place at Poe Hall Auditorium on the NC State campus. Pedro Perez and his wife and advocate Emily Guzman spoke and presented video and photographic evidence of their treatment by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. They made a compelling case that the US immigration system is broken--and worse--possibly corrupt. You may view details of their trauma at Logan's Dad. Read Gail Phares's report on the January 17-27, 2012, Colombia delegation. Read Richard Smith-Overman's critique of anti-immigrant "law enforcement" in Alamance County. Raleigh News & Observer, 17 Dec 2011 Excerpt: "Recently, Alamance County Sheriff Terry Johnson told a General Assembly committee on immigration that his beloved 287(g) program - aimed at deporting immigrants - only applies to criminals. If that's true, then most of us are probably criminals. Two UNC reports, one in 2009 and one in 2010, showed that 82 percent of the criminals ensnared by Johnson's 287(g) program were arrested for misdemeanors and that the overwhelming majority were minor traffic violations." 9 Jan 2012: We travel to Cuba this summer. The delegation is full: Cuba: Sustainable Agriculture: People-to-People Licensed Delegation, June 03-13, 2012 Delegation Coordinators Gail Phares and Sylvia O’Connor [919-782-0536] 29 July 2011: We endorse the NC Commission of Inquiry on Torture. See the organization website for details of this important initiative and for a full list of endorsing organizations and individuals. 5 Nov 2011 The "War on Drugs" - Interview with Gail Phares, Director of Witness for Peace, Southeast Chapter PDF 5 Nov 2011Forced Disappearances in Colombia Report on the Nicaragua Teen Delegation Reunion, 2011 With pacts, the jobs aren't here, op-ed critical of free trade agreements by Eric Burnette, Raleigh News & Observer, Oct 7, 2011 Published 28 Aug 2011. Raleigh News & Observer Dear Editor, Hurrah for the Obama administration stating that they would stop deportation proceedings against immigrants who pose no threat to national security or public safety!(Aug 19 News and Observer). For too long innocent immigrants have been stopped for minor traffic offences and jailed here in Wake County, Mecklenburg and Alamance County and across the country under the Secure Communities act. Families have been torn apart and untold suffering has been inflicted on immigrants. Now it is time to begin work on true immigration reform. Enough of scapegoating immigrants. Let us solve this problem once and for all. It is long past time to change our out of date immigration laws. We must provide a legal means for people to come to work through our ports of entry. There must be a way for people who have lived and worked here in the U.S. for years to gain citizenship. We must stop tearing families apart. Sincerely, Gail S Phares 15 Aug 2011 Over 100 people attended this annual event that included a South of the Border style dinner and raised more than $2400 to cover two scholarships for the Student Peacemaker Award. NC Peace Action administers the award. Sanjo Tree presented "Drug Wars, Free Trade, and Immigration Market Madness vs. Sustainable Traditions." on Sunday August 7, 2011. 13 July 2011 Expanded Cary ICE detention center canceled Read the N&O story on the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement dropping consideration of an empty Kroger store at N.C. 55 and High House Road as detention site. Local opposition was key! But watch for their future plans! 5 July 2011: Worth reading Infelicitous 40: The Anniversary of the U.S.’s War on Drugs AND Mexican Drug Violence Fueled by U.S. Guns 16 May 2011: Report on activities, Jan-June 2011