Fr. Roy Bourgeois Speaks in Sacramento and Davis Feb. 6 - Feb. 7

Press Advisory: For Immediate Release, January 24

Contact for Davis Event: Will or Jane Lotter, (530) 756-6795
Contact for Sacramento event: Joanne Castronovo, (916) 480-2105,
email: castronovoj [at] jhssac.org


Fr. Roy Bourgeois to Speak in Davis and Sacramento about SOA Watch's Recent Successes in Latin America

by Dan Bacher

Father Roy Bourgeois, the founder and leader of the School of Americas Watch, an organization dedicated to closing the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation (formerly the U.S. Army School of Americas), will speak Tuesday, Feb. 6, at 7 pm, at the Davis United Methodist Church, 1620 Anderson Rd. in Davis.

Bourgeois will also speak on Feb. 6 at 12:00-1:00 pm at the Hinde Auditorium, California State University Sacramento.

On Wednesday, Feb. 7, Bourgeois will speak in Sacramento from 12-2 pm, at the Recital Hall, Cosumnes River College, 8401 Center Pkwy, and at 7 pm at the Newman Center, 5900 Newman Court.

In his talk, Father Bourgeois will discuss recent successes in Latin America that he and members of the SOA Watch have had in convincing countries such as Argentina, Bolivia, and Venezuela, to stop sending their military to Ft. Benning.

Father Bourgeois has spent a total of four years in federal prison since 1990 because of his non-violent, civil disobedience protests inside the gates of the former SOA at Ft. Benning, GA. The school trains military officers and soldiers from pro-U.S. regimes throughout Latin America.

Among the 60,000 graduates of the School are notorious generals and dictators known for their violent policies and human rights violations, such as General Hector Gramajo, Guatemala, Leopoldo Galtieri, Argentina, Guillermo Rodriguez, Ecuador, and Hugo Banzer Suarez, Bolivia.

Lower-level SOA graduates have been involved in many atrocities such as the massacre of 900 people at the village of El Mozote in El Salvador in the early 1980's, and the massacre of four Jesuit priests and the housekeeper in El Salvador in 1989.

“They tell us they’re teaching democracy," says Bourgeois. "We say, 'How do you teach democracy through the barrel of a gun?’”

Sponsors of the Davis event include the Church and Society Committee of the Davis United Methodist Church and the Davis Religious Community for Sanctuary. All are welcome. Admission is free, but people will have the opportunity to donate to SOA Watch. Light refreshments will be provided after the program. For more information, call (530) 756-6795.

Jesuit High School is sponsoring the Sacramento appearances of Fr. Bourgeois. There is no charge for the college events, but donations will be collected at the Newman Center. For more information, call 916-480-2105.