#ConvergenceAtTheBorder: Thousands of Activists Expected for Mexico Border Action Wayne Schutsky and John Guzzon - Modern Times Magazine
go to original September 24, 2016

After holding an annual vigil at the gates of Fort Benning, Ga., for 26 years, School of the Americas Watch and partner groups are planning a three-day action centered around Nogales that is expected to draw thousands to the area.

More than 20,000 regularly attend SOA Watch vigils.



“We wanted to respond to the dire human rights crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border where hundreds of people are dying in the desert and also call attention to the militarization of the border and call attention to the root causes of migration and why people are fleeing Latin America and have to come to the United States,” said SOA Watch National Organizer Henrik Voss. “Because we see U.S. policy in Latin America, U.S. militarization, U.S. economic policies, as some of the root causes that force migration.”

SOA Watch also pushed up the date of its annual vigil from November to October so that it will take place prior to the upcoming presidential election, said Voss. Border issues, always a hot topic during election season, have taken center stage this cycle due in large part to Republican nominee Donald Trump’s promise to force Mexico to pay for the construction of a massive border wall.

The vigil will take place on both sides of the border with events in Nogales, Ariz. and Nogales, Sonora, Mexico. It will actually kick off north of Nogales on Oct. 7 with a vigil and rally held in conjunction with Arizona-based Puente Human Rights Movement outside of the Eloy Immigrant Detention Center at 1705 E. Hanna Road, Eloy, Ariz.

“We will first go to the detention center to be in solidarity with the people who are incarcerated just for fleeing economic conditions in their country and coming to the United States,” said Voss.

Other key events include a veteran-led march to the current border wall in Nogales on Oct. 8 that will precede a rally featuring speakers and musicians from across North, Central and South America. One group of veterans will lead the march on the U.S. side of the border while another group of deported U.S. military veterans will lead the march from the Mexico side.

“We need people to spread the word about U.S. foreign policy in Latin America and the reality of border militarization that is killing people every day,” said Voss.

Hashtag for the event is #ConvergenceAtTheBorder

A full schedule of events and list of speakers can be found at the SOA Watch website.

Read the rest at Modern Times Magazine

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