Dayton Pledge of Resistance
News and Events
Colombia Travel Fund
News Archive
Colombia Travel Fund
We hear from our Colombian contacts that US citizens traveling in Colombia are an important source of support and safety for them. We are collecting funds to enable this to happen more often.
If you would like to contribute, send funds to:
Dayton POR
P. O. Box 60123
Dayton, OH 45406-0123If you would like to make the trip yourself, speak with our returning travelers. We don't have the funds to pay for the whole trip but could make an investment toward it.
News archive:
Veterans Lobby in DC to Close SOA/WHISC
Daytonians Actually Got
to Meet with our Senator!!!Daytonians Travelled to Colombia
El Salvadoran and Honduran Officers
Sued for Human Rights AbusesColombia -- Z-Net Interview with Chomsky
Columbus Colombia Action:
We Finally Met DeWine!
Charges Dropped!!
-- Press Release (7.9.02)
-- Dayton Daily News (7.10.02)
-- Cleveland Plain Dealer (7.10.02)
-- Colombus Dispatch 7.11.02
-- Presbyterian News 7.12.02
-- Cleveland Free Times 7.12.02"...it's a shame that we had to spend 30 hours in jail to get a
meeting with our senator." - Paula Ewers"Let's all pray for peace in Colombia." - Judge Anne Taylor
from the day of the original action and arrests...
- Press Release
- Columbus Dispatch Article
Colombia MobilizationHuman Rights workers in Colombia received death threats, then were threatened with deportation
Update: the deportation orders have
been rescinded, at least for now...- NYT (3/22): Alabama Coal Giant
Sued Over 3 Killings in Colombia- Excellent article from LA Times (3/17)
from Maria Rossiwell's Memorial Service
from when Bill and John came home...
see articles from Dayton Daily News and New York Times
and The Daily Independent of Ashland, Kentucky
DeWine, activists discuss Colombia
No arrests this time, just conversation on issue
By Kristen Convery
Dayton Daily News
Greene County Bureau
08/14/2002
XENIA The last time members of the Ohio Working Group on Latin America tried to meet Sen. Mike DeWine, they were arrested.
The activists wanted to talk with DeWine about U.S. intervention in Colombia, which they oppose and he supports. When closing time came around at his office and they refused to leave, they were arrested and charged with trespassing. Most of the charges were dropped.
Tuesday was much more genial for both parties. After more than an hour of discussions about events in Colombia, one of DeWine’s aides even snapped a photo of the group.
The meeting marked the first time the activists have met with DeWine, although they have had appointments with his staff members.
They are protesting Plan Colombia, a $1.3 billion aid package former President Bill Clinton promised would fight drugs and encourage peace. DeWine, who has taken an interest in Colombian affairs and has been to the country three times, helped write the plan.
The aid money was supposed to combat drugs, recession and armed insurgents in the country, torn by 40 years of civil war and human-rights abuses from both security forces and rebels.
But the activists, including John and Paula Ewers and Margaret Knapke of Dayton, say it doesn’t work. Chemicals sprayed to kill drug plants destroy the environment and contaminate water, they say. They also insist too much money goes to the Colombian army, which they claim is closely linked with rebel groups and ends up perpetuating human rights abuses.
Mary Hershberger, who teaches history at Capital University in Columbus, said Colombians she has met during her trips to the country have told her military intervention is "like pouring gasoline into the fire."
She said statistics have shown the level of violence "just ratchets up" when foreign troops get involved in Colombian affairs. She and other activists said the Colombian military and rebel groups are so closely connected that when foreign money is given, the military slows abuse for show but rebel activity intensifies.
The group has asked DeWine to go on a Catholic Relief Services-sponsored trip to Colombia. They say his trips there haven't fully shown him how desperate the nation is, because senators’ tours must be arranged in connection with the U.S. Embassy.
DeWine said the group was well-informed, and he plans to continue talking with its members. But he disagreed with their contention that increased military aid hurts Colombians, saying administration officials are forced to pay close attention to human rights in conjunction with aid packages.
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Press Release 9 July 2002:CHARGES DROPPED !!!Columbus, Ohio9 July 2002Today, at the request of Senator Mike DeWine's office and the City Prosecutor, Judge Anne Taylor dismissed charges against eight human rights advocates from various Ohio cities. The eight were among ten arrested April 30 in the senator's Columbus office, while trying to schedule a face-to-face meeting withhim at his convenience.Senator DeWine (R-OH) played a prominent role in crafting Plan Colombia, which primarily consists of massive military aid and widespread toxic fumigation. Six of the ten defendants, having travelled widely in Colombia, want to share with him the concerns of Colombian civilians -- who bear the brunt of that U.S. policy toward Colombia.Following a public outcry regarding Senator DeWine's refusal to meet with his constituents, his staff has scheduled a face-to-face meeting for August 13. Defendant Paula Ewers of Dayton said, "I think it's a shame that we had to spend 30 hours in jail to get a meeting with our senator, but we are hopeful that this meeting will be the beginning of a dialogue that can move the U.S. toward a more informed and humanepolicy toward Colombia."Ewers and the other nine defendants belong to the Ohio Working Group on Latin America, whose members have tried unsuccessfully for more than two years to speak directly to Senator DeWine about the detrimental effects of U.S. military aid to Colombia. After hearing heartfelt statements from several defendants, Judge Taylor ended today's proceedings with "Let's all pray for peace in Colombia."Ohio Working Group on Latin America
<http://owgla.mahost.org/actions.html>top of page back to front page
Columbus, OH, May 1, 2002
Wednesday morning, May 1, ten Colombia solidarity activists from Ohio appeared in Franklin County Municipal Court before Judge James Green. After a night in the county jail, all were arraigned on charges of having criminally trespassed and resisted arrest in Sen. Mike DeWine's Columbus office on Tuesday afternoon. All pled not guilty, and their release is pending the posting of bonds.
The ten represent civic groups throughout Ohio that have tried for two years to meet directly with DeWine -- always unsuccessfully. On Tuesday they insisted, as constituents, on a definite date for a meeting with the senator -- and they refused to leave his office without the promise of a timely appointment.
Sen. DeWine helped to craft "Plan Colombia" for the Clinton Administration, which provided $1.3 billion in mostly military aid to Colombia. Currently he supports the Bush Administration's efforts to further increase military aid, as well as efforts to chemically eradicate coca crops.
The protesters maintain that evidence on the ground in Colombia proves that US policies are killing and displacing rural civilian populations, many of whom are living over vast and coveted oil reserves. As newly arraigned John Ewers stated before entering DeWine's office on Tuesday, "Sen. DeWine cares a lot about keeping the children of Ohio healthy. We insist that he care as much about the children of Colombia."
Those arraigned include:
John and Paula Ewers of Dayton
Vince Ramos of Bexley
Cheryl Sanchez of GroveportOberlin students: Jackie Downing, Kate Berrigan, Sarah Saunders, Anna Hendricks, Jyuti Bhatt, John Durlauski
For further information:
Vince Ramos, 614-235-1883, ramosfam@core.comJohn and Paula Ewers, 937-278-5446, ewers@donet.com
Jackie Downing, jacqueline.downing@oberlin.edu
Mary Hershberger, 614-442-5915, mhershbe@capital.edu
Margaret Knapke, 937-276-4686, margaretknapke@juno.com
Protesters arrested after refusal
to leave U.S. senator's officeWednesday, May 1, 2002
Neal C. Lauron / DispatchColumbus police escort Paula Ewers of Dayton
from Sen. Mike DeWine's office in Downtown
Columbus, where she and other protesters were
seeking a meeting to discuss U.S. foreign policy
on Colombia.Seated in a circle with their arms locked, singing "We shall not be moved,'' 10 people opposed to U.S. foreign policy in Colombia were arrested and removed from Sen. Mike DeWine's office in Huntington Plaza yesterday.They refused to leave when they couldn't get an appointment to see the Ohio Republican, who was in Washington yesterday.
"We asked them to leave, and they won't leave,'' said Mike Dawson, spokesman for DeWine. "Our staff people had several meetings with these folks.''
Dawson said DeWine has agreed to meet with members of the Ohio Working Group on Latin America once he returns to Columbus, "but they insisted on a date and a time.''
The protest came as a federal grand jury indicted a Colombian rebel group and six of its members.
The indictment, returned by a grand jury in U.S. District Court in Washington, accuses the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, and the individuals of murder, conspiracy to commit murder, using a firearm during a crime of violence and aiding and abetting.
The protest also came as the U.S. Senate debated additional aid to Latin America. DeWine, who has visited Colombia three times, is playing a key role in helping the Bush administration formulate its plan for boosting U.S. involvement in Colombia.
In 2000, Congress approved $1.3 billion worth of aid to Colombia, including funding for aerial fumigation of coca crops. "Plan Colombia'' provides U.S. military helicopters and other equipment to battle drug trafficking.
Opponents say that the operation has resulted in increased violence and that the spraying of herbicides on coca is harming produce and children.
Carol Richardson of Columbus, national grass-roots coordinator for Witness for Peace, called it "perplexing'' that DeWine has refused to meet with them.
"We would not, and I'm sure Sen. DeWine would not, stand for planes swooping in and spraying fields in Ohio. This is not how we want our taxpayer money spent,'' she said.
About 50 pickets cheered as police led the 10 arrested out of the building. At least six were charged with criminal trespass and resisting arrest.
Those arrested were a Dayton couple, six Oberlin College students, Cheryl Sanchez of Groveport and Vince Ramos, a student at Trinity Lutheran Seminary in Bexley.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this story.
Sept. 25 -29 the Colombia Mobilization is moving out of Washington and launching the 100 cities and campus campaign. We are going to participate. So far we are planning a " Roadshow" featuring our three recent travelers and Paula Ewers who has also traveled twice in Colombia and regularly hosts north bound Colombian guests in the Ewers home.
We want spots for the Roadshow to speak. Please help us schedule these. Respond by email.
Another focus will be in churches on Sunday mornings, hopefully with liturgical materials from the Mobilization available. Again if this is one of your areas, please let us know so we can get the word out to greater number of people.top of page back to front page
Maria Rosemary Rossiwall
Memorial ServiceMaria's memorial celebration was a warm and beautiful event. Many facets of Maria were talked about, smiled and even laughed about. It was clear that she has touched many people deeply, and she will be remembered always.
The rain was sporadic, and the original plan for the gathering changed somewhat. It was still held outside under a moderately successful tent. A table was set up in the front of the tent with a display of stunning fotos of Maria, many taken by her dear friend and sweetheart Ren, with whom she had traveled to Cuba shortly before her diagnosis. Those fotos were fronted and flanked by many votive candles and beautiful bouquets of flowers. A certain type of pink-and-white lily set a sweet perfume adrift.
We began with 5 minutes of silence, and people were invited to bring their taper candles forward and affix them to a side table, so gradually the altar was extended and the setting sun was replaced by the candlelight. A chair was placed in front of the altar and people came up when they were ready, to read a poem or share an anecdote or tribute. A recurring theme was Maria's apparently legendary intensity, perfectionism, and stubbornness, especially when it came to her work. People also commented on her rare ability to be entirely present to people, and her sensitivity and generosity as a caretaker. A number of people expressed a desire to respect Maria's choices and her courage in following them to their ultimate conclusion, but also puzzlement and sadness at her decision to refuse medical treatment (as a Christian Scientist). All this went on for quite some time, and Ren ended the memorial by reading a poem he wrote after her death; he stated that he had originally refused the request, but knew that Maria would insist that he do as asked, so acquiesced. He also read from her favorite book, The Little Prince.
Afterwards people went inside and ate together -- and discussed the fotos of Maria that were everywhere, as well as the work she was doing based on her trip to Cuba. The original plan was to show some of Maria's films after the service, but gathering her work proved difficult. There was talk of a retrospective of her work at a later date instead.
It was a very satisfying evening in many ways, but I still find it difficult to believe that she is gone. She was 26 years old, even younger than I had guessed.
Love, Margarettop of page back to front page
Bill and John are home!
John and Bill came home early Monday, January 14. Good folk all three, Bill, Hazel (released earlier) and John, jailed for speaking truth to power, we thank them. They are shining examples for us all.
To read Bill's, Hazel's and John's statements to the court, click on their names. Please pass this information along to friends who may not be on the POR mailing list.
Dayton Daily News, 1/15/02:
Protesters return from federal prison
Had been jailed for trespassing at Fort Benning, Ga.
By Benjamin KlineDAYTON People leaving prison usually do so quietly, not with a chorus of friends carrying wooden crosses, a "Welcome Home" banner and singing For He's a Jolly Good Fellow in the bus station.
That was the scene Monday morning as John Ewers came home to Dayton from federal prison at Ashland, Ky., where he served six months. Making his way past baffled bus customers, Ewers hugged his wife, Paula, and spoke to news media representatives.
Ewers, 67, was one of two dozen protesters who were fined and received prison terms in May for trespassing at the former School of the Americas at Fort Benning, Ga. The protesters claim the school, through its foreign graduates, is linked to human rights abuses in Central and South America.
Also returning home Monday was Bill Houston, 72, a retired Antioch College math professor of Yellow Springs. His wife, Hazel Tulecke, 77, served three months in federal prison in Illinois for her involvement.
"It would be good if all prisoners could have the kind of support I have had, and when they return from prison to have the loving community to go into that I do," Houston said upon arriving in Springfield.
Ewers, a retired business forms executive at NCR, said he lost 26 pounds during his incarceration and is in "the best shape ever" because he ran daily. In addition to weight, he said he lost seven months' Social Security income while serving the misdemeanor sentence.
Greeters at the Dayton Greyhound station carried a banner saying, "You can jail the resister but you can't jail the resistance."
Would he participate in another protest? "If circumstances presented themselves," Ewers began after a pause, then added, "I don't know what role will yet unfold for me."
Despite the nation's war against terrorism, Ewers, who lives in northwest Dayton, noted that 10,000 showed up for a November demonstration at Fort Benning.
Members of College Hill Community Church, the Dayton Pledge of Resistance and Ewers' family made up most of the crowd welcoming him.
New York Times, from website - 01/14/02
Military School Protesters Freed
By the Associated Press
PEKIN, Ill. (AP) -- Seven women, including an 89-year-old nun, were released from federal custody Monday after serving six-month sentences for trespassing at a Georgia school that trains Latin American soldiers.
The women were convicted last summer of trespassing during a protest at what was once known as the School of the Americas at Fort Benning, Ga.
Among the seven were three Roman Catholic nuns: Sisters Dorothy Hennessey, 89, Gwen Hennessey, 68, of Dubuque, Iowa, and Elizabeth Anne McKenzie, 72, of St. Paul, Minn.
At a news conference at the Pekin Federal Prison Camp, McKenzie and others pledged to continue protesting at the school, now called the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation, which they accuse of training soldiers who have been linked to murder, torture and other human rights abuses.
``It's just a matter of, `Here's a job to be done, with a risk,''' McKenzie said.
Rebecca Kanner, 44, of Ann Arbor, Mich., said: ``Our effect has been felt, and we won't stop until the school is closed down.''
Most of the women served their sentences at the Pekin prison camp. Dorothy Hennessey, Gwen Hennessey's sister, was released from a halfway house in Iowa, where she served her sentence because of health concerns.
A total of 26 people were convicted of trespassing during the November 2000 protest in which 3,400 people crossed onto the Army base without permission. Nineteen people remain in various federal prisons; two more women were scheduled to be released Tuesday and another will get out next month.
Military officials have said the school's goal is to teach democratic principles to future Latin American leaders.
Daily Independent, 1/21, of Ashland, KY
The text of two articles from the Daily Independent may be viewed on our website by clicking here.
