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Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation

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Official seal of the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation

The Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation (WHISC or WHINSEC), formerly the School of the Americas (SOA; Spanish: Escuela de las Américas), is a United States Army facility at Fort Benning in Columbus, Georgia. Its motto is Libertad, Paz y Fraternidad (Liberty, Peace and Brotherhood).[1] In its history the now closed School Of The America had many accusations made against it accusing them of supporting controversial dictatorial regimes and death squads.

The institute is a training facility operated in the Spanish language, especially for Latin American military personnel. Around 60,000 people had attended the facility when it was called the School Of The Americas. Approximately 1,000 students per year attend WHINSEC which was created as part of the National Defense Authorization Act.

History

The institute's remit is "to provide professional education and training" while "promoting democratic values, respect for human rights, and knowledge and understanding of United States customs and traditions".

WHISC's $10 million budget is funded by the US Army and by tuition fees, usually paid through the International Military Education and Training (IMET) grants, the International Narcotics Control (INC) assistance programs, or through the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program. [Citation, source, quantity needed] In 1946, the SOA was established in Panama at Fort Gulick, at what is now called the Melia Hotel[2] as the Latin American Training Center - Ground Division. It was renamed the U.S. Army School of the Americas in 1963. It relocated to Fort Benning in 1984, following the signing of the Panama Canal Treaty.

In 2000, mounting pressure upon the United States Congress to stop funding the SOA caused the Pentagon to rename the school the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation, abbreviated as WHISC or WHINSEC.[3]

The school currently known as WHINSEC was first established in the Panama Canal Zone in 1946 as the Latin American Ground School (LAGS) (Bouvier 122). According to Lesley Gill, an Associate Professor of Anthropology at American University, “The establishment of the Ground School coincided with renewed U.S. expansionist ambitions in the Americas and partially filled a power vacuum created by WW II, which ruptured long-standing military ties between European imperial powers – particularly France, Italy, and Germany – and Latin America” (Gill, 62). As many European nations faced the daunting task of reconstruction following the war, the “victorious and relatively unscathed U.S. moved in to fill the void left by the Europeans and to consolidate its position as a global superpower.”

Initially, the School’s mandate was to teach nation-building skills such as bridge-building, well-digging, food preparation, and equipment maintenance and repair. However, after President Truman signed the Rio Treaty, an extension of the Monroe Doctrine, in 1947, along with the leaders of twenty Latin American countries, the U.S. Army became increasingly involved in Latin America. The Rio Treaty provided that “any attack on an American nation will be met by collective sanctions in line with Article 51 of the United Nations Charter.”

Two years later, in 1949, the Army renamed the Latin American Ground School to the U.S. Army Caribbean School – Spanish Instruction and began to instruct Latin American military personnel along with U.S. Army personnel. By 1956, the School began to focus its training efforts primarily on Latin Americans and has instructed its classes solely in Spanish ever since.

However, the School’s curriculum was not altered until after the Cuban revolution in 1959. The success of Fidel Castro and his ragtag band of guerrillas caused the American fear of “conspiring communists in Latin American peasant villages” to magnify in the already intense Cold War era (Gill, 73). The School became known as the U.S. Army School of the Americas in 1963 and its curriculum changed its focus from nation-building skills to counterinsurgency in order to prevent communism from spreading throughout the Western Hemisphere. According to one SOA official, “The importance of sound, bilateral security relationships in the Western Hemisphere became very clear as Hitler and Mussolini assiduously attempted to court the nations of Latin America.”

Although preparing Latin Americans to repel an attack by a non-hemispheric power, particularly one tainted by Communism, was the highly-publicized reason for the United States’ emphasis on equipping and training Latin Americans, others assert that the United States’ main objective was to protect its economic interests in the region. Some of these economic interests included coffee in Central America (1), the Panama Canal agreements formalized in 1901, and the United Fruit Company and its subsidiary, the International Railways of Central America (IRCA).

Changes

File:Soa logo.gif
Former logo of the School of Americas.

After the legal authorization for the former School of the Americas was repealed in 2001 and the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation was established there were a number of changes at the school. A new human rights training program was developed and currently all students are given the option to attend classes, but are not required to receive the minimal eight hours of instruction in "human rights,[4] as well as training in the rule of law, due process, civilian control of the military, and the role of the military in a democratic society." A "train the trainer" program was developed which equips students attending the course to return to their home country and establish human rights training classes of their own. In addition to that training other courses now focus on leadership development, counter-drug operations, peace support operations, disaster relief, or "any other matter the Secretary [of Defense] deems appropriate". Also an independent Board of Visitors was established to review "curriculum, instruction, physical equipment, fiscal affairs, and academic methods" and evaluate whether or not the school is "consistent with U.S. economic policy goals toward Latin America and the Caribbean." Several pages on its website describe its human rights initiatives. But, though they account for almost the entire training programme, combat and commando techniques, counter-insurgency and interrogation aren't mentioned. In being questioned about this the school (WHINSEC)has claimed that is has never taught interrogation techniques or any of the other subjects at the school. School of the Americas Watch At the protest vigil in November 2006, invitations were given to the members of the public to visit the school. [[1]]

According to the Center for International Policy,[5] the Board of Visitors "must include the chairmen and ranking minority members of both houses' Armed Services Committees (or surrogates), the senior Army officer responsible for training (or a surrogate), one person chosen by the Secretary of State, the head of the United States Southern Command (or a surrogate), and six people chosen by the Secretary of Defense ('including, to the extent practicable, persons from academia and the religious and human rights communities')."

Otto Reich was one of the first appointees in 2002.[2]

Legislative action

In June 2007 the McGovern/Lewis Amendment to shut off funding for the Institute failed by 6 votes. [3] This effort to close the Institute was endorsed by the non-partisan Council on Hemispheric Affairs who called the Institute a "black eye". [4]

2008 Defense Appropriations Bill (HR 3222)

This Directive stipulating that WHINSEC publicly release information on their instructors and students was part of the 2008 Defense Appropriations Bill. A request for this information in 2006 was denied.

"The Committee supports the mandate of the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation (the Institute) to be a transparent and democratic institution. To promote such transparency and democratic values, the Committee directs the Institute to release to the public the names of all students and instructors at the Institute for fiscal years 2005 and 2006. The list shall include all names, including but not limited to the first, middle, and maternal and paternal surnames, rank, country of origin, courses taken or taught, and years of attendance. In all future fiscal years, this same information shall be made available and provided to the public no later than 60 days after the end of each fiscal year." [5] [6]

Controversy

The previous School of the Americas (SOA) was alleged to have committed state terrorism by the US military. In 2001 the Pentagon changed the school and it's mission. The "The Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation" (WHINSEC) was created for the post Cold War period. A bill to abolish the school with 123 co-sponsors was introduced to the House Armed Services Committee in 2005.[6]

The SOA has been accused of training members of governments guilty of serious human rights abuses and of advocating techniques that violate accepted international standards, particularly the Geneva Conventions. Graduates of the SOA include men such as Hugo Banzer Suárez, Leopoldo Galtieri, Manuel Noriega, Efraín Ríos Montt, Vladimiro Montesinos, Guillermo Rodríguez, Omar Torrijos, Roberto Viola, Roberto D'Aubuisson, Victor Escobar and Juan Velasco Alvarado.[7] [citation needed] Because many of its students have been associated with death squads, and coups in Latin American countries, the school's acronym is reparsed by its detractors as the "School of the Assassins".

WHINSEC in recent years has put into place a vetting system aimed as preventing human rights abusers from gaining a seat at the school. This system prevents any student from having a seat at the school if there are human rights abuse accusations against them or against any unit they were a member.

There is alleged to be an instance of an accused human rights abuser still attending the Institute. In 1992 the OAS Inter-American Commission on Human Rights recommended prosecution of Col. Cid Diaz for murder associate with the 1983 Las Hojas massacre. His name is on a State Department list of gross human rights abusers. Diaz went to the Institute in 2003. [7] [8]

Training Manuals

See also: U.S. Army and CIA interrogation manuals

On September 20, 1996, the Pentagon released seven training manuals prepared by the U.S. military and used between 1987 and 1991 in Latin America and at the U.S. Army School of the Americas (SOA). These particular manuals are similar to lesson plans used by the school as far back as 1982 [9] and similar to those of Project X and KUBARK. According to Lisa Haugaard of School of the Americas Watch, these manuals taught repressive techniques and promoted the violation of human rights throughout Latin America and around the globe.[8] The manuals contain instructions in motivation by fear, bounties for enemy dead, false imprisonment, torture, execution, and kidnapping a target's family members. Joseph Kennedy said "These manuals taught tactics that come right out of a Soviet gulag and have no place in civilized society." The Pentagon admitted that these manuals were a "mistake"[9]

Demonstrations

There is usually a demonstration at the main entrance to Ft. Benning in late November each year. In 2005, the demonstration drew 19,000 people.[10] The date for the annual demonstration commemorates a November 16, 1989 Latin American massacre linked to the SOA. Six Salvadoran Jesuit priests, their housekeeper, and her teenage daughter were murdered at the University of Central America (UCA). Of the 27 soldiers cited for that massacre by a 1993 United Nations Truth Commission, 19 were SOA graduates. People attend to honor victims of SOA graduates – as well as their survivors – with music, words, educational workshops, puppets and theatre. The vigil and memorial service concludes with a mock funeral procession. Estimates for the 2004 vigil attendance was 16,000.

Ft. Benning each year hosts an "Open House" program. The school has an "Open Door" policy in which citizens can contact the school[11] and arrange for a tour of the school, sit in on classes if in session, and ask questions. The Open House arranges for groups of citizens to be allowed into the school for a tour and to participate in a panel discussion.

Participation

In 2004, Venezuela ceased all training of Venezuelan soldiers at the School of the Americas. The School of the Americas closed 4 years earlier.[12] On March 28, 2006, the government of Argentina, headed by President Nestor Kirchner, decided to stop sending soldiers to train at the School of the Americas, and the government of Uruguay affirmed that it will continue its current policy of not sending soldiers to WHINSEC.[13][14] In 2007, Oscar Arias, president of Costa Rica, decided to stop sending Costa Rican police to the WHINSEC. Costa Rica has no military, but had sent some 2,600 police officers to the school.[15]

SOA Watch

Main article: School of the Americas Watch

Citing the call of slain Archbishop Óscar Romero, that "we who have a voice must speak for the voiceless", Maryknoll Fr. Roy Bourgeois and a small group of supporters formed School of the Americas Watch in 1990.[16][17] Each year protesters are arrested and prosecuted for acts of civil disobedience to create more awareness for the School of the Americas Watch.

Notable graduates of The School Of The Americas

Sources

  1. ^ Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation. "A Welcome from the Commandant". {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  2. ^ George Davies, ‘I’ll take the CIA torture suite’, The First Post, dated August 16, 2006, accessed August 14, 2006.
  3. ^ Center for Media and Democracy. "School of the Americas changes its name". {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  4. ^ https://www.benning.army.mil/WHINSEC/democracy.asp?id=95
  5. ^ Center for International Policy. "Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation". {{cite web}}: |author= has generic name (help); Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  6. ^ The Library of Congress. "H.R.1217". {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  7. ^ School of the Americas Watch. "Notorious Graduates". {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  8. ^ Lisa Haugaard. "US Training Manuals Declassified". {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  9. ^ "Unmatched Power, Unmet Principles: The Human Rights Dimensions of US Training of Foreign Military and Police Forces 2002 Report of Amnesty International USA (Amnesty International USA)" (PDF). Amnesty International. 2002. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
    *"Pentagon Investigation Concludes that Techniques in SOA manuals were 'mistakes.'". SOA Watch. February 21, 1997. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  10. ^ Haskey, Mike (2005). "41 arrested protesting army school in GA". USA Today. {{cite journal}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  11. ^ https://www.benning.army.mil/WHINSEC/about.asp?id=155
  12. ^ School of the Americas Watch. "National Venezuela Solidarity Conference". {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  13. ^ School of the Americas Watch. "Argentina & Uruguay abandon SOA!". {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  14. ^ School of the Americas Watch. "¡No Más! No More!". {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  15. ^ School of the Americas Watch. "Costa Rica to Cease Police Training at the SOA/WHINSEC". {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  16. ^ School of the Americas Watch. "About SOA Watch". {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  17. ^ Paul Mulshine. "The War in Central America Continues". {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessdaymonth= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  18. ^ National Lawyers Guild Calls for Immediate Extradition of Luis Posada to Venezuela, NLG press release, April 20, 2005. Accessed 24 February 2007.

Further reading

See also

External links

Official government websites

Other websites

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