Fresno peace group infiltrated by government agent

By MIKE RHODES

Peace Fresno was infiltrated by an agent working for the Fresno Sheriffs Department. Aaron Kilner, known by Peace Fresno activists as Aaron Stokes, attended several Peace Fresno meetings. Peace Fresno activist Nicholas DeGraff remembers him taking voluminous notes, and several members say they saw him at peace vigils held at Shaw and Blackstone. He was also on the bus local anti-globalization activists took to attend the WTO ministerial-level conference on Agricultural Science and Technology demonstration in Sacramento in June 2003.

Aaron Kilner died in a motorcycle accident on August 30, 2003. His Fresno Bee obituary identified him as a member of the Fresno County Sheriffs department assigned to the anti-terrorist team. Local activists believe this team is, in fact, the recently-formed Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF). When Peace Fresno members saw Kilner’s picture and read of his association with law enforcement they began piecing the story together.

The infiltration by law enforcement of Fresno’s progressive community groups, and throughout the country, has long been used to disrupt legitimate political work by sowing seeds of mistrust among members, promoting discord and sometimes encouraging illegal or violent actions. Agent provocateurs have been known to instigate violence at demonstrations, giving the police an excuse to attack protesters.

During the 1980's Fresno’s Latin American Support Committee (LASC), which worked to end U.S. intervention in Central America, was repeatedly harassed by undercover government agents who approached individual members and asked them to engage in illegal and violent activities. The local police and the FBI spent years investigating and harassing LASC without uncovering any illegal activities.

Ken Hudson, long-time Peace Fresno activist, said that Kilner played a very quiet role in the group. Other Peace Fresno activists also remembered him as being quiet and added that he did not actively engage in political, tactical, or other discussions while attending the meetings.

According to the California Constitution, law enforcement does not have the right to investigate and infiltrate groups unless they have a reasonable suspicion of criminal activity. If local law enforcement and the JTTF were using Kilner to investigate Peace Fresno, what else are they up to? Do they have agents imbedded in other community groups? Are they watching what people say at churches and mosques? Because of the Patriot Act, does law enforcement believe they have the right to monitor what you do and say in your home? In your bedroom?

There have been several meetings between law enforcement and groups concerned about civil liberties in the wake of September 11, 2001. One meeting was held with Lt. Pat Farmer of the Fresno Police Department who told this group of community activists that there is nothing to prevent the police or JTTF members from investigating and interrogating community members. He suggested that the person being investigated might not even know he was talking to a police officer. If the person doesn't want to talk with us, they don't have to, Farmer said. At an earlier meeting, immediately after 9-11, an FBI agent told a group of mostly immigrant rights activists that anyone helping a group identified as a terrorist group by the United States government would be investigated as a potential terrorist. That was interpreted to mean that if you are working, for example, to support the Zapatistas in Chiapas, you might be investigated as a supporter of international terrorism. This FBI agent said that every agent in this area was now focusing on stopping the terrorist threat.

Another justification for the local war against terrorism comes from Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer. He told community members that Fresno is a hotbed of terrorist activity and that is why the JTTF has been established in this area. He said that Fresno could have sleeper cells, that they are connected with illegal methamphetamine production to fund terrorist activities, and all of this is somehow related to radical Muslim extremists. While this story may seem far fetched for those who live here, it was good enough to bring in millions of dollars in Federal anti-terrorism funds.

The Fresno Bee printed a story about Peace Fresno’s infiltration in their Friday, October 3 issue ( www.fresnobee.com/local/story/7537174p-8449347c.html ).

The revelation that the Sheriffs department placed an agent in Peace Fresno begs the question of what other groups are being investigated, what has happened to our civil liberties since 9-11, and how will the community respond to this attack against our civil liberties. Some activists and legal experts claim that State Attorney General Bill Lockyer's directive to California law enforcement, telling them not to collect intelligence on religious or political groups without evidence of criminal activity should be the law of the land. But, does State law override the Patriot Act?

A united community defending its civil liberties will be the best defense against future attacks. The goal is to not only to stop these current intrusions of peaceful and nonviolent groups engaged in civic participation but to return the rights that were taken away with the passage of the Patriot Act.

On Sunday, October 5, 2003 Peace Fresno held a press conference and issued a statement: http://sf.indymedia.org/news/2003/10/1650830. For information about Peace Fresno visit www.peacefresno.org

(Edited)

Jewish-Palestinian Living Room Dialogue Group of San Mateo

By LEN and LIBBY TRAUBMAN

Our Mission: We are 30 Jews, Palestinians and supportive others dedicated to meeting monthly in each other's living rooms, hearing one another's stories, practicing compassionate listening, and envisioning our shared future. In Dialogue, we promote a model for healing, creativity, and cooperation for Palestinians and Jews in Israel and Palestine, and for other peoples worldwide.

Our Vision: Palestinians and Israelis live side by side, in cooperation and friendship, in an ever-improving Middle East and at the heart of a growing partnership between Jews and Palestinians worldwide.

Our Understanding:

1. All of our stories and experiences are valid and valued.

2. An enemy is someone whose story we have not heard.

3. The vast majority of Palestinians and Jews want a peaceful resolution of the conflict between them.

4. Jews and Palestinians are cousins, sharing ancestry, values, and a common future.

5. We continue to work for healing and collaboration among our peoples by conducting Dialogue and building relationships with each other. Dialogue is neither discussion nor debate. It begins with hearing each other's stories in an atmosphere of respect and compassion.

6. Palestinians and Israelis have a right to equal dignity, self-determination, peace, and security. Two side-by-side, safe, autonomous, cooperating states are a key to this goal.

7. Blame, hatred and violence perpetuate themselves and do not lead to peace.

8.  Relationship-building leads to lasting peace.

9.  The methods our political leaders have undertaken to address our conflict are, by themselves, failing to lead us to peace.

10. Agreements between nations, made without the support of citizens, have never been successful. Therefore, citizens must be included in the creation of any such agreement, and the agreement must reflect and respect the will of each nation's citizens as well as that of each nation's political leaders.

11. We look to the U.N., U.S., and other nations to put forth their full efforts to encourage, compel, and assist in a successful public peace process that engages ordinary citizens in constructive Dialogue and leads to the fulfillment of our vision.

12. We look to our fellow Jews, Palestinians and supportive others to become peacemakers, engage in compassionate, constructive Dialogue, and work toward the fulfillment of our vision.

Our Story: The Jewish-Palestinian Living Room Dialogue Group of San Mateo was formed as a creative citizen response to a long, agonizing conflict between Israelis and Palestinians in the Middle East.

In May 1991, a small team of Palestinian and Israeli citizen-leaders came from the Middle East to a week-long conference in the California redwoods. These women and men forged and signed a historic document, “Framework for a Public Peace Process,” [www.globalcommunity.org/cgactiv/cgsocact/cgpastac/ipi.htm] calling for concerned citizens of both communities to join in Dialogue. It prescribed an invigorated peace process that would succeed where governments alone had failed, by including and empowering those who would benefit the most--ordinary citizens.

In July 1992, conference hosts recruited Jews and Palestinians willing to come together, share their stories and begin building bridges of understanding. The Jewish-Palestinian Living Room Dialogue Group was born. The first meetings revealed both peoples' genuine pain, struggles, and fears. The gatherings also began to reveal a sense of shared hope and even community. Over many meetings, compassionate listening helped to transform suspicion into friendship, antagonism into understanding, and conflict into cooperation.

Ten years of sustained Dialogue have demonstrated the success of Palestinians, Jews and others working as a team toward a shared future. We have grown to 30 participants and have helped launch many similar Dialogue groups locally and across North America. By proving and communicating the effectiveness of Dialogue in conflict resolution and community building, these groups are setting the stage for Dialogue and peacemaking in the Middle East. We have initiated dozens of educational activities and projects benefiting both peoples — always equally. With the understanding that "people become the stories they hear and the stories they tell," we have told our story extensively through local, national, and international media. This success story has enabled us to work increasingly with government and civil society to make Dialogue integral to the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. Through ongoing meetings, education, publicity, and individual political expression, we continue to advance Dialogue as a powerful and essential force in ending alienation and creating genuine community and peace.

ACTION: Contact the group at 1448 Cedarwood Drive, San Mateo, CA 94403 Voice: (650) 574-8303 -- Fax: (650) 573-1217 Web: http://traubman.igc.org/, Email: LTRAUBMAN@igc.org

Remember Chile 9/11; Stop the SOA!

Thirty years ago, the U.S. government orchestrated one of the bloodiest coups in Latin America. On Sept. 11, 1973, General Pinochet ousted Salvador Allende’s democratically elected government in Chile. Tens of thousands of Chileans were killed that day, largely the work of School of the Americas (SOA) graduates. Ten of Pinochet's high-ranking officials were SOA graduates. Although the dictator himself was not an SOA graduate, his influence is clearly held in high esteem. In 1991, visitors could view a note from Pinochet, and a ceremonial sword he donated, on display in the office of the school’s commandant.

Join thousands at the gates of Fort Benning, Georgia from November 21 - 23, 2003 to commemorate all victims of terror and demand an end to impunity. Stand up for justice and against the double standard in the "War on Terrorism" — organize to close the SOA (renamed Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation).

For a schedule of events, to read what will happen at the rally at the base gates on Saturday, Nov. 22, 2003, and what the scenario for the nonviolent direct action on Sunday, Nov. 23, 2003 will look like, visit www.soaw.org/new/article.php?id=418. 

Information regarding:

Transportation: www.soaw.org/new/article.php?id=427
Housing: www.soaw.org/new/article.php?id=399
Outreach material: www.soaw.org/new/article.php?id=662

Mumia and Sherman: “Cases of Reasonable Doubt?” — Film showing, teach-in, letter writing

Mumia Abu-Jamal - "A Case for Reasonable Doubt?" an hour-long film, will be shown on Friday, November 7th at the Modesto Peace/Life Center, 6:30 p.m. The film looks at both sides regarding what really happened that night in 1981, and at who can be believed. We will write letters to Mumia, and to Sherman if you wish.

Mumia Abu-Jamal, award-winning Pennsylvania journalist, exposed police violence against minority communities. On death row since 1982, many believe he was wrongfully sentenced for the 1981 shooting of a police officer. New evidence, including key eyewitness claiming that they were bribed or threatened by police, new ballistic and forensic evidence, and a confession from Arnold Beverly, claiming responsibility for the killing, points to his innocence and a need for a re-trail.

Teach-In about Sherman Austin — one year for one web link?:

Sherman Austin was a active participant in the southern California anarchist scene, helping run the website, raisethefist.com, working at Food Not Bombs, and at an information center. In 2002, his house was raided, and all his computer equipment was taken by local police and law enforcement agents. Then began a campaign of intimidation and repression against Sherman, his friends and loved ones, and local activists. Sherman had his phone and computer tapped, he was attacked while on his bike by police, and was threatened by law enforcement.

The FBI lacked any real evidence against Sherman, but took him to court for linking another site on his raisethefist.com website, the "reclaim guide", which had links to explosive making. Sherman was charged with distribution of explosives information. The reclaim guide’s author was never harassed, but Sherman received one year in jail. The judge told the court that this sentence should be a message to would-be revolutionaries. This is a message that those who try and organize against the established system, will be met with repression, and intimidation.

A Direct Action Anti Authoritarian (DAAA) Production. Sponsored by Food Not Bombs. Contact us at: modanarcho@yahoo.com

RAMADAN 2003: A Statement of Voices in the Wilderness, Pax Christi USA Teachers of Peace, Muslim Peace Fellowship and Fellowship of Reconciliation

We invite individuals and groups from our networks to observe all or part of the month of Ramadan in solidarity with our Muslim sisters and brothers. Ramadan runs from approximately October 26, 2003 to November 23, 2003.

At our request, Umm Haider, presently living in Chicago with members of Voices in the Wilderness, told us of her own experience of Ramadan. Umm Haider and her son, Mostafa are in the US for medical care. On January 25, 1999, a US bomb hit her street, killing her eldest son. Her surviving son, Mostafa, has shrapnel embedded in his backside and a mutilated hand. Many Voices in the Wilderness delegation members have received hospitality at her home in Basra, Iraq:

"Ramadan isn't about how much you eat or drink, it's an examination of the faith inside of your soul. God said that 'your reward depends upon your effort,' and that 'all the other months of the year are for the people, but this one month is for me.' Ramadan is the best month to clean your heart and soul. When you feel hungry you can remember the suffering of the poor, who are usually hungry, and by remembering you can help them always. Ramadan isn't just to forbid you from eating and drinking, it's to forbid you from doing any bad thing. During Ramadan, Islamic activities increase, like praying, reading from the Quran, and helping others. These activities strengthen Islamic relationships because you must join with other Muslims."

"There are a lot of traditional Ramadan habits. Families exchange food with one another for the sunset meal (Iftar); this happened even during the sanctions in Iraq. God rewards those people who feed those who don't have food. We feel that Ramadan is like a religious festival; we buy many kinds of food to serve during this month. We spend the time after Iftar praying and reading from the Quran until midnight. Then we pray and read from the Quran after the predawn meal (Sahur) until sunrise. We never feel tired because we are doing the right thing."

During Ramadan, we want to show a gesture of respect and appreciation for Muslim brothers and sisters and to learn from them. We welcome an opportunity to be in solidarity with Muslims who rely on the month of Ramadan to help inculcate values of simplicity, service, sharing, compassion and mercy. We recognize the need for these virtues in our own lives. We invite you to join us in this effort of solidarity with our Muslim brothers and sisters, as a shared prayer and action for peace that depends on conversion from ways of injustice and reliance on war. A list of suggested ways to share in this effort follows. View complete statement and signers at: www.vitw.org

SUGGESTIONS (edited)

• Find people in your community who want to participate in some way in the Ramadan fast and discern together the extent to which individuals can commit. Some might wish to fast from food and water, from sunup till sundown, for the entire month, as many Muslims do. Others may commit to familiarizing themselves with Ramadan. Still others may choose middle paths, e.g., fasting for one week during the month of Ramadan. The intent is to urge people to grow closer to our Muslim brothers and sisters through whatever gesture of solidarity they can make beginning October 26 and continuing through the following four weeks.

• Visit www.islamicfinder.org to learn where there is a local mosque or masjid. Contact mosque leaders to ask for their assistance in learning more about their observance of Ramadan.

• Plan at least once or twice a week to gather people from your community to break fast after sundown and to use the time to learn more about Middle East.

• Plan at least one action during Ramadan, e.g., a two-day fast from electricity, hosting a film about Iraq or the Middle East, or reaching out to the local media to involve them in some aspect of your Ramadan observance.

• View "A Force More Powerful" to learn more about nonviolent action for change.(PBS documentary, http://www.films.com)

• Keep a diary. Visit the Voices in the Wilderness, www.vitw.org, and share your writing with others.

Support campaign for International Day Against the Wall, November 9th

The International Day Against the Wall, Sunday, November 9th, 2003, coincides with the fall of the Berlin Wall. Decided upon by communities affected by the Wall, events and actions will take place worldwide in solidarity with those in Palestine. The Apartheid Wall’s pace is accelerating daily throughout the West Bank, making momentum and solidarity around the Campaign urgent.

The Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign’s mission is to Stop the Wall . The Campaign calls for:

•  The immediate cessation of the building of the Wall.

• The dismantling of all parts of the Wall and its related zones already built.

• The return of lands ostensibly confiscated for the path of the Wall.

• The compensation of damages and lost income due to the destruction of land and property (this compensation is in addition to, not instead of, restitution of land).

About The Wall

The Wall will annex some 50% of the West Bank, isolating communities into cantons, enclaves and "military zones".

Nearly 16% of West Bank Palestinians will be "outside" the Wall in the annexed areas by Israel and, due to unbearable living conditions — the loss of land, markets, movement and livelihoods —  will be faced with expulsion. This includes over 200,000 residents of East Jerusalem, who will be totally isolated from the rest of the West Bank.

98% of the settler population will be included in the annexed areas.

The Wall’s total length when finished will be some 650 km (400 miles).

Currently, the Wall is being built in the districts of Qalqiliya, Tulkarem, Jenin, Jerusalem, and Bethlehem by some 250 bulldozers while measurements in preparation for the Wall are taking place all over the West Bank.

The Wall costs some 12 million New Israeli Shekels (roughly $2.8 million) per kilometer.

Structure of the Wall

The concrete Wall in Qalqiliya, parts of Tulkarem and East Jerusalem is 8 meters high, twice the height of the Berlin Wall, with armed watchtowers and a "buffer zone" 30-100 meters wide for electric fences, trenches, cameras, sensors, and military patrol.

In other places, the Wall consists of layers of razor wire, military patrol roads, sand paths to trace footprints, ditches, surveillance cameras and in the middle, a three meters high electric fence.

Some communities near the Wall are further closed-off by an "Isolation Barrier," surrounding them on all sides.

The Israeli military has created "gates" in the Wall which do not provide any guarantee for farmers to access their land but instead strengthen Israel’s strangling system of permits and checkpoints where Palestinians are beaten, detained, shot at and humiliated.

Creating Ghettos

The Wall in all of its forms encircles regions with the highest Palestinian population density into three ghettos in the West Bank while Israeli Jewish-only settlements and "by-pass" roads further divide these areas. The isolation from basic services in these areas along with the loss of land, markets, and resources, equates to the inability for communities to sustain themselves adequately and with dignity.

16 villages west of the Wall have been de facto annexed to Israel and 50 villages are separated from their lands. Israel has confiscated 36 groundwater wells. 14 wells are threatened for demolition in the Wall’s "buffer zone".

The Wall is encircling the holy city Jerusalem and the ring of settler colonies around it, furthering the complete isolation of Jerusalem from the West Bank. The Jerusalem district will lose 90% of its land when the Wall is completed.

The Gaza Strip (1.3 million people), one of the most densely populated places on the globe, has been completely surrounded for years by walls and razor wire; an obvious prison for all of its residents.

In total, over 2000 dunums [~ 494 acres] of land have been razed, hundreds of homes demolished, and 35 Palestinians killed in areas close to the Wall construction.