[Imc-newsroom] MY ACCOUNT F.Y.I.

[Jyoti Asha Bhatt]

Hi U-C IMC,

I'm the girl/Oberlin College student/student activist involved in a 
recent action in Columbus, OH (Senator DeWine's office) who wrote in 
earlier today about the Ohio Ten.  We were the ones who asked for a 
face-to-face meeting anytime, any place with Senator DeWine over his 
positions on Plan Colombia and the SOA.  For staying after office hours 
(which weren't posted anywhere), we were thrown in jail.  

Here (below)'s the account of what happened.  

Our trial begins this Tuesday, July 9th.  The charges slapped on us 
were "Criminal Trespass" (Misdemeanor 4th Degree) and "Resisting 
Arrest" (M2).  We're hoping they'll be dropped, b/c the real specious 
and esp. problematic deal is that our OWGLA (Ohio Working Group on 
Latin America) has been denied a face-to-face with DeWine for over two 
years.

PLEASE INCLUDE THIS ON IMC (+ the Press Advisory I sent previously).  
THANKS SO MUCH!

I apologize that this one is unformatted as I am having problems 
attaching docs. on my computer.

Respectfully,
Jyo
^*^
Influenced by the long-standing efforts of OWGLA to speak with DeWine 
about
US foreign policy in Colombia, six Oberlin students and four Ohioans
decided on Tuesday April 30th, 2002 that enough was enough.  As
responsible, concerned constituents, we wanted a meeting with our 
senator.
Seven of our ten are eyewitnesses to the destructive, disastrous 
effects of
Plan Colombia on the peoples and environment of Colombia.  Where does 
the
Senator DeWine come in?  He was one of the main orchestrators of this
initiative during the Clinton Administration, and now furthers US 
military
"aid" to Colombia to the tune of millions in tax-payer dollars.

Upon our arrival at Senator DeWine's Columbus office at around 4:15PM, 
we
found on the sidewalk in front of his office a rally on human rights and
environmental issues surrounding Plan Colombia and the School of the
Americas.  Represented here was Dalia Mina Valencia, (a Colombian woman 
who
is on a speaking tour of the US with Witness for Peace to address 
Colombian
issues), Ryan Calkins and Kathy Baldoni (Witness for Peace staff and
organizers), Margaret Knapke (OWGLA--Ohio Working Group on Latin America
coordinator), Chester Chambers (member of our group), Father Roy (head 
of
SOA--School of the Americas Watch, speaker at the April 30 rally), and
thirty some odd other concerned citizens.  After ten or so minutes, I 
split
off in a group of three, which was later joined by a group of seven, to
make our way to the Senator's office for an appointment with Scott 
Corbin,
one of his Columbus aides.  We--Paula and John Ewers of Dayton, Vincent
Ramos of Columbus, Anita Sanchez of Groveport, and Jacqueline Downing,
Sarah Saunders, Anna Hendricks, Kathleen Berrigan, Jyoti Bhatt and John
Durkalski of Oberlin College--proceeded into the building, accompanied 
by
Chet Chambers.

We were asked by a secretary to wait in DeWine's lobby, where 
incidentally,
we were able to catch some congressional action on C-SPAN; ironically, 
the
topic being discussed was the Andean Policy.  After some time, Scott 
Corbin
met with our two spokepeople, Jackie Downing and John Ewers.  From what 
I
could see through the glass of the room in which they were meeting, Mr.
Corbin grew increasingly uncomfortable, which was represented by his not
infrequently employing a hankerchief to wipe the sweat from his face.  
From
what I was able to hear, he was slightly bombastic and interruptive to 
the
concerns put forth by Jackie and Mr. Ewers both on Colombia and on 
OWLGA's
dismissed attempts for a meeting with Sen. DeWine.

When the two of our group stepped into the lobby where the rest of us 
were
waiting, they told us that Mr. Corbin had agreed to go into another room
and attempt to phone the senator for the purpose of giving him the 
message
that we desired a face-to-face meeting any time, any place.  Whether or 
not
Mr. Corbin actually kept to his agreement is for all intents and 
purposes
unknown.  When he emerged from his separate room, he told us it would be
quite impossible to meet with Senator DeWine; he also gave me personally
the strong impression and later in so many words that it was too bad we
disagreed with congressional policies, but there was nothing that could
actually be done for us as constituents.

At that point, I felt democracy going astray.  If we cannot express 
dissent
and strive for change, we as American citizens are powerless.

Five o'clock rolls around and we still have no assurance of a meeting.  
It
is closing time and a few of us remember aloud to each other how a 
meeting
with Senator DeWine on Plan Colombia has been speciously denied for 
upwards
of two years now.  We observe the two secretaries present becoming 
nervous,
and I feel bad for them as we certainly did not intend or wish our 
presence
to influence any adverse effect.  Perhaps they realized that what we 
wanted
in theory should be granted, but in reality would be denied even after
persistent struggle.

At this point, we were asked by Mr. Corbin to leave, and at different
points we spoke up to communicate once again that our objective had been
obstructed from achieving success; and thus after repeated faxes, phone
calls, letters and visits to DeWine offices for over two years, our
business was incomplete.  At this point, Mr. Corbin called in a security
person, who also told us to leave the premises.  After again politely 
but
firmly refusing, they called in the Columbus police who hauled us off
(literally) to the Franklin County Correctional Center (jail), where we
spent two days and barely emerged with due process after noting much
beaurocracy and disorganization.

After arraigments/pre-trial and both individual and group court dates, 
we
finally were recognized as a group for participating in a group action
(were consolidated) with the assistance of attorney William Owen.  At 
this
point, we can only hope for justice before a jury of our peers on July 
9th.
Our plea is not guilty and our objective is to communicate to the 
public on
three counts: Senator DeWine is not someone to be supported with votes 
or
moneys, Latin American issues have come to a head and demand our 
attention
as US citizens, and the meanings of justice are worth reviewing and
actualizing.

That's all.

*******

--Jyoti Asha Bhatt




----- End forwarded message -----



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