Bradley Manning nominated for Nobel Peace Prize by Oklahoma Center for Conscience and Peace Research

JMB 02/09/2012 Uncategorized Bradley Manning, Nobel Peace Prize, oklahoma, US Army No Comments

Accused whistleblower deserves the prize for casting light on war crimes committed in Iraq, nomination states

The Oklahoma Center for Conscience and Peace Research (OCCPR) announced on Tuesday that it has nominated US Army Private First Class Bradley Manning for the Nobel Peace Prize.

In its nomination, OCCPR stated that it chose Bradley Manning because of his alleged role in leaking documents and other evidence of war crimes, corruption and lies related to the US wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, including the notorious “collateral murder” video (downloadable online at www.collateralmurder.org) which US forces firing on unarmed Iraqi civilians, members of the press and children.

“Bradley Manning should have received full whistle-blower protections for his actions but instead has served 19 months in prison without a trial, including 10 months spent in solitary confinement,” said James M. Branum, OCCPR Legal Director.

“We understand that PFC Manning will be placed on a military show-trial, where his guilt will be determined by a ‘jury’ hand-picked by the very command that is accusing him. We have no doubt that, absent international pressure, PFC Manning will be found guilty and sentenced to life in prison or possibly even given the death penalty, without a hint of justice applied in his case. We have made this nomination in the hopes that it might lead to renewed attention and concern given to his plight.”

OCCPR has exhibited its support for Manning since news of his arrest was first announced, holding a number of rallies and advocacy events on his behalf. “Because Bradley is an Oklahoma native, we feel a special responsibility to show that there are Oklahomans who support him, seek his freedom and will continue to work for his cause,” said Rena Guay OCCPR Executive Director. “We have spoken to media from around the world about our interest in the Manning case, because the whole world is watching what the United States will do to someone who they believe has exposed secrets about war crimes, diplomatic doublespeak and policy hypocrisy.”

OCCPR was founded in 2004 and works to increase understanding of conscientious objection and resistance to war. Its founders include religious and veteran groups; its fiscal sponsor is Joy Mennonite Church of Oklahoma City.

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Reprinted from Oklahoma Center for Conscience and Peace Research.

The Trials of Bradley Manning, A Defense

jamesnimmo 02/10/2011 Politics Bradley Manning, war, wikileaks No Comments

Tomgram: Chase Madar, The Trials of Bradley Manning, A Defense

clip The Obama administration came into office proclaiming "sunshine" policies. When some of the U.S. government's dirty laundry was laid out in the bright light of day by WikiLeaks, however, its officials responded in a knee-jerk, punitive manner in the case of Bradley Manning, now in extreme isolation in a Marine brig in Quantico, Virginia. The urge of the Obama administration and the U.S. military to break his will, to crush him, is unsettling, to say the least. Whatever happens to Julian Assange or WikiLeaks, Washington is clearly intent on destroying this young Army private and then putting him away until hell freezes over.

It should not be this way.

This is an excerpt of an article originally published by Oklahoma Citizen.

Strong show of support for Bradley Manning at noontime demo

Blaiz 01/14/2011 Activism & awareness, Politics accountability, Bradley Manning, government, oklahoma, Rights and Freedoms, US Military, wikileaks No Comments

Album of photos from event. Background info.

Twenty-five activists came out in the cold to help educate the passers-by about Oklahoma native Bradley Manning. with t-shirts, signs, palm cards and newspapers, the message was "Free Bradley Manning" and "Blowing the whistle on war crimes is not a crime."

For info on future actions on this issue, watch this space, or contact Oklahoma Center for Conscience, the OKC Peace House or OU's Undercurrent.

This is an excerpt of an article originally published by Oklahoma Citizen.

Rally Friday 1/14 to show Oklahoma support for Bradley Manning

Blaiz 01/12/2011 Activism & awareness Bradley Manning, event, oklahoma, Oklahoma City, Rights and Freedoms, wikileaks No Comments

Oklahoma native Manning has been in solitary confinement for seven months, pre-trial, in violation of UCMJ – the Uniform Code of Military Justice

OKLAHOMA CITY - On Friday, January 14, from Noon to 1 pm, supporters of Bradley Manning will hold a rally at the corner of N. 23rd St. and Broadway. The purpose of the event is to bring attention to the horrific conditions in which the Army private from Oklahoma is being held as he awaits trial on charges that he leaked classified documents to Wikileaks.org.

The rally is sponsored by the Oklahoma Center for Conscience, the Peace House, and a group of OU students who publish an independent newspaper called The Undercurrent. Brandon Wade, an event organizer, said that participants will be gathering “to show our support for an Oklahoma native being held under such terrible conditions that the U.N.'s top official on torture is launching an investigation.”

“Article 13 in the Uniform Code of Military Justice specifically states that “punishment [is] prohibited before trial” and we are demanding that the Army follow its own rules in this case,” Wade added.

According to the Bradley Manning Support Network, Manning is charged so far with three counts of unlawfully transferring confidential material to a non-secure computer, i.e. leaking state secrets. Manning faces up to 52 years if convicted of these crimes and it is likely that he will be charged with additional offenses.

OCC has previously organized two rallies in support of Manning, including one at the state Capitol, at which excerpts of the so-called “Collateral Murder” video were shown. The video was one of the first items among the documents Manning is charged with leaking, that was released by Wikileaks. It shows U.S. servicemembers in an air-to-ground attack gunning down individuals who turned out to be unarmed civilians and journalists on a street in Baghdad in July, 2007.

Local supporters have also joined a global campaign to send letters and cards to Manning as he sits in solitary confinement at Quantico, VA. The letter-writing campaign is a project of Courage to Resist.

Other support activities in Oklahoma include The Undercurrent’s educational campaign at OU including distribution of t-shirts printed with photos from “Collateral Damage” and a call to “Free Bradley.”

“We will continue to follow Bradley Manning’s imprisonment and trial, and hold events in response as we see necessary,” said Rena Guay, OCC’s Executive Director. Our group’s mission is to raise awareness regarding the relationship between war and matters of conscience and we see Bradley as a hero in exposing war crimes, if in fact he did what he has been charged with. We would like to see the perpetrators of those crimes held to the same account as Bradley is being held in allegedly revealing them.”

UCMJ Article 13 - PUNISHMENT PROHIBITED BEFORE TRIAL: “No person, while being held for trial, may be subjected to punishment or penalty other than arrest or confinement upon the charges pending against him, nor shall the arrest or confinement imposed upon him be any more rigorous than the circumstances required to insure his presence, but he may be subjected to minor punishment during that period for infractions of discipline.”