HomeMy WebLinkAboutRES-2018-082 Resolution in support of campaign to make NC a no torture state RES - 201 & 082
ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF
CAMPAIGN TO MAKE NORTH CAROLINA A NO -TORTURE STATE
WHEREAS, the non - governmental North Carolina Commission of Inquiry on Torture ( NCCIT,
www . nccit . org ) was established to examine the role of North Carolina in the United States' secret ,
global torture program launched soon after September 111 2001 ; and
WHEREAS , the volunteer led NCCIT has conducted an inquiry into the use of public airports by the CIA
to facilitate torture and learned that Aero Contractors , a CIA affiliated company, transported at least
49 people for torture , many of them innocent of any terrorist ties ; and
WHEREAS, Aero Contractors is headquartered at the Johnston County Airport in Smithfield , NC , and
also used the state - run Global TransPark in Kinston for "torture taxi " flights ; and
WHEREAS, North Carolina residents have been calling since 2005 for investigation of Aero Contractors ,
and support has come from people of faith , veterans, elected officials , civic groups, labor, various
political parties, and members of different racial and ethnic groups ; and
WHEREAS . 10 NCCIT Commissioners — a diverse , blue - ribbon panel of distinguished individuals — heard
testimony from 20 witnesses ( survivors, journalists , human rights experts ) on November 30 and
December 1 , 2017 , in Raleigh ; and
WHEREAS, Governor Roy Cooper and Attorney General Josh Stein are expected to respond to the 84 -
page NCCIT Report ( NCTortureReport . org ) since its release on September 27 , 20182 and
WHEREAS, the Orange County Board of Commissioners adopted the RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF THE
NORTH CAROLINA COMMISSION OF INQUIRY ON TORTURE ( RES - 201 & 08 ) in December 2016 ;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED , that we , the Orange County Board of Commissioners , do hereby
urge Governor Cooper and Attorney General Stein to hold private contractors such as Aero Contractors
accountable for involvement in the torture program ; to enforce state , federal , and international law;
and to stop hosting Aero at public airports to prevent North Carolina from being the home to "torture
taxis . "
This the 18th day of December 2018 .
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;a Penny Rich , Chair
Orange County Board of Commissioners