IFCO/Pastors for Peace 2005 Caravan to Cuba

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Caravan at the Mexico Border

2006-07-07T14:14:00.000-05:00

emergency caravan to louisiana and mississippi

2005-09-05T14:59:00.000-05:00

Direct Action to Aid Victims of Hurricane Katrina Now!
Pastors for Peace Organizes Aid Caravan for Louisiana and Mississippi

If you can organize a collection drop off point call: John Waller (718) 810-8426
For donations and other information: IFCO/Pastors voicemail (212) 926-5757
Or email: P4P@igc.org

Pastors for Peace has moved quickly to mobilize a Gulf Coast caravan. We are collecting tons of bottled water, powdered milk, diapers, food and personal hygiene items for southern Louisiana and Mississippi. The aid will be delivered to local community and church groups who are feeding and caring for their neighbors.

We cannot simply stand by and not act in the face of this monstrous disaster. The incompetence and callousness of government officials is unspeakable. We are moved to direct action because the racism and inaction of those who should be caring for ALL the people victimized by Hurricane Katrina have not done so.

The aid is being collected at drop off centers in ten states in the Northeast and Midwest and South. What we need now are volunteers to organize drop off points in those areas. The caravan convoy, made up of busses, box trucks and other vehicles will take a limited number of volunteers in order to maximize space for humanitarian aid.

Urgently needed financial donations for those who want to contribute funds and to offset the fuel costs of this caravan, can be sent to IFCO/Pastors for Peace. 402 W. 145th St. New York, NY 10031. Those wishing to make credit card donations can call IFCO Pastors communications director Lucia Bruno at (347) 423-4330.

Speaking with supporters this week, Rev. Lucius Walker, executive Director of IFCO/Pastors for Peace said "Despite the urgent campaign to free the seized computers bound for disabled Cuban children we must respond to the needs of families hurt by Hurricane Katrina right now".

For more than two decades, Pastors for Peace has delivered humanitarian aid to families in Chiapas, Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador and Cuba. These Friendshipment Caravans have focused on aiding victims of US foreign policy. Today, we extend this work to the domestic frontier. Families on the Gulf coast have been victimized twice over -- by Hurricane Katrina and again by the callous disregard of a system that was responsible for protecting them and did not.

We must do our part to demonstrate the love and concern that exists in communities throughout the US for our brothers and sisters torn apart by this tragedy.

Latest news from the Pastors for Peace team on the road

2005-08-19T07:48:00.001-05:00

PASTORS FOR PEACE UPDATE AND ACTION ALERT: WERE HEADED TO WASHINGTON
AND NOTHING IS GOING TO STOP US!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACTS: IFCO/PASTORS FOR PEACE
IN THE ROAD: FR. LUIS BARRIOS: 646/319-5902 (cellular)
IN NEW YORK: LUCIA BRUNO: 212/926-5757 (office)

Greetings from Beaumont, Texas!
Thursday, August 18, 2005

The Rev. Lucius Walker, IFCO/Pastors for Peace executive director, and
associate director Ellen Bernstein arrived last night in Cuba
accompanying a group of 14 new US students who will enroll in the
Latin American School of Medicine. Walker and Bernstein have been in
Texas the last few weeks working full time in the campaign for the
return of humanitarian aid which was seized from their 16th Pastors
for Peace Friendshipment Caravan on July 21, 2005. While that campaign
continues on the road, they are visiting Cuba for several days because
of the extraordinary importance of the Latin American Medical School
program and the opportunity it offers to reduce health care
disparities in the US. They also will attend the first graduation of
the Latin American School of Medicine, which will include one graduate
from the US.

IFCO/Pastors for Peace plans to continue its campaign for release of
the computers and computer equipment seized by US Customs on the
orders of the US Commerce Department on July 21. They will take the
campaign to Washington next week, to demand release of the aid and
also to inform the US public about the dangers of the stepped-up
aggression and hostility toward Cuba on the part of the Bush
administration and the need to end the blockade.

In the mean time, Fr. Luis Barrios and Bill Hill participated in a
prayer vigil that was organized in Houston, to support Cindys
campaign to stop the war in Iraq, bring the troop back and peace for
the Iraqi people. They also participated in a radio program (Pacifica-
KPFT-News) with Valerie Torres. Alma Cooper one of the caravanistas-
did all these extraordinary arrangements. Next day they did some media
campaign in Houston and also in Beaumont, Texas. Fr. Barrios was
trying to visit Ramón Labañino one of the Cuban Five- however do
to prison security measures this was not possible. However he had
the opportunity to talk to Ramón on the phone and he sent greetings
and love to all of you.

Tomorrow, Friday, August 19, Bill and Luis are travelling to Jackson,
Mississippi. Saturday, August 20 they are planning to arrive to
Birmingham, Alabama, and Sunday, August 21, they are getting together
with Lucius and Ellen in Atlanta, Georgia. Monday, August 22, all of
them are travelling to Washington, D.C. expecting to be there
Wednesday or Thursday. The struggle continues- sí se puede!

Latest news from the Pastors for Peace team on the road

2005-08-19T07:48:00.000-05:00

PASTORS FOR PEACE UPDATE AND ACTION ALERT: WE'RE HEADED TO WASHINGTON!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACTS: IFCO/PASTORS FOR PEACE
IN THE ROAD: FR. LUIS BARRIOS: 646/319-5902 (cellular)
IN NEW YORK: Lucia Bruno 212/926-5757 (office)

Greetings from Dallas, Texas!

Since we headed north from Hidalgo, we have visited Corpus Christi
(where we had three TV interviews), San Antonio (more TV and print
interviews), and Austin, where we had a wonderful hospitality from a
gracious member of our network and did radio interviews for KOOP
community radio.

Over this past weekend, we paid an extended visit to Crawford, Texas,
where George W. Bush has his ranch. We spent a long time making the
decision to go to Crawford. August is not the best month to be doing
outreach to Washington, because Congress is in recess and most elected
officials tend to be in their home offices or on vacation. But the
national media is always present at the "summer White House" in
Crawford; and we wanted to bring national attention to our cause. So
we decided that we would head north toward Crawford, as one of the
first stops on our way to Washington, as part of a longer tour to
raise awareness about our campaign.

One week ago last Sunday, on the night that we had made the decision
to go to Crawford, we learned that Cindy Sheehan had just set up her
anti-war vigil there. This did not change the purpose of our visit,
but it added a new component. We clearly wanted to give support to
the urgent campaign to end the war in Iraq, bring the troops home, and
bring peace to the Iraqi people, which at the moment Cindy and her
late son Casey are symbolizing. We also wanted to draw the
connections with the Cuba issues that are at the center of our
campaign. As you know, we are not only working for the release of the
seized computer aid, and the right to take all our aid to Cuba. We
are also doing everything we can to bring attention to the Bush
administration's stepped-up efforts to crush Cuba. We are talking
about the appointment of a US "administrator" (a la Paul Bremer) for
Cuba's supposed transition to a market economy that can be controlled
by the US. We are sounding the alert about the always-imminent threat
of a US attack or invasion of Cuba. We want to prevent Cuba from
being one of Bush's next targets. As we see it, these issues are all
part of the same Bush agenda of domination and imperialism.

We were pleased to make a key contribution to the Sunday morning
ecumenical service at the "Camp Casey" site where 500 crosses are set
in the ground to represent the more than 1800 US soldiers killed in
Iraq. Revs. Lucius Walker, Luis Barrios, and Diane Baker all took
leadership in the worship service, which was attended by 100 people
and covered by the national media.

We also took part in a fellowship luncheon that reminded us of
Pentecost because of its diversity. Brothers and sisters from Iraq,
who now live in Texas, prepared a delicious lunch of typical Iraqi
foods, which was shared with families of US troops, and veterans, and
clergy, and other supporters.

We want to acknowledge the wonderful work of the Crawford Peace House,
which hosted our caravan on our way to Cuba, and which now has been
the anchor for the ongoing campaign around Cindy Sheehan.

We were pleased and honored to have our yellow schoolbus parked over
the weekend at the Crawford Peace House and Camp Casey. Many, many
people at the vigil and many journalists -- came to talk with us
when they saw the bus, and asked about our campaign. We were
delighted that people were so receptive and so welcoming to us.
Looking at what is going on now in Crawford, we could feel the spirit
of a new movement emerging. We were glad to have the chance to
express our emotional, social, political and spiritual support, and
also to educate people about the interconnections with other issues we
care about.

Now we are in Dallas, networking with local churches and peace and
justice networks, and doing media outreach. Last night we held a
6:30pm vigil in front of Dallas City Hall, along with representatives
of the Dallas Peace Center, Pax Christi, and the homeless veteran
population. Then we had the honor of receiving a two-hour visit from
Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX), former chair of the Congressional
Black Caucus. Rep. Johnson has visited Cuba twice, and pledged to
increase her advocacy for the release of the computers for Cuba.

Our plan from here? WE ARE HEADING TO WASHINGTON! Along the way we
will be visiting more cities in our network, to gather up support for
our campaign. We want to meet with local Pastors for Peace
committees. We also want to do a concerted push for media attention.
And we REALLY need your help with fundraising.

We are planning a visit to Beaumont, Texas, where Ramon Labañino, one
of the five Cubans unjustly imprisoned for defending Cuba against
terrorism, remains in prison. We are celebrating the fact that the
Atlanta appeals court just overturned the convictions of the Five. We
visited the Beaumont prison with the bus dedicated to Ramon when our
caravan was on its way south to Cuba. Now we want to visit again to
draw more attention to the injustice of the long imprisonment of the
Five, and the urgency of bringing the self-confessed terrorist Luis
Posada Carriles to justice.

Over these next few days, there is another important event to report
and to celebrate. On Wednesday, fifteen new students will be joining
the student body of the Latin American School of Medicine. Lucius and
Ellen will be with the students to accompany them and we will have
the honor of being present for the first graduation of the Latin
American School of Medicine. One of the 1500 new doctors in the
graduating class is from the US Cedric Edwards from Slidell, LA.
Cedric will be headed home to prepare his application for a residency
in a US hospital. We will be so proud to attend the graduation
ceremony; and we will also use the time in Cuba to spread the word
about our campaign to free the computers.

While that visit is going on, the Pastors for Peace team will continue
on the road! Fr. Luis Barrios and Bill Hill will be traveling through
Texas, working alongside our supporters from Houston, Texas; Beaumont,
Texas; and Atlanta, Georgia, to get the word out to the media and
build support for the campaign to free the computers. We are
expecting that this coming Sunday all of us (Lucius, Ellen, Bill &
Luis) will be back together in Atlanta; we expect to hold a big
educational event that will include the celebration of the overturning
of the convictions of the Five Cubans.

THEN: WE HEAD FOR WASHINGTON! Like we did in 1996, we plan to get
right in the faces of the people who make policy decisions. We will
be spreading the word, not just about the need to release the
computers, but about the need to end the blockade.

SO WHAT DO WE NEED YOU TO DO (AND DO AGAIN!)?
Hold vigils! Four weeks ago, we started holding Wednesday prayer
vigils on the Hidalgo/Reynosa International Bridge. The effort
quickly grew; last week there were 20 vigils for the release of the
computers held around the US. Today we learned that Wednesday vigils
will also be held in support of Cindy Sheehan's vigil to end the war
in Iraq.

We will continue organizing vigils every Wednesday. We will
incorporate the issue of peace in Iraq, and bringing the US troops
home, in our weekly vigils; and we are requesting that other
organizers include the issue of peace with Cuba, and freeing the
seized humanitarian aid, in new vigils that are being organized.

Get signatures for the pastoral letter and the Cuban American letter.
Our website, www.pastorsforpeace.org , has the link to Petitions On
Line.

Keep making calls to Commerce, Customs, State, and Congress.
Jayson Ahern, Assistant Commissioner of Customs: 202/344-1620
Cuba Desk, State Department: 202/647/9273
Michael Turner, Director of Export Enforcement, Commerce Department:
202/482-1208,ext. 3
Visit your senators' and representative's offices during the August
recess. Show them how much you care about US/Cuba policy!

Help us raise funds to keep this campaign on the road to Washington!
Send your tax-deductible donation to IFCO/Pastors for Peace, 402 W.
145th Street, New York, NY 10031.

THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR CONTINUING SUPPORT! This is an issue that we
can win!

"Una religión que te dice que sólo hay que mirar hacia arriba y que en
la vida terrenal todo es bajeza y ruindad que no debe ser mirado con
atención es la mejor garantía para que tropieces a cada paso y te
rompas los dientes y el alma contra las piedras rotundamente
terrenales". Roque Dalton

"A religion that tells you there's only pie in the sky and all earthly
life is lousy and vicious and that you shouldn't be too concerned is
the best guarantee you'll stumble at every step and break your teeth
and soul against absolutely earthly rocks." Roque Dalton

2005-08-15T12:56:00.000-05:00

Pastors for Peace Participated in a prayer service in Crawford Texas with Cindy Sheehan and her supporters outside the Bush ranch on August 14th.

2005-08-15T12:54:00.000-05:00

Father Luis Barrios embraces Cindy Sheehan in Crawford Texas.

2005-08-15T12:52:00.000-05:00

Pastors for Peace Stopped in Crawford Texas on August 15th to Support Cindy Sheehan in her vigil outside the Bush ranch.

2005-08-15T12:49:00.000-05:00

Hidalgo Vigil August 3, 2005

2005-08-15T12:47:00.000-05:00

Hidalgo Vigil

Latest news from the Pastors for Peace team on the road

2005-08-13T14:56:00.000-05:00

Greetings and best wishes to all the Pastors for Peace network, from the team that is on the road from Hidalgo to the presidential ranch in Crawford, TX!

This is a somewhat belated note, for reasons you will see as you read further: we have been busy!

It's been suggested to us that we should mount a webcam on our bus, to make our journey more interactive, so that folks in our network can follow along. You should know that the people who are actually here on the road said no to that (and Bill Hill said "NO!!!") But I'll try to give you a flavor of where we are now and what we have been doing:

We are just pulling out of Corpus Christi, TX, after completing emergency infrastructure repairs to a fan belt and a dead cell phone. Bill is driving the Rene bus, which is loaded up with 118 blue-labeled boxes. Ellen is sitting on the bus, with my laptop plugged into the inverter, writing this message and talking on the new cell phone. Luis and Bob are caravanning behind the bus, and also networking by cell phone as they go. Lucius will be back with us tonight, after speaking at a great event in NYC last night. We all have our next stop in San Antonio, then Austin, where we will be doing more media outreach.

Our last couple of days in Hidalgo were very productive and full of good feeling. We held another wonderful weekly vigil on the international bridge on Wednesday afternoon. We opened with prayer and a reading from the 23rd psalm (though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil, for thou art with me...), and then spent a very spirited two hours chanting (contra el bloqueo - si se puede!), and singing, and praying, and passing out flyers all along the international bridge. We were a strong presence with our banners and flyers and song, and we got lots of thumbs-up from passersby. We were joined by representatives of People for Peace and Justice (McAllen), Amigos de Cuba (Reynosa), and a group of university students.

Ellen left the vigil early to attend the monthly meeting of People for Peace and Justice.

Another piece of good news is that the local people from Hidalgo/Reynosa/McAllen have agreed to keep our vigils going even while we are out of town! Several of the organizations, which include Amigos de Cuba, the Centro Fronterizo por los Derechos Humanos (Reynosa), People for Peace and Justice, the Quakers and a variety of church folk, have not worked with each other before but are networking now around our project. This is yet another frequent and important side effect of our work!

We should also note that there is a lot of interest here in the Latin American School of Medicine scholarship program, and that we will be back as soon as time allows to do a local meeting to promote the scholarship offer.

We pulled out of Hidalgo yesterday in the early afternoon, after doing interviews with Univision TV and the Monitor newspaper. Then we drove to Corpus Christi, and had great interviews on three TV news channels, and then we left town! (Or tried to, until that fan belt busted...)

What we are telling everyone along the way is that we have had a great reception in Hidalgo, but we know that the decision about the computers will be made at the White House so that's where we are headed. We will be doing media work in San Antonio and Austin today. We are really looking forward to the time in Crawford. Of course we have also been following the Cindy Sheehan story; we will be honored to be set up camp alongside her anti-war protest when we get to Crawford, and we hear that they are also glad that we will be there.

We have heard that successful vigils were also held in about 20 cities this week across the US. One of them was in New York where over 120 people came to a meeting to hear a report back from some of the New York caravanistas (especially Esperanza and Lucius) as well as returning members of the Venceremos Brigade. The meeting ended with a spirited candlelight walk, chanting slogans against the blockade on the way, to the US mission to the United Nations where a prayer vigil was held.

Look at how the campaign is growing!

What we need you to do is: KEEP CALLING
To the offices in Washington which will be involved in making the decision to release the computers:

Jayson Ahern, Assistant Commissioner of Customs: 202/344-1620

Cuba Desk, State Department: 202/647-9273

Michael Turner, Director of Export Enforcement, Commerce Department: 202/482-1208, ext. 3

And to your congressional representatives and senators. Congress is officially in recess until early September, and you are more likely to find the members of Congress at their home offices than in DC. But talk to the key staff person, whether s/he is located in DC (federal legislative switchboard 202-225-3121) or in the district office. And then call again and again! We need the help of Congress to put serious pressure on the Bush administration. Get your representatives to put pressure on Carlos Gutierrez, the Secretary of Commerce, to demand that the computers be released. Organize a visit to your local Congressional offices if you can.

Pastors for Peace Takes Protest on the Road!

2005-08-09T21:24:00.000-05:00

Pastors for Peace Takes Protest on the Road
Campaign to Free Seized Aid Will Stop in Alice, San Antonio, Austin and Crawford Texas

A STATEMENT FROM IFCO/PASTORS FOR PEACE:

We are announcing a new phase in our strategy to win the release of the humanitarian aid that was seized from our sixteenth Pastors for Peace caravan to Cuba on July 21, 2005. After several weeks in Hidalgo, Texas, we are adding a new component, and will take our protest on the road, to visit a
series of US cities and build additional support for this campaign.

On Thursday July 21st, US Customs and Border Protection officers, acting on instructions from the US Department of Commerce, seized 43 boxes of computer equipment – toner, cables, calculators, modems, keyboards, two printers, and a dozen computers, intended for use by Cuban children with special needs - from our Friendshipment Caravan to Cuba.

Despite an extended search of the almost 140 tons of humanitarian aid, most of the 11-vehicle, 150 member caravan crossed the border and went on to Cuba. However, seven members stayed behind at the US/Mexican border in Hidalgo, Texas to begin the campaign to secure the release of the seized aid, as well as the free passage to Cuba of all the other
computers that we chose to leave behind rather than have them also seized.

In these past few weeks, we have established a strong presence in the McAllen/Hidalgo area. We have made many friends in area churches and community groups, and have been greatly nurtured by their support.

We have received extensive local press coverage. Just about everyone here knows who we are and why we are in town. But it is very clear to us that the decision to free the computers and send them on to Cuba is not going to be made here in Hidalgo.

We were told that the order to seize the computers was given from a very high level of government, as high as the White House. So one of our first stops, as we take our protest on the road, will be Mr. Bush’s backyard.

We will be using the next weeks to do intensive work to deepen and broaden our national base of support, to visit many of the cities which hosted the caravan on its way to Cuba, to do more media outreach, and to develop new educational materials about the mean-spirited nature of US/Cuba policy.

As frustrated as we are about the seizure of the aid, we know that we have been given an important opportunity to further educate the US people about the immorality, illegal and brutality of US policy toward Cuba.

Our first steps will be to travel north from Hidalgo and visit a number of cities in Texas where the Pastors for Peace caravan made stops on its way down to Cuba.

We plan to visit Alice, San Antonio, Austin, Dallas, Houston and other cities. And we are especially looking forward to visiting the ‘summer White House’ at Crawford, Texas. And then our journey will continue, with stops in many cities around the US, until we reach Washington, DC. And we will stay as long as necessary to win the right to send this aid to Cuba.

The US government is biding its time on this issue. They want to stall because they think that the US people will forget or lose interest.

We intend to keep this issue very much alive. We know that power never concedes without a struggle; we intend to keep the pressure on until the aid for Cuba is released.

A continuing presence will be maintained in Hidalgo while the caravan is on the road. Local supporters from the US and Mexico will maintain the weekly vigils on the Hidalgo-Reynosa International Bridge, every Wednesday, 6:00-8:00pm.

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP
Organize a visit to the local office(s) of your congressional representative and senators. Congress is officially in recess until early September, and you are more likely to find the members of Congress at their home offices than in DC. But talk to the key staff person, whether s/he is located in DC (federal legislative switchboard 202-225-3121) or in the district office. And then call again and again!

We need the help of Congress to put serious pressure on the Bush administration. Get your representatives to put pressure on Carlos Gutierrez, the Secretary of Commerce, to demand that the computers be released.

Organize regular vigils in your community outside federal buildings. We already know of vigils being planned in the coming days in Albany, Ashland, Baltimore, Boise, Carbondale, Chicago, Dallas, Duluth, Fresno, Henderson,Indianapolis, Medford, New York, Portland, Sedgwick, Vancouver/Victoria and Yazoo City.

Your vigils and demonstrations increase the visibility of this campaign in your community and in the national media. If you are planning a vigil please let our office know! emailto: cucaravan@igc.org,tel 212-926-5757

Keep making calls to the offices in Washington which will be involved in making the decision to release the computers:

Jayson Ahern, Assistant Commissioner of Customs:
202/344-1620

Cuba Desk, State Department: 202/647-9273

Michael Turner, Director of Export Enforcement,
Commerce Department: 202/482-1208, ext. 3

Contribute Cash. We are involved in a major campaign and our funds are limited. The expenses are considerable and immediate, the need is both urgent and ongoing.

Please- send cash/check donations made out to IFCO at IFCO, 402 W. 145th Street, NY, NY 10031.

- or make an immediate payment by credit card by calling our office on 212-926-5757.

Because IFCO has 501(c)(3) tax status, your donation is deductible to the fullest extent provided by law.

Get signatures for our pastoral letter and our letter to Cuban Americans. If you know of any pastors, or Cuban Americans, who want to support this campaign please let us have their contact details and we will send them a copy of our pastoral letter or our letter to Cuban Americans. Send details to cucaravan@igc.org

More information, including photos and audio clips, is available at www.pastorsforpeace.org

“Our strength comes from prayers, our prayers are connected to actions, and, similar to Jesus, our actions are expressed with radical solidarity. This is our gift to the Cuban people. We, as the people of God recognize that the message is ‘Si se puede’. Since we believe that it is possible, no one and nothing is going to stop this struggle because we are building peace with justice,” said Fr. Luis Barrios, board member of IFCO/Pastors for Peace and full time professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, in New York City.

Pastors for Peace is a project of the Interreligious Foundation for Community Organization (IFCO), an ecumenical agency founded in 1967 to work for racial, social, and economic justice.

Happy 75th Birthday Lucius!

2005-08-08T19:33:00.000-05:00

UN panel concludes trial of Cuban Five unfair

2005-08-03T16:56:00.000-05:00

A U.N. human rights group has concluded that the trial in Miami and subsequent imprisonment of the Cuban Five was unfair.

Available online at http://www.americas.org/item_20571
Originally published by the Miami Herald at http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/
news/world/americas/12136738.htm

Update and Action Alert- August 2, 2005

2005-08-02T21:44:00.000-05:00

UPDATE AND ACTION ALERT FROM HIDALGO 8/2/05

Our caravan has come home from Cuba! We are celebrating a great victory: yesterday afternoon our 16th Friendshipment caravan, after returning from Cuba to Mexico, successfully crossed the International Bridge from Reynosa, MX into Hidalgo, TX. But there is still no word about the release of the computers seized from the caravan's cargo last week.

The campaign to free the computers continues this week, with the added energy of all the caravanistas who have just come home from Cuba.

The energy and motivation of the caravanistas were very high when they returned from Cuba to Tampico, MX, and traveled to the border town of Reynosa, and again as they assembled early Monday morning to prepare for their reverse challenge against the blockade.

As the caravanistas crossed the International Bridge in two school buses, supporters of the caravan in Reynosa accompanied them across the bridge, chanting "Cuba si, bloqueo no!" And supporters and media waited on the US side for their return.

Homeland Security agents spent nearly three hours interrogating caravan participants about the details of their trip and two more hours searching every item of their personal luggage. In their interrogations, the Immigration agents were especially hard on our international participants.

As a part of its reverse challenge of US sanctions against Cuba, the caravan brought back these Cuban items:

Bibles, given as a gift from the Cuban Council of Churches;
copies of the Constitution of the Republic of Cuba;

copies of a book entitled And You Will Be My Witnesses... about evangelization and mission in the Cuban churches; and

copies of a book about Operation Miracle: a project of the Cuban Ministry of Public Health through which Cuban doctors, working free of charge, have restored the sight of thousands of Venezuelans who had gone blind because of cataracts.

In the end, nothing was seized from the caravanistas, and all of them are back home in the US.

Given that the US government was committed to completely stopping us this year, we consider that the return of the caravan was a total victory for us. It is clear that public outrage over the seizure of the computers last week, as well as outrage over the items that were seized from the caravanistas last year (a paper flag on a stick! maracas! plastic honey bears!), forced the US government to back down when we met them at the border.

BUT THE COMPUTERS ARE STILL HERE IN HIDALGO; AND WE ARE STILL COMMITTED TO STAYING UNTIL THE 43 SEIZED BOXES ARE RELEASED AND ALL THE AID IS ABLE TO GO ON TO CUBA.

Several members of our Hidalgo team have had to head home; we are very grateful to them for their great work. Now several of the returning caravanistas are staying on with us in Hidalgo to join the team. And we are going to keep on organizing: national and local outreach, media work, congressional work, and all the rest. We are planning another Wednesday prayer vigil on the Hidalgo/Reynosa International Bridge. We have heard that new cities including Concord, NH, and Duluth and Minneapolis, MN are also planning vigils tomorrow. We call you to join us.

August 2 is the 17th anniversary of the contra attack on the passenger ferry Mission of Peace in Nicaragua in which Rev. Lucius Walker was wounded. August 3 is the 17th anniversary of the founding of our project Pastors for Peace. It is also the 75th birthday of our fearless (and prophetic) leader Rev. Lucius Walker, Jr. We remember the days when Pastors for Peace was new; it was conceived as a special ministry to the victims of US foreign policy. Look how far the project has come since its founding! Surely we have organized 50 caravans by now, to Nicaragua, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Chiapas, and of course to Cuba.

Once an IFCO staff member asked Lucius whether our office would be open on Dr Martin Luther King Day. He responded, "If Dr King were alive, he would want us to be working on his birthday -- and to be doing just the kind of work we do." We ask you to help commemorate this anniversary/birthday in just that way: Let's redouble our efforts and get those computers to Cuba! Here's how you can help:"

Hold a vigil in your community to call for release of the seized aid! We are organizing vigils every Wednesday in Hidalgo on the International Bridge; let us know what public events you are planning.

Keep making phone calls to insist that the seized computer equipment be released and that all of the computer equipment in our caravan be allowed to go to Cuba:

PLEASE CALL the Cuba desk at the State Department, 202/647-9273. (They are going through a transition in staff; talk with whoever is available.)

PLEASE CALL Jayson Ahern, assistant commissioner for field operations at Customs, 202/344-1620.

PLEASE KEEP CALLING Michael Turner, director of export enforcement at the Commerce Department, 202/482-1208, ext. 3.

PLEASE KEEP CALLING CONGRESS. CALL YOUR SENATORS AS WELL AS YOUR REP. (Congressional switchboard: 202/225-3121) As you talk with sympathetic offices, let us know the names of the aides you are talking to, so we can put them on our email update list and get them more involved in our campaign! You can send their contact info to ellen bernstein at ellenb@igc.org.

Those of you who want to support this extraordinary and unplanned organizing campaign can also send your donations to IFCO, 402 W. 145th Street, NY, NY 10031.

There is tremendous excitement about this campaign! Thanks for everything you are doing to make it successful.

Pastors for Peace Celebrates Another Victory!

2005-08-01T20:57:00.000-05:00

Please Circulate

MEDIA ADVISORY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – AUGUST 1, 2005
PASTORS FOR PEACE CARAVAN
CELEBRATES SUCCESSFUL RETURN;
CAMPAIGN TO SEND SEIZED COMPUTERS TO CUBA CONTINUES

Pastors for Peace announced a partial victory today when its 16th caravan crossed the International Bridge from Reynosa, MX into Hidalgo, TX after returning from Cuba. But there is still no word about release of the computers seized from the caravan's cargo last week.

The caravanistas' energy and motivation were very high last night when they returned from Cuba to Reynosa, MX, and then assembled this morning for their 'reverse challenge' to the US blockade against Cuba.

As the caravanistas crossed the International Bridge in two school buses, supporters of the caravan in Reynosa accompanied them across the bridge, chanting "Cuba si,bloqueo no!"

Homeland Security officers spent nearly three hours interrogating caravan participants about the details of their trip, and two more hours searching every item of their personal luggage. But in the end,nothing was seized from the caravanistas, and all of them are back home in the US.

"Given that the US government was committed to completely stopping us this year, today really was a total victory for us," said Rev. Lucius Walker, Jr., executive director of IFCO/Pastors for Peace. "It is clear that public outrage over the seizure of the computers last week,as well as the outrage over the items that were seized from us last year, forced the US government to back down when we met them at the border today."

Nearly 140 tons of aid for Cuba crossed the border when the caravan left the US last week. But US Customs agents, acting on orders of the US Commerce Department, seized 43 boxes of aid containing toner cartridges, cables, keyboards, modems, and about a dozen second-hand computers. Another 75 boxes of computer-related aid remain in Hidalgo, TX, along with a small team of caravanistas organizing a growing national campaign to win the release of the seized aid for delivery to Cuba. The campaign to free the computers continues this week, with the added energy of all the caravanistas who have just come home from Cuba.

As a part of its 'reverse challenge' of US sanctions against Cuba, the caravan brought back these Cuban items:

--Bibles, given as a gift from the Cuban Council of Churches;

--copies of the Cuban constitution;

--copies of a book entitled And You Will Be My Witnesses about evangelization and mission in the Cuban churches; and

--copies of a book about Operation Miracle: a project of the Cuban Ministry of Public Health through which Cuban doctors, working free of charge, have restored the sight of thousands of Venezuelans who had gone blind because of cataracts.

"This trip to Cuba had tremendous significance," said Rev.Thomas Smith, president of the board of directors of IFCO/Pastors for Peace and pastor of the Monumental Baptist church in Pittsburgh, PA. "Every time we visit Cuba we're breaking the information blockade."

As a matter of moral principle, Pastors for Peace refuses to request or accept a license from the US government to travel to Cuba or to deliver humanitarian aid to that island nation.

"Cuba is not our enemy, and Cuba is not a threat. We refuse to be complicit with the aim of the Bush administration to force Cuba into adopting a so-called 'free-market' economy that would be dominated by US interests," said Rev. Walker.

Pastors for Peace is a project of the Interreligious Foundation for Community Organization (IFCO), an ecumenical agency based in Harlem, NYC, which has been working for social and economic justice since 1967.

2005-08-01T16:33:00.000-05:00

As we moved on to the International Bridge in Reynosa, we were not sure what to expect.

2005-08-01T16:30:00.000-05:00

Spirits were high as we approached the border!

2005-08-01T16:21:00.000-05:00

Customs officials received the Caravan when we crossed the border into the US.

2005-08-01T16:14:00.000-05:00

Waiting to pass through customs.

One More Victory For Pastors for Peace!

2005-08-01T14:48:00.000-05:00

We have broken the blockade one more time! After three hours, all of the Caravanistas have passed through Customs and are on their way home! Nothing was seized! More details will be posted soon.

UPDATE FROM THE BORDER 1:15 PM EDT

2005-08-01T12:22:00.000-05:00

UPDATE FROM THE BORDER

Details are still limited because cell phone use is prohibited in the Customs area.

The Caravan reached the Hidalgo-Reynosa border over two hours ago. They were received by a large number of border officials who escorted them into the customs building, where they are currently being questioned by customs officials. Many are being asked for social security numbers and other personal information.

Reports from family members who were able to briefly speak with loved ones, indicate that Caravanistas who were not born in the US are being questioned in much more detail.

The busses filled with their luggage were directed into a holding area. It appears that after all of the individuals are processed, Customs officials will begin the process of searching luggage. But we don't know that for sure.

We will post more information as soon as we get it. Stay tuned...

Pastors Face Major Battle on Return From Cuba

2005-07-31T18:48:00.000-05:00

MEDIA ADVISORY FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- JULY 31, 2005

CONTACTS: IFCO/PASTORS FOR PEACE

IN HIDALGO, TX:
Ellen Bernstein 646/319-5902, 646/319-5904, 917/623-5873
IN NEW YORK:
Lucia Bruno 212/926-5757 (office)

MAJOR BATTLE FACES PASTORS FOR PEACE CARAVAN ON RETURN FROM CUBA
Participants face US reprisals and possible arrests for challenging ban on travel to Cuba

WHERE: HIDALGO/REYNOSA INTERNATIONAL BRIDGE, AT THE TX/MX BORDER
WHEN: MONDAY AUGUST 1, STARTING AT 9:30am

130 US residents are bracing themselves to face US enforcement agents -- even the possibility of arrests -when they return from Cuba and re-enter the US with the 16th Pastors for Peace Friendshipment Caravan. They will be crossing the International Bridge from Reynosa, Mexico into Hidalgo,Texas and will re-enter the US at about 9:30am on August 1.

"We have heard that an order was given from a very high level of the Bush administration to stop Pastors for Peace this year," said Rev. Lucius Walker, executive director of IFCO/Pastors for Peace, from Hidalgo. "Given the pathological obsession of the Bush administration with anything that has to do with Cuba, and given their over-reaction to our caravan on its way to Cuba, we must expect an even greater challenge from them on the way back."

When last year's caravan came home, there were more federal agents on hand to meet them at the Hidalgo border than there were caravanistas. The enforcement agents were from Immigration, Customs, OFAC [the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the Treasury Department], Border Patrol, and Treasury. They interrogated every caravan participant, searched every single piece of personal luggage, and confiscated such controversial items as a paper flag on a stick, a book of poetry, and a pair of maracas. This year the federal authorities are acting under new orders, so the caravan has to be prepared for an even harder confrontation.

As a matter of moral principle, Pastors for Peace refuses to request or accept a license from the US government to travel to Cuba or to deliver humanitarian aid to that island nation. "Cuba is not our enemy, and Cuba is not a threat. We refuse to be complicit with the aim of the Bush administration to force Cuba into adopting a so-called 'free-market' economy that would be dominated by US interests," said Rev. Walker.

"All of the members of the caravan are committed to challenging the blockade against Cuba, as an act of 'civil obedience,'" said IFCO/Pastors for Peace board member Rev. Luis Barrios. "We are obeying the law that says 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' We are prepared to face reprisals as we stand up for our moral convictions."

The Pastors for Peace caravan is challenging the ban on travel to Cuba in coordination with several other US organizations, including 60 members of the Venceremos Brigade, which are also currently in Cuba and will also be returning to the US (from Canada into Buffalo, NY) on Monday August 1.

The 16th US/Cuba Friendshipment caravan organized by IFCO/Pastors for Peace collected 140 tons of humanitarian aid for Cuba from 130 local communities in the US and Canada. Nearly all of the aid crossed the US border into Mexico just before daybreak on July 22, but US Customs agents, acting on the orders of the US Commerce Department, seized 43 boxes of aid, containing computer accessories such as toner, printers, modems, and cables, and a dozen second-hand computers. Another 75 boxes of computer-related aid that were not allowed to cross the border remain in Hidalgo. Seven members of the caravan have remained in Hidalgo continuing a national campaign to win release of the humanitarian aid seized by the US government more than a week ago.

The Interreligious Foundation for Community Organization (IFCO) is a national ecumenical agency based in Harlem, New York City, which was founded in 1967 to work for racial, social, and economic justice. Pastors for Peace is a project of IFCO that was founded in 1988 after IFCO's executive director was wounded in a contra attack in Nicaragua.

More information, including photos and audio clips, is available at www.pastorsforpeace.org. ##

Letter from the five (click to enlarge)

2005-07-29T23:08:00.000-05:00

click on the letter to enlarge it, transcription and translation coming soon ...

Urgent ! New Numbers to Call Friday Afternoon!!

2005-07-29T12:04:00.000-05:00

PASTORS FOR PEACE URGENT ALERT:
NEW NUMBERS TO CALL THIS AFTERNOON!!!

We REALLY need your help today in pressuring the Bush administration for the release of the second-hand computers and computer accessories (toner! cables! modems!) that they seized from our Pastors for Peace caravan one week ago.

Our attorney received a letter this morning from Michael D. Turner, Director of the Office of Export Enforcement at the Commerce Department. His letter addresses our attorney’s request for information about the seizure of aid, and about the basis for those actions, and about ‘procedures for recovering computers and other goods that were detained.’

The second paragraph states
The actions taken at Hidalgo were based on current US policy regarding relations between the United States and Cuba. The President has established a clear policy regarding relations between the United States and Cuba to support a rapid, peaceful transition to a democratic, market-oriented Cuba. The most comprehensive statement of current US policy toward Cuba is contained in the May 2004 report to the President by the Commission for Assistance to a Free Cuba. [He then refers us to the State Department website, and gives us the phone number for the Cuba desk at the State Department, 202/647-9273.]

The third paragraph states
The Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) is responsible for the administration and enforcement of US dual-use export controls as set forth in the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) contained in Title 15 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). ... In general, Cuba-bound export items subject to the EAR require BIS-issued export licenses with noted exceptions. Parties exporting goods in violation of EAR requirements may be subject to criminal and administrative sanctions.

The fourth paragraph states
Export clearance, examination of exported goods, and enforcement of US export license requirements at US ports is the responsibility of the Department of Homeland Security, US Customs and Border Protection (CPB). CBP may detain goods presented for export to verify compliance with export requirements, seize goods found to be illegally exported, and take other actions. As regards matters involving your client at the Port of Hidalgo, Texas, BIS provided guidance to CBP on the relevant EAR provisions and the types of commodities which potentially qualify for EAR license exceptions. Enforcement actions at the Port of Hidalgo, Texas involving your client were taken by CBP.

We refer you to
Mr. Jayson P. Ahern, the CBP assistant commissioner for field operations, for information regarding those actions. Mr. Ahern’s telephone number is (202) 344-1620.

We were told that the aid seizure was done at the instruction of the Commerce Department. Now Michael Turner at Commerce is punting; he’s shifting responsibility to State and Customs.

SO LET’S MAKE SURE THEY HEAR FROM US RIGHT AWAY!
PLEASE CALL the Cuba desk at the State Department, 202/647-9273. (They’re going through a transition in staff; talk with whoever’s available, and we’ll give you a new name next week.)

PLEASE CALL Jayson Ahern, assistant commissioner for field operations at Customs, 202/344-1620.

PLEASE KEEP CALLING Michael Turner at the Commerce Department, 202/482-1208, ext. 3.

PLEASE KEEP CALLING CONGRESS, YOUR SENATORS AS WELL AS YOUR REP. (Congressional switchboard: 202/225-3121) As you talk with sympathetic offices, let us know the names of the aides you’re talking to, so we can put them on our email update list and get them more involved in our campaign! You can send their contact info to ellen bernstein at ellenb@igc.org.

The caravanistas who are currently in Cuba will be returning to the US on Monday morning, at the same crossing point in Hidalgo where our goods were seized last week. We are expecting some sort of major confrontation of the travelers from OFAC and ICE. (You remember that last year they interrogated every member of the caravan, searched every piece of personal luggage, and confiscated such controversial items as a paper flag on a stick, a book of poetry, a pair of maracas... This year we expect a harder confrontation.

We need your help to bombard Washington with calls this afternoon; and then to be on alert (and keep calling) on Monday morning!

Help us keep the pressure on!

Thanks for your wonderful work!

2005-07-28T17:37:00.000-05:00

ACTION ALERT AND UPDATE FROM HIDALGO
THE STRUGGLE CONTINUES

All of us here in Hidalgo want to greet you in solidarity, and to thank you for all that you are doing to win the release of our caravan’s aid for Cuba. We are so pleased at how quickly the campaign is growing – and we are so grateful for the wonderful work being done by our support network in all parts of the US and around the world!

VIGILS, RALLIES, EVENTS:
On Wednesday July 27, we held a prayer vigil at the International Bridge that connects Hidalgo, Texas and Reynosa, Mexico, the point where aid was seized from the 16th Pastors for Peace caravan one week ago today. Friends from the organization Amigos de Cuba and from the Center for Border Studies and Human Rights in Reynosa met us across the bridge with a big banner and an enthusiastic group of about 40 people. We walked across the bridge together, chanting and praying and making a ‘joyful noise.’ We also passed out flyers to hundreds of passers-by at the bridge. The story was broadcast on several local TV networks, and got big positive coverage – with four color photos! – in the McAllen Monitor.

Also on Wednesday 7/27, solidarity vigils and rallies were held in a number of cities, including Portland, OR; Helena, MT; and New York City.

In Portland, more than 25 people from a number of different organizations gathered at the Federal Building, with signs saying "No Computer Left Behind."

In New York, a press conference was held on the steps of City Hall, which was attended by City Council members Charles Barron and Margarita Lopez, and a staff member for Rep. Jose Serrano (D-NY). Statements by Reps. Serrano, Nydia Velasquez, and Charles Rangel (see below) were read at the press conference. A vigil at the Federal Plaza followed, with 60 people participating.

A statement by Rev. Lucius Walker was read at a July 26 rally in Mexico City; 10,000 people marched and 2000 remained for the rally, which had a strong focus on support for the Pastors for Peace caravan.

We have even gotten word from Lutheran Pastor Ricardo Cornejo that a vigil was held yesterday in El Salvador! Comunidades de Fe y Vida (COFEVI) held a vigil in the Civic Plaza across from the Metropolitan Cathedral in San Salvador, against CAFTA and in support of Pastors for Peace.

Meanwhile we hear that the caravanistas in Cuba are having a wonderful program. Today they are visiting four rural provinces; tomorrow morning they return to Havana and will hold a big press conference.

Communities all around the country are phonebanking and planning future Wednesday vigils and events.

CONGRESSIONAL:
Members of the House of Representatives are making their voices heard: Reps. Jose E. Serrano (D-NY) and Nydia Velasquez (D-NY) wrote a letter to Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez appealing for release of the aid.

After describing the seizure, they said, These harsh actions came just two weeks after Hurricane Dennis struck Cuba and caused widespread suffering. ... We call on you, Mr. Secretary, to show compassion and permit the release of this computer equipment, so that the entire shipment may successfully reach Cuba.

With your help, this year’s Pastors for Peace caravan can complete its humanitarian mission to alleviate the hardship of the Cuban people during their time of great need.

Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY) also issued a strong statement (which is posted earlier on this blog). It says in part:

“It is time to put politics aside and ease restrictions to allow Pastors for Peace to continue on their humanitarian mission and to allow all Americans to exercise their compassion toward their brothers and sisters.

If the Bush Administration does not wish to help the people of Cuba, I appeal to them to get out of the way. Let others prove the compassion that the administration has often claimed as its own.”

Dozens of other members of the House of Representatives have been contacted by our network and are demanding the release of the computers and that all the aid be allowed to Cuba.

IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT WE CONTINUE PUTTING PRESSURE ON CONGRESS – NOT JUST THE HOUSE, BUT YOUR SENATORS TOO! (Congressional switchboard: 202/225-3121)

WHAT COMES NEXT:
Even as we continue the struggle for the aid seized by the US government, we must also prepare for the return of the caravan. Given the US government's overreaction when we crossed the border last week, we have to prepare for the strong possibility that they will overreact again when the 140 travel challengers return! We are expecting them to cross the border Monday morning at about 9:00am. Last year Homeland Security had 140 agents to meet us when the caravan returned to the US. This year, the Lord only knows what we can expect.

That's why we need to mobilize:

 COME TO THE BORDER : If you are within easy driving distance, we ask you to come to the border to be a welcoming presence when the caravan returns. Contact Mark LaMalfa, who is coordinating arrangements here in Hidalgo: 646/245-9931.

 STAND BY TO DO EMERGENCY RESPONSE IN THE EVENT OF A CONFRONTATION ON MONDAY.

 KEEP CALLING COMMERCE; KEEP CALLING CONGRESS; HELP GET SIGNATURES FOR THE PASTORAL LETTER ASKING FOR RELEASE OF THE COMPUTERS; KEEP GETTING THE WORD OUT!

Thanks for your wonderful work!

¡ New York Presente!

2005-07-28T17:04:00.000-05:00

New Yorkers gathered at the Federal Building Foley Square in solidarity with the vigil on the international bridge in Hidalgo/Reynosa on July 26th.

They passed out hundreds of flyers calling for an end to the blockade and released seven white doves as a symbol of freedom and passage of the aid.

New York City Supporters

2005-07-28T16:47:00.000-05:00

New York City Council members Charles Barron and Margarita Lopez (center) at a press conference held on July 26, callling for an end to the harrassment of Pastos for Peace at the border and for passage of the aid.
They were joined by Rev. Earl Kooperkamp, Rosita Romero of the Dominican Women’s Development Center, Vicente Panama Alba, Puerto Rican activist,and members of the Iglesia San Romero de las Américas.

Prayer Vigil - Let the Aid Go to Cuba!

2005-07-28T16:37:00.000-05:00

Rev. Luis Barrios, pastor of Iglesia San Romero de las Américas in New York City, and board member of IFCO/Pastors for Peace during the prayer vigil at the Hidalgo/Reynosa International Bridge on July 26, 2005. Pastors for Peace was joined by dozens of Mexican activists on the bridge for the vigil.

Prayer Vigil US-Mexico Border

2005-07-28T16:31:00.000-05:00

Pastors for Peace members were joined by dozens of our Mexican supporters on
July 26,2005 at the Hildago-Reynosa International Bridge.

July 28, News Update from Hidalgo

2005-07-28T14:45:00.000-05:00

July 28, News Update from Hidalgo

Members of the Pastors for Peace Caravan held a prayer vigil yesterday along the Hidalgo-Reynosa International Bridge, between Texas and Mexico, calling for the release of 43 boxes of humanitarian aid seized by Customs last Thursday. The vigil was attended by numerous members of local US and Mexican organizations. Solidarity vigils were held in cities across the country. At a press conference in New York, Congressman Charles Rangel issued a statement in support of the Caravan, stating that “with thousands of Cuban men, women and children in need, it is unconscionable that we would waste resources, which could be applied to the war on terrorism, to harass peace-loving, non-violent people whose only desire is to help where help is needed.” Today marks one-week since the confiscation, and Pastors for Peace has yet to receive any word as to if and when the aid will be released. 9 Caravan members remain in Hidalgo, TX, fighting for the release of the aid. The group now prepares for the re-entry and reverse challenge of the approximate 120-member Caravan, which returns to the US from Cuba on Monday.

Statement of support from Congresspersons Serrano and Velazquez

2005-07-27T21:40:00.000-05:00

You can read a statement of support for the caravan from US Congresspersons José Serrano and Nydia Velázquez at
http://www.ifconews.org/Cuba/caravan16/documents/
letterfrom_Serrano_and_Velazquez.pdf

commentary from Rev. Walker

2005-07-27T15:14:00.000-05:00

Common Dreams recently published a powerful commentary from Rev. Lucius Walker on the $50,000 offer the Bush administration made to the people of Cuba after the devastation caused by Hurricane Dennis (which caused an estimated at $1.4 billion in damages and left 150,000 people homeless).
You can find this article online at http://www.commondreams.org/views05/0725-32.htm

One Page Caravan Summary

2005-07-27T14:35:00.000-05:00

144 members of the 16th US/Cuba Friendshipment Caravan are currently in Cuba, and most of the 140 tons of aid they collected is on its way to the island. But seven members of that caravan are camped out on the Mexican border in Hidalgo, Texas, and are mounting a national campaign to win the release of the remaining aid that was seized by the US government last week.

Pastors for Peace, a project of the Interreligious Foundation for Community Organization (IFCO), has been organizing its Friendshipment Caravans since 1992. These caravans have delivered 2500 tons of aid, collected by volunteers in communities and congregations all across the US, to Cuba. All of that aid has been delivered to Cuba without requesting or accepting a license from the US government. The purpose of the project is to educate the US public about the realities of Cuba and US/Cuba policy, to give them an opportunity to participate in direct hands-on solidarity, and to work toward an end to the US blockade and normalization of relations of Cuba.

We do not accept a license as a matter of deeply held moral principle. We are called to be good Samaritans, to offer a cup of cold water to our neighbors in need. We refuse to be complicit with the brutal economic blockade that seeks to starve our neighbors into submission, which has used food and medicine as a weapon of war, said Rev. Lucius Walker, Jr., executive director of IFCO/Pastors for Peace.

The first six Friendshipment Caravans were met with severe repression by the US Treasury Department. Under instructions from the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), which has held responsibility for enforcement of sanctions against Cuba, aid and vehicles were confiscated; caravanistas were arrested and detained. Caravan participants responded with several long and dramatic campaigns of organized nonviolent resistance. They engaged in a 23-day hunger strike aboard a little yellow school bus in Laredo, TX in 1993, and a 93-day "fast for life" for the release of 400 seized computers which were to be used for a medical information network in Cuba.

Since that lengthy fast in 1996, Pastors for Peace has been able to take countless computers to Cuba as part of its caravans. OFAC appeared to understand that the Pastors were acting on the basis of spiritual conviction, and that they posed no threat to US security; and they have allowed all of the caravan aid to cross without resistance since 1996.

Last week, when the 16th caravan arrived at the Hidalgo/Reynosa border, they learned that enforcement responsibility concerning the goods had been shifted from OFAC to the Department of Commerce. Acting on instructions from the Commerce Department, 45 US Customs officers in Hidalgo, TX searched the first two buses which came to the border, opened all the boxes marked as "educational supplies," and confiscated 43 boxes of aid " toner cartridges, cables, modems, two printers, two scanners, scientific calculators, and a dozen used donated computers.

Rather than risk losing the rest of the computers, the caravan regrouped, unloaded and reorganized the aid in the seven remaining large vehicles (school buses and box trucks), so that the remaining 75 boxes of computers and computer-related items were all on one bus. Then all of the other vehicles returned to the border, were searched by the Customs officers, one by one, and allowed to pass. By daybreak, the whole caravan had crossed the border “ except for the one school bus loaded with computers. 144 caravanistas are currently in Cuba, but seven of them have stayed behind with the last bus, and are camped out at the border to launch a national campaign to win the release of the computers and send them to Cuba.

We have since heard that an order was given from a very high level of the Bush administration that this year's Pastors for Peace caravan was not to be allowed to pass. For this reason, the fact that most of the caravan is now in Cuba is a major victory. But caravan members who are also traveling without a US government license -- are preparing to face US government reprisals when they return to the US on August 1.

And the campaign to free the computers continues to build momentum, with growing grassroots and Congressional support (particularly from members of the Congressional Black Caucus).

Pastors for Peace is a project of the Interreligious Foundation for Community Organization (IFCO), an ecumenical agency based in Harlem which has been working for social, racial and economic justice since 1967.

Statement Congressman Charles Rangel D-NY

2005-07-27T13:56:00.000-05:00

STATEMENT
CONGRESSMAN CHARLES RANGEL
Contact: Emile Milne 202 225-4365 July 27, 2005

Congressman Rangel's Message to President Bush
On the Pastors for Peace Caravan to Cuba

"IF YOU WON'T HELP, GET OUT OF THE WAY"

For the past decade, Rev. Lucius Walker and supporters of Pastors for Peace have taken caravans of humanitarian supplies to Cuba without interference from the U.S. government. It is shameful that this year, in the wake of the massive destruction caused by Hurricane Dennis, their mission is being thwarted by an outdated and unreasonable U.S. policy.

Hurricane Dennis was a disastrous force that killed 16 people on the island, destroyed hundreds buildings and homes and left Cuba with $1.4 billion in property damage. President Bush offered the Cuban government an embarrassingly meager $50,000 in disaster relief. This amount is not nearly enough to even begin to address the needs of the millions of Cubans who have been left without food, clean water, electricity, and shelter.

Once again, Pastors of Peace have attempted to step into the breach, mobilizing a caravan of badly needed medical and dental equipment and a range of humanitarian supplies. As they attempted to cross the border into Mexico from Texas, the caravan was stopped and searched. A total of 12 computers, which were destined for schools on the island were confiscated and are now being held by our government on the claim that the items were unlicensed.

The incident took place despite the fact that Pastors for Peace has never sought a license for any of its previous shipments to Cuba, and the fact that organizations which support the U.S. embargo policy regular send such equipment to dissident groups within Cuba.

With the rest of the goods having already arrived in Cuba, Rev. Walker has begun a vigil on a school bus on the Mexican border awaiting the government's decision on what to do with the computers.

With thousands of Cuban men, women and children in need, it is unconscionable that we would waste resources, which could be applied to the war on terrorism, to harass peace-loving, non-violent people whose only desire is to help where help is needed.

While legislative business requires that I remain in Washington, I commend Councilman Barron for calling us together. I also join with my colleague, Cong. Jose Serrano, who has introduced legislation urging the administration to temporarily suspend the embargo so as to allow Cuban Americans and other Americans to send or deliver assistance of their own. The embargo places severe restrictions on all U.S. travel to Cuba, including cruel limitations of visits and remittances by Cuban Americans to their relatives on the island.

I have long opposed the U.S. government's failed policy that harms the people of Cuba, and works against the promotion of democracy on the island. It also denies citizens of the United States the fundamental right to travel where they want and now restricts Cuban Americans the right to help their suffering family members.

It is time to put politics aside and ease restrictions to allow Pastors for Peace to continue on their humanitarian mission and to allow all Americans to exercise their compassion toward their brothers and sisters.

If the Bush Administration does not wish to help the people of Cuba, I appeal to them to get out of the way. Let others prove the compassion that the administration has often claimed as its own.

###

pictures from last Thursday's crossing

2005-07-26T23:22:00.000-05:00

pictures of the seizing of caravan aid by US authories during last Thursday's attempted crossing are now available at the Pastors for Peace website - just go to http://www.ifconews.org/Cuba/caravan16/photos.htm (or click on "photos" under the "2005 Cuba Caravan" menu bar)

Prayer Vigil on Wednesday July 27, 4:30 pm

2005-07-26T21:20:00.000-05:00

We will be holding a Prayer Vigil On Wednesday, July 27, at 4:30 p.m. at the International Bridge in the Hidalgo-Reynosa border.

The vigil, which will take place nearly one week after the Dept. of Commerce seized a significant portion of the humanitarian aid we were taking to Cuba. Our purpose is to make a call for people of conscience to demand that the aid be released by US authorities and be allowed to continue on its way to Cuba. Our delegation will be joined by supporters from both sides of the border, including Amigos de Cuba and The Center for Border Studies and Human Rights in Mexico. Local churches, solidarity groups and individuals from McAllen, Reynosa and the surrounding communities will also be participating.

WE NEED YOU!!
Please join us at the border, or organize your own solidarity vigil/rally in your own community. Actions ideally will take place every Wednesday until the aid is released.

Please also continue calling your congressional representatives and the Commerce Department in order to demand that the aid be released, that the Caravan be allowed to proceed to Cuba, and that the United States no longer prohibit this or any other humanitarian aid from reaching communities in need. With your help our presence is being felt, and we must keep the pressure on.

Urgent Action Alert

2005-07-25T22:20:00.000-05:00

Urgent Action!!

AID DESTINED FOR CHILDREN IN CUBA SEIZED BY U.S. CUSTOMS
Call the Department of Commerce and Demand The Release of the Aid!

On Thursday July 21st, US Customs and Border Protection officers, acting on instructions from the US Department of Commerce, seized 43 boxes of computer equipment – toner, cables, calculators, modems, keyboards, 2 printers, and a dozen computers – intended for Cuban children from the 16th Pastors for Peace Friendshipment Caravan. A group of seven caravanistas have remained on the U.S./Mexico border in Hidalgo, Texas to build an international campaign to free the computer equipment for delivery to Cuba.

Each year, the Pastors for Peace Caravan delivers hundreds of tons of humanitarian aid and good will to our neighbor nation Cuba. But this year, according to reliable sources, the order came from high up in the Bush Administration to stop Pastors for Peace from delivering the aid. In fact, most of the 11-vehicle/150 member caravan crossed the border early Friday morning after an extended search of the almost 140 tons of humanitarian aid.

However, the struggle is not over yet—We Need Your Help!

"We are committed to delivering the computers donated by generous US citizens to Cuban children with special needs; and we ask for your help, immediately. At a time when Homeland Security personnel are needed for serious anti-terror surveillance, the fact that they would use 45 of their
officers to stop Pastors from donating toner, cables and calculators is a wasteful misuse of public resources," said Reverend Lucius Walker, founder and director of IFCO/Pastors for Peace.

HOW YOU CAN HELP!

• Call your congressional representative and your senators (202-225-3121); urge them to personally call Carlos Gutierrez, Secretary of Commerce and insist that he let the computers go!

• Call Michael D. Turner, Director of Export Enforcement for the Department of Commerce and insist that the computers be released. 202.482.1208, Ext. 3

• Call Wendy Wysong, Assistant Secretary of Commerce, for Export
Enforcement, and insist that the computers be released and allowed to continue to Cuba. 202.482.3618

• Ask your church or congregation to sign on to our Pastoral Letter in support of releasing the aid and allowing it to continue on to Cuba (available soon on our website).

• Organize a solidarity prayer vigil on Wednesday, July 27.

Our Prayer Vigil will be taking place on the Hidalg-Reynosa International Bridge, Wednesday, 4:30- 6:30pm

• Hold a Rally at the Federal Building in your town to demand the release of the computers.

For more information, visit the Pastors For Peace website,

www.pastorsforpeace.org

Caravan Visits Medical School in Havana

2005-07-25T14:44:00.000-05:00

We have received word that the caravan visited the Latin American School of Medicine in Havana today.
As many of you know, Cuba has extended 500 full scholarships to US students who commit to serving in medically underserved areas in the US upon graduation. Full details of the program can be found on the front page of our website.

McAllen Texas Monitor Front Page Editorial

2005-07-25T14:25:00.000-05:00

The Monitor

The Ban on Cuba Travel:
Embargo hurts ordinary Cubans, not government
July 24, 2005

The Monitor View

With Mexico in much closer proximity to the Rio Grande Valley than Cuba, it would be easy for most South Texans to forget that its people suffer under a brutal dictatorship. The lack of political and economic freedom on that island make life miserable for the vast majority of its inhabitants — and the United States, with its economic and travel restrictions, adds to Cubans’ misery.

Valley residents saw a reminder of this again last week when U.S. Customs agents held up the annual Pastors for Peace caravan at the Hidalgo-Reynosa International Bridge. Every year, the group transports humanitarian and medical supplies from donors across the United States to Cuba via Mexico. But because of the embargo, Customs stops the group nearly every time.

Officials halted the convoy of eight buses, two cars and one truck Thursday, declaring their intention to intensively search all the vehicles. Customs agents allowed two buses to pass into Mexico, but only after they confiscated calculators, computers and other electronic devices.

Anna Perez, a member of the delegation from Oakland, Calif., said the caravan was stuck on the Hidalgo side of the bridge from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday. The group then spent the night putting all the electronics on one vehicle. Some of the delegation remained with the computer equipment, and the rest took the medical supplies across the border; Perez said it took Pastors for Peace about nine hours to clear the Mexican side of the border Friday. The caravan was headed to Tampico, and from there to Cuba with the medical supplies. They hope to eventually get the electronics there as well.

"We have not given up on the computers, because the computers were meant to go to a number of elementary schools in Cuba," Perez said Friday afternoon.

We wish them a safe journey. We also wish it didn’t nearly take an act of Congress — Perez said the delegation received a number of phone calls from U.S. representatives as news of the border delay spread — to get them on their way. The United States has no business restricting the travel of its citizens in this matter.

We’re no fans of the Castro regime, which imprisons political dissidents and journalists while ignoring human rights. But we don’t believe the economic blockade serves any purpose other than garnering votes from Cuban exiles in South Florida — in fact, the embargo allows the Cuban dictator to wrongly blame that nation’s problems on the United States.

It’s not like the U.S. government has been consistent in its actions toward Pastors for Peace. In 1998, for example, federal agents waved their caravan through.

"We’ve been dealing with them for nine years, and we know (the supplies) are going to a non-governmental agency for distribution, so it’s really not a problem," David Higgerson, then U.S. Customs port director in Hidalgo, told The Monitor in a July 21, 1998, story.

We agree. By delaying the caravan of medical and humanitarian supplies at the border, the U.S. government has shown the arbitrariness of the embargo on Cuba.

It’s time to end this fruitless blockade.

Media Advisory

2005-07-25T11:47:00.000-05:00

MEDIA ADVISORY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JULY 25, 2005
CONTACTS: IFCO/PASTORS FOR PEACE:
IN HIDALGO, TX: Ellen Bernstein: 646/319-5902 (cell)
IN NEW YORK: Lucia Bruno 212/926-5757 (office)

CAMPAIGN TO FREE COMPUTERS FOR CUBA GAINS MOMENTUM

The campaign to send to Cuba a number of donated computers that were seized by the US government on Thursday July 21 continues to gain momentum.

On Monday July 25, the Pastors for Peace caravanistas in Hidalgo, TX plan to visit the office of US Congressman Ruben Hinojosa (D-TX), who represents McAllen and Hidalgo, to appeal for his support. They also plan to return to the border to ask for the release of the computers and computer equipment that were seized from their caravan on Friday.

The 16th US/Cuba Friendshipment caravan organized by IFCO/Pastors for Peace collected 140 tons of humanitarian aid for Cuba from 130 local communities in the US and Canada. Nearly all of that aid crossed the US border into Mexico just before daybreak on July 22. But US Customs officers, acting on the orders of the US Commerce Department, seized a dozen computers and a number of boxes of computer accessories such as printers, modems, and cables. 143 members of the Pastors for Peace caravan are currently in Cuba; seven members have stayed behind in Hidalgo, TX to win the release of the seized computers.

The theme of the 16th Friendshipment caravan is “special needs.” The computers are intended for use in classrooms for Cuban children with special needs such as visual impairments or learning disabilities.

Since 1992, IFCO/Pastors for Peace has organized 16 caravans to Cuba, which have delivered more than 2500 tons of humanitarian aid to Cuba. As a matter of principle, Pastors for Peace refuses to request or accept a license for these aid shipments from the US Treasury Department, because they do not want to be complicit with the immoral US economic blockade of Cuba. In 1996, the US government seized 400 computers which the 6th Pastors for Peace caravan was attempting to deliver to Cuba, to form the basis for a system to share medical information and inventory medicines in Cuban hospitals. Five members of the caravan engaged in a 93-day fast, and after an enormous international campaign, the computers were eventually released to go to Cuba.

“Since 1996, we have been able to take computers to Cuba every year as a part of our caravans,” said Rev. Lucius Walker, Jr., executive director of IFCO/Pastors for Peace. “OFAC [the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the US Treasury Department, which has had primary responsibility for enforcement of US sanctions against Cuba] understood that we were acting on the basis of sound moral principles. Now the White House has shifted enforcement responsibilities to the Commerce Department, with instructions to stop Pastors for Peace from crossing the border this year. In light of this, our resolve must be deeper and stronger than ever. We are going to have to fight to get these computers across the border and on to Cuba, and we will have to be prepared for even more confrontation when the rest of our caravan returns from Cuba.”

On Sunday, the caravanistas in Hidalgo participated in worship services in four area churches, and worked on local and national outreach. Grassroots and Congressional support for their campaign continues to grow.

The Interreligious Foundation for Community Organization (IFCO) is a national ecumenical agency based in Harlem which was founded in 1967 to work for racial, social, and economic justice. Pastors for Peace is a project of IFCO that was founded in 1988 after IFCO’s executive director was wounded in a contra attack in Nicaragua.

Photos and audio of the caravan are available for download at www.pastorsforpeace.org.

##

At the Border in Hidalgo

2005-07-25T11:38:00.000-05:00

Father Luis Barrios, Rev. Walker and Ellen Bernstein at the border with the remaining aid for Cuba. They need our support as they contact congress members and the media. Calling your local media and any other media contacts will help bring attention to the situation in Hidalgo and hasten the release of the seized aid. Calls to the offices listed in the posts (below) and getting the press release (above)out to our press contacts are of prime importance.

Lucia

Largest Group of Caravan Arrives in Cuba

2005-07-24T10:58:00.000-05:00

The first and largest group of the Caravan has arrived in Cuba!
They are all safe and sound and on the ground!

I spoke to Ellen Bernstein this morning. She informed me that the Caravan group in Texas received a call from Cuba last night. She says the Caravan arrived and participated in a welcoming ceremony in Cuba yesterday.

Rev. Walker, Father Barrios. Ellen, and a few other Caravanistas and their Texas supporters remain at the border with the remaining aid. They are well supported and elated at the support and press coverage we are receiving so far. Keep up the good work!

We will post more details as we get them.

Lucia Bruno
Communications Director
IFCO/Pastors for Peace
New York

Latest News on the Caravan

2005-07-23T11:37:00.000-05:00

Latest Up-to-date news on the Caravan to Cuba...
11am, Saturday, july 23, 2005

Cuba Caravan arrives to Tampico, Mexico safely, with aid en route to Cuba
Fight for Computers continues in the US

An excited but exhausted Caravan arrived to Tampico, Mexico this morning in time to make their flight to Cuba. Meanwhile a group of Caravanistas not planning to travel on to Cuba is readying to load the nearly 140 Tons of humanitarian aid on to a cargo ship heading to Cuba.

The Caravan had finally rolled out of the border town, Reynosa, around 1pm yesterday, after long hours at the Mexican customs office. Caravanistas were forced to have their passports copied by the Mexican officials, which is far from ordinary. The director of the office, Justo Ayala, said that it was rutine for large groups, but Caravanistas said that it has never been the case before.

With 90% of the humanitarian aid in Mexico and soon to be headed off to Cuba, the struggle now turns to Hidalgo, Texas, where a small group of Caravanistas has begun an international campaign to free the computers confiscated by the Department of Commerce, and force the Government to allow the all of the computers to head on to the Cuban children they are destined for.

WE NEED YOU TO ADD YOUR VOICE TO THIS CAMPAIGN AND MAKE THESE CALLS:

Call Capitol Hill and let your senators and rep know that the Pastors for Peace computers must be freed to go to Cuba. Ask them to call the Commerce Department to urge/demand that the computers be released. (Congressional switchboard: 202/225-3121).

Call Mr. Turner, Director of Enforcement at the Commerce Department (202/482-5036), and demand that the computers be allowed to go to Cuba.

Mobilize every network and organization you know; ask them to make these same calls, and publicize this story!

Santa Cruz (CA) Sentinel July 23, 2005

2005-07-23T10:53:00.000-05:00

July 23, 2005

Cuba-relief caravan crosses Mexican border

The Pastors for Peace caravan hit the road again with a lighter load on Friday, a day after border officials held up the buses full of humanitarian aid for Cuba and confiscated some computers and other devices.

About 130 Americans - several of whom are from Santa Cruz County - are making the 16th annual journey to Cuba in defiance of the economic blockade and travel ban on the communist country. They will deliver close to 150 tons of humanitarian aid to the island recently ravaged by Hurricane Dennis.

All the buses - including one from Santa Cruz - crossed the Mexican border early Friday morning, after the travelers had spent the night removing all remaining electronics. On Thursday, officials seized about 20 computers from the first two buses to cross.

The U.S. Department of Commerce had threatened to confiscate all items for which the group couldn't get a U.S. Treasury license - meaning electronic devices.

Rep. Sam Farr, D-Carmel is co-sponsoring a resolution asking President Bush to temporarily suspend aid restrictions on Cuba.

"We're dealing with citizens who were devastated by a hurricane," said Jessica Schafer, spokeswoman for Farr. "It has nothing to do with governments."

The buses are loaded with everything from bikes to dental supplies and X-ray machines. The caravan has been able to cross the border with minimal problems since 1997. The year before a few caravanistas had launched a 94-day hunger strike over the seizure of 400 computers.

Seven caravan members are staging a protest this year - but no hunger strike - by remaining in Texas to guard the disputed electronic devices and negotiate with the Department of Commerce.

Pastors for Peace refuses to apply for any licenses on principle. In the past, caravan members have been issued unrequested licenses.

According to the caravan's blog, the buses passed through Mexican customs and were traveling as scheduled to Tampico, Mexico. Today they are planning to ship the buses to Cuba, while caravanistas fly there for an eight-day stay.

Three county residents made the trek to the border and another three are continuing on to Cuba.

Santa Cruz resident and veteran caravanista Nancy Abbey traveled with the group to Texas but flew home before the border crossing. Abbey said the government officials were trying to intimidate the group, similar to the actions of the 90 Homeland Security officers who greeted the group on their way back last year.

"This is just part of the whole policy of tightening up (security)," she said.

She added that the group expects to encounter more difficulty when it re-enters the country.

ahamblin@santacruzsentinel.com.

2005-07-22T20:30:00.000-05:00

IFCO/PASTORS FOR PEACE URGENT ACTION ALERT!
7/22/05

PASTORS FOR PEACE CARAVAN TO CUBA
CROSSES THE BORDER: “A NEAR-TOTAL VICTORY” –
BUT THE FIGHT FOR COMPUTERS FOR CUBAN CHILDREN CONTINUES AT THE REYNOSA-HIDALGO BORDER

Pastors for Peace claimed a huge victory today as a tired but excited group of 130 US citizens crossed the US/Mexico border just before daybreak with almost all of the 140 tons of humanitarian aid en route to Cuba and collected by the Pastors for Peace Friendshipment Cuba Caravan. But their struggle to send the computers, which have been blocked by US authorities, is building momentum. AND WE NEED YOUR HELP TO GET THE COMPUTERS TO CUBA!

The caravan is composed of seven brightly painted yellow schoolbuses, two box trucks, and several smaller vehicles, all of them loaded with humanitarian aid for Cuba. Yesterday, more than 40 US Customs officers, acting on the instructions of Commerce Department officials, detained the caravan at the border and began to search the vehicles one item at a time. In a 6-hour search of the first two yellow schoolbuses, officials confiscated all of the computers and computer equipment they could find – 11 computers, three monitors, two printers, two scanners, and a variety of computer parts and accessories. Officials then threatened to tow the remaining vehicles carrying the rest of the aid. Meanwhile, members of the caravan walked aid across the border and demonstrated beside the marooned buses.

“Our caravans have delivered nearly 2500 tons of aid to Cuba since 1992, all of it without asking permission of the US government. But this year something changed: We have heard that government officials ‘at the highest level’ made a special determination that this year our Pastors for Peace caravan would not pass,” said Rev. Walker. “We’ve already proved them wrong: 95% of our caravan has already crossed into Mexico and is headed toward Cuba. Now we’re determined to get our computers to Cuba as well.

“When those first computers were seized, we decided not to give up any more of our precious cargo. We regrouped at a location two blocks away from the border crossing,” said Rev. Walker. “There we decided that the best strategy was to send most of the caravan ahead with all the non-contested aid. So we unloaded and reloaded our vehicles, and headed back to the border. Everything but the computers passed through the Customs checkpoint between 3:00 and 6:00am. Just one bus stayed behind, with all our computers on board; and a few of us remain here in Texas to continue the fight for the computers.”

“Our extraordinary group of committed and hard-working volunteers worked through the night to make sure that our caravan of urgently needed medical supplies and hurricane relief will make it to Cuba on time,” said Rev. Lucius Walker, executive director of IFCO/Pastors for Peace. “More than ever we are committed to making sure that all the supplies donated by generous US citizens will get to the Cuban people.”

The campaign to free the computers has received tremendous support from Capitol Hill and from members of the Pastors for Peace grassroots network nationwide, who are calling on the Commerce Department to demand the release of the Pastors for Peace computers for Cuba and an end to the inhumane blockade.

WE NEED YOU TO ADD YOUR VOICE TO THIS CAMPAIGN AND MAKE THESE CALLS:
· Call Capitol Hill and let your senators and rep know that the Pastors for Peace computers must be freed to go to Cuba. Ask them to call the Commerce Department to urge/demand that the computers be released. (Congressional switchboard: 202/225-3121).

· Call Mr. Turner, Director of Enforcement at the Commerce Department (202/482-5036), and demand that the computers be allowed to go to Cuba.

· Mobilize every network and organization you know; ask them to make these same calls, and publicize this story!

Given the new hard-line reaction to our border-crossing, we can probably expect a strong reaction from the US administration when the caravanistas and other travel challengers return to the US. The more publicity we can generate now, the more visibility we’ll be able to generate when the caravanistas come home. We have been amazed and impressed by how quickly and broadly our network is mobilizing to get the computers free. Let’s work together to make the most of this campaign!

Press Release: Please Distribute Far and Wide!

2005-07-22T20:15:00.000-05:00

MEDIA ADVISORY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JULY 22, 2005

CONTACTS: IFCO/PASTORS FOR PEACE:
IN HIDALGO, TX: Ellen Bernstein: 646/319-5902 (cell)
IN NEW YORK: Lucia Bruno: 212/926-5757 (office)

PASTORS FOR PEACE CARAVAN TO CUBA
CROSSES THE BORDER: “A NEAR-TOTAL VICTORY”

The fight for computers for Cuban children continues at the Hidalgo/Reynosa border.

Pastors for Peace claimed a huge victory today as a tired but excited group of 130 US citizens crossed the US/Mexico border just before daybreak with almost all of the 140 tons of humanitarian aid en route to Cuba and collected by the Pastors for Peace Friendshipment Cuba Caravan. Their struggle to send on the remaining computers, which have been either confiscated or restricted by US authorities, to Cuban children with special needs is building momentum.

The caravan is composed of seven brightly painted yellow schoolbuses, two box trucks, and several smaller vehicles, all of them loaded with humanitarian aid for Cuba. Yesterday, more than 40 US Customs officers, acting on the instructions of Commerce Department officials, detained the Caravan at the border and began to search their vehicle one item at a time. In an exhaustive 6-hour search of the first two yellow schoolbuses, officials confiscated all of the computers and computer equipment available– 11 computers, three monitors, two printers, two scanners, and a variety of computer parts and accessories. Officials then threatened to tow the remaining vehicles carrying the rest of the aid. Meanwhile, members of the Caravan walked aid across the border and demonstrated beside the marooned buses.

“Our caravans have delivered nearly 2500 tons of aid to Cuba since 1992, all of it without asking permission of the US government. But this year something changed: We have heard that government officials ‘at the highest level’ made a special determination that this year our Pastors for Peace caravan would not pass,” said Rev. Walker. “We’ve already proved them wrong: 95% of our caravan has already crossed into Mexico and is headed toward Cuba. Now we’re determined to get our computers to Cuba as well.”

“When those first computers were seized, we decided not to give up any more of our precious cargo. We regrouped at a location two blocks away from the border crossing,” said Rev. Walker. “There we decided that the best strategy was to send most of the caravan ahead with all the non-contested aid. So we unloaded and reloaded our vehicles and everything but the computers passed through the Customs checkpoint between 3:00 and 6:00am. Just one bus stayed behind, with all our computers on board; and a few of us remain here in Texas to continue the fight for the computers.”

“Our extraordinary group of committed and hard-working volunteers worked through the night to make sure that our caravan of urgently needed medical supplies and hurricane relief makes it to Cuba on time,” said Rev. Lucius Walker, executive director of IFCO/Pastors for Peace. “More than ever we are committed to making sure that all the supplies donated by generous US citizens will get to the Cuban people.

The campaign to free the computers has received tremendous support from Capitol Hill and from members of the Pastors for Peace grassroots network nationwide, who are calling on the Commerce Department to demand the release of the Pastors for Peace computers for Cuba and an end to the inhumane blockade.
###

Message from Rev. Lucius Walker July 22,2005

2005-07-22T17:51:00.000-05:00

Dear Friends:

Many thanks to our supporters from throughout the world! We are gratified and deeply moved by the speed and efficiency that all of you demonstrated as you called Washington, your legislators, the press, your phone trees and email lists. It has been astonishing to see the exposure and the support that the 16th Friendshipment Caravan has received!

As you have probably heard by now, most of the aid and caravan participants have crossed the border into Mexico and are on their way to Tampico! They will deliver their solidarity, their love and their cargo to Cuba within the next few days. They could not have accomplished this immense task without the support of our network in the US and abroad. Thank you!

But the struggle is not over! There are still a handful of Pastors for Peace here in Texas with computers and other items that we believe the Commerce Department will seize. We are determined to deliver this humanitarian aid to Cuba. We are united in our mission to break this blockade!

We need your continued support to make this happen! So keep making those phone calls! Keep the momentum going! Our spirits are high and our resolve is deep. Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers.

Sincerely,
Rev. Lucius Walker, Jr.

(note: see postings below for phone numbers to call)

In the tent at the end of a very very long day

2005-07-22T17:31:00.000-05:00

searaching every single box

2005-07-22T17:27:00.000-05:00

End of the day, July 21

2005-07-22T17:25:00.000-05:00

Tents, water, chairs, tables
supplied by the Hidalgo, TX police department

McAllen July 21

2005-07-22T17:23:00.000-05:00

Seizing the aid

McAllen July 21

2005-07-22T17:22:00.000-05:00

McAllen July 21

2005-07-22T17:19:00.000-05:00

Baby carriages too

McAllen July 21

2005-07-22T17:18:00.000-05:00

Mc Allen Texas July 21

2005-07-22T17:17:00.000-05:00

Piece by piece over the border

McAllen Texas July 21

2005-07-22T17:15:00.000-05:00

On one of the busses preparing to hand carry aid over the border to Mexico.

McAllen Border Crossing July 21

2005-07-22T17:06:00.000-05:00

Commerce Department officials move in and threaten to tow Caravan vehicles

Text Version of Letter From Our Attorney

2005-07-22T14:45:00.000-05:00

21 July 2005

John Bolsteins
Office of Strategic Trade & Foreign Policy Controls
Bureau of Export Administration
US Commerce Department

By Telefacsimile: 202-482-6088

re: Pastors for Peace Friendshipment

Dear Mr. Bolsteins:

I am writing to you in your capacity as the person responsible for implementing Department of Commerce regulations and policies with respect to humanitarian aid donations to Cuba. As counsel for Pastors for Peace, I am requesting your immediate attention and assistance in resolving a distressing situation developing near the Texas/Mexico border as Pastors for Peace prepares to leave the United States with its traditional humanitarian aid to be delivered to non-governmental organizations in Cuba. Unfortunately, you are not available to answer your telephone at the moment.

As I write, agents of Commerce and/or Customs and Border Patrol are removing items from buses and trucks that are part of the Sixteenth Friendshipment Caravan, and placing them on vehicles belonging to a government agency. They have indicated to Rev. Lucius Walker and others at the border that they intend to inspect every vehicle and every box in order to determine which items may be “licensable,” to require licenses for such objects, to segregate and detain some items, and otherwise disrupt what has, since 1993, been an orderly, civilized and peaceful process of crossing the border with humanitarian aid. This year, as in every year, at least since 1993, the entire manifest has been carefully coordinated with Mexican officials in order to avoid undue delay and congestion on both sides of the border.

As you know, it is a matter of principle for Pastors for Peace not to request licenses for the humanitarian aid it takes to the people of Cuba. I am confident that you are familiar with the religious principles enunciated by Rev. Walker as those that mandate providing items such as medical supplies, food and clothing to those in need. To act upon Biblical command to “act not in word, but in deed,” and to “feed the hungry, clothe the naked and provide shelter to the homeless,” is a matter of faith and conscience for Pastors for Peace. The Friendshipment is one way members of this organization follow that command.

As you also know, at least for the past twelve years, the impasse created by attempts to strictly and literally enforce export rules with respect to humanitarian aid to Cuba has been avoided by the issuance of unrequested de facto licenses for the items which Pastors for Peace traditionally gathers and manifests. The sudden change of established policy, consistently carried out over at least twelve years, is highly arbitrary, and threatens a return to earlier impasses that resulted in a lengthy fasts, protests and demonstrations at the border, as well as extreme inconvenience.
While I understand this Administration is serious about enforcing its policies with respect to Cuba, it must understand that Pastors for Peace is no less serious about remaining faithful to its principles, especially in light of the severe losses suffered in Cuba as a result of Hurricane Emily. Pastors for Peace will not request a license for seized materials, and will not agree to abandon part of its shipment.

I appeal to your wisdom and common sense, as well as legal, equitable and humanitarian principles which suggest this is neither the moment nor the manner in which to announce a reversal of the established policy with respect to Pastors for Peace Friendshipments. More importantly, that policy represents an acknowledgement of strongly held principles maintained by both parties, while avoiding an impasse that benefits neither.

I await your urgent response.

Sincerely,

Linda Backiel

New Numbers to Call

2005-07-21T23:25:00.000-05:00

It has come to our attention that the Director for Enforcement at the Commerce Department is a Mr. Turner. His phone number in Washington is 202 482-5036.

It has also come to our attention that harrassment of the Caravan is coming straight from the desks of the State Department. The person in charge of the Cuba desk is Kevin Whittaker. His phone number is 202-647-9272.

Whittaker's boss is Roger Noriega. Ring any bells?

Let's get these names and numbers out there to our lists and supporters!

Keep Calling!

Notes From Rev. Walker 12 midnight EDT

2005-07-21T22:51:00.000-05:00

The Caravan was barred from crossing into Mexico with all of its humanitarian aid today. One bus was inspected and Commerce Department officials seized computers, keyboards and anything they considered electronic.

The second bus was emptied of aid by caravanistas who carried our precious humanitarian cargo over the border by hand into Mexico. There are now two busses that have crossed over into Mexico.

The rest of the Caravan has regrouped about a half mile from the international bridge, in an open area not far from the highway. We have established an encampment with tents, chairs, lights, water and coolers, graciously supplied by the Hildalgo, Texas police department. These items were in place already--in case they were needed for Hurricane Emily. Many thanks to police chief Vernon Rosser for his generousity!

There is a palpable sense of resolve among the caravanistas. We have just begun the struggle! Weather is balmy and humid. Everyone is in good spirits. This is a tremendous learning experience for all the young people here.

It's amazing, that in 2005, our government would expend this much energy and so many resources trying to prevent us from delivering much needed aid to our brothers and sisters in Cuba.

We are united. We are resolved and we are ready to deliver this aid to Cuba!

Keep Calling and emailing!

2005-07-21T22:46:00.000-05:00

So far, Scott Kamins looks like the best target at Commerce. Currently the number listed as his official number on the website (and has been listed in the alerts) is 202-482-0097. This is answered by a machine belonging to Roberta someone with a message that says the mailbox is full. He is Director of Congressional and Public Affairs and also has the following numbers listed on a page of media contacts for Commerce. That info is:

Scott Kamins
202-482-2721 phone
202-482-2421 fax
SKamins@bis.doc.gov (email)

will will keep adding more names and numbers as we get them!
Keep calling and emailing commerce and your congressional reps!

Press Release July 21,2005

2005-07-21T22:33:00.000-05:00

IFCO/Pastors for Peace

NEWS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: CONTACT:
July 21, 2005 Ellen Bernstein in McAllen, TX: 646/319-5902
Lucia Bruno in New York: 212/926-5757

Homeland Security and Commerce Department Harass U.S.-Cuba Friendship Caravan at the U.S.-Mexico Border

Volunteers attempting to deliver tons of humanitarian and hurricane relief to Cuba could be held for days at the border in McAllen, Texas

McAllen, TX - Hundreds of Pastors for Peace volunteers preparing to deliver a massive shipment of humanitarian aid to Cuba have been barred at the U.S.-Mexico border and could be held there for days. Commerce Department officials are saying they will search every vehicle in the caravan and every item of humanitarian aid, which hasn’t been done for years, and they will only allow “licensable” goods to be allowed to cross into Mexico. Border agents are threatening to tow the caravan’s vehicles and have already seized some aid donations, including computers. Some volunteers are walking across the U.S.-Mexico border carrying wheelchairs, crutches and other medical supplies. Others are holding a protest at the border. There are 130 U.S. Citizens traveling with the delegation, as well as a truck and 2 small cars. They are attempting to deliver 140 tons of aid.

Pastors for Peace is asking its supporters to call the U.S. Secretary of Commerce and their Members of Congress to urge homeland security and the Commerce department to let the caravan and its humanitarian and hurricane aid cross the U.S.-Mexico border immediately. Pastors for Peace does not accept or apply for a license to deliver humanitarian aid to Cuba.

"As people of faith and conscience, it is our duty to resist and condemn this cruel U.S. policy," declared Rev. Lucius Walker, Jr., executive director and founder of the Interreligious Foundation for Community Organization (IFCO), a 38-year-old ecumenical agency which is the parent organization of Pastors for Peace. "IFCO/Pastors for Peace rejects this licensing system as both immoral and illegal. It is immoral because it endangers the lives of millions of Cubans and inflicts suffering on innocent children, as well as adults. It is illegal under international law because it uses medicine and food as weapons of war to force another nation to change its government. Licensing is also unconstitutional because it requires people of faith to submit their acts of conscience and friendship to government licensing, in violation of our right to freedom of religious expression, political thought, association and travel.”

Despite calls for an end to the blockade and travel ban from the UN and the majority of nations around the world, the Bush Administration tightened restrictions against Cuba in 2004, and is using "homeland security" funds to investigate those suspected of travel to the island.

For more information, see http://pastorsforpeace.org.

Letter From our Attorney

2005-07-21T16:48:00.000-05:00

2005-07-21T16:45:00.000-05:00

Statement from Congressman Miller California

2005-07-21T15:00:00.000-05:00

George Miller believes that the government should not stop legitimate humanitarian aid to Cuba. There are people throughout this country, including Republican farmers and others invested in foreign trade, who believe that the embargo against Cuba is unjustified and is also working against our country's own economic interests."

Sincerely,
Barb Johnson
District Director with
Congressman George Miller
7th District, California
Phone: (925) 602-1880
Fax: (925) 674-0983

Update from Rev. Walker 3:20 PM EDT

2005-07-21T14:17:00.000-05:00

The Commerce Dept. has seized a number of computers and other electronic items such as calculators from one of the Pastors for Peace busses.

They have also rummaged through all of the other boxes, disrupting all of the manifesting that has taken place for the aid. We are not certain if this will disallow the aid to pass through Mexican customs because of their tampering.

This one bus has entered the gateway to Mexico at Reynosa. We are waiting to see how the Mexican customs will react to the disruptions caused by US officials. We are evaluating how we will proceed. We are determined to get all of our humanitarian aid to Cuba. Stay tuned...

(note: all aid going into Mexico must be carefully manifested in minute detail. This is what the caravan has been doing during the orientation in McAllen.)

New York Congressional Info

2005-07-21T14:13:00.000-05:00

> >Representative: Charles B. Rangel >Address: 163 W. 125 St.,
Ste. 737 New York, NY 10027 >Phone: (212) 663-3900 >Fax: (202) 225-0861 E-mail: ><mailto:charles.rangel@mail.house.com>charles.rangel@mail.house.com >

>US Senator: Charles E. Schumer >Address: 757 3rd Avenue Suite 17-02 >New York NY, 10017 >Phone: (212) 486-4430 >Fax: (212) 486-7693 E-mail: ><mailto:senator@schumer.senate.gov>senator@schumer.senate.gov > >

US Senator: Hillary Rodham Clinton >Address: 780 3rd Avenue Suite 2601 >New York NY, 10017 >Phone: (212) 688-6262 >Fax: (202) 228-0406 > > > >

Update-2:30 PM EDT Pastors Barred at Border

2005-07-21T13:35:00.000-05:00

The Caravan is barred at the border. Commerce says they will confiscate all electronic items such as calculators, computers, etc. We are protesting the separation of items from boxes. At this point there is only one vehicle at the checkpoint. Stay tuned....Keep calling and emailing....

Pastors Barred at US-Mexico Border

2005-07-21T12:49:00.000-05:00

URGENT- PLEASE CONTACT
THE COMMERCE DEPARTMENT
YOUR CONGRESSIONAL REPRESENTATIVES,
EMERGENCY NETWORKS AND PRESS CONTACTS:
SPREAD THE WORD FAR AND WIDE!

http://www.commerce.gov 202-482-2000

Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez cgutierrez@doc.gov

As of 1:30 pm EDT, The Pastors for Peace Friendshipment Caravan to Cuba is being held up at the US-Mexico border by US Commerce Department officials. They are threatening to search every vehicle and every item of humanitarian aid. They are telling us that "only licensable goods will be allowed to cross into Mexico."

Pastors for Peace does not accept or apply for a license to deliver humanitarian aid to Cuba.

There are 130 US citizens traveling with the caravan. They and the humanitarian aid are traveling in eight busses, a box truck and two small cars. It will take days to inspect the 140 tons of aid. We are prepared to do whatever we need to do to deliver our humanitarian aid to Cuba. Stay posted...

NY Daily News July 21, 2005

2005-07-21T12:24:00.000-05:00

By Daily News Columnist ALBOR RUIZ

Gift for Cuba is American way

Last week, the U.S. government offered hurricane-
ravaged Cuba $50,000 to help the island recover from
one of the worst disasters in its recent history.

So did private citizen Ruth Foote, a retired social
worker from Sacramento, Calif., and her husband,
Fred, who matched Washington's "generous" offer to
the people of Cuba dollar for dollar.

"I read your column (7/14) about our government
offering Cuba $50,000 of humanitarian aid after
the disaster causedby Hurricane Dennis," Ruth Foote
said in a clear voice over the phone. "Wrong is wrong,
and the Bush offer was an embarrassment to me."

Hurricane Dennis left 16 people dead, 150,000 homes and
buildings damaged or destroyed, and more than $1.4 billion
in losses. Washington's offer was, at best, a cruel joke.

"When I read it, I became angry," Ruth Foote said. "'Fred,
we can do this,' I told my husband. And he agreed. If we
can donate $50,000 as individuals, imagine what our
government could do."

Foote's husband teaches sociology, history and criminal
justice at a Sacramento college.

They plan to make their contribution through the Interreligious Foundation for Community Organization (IFCO), a New York-
based ecumenical agency that is the parent organization of Pastors for Peace.

Volunteers of Pastors for Peace have organized 16 trips to Cuba
to deliver humanitarian aid without asking for a U.S. government license.

The African-American couple is not rich, has never been to Cuba,
and is not connected to any group opposed to the embargo or in favor of lifting travel restrictions to the island, not even Pastors
for Peace. For them, this is a matter of pure and simple human solidarity.

"I just don't understand why we are doing this to the people
of Cuba," Foote said. "I see that they are poor but honorable,
they are peace-loving, they are not throwing bombs."

Of course, the real reason behind the absurd U.S. policy toward
Cuba - the pandering for electoral purposes by President Bush
and his brother Jeb, the governor of Florida, to the powerful
ultra-rightist sectors of the Cuban-American community -
is so petty that, for someone like Foote, guided by high ethical standards, it is hard to believe.

Yet, in 2004, President Bush tightened travel restrictions even
more. Now family visits to the island are limited to once every
three years. Also, Cuban-Americans can only send $300 in remittances per quarter to "immediate" family members -
no aunts, uncles or cousins. Even shipments of food, clothing
and medical supplies are severely restricted.

This means that even in this time of overwhelming need, for
Cuban-Americans to help their own families in Cuba can be a
crime. A cruel joke.

Which is why Rep. José Serrano (D-Bronx) introduced a congressional resolution - co-sponsored by 46 members of
Congress - asking the President to "temporarily suspend restrictions ... to allow Cuban-Americans to assist their
relatives in Cuba in the aftermath of Hurricane Dennis."

Foote's gesture speaks volumes of the decency of the American people. And even if she is not connected to any political
movement in favor of better relations with Cuba, she expects
to be criticized, even attacked.

"People are so scared that they won't even talk," she said.
Cuban leader Fidel Castro rejected Bush's "generous" offer.
"But I think he will take ours," Foote said.

And why not? Ruth and Fred Foote, and thousands like them
all over the U.S., are the real representatives of the nation's
values of generosity and solidarity.

They are what the American people are all about.

Originally published on July 20, 2005

The Caravan Weathers Hurricane Emily

2005-07-20T17:45:00.001-05:00

The weather didn't make the work of the 16th Friendshipment Caravan to Cuba any easier!

But caravanistas are intrepid folk! We hunkered down and got the job of packing, manifesting and general preparedness done.

Everyone is safe and sound. And so is the precious cargo collected from people around the entire US. We are all a little damper than we expected to be, but we made it through the storm. A lot of local flooding and a lot of rain. But we are no worse for the wear!

We will deliver this humanitarian aid to Cuba!

2005-07-20T17:45:00.000-05:00

On the road to McAllen!

Rev. Thomas Smith

2005-07-20T17:41:00.000-05:00

Chairperson of the Board of IFCO

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2005-07-20T17:39:00.000-05:00

Father Luis Barrios

2005-07-20T17:37:00.000-05:00

¡Puerto Rico Presente!
IFCO Board member

2005-07-20T17:20:00.000-05:00

Pastors for Peace Media Advisory

2005-07-20T17:09:00.000-05:00

MEDIA ADVISORY
JULY 20, 2005
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: IFCO/Pastors for Peace:
Ellen Bernstein in McAllen, TX: 646/319-5902 (cell)
Lucia Bruno in New York: 212/926-5757 (office)

U.S. FAMILY PUTS BUSH ADMINISTRATION TO SHAME:
Retired Sacramento Social Worker, Outraged at Bush Policies,
Pledges $50,000 to Pastors for Peace for Humanitarian Aid for Cuba

PRESS CONFERENCE: THURSDAY JULY 21, 9:30AM
Mazenod Renewal Center, Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle
Road #1426, San Juan, TX

Hundreds of Pastors for Peace volunteers preparing to deliver a massive shipment of humanitarian aid to Cuba were heartened by the news that Ruth Foote, a retired social worker, and her husband Fred Foote, from Sacramento, California, were so outraged by the US government's offer of $50,000 to Cuba for hurricane relief that they intend to personally contribute $50,000 to IFCO/Pastors for Peace.

"It's just outrageous that our government would insult the Cuban and American people in this way," said Ruth Foote. "I couldn't believe my ears when I heard it on the news."

Ruth Foote says she called Pastors for Peace because she knew of their work challenging the current US policy toward Cuba. "This blockade just doesn't make any sense," she said.

"We welcome this news from the Foote family," said Rev. Lucius Walker, Jr., executive director and founder of the Interreligious Foundation for Community Organization (IFCO), a 38-year-old ecumenical agency which is the parent organization of Pastors for Peace. "As people of faith and conscience, it is our duty to resist and condemn this cruel, immoral, and illegal US policy. The
blockade endangers the lives of millions of Cubans and inflicts suffering on innocent children as well as adults. Ruth Foote is publicly declaring what the majority of people in the US believe -- that this brutal economic blockade of Cuba needs to end."

"The US is spending more than $50,000 every day on its efforts to destroy the nation of Cuba," said Rev. Walker. "In light of this, the US's paltry offer of $50,000 in aid after Hurricane Dennis is hypocritical on the part of the US administration; it is insulting to the Cubans, and it is embarrassing to the people of the US. If the Bush administration really wanted to assist the Cuban people, they would end the blockade; and that's exactly what we're calling on them to do."

The Cuban government refused the US government's token offer of aid, saying that it would only accept aid from friends which was offered unconditionally.

The 16th Pastors for Peace Friendshipment Caravan will deliver a massive shipment of humanitarian aid to Cuba without asking for permission or license from the US government. 150 participants -- from the US, Mexico, Canada, Uganda, nine European countries, and the Caribbean -- will cross the border from McAllen, Texas into Mexico on Thursday morning July 21 at 11:00am, following the 9:30am press conference at the Basilica of San Juan del Valle. There will be an additional media opportunity just north of the International Bridge in Hidalgo just before the crossing at 11:00am.

Seven large yellow buses, one small bus, and two box trucks, all of them brightly painted and filled with valuable humanitarian aid, make up the caravan.

http://www.indybay.org/news/2005/07/1754199.php
FOR AUDIO Caravan Voices

http://www.caravan16.blogspot.com

FOR PHOTOS AND COMMENTS FROM PARTICIPANTS AND PRESS

Packing Aid for Cuba in McAllen, Texas

2005-07-20T11:43:00.000-05:00

Antonio's Bus

2005-07-18T18:43:00.000-05:00

The Caravan has arrived to McAllen, Texas!

2005-07-18T18:42:00.000-05:00

Over a hundred Caravanistas arrived yesterday to McAllen, Texas from all over the country. They came from New York, California, Oregon, Canada, Trinidad & Tobago, Scottland and everywhere in between. Folks are now hurridely sorting the humanitarian aid in a effort to finish before the rains arrive from Huracain Emily Tuesday or Wednesday.

Madison Wisconsin

2005-07-15T19:13:00.000-05:00

Sacramento

2005-07-15T18:56:00.000-05:00

Pastors for Peace 16th Annual Friendship Caravan to Cuba
Sacramento, Sunday, July 10, 2005

Chicago press conference posting 9&10 of 10

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Chicago Bus posting 8 of 10

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Chicago Bus posting 7 of 10

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Chicago Bus 6 of 10

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Chicago Bus 5 of 10

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Chicago Bus 4 of 10

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Chicago bus painting 3 of 10

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Chicago bus painting image 2 of 10

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Chicago

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Chicago Bus painting party image 1 of 10

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IFCO/Pastors for Peace 2005 Caravan to Cuba

2005-07-14T23:03:00.000-05:00

IFCO/Pastors for Peace 2005 Caravan to Cuba

Beautiful Bus Leaves Chicago

2005-07-14T18:02:00.000-05:00

The bus-painting event in Chicago yesterday was
wonderful and lots of fun. At least 20 people came
to the Amor de Dios church in Chicago to help clean and

paint the bus before its Monday morning departure.

I must say that I am very proud to ride in it. My
favorite part of the bus is a stunning portrait of
Che Guevara that someone called Roy painted
painstakingly onto the left side of the bus. Although the
caravanistas helped paint till we had to leave for
another event, I understand that several people
continued painting until two in the morning. We
would like to send thanks and lots of amor to Hector

and the rest of the bus-painting crew and we'll try

to post photos of the bus soon. Thanks also to
CubAmistad in Bloomington, Indiana for your warm,

warm welcome. Y gracias tambien a nuestro conductor, Bob.

Chicago Bus

2005-07-14T17:30:00.000-05:00

Chicago TV News

2005-07-14T16:56:00.000-05:00

Aid Organization Heading to Cuba Illegally
Jul. 9, 2005
Keith McCord Reporting

Cuba was hit hard when the hurricane passed over the island yesterday. At least 10 people died, and there was lots of damage. But, help is on the way. Several volunteer organizations have organized a humanitarian drive to send supplies to Cuba. Problem is, it's illegal!

On the side of a brightly painted bus are the words "Caravan to Cuba". Inside the bus is everything from bicycles to bibles, clothing to school supplies. The group responsible is called "Pastors for Peace".

Catherine Murray, Pastors for Peace: "By the end of the route we will have collected 200-tons of aid to take to Cuba. This is very important and obviously very needed."

The bus stopped in Salt Lake tonight-- it's one of 14 different caravans which will collect supplies from 130 cities.

Catherine Murray: "And we'll be converging at the Mexican border at McAllen, Texas. By the time we're there, there will be 140 US citizens and people from seven other countries from around the world."

Then, they'll take the supplies to Cuba, which was ravaged by the hurricane. But technically, they're breaking the law. The US has had a trade embargo with Cuba in place since the 1960's. For years, the Pastors for Peace organization has openly defied the law, saying it's outdated.

Catherine Murray: "We believe that it is illegal and immoral, and we are going in open defiance of that. We'll cross the border on the 21st of July and go to Cuba with this aid in our arms."

A humanitarian effort with a definite political message attached. This is the 16th time that this group has conducted such a mission to Cuba, to challenge the embargo. Members have met resistance from US border agents during those previous trips, but in the end, the supplies always made it to Cuba.