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From: "Compa~ero" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Date: Tue, 15 Jun 1999 17:18:37 -5
Subject: Caravan threatened with $55,000 Fine by US Government
Caravan threatened with $55,000 Fine by US Government
News Release Contact: Interreligious Foundation for Community
Organization (IFCO)/Pastors for Peace June 14, 1999
917/312-7452,
202/491-6836 (McAllen); 773/271-4817 (Chicago)
Religious Caravan Destined for Cuba Threatened with $55,000 Fine by US
Government Caravan to Cross Mexican Border Tuesday, June 15 With over 200
tons of Humanitarian Aid for Cuban Hospitals and Churches
Today, organizers of the US-Cuba Friendshipment Caravan, a project
designed to challenge the US government's 39- year old economic blockade
of Cuba, learned of the US government's intent to fine caravan
participants $55,000 each if they go through with their plans to deliver a
humanitarian aid caravan destined for Cuban churches and hospitals. In a
letter sent to Rev. Lucius Walker, Jr., Executive Director of the
Interreligious Foundation for Community Organization (IFCO) and founder of
Pastors for Peace, Richard Newcomb, Director of the US Treasury
Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), threatened to fine
each participant for traveling to Cuba to deliver the more than 200 tons
of medicines and medical supplies collected along 15 different caravan
routes.
This threat comes after more than a week of traveling through 140 North
American cities, where caravan participants collected aid and held
educational events highlighting the devastating effects of the US
government's policy toward Cuba.
"We find our government's behavior toward Cuba to be absolutely shameful,"
said Rev. Walker. "Our government is threatening to fine US citizens
$55,000 each for taking food and medicine to the Cuban people. It is
absolutely unconscionable for our government to punish it's citizens for
being good neighbors."
"Our government claims that it wants to help the Cuban people, but
innocent children and elderly people are dying due to Cuba's inability to
purchase US-made medicines," said Walker. "Our caravan is prepared to
stand up against the US government and to deliver raw materials that will
allow Cubans to manufacture their own medicines."
Caravan organizers say the caravan of 18 colorful buses, trucks,
ambulances and cars, loaded with tons of medical aid will cross the
Hidalgo/Reynosa International Bridge in McAllen, TX on Tuesday, June 15.
Eighty-three participants from across the US, Canada, Mexico, Europe and
Africa are participating in this caravan effort.
"We do not have to come to the US to support the Cuban people," said Paul
Davidson of Great Britain, one of 20 international caravan participants.
"But we believe that the work of the US-Cuba Friendshipment is a model for
the way the people of the United States should be relating to Cuba and we
want to show our support."
Since 1992 IFCO/Pastors for Peace has organized eight Friendshipment
caravans to draw attention to citizen opposition to the US embargo.
Caravan participants have risked fines up to $250,000 and 10 years in
prison to deliver food, medicines, medical equipment, Bibles, ambulances,
medical computers and powdered milk to Cuban churches and hospitals. The
past eight caravans have delivered over 1700 tons of unlicensed aid to
Cuba.
"We take these caravans without seeking a US government license because we
believe that the acceptance of a license indicates acceptance of the US
blockade, which we firmly believe is a crime against humanity," Walker
said. "Even Pope John Paul II called the blockade `monstrously immoral'.
Like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., we are participating in non-violent,
civil disobedience to highlight injustice and force a change in the law."
After crossing the Hidalgo/Reynosa International Bridge on Tuesday, June
15, the group will travel to Tampico, Mexico where the aid will be loaded
onto a freighter destined for Cuba. The participants will then fly the
Cuba for a week-long program, visiting schools, hospitals, churches and
participating in cultural events. ###
IFCO/Pastors for Peace
402 w 145th st, nyc 10031
212-926-5757 fax: 212-926-5842
web: http://www.ifconews.org
"...We who have a voice must speak for the voiceless"
Archbishop Romero
NUEVO AMANECER PRESS-PRENSA NUEVO AMANECER-N.A.P.
To know us visit our web page in Spanish in Mexico at:
http://www.nap.cuhm.mx/nap0.htm
E-mail: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
General Director: Roger Maldonado
A Press in support of the work in defense of Human Rights
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