IFCO/Pastors for Peace 2006 Caravan to Cuba

Press Release: Another Solid Victory for Pastors for Peace - Caravan Successfully Returns to US After Visiting Cuba

2006-07-18T11:12:00.000-07:00

MEDIA ADVISORY
July 17, 2006 – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts: Ellen Bernstein: 646/319-5902,
646/319-5904 in New York 212/926-5757

”If there is a law against loving our neighbor,
I want to break it.”

The 17th Pastors for Peace Friendshipment Caravan to Cuba crossed back into the United States via Hidalgo, Texas on Monday morning July 17, after delivering 60 tons of humanitarian aid to Cuba, followed by an informative and exciting eight-day educational visit to the island.

”The motto of our 17th caravan has been ‘Cuba is our neighbor: End the blockade now,’” said Rev. Lucius Walker, Jr., executive director of IFCO/Pastors for Peace. “We are called by our faith to resist any law which would keep us from fulfilling our biblical mandate to love our neighbor.”When the group arrived at the Hidalgo border at 7:15am, they were met by many familiar faces – some of the same Homeland Security agents who had interrogated and searched them in 2005 and in previous years. Apparently the caravan had not been expected so early at the border; agents were still making multiple copies of blank interrogation questionnaires when the caravanistas entered the immigration hall.

Members of the caravan remained highly disciplined and in excellent spirits as they faced interrogation and searches by more than 75 Homeland Security and Treasury officials. The caravanistas successfully resisted efforts to fingerprint them and isolate them for questioning. “We are not criminals. We are responding to an unjust law with a ministry of love and compassion,” said Rev. Thomas Smith, president of IFCO/Pastors for Peace. The caravanistas had solid legal support as they defended their Constitutional rights. The entire process took five hours, including attempts at interrogation and hand searches of their personal luggage.

International members of the caravan from Canada and Europe received the highest level of harassment. They were isolated and interrogated in a back room, and were threatened with denial of reentry into the US if they did not fully cooperate.A high-level official of the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), which oversees enforcement of Cuba sanctions, observed the entire process with increasing frustration.

One aggressive Cuban-American plainclothes agent, who repeatedly refused to identify herself or the US agency for which she works, took photographs of caravanistas, asked harassing questions, and was finally reduced to spending 20 minutes rifling through the papers in Rev. Walker’s briefcase.

”Today’s ‘welcome home’ ceremony by our government is yet another desperate attempt by a failing empire to try to defend an indefensible policy,” said Rev. Walker. “It is shameful that they continue to cater to extremist interests in South Florida, in order just to win a few votes.”

”The US government recently released a new report which spells out Bush’s fantasy for annexation of Cuba – to install a puppet government which serves US interests, and to dismantle Cuba’s world-renowned health care and educational systems,” Rev. Walker said. “The report is based on lies and distortions. It claims to show concern for the very same Cuban people who have suffered so terribly for so many years precisely because of the US government’s relentless economic war against Cuba. Bush’s desperation only increases our resolve: we must not allow the Bush administration to destroy Cuba,” said Rev. Walker.

Last year, more than 100 participants in recent Pastors for Peace caravans received letters from OFAC threatening them with fines for traveling to Cuba. “We don’t know what will await us this time,” said IFCO board member Rev. Luis Barrios, “but we refuse to be intimidated from fulfilling our mission of humanitarian aid and fellowship.”

Pastors for Peace is a project of the Interreligious Foundation for Community Organization (IFCO), a national ecumenical agency which has been working for social justice since 1967.

Caravan to Cuba -- third dispatch

2006-07-17T14:04:00.000-07:00

Sorry to those following Route B's journey. Things got very busy, the closer we got to McAllen and then it was really busy. I am sending some more articles that were published in Monday Magazine, a weekly based in Victoria, B.C., Canada

Caravanistas visit free speech mecca

by Tanya Lester

"There comes a time when the operation of the

machine becomes so odious, makes you so

sick at heart, that you can't take part, you

can't even passively take part; and you've

got to put your bodies upon the gears and

upon the wheels, upon all the apparatus, and

you've got to make it stop. And you've got to

indicate to the people who run it, the people

who own it, that unless you're free, the

machine will be prevented from working at all."

-- Mario Savio

In California, the caravanistas on our route take a couple of hours

off to visit the Free Speech Movement Cafe at University of California--

Berkeley Campus.

This shrine to 1960's and 1970's student radicalism in opposition to the Vietnam War is dedicated to student leader named Mario Savio.

On the walls and tables of the tucked-away campus cafe, photographs and historical documents tell the story of mid-September, 1964 when the University administration banned "political expression including information and registration tables, from the only place where these were still tolerated" on a sidewalk in front of the institution.

At the beginning of October of the same fall, an activist defied the ban, set up a table and was arrested. Three thousand students surrounded the police car holding him. They engaged in a 30 hour public dialogue with the police.

By early December, 1964, 1200 students occupied Spoul Hall on campus. The sit-in spawned mass arrests. Ten thousand students went on strike.

On December 8, the Academic Senate voted 824 - 115 to support student demands.

In the cafe, students, plugged into their laptops, seem much more concerned with finishing papers than protesting the latest war, against Iraq. By the campus gate, a photographer takes shots of a young couple in wedding tuxedo and gown.

But on the street running into the campus, it is still Beserkley (as caravanista Carol Cross, who live nearby, lovingly calls the city). Among the counter-culture paraphanalia is a t-shirt: Nixon - (picture of) brain = Bush.

--END--

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Havana Church Visit

2006-07-17T11:13:00.000-07:00

Loading Aid in Tampico

2006-07-17T10:59:00.000-07:00

Loading Aid in Tampico

2006-07-17T10:54:00.000-07:00

Crossing the Border into Mexico on our way to Cuba

2006-07-17T09:54:00.000-07:00

Cuba is our Neighbor

2006-07-17T09:39:00.000-07:00

Images from the Caravan

2006-07-17T09:35:00.000-07:00

Caravan at the US-Mexico Border!

2006-07-17T09:17:00.000-07:00

MEDIA ADVISORY

July 15, 2006 – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contacts:
at the Mexico/Texas border: Ellen Bernstein: 646/319-5902, 646/319-5904
in New York: Lucia Bruno: 347/423-4330, 212/926-5757

PASTORS FOR PEACE CARAVAN RETURNS TO US,
AWAITS CONFRONTATION FROM US AUTHORITIES:
ARRESTS POSSIBLE

The 17th Pastors for Peace Friendshipment Caravan to Cuba will return to the United States, crossing the border from Reynosa, Mexico into Hidalgo, Texas on the morning of Monday, July 17, after an eight-day educational visit to Cuba.

"Our caravan travels to Cuba as a collective challenge to a brutal US policy. We are conscientious objectors to our government's immoral and illegal economic war against Cuba, which has caused so much suffering for the Cuban people," said Rev. Thomas Smith, president of IFCO/Pastors for Peace.

Upon recent returns to the U.S. border, the caravan has been confronted by Homeland Security officers who have harassed and attempted to interrogate caravan members, searching their personal luggage and confiscating items in violation of their First Amendment rights.

This year, the tension has escalated. A new report from the Presidential Commission for Assistance to a Free Cuba was approved by President Bush earlier this week. The 93-page report criminalizes unlicensed travel to Cuba and threatens "criminal investigation, including possible prosecution."

Rev. Lucius Walker, Jr., executive director of IFCO/Pastors for Peace, said, "We have to be prepared for the possibility of arrests at the border when the caravan returns to the US. The Bush administration must be feeling a sense of desperation that it has not yet been able to destroy Cuba. The new report signals the possibility of extreme measures by the US government against Pastors for Peace because of its humanitarian mission in solidarity with the people of Cuba."

Pastors for Peace is a project of the Interreligious Foundation for Community Organization (IFCO), a national ecumenical agency which has been working for social justice since 1967.

Prensa Latina: Defiant Pastors Crusade to Cuba

2006-07-10T13:29:00.000-07:00

Defiant Pastors Crusade to Cuba

Havana, Jul 8 (Prensa Latina) The 17th Pastors for Peace Caravan is arriving in Cuba Saturday with its message of solidarity, in the face of the new measures the US government has taken to try to wipe out the Cuba Revolution and its people.

The caravan members are arriving in Havana after having traveled throughout North America condemning the anti-Cuba US blockade and gathering humanitarian aid for Island.

The organization, grouping friends of Cuba from the US, Canada, and other countries, opposes the US economic war against the Cuban people, which has caused over 82 billion dollars in losses.

Led by Rev. Lucius Walter, the Pastors for Peace Caravan is arriving in Cuba at a time when the White House has announced the second report of the so called Commission for Assistance to a Free Cuba, with new aggressive acts and the ratification the Helms-Burton and Torricelli Laws, the blockade, and other interference on the Island.

The new US regulations ban sending humanitarian articles to Cuban churches and allow for creation an 80 million-dollar fund to support aggressive anti-Cuban sectors.

Challenging all Cuba travel restrictions, the caravan members will be welcomed by the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples.

They plan to meet with relatives of the five Cubans unfairly imprisoned in the US for fighting terrorism, tour the country´s west to get acquainted with the national reality, visit the Latin American School of Medicine and get information on special education for blind, autistic and mentally-disabled children, among other activities.

Cuban News Report (ACN)

2006-07-10T13:26:00.000-07:00

Pastors for Peace in Cuba for First Hand Look

Havana, July 10 (ACN)

Members of the 17th Pastors for Peace “Friendshipment” Caravan arrived in Havana over the weekend to take a first hand look at Cuba and meet with the island’s people.

The “caravanistas,”—who come from the US, Canada, Mexico, Denmark, Sweden, the U.K., Scotland and Germany— visited 127 US and Canadian cities in their effort to collect humanitarian aid for the Cuban people.

After their arrival on the island, Pastors for Peace members toured local museums and the Central Information Technologies center on Sunday. They also attended a performance by Cuba’s National Ballet.

As part of their agenda here, they will meet with students at the Havana-based Latin American School of Medicine – a university which offers free medical courses to thousands of poor youths from Third World nations.

The guests will later meet Cuban ophthalmologists and with patients from various nations who are receiving free eye treatment on the island as part of the Operation Miracle free eye surgery program sponsored by Cuba and Venezuela.

The organized effort by friends of Cuba has been bringing humanitarian aid to the island since 1992 in open defiance of the more than 45-year economic, financial and commercial blockade of Cuba by the United States. This burden has caused the island loses calculated at more than 82 billion dollars.

UPDATE FROM HAVANA July 10

2006-07-10T12:59:00.000-07:00

From Ellen Bernstein in Havana:

The day from Reynosa to Tampico was LONG; our folk worked beautifully with the longshoremen in Tampico, and the loading of the containers was finished at about 3:00am...

We were welcomed by many friends at the airport when we arrived here.

Sunday morning we visited seven different churches; Rev. Lucius Walker was at the William Carey Baptist church, Father Luis Barrios at the Episcopal Cathedral and Rev. Tom Smith at a Methodist church in Marianao -- all preached beautifully about "faith in action"; others in our group visited Ebenezer Baptist Church, and a Catholic and Pentecostal church.

Our people have been weary after a long journey, but inspired and excited by what we've seen here; there's been lots of time to meet and dialogue with young folk here. More soon.

The Power of Love

2006-07-07T13:03:00.000-07:00

At the Border

2006-07-07T12:41:00.000-07:00

Unprecedented Victory for Pastors for Peace!

2006-07-06T12:10:00.000-07:00

MEDIA ADVISORY
JULY 6, 2006 -- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACTS: Ellen Bernstein: 646/319-5902, 646/319-5904 (in Texas) Lucia Bruno: 212/926-5757, 347/423-4330 (in New York)

ANOTHER UNPRECEDENTED VICTORY FOR PASTORS FOR PEACE!

AID CARAVAN CROSSES US BORDER WITHOUT INCIDENT

PASTORS FOR PEACE CALLS FOR TRANSITION GOVERNMENT IN US

We are writing this press release from the Customs dock in Reynosa,Mexico, having successfully passed across the US border this morningwithout incident.Our caravan of nine brightly painted vehicles arrived at theinternational border at 6:15am escorted by local police, and continuedon into Mexico. One of the toll collectors flashed a "V" sign - for victory and for peace - at the passing caravanistas as we passed through the tollbooth and headed across the Pharr International Bridge, carrying more than 100 tons of humanitarian aid for Cuba.

The aid was collected in 127 communities around the US and Canada. We were briefed by local police on the day prior to our crossing. We understand that there were high level meetings involving US attorneys,Customs officials and local police to determine how they would handlethe challenge from Pastors for Peace this year.

Their refusal to meetour challenge is especially significant in light of last year's action,in which US Customs, under orders from the US Commerce Department,selectively inspected and confiscated items of humanitarian aidincluding computers destined for disabled Cuban children.

Rev. Lucius Walker, executive director of IFCO/Pastors for Peace, said,"The US is calling for regime change in Cuba; but we are here todaycalling for regime change in the US. It's time that our governmentturned toward peace, toward reconciliation, toward respect for thesovereignty of Cuba and of all our neighbors. We are here today to show it can be done."

Pastors for Peace is a project of the Interreligious Foundation forCommunity Organization (IFCO), a national ecumenical agency which hasbeen working for social justice since 1967.Downloadable photos and more information are available at www.pastorsforpeace.org.

Una Nueva Victoria Para Los Pastores por la Paz!

2006-07-06T11:35:00.000-07:00

NOTA DE PRENSA 6 DE JULIO DEL 2006 - NOTA IMEDIATA

CONTACTOS: Ellen Bernstein: (646)319-5902, 646-319-5904 (en Texas) Lucia Bruno: 212/926-5757, 347/423-4330(en Nueva York)

UNA NUEVA VICTORIA PARA IFCO/ LOS PASTORES POR LA PAZ!

CARAVANA DE AYUDA CRUZA LA FRONTERA DE LOS EEUU SIN INCIDENTE

PASTORES POR LA PAZ RECLAMA UN GOBIERNO DE TRANSICION EN LOS EEUU

Estamos escribiendo esta nota de prensa desde las Aduanas en Reynosa, Mexico, despues de haber cruzado la frontera de los EEUU esta mañana sin incidentes. Nuestra caravana de nueve vehiculos pintados de colores brillantes llego a la frontera internacional a las 6:15 am con escolta de la policia local y entro a Mexico. Uno de los empleados del peaje nos dio el simbolo “V” de la victoria y de la paz al ver pasar los caravanistas.

Cruzamos el Puente Internacional Pharr llevando mas de 100 toneladas de ayuda humanitaria para Cuba. La ayuda fue recigida en 127 comunidades a traves de los EEUU y Canada. El dia anterior, al hablar con la policia local, entendimos que se habian llevado a cabo reuniones de alto nivel entre fiscales de los EEUU, oficiales de Aduana y la policia local para determiner como enfrentar el desafio de los Pastores por la Paz. El que ellos no se atrevieron a enfrentar nuestro desafio tiene un significado particular este ano. El ano pasado, bajo ordenes del Departamento de Comercio de los EEUU, la Aduana EEUU confisco ayuda humanitaria que incluia computadoras destinadas para niños y ñinas discapacitados en Cuba.

El Reverendo Lucius Walker, director ejecutivo de IFCO/Pastores Por la Paz, se declaro, “Los EEUU reclama un cambio de regimen en Cuba, pero hoy estamos aqui para reclamar un cambio de regimen en los EEUU. Ha llegado la hora que nuestra gobierno se encamine hacia la paz, hacia la reconcilacion y hacia el respeto por la soberania de Cuba y de todos nuestros vecinos. Estamos aqui hoy en dia para demostrar que es possible.”

Los Pastores por la Paz es un proyecto de la Fundacion Interreligiosa para la Organizacion Comunitaria (IFCO), una agencia ecumenica nacional que ha trabajado a favor de la justicia social desde el 1967.Se pueden bajar fotos y mas informacion por internet en www.pastorsforpeace.org.

In McAllen

2006-07-05T15:58:00.000-07:00

On the Road

2006-07-05T15:56:00.000-07:00

On the Road

2006-07-05T15:43:00.000-07:00

on the road

2006-07-05T11:42:00.000-07:00

Austin TX News8 TV

2006-07-05T11:31:00.000-07:00

NEWS8 Austin, Texas

http://www.news8austin.com/content/your_news/?SecID=278&ArID=165732

Bikes Across Borders sends supplies to Cuba
7/2/2006 5:26 PM
By: News 8 Austin Staff

A school bus painted green and running on biodiesel rolled into town on Saturday night packed with supplies headed to Cuba.

It's part of the 17th annual Caravan to Cuba, a relief effort by Pastors for Peace. The bus is one of several taking different routes through America. They will meet up in McAllen, Texas, and cross the border into Mexico.

From there the donated medical supplies and sports equipment are flown to Cuba. The United States has embargoed Cuban goods since 1962. It officially became law during the Clinton administration.

Since 2003, the United Nations has overwhelmingly voted to end the embargo twice, but the United States has resisted both times.

Organizers say this trip is more than just a relief effort.

"We go as an act of protest against the blockade. We don't agree with our country's foreign policy on Cuba that deprives the Cuban people of food and medicine and also says that we can't legally travel to Cuba. We don't agree with that law. We don't believe our government should be able to tell us where we can and can't travel," Briana Harris of Pastors for Peace said.

The stop in Austin netted 21 bicycles from Bikes Across Borders. The bus also carries ultrasound machines, wheelchairs, crutches, prosthetic limbs, school supplies and Little League equipment.

KFAI radio interview

2006-07-05T05:55:00.000-07:00

NOTE: the first 5 and a half minutes of this link is music.
so please fast forward to hear Antonio Rosell, Rev. Tom Smith and other activists.

A live interview from McAllen Texas on KFAI's (Minneapolis) "Conversations with Al McFarlane":
http://helix.kfai.org/ramgen/replay/converse-1.rm

Further Advemtures of Route D

2006-07-05T04:42:00.000-07:00

June 28th Route D had the most enviable place to stop on the friendshipment, Las Vegas, New Mexico. Sited on a plateau 6,400 feet above sea level, Las Vegas is above the oppressive heat and remains lush and green despite the draught.
But the reason to go is the people. Many families have been in the town for 5 generations to forever. Community spirit defines Las Vegas as much as the unique family owned businesses and the colorful history of the Sante Fe Trail. They have extended their community spirit to their sister city, Banes, and to recruiting students for the Latin America School of Medicine.
Our host, Miguel Angel, a retired professor of ethnic studies who lives in the adobe house his grandfather built, is exactly the man to introduce you to Las Vegas and to the hospitality that makes you sorry to leave. Our event with the sister city project was as much about entertaining us as hearing us. After the event, our hosts drove us to the hot springs just east of town.
With another wonderful meal under our belts we left early next morning to make our press conference in Amarillo, Texas, then on to converge with other routes.

Caravanista Faces - July 3rd - San Juan

2006-07-03T22:38:00.000-07:00

Route B - Palo Alto, California

2006-07-01T21:23:00.000-07:00

June 25, 2006

We stay at Carol Cross' place in Redwood City for the two days that we are in the Bay area. On Sunday morning, we attend a Quaker Friendship Meeting. As is the tradition, we mediate or "go within" for an hour. Anyone who is moved by Spirit can stand up and speak to the gathering. After lunch, Carol presents her slideshow of last year's Caravan to Cuba trip. We all "enjoy" the part about the two FBI or CIA agents who were spying on the caravanistas at McAllen, Texas last year. They are parked in an empty parking lot; yet both cars are right next to each other and each of the sole occupants in each car is reading a newspaper. Carol says when they are questioned by caravanistas, they say that they are waiting for the church to open. They are parked faraway from the church. Shortly, after they are questioned, both cars drive away.

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Route B - Berkeley

2006-06-30T10:24:00.000-07:00

June 24, 2006

"There comes a time when the operation of the machine becomes so odious, makes you so sick at heart, that you can't take part, you can't even passively take part; and you've got to put your bodies upon the gears and upon the wheels, upon all the apparatus, and you've got to make it stop. And you've got to indicate to the people who run it, the people who own it, that unless you're free, the machine will be prevented from working at all."

-- Mario Savio

UC Berkeley Campus 1960's student activist

The above quote is posted in the Free Speech Movement Cafe at UC Berkeley.

It struck us Route B caravanistas as being very similar to what we are doing and believe in on the Caravan to Cuba.

Berkeley ( or Beserkley as Carol lovingly calls it) is Carol Cross's home turf and she does not disappoint us. The event is at the Unitarian Fellowship there. A folk/country band named Annie and the Vets entertains us with tunes like "You ain't been doing nothing if you ain't been called a red", "Have You Been Jailed for Justice?" and "There's a Woman Trapped inside My Body".

Besides Carol's speech and our introductions, we show "Bloqueo".

The meal is complete with sparkling water and sweet breads at each table.

Everyone gives generously. One woman writes us a cheque for $75 and tells me if it was 1967, she would be on the bus. Then, she changes her mind, asks for the cheque back and writes another for $175.

We meet two new caravanistas there. Jim (hey, baby) who joins us. Also, Ruth who has been on the Caravan before and will fly down to McAllen to meet up with us there.

-- Tanya Lester

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Caravan to Cuba-- first article

2006-06-29T08:57:00.000-07:00

Article for Monday Magazine in Victoria, B.C., Canada on June 18, Route B

Caravan to Cuba: Tweaking the Bully's Nose

by Tanya Lester

Crossing the Peace Arch border, in a line of slogan-decalled vans and trucks overloaded with humanitarian aid , to climb onto the Caravan to Cuba bus. Only five months ago, this is not something I anticipated doing just shy of the summer solstice in mid-June.

What hooked me into joining the 17th Pastors for Peace protest opposed to the U.S. trade embargo against Cuba was a film called Bloqueo. The Film Festival folks on Salt Spring Island, where I live, screened this movie at Barb's Buns, the local organic food cafe, one rainy February night.

It is about the Caravan which treks through every state in mainland America each summer to remind the U.S. government that being responsible for 11 million people doing without, for over four decades, in not alright. I was attracted to the spark in the people involved in this peaceful, even joyful, massive act of civil disobedience. Nothing violent or even angry about this celebration of solidarity with the Cubans.

The time is right for me to set aside three weeks of my life to honour the activist in me. I turned 50 in January. It is official: I am heading into my gray panther years.My nest is left empty when my eighteen-year-old son, Luke, leaves home in April.

Less than a month before the Caravan kicks-off from four Canadian border crossings on June 18 I am elated with news from south of the border. U.S. Customs finally returns 45 boxes of computers confiscated from last year's Caravan as it attempted to cross into Mexico where the aid was to be put on a ship to Cuba.

Closer to home, I am e-mailed by organizer John Waller. Would I mind changing the route I have been assigned to travel on? I agree.Experiencing Arizona and New Mexico has long been on my To-Do-Before-I-Die list.To spend time along the way in Berkeley, the intellectual's City of Love during the 70's and in San Jose (Dionne Warwick's song jingles on my memory I-Pod) can only be a good thing.

I will be the sole Canadian on that route. Along with my multi-aged American caravanistas, I will speak at public events each night and sleep in church basements when supporters' homes are not available.

But I have little time to daydream. The people of Salt Spring have generously opened up their closets and sheds to help. All spring in the Saturday market--where I set up to request donations for the Caravan-- I hear the stories.

"The need is so great, beyond words," says Lou Ellis, a local Carvan committee member, who returns from Cuba a week before I leave.

I know why I am going on a deeper level. We are a consumer society and the Caravan is about distributing the wealth.

This is also about sending a message to the U.S. government. Almost half a century ago, Cuba dared to stand up to its giant American neighbour. Ever since, it is like the Latin American country has been forced by the schoolyard bully to stand with its nose in the corner. We are tweaking the bully's nose.

-- END--

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Route B - Chico, California

2006-06-29T00:10:00.000-07:00

June 23, 2006

As we head into Chico, California ( after marvelling over Mt. Shasta along the way and taking a quick swim in Shasta Lake; it is 103 F), we have our first (keep reading the blog to find out about more blowouts later) bus tire blowout. Woody limps the bus to a fire station which is deserted because there is a fire being fought by local fire fighters. We phone our host Rachel at the Chico Peace and Justice Centre. She arrives in the heat, which is when we discover she is eleven days away from her due date to give birth. At the Centre, we find out someone in our group discussed the possbility of a film. We show "The Little Yellow School Bus" which is enjoyed by probably all of the 15 people in attendance. A professor who attends buys a copy of the video and says its his intent to show it to his students. People at the meeting tell us that a Chico woman named Kathy Webster (I hope I have the spelling of her name correct) is their own Dorothy Parker. She spent 30 days in prison solitary confinement for stepping onto the School of the Americas property, where the U.S. military teach people torture techniques. The women involved in this group have set a goal to have 1000 grandmothers perform this civil disobedience. A man attending the meeting sells biodiesel and gives Woody a 15 cent discount per gallon so it ends up costing about the same as regular gas. Next day, we head to Berkeley.

--- Tanya Lester

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Maryland

2006-06-28T14:13:00.000-07:00

Canadian Friends

2006-06-28T14:11:00.000-07:00

New Orleans to Honor Caravan Friday June 30

2006-06-28T13:42:00.000-07:00

Caravan to Cuba to Be Honored
at Luncheon in Lower Ninth Ward

Contact: Curtis Muhammad 504-236-4703

A month after donating computers to Martin Luther King School and the Sanchez Center, the Pastors for Peace Friendshipment Caravan to Cuba is making a stop for a luncheon at the Sanchez Center on Friday, June 30th at noon.

Pastors for Peace delivered 80 tons of urgently needed aid to the Gulf Coast after Katrina. This huge effort gave New Orleans a much-needed boost when others feared to enter our area. Friday’s stop in the lower Ninth Ward is part of the 17th annual US-Cuba Friendshipment Caravan to Cuba to provide humanitarian aid to the Cuban people in a challenge to the embargo. The caravan is in the process of stopping at 127 US cities collecting donations and will continue on to Baton Rouge and then Houston, Texas from here.

New Orleanians remember that Cuba offered to send 1600 doctors to assist sick or injured victims of Katrina. The US government turned down this much needed aid. Cuba’s baseball team also attempted to donate its winnings from the World Baseball Classic to the people of New Orleans, and this offer was also turned down.

More recently, Cuba was able to give a much smaller but still meaningful gift to some of the New Orleanians most impacted by Katrina: the children of the lower Ninth Ward. Fifteen computers originally intended for Cuban children were delivered to the Sanchez Center on May 30, after traveling from Hidalgo, Texas on a blue Pastors for Peace school bus. The computers had been intended for visually handicapped students in Cuba, but were seized from Pastors for Peace last year by U.S. Customs agents. When they were finally released, Pastors for Peace followed the request of the Cuban intended recipients and donated them to New Orleans children.

Friday’s event is sponsored by the People’s Organizing Committee. The organization will hold a luncheon to honor Pastors for Peace and the Caravan from 12:00 to 2:00 PM at the Sanchez Center, corner of Claiborne and Caffin. It invites New Orleans to take a short break to help celebrate this gathering of friends.

Northampton, MA

2006-06-28T13:18:00.000-07:00

Charleston, South Carolina

2006-06-28T13:17:00.000-07:00

From Ellen Berstein:

Our route N (13 of us on the bus) had a lovely event last night at the Avery Research Center for African-American History and Culture. in Charleston, SC.

Our group had a tour of the Avery Center, and then we were asked to speak about the whole trajectory of IFCO's work, from its earliest history in the civil rights movement, and how that has evolved into our current work with Cuba, with Congress, with the Latin American School of Medicine scholarship program... the audience was small but very diverse, and EVERYONE stayed afterwards to talk and ask questions. And the cultural component of the event was just amazing -- first three wonderful African drummers, and later a number of songs and hymns from the Brothers of the the St James Presbyterian Church, St James, SC, songs like "I'm Climbing Up the Rough Side of the Mountain"... the people who hosted us told us that our project is unique because 1) our project "manifests true respect for the equality of cultures" and 2) our journey of resistance gives people hope...

Post From Ellen Bernstein on the East Coast

2006-06-28T12:59:00.000-07:00

A dance space in Kittery, Maine; a people's peace church on Copley Square in Boston; a Cuban restaurant in Providence; a huge historic church in Northampton, MA; the riverside backyard of an art gallery in Brattleboro, VT; a community center in a Latino neighborhood of Hartford; a Friends Meeting House in Camden; a peace house in Newark, DE; a hostel in Baltimore; a peace church in Columbia, MD; a Methodist church with special outreach to the Latino community in Washington DC:

These are the places that have welcomed us so far in the just first week of our route of the 17th Pastors for Peace caravan. And in each place we have gathered up so much support and so much good will!

In Portsmouth/Kittery, we met the friends from Maine who had gone to the Canadian border to pick up aid collected in Halifax and Montreal. (The back end of the big blue bus is now filled with donated medical equipment for Cuba; and the front end has 14 wonderful passengers from New York City, NJ, Boston, Arizona, Toronto, Sweden, and England...)

In Northampton, with more than 100 people attending, our event was filled with spoken word and poetry and music and dance -- and two young people were so inspired by our work that they very nearly picked up and came along with us!

In DC we stayed at the Rutilio Grande House, a collective named for the Jesuit priest who was the mentor of Monsignor Oscar Romero of El Salvador -- which was especially meaningful to the young members of the Iglesia de San Romero de las Americas who are traveling with us on this route of the caravan.

I'm writing from the back seat of the big blue bus, laptop plugged in to the inverter; Bill Hill is driving us through a pounding rainstorm, and the others are singing, talking politics, making beaded jewelry, taking naps...

On to Chapel Hill tonight; Charleston tomorrow, then Atlanta, then Mobile; and we're all looking forward to New Orleans on Friday.... Ellen

Baltimore and Columbia Maryland!

2006-06-28T12:42:00.000-07:00

Thank you to everyone who made this effort possible.
Most of all to the 13 "caravanistas" (ages 15 to 80) who are giving their time and energy to challenge the US embargo of Cuba.

My thanks go to the following individuals and organizations:
The Baltimore Hostel for providing the space for the exhibit and for the dinner; Frank and the Baltimore-Matanzas Sister City Association for coordinating the Baltimore effort; The cooks who prepared a delicious rice, beans, salad, flan and rice pudding dinner: Nardelis (Cuba), Adela(Uruguay), Elena (Mexico), Carydad (Cuba) and Marta (US). José Luis (Puerto Rico) helped with loading and unloading all the stuff we had to take from Columbia (MD) and for organizing the literature.

What an international demonstration of solidarity! The host families who took the "caravanistas" into their homes. They all had wonderful sleeping accommodations and a nice breakfast; The Columbia United Christian Church and in particular Pastor Beth O'Malley for, once again, including the travelers in their Sunday Services. Most of all, thank you for the Blessing and the good wishes for a safe trip; We also give our thanks to the Jeanne Lemkau for providing us with the beautiful exhibit of pictures of the Cuban family in Cuba and the US.

Finally, thank you to Mavis Anderson and to the Latin America America Working Group for helping advertise this event. After the Blessing, the "caravanistas" came to my home to watch the end of the Ecuador-England soccer match. Sorry Ecuador lost!! After the game the "caravanistas" ate more rice, beans and salad and at around 3:00 p.m. re-started their journey.

For and end to the US embargo of Cuba!!!

Leslie
PS For more pictures of the caravan please check our website: www.friendsoflatinamerica.org

Leslie P. Salgado, Chair
Howard County Friends of Latin America

Caravan in Salt Lake City!

2006-06-28T12:39:00.000-07:00

Deseret Morning News, Saturday, June 24, 2006

Cuban aid caravan will defy blockade

A "friendshipment" caravan headed for Cuba will stop in Salt Lake City today, as part of a Pastors for Peace challenge to the U.S. blockade on aid.

The caravan, which will take medicine, textbooks and other supplies to Cuba, is traveling to more than 120 American and Canadian cities before crossing the U.S. border into Mexico on July 2 in an effort to challenge U.S. restrictions on travel and aid to Cuba.

At its Utah stop, People for Peace and Justice of Utah will host a free public event at Free Speech Zone, 2144 S. Highland Drive at 7 p.m. Keynote speaker will be Gloria La Riva, coordinator of the National Committee to Free the Cuban Five. La Riva has organized medical aid shipments to Cuba and Iraq.

Pastors for Peace is a special ministry of the Interreligious Foundation for Community Organization (IFCO), created in 1988 to deliver humanitarian aid to Latin American and Caribbean countries. The group calls the U.S. blockade of humanitarian aid to Cuba "an immoral policy that uses hunger and disease as political weapons."

During past "friendshipment" caravans, says Deanna Taylor of People for Peace and Justice of Utah, U.S. border guards have confiscated some items and have detained some of the caravan participants. "I don't think there's any rhyme or reason for what they confiscate."

This 17th caravan is traveling via 13 different routes through the United States and Canada, going by school bus, truck and car, carrying supplies collected from groups along the way. The caravan refuses U.S. Treasury Department licenses, "as a collective challenge to the blockade and travel ban," according to Pastors for Peace.

Since 1992, IFCO/Pastors for Peace have delivered more than 2,350 tons of "urgently needed assistance to the Cuban people," according to the group.
For more information, contact Tom King at 502-8556 or at bluesguy@xmission.com.
© 2006 Deseret News Publishing Company

Riding the Rockies to Break the Blockade!

2006-06-28T10:49:00.000-07:00

For those of us traveling along Route D with our bus,
Desafío (the challenge), our 10 days of travel have
been full of exciting events, encounters, and learning
experiences.

Desafío began its journey in Edmonton (Canada), then
traveled west through Calgary to Victoria and
Vancouver. Many of our first caravanistas joined up at
our exciting border-crossing rally on Sunday, June
18th near Blaine WA.

We continued our journey into the U.S., gathering aid,
financial donations, and support. This has taken us
through progressive communities in Seattle, Bremerton,
Olympia, Richland (WA), Boise (ID), Salt Lake City
(UT), Boulder (CO), and Denver. Our next stop is
tomorrow in the small town of Las Vegas (NM).

From city to city, the Caravan attracts media
attention. Most of our events are preceded by press
conferences attended by local newspapers, radio, and
TV news stations. Just in Boulder yesterday morning,
we
had a 10-minute spot on the local radio station KGNU,
with 3 caravanistas being interviewed about the
Caravan, reaching hundreds of listeners.

Everywhere Desafío has stopped, we have been met with
the greatest hospitality and generosity. Our diverse
group of supporters has shared their community
centers, churches, bookshops, independent media
centers, and homes with us. When we left Richland, one
caravanista even discovered a $500 check for Pastors
for Peace, hidden amid her things! Some come to events
even to give their last dollar to our project It is
such generosity that helps us to discover that we have
an extended family across this country, united in our
love for and solidarity with Cuba.

Our bus being the beautiful red flag that it is, weve
also met dozens of people outside of our events, who
want to know more about what were doing.
Conversations with truck-drivers, students, former
U.S. soldiers, seniors, immigrants, and all varieties
of regular people, tell us that there is support
across the board in our effort to break the U.S.
blockade on Cuba.

Many also see the faces of 5 Cuban men painted on our
bus and ask us who they are. The more we tell people
about the case of the Cuban 5, the clearer it is that
the American public wants to learn the truth about the
injustice of their trial, arrest, and incarceration.

From across the Rocky Mountains, poor and working
people here say their message is clear: The U.S.
blockade on Cuba must be lifted! The Cuban 5 must be
freed!

To all fellow caravanistas, to all supporters, keep up
the good work! Well see you at the border!

HASTA LA VICTORIA SIEMPRE!
VENCEREMOS!

--Route D Caravnistas

riding the rockies to break the blockade

2006-06-28T10:03:00.000-07:00

Riding the Rockies to Break the Blockade!
A Route-D Report-back
June 28

For those of us traveling along Route D with our bus,
Desafio (âthe challengeâ), our 10 days of travel
have been full of exciting events, encounters, and
learning experiences.

Desafio began its journey in Edmonton (Canada), then
traveled west through Calgary to Victoria and
Vancouver. Many of our first caravanistas joined up at
our exciting border-crossing rally on Sunday, June
18th near Blaine WA.

From city to city, the Caravan attracts media
attention. Most of our events are preceded by press
conferences attended by local newspapers, radio, and
TV news stations. Just in Denver yesterday morning, we
had a 10-minute spot on the local radio station KGNU,
with 3 caravanistas being interviewed about the
Caravan, reaching hundreds of listeners.

Everywhere Desafio has stopped, we have been met with
the greatest hospitality and generosity. Our diverse
group of supporters has shared their community
centers, churches, bookshops, independent media
centers, and homes with us. When we left Richland, one
caravanista even discovered a $500 check for Pastors
for Peace, hidden amid her things! Some come to events
even to give their last dollar to our projectâ¦ It is
such generosity that helps us to discover that we have
an extended family across this country, united in our
love for and solidarity with Cuba.

Our bus being the beautiful red flag that it is,
weâve also met dozens of people outside of our
events, who want to know more about what weâre
doing. Conversations with truck-drivers, students,
former U.S. soldiers, seniors, immigrants, and all
varieties of regular people, tell us that there is
support across the board in our effort to break the
U.S. blockade on Cuba.

From across the Rocky Mountains, poor and working
people here say their message is clear: The U.S.
blockade on Cuba must be lifted! The Cuban 5 must be
freed!

To all fellow caravanistas, to all supporters, keep up
the good work! Weâll see you at the border!

HASTA LA VICTORIA SIEMPRE!
VENCEREMOS!

--Route D Caravanistas

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caravan in Bloomington Indiana

2006-06-27T10:45:00.000-07:00

The Cuba Caravan Event--There was a thunderstorm in Bloomington last
night-- during the Cuba caravan program---problems with holding outdoor
event---last year it worked so well--same place/same park---we had music,
food, information, rev Thomas Smith had the opportunity to speak-- a few
questions---good conversations--some newspaper interviews----for those who
did attend--informative and friendly and enjoyable--this
morning--Tuesday---photo of the pastors for peace Cuba caravan bus with its
driver--Kevin-- appeared in the Bloomington newspapers---one of the members
of the caravan has the newspaper photo--also a proclamation for the Cuba
caravan and pastors for peace from bloomington's mayor-- a copy of this was
given to the caravan

Tuesday morning---the members of the caravan had breakfast at the home of
one of Cubamistad's members--Ann Schepper and her husband Gary---Ann is a
nurse --has been very helpful in getting medical/hospital supplies for our
community's shipment--a very dedicated--strong worker---the bus was
re-organized---to accommodate more offering---then the Cuba caravan bus was
packed with our offering--the caravan felt we were pretty well
organized--they seemed to appreciate this--labeled and packed our offerings
well--we sent everything from wheelchairs, hospital supplies--to toys and
roller skates for children.

Our wishing them a safe and protected and blessed journey----thanking them
for being our messengers of good and peace--helping us connect with
Cuba--with our sister-city of Santa Clara---connecting with others as
neighbor and friend--and being there for one another
take care---best wishes with this effort
l'chayim ule shalom---to life with peace..for all

Arthur Stein
Cubamistad--Bloomington, Indiana

A report from Edmonton

2006-06-26T08:03:00.000-07:00

The Cuba Edmonton Solidarity Committee along with several Edmonton Churches
held the FIRST event of
the 17 Friendshipment Caravan, at the Stanley Milner Library on June 14,
2006 in Edmonton, Alberta.
The event was called 'Support the Caravan – Edmonton Style' as our
style from the remote
north is to support with funds. Refreshments were available though the
water and juices were over
looked and never made it out of the ice chest in all the excitement! We
did very well raising
donations, considering we had the competition of an Edmonton Stanley Cup
Final hockey game. The
Notre Dame des Bananes [an excellent choir that sings songs of
struggle] and Raging Grannies [the
well known gaggle of out spoken mature women who sing songs of social
protest] performed socially
responsible songs. The main feature talk was given by Dick Becker, Noted
Activist, and Caravanista
who arrived after long flight delays just as the event was to start. Dick
Becker gave a very
interesting talk centering on the reason we need to confront U.S.
imperialistic actions.

News from the Ottawa event

2006-06-26T06:42:00.000-07:00

A small (45 persons) but enthusiastic crowd welcomed Rev. Lucius Walker and Pastors for Peace to Ottawa, the first stop in Canada for the 17th Caravan. The event--speeches, music, food, literature display and sales, was co-sponsored by Ottawa-Cuba Connections, Cafe Justicia and Punto De Encuentro. CTV was present, but we are still waiting confirmation that their interview with Rev. Walker made it to television. In eloquent and moving language, Rev. Walker provided the audience with a history of the (largely successful) struggle by Pastors for Peace to challenge the U.S. Blockade of Cuba. He thanked the growing number of Canadian friends of Cuba who have supported and participated in the Friendshipment Caravans. His remarks were particularly poignant when he focused on the sacrifice--his life! --made by Canadian caravanista, Brian Rohatyn. Rohatyn and 4 others, including Lucius Walker, went on a 93 day hunger strike in 1996 to pressure the U.S. border authorities to release goods destined for Cuba. Rev. Walker dedicated this Caravan to the memory of Brian. [We, in the CNC, should think of ways in the future to do the same.] The new Press and Cultural Secretary from the Embassy of Cuba, Esperanza Luzbert, on behalf of the Cuban people, thanked Lucius Walker, Pastors for Peace and all Cuba's friends in Canada for their efforts in putting together these Caravans; a true expression of love, she said.

Route B - Ashland, Oregon 2006-06-25T23:02:00.000-07:00 June 22, 2006 Ashland, Oregon is a beautiful town, surrounded by rolling hills and mountains. It is home to a Shakespearean festival. No sooner did we stop the bus downtown than a young couple came up to ask Woody what the bus was all about. In Ashland, Woody really demonstrated his skills as a driver. He had to back down the windy mountain road after loading aid on with Brad Jones at his mother Mary Ann Jones' place. Brad's shed is jam packed with bicycles for Cuba. It is so gratifying to see how supporters like Brad spend so many hours on solidarity work. Travelling on the Caravan really makes us appreciate this. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com Windsor, ON and Detroit, MI 2006-06-25T06:34:00.000-07:00 Hello all- Despite a rough start (including a painfully long, car trouble-ridden trip to Toronto), Route J has been going very well over the past couple of days. On Friday, we had a great event in Windsor, Ontario at a union hall. The event was a panel discussion featuring myself and two local activists who spoke on the Sister Cities conference in Kingston, ON and Cuba's role in the larger Latin American context (with some emphasis on Brazil and the significance of the upcoming elections there). The other speakers were really informative, and their talks went perfectly with my presentation on the Caravan. The next morning, we had a small rally at an intersection very close to the border crossing, where I was interviewed by someone from CBC Radio (Canadian public radio), which was really nice. Also, one of our hosts, Enver, recorded the whole evening event and will broadcast it over his radio program at the local university. I'll put up a link to it as soon as it is up on the net. Overall, our hosts were very welcoming and hospitable, and also very intelligent and informed- we had some good discussions. I look forward to working with them again in the future. Yesterday, we had another event in Detroit, hosted by Ignacio and co. from our friends the US-Cuba Labor Exchange. I was one of maybe 4 speakers, some of whom were lawyers working on various legal issues surrounding travel challenges to Cuba (by individuals as well as the Labor Exchange). There was also a photographer there who has published a book of really incredible images from his many travels to Cuba. The audience was about 30 people, and very receptive and energetic. Murray and I got to spend some time with Ignacio and his family (as well as our overnight host, Cheryl) which was great (despite seeing Mexico lose and get knocked out of the World Cup!). Today, Murray and I travel to Cleveland, where we will meet back up with Ned and Rev. Barrios. Before I end this post, I'd like to update people on a couple of the border crossings: Murray and I crossed seperately, which went pretty well. I spoke to John on the phone yesterday, and he informed me that Ned's crossing into Buffalo (with some aid from Canada) was initially denied. As a result, John and others began activating the emergency response network. One of our lawyers ended up calling Customs, to inform them that it would not be in their best interest to detain Ned and his truck, and eventually they let him through to Buffalo. I don't know any other details on this, and perhaps someone else will post about it soon. In solidarity, ~Shane Route B -- Eugene, Oregon 2006-06-25T00:50:00.000-07:00 June 21, 2006 The Eugene, Oregon event on Route B is hosted, as it has been for years, by the Committee in Solidarity with the Central American People (CISCAP). We load on aid at the CISCAP office which is housed in an old two story house shared by social justice groups. Then we head to the spacious First Presbyterian Church. Carol Cross asks how many people have been to Cuba and half of the 50 people in the audience raise their hands. During the potluck and speech, many people visit the sales table-- buying is brisk and they top up their cheques with donations. (This becomes the norm has we continue to head south). A young Cuban American woman with a baby purchases a lot because she wants her money to benefit the Cubans. Among them are relatives who she has not seen for three years. She asks if the blockade is easing so that she can visit her family. Unfortunately, we cannot give her good news. A woman, with her partner and two children, expresses enthusiastic interest in going on the Caravan next year. A Cuban who teaches Cuban literature at the University of Oregon also is interested. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com Ithaca (NY) Journal Report 2006-06-23T15:06:00.000-07:00 Jun 23, 2006 Ithaca artist will be joining Cuba-bound protest group By Elizabeth Lawyer Special to The (Ithaca) Journal A local artist is planning on traveling to Cuba in defiance of the U.S. trade sanction and travel ban with the country. Dan Burgevin, a painter who has created several murals in the Ithaca area, will be traveling with Pastors for Peace in a caravan full of art supplies and other donations to take to Cuba. The caravan will travel to Texas and cram into buses with their supplies and cross the border into Mexico. From there they will fly to Cuba. This will be the 17th Pastors for Peace Caravan since 1992. Over 500 people have traveled to Cuba with the program. The caravan, run by Lisa Valanti, head of the US/Cuba Sister City Association, will be stopping in Ithaca today. The Cuba Friendship Group of Greater Ithaca will host a dinner at the Unitarian Church in honor of the caravan. Friday has also been officially declared “Cuba Friendship Day” in Ithaca by Mayor Carolyn Peterson. “If you want to change a policy, you must do the work, gather support and spread the word about it,” Valanti said. “That's what this is — doing the work.” Valanti, who has been to Cuba with every caravan since the first one, said her ultimate goal is to bring transparency to the hypocrisy of the situation. U.S. policy does not reflect the sentiments of the American people, she said as she rolled into town on Thursday. Valanti said the caravan often goes through Ithaca and has always found it to be a supportive community. Bergevin said he's been fascinated by the island nation ever since he heard Fidel Castro speak at the U.N. when he was a child. He decided to go with Pastors for Peace because it shares his goal to end the 40-year economic sanctions against Cuba. This is his first trip to Cuba, and he plans on meeting with Cuban artists to “share ideas, taste the food and meet the people.” He will also give a lecture to a class at an art school. He said he wants to “de-mystify” the country that has held his imagination most of his life. “It's an interesting, fine place. What's the big deal? Why shouldn't we go there?” he said. Bergevin has painted murals at several places in Ithaca, including Collegetown Bagels on Aurora Street, the Museum of the Earth, P&C supermarket on Hancock Street and a new one at Pancho Villa Taqueria. One of his dreams is to travel through South America with South American artists, painting murals. He said though other people his age are thinking about retiring and resting on their laurels, he feels the urge to keep going. “I want to die on my way to the next mural,” he said jokingly. “Thunk! In the mud. ‘Oh, he's dead. Grab his pack.'” He said his art focuses on things that are common to all humanity — what brings people together and what pulls them apart. “As a muralist, you have to make political statements,” said Burgevin, whose credentials include time on a Greenpeace boat. The travel ban prohibits Cuban Americans from visiting their families more than once every three years. Currently, only a few American cities have permission to have flight connections to Cuba, and only people with permission from the U.S. government can take those flights, including journalists, academic researchers and Cuban Americans. Those who violate the ban and enter Cuba through another country, as the caravans do, run the risk of being fined. However, Burgevin says these threats are all smoke and no fire. “We want to bring to light the issue of the unfair sanctions,” Bergevin said. “We should treat our neighbor like we would people in our neighborhood. Would you refuse to sell food to your neighbor?” Roy Josef, a Cuban living in Ithaca, said he hopes the caravans will attract attention to the cause. His mother still lives in Havana. Burgevin said he expects trouble at the U.S.-Mexico border, but the customs officials always let the caravan through with their goods. On one of the first caravans, U.S. officials seized a small school bus and refused to let it pass. Valanti and others in the caravan went on a hunger strike lasting 23 days, eventually garnering international attention and even receiving mail addressed to “the Little Yellow School Bus.” Ithaca (NY) Times on Caravan 2006-06-23T15:04:00.000-07:00 www.Ithacatimes.com Caravans to Cuba (Ithaca NY) By: Diana Denner 06/14/2006 This year's Caravan to Cuba, expected to stop off in Ithaca in addition to hundreds of other communities across the United States and Canada, in an effort to support a new U.S.-Cuba policy based on respect and non-aggression, will be greater cause for celebration. On Friday, June 23, there will be a send-off party for artist Dan Burgevin at the Cuba-Ithaca Friendship Dinner. A Trumansburg resident responsible for painting the mural in New York Pizzeria in Trumansburg and at other locations in Ithaca, including the P&C supermarket and Collegetown Bagels, Burgevin will be joining the caravan to foster exchanges between people and society. He will be assisting Pastors for Peace, an inter-religious church and community member group, which is hosting the 17th annual non-violent challenge to U.S. blockage of Cuba, in the collection of humanitarian aid. The caravan will converge in McAllen, Texas, before traveling to Cuba without U.S. Treasury Department licenses. They plan to deliver school buses, computers, medicines and medical supplies to the Cuban people, in particular children with special needs. Bergevin intends to bring art supplies with him so that he can paint murals with other Cuban artists throughout South America. "Cuba is a country that has inspired me for decades. I can remember seeing Fidel Castro speak at the U.N. just after the Revolution," Burgevin said. "Since the Kennedy administration, we have treated Cuba unfairly and caused undo hardships to our immediate neighbor. The sanctions imposed on Cuba for the past 50 years are anachronistic throwbacks to the Cold War." Despite calls for an end to the blockade and travel ban from the United Nations and the majority of countries around the world, the Bush administration tightened restrictions against Cuba in 2004 and is using "homeland security" funds to question those suspected of travel to the island, including American citizens who participated in the last two caravans. "On travel, both House and Senate have voted on numerous occasions to lift the ban on travel to Cuba. This has been done through a series of measures that would de-fund the U.S. Treasury from enforcing the travel ban," said Cris McConkey, a member of the Cuba Friendship Committee of Greater Ithaca. "Our group is concerned with family travel and Cuban-American families should be able to travel without a life-threatening emergency." Besides the ban on travel, the other major concern for the group is the Cuban Five, Cuban men some claim have been falsely accused and convicted as spies. "These men are currently in U.S. prison. They're collectively serving four life sentences and 75 years. They were convicted in a U.S. Federal Court in Miami on June 8, 2001," Kathy Russell explained. She is a member of the Cuba Friendship Committee and a professor of philosophy at SUNY Cortland, who has traveled to Cuba for professional reasons. Russell claimed the Cuban Five was a false arrest and conviction in a highly politicized "unjust" trial. "They were arrested Sept. 12, 1998. Motions for a change in venue were denied even though it was obvious they could not get a fair trial there," she said. "They have had a victory in the appeals court. On Aug. 9, 2005, a three-judge panel of the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals overturned their convictions and ordered a new trial outside of Miami. What happened then is that [Florida] Attorney General Albert Gonzalez filed an appeal, calling on all 12 judges of the 11th Circuit Court to review the decision. This is obviously a stall tactic and a tactic to keep them in jail." All proceeds will go to Pastors for Peace. The suggested donation is $10 for humanitarian aid, but no one will be turned away for lack of funds. For further information, please contact Kathy Russell at 273-4523 or gavagai05@yahoo.com. Ithaca NY: We must Find A Better Way to Relate to Cuba 2006-06-23T14:49:00.000-07:00 We Must Find A Better Way to Relate to Cuba Kathy Russell, Guest Columnist, Ithaca (NY) Journal Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas once said, “Freedom of movement is the very essence of our free society. …Once the right to travel is curtailed, all other rights suffer. ... The right to know, to converse with others, to consult with them, to observe social, physical, political and other phenomena abroad as well as at home gives meaning and substance to freedom of expression and freedom of the press.” He expressed these sentiments regarding a 1964 case brought by African-American journalist William Worthy, the first to challenge the U.S. government's ban on travel to Cuba. His ideas resonate today and can be recognized in the frustrations of scientists, academicians, farmers, students, business people and others who wish to go to Cuba to conduct research or commerce there or who just want to see the island for themselves through people-to-people exchange. Cuban Americans are most severely impacted since they can only visit their immediate family — with no exceptions for emergencies — once every three years. The travel ban is part of the 45-yearlong U.S. trade embargo against Cuba. Though these policies are an attempt to force the island's government to change its socialist principles, it's people — both here and there — who are directly harmed. Over 500 people have traveled to Cuba with Pastors for Peace or the Venceremos Brigade since 2003 in defiance of the U.S. government's restrictions. The Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department has fined seven of them $6,750 each; another 200 have received letters called “requirements to furnish information” asking about their trip, about other U.S. citizens they saw in Cuba, and threatening huge fines. OFAC claims that in 2005 it collected $1.5 million in fines for what it deems illegal travel to Cuba. Since 1992 Pastors for Peace, a project of the Interreligious Foundation for Community Organization has sent caravans with more than 2,450 tons of humanitarian aid to the Cuban people in defiance of the trade embargo and without seeking a U.S. Treasury license to travel. “As people of faith and conscience, it is our duty to resist and condemn this cruel U.S. policy,” declares Rev. Lucius Walker, Jr., executive director and founder of IFCO, a 39-year-old ecumenical agency. Walker sees U.S. policy 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.” The 17th Pastors for Peace Caravan will stop in Ithaca on Friday, June 23. Trumansburg resident and local artist Dan Burgevin, who is bringing arts supplies to Cuban children, will join the Caravan. That night the Cuba Friendship Group of Greater Ithaca will host a dinner and celebration at the Ithaca Unitarian Church Parlor (306 N. Aurora St.) in honor of the Caravan. Dinner will run from 6-7:30 p.m. Cuban cuisine will be available, and participants are encouraged to bring a dish to pass. From 7:30-8:30 p.m. there will be Cuban music featuring Karl North and the students in his AfroCuban percussion class. Also appearing will be caravanista Lisa Valanti, president of the U.S./Cuba Sister Cities Association. In describing her participation with the Caravan, Lisa explained, “It's what I do to put my deepest prayers for peace into action.” At 8:30 p.m., the movie “Oggun: An Eternal Presence” by noted Cuban filmmaker Gloria Rolando and featuring singer Lázaro Ros, “one of the most important personalities in AfroCuban culture,” according to AfroCuban Web, will be shown. The U.S. government is not only violating our constitutional rights, it is also out of step with reality. Polls show 85 percent of our country's people support trade with and travel to Cuba. Bipartisan majorities in both the House and Senate have voted to ease terms of the embargo and to bar the use of government funds to restrict travel. Unfortunately, a small group of anti-Castro hardliners centered in Miami seems to be able to dictate foreign and domestic policy. We can do better. Let's have a U.S.-Cuba policy based on respect and non-aggression. Kathy Russell lives in Ithaca. Originally published June 20, 2006 Caravan Moves through Maine! 2006-06-23T14:18:00.000-07:00 June 23, 2006 By Chris Outcalt coutcalt@seacoastonline.com Blockade Busters Pick Up Cuba Aid KITTERY, Maine - Cuba blockade bustin’. Humanitarian aid by any means necessary. Cuba is our neighbor. Those are just a few of the phrases painted on a bus that was parked outside The Space in Kittery Sunday evening. The bus belongs to Pastors for Peace and Interreligious Foundation for Community Organization. The bus is one of 14 collecting 100 tons of humanitarian aid for Cuba. The 14 caravans will travel on separate routes and will make stops in 127 cities spanning all mainland states before converging in McAllen, Texas. The caravans will be put on a boat bound for Cuba. The effort is part of the group’s initiative to challenge the government’s economic blockade of Cuba. The blockade has been in effect for more than four decades and prohibits economic, commercial and financial aid to the country. “As people of faith and conscience, it is our duty to resist and condemn this cruel U.S. policy,” said Lucius Walker Jr., executive director and founder of IFCO. “We reject this licensing system as both immoral and illegal.” IFCO Associate Director Ellen P. Bernstein gave a brief speech to about 20 people who gathered in support of the group Sunday.“We travel to Cuba to talk and to break down the blockade, but most of all, we’re just trying to take aid to Cuba,” Bernstein said. The ecumenical initiative has delivered 2,450 tons of assistance to Cuba to date. The aid delivered by these campaigns ranges from wheelchairs and medical supplies to computers and bicycles. “We really think this blockade is immoral,” Bernstein said. “We want to try and hold our government to a higher moral standard.” Bernstein is one of more than 100 Pastors for Peace volunteers from the U.S., Canada and five European countries who will travel to Cuba next month. For more information on IFCO or Pastors for Peace, call (212) 926-5757 or visit www.pastorsforpeace.org Route B-- Corvalis, Oregon 2006-06-23T11:17:00.000-07:00 June 20,2006 We arrived in Corvalis, a university town, late Monday afternnoon. "What I like most about the Caravan is that it is a movement of people to people," said Juanita Rodrigez, our host at the organic feast catered by Intaba Restaurant. Intaba created the meal from recipes Juanita's Cuban mother-in-law, Carmelina, passed down to her. The soldout dinner in the elegant atmosphere of the Martha Room, First United Methodist Church, netted about $600 for the Caravan. Here Mike Beilstein was honoured for joining Carol Cross, Tanya Lester and Woody Joseph-Sanderson (our bus driver) as a caravanista. Mike is a former city councellor (who is running again in the fall!) and a research chemist at University of Oregon. Frank Morse, the Repulican state senator, attended the evening on his own initiative. After Carol Cross gave an excellent speech in which she was extremely candid about the U.S. government's negligence in its relationship to Cuba, Morse told her that he was not offended and agreed with everything she said.Next afternoon, before heading to Eugene, we painted the bus, adding "Pastors for Peace.org" and "Caravan to Cuba" in black and red lettering, respectively. Thanks to Juanita and June and Ron, the chimneysweep, who lent us his ladders. Do you Yahoo!? Get on board. You're invited to try the new Yahoo! Mail Beta. Pittsburgh route 2006-06-22T20:07:00.000-07:00 We've arrived in Ithaca, NY (on our way to Pittsburgh on Saturday, where we will pick up a bus, a mini-bus and many caravanistas). So far so good, as we have met many supporters of Cuba and have picked up quite a lot of aid to be carried to McAllen, Texas and then over the border on its way to Cuba. Today, we met a very interesting Cuban man named Roy. He joined us in an interview with a newspaper reporter here in Ithaca. Roy spoke about the first caravan that he observed while he was still living in Cuba. He told the reporter how much appreciation the people of Cuba have for Pastors for Peace and how useful the busses that have been donated to Cuba are for the people who are there. We have many more miles to travel and many more people to meet. We look forward to all of the experiences that lay ahead for us on the road to McAllen. Todd Ricker a report from Winnipeg, Manitoba 2006-06-21T19:02:00.000-07:00 The meeting last night was very good. I gave a short introduction to our work with the caravan in past years, and then introduced Reverend Smith. He spoke for about 20 minutes, and then fielded questions and comments for another 30 minutes or so. It developed into a good discussion at several points. His talk was very well received. We then made a financial appeal and collected $710.00 which was pretty good from a group of about 50 people. (This morning, we received an additional $100 bringing the total to $810.00) We then introduced the Winnipeggers going across the border and Ramon gave a short talk about why he is so happy to be making the trip. In Cuba, he had worked for the Ecumenical Council for 6 years, and was involved in the receiving of the Caravan in those years. He told the audience how the Cuban people feel about the donations and the solidarity they represent. He mentioned how nice it is to see the ambulance in Cuba which we drove a few years ago with the sign on the side "Donated by the people of Manitoba". Afterwards, people stayed for refreshments and discussion for another hour or so. Altogether, it was a very successful evening. We had some media coverage -- a TV news spot during the supper news on Tuesday, recorded during the day, so Reverend Smith wasn't here yet. Also a short article in the Winnipeg Free Press I made an appeal last night to anyone who was a 'close personal friend' of the Manitoba Health Minister to talk to him about Manitoba donating some of the ambulances they are currently phasing out to Cuba for next year's Caravan. After the meeting, a woman approached me confirming that she is a cpf of the Minister and she would talk to him. So we are aiming big for next year to drive an ambulance or two down the whole way -- I will keep you posted of course. Diane Zack - Manitoba Cuba Solidarity Route B -- Beginning in Oregon: Portland 2006-06-21T16:49:00.000-07:00 June 19, 2006 Portland -- An amazing meal of beans, rice and torillas fueled the caravanistas and fifty supporters at the Trinity United Methodist Church on the evening before the Route B Caravan to Cuba bus began its journey. Organizer Mark Iamalfa and route speaker Carol Cross, who is making her 21st trip to Cuba, talked about "the police state" environment created last year by U.S. Customs at the Texas-Mexican border. The 45 computers ceased at that time were returned to Pastors for Peace last month on May 26. Cross said in the meantime so many European groups sent computers to Cuba, upon hearing the seizure, that the confiscated computers were no longer needed in Cuba. They were donated to hurricane survivors in New Orleans. Portland supporters donated over $700 in one evening. Iamalfa said it took until his Caravan reached Oklahoma last year to raise as much money. The Caravan left for Corvalis at 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 20........ Cuba caravan hits the headlines in the Bronx 2006-06-20T11:41:00.000-07:00 There we were on Saturday 17th in a quiet side street in the South Bronx in New York - a few people painting one of the buses going to Cuba, and a few people finishing off loading New York aid into an almost full box truck. And then Bronx News 12 Cable TV turned up - responding to a phone call from one of our group - and they filmed, and filmed, and interviewed everybody - and suddenly that evening we were headline news in the Bronx! The coverage provided inspiration to Mychal the local organizer to be more ambitious next year - his dream is to have a Cuban style CDR street party in the South Bronx 17th Friendshipment Caravan to Cuba - Pacific Border Crossing 2006-06-20T06:07:00.000-07:00 About 100 participants representing Cuban solidarity organizations from western Canada and the US converged Sunday, June 18 at the Canadian/US Peace Arch border south of Vancouver. People came from Vancouver, Powell River, Saltspring Island, Pender Island and Victoria, British Columbia as well as supporters from Olympia, Seattle, Blaine and Bellingham, Washington. The representative of Pastors for Peace, Dick Becker, from San Francisco was winding up a speaking tour of several Canadian cities in preparation for the caravan. These groups came together to challenge, expose and break the US blockade against Cuba by bringing humanitarian aid across the border from Canada into the US. Canadian organizations brought medical & school supplies, medicine, computers, bicycles and the like. There were close to one hundred boxes on four vehicles as we motored through the border. These goods were donations from our supporters to bring to our friends in Cuba and show our solidarity and friendship with them. There were more people attending than in the past few years. The morale was high and many young people were with us. First we had a gathering in the park which is accessible from both sides of the border. There was a delicious potluck lunch and animated discussions. The Raging Grannies from Vancouver and one Granny from Bellingham sang a couple of songs. Representatives from organizations spoke about their contribution and support for this 17th Caravan and the importance of it. US relations with Cuba were denounced by all. There were representatives present from the BC Federation of Teachers, the Free the Five Committee in Vancouver and the Lawyers Guild in Bellingham. Six caravanistas who are now on the caravan spoke: Angie who traveled all the way from Scotland, Tanya from Saltspring Island, Sophie, Nicole and Allison from Vancouver and Carlos a Cuban American from Seattle. They explained why they are part of this year's caravan and the importance of the campaign to end the US blockade. Once everything was said we headed for the border crossing with our four drivers and vehicles carrying the goods. The rest of the group walked beside the vehicles shouting and chanting slogans of support for Cuba and against the blockade. At the border the guards spoke to the legal observers we had from the Lawyers' Guild stating that we could not protest on federal property. The lawyers told them that the first amendment gave us permission to protest there. The guards insisted that we had no right to protest there and that we were bothering them with the noise that we were making. They threatened to have us "removed". We offered to be quieter and the guards backed off. The guards asked the drivers for ID, lists of the goods we were carrying and the destination of these goods. We stated that we were carrying humanitarian aid destined for Cuba. We were simply told we were free to go. I protested stating that last year we were told the same thing, but once our goods got to the Texas border they were confiscated. After a court case of almost a year we were finally able to retrieve our goods. I asked for some assurance in writing that this was not going to be repeated. I was told that they could not give us any assurance. I stated that this didn't make any sense. I told the border patrol that the US is supposed to have a blockade against Cuba. We were telling them openly that we were entering the US with the full understanding that we were going to take the goods to Cuba. Why do they let us in and then not let us out? His response was again that he could not give us any assurances, but that he was letting us in. The only reason I can think of for this treatment is that if they stop us at the Canadian/US border they could have a multinational issue since people from both countries would be involved. However, if they stop the goods within the US, it would be more of a national issue. Anyway, the first step in the long journey of this caravan has been accomplished. Once the caravan reaches the Texas/Mexico border it could be a different story altogether. They made this clear to us at our crossing. This means that all of us need to keep our eyes open and our forces ready in case US authorities decide to stop our caravan or seize anything from it. The struggle continues. Venceremos! Randy Caravaggio Victoria Goods for Cuba Canadian Network on Cuba Caravan aid crosses from Canada into US at two places 2006-06-18T15:46:00.000-07:00 The Pastors for Peace Caravan has started in Canada. This week saw successful caravan events up in the Canadian prairies in Edmonton and Calgary - and then on the coast of British Columbia in Victoria and Vancouver. And this weekend significant quantities of humanitarian aid were successfully brought across the border into the US at two separate points. On Saturday it was the turn of the Caravane d'Amitie Quebec-Cuba (Montreal) and the Nova Scotia Cuba Association to bring wheelchairs, bicycles and a range of medical supplies across into Maine where they were met by members of the Let Cuba Live group And today - Sunday - the combined forces of Victoria based Goods for Cuba and Vancouver Communities in Solidarity with Cuba rallied 100 people at the Peace Arch crossing into Washington state to protest against the blockade and celebrate the crossing of a wide range of educational, medical and domestic supplies. Eye witness reports to follow Two more border crossings with aid are slated for later this week. New venue for Caravan 17 Kickoff Event 2006-06-13T20:15:00.000-07:00 IFCO / Pastors for Peace Rally to Launch the 17th Friendshipment CARAVAN TO CUBA "Locking Horns With the Empire" Thursday, June 15th 7:00 pm The Brecht Forum 451 West St. (Between Bank & Bethune) New York, NY 10014 212.242.4201 www.brechtforum.org 1,2,3 A,C,E to 14th Street L to 8th Ave @14th Street F,V to 14th Street B,D to W. 4th 14A,11,20 buses to Abingdon Square/12th Street 8 bus to Christopher Street Principal Speakers Rev. Lucius Walker Jr. - Executive Director of IFCO Ramsey Clark, former US Attorney General Also, speakers on the Venceremos Brigade, US-Cuba Labor Exchange, and the Cuban 5 Snacks and Refreshments Raffle suggested donation $5, nobody turned away for more info, call 212.926.5757 or email ifco@igc.org www.pastorsforpeace.org The 17th US-Cuba Friendshipment is coming 2006-06-11T11:34:00.000-07:00 The 17th Pastors for Peace US-Cuba Friendshipment is starting On the evening of Thursday June 15th the 17th US-Cuba Friendshipment will be officially launced at a rally in New York at 7pm in the auditorium of Union Local 1199, 330 West 43rd street between 8th and 9th Avenues. The principal speaker will be the Rev Lucius Walker Jr, executive director of IFCO/Pastors for Peace. Also invited to speak is Ramsay Clark - former US attorney General under Carter and founder of the International Action Center. There will be short contributions about two other Travel Challenges - the Venceremos Brigade and the US-Cuba Labor Exchange - and about the case of the Cuban 5. But if you are from Edmonton in Alberta you will know that the caravan will have started before the 15th June. Our first stop on our longest route is in Edmonton on wednesday June 14th. It is one of 13 Canadian cities participating in the caravan by hosting events or sending aid across the border into the US and on to Cuba. Overall the 13 routes of our caravan will pass through over 110 US cities in virtually every mainland state during a two week period before we all unite - over 100 people - at the US-Mexico border at McAllen Texas on July 2nd To find out where and when the caravan is coming to your state or province, consult the look up table on the front page of our website AND WATCH THIS SPACE to follow the news as it breaks about what is happening on the routes John Waller Bush Administration Compelled to "Unseize" Pastors for Peace Aid for Cuba 2006-06-09T16:34:00.000-07:00 Ten months after seizing 45 boxes of computers and supplies destined for disabled Cuban children, US Customs officials in Hidalgo TX are returning the aid to IFCO/Pastors for Peace, after the faith based group threatened a Federal lawsuit. More » Caravan 17 blog goes live 2006-06-08T13:40:00.000-07:00 The 2006 17th Friendshipment Caravan to Cuba blog is now live - check back often to read the latest news from the caravan and from the road. The caravan kicks off this Thursday June 15 in New York. More details »