IFCO/Pastors for Peace* needs our help NOW.
This afternoon (Thursday,7/21) the US government stopped the Friendshipment to Cuba half a mile from the US-Mexico border on the US side, seized computers and is insisting on inspecting all boxes. The Caravanistas are camped out for the night and will make a decision tomorrow in the face of this confrontation. Meanwhile, Pastors for Peace is asking us to CALL IMMEDIATELY:

Our Representatives and Senators

US Senator: Charles E. Schumer
Phone: local: 263-5866,
DC: (202) 224-6542 Fax: (202) 228-3027
E-mail: senator@schumer.senate.gov

US Senator: Hillary Rodham Clinton
Phone: local: 263-6250,
DC: (202) 224-4451
Fax: (202) 228-0282
E-mail: senator@clinton.senate.gov

Rep. Randy Kuhl
202-225-3161

Rep. Louise Slaughter
202-225-3615

Rep. James Walsh
202-225-3701

Rep. Thomas Reynolds
202-225-5265

The Office of Foreign Assets Control
(Part of the US Commerce Dept.)
202-482-2000

Message:
Urge them to:

• Release the humanitarian aid (medical equipment, medicines, computers for the Cuban health care system);
• Allow the Caravan to proceed without harassment across the US border.
  

Talking points:

Every year since 1993 IFCO/Pastors for Peace has been able to proceed across the US border with as many as 100 vehicles and up to 500 tons of humanitarian aid.

Pastors for Peace never has applied for a license to travel to Cuba because it feels the embargo is immoral and illegal. For over 45 years the embargo has caused nothing but suffering to the people of Cuba.

The US government has tried to stop most of these Friendshipments but, BECAUSE OF ENORMOUS PRESSURE WORLD-WIDE, it has eventually relented and released the humanitarian aid. So far no arrests have resulted; but the Caravanistas have accepted this risk.
Rochester connection: Hundreds of Rochesterians have participated in these Friendshipments since the beginning, some going the whole way to Cuba and others being support when the border crossing was at the Peace Bridge north of Buffalo.

*IFCO/Pastors for Peace is a non-profit, non-violent, NYC-based special ministry of the Interreligious Foundation for Community Organization, created in 1988 to pioneer the delivery of humanitarian aid to Latin America and the Caribbean. Since then, many thousands of people have participated in 38 caravans to Mexico and Central America and 15 to Cuba. Director, Rev. Lucius Walker.

Thank you for making the calls and asking your friends to call.

Kathy Goforth, Max and Henrietta Levine, John and Debbie Locke, Peter and Gail Mott, Vic Vinkey.
ROCHESTER COMMITTEE ON LATIN AMERICA (ROCLA).
For more information: Vic Vinkey at 271-8723.

“As people of faith and conscience, it is our duty to resist and condemn this cruel US policy.”
—Rev. Lucius Walker, Jr.