The 14th US-Cuba Friendshipment caravan
Campaign News | Sunday, 20 July 2003
Interreligious Group to Deliver Aid from Cuba to Communities throughout the US
Interreligious Group to Deliver Aid from Cuba to Communities throughout the US
The 14th US-Cuba Friendshipment caravan, organized by IFCO/Pastors for
Peace, after successfully delivering 80 tons of humanitarian aid to Cuban
schools, churches, hospitals, and senior centers and other facilities, will
attempt on July 29 to cross the US-Mexico border carrying aid and products
manufactured in Cuba. The products are destined to be delivered to
communities in the US. The caravan will attempt to deliver the Cuban-made
aid as a challenge to the US blockade which prohibits normal trade between
US and Cuba.
The aid consists of a solar-panel for a Middle School in Buffalo NY to
provide solar power electricity, other goods include coffee, honey and bee
pollen products to be donated to homeless shelters in Wisconsin and other
community organizations across the US. These donations are a gift from the
people of Cuba to the people of the United States, as a symbol of good will
and friendship.
The 14th US-Cuba Friendshipment caravan will also challenge the travel
blockade that the US imposes on its citizens that wish to travel to
Cuba. More than 100 caravan participants traveled to Cuba without seeking
a US Treasury Dept license. They are joined in this challenge by the over
80 members of this year's Venceremos Brigade delegation, which will return
to the US on August 4, walking over the Peace Bridge to Buffalo, NY.
As part of the embargo enforcement, the US not only limits travel by US
citizens but also licenses specific shipments of minuscule quantities of
humanitarian aid while depriving the people of Cuba needed medicines, food,
educational materials and technology through normal commercial trade. "The
US government uses licenses to paint a pretty face on its genocidal policy.
As people of faith and conscience, it is our duty to resist and expose this
cruel contradiction," declared Rev. Lucius Walker, Jr., Executive Director
and founder of IFCO, a 36-year old ecumenical agency.
"IFCO/Pastors for Peace rejects this licensing system as both immoral and
illegal. It is immoral because it endangers the lives of Cubans and
inflicts suffering on innocent children, as well as adults. It is illegal
under international law because it uses a sanction to be imposed only in
time of war against a declared enemy in order 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 though, association and travel," continued Walker.
Since 1992, IFCO/Pastors for Peace has delivered more than 2,250 tons of
urgently needed assistance to the Cuban people without seeking a US
Treasury license.
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"Let us not love in word: but in deed and in truth." 1 John 3:18
IFCO/Pastors for Peace
402 W 145th Street, New York, NY 10031
212-926-5757; fax: 212-926-5842; web: http://www.ifconews.org
