LIVE REPORT BACK FROM THE PASTORS FOR PEACE CARAVAN TO CUBA

WI Coal. to Normalize Relations with Cuba, 06.08.2005 22:49

Tuesday Aug. 9, at 7pm
Central UMC, 25th & Wis. Ave., Milwaukee
Our monthly meeting will feature a live report on the just-returned Pastors for Peace Caravan to Cuba this Tuesday (Aug. 9th) at 7pm, at Milwaukee's Central United Methodist Church, 639 N. 25th St. (with free off street parking south of the church).

Jennifer Suh, a young Chicagoan who interned with Pastors for Peace this summer, prior to going on the Caravan, will describe her experiences, meeting people in Cuba, visiting Cuba's international medical school, attending the July 26th Celebration addressed by Fidel Castro; and she will update us on the current situation at the Texas border.


For the first time in 10 years the U.S. government directly interfered with the Caravan -- despite the fact that these Friendshipments constitute nonviolent civil disobedience to the US restrictions on travel to Cuba. After stops in 48 states and Canada collecting humanitarian donations, some 43 crates of donated, used computers were seized by agents of the US Commerce Dept., and a bus load of other P.C.s were then held back in Texas, pending resolution of this dispute. The last time our government attempted to block the donation of used personal computers to Cuba, in 1994, Rev. Lucius Walker (formerly of Milwaukee) and others went on a 94 day fast (consisting of only lemon juice and molasses), until the government acquiesced. This year computers were donated from as far away as Canada, and some from Milwaukee. This year's Caravan also brought back donated items from Cuba, including from Cuban churches.


PLUS we plan to show a compelling short video featuring exclusive interviews & appeals to the people of the US from relatives of the 73 people killed in the first terrorist attack on a civilian airliner in the Western Hemisphere (a Cuban plane returning from Venezuela in 1976), as well as coverage of actions during the June 13th hearings in El Paso re Luis Posada Carriles, who planned the attack, according to US intelligence and the testimony of Posada's employees who admitted planting the bombs. Demonstrations supporting Venezuela's extradition request to try Posada for this act will take place on Monday August 29th, coinciding with the beginning of his asylum hearing in El Paso. We will discuss plans for similar educational actions in WI at the meeting.


Wisconsin Coalition to Normalize Relations with Cuba, (414) 273-1040 ext. 12;  http://www.wicuba.org


Prosecute real terrorists, not tourists!


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e-mail:: cubawifriends@mindspring.com
Homepage:: http://www.wicuba.org