Pastors for Peace (Press Release)
www.pastorsforpeace.org

Enabling Family Visits is commendable, BUT IT IS NOT ENOUGH!

Over 130 Pastors for Peace volunteers from the US, Canada and Europe
will challenge the immoral and illegal US blockade and travel
restrictions against Cuba at the US - Mexico border on July 22nd. They
expect to collect 100 tons of humanitarian aid during a two-week
caravan that will converge in McAllen, Texas before traveling on to
Cuba without US treasury department licenses. They intend to deliver
school buses, construction tools and materials, educational supplies,
medicines, and medical supplies gathered in communities throughout the
US and Canada.
 
“We must continue to keep the pressure on -- to end the blockade, to
normalize relations with Cuba, and to engage in dialogue based in
mutual respect, rather than our insisting on undermining Cuba's
sovereignty” declared Rev. Lucius Walker, Jr., Executive  Director and
founder of IFCO, a 42-year old ecumenical agency. “President Obama has
taken a small first step to change US/Cubapolicy. But as people of
faith and conscience, it is important that we make our voices heard in
favor of even stronger measures for reconciliation and normalized
relations.”

The 20h Friendshipment Caravan will traverse 14 separate routes across
the country stopping in 47 US states and six Canadian provinces. Along
the way the caravan will be hosted in 140 communities who support a
new US Cuba policy based on respect and non-aggression. This year
communities have collected aid for hurricane reconstruction after the
three hurricanes that devastated Cuba in 2008.

Pastors for Peace rejects the current licensing system 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,” said
Walker.

“The world is waiting to see President Obama put an end to the
blockade. The U.S. spends more than $50 million per year to undermine
the sovereign government of Cuba.

Our non-violent caravan of peace-loving individuals is a challenge to
this violation of our rights to express our faith and to travel to
Cuba.” said Rev. Thomas Smith, President of the Board of Directors of
IFCO/Pastors for Peace. Since 1992 Pastors for Peace has used hunger
strikes and mass mobilizations to successfully challenge US government
attempts to confiscate vehicles and humanitarian aid bound for Cuba.
The ecumenical initiative is a project of IFCO, the Interreligious
Foundation for Community Organization, and has delivered more than
3,000 tons of urgently needed assistance to the Cuban people.