-------------------------
Via Workers World News Service
Reprinted from the May 22, 1997
issue of Workers World newspaper
-------------------------

Cuba Friendshipment

Caravan defies U.S. blockade, rightist threats

By Gloria La Riva in San Diego

Despite constant pressure from the U.S. government and current threats by the CIA-backed anti-Cuba terrorist group Alpha-66, 150 members of the Pastors for Peace caravan to Cuba are busily preparing for border crossings in mid-May at Buffalo, N.Y., and San Diego, Calif.

The caravan is bringing hundreds of tons of aid from 100 cities along 13 routes to Cuban children. It is an open challenge to the U.S. blockade that prohibits unlicensed travel or sending material aid to Cuba. Pastors for Peace refuses to apply for a government license, saying that to comply helps legitimize the illegal blockade.

The Cuban people appreciate the caravans as courageous acts of solidarity.

This year Alpha 66--a right-wing organization of Cuban counter-revolutionaries supported by the CIA-has threatened the caravan, hoping to intimidate caravanistas and supporters.

On May 11, members of Alpha 66 dressed in military camouflage announced on a San Diego television news program that they intend to stop the caravan at the San Ysidro border bridge into Mexico. They described themselves as "a commando military organization preparing to fight in Cuba."

Several years ago, Alpha 66 publicly declared all civilians traveling from the U.S. to Cuba to be "legitimate military ta rgets." No U.S. government action was taken in response to such a blatant threat.

In immediate response to Alpha 66's announcement, Pastors for Peace held a press conference at a local church here on Monday. Ellen Bernstein, Pastors for Peace national staffer, said: "We will go forward with assurance despite these threats. We know that our cause is just, and we will not let ourselves be deterred or distracted from bringing our simple gifts to Cuban children."

Rev. Dr. William Sloane Coffin, nationally known civil rights leader and peace activist, said, "This issue transcends politics. This is a humanitarian concern. Our government must stop punishing innocent Cuban children."

An impressive array of individuals and groups have lent their creative support and solidarity to this caravan dedicated to the Cuban children. Seventh- and eighth-graders from the Bruderhof religious community in New York state have joined the caravan, and brought along a truckload of games and other donations.

Tony Caccavone, a British cab driver, shipped his taxicab decorated with a large Cuban flag on the hood from London to New York to drive it on the caravan and take it on to Cuba.

On one of the West Coast routes from Canada to San Diego, organizations from host cities raised thousands of dollars to help build the caravan.

At a Santa Cruz, Calif., event to greet the caravanistas, Alta Hooker, a visiting Nicaraguan activist, told the crowd, "I am from Puerto Cabezas in Nicaragua. It is from my town that the U.S. launched its invasion of Cuba in 1961, so I am very moved to see all the aid going to Cuba on your caravan. Cuba helped us for years in the most selfless way, sending food, clothing, medicine to Puerto Cabezas. It is fitting for us to be gathered here, in solidarity with Cuba."

After the caravan crosses into Mexico and Canada, drivers will fly to Cuba, and the humanitarian goods will arrive by ship soon after. For more information, call Pastors for Peace at (212) 926-5757.

[La Riva is a caravan spokesperson on one of the West Coast routes and has traveled on five Pastors for Peace caravans.]

- END -

(Copyright Workers World Service: Permission to reprint granted if source is cited. For more information contact Workers World, 55 W. 17 St., NY, NY 10011; via e-mail: ww@workers.org. For subscription info send message to: info@workers.org. Web: http://www.workers.org)

Copyright © 1997 workers.org