Pastors need your help

[Karmabuena@xxxxxxx (by way of Scott Marshall <scott@xxxxxxxxxx>)]

IFCO RECEIVES SUBPOENA TO TESTIFY BEFORE GRAND JURY

February 10, 1996

The Interreligious Foundation for Community Organization (IFCO)
and Pastors for Peace, an information and action project of IFCO,
have in the past four years challenged the morality, humanity and
legality of the U.S. foreign policy towards Cuba, know as the
Cuban trade embargo, by delivering humanitarian aid collected by
thousands of individuals, churches, schools and organizations and
in turn educating the communities where the aid was collected
about the effects and rational of said policy.

The efforts by IFCO-Pastors for Peace and so many other groups and
organizations to inform U.S. citizens about this policy has been
won in the court of popular opinion as is evident in the ever
increasing amount of U.S. and world citizens speaking out against
the embargo of Cuba. Now we have been presented with an
opportunity to take this struggle to a different battle ground.

On Wednesday, February 7, 1996 the battle to change U.S. policy
took on new proportions when IFCO-Pastors for Peace was served
with a subpoena to testify before a federal grand jury in Buffalo,
NY. The subpoena demands records from IFCO-Pastors for Peace
fourth and fifth "Friendshipment" caravans to Cuba in November
1994 and July 1995. The records requested involve almost every
aspect of information regarding the caravan including information
regarding our sister organizations in Canada.

This attack on IFCO-Pastors for Peace comes at a time when the
solidarity movement has stepped up it's efforts against the
embargo, including our current caravan which was stopped at the
border in San Diego of which all the medical aid was confiscated
by the U.S. Customs Department. The focus of this subpoena must be
made clear. We must respond with the full force of the Cuba
solidarity community. Since the first challenge to the embargo we
have been seeking the situation where we can change this policy.
Most of us have worked very hard and succeeded in reaching out and
educating our brothers and sisters in the U.S. about this policy.


This is the moment we have been waiting for. When the INFOMED
caravan was stopped at the San Diego border, it set the stage for
an even stronger response on our part.  We ask that you respond by
sending a representative from your community, church or
organization to either Burlington, Vermont or San Diego,
California on February 17, to challenge the embargo of Cuba once
again. Already hundreds of people along the West and East coast
are mobilizing to come to Burlington and San Diego. The enthusiasm
and resolve that is being demonstrated is inspiring.  Only with
your presence and participation can we demonstrate the length and
breath of this movement.

For more information and your registration form, call Pastors for
Peace at (612) 870-7121 or IFCO at (212) 926-5757.







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