Urgent appeal - demonstration Sat. in El Paso, Texas

[MplsAnnie]

Smedley D. Butler Brigade member Bruce Macdonald has just returned from Mexico with an urgent appeal for action. Here is the background story. Like Cindy Sheehan, Mexican poet and peace activist, Javier Sicilia, lost his son, Juan Francisco, in an undeclared, unconstitutional, unjust war, the “war on drugs,” in which more than 40,000 people have died. Juan Francisco, like many others, was an innocent victim.

This carnage would not be possible without the support, political and financial, of the U.S. Supplying the cartels with their principle market for drugs and easy purchase of arms with laundered money, the U.S. has been more a part of the problem than the solution. Javier Sicilia, again like Cindy Sheehan, chose to go public with his grief and anger. He founded a peace and justice network and organized a massive demonstration in Mexico City on May 8 where hundreds of thousands of people joined him in demanding that the government change its failed war policy and reform corrupt political institutions.

The network then organized a peace caravan which is now traveling through northern Mexico, the area of the country most affected by drug violence. Thursday, June 9, they arrive in Ciudad Juarez, the most dangerous city in the world. Friday, June 10, there will be an historic signing of a citizens’ pact, to be presented to the government later this month, demanding institutional reforms and changes in drug war policy. If the government refuses to sign, the network has promised boycotts, national strikes and acts of civil disobedience.

A crucial element in the success of this movement is the collaboration and support of U.S. peace and justice organizations. On Saturday, June 11, at 11:00 AM, in San Jacinto Plaza, El Paso, Texas, there will be a demonstration of U.S. groups who support Sicilia’s movement to end the bloody war in Mexico. Bruce is asking activists, especially those in Texas and New Mexico, to attend the demonstration. More background information can be found, in English and Spanish, at the movement’s web site, www.redporlapazyjusticia.org, and also at www.mexicosolidarity.org and www.narconews.com.

[sonias]

1. Please let us know how this goes

Best of luck to all of us on both sides of the border.

:kick:

[w8liftinglady]

2. Please let us know how it goes. I have to work,dang it!

[thanks_imjustlurking]

3. Thank you, and best wishes.

:patriot:

[sonias]

4. A Rally for Peace in Juarez

The Texas Observer 6/11/11

A Rally for Peace in Juarez

Yesterday, I walked with 100 men, women and children from El Paso across the international bridge and into Juarez to rally for peace. We joined nearly 3,000 people gathered in downtown Benito Juarez Park to greet poet and writer Javier Sicilia’s caravan for Peace, Justice and Dignity. The caravan of about a thousand people has been traveling during the last week stopping in Durango, Monterrey and other northern cities hardest hit by Mexico’s drug violence. The caravan ended in Juarez yesterday where Sicilia and other protestors signed a pact for peace.

At the rally Juarenses grieved for kidnapped and murdered family members. One after another grieving parents took the microphone on an improvised stage to testify about what had happened: A 14-year-old daughter disappeared at the bus stop one day never to be seen again. A young boy went to school but never came back. Along the main avenues of Juarez, stores and homes are abandoned. The walls are plastered with posters of missing women, missing men.

A banner a man and woman from Juarez held aloft during the march summed up the pall of sadness hanging over the city:

"I live among the ghosts of my city among faces I can no longer see. There’s nowhere to go. Here are all of my dead…"

:kick:

[onestepforward]

5. A rally for Peace

I can't imagine the amount of pain and suffering that people have gone through in Juarez. I hope the rally will help bring much needed attention to this huge problem and perhaps a little healing by talking about their stories. Very heartbreaking.

[sonias]

6. Very sad time for Mexico

Just a couple of decades ago things were really turning around for the country and things looked good. And now they are sinking horribly.

I feel for them too. I want Mexico to be a successful country. I haven't seen a solution for them on this drug violence issue at all.

:hug:

[onestepforward]

7. I want Mexico to succeed too.

Things will turn around. I have hope!

:hug: