CUCAPA INDIANS IN BAJA DEVASTATED BY MEXICO QUAKE: RELIEF EFFORT MOUNTED

[Liberty Belle]

Source: East County Magazine

By Miriam Raftery

April 9, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) – A relief effort is being mounted here to bring emergency aid to the Cucapa Indian nation, just ten miles from the epicenter of the 7.2 earthquake that devastated their homeland between Mexicali and San Felipe.

March through May is the fishing season for these indigenous people, who rely on fishing to sustain them throughout the year. But the Easter earthquake severely damaged roads that the Cucapa use to fish on the Colorado Delta, forcing them to end their season early, East County Magazine has learned. Tribal members have lost their livelihoods as well as their homes, roads, electricity and water.


“The lives of the Cucapa Nation have been shattered with the loss of their homes, roads, electricity and awter,” said Maggie Rivera, vice president of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC). “The economic state of Mexicali mirrors that of Haiti to where local economy relies on tourism. This devastating crisis is something many leaders believe reflects the desperate need of financial hardship in this region of the world.”

The Mexican community in Illinois has joined with the Center for Social Advocacy in El Cajon, California to bring immediate emergency relief to the Cucapa people. Estela de los Rios, executive director of the Center, called it a tragedy that governments in Mexico and the U.S. have failed to respond to the needs of the Cucapa. “Once again the oppression of the indigenous people of the land has been magnified by the lack of concern and response. Please help us support their needs.”

Read more: http://www.eastcountymagazine.org/node/3107

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I wrote this story and am hoping to go along on an April 20 trip to deliver relief supplies to the Indians in Mexico. Please help if you can. While these groups are only taking supplies, another group, www.borderangels.org, will take monetary donations to help the Cucapa and others in quake-ravaged areas.

[EFerrari]

1. Thanks for the heads up, Liberty Belle.

[Liberty Belle]

2. Here's a related story - now there is flooding from the quake

in the Indians' area: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=4338569&mesg_id=4338569

[Liberty Belle]

3. Can anyone post photos off our site here? I don't know how.

I just added an incredible shot of the mountain taken one minute after the quake - dust roiling up into the sky. The woman who took it heard rocks rolling down the mountain.

Also a powerful shot of the flooding in the Indian area.

[EFerrari]

4. Go to the image you want to copy.

Left click and choose "copy image location".

That will copy a link which you can post here -- and it will show up as an image.

(I copied this from your page and added a space so you could see it.)

http://www.eastcountymagazine.org/sites/default/files/quake%20baja%20damage. jpg

When I simply paste it here, it shows the image:

[Liberty Belle]

5. Thanks! Here are some more images, but how do I make the smaller?

Mountain at Cucapa, taken about a minute after the quake, sent dust roiling up into the sky and boulders rolling down the hillsides:



Water that smells of sulfur rose to the surface after the quake, flooding homes in this Baja Indian community:

[EFerrari]

6. Don't know how to do that here.

I can resize with my camera, in a graphics program or when uploading to a site like photobucket.

Those are great images. People on dial up might have a problem with them at that size.

[G_j]

7. thank you!

K&R

[rumpel]

8. Thank you,

:(

I will spread word.

[Liberty Belle]

9. Great, these people really need help!

[Kitty Herder]

10. K&R