21st Pastors for Peace Caravan Arrives in Cuba!
From ACN Cuban News Agency
21st Pastors for Peace Caravan Arrives in Cuba
The 21st Pastors for Peace Caravan arrived in Cuba on Friday, July 23, carrying an important donation that includes vehicles, medical and sports equipment, and teaching materials for Cuban children.
Reverend Lucius Walker, leader of the Pastors for Peace religious organization, is heading a caravan made up by 85 people from the United States, Canada, Ireland, Germany, England and Mexico.
In statements to the press at the Jose Marti International Airport, the American reverend said he was very proud of Cuba’s interest in the wellbeing of children, which is a priority in Cuba.
"There are thousands of reasons to dedicate this caravan to Cuban children," he said.
On his part, Puerto Rican Reverend Luis Barrios, of the Santa Maria Church, New York, thanked the Cuban people on behalf of all the caravan members for their hospitality.
"We have crossed lakes, mountains, rivers, but we always point out that nothing compares to the sacrifices the Cuban people have made over these 50 years of blockade," he said.
He then added that it was an honor to be in Cuba, but also a moral obligation before God and the US Government, as well as way to challenge to the latter because the blockade of Cuba is immoral and illegal.
The visitors are in Cuba on a tight agenda that includes visits to the provinces of Havana, Matanzas, Villa Clara and Sancti Spiritus, and they will also attend the official ceremony for the 57th anniversary of the attacks to the Moncada and Carlos Manuel de Cespedes barracks —which mark the Day of National Rebelliousness in Cuba, July 26.
TEXAS.— US Customs officials confiscated five computers bound for Cuba that had been donated by Vancouver residents as part of the 21st Cuba-United States Friendship Caravan, sponsored by the Pastors for Peace Inter-religious Foundation .
"I think this is just a harassment and intimidation tactic," said Janine Solanki, a member of Vancouver Communities in Solidarity with Cuba.
Janine, who is traveling to Cuba as part of the caravan, said that the guards told them that an investigation should be conducted to confirm whether the computers could be used for military purposes.
"These computers are Pentium 4s that are five-year-old used computers, so it’s a bit of a ridiculous charge," said Solanki. "That doesn’t even make sense, because they confiscated five of them and left another 55 computers with us."
"And so this is something we have seen in past years," said Solanki. "In 1996, they confiscated 400 computers and we actually had a 94-day hunger strike until they were released after getting international pressure on them."
Solanki said the limited seizure was just to "annoy us and to show that they can confiscate the computers, but they didn’t confiscate them all so as to avoid a big international protest."
