In the press in Arizona

In the press in Arizona
July 17, 2004

Hi everyone,I made it home today from Arizona and am gearing up for a bigspeaking blitz in Iowa City over the weekend. Meanwhile, my AuntJane said she was surprised to find me on the front page of theArizona paper. Link below. I am at my desert camping frumpiest,sporting what looks like dreadlocks but is really only dust andwind. And it's not so much a beer belly as it is poor posture.Despite these disclaimers, it was kind of fun. I don't know thatthe reporter really had us figured out, but it wasn't so bad anarticle. We also made the paper in Douglas where we're stationed.That was a less good article, but no problem because it's notonline.peace,Le Anne
_More border Aid www.azstarnet.com ®_(http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/border/29181.php)

Greetings from the border

Greetings from Arizona!July 2, 2004The following is the press release my delegation has written aboutour experience here in the desert. The migrants we are comingacross have been in really bad physical shape, and have horrorstories to tell, as you will read below. They are also some of themost gentle spirits I have met. We have been talking to ranchers,vigilantes, the Mexican Consulate, the US Customs and BorderProtection, individual Border Guards, refugees, peace workers, youname it. What an amazing week! What's odd is that regardless ofpolitics or nationality, everyone seems to agree that a real guestworker program that protected migrant's rights (as well as allworkers' rights)is necessary, and that all nations have the right toprotect their borders from criminals, but we must treat the peopleinvolved as human beings. There is more common ground here thanpeople seem to realize.If you would like to distribute this release to press, please feelfree. My number here is 520-364-8033, and the team email (whichgets checked more frequently) is cptaz@cpt.org. If you are feelingmoved to come down here, call the office now at 773-277-0253 andsign up for the delegation leaving July 24 for a week.The desert suits me well here and the high temps are not really sobad. I saw my first real roadrunner, jackrabbit, tumbleweed, andcyclone-style dust storms all in the past 24 hours. I'm still hereuntil July 15.peace,Le Anne--------------Desert Fast Calls Attention to Migrants’ Plightby Sara RickardJuly 1, 2004DOUGLAS, AZ–Members of the Christian Peacemaker Team and visitingdelegation began a six-day fast in the desert to pray for the safetyof migrants crossing the U.S.--Mexico border and to raise awarenessof unjust border policies.The CPT fast is part of a series of actions coordinated with No MoreDeaths/No Mas Muertes, a Tucson-based coalition working to end thedeaths of migrants through direct humanitarian intervention, supportto migrant centers on both sides of the border, and advocacy forhumane border policy.To alleviate the physical suffering of migrants, participants in thefast offer survival food, water, and medical attention to those whopass their camp. By the end of the first day, CPT members haddistributed their entire supply of food and water and had seen morethan 20 migrants pass through the immediate area. Some migrantswandered in alone, after having been separated from their travelingcompanions, and asked to have the Border Patrol contacted to takethem back across the border. One woman who was abandoned by hercoyotes said that they had raped migrants women from Honduras who’dbeen traveling with them. Human rights activists claim that, inthis area of the desert, 20-30% of migrants are assaulted on thetrail.According to Mexican Consular officials, 49 migrants in CochiseCounty and over 200 migrants total died while crossing the borderthis year. Most of last year's deaths occurred during the month ofJuly. Eight Mexican migrants have died already in the county thisyear. While delegates visited Thursday, the Mexican consulatereceived a call reporting the death of a woman from Zacatecas.Aside from the inhospitable climate, migrants face the dangers oftraveling with often-unreliable coyotes (paid guides), theconfrontation of bandits on both sides of the border, andmistreatment by Border Patrol agents and local vigilante landowners.“As a nation, we discuss immigration in economic terms and securityterms, but we rarely discuss the issue in human terms,” said Le AnneClausen, Mason City, IA. “Being in the desert puts a face on thisvery human reality.”CPTers Mark Frey (Chicago, IL) and Ron Friesen (Loveland, CO) arefasting in the desert for the first three days, and Scott Kerr(Evanston, IL) and Le Anne Clausen (Mason City, IA) will fast duringthe second three days, when the camp will be moved to a new locationand designated a sanctuary for migrants. The CPTers are beingjoined in the fast by delegates and visited by interestedorganizations and community members.Current CPT delegation members include Clausen, Tim Kortenkamp(Santa Cruz, CA), Paul Horst(Evanston,IL), and Sara Rickard,(Chicago, IL). The delegation is in Arizona from June 26–July 3,2004.