Canadian Medical Aid For Cuba Detained at US Border

Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe and Fidel Castro of Cuba. The two nations have a long record of solidarity and mutual cooperation.
Originally uploaded by Pan-African News Wire File Photos

1) Action Alert! - Canadian Medical Aid for Cuba Detained at U.S. Border by Homeland Security.
2) Press Release - Windsor Caravan Crossing Event - Support the P4P Caravan

Action Alert! - Canadian Medical Aid for Cuba Detained at U.S. Border by Homeland Security.

PLEASE FORWARD-Saturday, June 30, 2007
IFCO/Pastors for Peace Action Alert

Call your Senators and Representatives (202-224-3121) and
Email Your Senators http://www.senate.gov/ and
Representatives http://www.house.gov/writerep/ Now and Monday!

Please pass this on to your email lists and phone trees!

Homeland Security Officials "Detain" Medical Supplies Destined for Cuba at Maine/Québec Border Despite Earlier Successful Crossings Today With Five Tons of Medical Aid Collected by Canadians for Cuba.

The aid collected in Québec by the Caravane d'amitié Québec-Cuba and destined for maternity clinics and nursing homes in Cuba, included a breast pump for nursing mothers, stethoscopes, used eyeglasses, a Physicians Desk Reference (PDR) and surgical gowns.

Pastors for Peace spent six hours in a standoff with Homeland
Security attempting to negotiate passage of the medical aid before the shipment was detained for thirty days to investigate it's security threat to the U.S.

According to Greg Pease, (207-297-2554) the Homeland Security officer in charge, he received instructions not to permit anything in transit to Cuba into the U.S.

"This detention by Homeland Security is outrageous." said Rev. Lucius Walker, executive director of IFCO/Pastors for Peace. "While Cuba is offering full scholarships to U.S. students to study medicine in Cuba, the U.S. government is denying transit of such basic items as breast pumps and surgical gowns. Why does the Maine border patrol have and ax to grind over breast pumps and surgical gowns? The contradictions are incredibly mean-spirited. "

"Actions like these illustrate even further the issues raised by Michael Moore's film SiCKO."

"This precious cargo, bound for Cuba was collected by Canadians who will link up with U.S. routes of the 18th Pastors for Peace Friendshipment Caravan. We intend to deliver these supplies to Cuba," added Rev. Walker.

This holiday weekend is the launch of the Friendshipment Caravan.

Earlier crossings today into the U.S. from Vancouver into Blaine, WA and Winnipeg into Pembina ND occurred without incident.

Fourteen routes will stop in 125 U.S. cities, collecting aid and speaking out against the 45 year blockade of Cuba by the U.S. Over the course of two weeks, the Caravan expects to collect 100 tons of medical aid for Cuba.

On July 17, the Caravan intends to cross the U.S. border into
Reynosa, Mexico. In past years, U.S. officials have attempted to seize the humanitarian aid it carried. According to Rev. Walker, anything is possible this year, given the continued antagonism by the Bush administration towards Cuba.

More information about the Pastors for Peace Caravan can be found at:
http://www.pastorsforpeace.org or contact Lucia Bruno at 347-423-4330 or 212 926-5757.

CANADIAN-CUBAN FRIENDSHIP ASSOCIATION WINDSOR
Public Meeting to support the

18th Pastors for Peace
FRIENDSHIPMENT CARAVAN TO CUBA

NO to the Economic, Political & Military Blockade of Cuba

Guest Speaker: Teresa Gutierrez,
New York Coordinator, National Committee to Free the Cuban Five
5:30 pm - Wednesday July 4, 2007
Salon “A”, Ambassador Auditorium
CAW Student Centre, University of Windsor

On July 4, the Inter-religious Foundation for Community Organization/Pastors for Peace Friendshipment Caravan will cross from Windsor into Detroit to begin one route of a multi-route caravan traveling; from Canada to the U.S., Mexico and then on to Cuba.

The caravan is a defiance of the U.S. blockade against Cuba that prohibits American citizens from traveling and sending aid to Cuba, among other things. The blockade is also a blatant violation of Canadian sovereignty as it attempts to interfere with normal relations between Canada and Cuba.

With this caravan the peoples of Canada, the United States, Mexico stand shoulder to shoulder with the Cuban people and carry out an information campaign to let the public know about the genocidal nature of the blockade and the need to end it.

New York Coordinator of the Committee to Free the Cuban Five, Teresa Gutierrez, will speak on behalf of Pastors for Peace about this year’s Caravan, recent developments in U.S-Cuba relations, and the work in the United States to free the Five Cuban patriots being held in U.S. prisons for trying to prevent terrorist attacks from the United States against Cuba.

For more information about the caravan and work of the New York-based IFCO/Pastors for Peace go to: http://www.ifconews.org/Cuba/caravan18/main.htm

To contact CCFA-Windsor e-mail ccfawindsor@yahoo.ca or phone 519-991-4167

Canadian-Cuban Friendship Association[CCFA]-Windsor