Cuba solidarity fast continues into 50th day

Special to the PWW

This article was reprinted from the April 13, 1996 issue of the People's Weekly World. For subscription information see below. All rights reserved - may be used with PWW credits.

WASHINGTON - A Pastors for Peace liquid-only "Fast for Life" entered its seventh week with urgent appeals by participants for messages to the White House protesting the confiscation by U.S. Customs of 360 medical computers that were bound for Cuba.

The fast began when U.S. Customs officers seized truckloads of used computers aboard U.S.-Cuba Friendshipment trucks as they attempted to cross into Mexico near San Diego on Jan. 31.

Pastors for Peace/Interreligious Foundation for Community Organization (IFCO) built a "Wayside Chapel for Peace and Friendship" at the border but recently moved it to the lawn outside the Methodist Building here on Capitol Hill where four of the five original fasters continued their protest, Gerry Condon, co-coordinator of Pastors for Peace, told the World.

"It is pretty remarkable for people to fast for 50 days. They are determined to continue fasting until the federal government releases the computers. It is a question of whether or not the voices of reason will be heard in the Clinton administration." Condon said the news media has clamped "an absolute blackout on this story."

After 43 days without food, Seya Sangari was unable to walk and with great reluctance withdrew from the fast. In an emotional statement Sangari explained his decision.

"I will go off the fast because of Dr. (David) Levinson's recommendation following extensive examination, and my strong desire not to impede the efforts of the other fasters. The reason I remained on the fast for this long was the brutal U.S. policy toward Cuba, and as long as that remains, I will work to change it."

One of the fasters is the Rev. Lucius Walker Jr., a founder and executive director of Pastors for Peace. "Our bodies are weakened, but our clarity of focus and our determination are unshaken," Walker said.

The U.S. government, he charged, "is trying to crush the Cuban system which provides free health care for all its citizens, whereas millions in the U.S. must deal with a health care system which is unwilling to provide care for those without economic resources."

Although the Treasury Department continues in its refusal to meet with Pastors for Peace/IFCO, stepped up Congressional pressure is yielding interesting results. Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-Calif.), who represents San Francisco, sent a "Dear Colleague" letter to Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin which calls on the Treasury Department to meet with Pastors for Peace and seriously attempt to resolve the impasse over the seized medical computers.

Pastors for Peace-IFCO is urging peace activists to call the Treasury Department, the State Department and the White House to demand negotiations and the release of the computers which had been donated to help Cuba set up a medical computer data bank called INFOMED. Here are some updated numbers:

Treasury Sec. Robert Rubin, (202) 622-0190; fax: (202) 622- 0073.

Sec. of State Warren Christopher, (202) 647-5291; fax (202) 647-7120.

White House: Switchboard: (202) 456-1414; Comments Line: (202) 456-1111; fax: (202) 456-2461.