All of us at Michigan Peace Team would like to share with our blog readers this invitation from the community in Juarez, Mexico (with a short introductory note from MPT's good friend and Team Contact in the area):
Dear Friends
I send you this letter (translated) of invitation from the Human Rights Center Paso del Norte, which is convoking a public fast and reflection on January 29 and 30, 2011 seeking truth, justice and the common good for Juarez. On these dates we commemorate the first anniversary of the massacre of 18 youth in the colonia Villas de Salvacar, and the world day of non-violence (which is the date Ghandi was assassinated).
Could we ask you in whatever way you can, to be in solidarity with us in spirit this day and a half?
Thanks so much.
Julie
From the Center for Human Rights Paso del Norte A.C.
Re: CITIZEN FAST AND REFLECTION
From Saturday January 29 at 9:00 a.m. to Sunday Jan. 30 at Noon
Place: Juarez Monument
Juarez City, Chihuahua, Mexico
STOP THE WAR.....NO MORE BLOOD
"Do you not know the fast acceptable to me? This is the fasting that I wish: breaking the chains of injustice, untying the thongs of the yoke, setting free the oppressed, breaking every yoke" (Is. 58,6)
In Juarez City, Chihuahua, Mexico we are living in one of the greatest crisis in our history. From the perspective of human rights we are a city profoundly wounded, pained, and, and offended. For three years we have not been without blood. We are living a Way of the Cross which seems interminable. During this last year we have suffered more than 3000 painful assssination. They have assassinated children, youth, and adults. En 2010 more than 300 women have been assassinated.
From this profound pain and in the context of war, which the Mexican government declared, not in our name, against organized crime; and conscious that violence generates violence, we want to celebrate in fasting and reflection, the first anniversary of the massacre of 18 youth in the colonia Villas of Salvarcar.
Let us realize a day and a half of fasting as a non-violent and political action, of personal sacrifice and collective pressure, which seeks to build a space for reflection within each person and in society, in order to seek together truth, justice and the common good, thus in this way, to denounce and confront the authorities for the constant violation of human rights, for the climate of violence and insecurity, and for the lack of responsibility in procuring justice.
We want to offer our city, wounded by violence and injustice, a sign of solidarity and hope in order to rebuild our society with human values. We also want to pressure the three levels of governmental authorities to stop this war which continues profoundly hurting our city, and to denounce publicly that we do not have a Right of State (State of Justice) due to the high rate of impunity.
At this moment of anniversary and on the world day of non-violence (remembering the assassination of Ghandhi) we are inviting people and groups, of high human and moral quality - local, national, and international - to be in solidarity with us in participating on this day of fast and reflection, or of uniting together from different places and communities to this action on these same days.
We ask you also to send us letters of solidarity to the following email that they may be read during the days of fast. cdhpasodelnorte@hotmail.com
We are grateful to you beforehand for your generous response of solidarity.
CONVENERS
Centro de Derechos Humanos Paso del Norte, A.C.
Centro de Derechos Humanos del Migrante
Centro de Pastoral Obrera
Comite Medico Ciudadano
(Nine parishes also listed as conveners.)
P.S. We are also grateful if you could send letters of solidarity to national and international media as well as to the following addresses:
Lic. Felipe de Jesus Calderon Hinojosa
Presidente Constitucional de la Republica Mexicana
Residencia Official de los Pinos,
Casa Miguel Aleman,
Col. San Miguel Chapultepec, C.P. 11850, Mexico DF
Lic. Cesar Horacio Duarte Jaquez
Gobernador del Estadode Chihuahua
