Pubdate: Tue, 02 May 2000
Source: San Diego Union Tribune (CA)
Copyright: 2000 Union-Tribune Publishing Co.
Contact:  PO Box 120191, San Diego, CA, 92112-0191
Fax: (619) 293-1440
Website: http://www.uniontrib.com/
Forum: http://www.uniontrib.com/cgi-bin/WebX
Author: Diane Bell, CAMARENA IS SYMBOL IN DRUG FIGHT

The U.S. postmaster general is being urged to issue a stamp honoring slain 
DEA agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena. A special agent from Calexico, Camarena 
was working in Mexico when he was kidnapped, tortured and murdered 15 years 
ago by drug traffickers.

Diana Holly, a Redlands fifth-grade teacher, started the campaign for a 
commemorative stamp, and Sen. Dianne Feinstein is firmly on board. Holly 
wants youngsters to know there was a real person behind Red Ribbon Week, 
the national anti-drug awareness campaign started after Camarena's death. 
Red Ribbon Week is in late October.

Camarena's family continues to be involved in law enforcement. His sister, 
Myrna Camarena, is secretary to the head of the S.D. Drug Enforcement 
Administration office. Another sister, Lourdes, is a CHP radio dispatcher 
in El Centro. And his son, Enrique Camarena Jr., is a deputy district 
attorney working in the South Bay. Although not directly involved in the 
campaign, the younger Camarena supports the idea and says he thinks stamps 
are an effective way to draw attention to anti-drug efforts.

[snip]

Diane Bell's column appears Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays. Fax items to 
(619) 293-2443; call (619) 293-1518, e-mail to:  or 
mail to The S.D. Union-Tribune, PO Box 19120, S.D., 92112.
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