Pubdate: Wed, 22 Aug 2012
Source: Prospector, The (TX Edu)
Contact: http://www.utepprospector.com/perspectives/letter-to-the-editor
Website: http://www.utepprospector.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/5324
Author: Kristopher Rivera
Cited: Caravan for Peace: http://www.caravanforpeace.org/caravan/

CARAVAN SEEKS TO RESTORE PEACE, JUSTICE AND DIGNITY TO VICTIMS OF DRUG WAR

Prompted by the drug war that has taken the lives of an estimated 
80,000 men, women and children in Mexico, a social movement has 
decided to take action to seek civilian diplomacy.

Javier Sicilia, a Mexican poet and writer, created the Movement for 
Peace with Justice and Dignity after his son, Juan Francisco, was 
murdered in March 2011. No justice was served in the murder of 
Sicilia's son. His story is one of many that fall prey to the drug 
war and a corrupt justice system in Mexico.

"What's happening is that this level of damage on a national level at 
this point in time...one death has been able to bring together a 
movement," Sicilia said. "Coalitions of many organizations are 
willing to work to create a more just Mexico."

The U.S. Caravan for Peace led by Sicilia, and Mexico's Movement for 
Peace with Justice and Dignity arrived at El Paso late Monday 
evening. Members of the Caravan were greeted with a welcome from the 
El Paso and Las Cruces community. Community leaders presented members 
of the Caravan with gifts, music and food.

"All the places that we have been to have received us well, but here 
in El Paso, it's a place where we have seen a lot more people with 
flags, candles and movement," said Maria Salvadora Coronado-Navarro. 
"It makes us happy that the people are with us. Maybe because they 
have their own reasons like we do. I think the unity makes us stronger."

El Paso is one of the 27 cities across the nation the Caravan is 
visiting as part of a national tour that began Aug. 12 in Tijuana, 
Mexico and is making its way to Washington D.C.

Coronado-Navarro, from Tlanepantla, in the state of Mexico, is one of 
the many people traveling with the Caravan trying to give a face to 
the victims of the violence.. Her husband, Mauricio Aguilar, 
disappeared May 27, 2011 in Cordoba, Veracruz. Coronado-Navarro said 
Mexican authorities have conducted an investigation but have given no 
favorable response at the moment.

"I hope the (American) authorities do something because they are not 
doing anything," Coronado-Navarro said. "We are living this way 
because authorities don't do anything. Me, personally, I think they 
(Mexican authorities) are involved with everything that is going on in Mexico."

On Monday, the El Paso Caravan for Peace presented the County Judge 
and Commissioners Court with five key resolutions as well as a Code 
of Conduct on Arms Trafficking.

The five keys issues include the need to stop gun trafficking, the 
need to debate alternatives to drug prohibition, the need for better 
tools to combat money laundering, the need to promote bilateral 
cooperation in human rights and safety for migrants.

The resolution passed with a 4-1 vote in favor.

Tuesday morning the Caravan made its way to El Paso City Hall to 
present the same resolution to El Paso City Council. The resolution 
created a bit of static in the areas of legalizing narcotics and 
enforcing stricter gun policies that seemed to infringe on the right 
to bare arms. Organizers clarified that they only intend on spurring 
dialogue on finding alternatives to drug prohibition and based the 
code of conduct on more of a voluntary basis rather than an enforced 
policy. Eventually the council voted 7-1 in favor.

Martin Adam Smith, linguistics graduate student and volunteer at the 
Annunciation House, supports the movement and the promotion of 
bi-national cooperation to end the drug war.

"I was reading a quote from Javier Sicilia saying basically we want 
to tell the North American people that behind their addicts, and 
behind the war declared by their (Mexican) government, there lie our 
dead and disappeared. It is a strongly negative message against our 
government but you have to interact with people who have experienced 
the problems, and here on the border you have a lot of people who have."

Tuesday evening at San Jacinto Plaza the Caravan held a signing of 
the code of conduct by local gun dealers and gun shop owners. The 
Caravan followed up with a march from the plaza to the Annunciation 
House to commemorate the victims of the violence.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom