wfn.org | Political prisoners thank MARCHA; caucus looks to future

[NewsDesk <NewsDesk@UMCOM.UMC.ORG>]

Nov. 23, 1999 News media contact: Linda Green·(615)742-5470·Nashville, Tenn.
10-32-71B{629}

By United Methodist News Service

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico- Seven of the 11 Puerto Rican political prisoners
freed by President Clinton received a hero's welcome as they were recognized
during the Nov. 20 annual banquet of the Hispanic caucus of the United
Methodist Church. 

The men and women, who'd spent 20 years in U.S. federal prisons because of
their political ideas, received hugs, kisses and a standing ovation as they
thanked MARCHA for its support, compassion and participation in the campaign
for their freedom. 

MARCHA, the acronym for Methodist Associated to Represent the Cause of
Hispanic Americans, is the caucus organized to hold the concerns and issues
of Hispanic American United Methodists before the United Methodist Church.
The group also assists Methodists in Puerto Rico.

Clinton granted clemency to 11 members of a radical nationalists group in
September after they vowed to renounce terrorism.  The terms of parole were
that they commit no further crimes and limit their association with other
Puerto Rican nationalists who champion violence.  

Carmen Valentin, one of the prisoners who returned to Puerto Rico, said it
must have been difficult for MARCHA to support them when so many accusations
had been made against them.  She thanked the caucus for its dedication to
seek justice. 

As a witness to what it is like to be against the laws of society, she said,
"the American government was against us, yet you came to us, gave your
support, encouraged all of us and others to come to us in support."

Valentin said their long sentences were intended to keep others from
speaking out against the U.S. government.  
Proclaiming the virtues of MARCHA, she said, "you are exceptional human
beings and true Christians." She also paid tribute to the numerous churches
in the United States and Puerto Rico that worked for their release. 

Valentin said MARCHA was with them at the beginning of their sentencing on
April 4, 1980. "We had people at the beginning trying to defend us and then
MARCHA came and we became free through you."  Six remain in prison.

"We celebrate unity," she said. "We were lonely for so many years, but we
knew that one day there would be victory for us. You gave us that victory."

Acknowledging that they were a product of the time, Valentin said 20 years
later they stand before their champions with gratitude. "You trusted us and
your cries became the cries of the whole country. The United States couldn't
hear the voices of all of the churches but it heard MARCHA," she exclaimed.
"You are to many people some sort of moral authority."

Most of the 16 were imprisoned for activities related to their involvement
in F.A.L.N., the Spanish initials for the Armed Forces of National
Liberation, a group that has been reported to be responsible for 130
bombings in the late 1970's and early 1980's. They were convicted of crimes
like seditious conspiracy, possession of an unregistered firearm or
interstate transportation of a stolen vehicle. Some were sentenced to more
than 50 years in jail, sentences viewed by President Clinton as been out of
proportion with the crimes. Most already served 19 years. One was sentenced
to 90 years and has served nearly 25 years and the others have served at
least 14 years.
 
Because MARCHA's mission has been to press for justice and human rights, the
caucus could do no less than work for the release of the political
prisoners, said the Rev. Esdras E. Rodriguez Diaz of New York  

Diaz said MARCHA had advocated for unpopular causes on numerous occasions.
However, he said, "the commitment was not for popularity but to be faithful
to the gospel and the prophets." That faithfulness is the reason MARCHA
joined the campaign to liberate the Puerto Rican Political prisoners in the
United States, he said. "We celebrate today the liberation of 11 of them but
we need to continue working for the release of the other six still in U.S.
prisons."

Two of the prisoners released planned to live in Chicago and the others
planned to move to Puerto Rico. 

The liberation of the prisoners was a pinnacle moment for the Rev. Jose
Orlando Rivera, outgoing executive director of MARCHA. "In so many of our
meetings we discussed and approved resolutions calling for this pardoning,"
he said. "We brought this to the highest bodies of our denomination.  We
prayed for strength for their difficult journey. That goal has finally been
accomplished for most of them. We need to celebrate their liberation with
gratitude . . ."

During the Nov. 18-21 meeting, the 150 participants sought to determine the
implications and challenges facing MARCHA and how the caucus should be
structured to effectively advocate for Hispanic people in the new
millennium.

"The challenges expecting us on the way to the new millenium should not
scare us," Rivera said in his address to the 28th annual MARCHA assembly.
"We know that discrimination and racism are still unresolved issues."
Pointing to proposals coming to the 2000 General Conference from a
Connectional Process Team, he said it is imperative that the churchwide
commissions on Religion and Race and Status and Role of Women continue in
order to effectively accomplish their work.

According to U.S. Census Bureau projections, the nation's Hispanic
population is expected to reach 96.5 million, which will be 24.5 percent of
the nation's population, by the middle of the next century. Projections also
indicate that this transition already has occurred among children under 18.
In July 1998, there were 10.5 million Hispanic children in the United
States, outnumbering non-Hispanic African-American children by 35,000.

In the face of the Hispanic population explosion, the Rev. Arturo Fernandez,
Salem, Ore., said there are three major challenges MARCHA must address as it
moves into the new century:  a common vision that binds the increasingly
diverse Hispanic community; a missional focus that is contextually relevant
to the Hispanic/Latino population; and a necessary organizational structure
that is inclusive to the particular regional needs of culturally diverse
Hispanic and Latino groups.

"Our community is changing and continues to do so and the church is slow to
comprehend the nature of that change," said Fernandez, chairman of the
Western Jurisdiction caucus of MARCHA.  "I'm not talking about only reaching
the Hispanic-Latino population, but the greater task is to be the church
that represents the inclusive nature of God's reign."

In order for the church to reach the rapidly growing Hispanic population
during the next 20 years, particularly in the West, he said, "We will have
to change the nature of the church and the way we do ministry if we are to
have any relevance."

Rivera offered a laundry list of challenges facing MARCHA, the Hispanic
community and the United Methodist Church in the next century. These
included recruiting more Hispanic pastors, establishing new Hispanic/Latino
churches, developing other ministries, strengthening existing churches,
appointing and electing Hispanic district superintendents and bishops,
organizing Hispanic task forces/committees in many of the conference with
large Hispanic populations, promoting issues that are important to the
Hispanic constituency, electing Hispanics to school districts, city halls,
state government and, in the not to distant future, to the presidency of the
United States.

"All of this needs to be done, not forgetting the spiritual aspect of our
personal and community lives," he said. "If we move within that framework,
our efforts will be blessed by God, the One that has called us for the
transformation of the whole human being."

In her last message as president of MARCHA, Mary Silva, San Antonio, said
she envisions the caucus as a vital  part of the life of each Hispanic
congregation in each annual conference. "I see an active and strong
organization in the life of each jurisdiction. I see a Hispanic people,
splendid and interracial, taking care of justice and the dignity of each
human being that suffers, cries and claims his or her heritage as
descendents of Jesus Christ," she said.    Silva resigned as president
because she was elected to a six-year term as executive director MARCHA,
effective July 1, 2000.
In the midst of celebrating its accomplishments, attention was called to a
situation facing Hispanic people in Nashville, Tenn.   Recent reports have
alleged abuses by a private security firm that hired some 40 off-duty city
police officers. News reports have alleged extortion and beatings of
Hispanic residents at an apartment complex by the security company's
workers. 
"The society in which we live is calling us to respond to an urgent call for
justice," Silva said. "Today, our people are suffering an injustice in
Nashville. Where is our church in all of this? Where are we now," she asked.
"MARCHA should be prepared with the best we can offer to face the future
with faith and courage."

The caucus endorsed for bishop the Rev. Minerva Carcano, director of
Mexican-American Program at Southern Methodist University, Dallas, and the
Rev. Jaime Nolla, pastor of Christ United Methodist Church,  Racine, Wis.
Bishops will be elected by the church's five regional jurisdictions in July.

Elected as president of MARCHA was the Rev. Awilda Nolla, Racine, Wis.
Others elected were Al Pineda, Santa Paula, Calif., vice president; Sonia
Vargas, San Juan, Puerto Rico, secretary.  

In other actions, MARCHA approved, affirmed and endorsed numerous
resolutions to be forwarded to the 2000 General Conference. They call for:

·	Amending an already existing resolution on the political prisoners
and call on the General Conference to readopt the existing resolution on the
Puerto Rican Political Prisoners;
·	Supporting the continuance of transitional United Methodist support
for the Methodist Church of Puerto Rico which was granted autonomy in 1996;
·	Affirming the ministries of the Rio Grande Annual Conference;
·	Calling for the National Plan for Hispanic Ministry to be continued
another four years with a budget of $3.2 million;
·	Proposing the creation of a Portuguese language ministry;
·	Encouraging the creation of a task force to develop an amnesty
program for undocumented persons including staff from the churchwide
Commission on Religion and Race, Board of Global Ministries, Board of Church
and Society, and representatives from MARCHA and the Council of Bishops;
·	Responding to the plight of farmworkers;
·	Recommending termination of Puerto Rico's colonial status and urging
the president of the U.S. and Congress to take speedy actions to relinquish
its control over Puerto Rico;
·	Calling on the United Methodist Church to stand in solidarity with
the people of Vieques and express its support for the cessation of all
military activities on the island and support for the return of the land
"expropriated from the people of Vieques by the U.S. Navy."

The caucus celebrated 100 years of Methodism in Puerto Rico.  Several
individuals were honored: Rivera for his work as the executive director of
MARCHA; Edith Delgado for her accomplishments as editor of El Interprete,
the Spanish-language program journal; the Rev. Yolanda Pupo-Ortiz, for her
work an executive at the United Methodist Commission on Religion and Race;
Juan Antonio Vera Mendez, Methodist bishop of Puerto Rico; United Methodist
Bishops Elias G. Galvan, Seattle, and Joel Martinez, Lincoln, Neb., for
their solidarity with Puerto Rico;  the Rev. Conrado C. Saltero, New York,
for is work on behalf of Hispanics as a staff member at the churchwide Board
of Global Ministries. 

MARCHA's next annual meeting will be held in New Jersey Nov. 2000. 
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United Methodist News Service
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