wfn.org | Statement of NCC Genl Secy Regarding Return of Elian

[CAROL_FOUKE.parti@ecunet.org (CAROL FOUKE)]

National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA
Email: news@ncccusa.org  Web: www.ncccusa.org

Contact: NCC News, 212-870-2227

133NCC1/4/2000
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

STATEMENT OF NCC GENERAL SECRETARY REGARDING RETURN OF ELIAN
GONZALEZ TO HIS FATHER

The National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA sent a
mission to Cuba at the invitation of the Cuba Council of
Churches to discover ways to return Elian Gonzalez to his
father and family in Cuba.  On the trip, representing the
NCC, are The Rev. Dr. Joan Brown Campbell, who retired as
General Secretary on Dec. 31, 1999, and The Rev. Oscar
Bolioli, Director of the Latin America and Caribbean Office.
Ms. Carol Fouke, News Director for the NCC, is the media
office for the trip which began on Sunday, January 2, 2000.
The mission was undertaken with the full knowledge of the
U.S. Government.

(Please note-News Conference today-January 4-
International Press Center, 23rd and "M" Streets-Havana,
Cuba-3 p.m.-Dr. Campbell and Rev. Bolioli)

Havana, Cuba        January 4
2000

Comments from Havana

Rev. Dr. Joan Brown Campbell, former General Secretary of
the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA,
representing the NCC in an effort to reunite Elian Gonzalez
with his father in Cuba.

We believe Elian Gonzalez should immediately be reunited
with his father in Cuba.  The value of that kind of family
life is vitally important to his well-being, as is being
raised in a loving family, is crucial for any child.

We visited for some time with the family in Cardenas and any
child would be lucky to have a family that is this loving
and caring.  There is a full set of grandparents, a great
grandmother, uncles and aunts.  Elian's father lives in a
very modest, but very immaculately and well taken care of,
home with Elian's own room and his toys there waiting for
him.

Our visit was very emotional.  The father and the rest of
the family are very sad.  There is some anger since they
don't understand why no one will tell them when their son,
this little six year-old boy, will be returned.  They feel
very strongly that everyone should know that this is where
they believe the boy should be.  They are distressed about
rumors that the father is happy that the boy is in Miami.
This isn't true.  They want Elian to be at home with them.
They are a very strong Cuban family and they want to bring
him back into the fold of his close family.

We saw his school and his schoolmates look very, very tiny.
They reminded us of how little a boy he is.  The students
talked about how he had missed his lessons and that he was
going to be behind in his math, just like kids always do.
They were especially concerned that he had missed his
tetanus shot and his class was very concerned about how he
was going to catch up with his work.

Juan Miguel Gonzalez expressed real concern that as Elian
starts school in Miami, he will have to learn in English and
that is not the father's wish.  As he said, "I should be in
charge of my child's education, where he goes to school, and
what kind of schooling he receives."

The fact is this is such a strong family values argument for
the well-being of the boy.  This is a very connected and
sharing family.  They live very close to each other and are
a part of each other's lives.

Particularly poignant for me was when I met the mother of
Elian's mother.  She lost her daughter at sea and now she
says, "Elian is all I have left."  None of them knew that
the mother was leaving with Elian.  They were all shocked
and surprised that she left.  And there's a bit more to this
story than first appears to be there.  The mother had fallen
in love with a man whose business was taking people from
Cuba to the United States.  And they had packed a boat
designed for six with fourteen people.  So I think there is
a lot more to the story than has first been reported.

The mother's mother wants him back with his father.  And for
me, that tells you everything.  When the mother of the
mother wants her former son-in-law to raise this child, that
tells you a lot about both the family relationships and the
respect for this young man as a father.  The great
grandmother was very teary and during our visit the family
kept asking her if she was tired.  And she said, "No, not
for Elian."

There's nothing programmed about this.  This is just a
simple family coming together in a time of trouble.  You can
feel that.  It's hard to communicate it because it sounds
too rote.  But it's very real.   I couldn't see any
governmental influence in what was said.  In fact, it would
be impossible to get such a diverse and large group to speak
and act in such a natural and touching way.

I would feel very good about advocating that Elian Gonzalez
come back to his father and family in Cuba.  I have no
qualms about that.

(The NCC mission to Cuba participants are meeting on Tuesday
with Vicki Huddleston, Principal Officer U.S. Interests
Section in Havana, with Ricardo Alarcon, President of the
Popular Assembly, and with religious leaders in Cuba.  They
return to the U.S. on Wednesday, January 5.)

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