From: milo@scicom.AlphaCDC.COM (Michele Lord)
Newsgroups: soc.veterans
Subject: VPAT Newsletter
Keywords: veterans peace action teams
Date: 30 Aug 92 18:50:55 GMT
Organization: Alpha Institute, Aurora, CO.



                   VETERANS PEACE ACTION TEAMS
                       
                     Newsletter July, 1992
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
                     VPAT MISSION STATEMENT

Veterans Peace Action Teams is a non-violent and non-discriminatory
organization committed to honor and respect the sovereignty of
nations and the self-determination of all people. 

VPAT believes justice to be the main prerequisite in achieving
world peace and therefore strives to end all oppression.

To achieve its goal, VPAT provides opportunities for constructive
actions (such as reparations labor in areas affected by the United
States interventionist policies) and to expose individual US
citizens to the effects of these policies on the people and the
internal affairs of other countries. Such experiences will take
place at the specific request of the hosting country or
organization and will be carried out under their direction.

It is hoped that participants will become more effective people of
justice and ultimately will work toward the transformation of
social consciousness in the United States, with the intention of
influencing governmental policy changes, both foreign and domestic,
which prioritize human needs.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This is what VPAT is currently doing and has been doing to achieve
the mission goal.


---BIG MOUNTAIN RESISTANCE, ARIZONA

    VPAT organized the first convoy to Big Mountain in June of
1990, at the request of Dineh elders. At that time VPAT began
renting the Winslow ranch which has been a distribution center for
five major food runs and several smaller food deliveries to the
fourteen different areas resisting relocation.

    Jeane Jacobs, VPAT volunteer has met over 780 visitors who have
come to the ranch to volunteer, deliver food, or to find out what
is happening. The resistors also use the ranch for meetings, to
pick up clothes, and call when in need of assistance or sometimes
just to drop by for a cup of coffee on their way to Winslow or
Gallup.

    1988 a law suit (Manybeads vs U.S. Department of Interior) was
filed in an effort to stop the relocation. In April, 1991 a court
order was issued for the Plaintiffs and defendants to proceed with
settlement negotiations. Judge Harry McCue has been assigned the
role of mediator in the dispute. The mediator feels the Dineh
Resistors are earnestly doing their best to comply with negotiated
proposals, and several extensions have been petitioned. There is
also some optimism in a possible settlement involving a land
exchange.

    VPAT is committed to the Dineh in their struggle for
self-determination until the Elders are satisfied with any
agreement.

------------------------------------------------------------------        

---EL SALVADOR

    
    In March, 1992 five VPAT veterans and one mental health care
professional traveled to El Salvador to be on hand to accompany and
assist disabled FMLN veterans repatriating to their country.

    VPAT has had a historical concern for these disabled veterans.
    From August to October, 1989 VPAT Provided non-violent
accompaniment and assistance to 40 FMLN wounded who occupied the
main Cathedral of San Salvador, while they awaited evacuation.

    Although deliberate government obstacles prevented the return
of the lisiados (war disabled), contrary to the January, 1992 peace
accords, the delegation worked with a newly formed disabled
organization ASLDIG.

    The delegation traveled throughout El Salvador to evaluate the
situation and status of El Salvadoran lisiados. In addition, the
delegation gathered invaluable information on the newly established
camps where the FMLN's army (END) is encamped and the
implementation of the accords.

    VPAT desires to continue our historical relationship with the
Salvadoran war wounded and is currently working with the Bravo Fund
to identify an appropriate response to the tremendous needs of the
lisiados in their reintegration into a - hopefully peaceful - El
Salvador.

--------------------------------------------------------------------- 

---NICARAGUA

The Union of Small Farmers and Ranchers (UNAG) continues to
operate the drilling equipment VPAT donated. UNAG is now able to
drill low cost wells for cooperatives and drill commercial wells
providing a much needed service and equally needed capital for
projects. Naomi Griffiths has returned to Nicaragua after a bout
with hepatitis. Naomi, in her 4th year, will continue to work in
popular health education. In Nicaragua, conditions have greatly
deteriorated, with little or no medicines for the poor.
Malnutrition amongst the children is increasing at an alarming
rate.

Dr. Bob Harvey, veteran microbiologist made his 4th annual trip to
Nicaragua, to train and assist in water testing and clean water
programs. Constance Fubunmi, family therapist will continue
emotional health education work, July to Dec. 1992. To better
understand family conflicts she will be interviewing and working
with people from both sides of the war. VPAT has received an open
invitation from the retired officers association, AMIR, to
strengthen vet-to-vet relationships. VPAT has on the drawing
board a plan to assist in vet-to-vet treatment of post-traumatic
stress in Nicaragua.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

---MIDDLE EAST

In September 1991 a group of 8 U.S. military veterans, most of
whom have participated in many VPAT missions, traveled to the
Middle Eat to investigate regional concerns and to observe the
effects of the U.S.-lead bombing and sanctions against Iraq. The
delegation was able to travel throughout Israel, Palestine, the
Golan Heights, Jordan, and Iraq. Some members were able to visit
Kurdistan to Basra and the Kuwait border.

The delegation was received positively throughout the Middle
East. People of conscience in the U.S. were recognized by Dr.
Ameed Abdul Hameed, of the Red Crescent Society. He expressed it
this way to the delegation: "We saw the United States people on
television, opposing this war. It meant very much to us. Because
of these actions there is still a good feeling in Iraq towards
the United States people. If there had been no one in the U.S.
opposing the war it would have taken generations for the hatred
to heal. Sooner or later there will be a reconciliation, and your
actions will make that happen more quickly. You are the reason it
is still possible for foreigners to move safely in Iraq without
danger from the people." The delegation heard this theme many
times from several sectors of Iraqi society.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For further information contact:
Veterans Peace Action Teams, 911E Center St. Santa Cruz, CA 95060
Ph: 408-457-8208

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  Michele Lord              + If you have come here to help me,
                            + you are wasting your time.....
 Alpha Institute            + But if you have come because
                            + your liberation is bound up with mine,
 milo@scicom.alphacdc.com   + then let us work together.
                                          Aboriginal Woman
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Newsgroups: soc.veterans