Pratt and Wallace of Australia and Jelen of Yugoslavia were originally accused of being part of an espionage ring, but were cleared of those charges during the trial. They are falsely accused. They represent no relief as prisoners, they represent relief as workers trying to get food for the hungry, and medicine for the sick, and light and heat for those who are cold and in the dark. The press conference was held at the National Park Service Visitor's Center for the Martin Luther King Historical District, across the street from the tomb of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in Atlanta. With a possible peace settlement in Yugoslavia, Jackson expressed the need for CARE and other humanitarian organizations to play a role in the rebuilding of the war-torn country, but he sees the continued imprisonment of the CARE aid workers impeding the ability of organizations to respond to the country's need.
Hope is on the horizon.
We need a wave of humanitarian workers who feel that they will be appreciated and not arrested on false charges. Yugoslavia now needs soldiers out and humanitarian relief in, and that s why CARE workers must now become center stage in the reconstruction. In a touching conclusion, Bell, Fraser, Jackson and Young walked across the street to pay homage to Martin Luther King Jr. Led by Jackson in a solemn yet inspiring prayer, the men bowed their heads and prayed for peace and the release of the three CARE captives. In the United States, Bell said he was assured from senior officials in the U.S. State Department that the three CARE captives will not be forgotten in the difficult task of negotiating peace in the Balkans.