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Mexican-American Groups to "Confront" Border Vigilantes
by Hector Carreon
La Voz de Aztlan
May 22, 2003Los Angeles, Alta California - - (ACN) Groups of Mexican-Americans and Méxicanos from various US states and Mexico are on their way to Southern Arizona to "confront" what Dr. Armando Navarro of the National Alliance for Human Rights (NAHR) called "terrorist armed militias."
The delegation consisting of groups of organizational leaders and activists will arrive in Southern Arizona this evening, Thursday, May 22, and will remain in the region until Sunday May 25.
According to Armando Navarro, NAHR coordinator, "The cardinal mission of the delegation is twofold: (1) To demonstrate bi-national solidarity with those groups in Arizona that are actively combating the terrorism being directed by several armed militias against our immigrant people; and (2) to send a powerful warning to the armed militias that their terrorist acts will not be tolerated and that they will be dealt with accordingly."
Dr. Navarro added, "At the heart of the trip are the deaths of over 2,300 migrants since the militarization of the U.S./Mexico border began in 1994, the killing of nine migrants of which militias are suspected, and the anticipated thousands of poor undocumented migrant workers [illegal aliens] that will be making the perilous journey through the heat, snake, and scorpion infested deserts in the near future.
The delegation is going to Southern Arizona to ascertain along with other anti-militia organizations and individuals in Arizona what needs be done to stop these armed terrorists."
The delegation's focus, according to Dr. Navarro, will be on the following three armed militias, which have been visible and active in "hunting Méxicanos" and other migrants: (1) Glenn Spencer, who leads the American Border Patrol; (2) Chris Simcox, leader of the Citizen's Border Patrol Militia; and (3) Jack Foote and Dave Stoddard of Ranch Rescue.
All three groups are suspected of killing at least seven Mexican migrant workers in the Southern Arizona desert during the past 2 years.
The first stops for the leaders of the delegation, this afternoon, will be meetings with Ruben Beltran, Consul General of Mexico in Phoenix and with Carlos Flores Visquida, Consul General of Mexico in Tucson.
In Tucson, later in the evening, the delegation will meet with Arizona's "Derechos Humanos" to formulate strategies.
On Friday, the delegation will travel to the desert areas known for their heavy immigrant traffic [aka invading illegal alien criminals] and militia activity.
A visit to the headquarters of the vigilante terrorist Glenn Spencer in Sierra Vista has been planned for the afternoon. Later in the evening, the delegation will meet with Miguel Escobar, Consul General of México in Douglas.
On Saturday, a press conference and meeting with Mexican government and political party officials in Agua Prieta, Mexico will will be held in the morning.
On Saturday late afternoon, a strategy session in Tucson will focus on the issue of the armed militias.
The "Strategy Meeting on Border Crisis Issues along the México/Arizona/California/New México Borders" will include Congressman Raul Grijalva. Congressman Grijalva's district is heavily affected by border vigilantes and he has been in the forefront of combating the worsening problem of border terrorism.
The delegation is comprised of representatives from various organizations from California, Arizona, Nuevo Mexico, Texas, Illinois, New York, and Mexico.
The organizations represented include La Coordinadora, Libreria del Pueblo, Mexicanos in the United States of América (MUSA), Unión del Barrio, American Friends Committee, Hispanic Round Table, Partido de La Revolución Democr·tica (PRD), American G.I. Forum, San Bernardino Community Service Center, Mexican American Political Association (MAPA), Mexican American Democrats (MAD), Organizacion de Mexicanos en el Exterior (OME), Jornaleros; Comité Pro Uno, Heritage of America, Labor Council for Latin American Advancement (LACLA), Service Employee International Union (SEIU)-Local 790, LaUnion Latina de Chicago, Coalición de Organizaciones Mexicanos de el Medio Este, Proyecto Libertad, and Braceros Proa .
In addition, the large delegation includes faculty from the University of Texas at Arlington; the University of Nuevo Mexico; and University of California at Riverside.
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