Lomas del Poleo Update

June 15, 2009

Dear Friends and Supporters of the Residents of Lomas del Poleo:

As always, thank you for the many ways you have been accompanying the people of Lomas: writing letters to Hilary Clinton and other officials, sharing the story with your friends and wider communities, financial support, and, above all, your prayers that the people will be safe, the Zaragozas and their minions converted and the land dispute resolved peacefully according to the constitution and laws of Mexico.

This past week there have been protests by the families and supporters of the primary school, Alfredo Nava Sahagun, at the Electrical Commission, CFE, demanding the transformer illegally removed by the Commission be restored: the link (in Spanish) follows but may have to be pasted into your browser.
http://www.diario.com.mx/nota.php?notaid=5860ac7c72697e8d6fc0870ace3410d2

The other protest was last week at the SEP (Secretaria Educacion Publica) demanding that the abuse, threats and direct violence of the brothers Jorge and Pedro Zaragoza against the school cease immediately. In particular, the action of one of the Supervisors of the Zone, Blassa Serrano, has tried to shut down the school and force the children to attend the school in the relocation zone, set up by the Zaragozas through their surrogates, the Municipal government of Juarez. Again, the link (in Spanish) follows:
http://www.diario.com.mx/nota.php?notaid=ebe9e84bbaf1e910c4481988872159b3

In an update from Foro Lomas del Poleo, Cristina and Juan Carlos report that Galilea Hernandez Zuniga, from the Alfredo Nava Sahagun Primary School in Lomas, won the First Prize in Academics in the western zone of the Juarez public school system. She is one of the 72 children who attend the school and face threats and harassment when they pass through the gates illegally controlled by the guards paid by Pedro and Jorge Zaragoza Fuentes.

On Monday, June 8, 2009 I spoke to City Representative Beto O'Rourke's weekly community meeting. It was a small group but very interested in and sympathetic to the plight of the Lomas residents when they heard the story. We are visiting the City Councilors to ask their their support for a City Council Resolution condemning the violence and demanding the situation be resolved peacefully and in accordance with the law. Rep. Steve Ortega has invited me to be a guest on the radio program he hosts this Wednesday, June 17, 2009, between 2:30 and 4:00 p.m CDT. I believe there is a call-in period, so if you want to offer support or enlightenment to the wider El Paso community, please call.

Finally, on Tuesday, June 16, the residents are going down to Chihuahua to the Agrarian Tribunal for their audience. Please keep them and their legal team in your prayers.

Gracias,
Father Bill Morton, SSC