For Immediate Release
May 10, 2018
Press Contact: Rev. Deborah Lee , 415- 534-5620
May 10, 2018
Press Contact: Rev. Deborah Lee , 415- 534-5620
HONDURAN ACTIVIST PRIEST WHOSE LIFE IS THREATENED SPEAKS ON WHY HONDURANS ARE FLEEING TO THE UNITED STATES
Also Caravan members and long-time Bay Area residents impacted by recent cancellation of TPS for Hondurans
When: Tuesday, May 15, 2018 - Press Conference at 5:30PM, Public Address at 7:00PM
Where: St. John’s Presbyterian Church Berkeley, 2727 College Ave, Berkeley
What: Press Conference and Public Address, colorful public ritual of religious leaders pledging solidarity for Fr. Melo, whose life is at risk
Who: Fr. Ismael “ Melo” Moreno Coto, SJ, Jesuit Priest and human rights leader, testimony from the recent Pueblo Sin Fronteras Caravan , local persons with TPS from Honduras, Save TPS Coalition, Faith Communities, SHARE El Salvador, Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity, and Immigrant Rights Organizations
Berkeley, CA- On May 15, 2018, Honduran Jesuit Priest and social justice advocate Fr. Ismael “Melo” Moreno Coto, whose life is under threat, will speak at St. John’s Presbyterian Church in Berkeley to discuss the deteriorating human rights situation in Honduras since the Nov. 30th, 2017 disputed election. He will also address the future impact of the cancellation of Temporary Protected Status for Hondurans, why 80% of the Pueblo Sin Fronteras Caravan are from Honduras, and the root causes of forced migration that have been exacerbated by U.S. foreign policies. Father Melo will share mounting concerns of human rights violations, threats and assassinations to indigenous land defenders, such as Goldman Prize winner, Berta Caceres and others. These findings will be presented to the Lantos Human Rights Commission and members of Congress in Washington D.C. next week.
Background: Known as Father “Melo”, Ismael Moreno is an Afro-descendant Jesuit priest based in Progreso, Northern Honduras. For the last 20 years he has directed two social action projects of the Society of Jesus in Honduras: Radio Progreso, and ERIC, who provide accurate real-time reporting and human rights observers/mediators and research. For the ground-breaking journalism of these two projects, especially since the Nov. 2017 electoral crisis, Fr. Melo and his staff have been the targets of intimidation, sabotage and death threats.
May 10th -18th, 2018, Fr. Melo and six other human rights leaders from Honduras will be on a multi-city tour across the US. They will present first hand accounts of the disturbing pattern of human rights abuses in Hondura and call for an end to US Security Aid which supports ongoing state-sponsored violence towards Honduran land and human rights defenders.
Where: St. John’s Presbyterian Church Berkeley, 2727 College Ave, Berkeley
What: Press Conference and Public Address, colorful public ritual of religious leaders pledging solidarity for Fr. Melo, whose life is at risk
Who: Fr. Ismael “ Melo” Moreno Coto, SJ, Jesuit Priest and human rights leader, testimony from the recent Pueblo Sin Fronteras Caravan , local persons with TPS from Honduras, Save TPS Coalition, Faith Communities, SHARE El Salvador, Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity, and Immigrant Rights Organizations
Berkeley, CA- On May 15, 2018, Honduran Jesuit Priest and social justice advocate Fr. Ismael “Melo” Moreno Coto, whose life is under threat, will speak at St. John’s Presbyterian Church in Berkeley to discuss the deteriorating human rights situation in Honduras since the Nov. 30th, 2017 disputed election. He will also address the future impact of the cancellation of Temporary Protected Status for Hondurans, why 80% of the Pueblo Sin Fronteras Caravan are from Honduras, and the root causes of forced migration that have been exacerbated by U.S. foreign policies. Father Melo will share mounting concerns of human rights violations, threats and assassinations to indigenous land defenders, such as Goldman Prize winner, Berta Caceres and others. These findings will be presented to the Lantos Human Rights Commission and members of Congress in Washington D.C. next week.
Background: Known as Father “Melo”, Ismael Moreno is an Afro-descendant Jesuit priest based in Progreso, Northern Honduras. For the last 20 years he has directed two social action projects of the Society of Jesus in Honduras: Radio Progreso, and ERIC, who provide accurate real-time reporting and human rights observers/mediators and research. For the ground-breaking journalism of these two projects, especially since the Nov. 2017 electoral crisis, Fr. Melo and his staff have been the targets of intimidation, sabotage and death threats.
May 10th -18th, 2018, Fr. Melo and six other human rights leaders from Honduras will be on a multi-city tour across the US. They will present first hand accounts of the disturbing pattern of human rights abuses in Hondura and call for an end to US Security Aid which supports ongoing state-sponsored violence towards Honduran land and human rights defenders.