THE VIGIL FOR FATHER CARNEY

January 14, 1998

"The Lord demands an accounting for the blood that is shed; the Lord hears the cry of the poor"--Psalm 9:12.

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Dear Friends,

Matthew Eisen continues his work with CRISPAZ in San Salvador. Joe Mulligan returned to Managua on Dec. 13, to resume his work with the Christian base communities. Both, along with John Patrick Carney (Fr. Carney's brother), are now enjoying the simple pleasures of eating!

Once again we want to thank all the persons and organizations who have expressed their support and solidarity in this campaign to find the truth concerning the disappearance of Fr. Jim Carney.

In this update we would like to present a few more news items and some ideas for the future of the campaign.

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CHAIRS OF THE U.S. SENATE SELECT COMMITTEE ON INTELLIGENCE AND THE U.S. SENATE COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN RELATIONS SUPPORT INVESTIGATION OF FR. CARNEY CASE

Senator Richard C. Shelby of Alabama, chairman of the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, in a letter of Nov. 20, 1997 to Fr. Joseph Mulligan, S.J., wrote: "I share your concern regarding the need to make available any and all information our government may have pertaining to the fate of Father Carney. That is why I, together with Vice Chairman J. Robert Kerrey, recently urged Director of Central Intelligence George Tenet to declassify all pertinent information relating to this case, consistent with the appropriate protection of sources and methods.

"The Committee continues to monitor the pace and comprehensiveness of the Intelligence Community's declassification efforts in this case, and I remain committed to making available as much information as possible in this regard."

In our news release of Nov. 3 from Tegucigalpa, we reported on a communication from Sen. Carl Levin in which he told us of the letter which Sen. Shelby refers to above:

"On October 29, the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence sent a letter to the Director of Central Intelligence (DCI) George Tenet requesting the declassification to the maximum extent possible of the Central Intelligence Agency Inspector General's report on Honduras, issued on August 27, 1997. The letter, which itself is necessarily partially classified, requests that DCI Tenet report back to the Committee within four weeks on his intentions regarding declassification of the Inspector General report as well as his response to the recommendations in the report.

"I am encouraged by the Intelligence Committee's willingness to elevate this matter directly to Director Tenet, which I urged them to do. I am hopeful that before long many of the troubling and disheartening questions about the circumstances surrounding Father Carney's disappearance can be answered."

Sen. Jesse Helms of North Carolina has written to Fr. Mulligan on two occasions. In a letter of Dec. 17, 1996, Sen. Helms stated: "I have written the Secretary of State on your behalf and have asked for his help in gathering information. I sincerely hope that Fr. Carney's fate can be determined, and that you and your fellow priests get the answers you are looking for. Please do not hesitate to contact me if there is anything else I can do."

On Sept. 15, 1997, Mulligan wrote to Sen. Helms, bringing to his attention the heavily expurgated documents released by the CIA and the U.S. Army in the Carney case and asking Sen. Helms to investigate what is being hidden. In his response of Nov. 12 the senator stated: "I have forwarded your letter to the Central Intelligence Agency to ask its assistance. I hope to have a response shortly."

Friends in solidarity are asked to thank Senators Helms, Levin, and Shelby for the actions they have taken and to urge them to intensify their efforts to uncover the truth in the Fr. Carney case.

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We are also very encouraged by the response of members of the parish of San Isidro in Tocoa, Honduras, where Father Carney had worked during some of his 18 years in Honduras before his deportation in 1979.

A group of parishioners have begun to fast on certain days and to hold public demonstrations demanding truth and justice in the case of their beloved "Padre Guadalupe" Carney.

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In our Dec. 12 news release from San Salvador we said: "Let us evaluate this question again within a couple of months and see what needs to be done at that point. We have thought of the possibility of another letter-writing campaign and public actions during the first week of April, in Honduras (where a follow-up committee has been formed) and in the U.S. and other countries."

If the Clinton administration does not release any more documents, or if they repeat their release of heavily blacked- out pages, or if they do not seriously review the blacking-out of the documents released in March and August of 1997 -- in short, if there is no serious response to the demands issued at the start of the embassy vigil in Honduras -- then further action would clearly be called for.

If you have some suggestions as to what might be done in the U.S., please send them to EPICA (address below).

If you have some ideas as to possible actions in Tegucigalpa and perhaps other places in Central America, please send them to Matthew Eisen at CRISPAZ.

It has been suggested, for instance, that as many North Americans as possible, as well as Hondurans, gather in front of the U.S. embassy in Tegucigalpa for a few days during the first week of April to demand a serious commitment from Washington, DC, to solve this case.

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RESOURCE MATERIALS AND SPEAKERS' BUREAU

If you would like to schedule an educational event concerning the case of Fr. Carney, we may be able to help you with resource material and possibly with a speaker.

Fr. Carney's autobiography, TO BE A REVOLUTI0NARY, can be ordered at $8 per copy (including postage) from John Patrick Carney (address below). On orders of 10 copies or more, the price is $5. per copy.

The shorter Spanish version of Fr. Carney's autobiography, ASI ES LA IGLESIA, can be ordered at $5. per copy from John Patrick Carney. On orders of 10 copies or more, the price is $3. per copy.

A summary of the case and of our Embassy Vigil for Fr. Carney in Honduras can also be ordered from Mr. Carney. Photocopies: $3. each. On orders of 10 copies or more, the price is $2. per copy. By email, free.

Checks should be made payable to: Padre Guadalupe Memorial Fund, and sent with orders to Mr. Carney.

The excellent BBC-TV documentary, THE FILE ON FATHER GUADALUPE, can be borrowed from Mr. Carney for the cost of postage.

SPEAKERS' BUREAU. With enough advance notice, we may be able to help you arrange a speaker for your event. Of course, the sponsoring organization would have to assume the costs of air travel. (Most of the qualified speakers live in the U.S.)

If interested, please contact Joe Mulligan (address below). He would try to find a speaker in your part of the country.

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THE FRIDAY FAST FOR FATHER CARNEY

Some friends of Fr. Carney have started to fast every Friday and will do this until (1) his remains are found and (2) his case is solved, with truth and justice being attained.

Those who have begun this fast wish to do it anonymously. If you wish to join, feel free to make your own decision about whether to be public or anonymous. However, in either case, please inform Sister Jean Brenner (address below) so that we can keep in touch with you.

By fasting on Fridays (or any other day of the week which may be more convenient), you will save some MONEY and TIME. Financial contributions to help the ongoing work in this struggle (The Vigil for Fr. Carney) may be sent to EPICA in Washington, to be shared 50-50 with COFADEH (Committee of Relatives of the Detained-Disappeared in Honduras). Earmark your donation for The Vigil for Fr. Carney.

With the TIME you save, you may wish to read Fr. Carney's book or some other material (e.g., the bible) which may deepen your commitment to work for justice and liberation. You may also wish to use some of the time saved to write letters to the editor concerning Fr. Carney, work on an educational program, write to your elected officials in Washington, follow up on those communications, etc.

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Thanks again to all for all your work, support, and commitment! Let's keep in touch during the New Year. Season's greetings to all.

Sincerely,

Sister Jean Brenner

Apdo P-125

Managua, Nicaragua

tel: (505) 266-4626

email: anabel@nicarao.org.ni

John Patrick Carney

5100 Colonial Dr.

Golden Valley, MN 55416

tel/fax: (612) 545-0816

email: M-Barbara.Biery-1@tc.umn.edu

Matthew Eisen

CRISPAZ

Apdo 2944

Centro de Gobierno

San Salvador, El Salvador

tel/fax: (503) 226-0829

email: pazsal@netcomsa.com

EPICA

1470 Irving St. NW

Washington, DC 20010

tel: (202) 332-0292

fax: (202) 332-1184

email: epica@igc.apc.org

Joseph Mulligan, SJ

Apdo 2419

Managua, Nicaragua

tel: (505) 278-6965

email: guvols@nicarao.org.ni

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