The Alliance for Human Rights is an organization to defend everybody's human rights, especially the Latino people. The purposes of the organization are:
´ To promote consciousness of social justice;
´ To promote diversity, friendship, unity, and understanding among everyone living in Mendocino County;
´ To improve the quality of life for future generations in Mendocino County;
´ To end racism and discrimination;
´ To educate the non-Latino population concerning the role which the Mexican people have played in the history of California, as well as the injustice of Proposition 187.
Our group was organized in the spring of 1995 by some 170 Latinos, including low-income farmworkers, as well as some 20 Anglos.
In the November, 1994 elections, the voters passed Proposition 187 that would deny social services, health services, and educational services to people without immigration documents. What's more, it would require local governments, schools and health facilities to report people without proper documentation to immigration authorities.
Clearly Proposition 187 is racist, unjust, ugly, and must not be implemented.
For the time being, the courts have ordered that Proposition 187 has no effect. But still, its approval by the voters has changed our lives for the worse. Now, there are people here who seem to think that as a result, racism is legal. They discriminate against immigrants whether or not they have documentation.
The strategy of the Pledge of Resistance Committee of the Alliance is to organize Latino people and demand that teachers, nurses, doctors and social workers in Mendocino County not implement Proposition 187.
At the same time, the Alliance Justice Committee is informing people about their civil rights and protecting people against law enforcement abuses. The Justice Committee supported Jose Luis Leon and Jose Refugio Lopez who were beaten by Anglo youths (then charged with assault!) in Willits earlier this year. The police let the Anglos go without being charged. Justice Committee members attended court hearings to demonstrate support for the Latino youths. Police later dropped the charges against them for lack of evidence.
The Justice Committee is also offering support to the Native people in Round Valley who are facing continuing abuses from law enforcement in conjunction with the manhunt for "Bear" Lincoln. Since April 14th, law enforcement officials have been conducting an intense hunt for "Bear", and in the process, committing numerous abuses and terrifying not only Native people, but Mexicans as well - in fact, seemingly anyone with brown skin. In the course of their search, police have pointed guns at children and elders, roughed up elders, and thrown them to the floor. This campaign was ordered by the same Sheriff, Jim Tuso, who requested la Migra - the US Border Patrol - to come and harass Latinos in Mendocino County last September and October. Both the Native people and the Mexican community see the similarities and the connections. The Justice Committee is supporting the Native people in their demand for a cessation of the civil rights abuses and for an independent investigation of the events of April 14th and subsequently. For further information about Justice Committee activities, or to become involved call Ed Harnett at 468-1660.
Please meet with us to build a strong organization in defense of human rights. General meetings of the Alliance are held the first Monday of each month at 6:00 P.M. Call 468-1660 for location of the next meeting.
Copyright Mendocino Environmental Center 1995