Date: Sat, 22 Mar 1997 18:43:06 +0100
Subject: Fwd: URGENT APPEAL FOR SOLIDARITY WITH IMMIGRANTS IN THE US


***** PLEASE COPY, DISTRIBUTE, POST AND SIGN ******

                    ****** INTERNATIONAL CAMPAIGN ****


    **** For 1,000,000 Signatures From Around the World to Demand
General Amnesty for Immigrants in the US and Organize a Movement ******


Dear friends:

Please sign the enclosed letter and petition in favor of a General
Amnesty for undocumented immigrants in the US.  Presently, over 6
million people and their families live in a virtual apartheid system,
being denied all human and civil rights.

The "Papers for All Campaign" in the US will put the US government on
trial for the violations of these rights against millions of people in
its own territory.

The Campaign is intended to call international attention to these
abuses.  We are also planning demonstrations, picket lines and other
forms fo direct action to obtain the amnesty.

We are inspired and we will link our efforts with the sans-papiers in
france and other European countries.

Please, help gathering signatures.

You may send your signatures, including your peronal title and the name
of the organization you belong to.  Please, make sure you state whether
you are signing on your own behalf or if you're representing your
organization.

Thanks

Initial list of Organizers of the Campaign:
African Immigrants Civil Rights Organization; Movimiento por los
Derechos de los Inmigrantes (MDI); United Arab Organization of the US;
Demand Rights for Cambodians; Latin American Artists Association;
Filipinos for Affirmative Action; California Coalition to Fight for
Equality; Asociacion de Residentes Latinoamericanos; Peru Salud y Vida;
Asociacion de Futbol Soccer (USA); Newspaper Nuevo Horizonte; Newspaper
San Francisco Frontlines; Ralph Nader for President Committee;
Immigrant Labor Organizing Committee; Green City Project; Chinese
Student Association; La Raza Immigration Project; Vietnamese Civil
Rights Initiative; Labor Militant (USA); Asociacion de Profesionales
Latinos; Immigrant Pride Day Organizing Committee; Mexican Citizens
Commission; Central American Coalition for Civil Rights, Concilio, Casa
de los J=F3venes (Mission Youth Soccer League, Youth in Action; Instituto
Familiar de La Raza, YWCA; Mission Recreation Center; Southern
Exposure) and 3,000 teachers, tradeunionists, community activists,
artists and health providers.







Papers for All Campaign
3311 Mission Street, Suite 135
San Francisco, California 94110
415-648-5257

March 21, 1997

Dear friend:

Millions of immigrant men, women and children, live in a virtual
apartheid system in the United States. Sometimes called "undocumented"
or "illegal", they are at the bottom of the social scale.

Immigrants receive no benefits, such as SSI, unemployment or Medicaid,
while they pay billions of dollars in taxes. Immigrants have no right
to vote and are denied many constitutional rights such as the freedom
of movement or expression. They are denied these rights while at the
same time they contribute to the economy, the enrichment of our
culture, and to the development of science, labor and education.

In many cases, immigrants are paid salaries below legal standards, live
in sub-human conditions, and receive no help in times of need. They are
subjected to vilification, discrimination and stereotyping.

Immigrant children have little hope of access to good jobs, higher
education or other economic or social opportunities, no matter how
qualified or hardworking they may be. They are socially, politically,
and economically invisible.

Politicians, the media, and the right wing portray them as useless
vagrants or worse, and they are continually scapegoated for all social
ills. This reality is a shameful reminder of what or society cannot be.
We must end apartheid in this state and throughout the country.

Please consider supporting our campaign for "Papers for All" and our
call for an immediate amnesty of all undocumented workers and their
families in the U.S.. Sign, copy, and distribute this letter. Ask other
organizations and individuals to sign.

Send a contribution to help extend this campaign state and nationwide.
Make your checks payable to "Papers for All Campaign".

You will receive periodic updates on the campaign, notice of meetings
and planned actions. Get involved. We are planning letter campaigns,
demonstrations and marches, media outreach, lobbying, and are planning
to expose these violations of human and civil rights nationally and
internationally. We need you and your organization. Join us now!



Sincerely,

    (Add your name and the name of your organization to this cover
letter that will be sent to every elected officer in the US and in
several other countries and over 50,000 other concerned individuals in
various capacities in international and national policy intitutions)



Please, al so sign the following:

TEXT OF GENERAL IMMIGRATION AMNESTY PETITION

Whereas, there are currently millions of men, women an dchildren in the
United states who did not qualify for the 1986 immigration amnesty;

The lack of documents for immigrant workers is a hindrance to enjoyment
of a decent life, producing a situation where employers violate work
laws at will and force their workers to labor for low wages, long
hours, and under deplorable conditions;

These abuses result in the utilization of undocumented workers as a
weapon by unscrupulous employers in order to lower wages for all
workers, forcingm them to compete among themselves and thus fostering
racial divisions;

Under these conditions immigrants are the object of persecution,
discrimination and hatred, a situtation that means millions of men,
women and children are prisoners of a virtual apartheid system in the
United States, a violation of the most basic human and civil rights;

Under current conditions immigrant youths who finish high school have
no access to insttuitions of higher education, and thus are faced with
a lack of educational or work alternatives;

thousands of Salvadoran and Nicaraguan immigrants are under threat of
deportation because they were not able to obtain permanent residence,
their work permits have expired;

We propose that there be a GENERAL AMNESTY FOR ALL IMMIGRANTS so that
they may have access to decent employment and higher education.


ADD YOUR NAME AND OF YOUR ORGANIZATION, ADDRESS, TELEPHONE, CITY AND
COUNTRY, FAX NUMBER AND E-MAIL ADDRESS AND SEND IT TO:

Snail Mail:  Papers for All Campaign
             3311 MIssion Street, Suite 135
             San Francisco, California 94110
             San Francisco, California 94110

FAX: (415) 648-5257 -- San Francisco, USA


E-Mail: iwp.ilo-AT-ix.netcom.com




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