Lacksana the Peacemaker

Dear Family and Friends,

In 2005 I attended an international celebration of nonviolence, in Bethlehem, Palestine starting the day after Christmas, organized by Mubarak Awad (the founder of Palestinian nonviolence) and Michael Beer.  The occupation of Western Sahara by Morocco since 1975 has been condemned by all nations, except the US - Donald Trump, just before leaving office, gave Morocco his blessing.  Recently the women of Western Sahara requested international help in the form of unarmed civilian protection (UCP) and accompaniment (see post-script).

So Michael issued a call to the Shanti Sena (Gandhi’s name for nonviolent “armies”) network.  I don’t know why, but Michael seems to remember me.  I, along with five or ten others, formed a steering committee and have zoomed together every Monday since December 2021.  So we decided to quietly recruit a small team of Americans – because ours is the only country Morocco fears.  And I recruited my old friend Wynd Kaufmyn, who recruited Lacksana and I into the Franciscan affinity group for the last 30 years, to join the steering committee.  Wynd has become one of our leaders – I have been very impressed with her many leadership skills.

Last month our team of four, acting like tourists, succeeded in getting into the Khaya home in Boujdour, Western Sahara.  There was great rejoicing among Sahwaris at this entirely symbolic, yet hope inspiring, success.  Two of the four volunteers have had to return home for other duties.  The other two remain – I believe they were given standard 90 day visas.

Wynd, who has worked in Palestine and speaks Arabic, expressed interest in going into the Khaya home as part of our second UCP team.  Her colleagues at San Francisco City College have volunteered to cover her classes, so she can leave for Boujdour on May 19.  One of the cardinal rules of peacemaking work is never travel or work alone.  But Wynd has no partner.

So yesterday Michael issued another challenge to the steering committee, “Ask everyone you can think of if they would consider going with Wynd.”  Meanwhile, Lacksana finished her Monday Bridge game and wandered into the dining room.  As soon as my steering zoom ended, she spoke up, “I am willing to go with Wynd!”  I emailed Wynd.  Wynd immediately called Lacksana, “Are you serious?!”  “Yes.”

Today Wynd cleared Lacksana with other leaders of the project.  When I walked in after my Nonviolent Peaceforce reception this evening, Lacksana said, “I am going to Western Sahara next week.  Wynd already bought my tickets.”

I beg your prayers for their safe travels and safe interactions with friends and foes alike.

Pace e bene

Lorin

PS  Sultana Khaya has been the leader of the Sahwari resistance to the Moroccan occupation for many years.  So the Moroccans have singled her and her sister Waari out for persecution.  They have not allowed them to leave their home for 480 days.  They broke their windows and all their furniture.  They shut off their electric power.  They poisoned their water. 

They gouged out one of Sultana’s eyes 15 years ago.  They injected her with unknown chemicals (perhaps sterilizing her).  They repeatedly beat them severely.  They raped or sodomized them on a number of occasions.  Sultana proclaims, “I am not the first woman to be raped by the Moroccans.  But I am the first to talk about it!”

Many, perhaps all, of the women who have visited and celebrated with the Khaya sisters have been dragged out and had some or all of their fingers smashed and broken and/or their legs broken.  They can not go to the hospital for treatment – the Moroccans simply go in and drag them out.

These are the reasons they asked for international UCP.