Advocacy Projects for Amigos de Bolivia y Peru???

What role should Amigos de Bolivia y Peru take as opportunities arise for advocacy?  Should we participate in the advocacy program of the NPCA?  Or, should Amigos establish separate advocacy projects?

These questions arise periodically and surfaced again recently with the arrival of a letter from the Friends of the Western Sahara [PO Box 85318, Seattle, WA 98145-1381].  At this time, Amigos de Bolivia y Peru does not formally support or oppose this initiative.

If you have an opinion on the questions in the initial paragraph, you may communicate with the Amigos leadership by  e-mailing boliviayperu@earthlink.net.


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August 20, 2002

Dear Members of Amigos de Bolivia y Peru:

We are writing to seek your support for a new RPCV organization established recently by RPCVs from Morocco to advocate for the human rights of the people of the Western Sahara, in particular their right to participate in a free, fair and transparent referendum to choose whether to be an independent country or be part of Morocco.


Over twenty-five RPCVs from Morocco have organized Friends of the Western Sahara to express our belief that an internationally monitored referendum is the only means to a just and definitive resolution to the conflict between the Sahrawi people and the Kingdom of Morocco.

FWS aims to assert grass-roots pressure upon domestic and international policy makers towards a referendum to be administered by the United Nations as outlined in the 1991 Settlement Plan.

Regardless of a volunteer's country of service, all RPCVs understand from personal experience that respect for human rights is a fundamental condition for policies of equitable development to be effective. It is our responsibility, as a group of Americans particularly knowledgeable about these important international issues, to inform and guide policy makers who have the power to influence positive change.

In reaching out to ABP, it is our hope that your organization, as a whole, will become a signatory member of FWS. We also welcome individual membership. If it is possible, we request that you publish or make known this letter and our mission statement to your organization.
If ABP or any individual members would like further information about FSW, please visit our website at www.friendsofthewesternsahara.org.


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Volume 13, Issue 3

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