IN BRIEF
Human rights activist
speaks today in EMU
Internationally known human
rights advocate Bishop Samuel
Ruiz Garcia will speak at the “Bar
tolome de las Casas Annual Lec
ture in Latin American Studies”
lecture today at 2 p.m. in 150 Co
lumbia. Ruiz Garcia’s speech, “Hu
man Rights and Indigenous Peo
ples in Mexico,” is hosted by the
Latin American Studies Program
and St. Thomas More Newman
Center Catholic Campus Ministry.
A reception will follow the event
at the EMU International Lounge.
Ruiz Garda is an indigenous
rights advocate for Mexico and
Latin America. He served as the
bishop of the San Cristdbal de las
Diocese in Chiapas for almost 40
years until retiring in 2000. After
the 1994 rebellion in Chiapas, Ruiz
Garcia served as a mediator be
tween the Mexican government
and the Zapatista National Libera
tion Assembly. He has been nomi
nated three times for a Nobel Peace
Prize and has received numerous
international awards in recognition
of his human rights efforts.
“He’s an international figure,” said
Father David Orique of the Newman
Center. “He’s a man who believes
deeply in the importance of humani
ty. He’s deeply committed to the val
ues of peace and justice.”
Carlos Aguirre, director of the Latin
American Studies Program, worked
to bring Ruiz Garcia to campus after
his speech in May was canceled be
cause of health reasons.
“It’s an honor for us to host him
here at the University.” Aguirre said.
“He will make a great impact on
our community. ”
— Brittni McClenahan
Bennis: Palestinian student expected activism
Continued from page 3
the Israeli- Palestinian conflict.
International law is only useful
when it is held up as a tool,
Bennis said.
“They (international laws) are
only worth the paper they’re writ
ten on if we make that paper a flag
that becomes part of our move
ment and we demand enforcement
of these things,” she said.
Bennis said she is not taking
sides in the conflict, but she sup
ports international law. She is
against the United States support
ing illegal occupation and wants
the U.S. government to abide by
international law.
Bennis described “exactly what
is happening,” said Amal
Eqeiq, a graduate student from
Taibeh, Israel.
“Back home there is so much de
pression,” Eqeiq said. “You’re al
ways trying to search for hope. ”
As a Palestinian living in Israel,
Eqeiq said she is considered a
second-class citizen.
When Equeiq first came to
Eugene, she expected to see more
students politically active in the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
As an Arab Muslim, Eqeiq said it
can be dangerous for her to openly
protest and wishes more students
with the opportunity would be
come more involved.
It warms her heart to see people
holding “stop the war” signs,
she said.
Contact the crime, health
and safety reporter at
kgagnon @ dailyemerald. com
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New Orleans: Displaced
family strives to stay together
Continued from page 1
La., home during the hurricane and
was unable to locate family mem
bers for two weeks after the storm.
“The living room ceiling came
off, and we were in three feet of wa
ter for two and a half days,” Smith
said. “We just sat there. We were
wet. We had an 86-year-old woman
with us.”
As the waters receded, Smith and
four family members set out to find
her mother, nephew and sister, all
of whom were unaccounted for.
Two weeks later, everyone had re
located to Plaquemine, La., with all
eight living under one roof.
They traveled to Dallas, where
there were offers of apartments, but
the family left after realizing that if
they stayed they would be split up
into two households.
“One of the things we specified was
that we would not be separated
again,” she said.
Now, Smith is seeking help to move
to Oklahoma to join her father’s fami
ly. The remainder of her extended fam
ily is splintering off to Houston,
Plaquemine and Baton Rouge.
“This whole experience has been
a learning and changing thing for
us,” she said. “It’s a growing thing
for us, and as a family it’s brought
us closer, but it’s going to separate
us too, and that’s the devastating
thing for us. But we need to get sta
ble; I need to get stable.”
Smith is unusual in her willing
ness to leave the state.
“There are a lot of opportunities out
there, but the issue is that a lot of peo
ple just don’t want to leave Louisiana,”
said Kristen Simmons, a social case
worker for Catholic Charities.
Simmons flew down from Al
bany, NY, a few weeks after Hurri
cane Katrina hit to do what she
could to help those in need.
“I wasn’t sure if I should come or
not, so I prayed, and two days later I
was on the plane,” she said.
For the past two weeks, Simmons
has been staying at a home owned
by the CLC, arriving at the center at
8 a.m. each day.
She’s returning to New York and
to her husband next week, but she
said she wishes she could stay.
Other caseworkers found them
selves at the CLC after fleeing the
hurricane themselves.
Christopher Albright, a relief
caseworker, searched for a job in
Baton Rouge after losing his in New
Orleans. He said he evacuated after
watching the Weather Channel and
deciding that this was “the big one.”
“New Orleanians have this
strange notion that the city of New
Orleans is somehow blessed or has
some magical properties ... and this
wasn’t even a direct hit,” he said.
He moved to his property in Ba
ton Rouge and landed the job as a
caseworker after pursuing employ
ment in his original line of work —
working with the elderly .
Although he had never worked in
social services before, he said he
loves his new job.
“It’s been great... I know that I’m
doing well by doing good,” he said.
After processing all the people in
line, the caseworkers took a break
and gathered for an informal meet
ing to discuss how they feel and to
talk about any difficulties that have
arisen. Though all five looked tired,
they said their work is very satisfy
ing, though it can be frustrating
when they’re powerless to help
everyone who needs help.
“Sometimes, at the end ot the
day, I find myself saying, ‘Do you
have the papers? No? Well, you
need the papers or I can’t help
you,”’ Simmons said. “It’s like you
shut down.”
While the caseworkers talked,
a nun distributed the 3 p.m. batch
of checks to the few people
waiting in line. A few looked
irritated, but most appeared happy,
if not exuberant.
Samantha Mercadel, a homeown
er from New Orleans East, beamed
when she got her two checks —
$600 rent and $88 for water. She lost
everything in the home she bought
and furnished two years ago. Noth
ing was recoverable.
“It’s hard; it’s so hard to start all
over,” she said. “You go and you see
everything that you’ve worked so
hard for all your life ... I said I was
going to buy me a house before I
was 30. I was 28, bought a house,
furnished it, worked hard and we
went back and it’s all gone.”
But despite her tears, Mercadel is
still smiling.
“Today has just been a good day,”
she said. “I finally got some kind of
assistance, and I’m grateful
for that.”
Contact the higher education reporter
at kbrown@dailyemerald.com
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