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May
21, 2007 
VOL.
45, NO. 10Oakland,
CA
Books recount terror and hope of asylum seekers
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| East Bay Sanctuary Covenant’s mural includes
a graphic depiction of the struggle of people to escape death squads. Greg Tarczynski photo |
A little of
Manuel de Paz’s story is featured in a book written by Julio Leiva
of Oakland and translated into English by Richmond resident Anne Marie
Richard.
Entitled “The Stubborn Desire to Create a Better Tomorrow,”
it is a memoir of Tulio Serrano, de Paz’s older brother, and his
family. Serrano is founding director of the Central American Refugee Committee
(CRECE), a service organization which offers food, ESL classes and other
basic services to Central American families living in the East Bay. Serrano
was honored at the East Bay Sanctuary Covenant celebration this past spring
for his CRECE work.
Before coming to the United States a few years ahead of his brother, Manuel
de Paz, Serrano endured physical deprivation and danger on a daily basis.
Like so many of his colleagues, he also experienced torture.
The two brothers lost 31 family members during El Salvador’s civil
war. Four other relatives, including their mother, Laura del Carmen Alfaro,
were wounded.
At the height of the war, one fifth of the country’s population
had been displaced, becoming either internal refugees or emigrating to
neighboring countries or the U.S.
Although Serrano has built CRECE into a thriving organization, not everyone
is pleased with his work. In 2003 he received a telephone death threat.
“It is a shame that anyone could be displeased by our work because
we ensure that our activities are for the good of all and harm no one.
Unfortunately, the fact that there are people envious of our work goes
to show that our commitment to the poor is not welcomed by all,”
he observed.
“Stubborn Desire” is one of two books for sale at the East
Bay Sanctuary Covenant offices in Berkeley. The second, “The Nun
and the Anarchist,” is a collection of short stories based on the
case histories of refugees who have walked through the doors of the EBSC.
Michael Smith, a long-time volunteer, is the author.
Smith explains that neither nuns nor anarchists appear in his book. Instead
the title is meant to reflect the energy and work of Francisan Sister
Maureen Duignan, who serves as director of the East Bay Sanctuary Covenant,
and himself, a long-time volunteer. Smith says, “Sister Maureen
is the implacable radical in our office, while I, an anarchist of the
order of Emma Goldman, am the conservative.”
The book is beautifully written, but the stories can sometimes be difficult
to read as they describe the state-sanctioned imprisonment, harassment,
violence and torture of women and men from countries across the globe.
Its basic message, however, is clear. Many immigrants and refugees, both
legal and undocumented, do not come to the United States on superficial
whims. They are hungry and jobless, frightened and running for their very
lives.
The books sell for $20 per copy. Proceeds are used to support EBSC projects.
There are also Third World crafts for sale. All items are available at
EBSC, 2362 Bancroft Way, Berkeley, CA 94704. Phone (510) 540-5296.
