Óscar Tulio Lizcano gesticulates with effort to articulate some words after his big leakage of the FARC. Photo: Christian Escobar Mora / AP

Bogota
AP

Ex-conferee Óscar Tulio Lizcano kidnapped by the FARC eight years ago, was found on Sunday, the 26th by military men in the middle of the forest, three days after escaping along with the guerrilla chief of the camp in which it was remaining captive.

" I want to do... the gratitude first of all to the person who had the valor, the value to go out with me... patient was finding to me much... also to (be grateful) to the army. The pressure (in the area) was great to the military men", expressed Lizcano in brief declarations to journalists on having come to the city of Cali, 300 kilometers to the south-west of Bogota, where it arrived in a military helicopter from the remote forest place in Chocó, to the west of the country.

" I flew away, flew away" (I escaped), it exclaimed Lizcano, of 62 years, with the labored voice, on having spoken with his wife by cell phone after recovering his freedom.

Juicy reward

The president Álvaro Uribe guaranteed in the day to the rebellious alias "Isaza" the payment of a reward (for more than 400.000 dollars) and his temporary employee gone out for France, which government offered at the end of 2007 that he was accepting in his territory to guerrillas who were escaping with hostages, a gesture to help Bogota in the liberation of kidnapped.
" We pay this reward and want to invite all the guerrillas who are demobilized", indicated Uribe in Cali.

Another battle

The ex-conferee was kidnapped when towards regional electoral campaign in August, 2000 in the northwest of the country and while it was inaugurating a soccer court in a rural area, there said his wife Martha Arango, who expressed his confidence of which his husband will overcome his physical weakness, product of exhausting days of walk and bad feeding.

"É l it already gained a battle... it is going to gain this battle also", said Arango in telephone dialogue.

The Big Leakage

To escape they needed three long days of walk where the rebel, who was provided with a rifle, a radio and a lantern, helped him to advance for the forest that knew, while they were continued by other insurgents who were trying to detain them, there revealed Mauricio Lizcano, son of Óscar Tulio Lizcano.

The Minister of Defence, Juan Manuel Santos, told in telephone interview that the reward for the rebels might be of approximately 1.000 millions in weight (approximately 419.000 dollars), and that the insurgent now would be sent to a locality of the Colombian west, which it did not detail for safety reasons of this one and his family, which it would meet.

Long Good Wilson, of 28 years, was presented next to the chief. It had the left eye covered with a blindfold because he said that five years ago it lost an eye in a combat with the army.

" I invite them of any heart that is demobilized and returns to the civil life as they it have done many and I did it; it is the best exit to live again", it invoked ‘Isaza‘.

He added that it took his decision to escape and to take Lizcano because the pressure of the military men, watching the displacement of the guerrillas, was great and some partners had commented on the offer of the government to pay rewards to those insurgents who were deserting with hostages.

Lizcano added that the military siege, to which his captores turned out to be submitted recently, did that in the last weeks only he ate palm shoots.

With a white beard, a dirty black T-shirt of mud and dark pants, Lizcano spoke in a military base before departing from the arm of the Minister of Defence in the direction of the clinic.

Santos told that from July, for intelligence reports, the army began to surround to units insurgents in the region of the Chocó, where Lizcano was, reducing mobility and the access to food.

‘ Isaza’ and the ex-conferee XIV of the army came across with members of the Brigade on Sunday at 8.15 hours.
The FARC still retains for less a score of military men, police officers and ex-politicians.

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They inaugurate works of reshaping

A mansion donated for House of Maryland

Gustavo Torres, executive director of House of Maryland and Jere Stocks, president of the Washington Adventist Hospital, during the ceremony of opening of the works. Photo Alvaro Ortiz/Washington Hispanic.

Mitzi Mace
Washington Hispanic

At the end of the way, between a hundred of Hispanic hearths, in the heart of Langley Park there gets up the mansion McCormick-Goodhart, which thanks to a benefactors' collaboration, corporations and local and federal governments will turn into the new permanent hearth of House of Maryland and will mean a renewal for a vibrant, multicultural, multiracial community and in constant growth.

Spade in hand, authorities of the state of Maryland, representatives of foundations donors and members of the community put in a symbolic way the first stone with what there were inaugurated the works of reshaping of the future Multicultural Center of House of Maryland.

“ I remember that four years ago we begin speaking about this project and now we are already celebrating that Marries of Maryland, the biggest community organization that serves to the Latin community already has a permanent hearth. This will be the beginning of a renewal for the community”, made sure the state senator Barbara Mikulski.

One year ago, House of Maryland initiated a campaign to collect 32.9 million dollars to realize the renewal of the building, as well as to develop the operative programs for the next three years. Thanks to financial contributions across different means the goal has been reached in 87 per cent for what in a pair of weeks the construction works will begin.

“ The renewal of the building will have a cost for 13.8 million dollars and we hope that the project should be finished in 12 months”, it indicated Washington Hispanic, Gustavo Torres, executive director of House of Maryland.

Green project

The construction project was gained in tender by the company Hammel Commercial that not only will have the responsibility of supporting the historical structures of the building but also of conditioning the offices. On the other hand, also it will be a green building what means that all the necessary measures will be taken so that the construction is a benefit for the environment and the conservation of energy.

“ There appeared 35 organizations of which there were elected six and between them Hammel Commercial was selected. Only a Hispanic company appeared, but it did not qualify for the magnitude of the project”, told Gustavo Torres.

Services

“ In our new house not only we will offer more services but also we will work to educate the community with the target to reduce the indexes of delinquency through that they live in the field of Langley Park and to guarantee the economic success of our people”, he made sure Towers.

In a beginning, the proprietary company of the building Sawyer Realty Holdings, LLC signed a contract with HOUSE for 99 years to pay 1 dollar per year, but in September of this year the property was transferred officially to House of Maryland by a symbolic value for 1 dollar.

“ We have come to express our support to House of Maryland and ask God this house to be a reality because we have the hope that with the establishment of House of Maryland there will be a major control and alertness in our local community”, he said Half note, the resident one of Langley Park.

The Multicultural Center of House of Maryland is located strategically in the limit of the counties of Montgomery and Prince George.

“ This project is a big example of inclusion. This place guarantees the success of our community”, pointed out the executive of the county of Montgomery, Isiah Leggett.

A brick for HOUSE

During the celebration and opening of the works of construction a new campaign was thrown with the intention of collecting the funds and of reaching the initial goal for 32.9 million dollars.
The foundation Kresge announced that it will grant a million dollars, but any time HOUSE collects 2.3 lacking millions.

In this sense, the campaign is directed to the community in general because they will be able to collaborate buying a brick from 25 dollars up to 100 dollars.

“É sta is an opportunity so that the whole community takes part in this historical project. The bricks will serve to construct the courtyard and will have the name of the donor written”, showed Gustavo Torres.

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More than 60 per cent they have been defrauded one day by employers

Report reveals injustices towards day labourers in DC

Aníbal Chinchill along with Laura Varela pleaded of the Lawyers' Committee of Washington DC. Photo Álvaro Ortiz/Washington Hispanic.

Mitzi Mace
Washington Hispanic

A realized survey a140 day labourers between Latin-American and African American immigrants in Washington DC revealed that both communities are victims of unscrupulous employers who do not expire in spite of paying the engaged salary and in many cases the workpeople receive bottomless checks without the authorities taking actions.

In this sense the report realizes three recommendations: the creation of a center of employment, the establishment of an office that he answers for the checks without funds and the review of the politics and regulations of the Office of Hour and Payment of the District of Columbia.

The reality that the day labourers face in Washington DC is similar to the one that thousands of workpeople cross known also how “corner“ at national level with the difference that in the capital, the day labourers although mostly they are Latin-American and Central American immigrants also a considerable number of African American day labourers exists without roof who look for work in the corners to be able to survive.

“ The cities generally relate the day labourers to the immigrants, but they have not thought that a vulnerable population exists as they are the African Americans who do not have a permanent hearth and live in the hostels.

They face the same problems as for the nature of the work that they realize and the authorities must take attention”, it pointed out Washington Hispanic, Laura Varela pleaded of the Lawyers' Committee of Washington, organization that presented the report “denied Wages: Day labourers in the District of Columbia”.

In Washington DC there exist about 500 day labourers, who mostly assemble close to the shop Home Depot, located in the avenue Rhode Island to the North-East of the city inside the District 5. At present the Lawyers' Committee meets in conversations the authorities and the Office of the Mayor for Latin Matters (WAVE for his initials in English) to find the mechanisms to install a center of work opposite to Home Depot. In this center not only there would be offered to the workpeople a place where to be protected from the inclemencies of the climate but also they would receive classes of training and legal consultancy to prevent from keeping on being exploited and injustices victims on the part of the contractors.

“ We are working with the community so that they find out and are educated on the benefits of establishing a center of work. Of equal way we are in search of an organization without lucre ends so that he takes charge of the administration or otherwise we need to form our own organization integrated by members of the community and the same workpeople”, tells Varela.

As for the change of the politics, the lawyer showed that the District of Columbia has an erroneous interpretation of the law because it does not protect the rights of the day labourers.

“ The Office of Hour and Payment of DC must be restructured so that he punishes the employers or contractors who do not pay the salaries or deliver checks without funds. At present nothing happens to these persons and consequently they continue with the abuses”, it finished Varela.

22 per cent of the interviewees indicated to have received bottomless checks and at least 65 per cent of the workpeople have been victims of a contractor who has not paid his salary to them.

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This Sunday at 2 a.m.

His clock steps back one hour

Writing
Washington Hispanic

It is already a time, again, to fit the clocks to become attached to the new winter schedule. Likewise we had to watch this change in March - April. The official change of hour will happen on November 2, from 2 a.m. a.m. At this hour, the clocks must return 60 minutes to themselves. This Saturday, the 1st of debit to be prepared. Before going to sleep, on Saturday night, take the measures of the case so that it does not meet the surprise of one hour comes later to some important appointment.

Meter will operate in his normal schedule on Saturday night

This Saturday, November 1, Meter will work in his normal schedule from weekend until 3 a.m., although the clocks turn again one hour earlier to mark the end of the daylight saving time.

The Meter reminds to all the users that, before using the services Metrorail and Metrobus should fit well his clock so that they could take “the last one the train". In the exits of the stations of meters and in the bus stops it will find and leaflets to be able to identify these changes.

To obtain additional information, please, visit the Meter Web page in the place www.metroopensdoors.com. The clients can contact also the Meter clients
information in (202) 637-7000 or to the TTY (202) 638-3780.

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The Master of the Miracles covers DC streets

With the faith in shoulders of the people

Between the smoke of the incense, white, blue and purple balloons and the prayers of hundreds of parishioners advance the venerated ones you walk of the Master of the Miracles for the California Street in the direction of Columbia Road, in Adams Morgan, DC. Photo: Osmín Herrera / Washington Hispanic

Members of the board of the Brotherhood, with the priest Roberto Cortés Campos (to the center), his director spiritual, were in the “first carguillo of honor”. Photo: Osmín Herrera / Washington Hispanic

Víctor Caycho
Washington Hispanic

The order of: “Brothers advance!”, it recurs repeatedly while thousands of the faithful, many of them dressed in purple habits, accompany the venerated ones you walk of the Master of the Miracles on the streets of Washington, DC, on sunny Sunday, the 26th of October.

Covered women of white veils burn incense in front of the image while they intone religious canticles, entire families are located closer to the image trying to touch the bores you walk, men make to lift his children to bless them opposite to the effigy of Crucified Christ... Others cry of emotion to the step of the Gentleman, who goes in shoulders of an about thirty of loaders and sometimes for 34 checkers cargadoras that show big physical fortitude and of spirit. Traditional sacred marches interpreted by an orchestra shaped by ex-members of the Republican Guard of Peru, directed by Enrique Araujo, wrap the procession and give him a solemn ambience and at the same time of deep popular roots.

Benedictine, the black slave of Angola to whom it assumes to have painted the original image of the Master of the Miracles 357 years ago, in a wall of the vale of Lima of Pachacamilla, in 1651, it would never have been imagined that his work would turn into a sacred image that at present is venerated not only in Peru – where it covers the streets of Lima three times in October accompanied by hundreds of thousands of parishioners - but in five continents. 26 years ago, in 1982, it went out for the first time in procession in the District of Columbia, first from the church of Santo Tomás, in the field of Mount Pleasant, and later from the church Our Missis queen of the Americas, in Adams Morgan.

Centuries of history

The Master of the Miracles acquired big fame then that the wall in which it was painted resisted two big earthquakes that devastated Lima on November 3, 1655 and October 20, 1687, while all the houses of the surroundings were staying in ruins.

Some years later the wall was ordered to destroy because he was considered to be a focus of devotion of the slaves, but the managers of doing it they fell down lost heart or with the calificativo'immobilized arms.
Another earthquake destroyed Lima on October 28, 1746 and since then Purple Christ, who again remained intact, it goes out in his procession the same day, every year, with the faithful of all the races and social levels. The proper Spanish viceroy Amat and Juniet authorized his cult, it tells the history.

Brotherhood in DC

The mayordoma of the Brotherhood of the Master of the Miracles of DC, Norm Farrier, and the treasurer, Victoria Verástegui, they remember that the first procession covered several streets of the District in October, 1982. “You walk them they were constructed by a carpenter of name Abel, while the first mayordoma was Delia Mandros”, affirms Farrier.

“ Between 1990 and 1991 there was created the first band of checkers, the first one in the United States, on initiative of the manager Jorge Servat, who trained them in the cult and to load the bores you walk”, indicates Verástegui. Since then, other states of the Union followed the lead.

34 checkers are needed to raise said you walk, whose weight - of 1.300 kilograms - increases with the metal angels, the teams of lighting and hundreds of jewels or “miracles“ that adorn the image. When it is a question of gentlemen, 24 are the loaders.

On Sunday, the 26th, the “first carguillo of honor” was in charge of all the members of the board of the Brotherhood, accompanied by representatives of other similar groups come from other American cities. Along with them there were the priest Roberto Cortés Campos, the spiritual director of the Brotherhood, and diplomatic guests of the consulate of Peru and of other Latin-American countries.

The hug of the Gentleman

Victoria Verástegui, much thrilled after loading Purple Christ, says that “the first time that we inform in this act we always cry, it is something irresistible, all the loaders express the same”.

“ The Gentleman embraced me”, affirms another cargadora provided with a small purple layer as the others, while the tears roll about his cheeks. “It is an indescribable, very deep feeling, when we meet Purple Christ so closely”, it concludes.

While the displacement of the procession lasts, so much in the church located in California Street as in a nearby placita, other faithful make the most of the opportunity to taste the rich hotpots of the Creole kitchen of Peru, between them the famous antipusses (heart of animal), the chanfainita (by means of “lights“ of animal), the purple maize with honey and the tasty picarones wrapped in honey.

To the fund, with hundreds of the faithful accompanying the image he keeps on listening to the voice of: “Brothers advance!”

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