News from Lori's Parents

19 September 2003

In this update:

Lori hopes to marry

After a long correspondence and a deepening commitment Lori and Anibal Apari knew they wanted very much to marry. When they were both imprisoned in Yanamayo officials permitted the prisoners to correspond amongst themselves and this led to a friendship through letters that eventually blossomed into love. This correspondence continued on a regular basis after Lori was moved from Yanamayo in 1998 and since that time Lori has been visited by Anibal's father and step-mother on several occasions.

Anibal, who turned 40 in August, was granted conditional freedom ("parole") in June after serving 12.5 years of a 15 year sentence for involvement with the MRTA, many of those years in the cold, horrible climate of Yanamayo. Anibal has returned to his home in Villa El Salvador, a district of Lima, Peru, where he had been a community leader and political activist in his younger days. A former law student, he will be continuing his studies next semester.

Earlier this year Lori informed us of her hopes for a marriage but, given the administrative complexities, we did not know when or whether a wedding was possible and thus did not share this information with you. Although there is still no guarantee, the process has moved forward and local administrators in Cajamarca have agreed that there is no legal impediment to the marriage. Yesterday, this became public knowledge.

We have had the opportunity to meet with Anibal and his parents on recent trips to Lima. Anibal is a very caring man and it was obvious to us that he and Lori share a deep love and respect for each other. We are very happy for Lori and Anibal and we hope that the wedding will go forward and that they will very soon be able to start a long life together in freedom.

Reminder - Vigil for Lori to be held at Peruvian Consulate in New York September 22

Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo will be coming to New York City to speak at the General Assembly of the United Nations next week. Please join us in a Vigil protesting Lori's continued wrongful incarceration on Monday, September 22nd, from 5 pm to 6 pm at the Peruvian Consulate between 2nd and 3rd Avenues on 49th Street.

- Rhoda and Mark Berenson