News from Lori's Parents
10 May 2005
In this update:- New York Times "follows up" on Lori's case
- Lori provides advice to college students
- Documentary film maker accompanies Mark to Perú
New York Times "follows up" on Lori's case
On Sunday, May 8th the journalist Joseph P. Fried published his "Following Up" column in the Metro Section titled "Still Working to Free a New Yorker in Peru.".
Lori provides advice to college students
This spring semester, as part of a general education course at Montclair State University, Global Issues III: International Justice and Human Rights, team-taught by Mark and Professor David Dodd, Director of the Justice Studies Program, students wrote to Lori inquiring about several social justice and human rights issues. One student asked Lori specifically, "what advice would you give to college students?" In Lori's response, she urges the future graduates to think globally, not parochially - to see themselves as citizens of the world community, not narrowly as citizens of a particular country.
Documentary film maker accompanies Mark to Perú
In his last visit to Perú Mark was accompanied by filmmaker Suzie Baer who has been working on a documentary regarding Lori's case since 1996. Lori's husband Anibal accompanied Mark and Suzie to Villa el Salvador, one of the poorest regions in Perú, where Suzie filmed life on the margins of Lima. The modern, ever-changing and improving Jorge Chavez International Airport that the tourists see is a "Potemkin Village." Unless the tourists visit Villa el Salvador they do not get an idea of what life is really like for the many unfortunate in the Peruvian capital. It is shocking that nearly 10 years after Lori's arrest and nearly five years after democracy returned to Perú, the government still allows so many of its people to live without proper housing, no electricity, no plumbing, no access to quality health care. Sales taxes in Lima are high -- one may legitimately wonder where is that money going? Recently, the Peruvian radio wires reported the government had to close Villa el Salvador's beaches because of contamination. Sadly, some cases of dengue fever were also recently reported there.