Jim Wallace presente!

(EN ESPAÑOL ABAJO)

 

We’re sad to inform that Jim Wallace, a founding member of the Cambridge committee, passed away on July 31st, 2021. We thought that a good way to honor him was to share this story of his:

“In the late 1980s I was part of a medical assistance delegation to San Jose las Flores. The delegation included nurses, a midwife and a medical doctor, and we carried medicines and medical diagnostic equipment, all listed on the Salvo Conducto (permit) we obtained from the Estado Mayor (Chief of Staff) and checked repeatedly by Salvadoran army at checkpoints.

The following year, when I was part of another delegation, I was stopped by immigration at the Comalapa airport and told I was on a list that indicated I was not to be allowed to enter. When I told the immigration supervisor that there was some mistake and that I needed to call the U.S. Embassy, he proceeded to empty his pocket of coins and pointed to a telephone. I made it clear that I was staying in the airport until I got some explanation about my denial. So I slept in the offices of the airport security and made calls to US solidarity and Congressional offices. When I learned that a Salvadoran group was doing a fast around social justice demands, I announced that I was joining them in what the officials called a hunger strike. After a week, an Embassy staffer finally came to the airport and showed me a message from the Salvadoran military to the immigration officials that indicated that I and all the other members of the medical delegation were to be excluded, because we had brought supplies to the “delincuentes terroristas” (criminal terrorists) in Las Flores. All the time I was at the airport, I got tremendous support over the phone from Salvadorans and U.S. solidarity folks. I returned to the U.S. on the next flight.

The Cambridge sister city project worked with Congressional offices to get this embargo lifted. I was able to re-enter the next year.

I’ve always been humbled by the attitude of some that this was a big sacrifice, but my feeling, then and now, is that I was simply following in the steps of our Salvadoran friends of insisting on our rights”.

 

Some thoughts shared by committee members and friends:

 

I extend my personal grief to meet yours in common honoring of this larger than life , dedicated, friend  of El Salvador, sister city and many of us. It’s hard to imagine  our work without the presence of  Jim’s wisdom, consistency, and generosity.

Catherine Hoffman

 

My heart is full of love and grief and so much appreciation for Jim – who was our guide and leader and role model for building a movement of solidarity.  HIs presence is already missed. And his spirit will always inspire and lead us for his legacy to live on.

Rachel Wyon

 

What an immense loss. What an incredibly wonderful person. He gave us all so much.

Jessie Auger

 

His passion and energy for Sister Cities was unwavering and an inspiration for so many.

Patricia Goudvis

 

It is real gut punch to hear of Jim’s death. But I cannot think of him without also thinking of Julia. They were such a team and their leadership in the Sister City and Sanctuary projects was so crucial to the development of both movements in Cambridge. There are so many shared memories of our work and travels together…memories that will sustain me through the grief that we all share now that they both, though they have not left us, have moved on.  Their heroic legacy is their final gift to us.

John Roberts

 

Jaime (Jim) was one of the first people who came to SJLF, accompanying the repopulation. My solidarity with the committee and with Jaime’s family. I had the opportunity to be in his house and with his family. A truly human person, caring and dedicated to the fight for justice of this people  … I will always have him in my heart for everything he did with the committee of our sister city in Cambridge. He thought me a lesson that I will never forget.

Felipe Tobar, former mayor in San José Las Flores

 

 

 

Nos entristece informar que Jim Wallace, miembro fundador del comité de Cambridge, falleció el 28 de julio de 2021. Pensamos que una buena manera de honrarlo era compartir esta historia suya:

“A fines de la década de 1980 formé parte de una delegación de asistencia médica a San José las Flores. La delegación incluía enfermeras, una partera y un médico, y llevábamos medicamentos y equipo de diagnóstico médico, todos incluidos en el Salvo Conducto que nos dio el Estado Mayor y revisado repetidamente por el ejército salvadoreño en los puestos de control.
Al año siguiente, cuando era parte de otra delegación, la inmigración me detuvo en el aeropuerto de Comalapa y me dijeron que estaba en una lista que indicaba que no se me permitiría ingresar. Cuando le dije al supervisor de inmigración que había un error y que necesitaba llamar a la Embajada de los Estados Unidos, sacó monedas de su bolsillo y señaló un teléfono. Dejé en claro que me quedaría en el aeropuerto hasta que recibiera alguna explicación sobre esta negativa. Así que dormí en las oficinas de seguridad del aeropuerto e hice llamadas a las oficinas de solidaridad de Estados Unidos y del Congreso. Cuando supe que un grupo salvadoreño estaba haciendo un ayuno en torno a las demandas de justicia social, anuncié que me uniría a ellos en lo que los funcionarios llamaron una huelga de hambre. Después de una semana, un miembro del personal de la Embajada finalmente llegó al aeropuerto y me mostró un mensaje del ejército salvadoreño a los funcionarios de inmigración que indicaba que yo y todos los demás miembros de la delegación médica estábamos excluidos, porque habíamos traído suministros para los “criminales terroristas” en Las Flores. Todo el tiempo que estuve en el aeropuerto, recibí un tremendo apoyo telefónico de salvadoreños y gente solidaria de Estados Unidos. Regresé a los EE. UU. en el siguiente vuelo.
El proyecto de la ciudad hermana de Cambridge trabajó con las oficinas del Congreso para levantar este embargo. Pude volver a ingresar al año siguiente.
Siempre me ha honrado la actitud de algunos que creen que esto fue un gran sacrificio; pero mi sentimiento, entonces y ahora, es que simplemente estaba siguiendo los pasos de nuestros amigos salvadoreños de insistir en nuestros derechos ”.

 

Tula Tobar y Felipe Tobar, de San José Las Flores también han expresado su solidaridad con el comité y la familia de Jim:

 

 

 

Gracias, Jim, por todo el trabajo realizado hasta el final.

 

Jim Wallace, presente!