Independence Daily Reporter
Independence, Kansas
Thursday, April 6, 1995
[photo, not shown here, captioned:]
WALKING FOR PEACE – David Williams, left with small drum,
and the Rev. Yusen Yamato, right with large drum, both of
California, lead marchers down Main Street this morning.
Williams and Yamato are coordinators of a March for Global
Peace, which started in New York and ends in California
in June. The marchers hope to spread the message of the
need for peace and a return to nature. (Photo by Julia Clarke)
Peace marchers bring message to city today
By Terri Schrader
Staff Writer
Chanting and drum beats echoed down Main Street this morning,
as about two dozen members of Global Peace Walk '95 proclaimed
their message to Independence.
"We are wanting to draw attention to the need for world peace,"
said David Williams, coordinator of the group. "We want people
from all over the world to order the United Nations for global peace.
There are wars going on in 40 countries right now, and they are
fighting for land and life. We want to stop the fighting."
The group made an overnight stop on their march for peace
Wednesday at Grace Memorial United Methodist Church in
preparation for this morning's walk through Independence.
After the group walked down from Main Street, members
headed to Tusla, Oklahoma, where they will stay at the
Boston Avenue United Methodist Church.
The group began the walk on January 15 in New York City
and plans to arrive to San Francisco by June 20 for the
50th anniversary celebration of the United Nations,
where they will present a collection of letters of support.
The group travels about 30-50 miles a day, according to Williams.
Members take turns walking stretches of pavement and
carrying a banner that says, "Global Peace Now." Those
not walking, ride in one of the group's six vehicles.
Members are from all across the country and Germany.
"I am walking for many reasons," said Fermin Ferrer,
member of the group from northern California. "I am
walking for environmental reasons, respect and for
the simple things of life."
Ferrer said he believes a lot of people are "being reached"
through the walk.
"What's going on is there is fighting all over the world for
land and life," said Rev. Yusen Yamato, a Buddhist monk
from San Francisco. "Nobody really knows why they are
fighting. We need to pray for global peace now.
This is very important.
"Future generations are the ones who will have to fix
everything and we must start now, to bring attention
to this important need."
Williams said the group came to Kansas to hold a
three-day fast for Leonard Peltier, a Native American
imprisoned at Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary.
Peace walk members believe Peltier was wrongly
accused of the murders of two FBI agents in 1975.
They camped near the prison for six days and prayed.
People are being wrongly accused and the fighting
needs to stop," Williams said. The group attempted to
obtain a letter of support for the Global Peace Walk
from Mayor G. Burks Sherwood, but was unsuccessful
because there was not enough time to gain city
commission approval.
Williams said he hoped the commission would approve
the request and mail the letter to him in San Francisco.
"Our funding for this walk mainly comes from public
donations and church offerings," Williams said.
"We don't have anyone financially backing us on this.
We have friends in different parts of the country who
hold benefit concerts and fund-raisers for our mission."
When the group leaves Tulsa after a couple of days,
they will head to Oklahoma City, then on to Santa Fe
and Albuquerque N.M., Flagstaff, Ariz., San Jose, Calif.,
and San Francisco.
"When our walk is complete, we will continue to carry
our message of peace and pray for the world and our
children," Williams said.