The news release below was sent out by the New Orleans Workers' Center for Racial Justice on May 30. Click here to see a video about the strike. --tim

WASHINGTON, DC – Indian guest worker Paul Konar, the "hunger strike strongman" who is leading a fast on behalf of over 550 Indian labor trafficking survivors, astonished doctors during a brief hospital visit on Thursday with his near-ideal health after more than two weeks without food.

"My strength is God's gift," said Paul, who celebrated his 54th birthday on Wednesday, blowing out birthday candles on top of a water bottle. "I have 140 nuns praying for me morning and night in the Convent of St. Alfonse. Their prayers are my food." (See photos at www.flickr.com/photos/nolaoworkerscenter.)

Paul's incredible endurance has helped inspire allies from the Jobs With Justice coalition in over 40 US cities to write 8,766 letters to US Congressmen in support of the workers since the start of the hunger strike.

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This is a message from UNITY of Greater New Orleans, a collaborative of 60 agencies working to end homelessness and bring New Orleans home. --tim

Please do not abandon the most vulnerable victims of Katrina and Rita -- that is the message we want to give to national congressional leaders this week. We have set a goal of generating 1000 more calls from Louisiana and around the country into the offices of the national Congressional leadership by Thursday!

Senator Mary Landrieu of Louisiana and Senator Robert Byrd, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, have led a successful fight in the Senate that resulted, two weeks ago, in inclusion in the Supplemental Appropriations Bill of funding for 3000 Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) rent vouchers for the most vulnerable victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita for Louisiana. This week we must fight relentlessly to preserve this victory as the Bill goes to the House! Please send this Call to Action to your friends and family around the nation!

As early as this Thursday, the House of Representatives is expected to vote whether to accept the Senate's version. There is pressure to eliminate the Permanent Supportive Housing funding, modest as it is. The House so far has omitted Louisiana's vouchers from its version of the Bill!

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