[CPEO-MEF] Informe de Vieques Vieques Report

[bieke@coqui.net]

(English version is below)

19 de abril de 2000

Companeros Solidarios con la Lucha del Pueblo Viequense:

Saludos carinosos desde Vieques.  Felicidades a todos durante esta 
Semana Santa, semana de reflexion y celebracion de un ano de 
lucha, un ano de paz sin bombardeo.  Ha sido un ano de trabajo y 
sacrificio continuo de hombres y mujeres de Vieques, de la Isla Grande y 
de muchos otros lugares que han puesto sus cuerpos entre la Isla Nena y 
los canones de la Marina de Guerra mas poderosa en la historia de la 
humanidad.  Han sido 365 dias de ardua y constante tarea, amenazas de 
arresto, organizacion comunitaria, planificacion, preparacion, 
conspiracion y agitacion todo en pro de la Paz de Vieques.

Comenzamos la semana con la llegada de la Campana por la Paz, fabricada 
a peticion de los grupos sindicales solidarios con Vieques,  que se 
colocara en la capilla nueva contruyendose en la zona de bombardeo. 
En una ceremonia historica en la Plaza Publica de Vieques, los 
obispos de las principales iglesias de Puerto Rico, junto a lideres 
sindicales, comunitarios y politicos recibieron la campana entre 
canticos y oracion por la paz y por la desmilitarizacion de 
Vieques.  La campana se traslado a la Iglesia Metodista y luego al 
Campamento Justicia y Paz, frente al porton de la base naval, Camp 
Garcia.  Se repicaro durante todo el dia del miercoles en 
conmemoracion del primer aniversario de la muerte de David Sanes 
Rodriguez.



El lunes y martes estuvo con nosotros el Lcdo. Robert Kennedy, hijo.  En 
varias conferencias de prensa hizo declaraciones fuertes y contundentes 
denunciando la destruccion ambiental y las violaciones a las leyes 
federales que resultan de las acciones de la Marina aqui.  Entre otras 
cosas senalo que:  La Marina no tiene derecho de tirar una bomba 
mas en Vieques;  si otra nacion hiciera en Vieques lo que hace la 
Marina, los EU le declararia la Guerra; lo que hace la Marina en 
Vieques no es consono con las practicas de un gobierno 
democratico;  utilizaria los recursos de la organizacion ambiental 
de la cual forma parte (Natural Resources Defense Council) para ayudar a 
la comunidad iniciar una accion legal para lograr el cese permanente 
del bombardeo y la restauracion ecologica de Vieques.

Kennedy se reunio el lunes con representantes de las organizaciones de 
la Coordinadora Justicia y Paz para Vieques y con integrantes del Grupo 
Tecnico en Apoyo a Vieques quienes trabajan con la comunidad sobre el 
futuro desarrollo sustentable y comunitario de un Vieques Libre.  El 
lunes a la media noche, Kennedy compartio con aproximadamente 150 
viequenses en el Campamento Justicia y Paz frente a los portones de la 
base naval (Camp. Garcia) la ceremonia de cambio del numero en la 
pizarra especial que indica el numero de d=EDas sin bombardeo.  Esa 
noche, Kennedy coloco el numero 5 para cambiar el dia de 364 a 365 
dias, marcando un ano entero de paz sin bombas.

El martes, Kennedy visito el area de bombardeo, compartio con la 
gente de los campamentos de desobediencia civil, buceo en la zona para 
ver con sus propios ojos la horrible destruccion causada por las 
actividades belicas.  A la 1PM almorzo en el Campamento Justicia y 
Paz antes de partir hacia el aeropuerto.  La visita de Kennedy recibio
amplia atencion por la prensa de Puerto Rico y de los EU.

El miercoles llevamos a cabo una serie de actividades en 
conmemoracion de la muerte de David Sanes. A las 10AM acompanamos a 
Myrta Sanes, hermana de David, al cementerio. A las 12 del medio dia, 
en la Plaza Publica se repico la Campana de la Paz durante un 
circulo de oracion por la Paz de Vieques.  Poco despues, Myrta 
viajo en lancha hacia la zona de tiro, para subir al Puesto de 
Observacion, cerca del lugar donde murio David, para dejar una 
ofrenda flora. 

A las 8PM comenzo un acto solemne de reflexion en la Plaza Justicia 
y Paz frente a Camp. Garcia. Mas de 300 personas participaron en la 
actividad que conto con las intervenciones de Padre Nelson Lopez, 
parroco de Vieques, la cantante boricua Zoraida Santiago, la cantante 
y comediante Carmen Nydia Velazquez  "Susa" y el grupo de Mujeres por 
la Paz y Justicia de Vieques de Nueva York.  Con velas encendidas, los 
participantes formaron un circulo y compartieron sus pensamientos sobre 
este ano de paz, ano de lucha, ano de recordacion de la muerte 
de David Sanes.

Sabemos que los muchos companeros y companeras de las organizaciones 
solidarias en EU y en Puerto Rico estan llevando a cabo un sinnmero 
de acciones en apoyo a Vieques en estos dias y quisieramos extenderles 
nuestros sentimientos de agradecimiento y respeto por estos esfuerzos.

Les mantendremos informados desde aca.

En lucha, en solidaridad

Robert L. Rabin Siegal
Comite Pro Rescate y Desarrollo de Vieques
Apartado 1424   Vieques, PR  00765
(787) 741-0716   cel. 375-0525

A1FUERA LA MARINA DE VIEQUES!



(English Version)

Friends and Supporters of the Vieques Struggle;

Warm greetings from Vieques to all in this Holy Week, a week of 
reflection and celebration at the end of a year of intense struggle,  a 
year of peace without bombing.

It's been a year of continuous work and sacrifice of the men and women 
of Veiques, and Puerto Rico and many other places who have put their 
bodies between Vieques and the cannons of the US Navy, the most powerful 
military force in the history of humanity.  It has been 366 days of very 
hard and constant tasks, threats of arrests, community organizing, 
planning, preparations and agitation for the cause of Peace on Vieques.

We started this week with the arrival of the Peace Bell, built by 
petition of union groups in solidarity with Vieques and to be placed at 
the new chapel under construction at the civil disobedience camps in the 
bombing area.  In a historic ceremony at the public square of Vieques, 
the Bishops of Puerto Rico's principal churches, together with labor, 
community and political leaders, received the bell among sacred music 
and prayer for peace and demilitarization on Vieques.

After the ceremony, the Bell was placed in the Methodist Church in town 
and later it was moved to the Peace and Justice Camp in front of the 
gates to Camp Garcia.  During the day, the bell was heard every hour, 
and the hourly ringing was a special part of the activities that took 
place at the Peace and Justice Square the night of the 19th.  Hundreds 
of people participated in a solemn act of reflection to commemorate the 
first anniversary of the death of David Sanes Rodriguez. On the 27th 
of April, the bell will be brought out to the bombing area for the 
official inauguration of new chapel, where it will remain.

On Monday and Tuesday, attorney Robert Kennedy, Jr., came to Vieques. 
Kennedy denounced the Navy destruction of the environment and serious 
violations of federal laws related to environmental protection. He 
suggested the Navy has no right to drop any bombs in Vieques and, that 
if these actions were taken against Vieques by any other nation, the 
United States would declare war; and that what the Navy does in Vieques 
is not compatible with the practices of a democratic government.  
Kennedy also stated that he will use the resources of the environmental 
organization of which he is part (the Natural Resources Defense Council) 
to help the community initiate a legal action to stop the bombing 
forever and to achieve the ecological restoration of Vieques.
Kennedy met on Monday for three hours with  representatives of the 
Coordinating Committee for Justice and Peace for Vieques and with 
members of the Technical Group in Support of Vieques, who work with the 
Vieques community on the topic of future sustainable development for a 
Free Vieques. At midnight on Monday, Kennedy participated in a gathering 
of about 150 Viequenses in front of the gate to Camp Garcia at the 
Justice and Peace Square, where there is a daily ceremony to update the 
board that displays the number of days without bombing. That night, 
Kennedy removed the "4" from "364" and added a "5" to make "365" days 
without bombs, marking a whole year of peace.

On Tuesday, Kennedy visited the bombing area and spent time with the 
people in the civil disobedience camps, and did scuba diving in that 
area where he saw with his own eyes the horrible destruction caused by 
the Navy by their war practice activities. At 1:00 P.M. Kennedy had 
lunch at Camp Justice and Peace before he departed for the airport. 
Kennedy's visit was covered by all of the Puerto Rican and Vieques 
media.

On Wednesday we held a series of activities in commemoration of the 
death of David Sanes. At 10:00 A.M., we accompanied Myrta Sanes, David's 
sister, to the cemetery.  At 12 noon, in the Public Square, the Peace 
Bell was rung as part of a prayer circle activity.  Shortly afterwards, 
Myrta traveled to the bombing area and walked up to the Observation Post 
with about now hundred people carrying white crosses.  She placed 
flowers outside the gate to the Observation Post, at a site close to 
where her brother was killed last year.

At 8PM we began an activity of reflection at the Peace and Justice 
Square in front of the gate to Camp Garcia.  More than 300 people 
participated in the activity together with Father Nelson Lopez of 
Vieques' Catholic Church, Puerto Rican folk singer, Zoraida Santiago 
and comedian-singer, Carmen Nydia Velazquez.  A delegation from the 
group, Women for Peace and Justice for Vieques, from New York, also 
participated.  During a candle light circle of reflection, everyone had 
an opportunity to speak about the meaning of this special day 
commemorating the death of David Sanes and a year of peace without 
bombing.

We know that this week, many of our brothers and sisters from solidarity 
organizations in the Vieques, in Puerto Rico and in the U.S. will also 
be conducting various actions in support of Vieques. We would like to 
extend our appreciation and deep feelings of gratitude and respect for 
their work.

 From here we will continue to keep you informed.

In Struggle and Solidarity,

Robert L. Rabin Siegal
Committee for the Rescue and Development of Vieques
Box 1424   Vieques, PR  00765
(787) 741-0716   cel. 375-0525
Email: bieke@coqui.net

NAVY OUT OF VIEQUES NOW!

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