[CPEO-MEF] Re Vieques Report

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Re: Vieques Report

Regarding Reynold Hooverıs comments on Vieques:

Reynold focuses on the comments and individual person of Robert Rabin.  By
doing so, he neglects the fact that Robertıs position with respect to the
Navyıs presence and actions in Vieques is shared by the vast majority of
Vieques residents.  In a poll conducted of Vieques residents in February by
the daily newspaper El Nuevo Dia, 79% said that those occupying the bombing
range should stay there.  Eighty-nine percent of those surveyed said that
the agreement between the White House and Governor Rossello violated public
policy.  

Ignored in most public discussion is the consensus reached by
representatives of all three major political parties and of civil society,
appointed by Gov. Rossello to a commission to study the Vieques issue, who
agreed that the Navy should immediately cease all operations on Vieques and
take responsibility for the environmental cleanup.  This became official
public policy of the Commonwealth.  The Clinton-Rossello agreement was
reached with absolutely no consultation with the people of Vieques.  Since
the referendum included in that agreement does not include the option that
the vast majority of the people of Vieques have indicated they want, it is
fair to say that it is anti-democratic.  You can criticize Robertıs
language as rhetoric, but his position is indeed representative of what
people in Vieques want.  

People reading Reynoldıs comments should know that he was the project
leader for the cleanup operations conducted at the three U.S. firing ranges
transferred to Panama last year under the terms of the Panama Canal
Treaties.  According to Defense Department reports turned over to Panama
after the activities, more than 100,000 pieces of unexploded ordnance
remained on the ranges after the cleanup action.  I donıt hold Reynold
solely responsible for the risks this remaining UXO holds for the 60,000
Panamanians living adjacent to those ranges; he was given a job with
impossible parameters, namely, that the cleanup be completed in only two
dry seasons.  But letıs hope that the United States carries out cleanup of
the bombing range in Vieques in a manner that is more responsive to the
needs of human health.

John Lindsay-Poland
Fellowship of Reconciliation


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