[CPEO-MEF] Vieques Digest 2/6/01

[bieke@coqui.net]

(ENGLISH VERSION)



Committee for the Rescue and Development of Vieques

P.O. Box 1424 Vieques, Puerto Rico 00765

Tel. (787) 741-0716 E mail: bieke@coqui.net



24 January, 2001



Press Release



Christian Peace Makers Team to visit Vieques in solidarity with peace
movement



A delegation of twenty four pacifists from various religious groups in the
US, Canada and Puerto Rico will visit Vieques this week to meet with leaders
of the struggle for demilitarization and to show their solidarity with the
Vieques movement.



The group, which includes Menonites, Methodists, Catholics, Unitarians and
the Church of the Brethren, is the fifth delegation of the Christian Peace
Makers Team (CPT) to visit Vieques in the past twelve months. Cliff Kindy,
farmer from Indiana and leader of the delegation, was arrested on two
occasions for participating in civil disobedience actions in Vieques.



The members of the delegation are activists who have participated in actions
for peace and justice in Chiapas, Ukraine, Haiti, Nicaragua,
Israel-Palestine, Colombia, Iraq and in issues related to militarism in
several places in the US, like the School of the Americas in Georgia. Several
delegates have been jailed for their non violent actions for peace. Five
members of the group have worked previously in favor of Vieques.



The visit is coordinated by the Committee for the Rescue and Development of
Vieques, grass roots organization in Vieques that has worked with CPT on
several occasions and with whom the CPT maintains close communication. In
Vieques the delegation will stay at the Peace and Justice Shelter and will
participate in the permanent vigil at the Luisa Guadalupe Camp. The CPT also
has the support and works with the Caribbean Project for Peace and Justice
that has, during previous visits by the group, organized meetings with
religious and political leaders as well as peace organizations on the main
island of Puerto Rico.



Contact: Nilda Medina 741-071644





ENGLISH VERSION

Committee for the Rescue and Development of Vieques 
P.O. Box 1424 Vieques, Puerto Rico 00765 
Tel. (787) 741-0716 E mail: bieke@coqui.net 
 
VIEQUENSES SENTENCED TO ONE YEAR PROBATION FOR CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE ACTIONS

Thursday, February 1st, eight of the nine Viequenses arrested in the Navy=B4s
bombing zone this past 17 October, were on trial before Federal Judge, P=E8rez
Jim=E9nez in San Juan. The ninth member of the brigade, Angel Navarro - veteran
of the Korean War - could not assist because he was undergoing treatment for a
cancer tumor. The group entered the
bombing area to hinder planned bombing by the Navy. However, despite the
presence in the area of nine Viequenses, the Navy continued to bomb for
approximately fourteen hours.
The group on trial included -Justino L=F3pez, Deacon of the Vieques Catholic
Church 
Radam=E9s Tirado, Mayor of Vieques from 1976 to 1980 and US veteran Cedricd
Morales, Vice President of the Vieques Businessmen=B4s =Association Juan Silva,
Viequense whose wife died of cancer the same day David Sanes was killed Angel
Guadalupe, retired teacher and veteran of the US armed forces Emilio Garc=EDa,
Vietnam Veteran and chaplain for the Viequense Veterans for Peace. 
Agapito Belardo, veteran and member of the Peace and Justice Camp 
Robert Rabin, spokesman of the Committee for the Rescue and Development of
Vieques and Director of the Vieques Historic Archive Lawyers Linda Backiel and
Rosa Meneses worked tirelessly during the past months preparing the defense and
travelled to Vieques on several occassions to meet with the civil disobedients.
Also participating in the defense were lawyers Enrique Juli=E1 and Wilma
Rever=F3n, who has been the principal coordinator for the continuous legal
assistance provided by the Puerto Rico Bar Association during this past year
and half. 

(Below we reprint the Press Release of 17 October, 2000, announcing the
entrance into the bombing area of the Viequenses sentenced last week in Federal
Court)

COMMITTEE FOR THE=20
RESCUE AND DEVELOPMENT OF VIEQUES
P.O. Box 1424 Vieques, Puerto Rico 00765
Tel. (787) 741-0716 Email: bieke@coqui.net
October 17, 2000
PRESS RELEASE

A delegation of Viequenses penetrated the US Navy bombing range on the Eastern
end of Vieques early this morning. The group took the name, Luisa Guadalupe
Brigade, in honor of this 85 year old anti Navy activist and member of the
Committee for the Rescue and Development of Vieques (CRDV).
Members of the Brigade include the Deacon of the Catholic Church of Vieques,
Justino L=F3pez, Jr.; the ex Mayor of Vieques for the Statehood Party (PNP-
1976-80); Viequense Chamber of Commerce leader, Sedric Morales; Angel
Guadalupe, nephew of Luisa Guadalupe and veteran of US military; Robert Rabin,
spokesman for the CRDV and the Vieques Peace and Justice Camp. The sixth member
of the brigade is Juan "Guito" Silva, Viequense whose wife Minguita died of
cancer shortly before the killing of David Sanes.
The Viequenses got through the tight military security and entered the
restricted zone on the Eastern extremity of Vieques with the purpose of
creating obstacles for Navy bombing announced for the following days. The group
dispersed in teams to different points in the bombing zone.
Spokesmen for the CRDV pointed out tha the US Navy would be held responsible
for any damages suffered by the members of the Luisa Guadalupe Brigade while
they were in the impact area.
Another brigade made up of Vieques Veterans for Peace entered simultaneously
and included Viequense veterans of the US military -  
Emilio Garc=EDa, Agapito Belardo and seventy year old Korean War Veteran, Luis
Angel Navarro. More civil disobedience actions are expected during the current
maneuvers, the largest to take place here since the death of David Sanes on 19
April, 1999.







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