[CPEO-MEF] Vieques digest 4/11/01

[bieke@coqui.net]

1)Viequenses in solidarity with St. Kitts-Nevis

2)Governor Pataki of New York to visit Vieques





1)Viequenses in solidarity with St. Kitts-Nevis




Committee for the Rescue and Development of Vieques

P.O. Box 1424 Vieques, Puerto Rico 0765

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


29 March, 2001

Press Release

Viequenses in solidarity with St. Kitts-Nevis

The Committee for the Rescue and Development of Vieques (CRDV) received a
petition from Lindsay Grant, official of the opposition People=B4s Action
Movement (PAM) in St. Kitts-Nevis, for information about the struggle to end
the US Navy presence on this island municipality of Puerto Rico. The request
comes after the PAM announced their opposition to possible plans to relocate
dangerous US Navy exercises -including bombing from ships and jets - to the
neighboring Carribean island. "We support the movement of Viequenses to stop
the bombing and regain control of your land. We are 150% in support of your
cause," expressed Grant in a telephone conversation with leaders of the CRDV

Ismael Guadalupe, spokesman for the CRDV answered PAM's request by stating
that, "We would be irresponsable not to share with the people of St.
Kitts-Nevis our experiences struggling against the horrible impacts of the
Navy's activities here during the past sixty years. We must warn our brothers
and sisters on those islands about the suffering of our children who die from
cancer and the military contamination responsible for the health crisis that
effects the entire community. It would be morally incorrect for us to remain
silent while the Navy attempts to move its deadly activities to a neighboring
island," commented Guadalupe.

The People's Action Movement was in government from 1980 to 1995 and took St.
Kitts-Nevis into independence in 1983 under Prime Minister Right Honourable
Dr. Kennedy Simmonds. Currently the opposition party, the PAM commands over
40% of the popular vote.

Members of the CRDV are coordinating an exchange of delegations between St.
Kitts-Nevis and Vieques to share experiences and concerns related to Navy
plans.



Contact: Nilda Medina

ENGLISH VERSION

Committee for=20 the Rescue and Development of Vieques

P.O. Box 1424 Vieques, Puerto Rico 0765

Tel. (787) 741-0716 Email: <3d.htm>bieke@coqui.net


2)Governor Pataki of New York to visit Vieques



1 April, 2001
Press Release
Governor Pataki of New York to visit Vieques


The Governor of New York, republican George Pataki, announced his plan to
travel to Vieques early in April. He will arrive in Puerto Rico to speak with
Governor Calder=F3n and will travel to Vieques to learn about the situation on
the island municipality. During a press conference at the Julia de Burgos
Cultural Center in the Latin Barrio of New York, Pataki stated that "we are
happy with the Presidente's suspension of bombing in March, but we want the
immediate and permanent cessation of bombing, not in three years; we want the
Navy to leave Vieques now."
The announcement of the visit by New York's governor responds to the unanimous
approval by the State Legislature on the 26th of March of a resolution calling
for the "immediate and permanent cessation of all activity by the US military
on the Island of Vieques."
Nilda Medina, spokeswoman for the Committee for the Rescue and Development of
Vieques, commented that "the visit by Pataki adds to a list of other prominent
figures of public life that support the movement to get the Navy out of
Vieques." She added that Pataki's visit takes on added importance since he is a
powerful member of the Republican Party and is close to President George Bush.
State Assemblyman Jos=E9 Rivera mentioned that Pataki made a commitment to ask
the President to meet with Puerto Rican and Viequense leaders of the struggle
against the militar presence on Vieques.
Contact: Robert Rabin 375-0525



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