[CPEO-MEF] Vieques Digest 6/12/01

[bieke@coqui.net]

#1) A CALL TO PARTICIPATE IN CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE AND SUPPORT ACTIONS

#2)Viequenses in federal prison and awaiting trial

#3)Demands of the people of Vieques to the US Navy

#4) STATEMENT FROM THE JUSTICE AND PEACE CAMP

#5) CALL TO ACTION: Virtual Sit-In for Vieques, Wed. June 13th!





4 June, 2001

A CALL TO PARTICIPATE IN CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE AND SUPPORT ACTIONS

Warm greetings from Vieques. We prepare for the upcoming threat to our
security and well being - US Navy bombing announced for the 13th of June.
Since the intense campaign of civil disobedience at the end of April we have
been working continuously on preparations for the next exercises - those of
the Navy as well as ours.

Our people prepare to resist the psychological and physical attack of the
military maneuvers here. The Committee for the Rescue and Development of
Vieques is convoking a constant dialogue about the process of non violent
civil disobedience together with members of the Vieques Youth United, the
Vieques Women=B4s Alliance, Horseriders for Peace, Luisa Guadalupe Camp,
local leaders of the Catholic and Methodist churches, the Mayor of Vieques -
D=E1maso Serrano, the Asst. Commisioner for Vieques and ex mayor - Radam=E9s
Tirado, and our fishermen.

Over the past weeks we have worked with the Coordinating Committee All Puerto
Rico with Vieques, the Ecumenica Coalition, the Diocese of Caguas, the PR Bar
Association, the Socialist Frente, the Carribean Project for Peace and
Justice, the National Hostosiano Congress, the Giants of Carolina, the New
Independence Movement, labor and student organizations, among other
solidarity groups on the main island of Puerto Rico. The CRDV created the
Luisa Guadalupe Institute for Civil Disobedience on Vieques to help
systematize preparations for our next actions (workshops, orientations,
written materiales, coordination between participants and the the Vieques
community organizations).

We work on a series of strategies directed at blocking the Navy=B4s maneuvers
in June, in July, in August or whenever, and that way defend the peace of our
community. We work in the context of non violent civil disobedience - a tool
that has gained us the respect and attention of people throughout the world
and that has paralyzed at several momentos, the Navy=B4s plans to continue
their destruction of Vieques with bombs and guns.

Participation in civil disobedience is much more than getting arrested.
Presence and solidarity at the Peace and Justice Camp or in other areas of
the struggle here, in Puerto Rico or in other countries during military
maneuvers; your help with the multiple tasks of cleanup, maintenance,
cooking, discipline, transportation, communications; your economic support
and donation of materiales (boxes of water, battery, office materiales, tools
for disarming oppresive fences, flashlights..); prayer and messsages of
solidarity; promoting the dialogue in your neighborhood, in the churches, at
work and in the family about the urgent need for the immediate and permanent
cessation of military activity on Vieques - all these actions are an
important part of this campaign in favor of life and against military
violence.

Support for the prisioners for peace in Vieques in the federal prision in
Puerto Rico and in New York is a fundamental task of civil disobedience.
Write them! You can find prisoner numbers, addresses and other information
about our prisoners on the website viequeslibre.org or contacting us by email
or telephone.

We invite all Viequenses, all Puerto Ricans and people everywhere who defend
peace and human rights, to participate in this historic process against the
most powerful military force in the history of mankind - the US Navy - using
our most powerful forces - a firm commitment to love, peace and justice.

Take part in this historic moment! Call us at the Peace and Justice Camp in
Vieques 787 741-0716

R. Rabin, CRDV


#2)


7 June, 2001
PRESS RELEASE

Viequenses in federal prison and awaiting trial

Spokespersons for the Committee for the Rescue and Development of Vieques
(CRDV) emphasized the participation of Viequenses in the recent acts of civil
disobedience, and that currently five Viequenses are in federal prison and many
more await trial.
Veteran leader of the struggle against the military presence in Vieques, Ismael
Guadalupe and North American resident in Vieques, Paul O'Leary, were released
from prison two weeks ago after spending thirty and seventeen days
respectively. Both were arrested in the bombing zone here at the end of April
and were part of a brigade organized by the CRDV that also included Zoraida
Figueroa (Puerto Rico), Angel Aponte (Vieques) and the North American resident
in Vieques, Kathy Gannett. Trial date for these three is July 14th, together
with Viequense civil disobedients Rafael Ayala (Vieques fisherman), Armando
Torres (young Viequense machinist), and Myrta Sanes, sister of David Sanes, the
Viequense security guard whose death by a Navy bombing error shook the
consciousness of the Puerto Rican community. Viequenses jailed this week for
their participation in the April actions against Navy bombing were Jos=E9
"Cheo" Molina, Angel Carmona, Juan Santos Centeno y Angel Class.Among the
Viequenses awaiting trial for their participation in recent civil disobedience
actions here are the Mayor of Vieques, D=E1maso Serrano; Civil Defense
Director, H=E9ctor Oliveri; Father Nelson L=F3pez, parish priest; editor of
local newspaper, Manuel Otero; Vieques engineer, Jos=E9 Arroyo; Viequense youth
Buenaventura Torres and Vieques fishermen Hector and Mamn Ventura CRDV
spokespersons announced that hundreds of Viequenses will participate in protest
actions to denounce renewed bombing on July 13th and that an increasing number
of people are signing up for civil disobedience actions inside the Navy's
restricted zones.

#3)


Demands of the people of Vieques to the US Navy

Demilitarization
The US Navy must cese immediately and permanently the bombing our land and
waters. The people of Vieques demand the removal of all military personnel and
war artefacts installed in Vieques, including the ROTHR radar. Our people have
hope that future generations of Viequenses may have the chance to live on an
island of peace and not war. That=B4s why our principal slogan is:
Navy out! Navy out!


Decontamination
The contamination from more that half a centuray of bombing and other military
practices must be cleaned from our lands and waters and the Navy must leave our
house as clean as they found it sixty years ago.
The EPA and Puerto Rican government agencies responsible for the protection of
our natural resources and enforcing environmental laws, have permitted the
destruction of Vieques=B4 flora and fauna both on land and sea and the
contamination of water, air and land by the US Navy.=20
Get our and clean up your mess!


Return of Lands
Every inch of Vieques lands must be returned to the Viequenses. We need the
land for our homes, schools, hospitals, agriculture, turism development,
fishing and for the future generations. During the 1940=B4s, the US Navy
expropriated 26 thousand of Vieques 33,000 acres. The rescue of our lands is
indispensible for the development of Vieques for future generations.=20
For Vieques to progress, we must get the Navy out!

Development

The people of Vieques have a vision for the development of a Vieques freed from
the US Navy. With ample community participation - together with the Municipal
Government and our Technical and Professional Team in Support of Vieques
Sustainable Development - we will promote a new economy based on peace.
Eco-turism, agriculture, fishing, marine biology investigations and projects
related to Vieques archaeology, among other proyects generated by the
creativity of our people, will provide work for our population. Vieques has the
natural resources and the human capacity to create a healthy economy and end
half a century of social and economic crisis caused by the military presence.
The people of Vieques have a moral right to demand that the US Navy pay for
sixty years of destruction and economic stagnation. We demand a billion dollar
indemnization to be used in the socio-economic development of a Vieques freed
from the Navy, a Vieques for the Viequenses and for all Puerto Ricans.


If Vieques is to have a future, we must fight hard to get the Navy out!

#4)

STATEMENT FROM THE JUSTICE AND PEACE CAMP

Our people are getting ready to face the bombings announced by the US Navy to
start on June 13. Just like in April, when our forces held up the naval
exercises at several moments, during the upcoming maneuvers we will also resist
this military force that enslave us in the name of "freedom", violate our human
rights while "defending" democracy. There 
is no turning back for us. The mayor, the parish priest, our women, youth and
fishermen, in short: our people, have decided that the US Navy will not fire
any more bombs without the community resisting through pacifist civil
disobedience. Neither threats from two hundred Puerto Rican police members, nor
tear gas, nor rubber-bullet shotguns can tame these people who have taken
control of their future to ensure a free and healthy Vieques for the next
generations.
For the past three weeks there have been workshops and orientations about civil
disobedience on the main island and in Vieques. The PR Bar Association, Todo
Puerto Rico con Vieques, el Congreso Nacional Hostosiano, the Caribbean Project
for Justice and Peace, and Law Students with Vieques, along with the Committee
for the Rescue and Development of Vieques have prepared a handbook for
Practical Workshops for Civil Disobedience in Vieques. Several comrades from
the main island, including our Luz Nereida P=E9rez, gathered at the Justice and
Peace Camp last Friday to discuss the handbook and the workshop's procedures.
Six members of the Juventud Viequense Unida (Vieques Youth United) shared
information about their own acts of civil disobedience last August, about the
arrest, and about a pamphlet that they put together in order to train the next
disobedients.
Juan Vera, Bishop of the Methodist Church of Puerto Rico, was a special guest
at this Saturday night's vigil, and so were a great number of officials of the
Church who participated this week in the celebration of the centenary of the
Methodist Church in Vieques. Bishop Vera read a resolution that was unanimously
accepted by the Methodist Assembly, which supports civil disobedience and the
struggle for peace in Vieques. During the vigil, we received three solidarity
phone calls that we transmitted live to the area where the vigil was being
held, thanks to the technical assistance of Andr=E9s Nieves, our audiovisual
specialist. The first phone call was from Ernesto Pe=F1a, prisoner from
Vieques, artist, and artisan. Aside from his own inspiring message, Pe=F1a read
messages that were given to him by Paco Salda=F1a -another Viequense civil
disobedient who is in the federal prison- and by Rub=E9n Berr=EDos, president
of the PR Independence Party. The second phone call was from members of the
Equipo Cristiano en Acci=F3n por la Paz (Christian Peacemakers Team) in
Indiana, where they were holding a vigil simultaneously with ours. Four members
of the Equipo Cristiano will be tried on the 28th of this month for their
entrance to the restricted military zone during Navy exercises here in April. A
third phone call of solidarity was from Blanch Rivera, wife of the NY State
legislator Jos=E9 Rivera, one of the "Vieques quartet" of civil disobedients
incarcerated in NY for the cause of Vieques. The "quartet" also includes
Reverend Al Sharpton, NY City Councilor Alfonso Carri=F3n, and President of the
Democrat Party in the Bronx, Roberto Ram=EDrez. Blanche offered a statement
about the health and spirits of the four prisoners and about the commitment
that they show with the struggle for Vieques.
The prisoners from Vieques in the federal prison in Guaynabo are:
Ernesto Pe=F1a Carambot # 21622-069
Francisco "Paco" Salda=F1a # 21618-069
Jos=E9 Molina Encarnaci=F3n #21504-069
Juan A. Santos Centeno #21510-069
Angel Class Alvarado #21509-069
You may write to them at :
MDC Guaynabo
PO Box 2147
San Juan, PR 00922-0692147


The full list of names of the prisoners for the peace of Vieques is available
at viequeslibre.org or via our email.
The CRDV covers costs and coordinates transportation for family members =of
Vieques prisoners so they can get to the federal prison for weekly visits and
return to Vieques the same day. Also, we deposit funds for Vieques prisoners
needing aid in their prison account for purchases in the prison store and for
phone calls. Our Committee also maintains a support camp outside the federal
prison next to camps set up by the PIP and the University Students / Friends of
Vieques and the Carolina Giants. Maintain the CRDV camp in support of our
prisoners, transport people from Vieques to participate in activities at the
camp represents another cost for the struggle. Therefore, we ask for your
donation in funds or materials for the Peace and Justice Camps.
R. Rabin, CRDV

#5)

CALL TO ACTION: Virtual Sit-In for Vieques, Wed. June 13th!

On Wednesday, June 13th, 2001, beginning at 9am EST and continuing for 24
hours, join the Virtual Sit-In for Vieques at
http://www.freespeech.org/provieques
Why a Virtual Sit-In?
To support the demand that the US Navy cease their wargames and leave Vieques
in peace. To add our virtual bodies to the presence of the physical bodies of
Puertorican activists who will occupy the bombing ranges of la Isla Nena. To
attract media attention by engaging in a new form of protest action. To send a
message to the United States government that we will not be silenced until the
people of Vieques can live without the sound of jets screaming overhead,
without the destruction of their beaches and coral reefs, without the high
cancer rates caused by depleted uranium found in bullets and shell casings,
without the 'accidental' deaths of civilians. 
To add our voices to the cry 'Not one more bomb! Leave Vieques in Peace!'
=A1PALANTE!
*For more information on the struggle for Vieques, and on other ways you can
help, please visit www.viequeslibre.org. For more information on this
electronic
action contact trabalengua@hotmail.com.






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