[CPEO-MEF] Vieques Digest 6/18/01

[bieke@coqui.net]

#1) Ricky Martin Fan Club holds pro Vieques protest in Rome
#2) Report from Peace and Justice Camp
#3) Position of Viequenses on 2003 cessation of bombing
#4) VIRTUAL SIT-IN FOR VIEQUES DECLARES VICTORY IN NETSTRIKE AGAINST US NAVY
#5) Bulletin from Peace and Justice Camp 


#1)


  PRESS RELEASE

  Ricky Martin Fan Club holds pro Vieques protest in Rome



  RIC, the Ricky Martin Italian Club, on Wednesday, June 13, will stage a
protest in front of the United States Embassy in Rome, Via Veneto, from 2:00
in the afternoon (9:00 a.m. Eastern), to coincide with the new round of
bombing by the U.S. Navy in Vieques.  City authorities in Rome gave their
permission on Saturday, June 9.

  In this way we want to show our support and visible solidarity for our
friends and comrades of Vieques and Puerto Rico, and to express our opinion
and our request to the representatives of the U.S. in Italy that they cease
operations now, and to let them know that in Italy we recognize the violation
of human rights that the Navy and the U.S. government are perpetrating in
Vieques.

  The protest will include posters demanding peace for Vieques and to stop
the bombings, and informational handouts regarding the situation on the Isla
Nena.  Additionally, the Club is sending press releases to the Italian press,
radio and television media requesting coverage of the protest in the hope and
with the objective that it be visible in our country.  During the day we will
take photos and the material will be made available to the media in hopes
that it will be useful in the cause of our Viequense brothers and sisters.

  We want to clarify that our action has no political objectives; our support
to Vieques is a voluntary, humanitarian act.  We thank Ricky Martin through
whom we learned of the situation in Vieques, but we wish to make it clear
that he did not manipulate the Club to this end nor did he request any action
on our part, even though he thanked us.

  PEACE FOR VIEQUES

  Antonia Gizzi
  In charge of the Ricky Martin Italian Club=20

  Roberta Iliceto, Francesca Corsello
  Coordinator and promoter, Ricky Martin Italian Club


#2)

13 JUNE, 2001
Report from Peace and Justice Camp


Last night we heard military aircraft for the first time since the April
maneuvers. Around 11PM jets were heard in the skies over Vieques. At 6PM,
aprox. 200 Puerto Rico policemen and women arrived at the gate to the navy base
here - Camp Garc=EDa - in front of the Peace and Justice Camp (PJC). They
marched in formation, creating a line of police until the Luisa Guadalupeabout
=BD mile South on the road that runs parallel to the Navy's perimeter fence.
Police officials indicated they are present to protect the Navy fence from
protesters who in April cut down large sections. Those present at the PJC
manifested their indignation at this exaggerated police presence and the use of
PR police as security guards for the Navy.


Today, June 13th. The calm before the storm. Police agents watch over the Navy
fence from the civilian sector highway while a growing number of military
personnel, prepared with riot gear - helmets, gas masks, shields, etc. -
"protect" the perimeter from the other side of the fence.




>From 9AM today and at any moment during the next 24 hours you can participate
in the virtual sit-in pro Vieques:


http://www.freespeech.org/provieques



Tonight we will hold an ecumenical service at the PJC. Religious leaders and
members of the community will meet to reflect and prepare spiritually to
confront the next 18 days of navy exercises, violenca and provocation


Todav=EDa la Marina no ha colocado el aviso a los pescadores sobre zonas de
peligro y de restriciones en la zona este, indicio del bombardeo que se tiene
que proveer a los pescadores con 48 horas de anticipaci=F3n del bombardeo.


The Navy has not yet posted the warning to fishermen about danger and
restricted zones on the east end of the island, warning that must be given 48
hours before bombing begins.


The Governor, Sila Mar=EDa Calder=F3n is arriving on Vieques as we finish this
report. We have requested a meeting at the PJC to discuss the situation and
denounce the use of PR police against our protest.

#3)

14 June, 2001=20
Press Release


Position of Viequenses on 2003 cessation of bombing


Spokesmen for the Committee for the Reswcue and Develoment of Vieques (CRDV)
said the announcement by Presidente Bush about the cessation of bombing in 2003
does not satisfy the damands of the communiity. Nilda Medina, founding member
of the organization, said the "CRDV sums up the demands in the 4 D's, in
reference to the demilitarization, decontamination, devolution - or return of
the lands to the people - and the sustainable development in a Vieques free of
the Navy." According to the veteran activits against the military presence in
Vieques, "Bush's declaration does not correspond to these historic demands of
our people."
Robert Rabin, one of the spokesmen for the community group suggested that
Bush's statement is an admission that the Viequenses already won the referendum
the Navy wanted to carry out in November. He also said it indicates the
effectiveness of the struggle of the people of Vieques and Puerto Rico that
"has forced two presidents to take action on the issue of Vieques nad has
forced the most powerfull military force in the history of humanity to stop its
destructive practices here."
Ismael Guadalupe, another leader of the CRDV, mentioned that the presidential
decision "in no way changes our plans in relation to the current maneuvers. We
will continue the protest, the international denunciation and the civil
disobedience actions in order to defend our people against the dangers of
bombing and other US Navy activities."

#4)

VIRTUAL SIT-IN FOR VIEQUES DECLARES VICTORY IN NETSTRIKE AGAINST US NAVY
6/13/1: The Virtual Sit-in for Vieques declared victory today after nearly
1,300 people worldwide participated in an electronic civil disobedience action
targeted at the US Navy's website. The action was in protest against the Navy's
preparation today for continued bombing exercises on the island of Vieques,
Puerto Rico.

The electronic action worked by automatically filling out the Navy's online
enlistment form (http://www.navy.com/join_now.jsp) with a protest message in
place of the name, address, and other information fields (Name: Que se Vaya,
Last name: la Marina, Address: de Vieques, Co=F1o! 00911).
Around 6pm a Navy web administrator called organizers with a plea for an end to
the action, exclaiming "You've flooded the enlistement database with thousands
of messages and now our servers are slowing down, you've got  to stop it."
Organizers called a stop to the action, which was not intended to slow Navy
servers but rather to flood the recruitment database with protest messages, and
declared victory.

The action was organized with support from the Electronic Disturbance Theater
and the Comite Pro Rescate y Desarollo de Vieques. The purpose of the site, as
posted online during the action:

"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 epleted uranium found in
bullets and shell casings, without the 'accidental' deaths of civilians. To add
our voices to the cry "Deja Vieques n Paz! Ni Una Mas! [leave Vieques in peace!
Not one more Bomb!]"

#5)


Bulletin from Peace and Justice Camp 
18 June, 2001

At least 20 people now in the Navy's restricted zone to obstruct bombing Strong
federal marshall presence in area of perimiter fence of the Navy base Bombing
is schedule to begin around 10 AM today All those prepared for or considering
participation in civil disobedience actions should come to Vieques as soon as
possible

In struggle, in solidarity, in Vieques
Robert Rabin 
Committee for the Rescue and Development of Vieques



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