Vieques Libre: EDITORIALS

>>The struggle for peace and justice in Vieques continues
>> May 1, 2003

The struggle for peace and justice in Vieques continues. The U.S. Navy's May 2003 departure from Vieques is an admirable victory for the people of Vieques and for their many peace-loving allies who participated in that important struggle. However, the U.S. military still controls certain lands in Vieques -namely the Monte Pirata communications site and the ROTHR (Relocatable Over The Horizon Radar) site- on the Western part of the island. The federal government also controls several acres of land in the Western part of Vieques that used to be used as ammunition depot. And following the U.S. Navy's departure from the eastern side of Vieques, the totality of the land will remain in the hands of the federal government, as the U.S. Navy has transferred it to the U.S. Department of Interior and not to the people of Vieques. Thus, the demands of decontamination and clean up of the lands, of the return of the lands to the people of Vieques, and of sustainable development for Vieques, remain unmet and the struggle to achieve those goals continues. At the same time, the health crisis caused by more than 60 years of bombing in Vieques with everything from live bombs to napalm and depleted uranium, will still be felt in Vieques long after the Navy's departure. There must be remediation, compensation and treatment for the many Viequenses who suffer as a result of the military activities on their island. On July 29, 2001, the people of Vieques were given the opportunity to cast a vote over the issue of the Navy presence on their island. In spite of all the money and influence of the Navy to try to influence the results, the people of Vieques spoke with a clear voice: 68 percent of the residents voted for the "Immediate and permanent termination of the military exercises and bombings of the Navy in Vieques, withdrawal of the Navy from Vieques, and cleaning and return of Viequense lands to its citizens."

The cessation of bombing and the Navy's departure from the eastern side of Vieques has been a huge victory, long overdue for a people who have suffered too much for too long. But the remaining demands are unmet.

The struggle for peace and justice in Vieques continues.

E D I T O R I A L >	Vieques &
>>The struggle for peace and justice in Vieques continues >> May 1, 2003 The struggle for peace and justice in Vieques continues. The U.S. Navy's May 2003 departure from Vieques is an admirable victory for the people of Vieques and for their many peace-loving allies who participated in that important struggle. However, the U.S. military still controls certain lands in Vieques -namely the Monte Pirata communications site and the ROTHR (Relocatable Over The Horizon Radar) site- on the Western part of the island. The federal government also controls several acres of land in the Western part of Vieques that used to be used as ammunition depot. And following the U.S. Navy's departure from the eastern side of Vieques, the totality of the land will remain in the hands of the federal government, as the U.S. Navy has transferred it to the U.S. Department of Interior and not to the people of Vieques. Thus, the demands of decontamination and clean up of the lands, of the return of the lands to the people of Vieques, and of sustainable development for Vieques, remain unmet and the struggle to achieve those goals continues. At the same time, the health crisis caused by more than 60 years of bombing in Vieques with everything from live bombs to napalm and depleted uranium, will still be felt in Vieques long after the Navy's departure. There must be remediation, compensation and treatment for the many Viequenses who suffer as a result of the military activities on their island. On July 29, 2001, the people of Vieques were given the opportunity to cast a vote over the issue of the Navy presence on their island. In spite of all the money and influence of the Navy to try to influence the results, the people of Vieques spoke with a clear voice: 68 percent of the residents voted for the "Immediate and permanent termination of the military exercises and bombings of the Navy in Vieques, withdrawal of the Navy from Vieques, and cleaning and return of Viequense lands to its citizens." The cessation of bombing and the Navy's departure from the eastern side of Vieques has been a huge victory, long overdue for a people who have suffered too much for too long. But the remaining demands are unmet. The struggle for peace and justice in Vieques continues.	the US Navy
	1. Why is the US Navy at Vieques? Colony Expropiation of Land 2. Legacy of the US Navy in Vieques: Economic Stagnation Ecological Damage High Levels of Cancer 3. Struggle and Resistance The Struggle of David and Goliath Encampments of Civil Disobedience
E D I T O R I A L > A R C H I V E
>>*The struggle for peace in Vieques continues* >> Winter 2002 The struggle for peace in Vieques continues, and it is as just and urgent today as it has ever been. The US Navy still controls most of the land in Vieques, still may bomb at will, and still contributes to the destruction and deterioration of the environment, ecology, economy and health in Vieques. It is important to point out that, in spite of what some erroneously say, there is NO mandate, from the U.S. Congress or from the President, that the U.S. Navy has to leave Vieques. There are only verbal "promises" by President Bush that the Navy should leave by next year, and statements by the Navy that it is in the process of looking for alternative sites to Vieques. As President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, President Bush could have issued an executive order for the cessation of bombing in Vieques. He still can. So far, he hasn't. Instead, he acquiesced to what the U.S. Congress did in late 2001, when it passed a law that puts onerous requirements before the President may even consider ordering the Navy out of Vieques. In short, the current law provides that the Secretary of the Navy, in consultation with the Chief of Naval Operations of the U.S. Navy and the Commandant of the Marines, has to certify that they have found one or more alternative locations that are equal or superior to Vieques, and that those locations are immediately available. And even if these requirements are met, and the President keeps his "word", the law provides that the federal government (and not Puerto Rico) will retain the lands and there is no provision for cleanup of the lands whatsoever. In essence, the current legal status of the Vieques situation provides for onerous requirements for the Navy's departure of Vieques. Yet even if those requirements are met, the current legal status provides for the land to stay in the hands of the federal government. The current situation flies in the face of the democratic will of the people of Vieques, and of the consensus in Puerto Rico and among millions of allies worldwide. On July 29, 2001, the people of Vieques were given the opportunity to cast a vote over the issue of the Navy presence on their island. In spite of all the money and undue influence of the Navy to try to influence the results, the people of Vieques spoke with a clear voice: 68 percent of the residents voted for the "Immediate and permanent termination of the military exercises and bombings of the Navy in Vieques, withdrawal of the Navy from Vieques, and cleaning and return of Viequense lands to its citizens." Those just demands are unmet. Moreover, for months dozens of Members of Congress have sent individual letters to President Bush asking him to issue an Executive Order for an immediate and permanent end of all military activities in Vieques and to guarantee the Navy's departure from Vieques by May 2003, at the latest. The same demand for an Executive Order has been made by several other elected officials, and civic and religious leaders and organizations. To date, the White House has yet to issue a response to these demands. The struggle for peace in Vieques continues, and so must civil disobedience, political pressure, and other means of achieving the ultimate goal of a Vieques free from the oppression and abuse of the U.S. Navy. >>*Vieques has Spoken Clearly* >> July 30, 2001 On July 29, 2001, the people of Vieques were given the opportunity to cast a vote over the issue of the Navy presence on their island. In spite of all the money that the U.S. Navy began to offer to local fishermen, to illegally influence the results, Vieques spoke with a clear voice: 68 percent of the residents voted demanding the "Immediate and permanent termination of the military exercises and bombings of the Navy in Vieques, withdrawal of the Navy from Vieques, and cleaning and return of viequense lands to its citizens." The results of the referendum clearly demonstrate an irreversible achievement of political maturity for the people of Vieques and the Puerto Rican community at large. The threats, bribes, and lies unleashed by the Navy and its local henchmen have been in vain, as the fears of the past can no longer deter a people who have embraced the democratic plurality necessary for a triumph of such magnitude. The day right after the referendum, Vieques' Mayor, Dámaso Serrano, headed a march towards the front of the Gates of Camp García to hand military officials their eviction notice. These recent events reafirm the demilitarization demands embraced by the Puerto Rican community, and by broad sectors of the international civil society. According to the democratic principles in which our political institutions are founded, the will of the people is paramount. However, in spite of the vote, the U.S. Navy has scheduled a new round of bombings for August 1st. Once again the people are prepared to confront the military aggression by means of peaceful civil disobedience. Is up to President Bush to finally accept the will of the people and order the Navy out of Vieques. Otherwise, the United States will be seen as a tyrannical bully by the international community and will feel the heat of more resistance, more civil disobedience, and more political pressure. An executive order by the U.S. President ordering the Navy out is still to this day the only way in which the United States can find a way out of its shame and solve the Vieques' political problem. >>*Acts of Aggression. Acts of Resistance.* >> June 1st, 2001 In spite of the official position of the Puerto Rican Government and the will of the civil society, the U.S. Navy -backed up by the Department of Defense and the White House- bombed Vieques during the period of April 27th and May 1st. This act of aggression was met by the largest wave of civil disobedience in the history of Puerto Rico. At least 180 people were arrested inside the Vieques' bombing range, including high-profile personalities, such as elected officials and artists. At the United Nations headquarters, in New York, 26 others were arrested in an act of civil disobedience. President Bush, as Commander-in-Chief of the military forces, is directly responsible for the human rights violations against the 9,400 people of Vieques and against those who were handcuffed and locked up on a roof-less dog cage for more than 24 hours. One 81 year-old man was among those men and women who were deprived of and sleep, and who were exposed to the early morning rain. While handcuffed, a group of students was pepper-sprayed just because they were singing. In front of Camp García, the U.S. Navy, fired crowd-control bullets and tear gas at a religious service. Father Nelson, the town's catholic priest, was wounded on his back. One woman and one child had to be taken out in ambulance due to the tear gas effects. These acts of abuse and mistreatment, which have been documented by ACLU and Amnesty International, exemplify the hostility and violent behavior of the military towards a whole nation and give further reasons to demand the immediate withdrawal of the U.S. Navy from Vieques. On what grounds can the United States claim to be the defender of human rights in the world while it's record on Vieques is getting worse by the day? No wonder why the United States got kicked out of the U.N. Human Rights Commission. What kind of credibility could they have before the international community if they impose their military might over another country's will and laws? With the support of the Federal Court in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Navy is trying to use the jail to solve a problem, which is not of a criminal nature, but of a political one. If, as planned, the Navy resumes the bombings in June 13, once again, it will face the resistance of our people. More people will end up in jail, but we are convinced that jail is a small price to pay for the liberty of Vieques. Our resoluteness makes us strong. Our fair demands stem from deep ethical beliefs we won't renounce out of fear. We call upon the international civil society, citizens of the nations and citizens of the world, to take concrete actions of resistance against U.S. agression against our people, against our land. The bombing of Vieques is a political problem that the U.S. Government has to solve. It is up to each one of us to take the necesary action to make it happen: U.S. Navy Out of Vieques! * * * In honor of our 42 prisoners of conscience, jailed in U.S. Federal Prisons for defending the people and Mother Earth against the venom of war: "Must the citizen ever for a moment, or in the least degree, resign his conscience to the legislator? Why has every man a conscience, then? I think that we should be men first, and subjects afterward. It is not desirable to cultivate a respect for the law, so much as for the right. The only obligation which I have a right to assume is to do at any time what I think right. […] Under a government which imprisons any unjustly, the true place for a just man is also a prison." -Henry David Thoreau, 1849 >>*Puerto Rico Demands Navy Out of Vieques* >> April 24, 2001 The Government of Puerto Rico, supporting the anti-military demands of a wide popular movement, has taken an official stand against the bombing of Vieques by the U.S. Navy. However, the U.S. Navy has set April 27 to resume the bombings. As the U.S. gets ready to impose might over right, civic groups -including grassroots, political and religious leaders- have called for civil disobedience as a popular response to what is considered to be a military aggression. With the approval of a sound regulation law, the Government of Puerto Rico has taken political steps against the U.S. Bombings. By means of the law, public opinion, massive mobilizations and a civil disobedience campaign where nearly 1,000 people have been arrested so far and more are already prepared, the will of the people has been set clear: Not one More Bomb, US Navy Out of Vieques. Further U.S. Navy bombing of the Island will only mean the imposition of sheer force over the will of a Nation. Then, what kind of democracy does the U.S. preach and claims to defend? It's the imposition of might over right. George W. Bush mocks at the Puerto Rican People by calling for "a hemisphere of liberty" in Quebec while his military plans to resume the bombings of Vieques in spite of the will of the people. Bombing the Island without consent constitutes a military aggression and will not only discredit, even more, the U.S. before the international community, but it will also raise the determination of those who struggle to get the U.S. Navy out of Vieques. Urgent Call for Solidarity Vieques' grassroots organizations have requested the solidarity of the international civil society to put end to the bombing of their Island. Please, call, fax, and write to the White House calling for the demilitarization of Vieques. If you live outside the United States, you can contact the U.S. Embassy and inquire them on why does the U.S. insists on further bombing the area despite the absolute and justified opposition of the people and its elected representatives. Demand the Navy's immediate withdrawal from the island. CALL: Andrew Card- Chief of Staff Phone: 202.456.6797 White House Hot Line: 202.456.1414 FAX: 202.456.1907 E-MAIL: president@whitehouse.gov MAIL: George W. Bush President of the United States The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Washington, DC 20500 >>*The People of Puerto Rico remain unified against the Navy* >> January 2001 Time and time again, we have spoken loud, we have spoken clear. The demand remains the same: Not one more bomb! US Navy out of Vieques. The Presidents of the three Puerto Rican Political Parties have demanded action from the Presidency to end the Human Right violations against a whole population of a beautiful Island that is subjected to the bombing of the US Military and its sea been used as a Waste Disposal and Boat Graveyard. George W. Bush now have a new opportunity to recognize that the expropriation of our Land, and further relocation between two military bases has been considered as something against the standards of International Law Recently, an International Tribunal condemned the US Government for the oppressive conditions and environmental contamination that takes place in the Island of Vieques. An Executive Order from the Presidency to put end to the use of Vieques for military purposes and order an immediate environmental assessment and cleanup would be a good step towards any relation of respect and trust toward the whole island of Puerto Rico. >> *The Struggle Reaches a New Stage* >> May 2000 On Thursday, May 4, 2000, at 5:30 A.M. federal authorities began to arrest the people conducting Civil Disobedience in Vieques. This has been considered as an offence of the U.S. Government against the will of the people of Vieques and Puerto Rico that took back their land for one full year to prevent the bombing and shelling of the Island. The U.S. Government's response to the demands for Human Rights of the people of Vieques was a military invasion of Vieques that was met with no resistance by the protestors that from the outset had vowed to non-violence Civil Disobedience. The diverse group of protestors that have been arrested is composed by grassroots community leaders and members of the community at-large, religious leaders, elected officials from Puerto Rico and the US, including two members of the U.S. Congress and members of the Puerto Rican Legislature; leaders of the Puerto Rican Independence Party, students, union members, and known artists. Spirits where high and protestors were calm as they promised to be back to prevent the resumption of the bombings. The struggle of David versus Goliath has reached a new stage and will surely continue and intensify until the final goal of a Navy-free Vieques is achieved.