Sila is speaking out

[conciencia]

ALCON,

FYI

Puerto Rico's governor says Navy can stay, but bombing must stop

By PAISLEY DODDS
The Associated Press
6/6/01 2:28 AM


SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) -- Since the United States seized Puerto Rico more than 100 years ago, the island has fought the federal government to fly its own flag, protect the Spanish language and stop Navy bombing exercises on the outlying islands of Culebra and Vieques.

All but one of those battles have been won, with the Navy warning it plans a fresh round of bombing on its Vieques firing range next week.

A referendum set for November would allow voters the option of ending the military maneuvers, but only in 2003 -- a delay that angers many opponents.

"If you know a woman is being battered, you're not going to tell her to stay until 2003," Puerto Rican Gov. Sila Calderon told The Associated Press in an interview this week. "The bombing has to stop immediately."

The Navy maintains Vieques provides unique training that saves lives in combat. Calderon said she agrees with the need for the Navy to train in Puerto Rico, but believes it can be done without bombing exercises.

"Vieques is a very important place to do air-to-ground bombing because we can do on-shore bombing while marines practice landing on the beach," Navy spokeswoman Lt. Cmdr. Katherine Goode said. Bombing practices could resume June 13 and last up to 18 days, she said.

The Navy built a strong presence on Culebra and Vieques in the 1940s, displacing residents and using the land to ready marines and sailors for World War II, the Korean War, and Vietnam. In those days, the Navy dropped live bombs and explosive shells. Now the practice maneuvers use only inert bombs.

The Culebra exercises stopped in 1975 after islanders derailed a mock marine invasion by blocking the harbor with boats, and U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, who had just brokered an end to the Vietnam War, helped negotiate the Navy's withdrawal.

But the exercises continued on Vieques -- a slender island off Puerto Rico's east coast with about 9,400 residents. Public outrage was renewed in 1999 when two errant bombs killed a civilian guard.

"We're all somewhat responsible for Vieques," Calderon said. "We had been sensitized, or desensitized, after years of bombing. It took a very tragic accident for us to look toward Vieques."

Since then, Vieques has become a rallying point for civil rights activists, environmentalists and mainland politicians who stand to gain a greater share of the Hispanic vote.

During the last exercises, April 27 to May 1, about 180 people were arrested for trespassing on Navy land in protests to thwart the maneuvers. More than 40 protesters have been sentenced to prison terms of up to four months, including the Rev. Al Sharpton. Robert Kennedy also was arrested but has not been given a court date.

A dozen witnesses testified Tuesday before the Congressional Hispanic Caucus alleging naval personally mistreat the protesters. Rep. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., accused the Navy of "dehumanizing, degrading and punitive treatment."

It isn't the first time Puerto Rico has faced off against the federal government. Puerto Rico won the right to use Spanish as the primary language in schools in 1948, and the Puerto Rican flag was allowed the hang alongside the American flag in 1952. Each case overcame rules established when the United States took the island after the Spanish American War

"The Puerto Rican people have struggled since 1898 to assert their rights, particularly with regard to identity and self," Calderon said. "The Vieques issue, however, I see differently. We see the damage that is being done by the bombing. This a struggle for human rights."

Since taking office last year, Calderon has focused mostly on getting Puerto Rico's ailing economy back on track. But she has also championed the Vieques cause. She cited several medical studies early this year that allege decades of Navy bombing have created health problems for residents. The Navy denies the claim and says the studies are unscientific.

Animosity between Calderon's administration and the Navy deepened in April when Puerto Rico sued the Navy and Department of Defense, saying the bombing violated noise control laws.

In May, Puerto Rico filed a Freedom of Information request for documents it said could prove the Navy lobbied Congress about Vieques. The Navy denied it broke the federal law that prohibits federal agencies from lobbying Congress.

"I never wanted to file a lawsuit because I have always seen myself as a partner and ally of the federal government," Calderon said. "But the courts are the places to work this out if the principals aren't going to sit down and listen to the arguments."

[El_Jibaro]

She lost her Federal Court Battles 4 weeks ago, when that lady Federal Judge determined that the "Medical Studies" were a complete FRAUD, thereby undermining the entire set of anti-noise laws she sponsored and signed which were made solely to stop the Navy exercises.

She will waste 10 Million Dollars from Puerto Rican Taxpayers in vain trying to win what she clearly knows is totally lost to begin with, but hey it is not her money, it is just her People's hard earned money .

[Hombre-cuidad]

Actually thaty lady judge decided that it was not a fraud, but the medical studies done were not complete enough to prove a DIRECT connection to the Navy activites and that the Navy should continue their practices while they complete all the studies needed. The thing is, many Doctors I have talked to do know somethign is wrong in Vieques that is not going on in other islands, and the only difference is the navy which does what it wants to the Vieques lands, including dumping 17 toxic waste dumps. That is sure to cause problems in the soils, which is driven up through bombings and even inert bombs, exposing it to the air and water which is why many people have respiratory problems. This is a theory from many Doctors from PR, the USA, and other nations. Come on Jibaro, you have to have one sense of underastanding in your mind. If the Navy is not causing any medical harm, then what is?!

http://www.geocities.com/wazzzzz_aaaaaap/vieques2.html

[Edited by Hombre-cuidad on 7th June 2001 at 22:25]

[El_Jibaro]

que soñar no cuesta...

[Hombre-cuidad]

que será, será, ignorance is forever and can cost and cause a lot, just like diamonds.

[El_Jibaro]

Pero tengo mis pies sobre la tierra.