Date: Tue, 23 Jan 2001 07:46:44 -0500
From: Robert Rabin - Nilda Medina
Apartado 1424 Vieques, Puerto Rico 00765
(787) 741-0716 E mail: Robert Rabin - Nilda Medina
Press Release
Actor Martin Sheen asked Clinton to stop bombing on Vieques
Well known actor, Martin Sheen, star of the TV series, The West Wing – in which he plays the part of the President – sent a letter to ex President Clinton, dated 13 January, urging him to order the immediate and permanent cessation of military activity on the Island of Vieques, Puerto Rico. In the letter Sheen asked Clinton to act "immediately, with courage and compassion" to end the military occupation of the island municipality.
In a separate letter to the Committee for the Rescue and Development of Vieques, Sheen said he was "inspired by the non violent struggle, and that as a North American it saddens me to know of the destruction and contamination caused by the weapons testing by the US and NATO, and in particular, the use of depleted uranium."
The star of TV and film has played important leading roles in movies such as Ghandi, Catch-22 and Apocalypse Now, about the Vietnam War.
Based upon Christian faith, Martin Sheen has participated in several acts of civil disobedience in protests against militarism and his is know for his support of social justice struggles both in the US and in other countries. The name of Sheen adds to a long list of celebrities of the arts and from politics / including Tito Trinidad, Jesse Jackson, Ricky Martin, Hillary Clinton, the Dalai Lama, nobel laureate Rigoberta Menchu and Puerto Rican baseball player, Carlos Delgado, that have expressed support for the permanente and immediate cessation of bombing on Vieques.
Contact: Robert Rabin 787 741-0716
- Subject: DU in Vieques and Europe
Date: Fri, 12 Jan 2001 14:46:21 -0500
From: Robert Rabin - Nilda Medina
Friends,
I receive frequent updates from Bob Rabin regarding the non-violent Vieques uprising and have generally referred people to their Web site, www.viequeslibre.org, even at my own Vieques Libre Web page.
This dispatch, however, compels me to post it. please let your voice be heard on this vital matter.
–Daniel
===============================
Committee for the Rescue and Development of Vieques 11 January, 2001
Apartado 1424 Vieques, Puerto Rico 00765
(787) 741-0716 E mail: bieke@coqui.net
Press Release
GRAVE CONCERNS ABOUT URANIUM WEAPONS IN EUROPE
AND IN VIEQUES
The Italian government is protesting the serious health problems of its soldiers caused by the use of uranium 238 weapons by the US military in the recent conflict in the Balkans. The topic of depletued uranium (238) weapons captured the front pages in the press of several European countries, members of NATO, when soldiers from the region began to die of cancer and leukemia after their return from Kosovo, Yugoslavia y Bosnia, where large quantities of uranium 238 projectiles were launched.
Since 1994, the Committee for the Rescue and Development of Vieques (CRDV) has denounced the use of uranium weapons, upon learning of such arms at an Environmental Justice Conference in Washington, D.C. "We listened in horror as scientists and community activists from the US told about this new type of weaponry that had been used extensively in the Gulf War. We had recently heard retired Admiral, Diego Hernández say that the "success" of the US forces in Iraq was due in great measure to their practicing in Vieques," said Ismael Guadalupe, spokesman for the CRDV.
Members of the Vieques organization mentioned also that 80% of the ships and jets that participated in the attacks against Yugoslavia – where large amounts of uranium shells were used – practiced first in Vieques before leaving for the Mediterranean.
"For years we have denounced the relationship between the military contamination and the exaggerated levels of cancer on Vieques. The heavy metals and other chemical components from explosives, dangerous to human health, combined with the radioactive uranium 238 projectiles, jeopardize the life of Viequenses today as well as the future generations," according to Nilda Medina, another spokesperson for the CRDV.
In May of 1999, Navy representatives admitted that their jets had launched hundreds of uranium projectiles on Vieques during maneuvers in February of that year, while practicing for the war in Yugoslavia. The uranium oxide (dust) that results from the impact of the projectiles can travel more than twenty miles and cause a long list of illnesses, including cancer. Among people who have recently died of cancer in Vieques, high levels of uranium and heavy metals have been detected.
The Navy admits they could not recover all the uranium tipped shells shot at the Eastern part of Vieques. Military officials plan more bombing here in January and February.
"There is no way to guarantee that the next bomb or cannon shot will not impact one of the uranium shells, putting into the air radioactive particles that could be air transported to the civilian sector, to our children, to our old folks, to any one of us. We urge the authorities responsible for our health and security to block any future bombing that puts in danger the entire Vieques community," expressed Medina.
Contact: Robert Rabin 787 741-0716
- Subject: new year action
Date: Mon, 1 Jan 2001 18:10:26 -0800 (PST)
From: Lourdes Perez
Happy New Year and Dia de los Reyes to all our friends,
We send you a wish for your lives to be filled with profound joy and surrounded by beauty in this year and always. We are grateful for the years, the art, your friendship, compañerismo, and the journey.
We, by the way, are undergoing a radical overhaul and look forward to reaping what we have planted in exquisite new buckets. Can't wait to share it all with you.
Action. Action. Action. We ask you to join us specifically in a little time-sensitive action. From now until Jan. 20th, we are urging President Clinton to just go ahead and issue 2 historic Executive Orders:
1) Permanently end military practices on the inhabited island of VIEQUES, PUERTO RICO and return the expropriated and now contaminated land to the Viequenses, and
2) to unconditionally release ailing political prisoner LEONARD PELTIER.
Clinton must issue the orders before leaving office on JANUARY 20th. He has stated that he is reviewing Leonard's case; he has also stated that since the federal government "broke its word" to the Viequenses that he would find a way to return the land.
Toll-free White House Comment Line: 1-800-663-9566 (M-F, 9-5 eastern time; push 0 for a live operator)
Clinton's email
(leave a brief message in your drafts/inbox and resend whenever you check messages)
Look for us running around the street corners of Austin with a big Vieques flag and be sure to honk. Get tickets now for Lourdes' One World Theater concert on March 2.
Gracias... Abrazos fuertes,
Annette D'Armata and Lourdes Perez
=====
Organization of Concerned Texas Artists & Activists for Vieques
O C T A A V Web site
email:
tel: 512-442-5986
reference: Vieques Libre
U.S. NAVY OUT OF VIEQUES, PUERTO RICO! NI UNA BOMBA MAS!
Tuesday, 14 Mar 2000 23:24:11
Robert Rabin
Comité Pro Rescate y Dessarrollo de Vieques
Friends,
Greetings of solidarity from Vieques. We are on alert in all the resistance encampments. In recent days we have noted an increase in activity by soldiers and other federal officials in the Navy zone: more flights by helicopters over the camps in the bombing area and at the gates of Camp Garcia, flights that are much lower and with different kinds of helicopters, visits to the area of the gates (Campamento Justicia y Paz) by federal officials taking photos and doing reconnaissance of the area.
We have received information from people known to be reliable about possible actions against the resistance encampments in the coming days.
We are on alert and we will inform you – inasmuch as possible – about events here in the trenches.
Any assistance in these moments is crucial: coordinate travel to the camps, send economic contributions o provisions, send letters to the President, to local newspapers, call in to radio programs in support of the camps.
It is especially important that all solidarity organizations be developing their strategies on actions they will take on the Isla Grande and/or mobilizations to Vieques.
WE DO NOT WANT TO WASTE ENERGY OR RESOURCES. WE AWAIT THE CORRECT MOMENT TO ACT. NOW, AT 7:52 AM ON TUESDAY, MARCH 14, THERE HAVE BEEN NO CONCRETE ACTIONS AGAINST THE CAMPS. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU BE ATTENTIVE TO THE CALLS BY ORGANIZATIONS AND LEADERS OF THE CAMPS IN VIEQUES – NOT TO RUMORS NOR SENSATIONALIST INFORMATION IN THE MEDIA.
It is important that you do not heed rumors nor half-truths. You should verfy any information about arrests with people in Vieques related to our struggle. Here are some contacts:
Coordinadora Justicia y Paz para Vieques (Robert Rabin, Nilda Medina)
787 741-0716, 741-1717 o celular 375-0525
beeper 1800 759-1255 un 516-8097
Comité Pro Rescate y Dessarrollo de Vieques (Ismael Guadalupe)
787 741-2304 beeper 1800 759-1255 un 516-8086
Alianza de Mujeres (Judith Conde or Miriam Soba)
787 741-1068, 741-2293 or celular 484-0078
Monte David (Carlos Zenón)
787 741-8315
Iglesia Católica de Vieques (Padre Nelson López)
787 741-2241
Iglesia Metodista de Vieques (Pastora Lucy Rosario)
787 741-1473
IN PUERTO RICO
Proyecto Caribeño de Justicia y Paz (Wanda Colón, Coordinadora)
787 754-7343
Colegio de Abogados (Lcdo. Fermín Arraiza, Lcdo. José Juan Nazario)
787 759-0315 celular 505-8083
787 721-0330
Congreso Nacional Hostosiano (Dr. Héctor Pesquera, Lcda Wilma Reverón, Lcdo. Alejandro Torres)
787 269-0933, celular 616-8194
277-0670
767-7911, celular 317-7958
Coordinadora Todo Puerto Rico con Vieques (Che Paralitici)
787 758-5947, celular 309-5290
En lucha, en solidaridad,
Robert Rabin, para el Comité Pro Rescate y Desarrollo de Vieques
[translated by John Lindsay-Poland]
Fellowship of Reconciliation
Task Force on Latin America & the Caribbean
*Please note our new street address since January 15: 2017 Mission St. #305, San Francisco, CA 94110 Tel: (415) 495-6334 Fax: (415) 495-5628 E-mail: forlatam@igc.org Web: www.nonviolence.org/for
- Subject:
Vieques Update
Date: Sun, 26 Mar 2000 21:47:03 -0100
From: Robert Rabin - Nilda Medina
Friends in solidarity with the struggle of Vieques.
Fraternal greetings from Vieques. The constant rumors about possible interventions by military and-or police forces against the civil disobedience camps during the past two weeks created an environment of tension in the community. However, today, the UTIER (Electrical Workers Union of PR) held there 9th Annual Family Bycicle Day here at Camp. Jutice and Peace, in front of the gates to the Navy base - Camp García. Around two thousand people participated in the activity that was dedicated to the struggle for Peace in Vieques.
Danny Rivera, the music group Así Somos, a chorus from a Vieques elementary school and the local merengue and salsa group, Yarey, headed up a great festival in frent of the Navy base. In the parking lot of an adjacent factory, a children´s amusement park was set up with rides and plastic slides for little kids.
Last night, Danny Rivera sang with Tito Auger (Fiel a la Vega), during the vigil held every Saturday night in the Peace and Justice Plaza, area know before as the entrance to the Navy´s Camp García. Aprox. 500 people participated in the vigil that ended at midnight with the changing of the number on the special bill board that indicates the number of days here without bombing, days of peace. Today we celebrte y appreciate 342 days without bombing, thanks to the sacrifice and constant work of the men and women in the civil disobedience camps in the bombing area.
New rumors indicate the most recent military-police strategy is to close off the roads leading to our camp from both directions, arrest us and install a new gate that was transported to Vieques last week, retake the buffer zone that has been, since 3 December, 1999, the camp of the Peace and Justice Coordinating Committee. These new rumors suggest arrests could take place in the middle of this coming week.
We are ready
LOOK FOR INFO. FROM VIEQUES COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS OR FROM CONTACTS IN THE RESISTENCE CAMPS TO KNOW WHAT´S HAPPENING HERE.
Thanks for your constant support for the Vieques struggle.
Robert Rabin
Committee for the Rescue and Development of Vieques
- Subject:
Informe de Vieques Vieques Update
Date: Mon, 3 Apr 2000 14:36:29 -0100
From: Robert Rabin - Nilda Medina
2 April, 2000
Vieques, Puerto Rico
Report from the Committee for the Rescue and Development of Vieques
Friends in solidarity with Vieques. Today we carried out a historic CARAVAN FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE, with the participation of more than 425 vehicles and over 1600 people from Vieques, according to police estimates.
The caravan was organized by the Committee for the Rescue and Development of Vieques with the help of Camp Justice and Peace, which maintains a blockade of the gate to the Navy´s Camp García facilities.
Throughout the "barrios" and streets of Vieques, the caravan was received with great enthusiasm. Screams of NAVY OUT were heard from balconies of houses and from groups of neighbors on street corners where the caravan passed.
"This was our referendum. Our people demonstrated the committment to the theme, NOT ONE MORE BOMB, NOT ONE MORE MINUTE. The caravan was a strong show of solidarity with the men and women in the civil disobedience camps inside the bombing range," said Ismael Guadalupe, spokesman for the CRDV, before hundreds who gathered after the caravan in Justice and Peace Square, known before as the entrance to the Navy's Camp Garcia.
This activity culminated a week end of constant action of struggle. Saturday, 180 members of the Teamsters union of PR visited in solidarity. They held their monthly assembly at the Fort Museum in town with an orientation from Ismael Guadalupe, Carlos Zenón, Héctor Olivieri, Sara Peish and this writer, on the current situation of the struggle. Later the group moved to Justice and Peace Square for a cultural and protest event with hundreds of Vieques residents.
At night, during the Vigil that´s been held every Saturday night for the past nine months, hundreds of Viequenses and visitors from the main island participated in piquetes to the sound of Plena music by the Bonano-Pérez family and listened to the great music of Tony "Mapeye" Rivera, cuatro player "Guiso" Pérez from Comerío, and troubador Roberto Silva from San Lorenzo.
This incredible rythm of solidarity activity has a powerful and positive impact on our energy levels. We remain alert to possible military-police intervention. We are preparing for several activities during Holy Week, also the week we conmemorate the anniversary of David Sanes´ death (19 April, 1999), anniversary of the beginning of the civil disobedience actions in the bombing area.
We will keep you all posted from here. IN STRUGGLE, IN SOLIDARITY,
Robert L. Rabin Siegal
Comité Pro Rescate y Desarrollo de Vieques
Apartado 1424 Vieques, PR 00765
(787) 741-0716
cel. 375-0525
¡FUERA LA MARINA DE VIEQUES!
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Vieques Update
- Subject: new year action