Arturo Meléndez Whatever the demonstration for independence, whether against militarism, or honoring the birthday of a Puerto Rican patriot, the staunch figure of Arturo Meléndez is likely to appear. Our friendship began when he introduced himself to us at the Old San Juan Cemetery, where we were commemorating the birth of José de Diego. He had written a paper on Vieques that he wanted to share with us, and directed us to his office on the UPR campus. Ardent socialist and member of the Central Committee of PSP (Puerto Rican Socialist Party), Professor Meléndez has a long record of opposing the colonial status. While he was in high school, he told us, he fell under the magnetic spell of Pedro Albizu Campos. He left the fold of the Popular Democratic Party, of which his father was a founder and organizer, and followed Albizu Campos throughout Puerto Rico. His college studies began at the University of Puerto Rico, continuing at Yale University, and then at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, where he majored in philosophy. His professorship began at UPR, where he now teaches a survey of western culture in the Humanities Department. Is he harassed as an independentista? Yes, he was fired for a period in 1981-82 for participation in the student strike protesting a 300% increase in tuition. Upon appeal to the Puerto Rican Supreme Court, he was reinstated. Will he ever be called before the Federal Grand Jury? Quite possibly professors could be the next to be called. If questioned, he would follow the tactics of other independentistas and not cooperate. He knows that he is under surveillance, as are all prominent activists in the independence movement—his phone tapped, mail intercepted, his car followed. Now president of the Puerto Rican Association of University Professors, his organization encompasses UPR of Río Piedras, the universities at Arecibo and Mayagüez, as well as the campus of Medical Studies. He estimates that about 25% of the professors are pro-independence. As for the student body, there is a strong independence organization, FUPI, and an anti- nuclear movement. Professor Meléndez is optimistic that independence could come within his lifetime, that Nationalism is on the increase, sparking strides towards toward freedom and justice. Independence must be approached from different angles, he points out— political, legal, economic, even to the violent actions of the Macheteros. He is not optimistic about United Nations pressure, though he testified in 1981 before the Decolonization Committee. His testimony there began with the statement that the Association of University Professors came before the Committee for the first time "because the situation involving military hegemony in Puerto Rican life is truly a tragic one from the physical to the spiritual, psychological and moral aspects." He sees Puerto Ricans being pulled into United States militarism in Central America, in view of increased recruiting of young people. Professor Meléndez sees the need for negotiation between the Puerto Rican legislature and the United States Congress so as to come to an understanding of a solution to the problem of political status. If not solved peacefully, armed revolution could erupt. People are becoming impatient with the increasing deterioration of the economy under United States domination. Could Puerto Rico survive economically on its own? He believes that with the rich natural resources available, such as minerals, fertile soil, and fishing, all of the basic needs could be supplied. As for the increase in government corruption, he maintains that in Nicaragua and Cuba, where tyrannical governments have been overthrown, there is little or no corruption. He envisions a unification of independence forces such as the 1985 Fourth of July "Counter- march." Whereas small assemblies of commonwealth and statehood advocates gathered for the observance of "Yankee" independence, some 25,000 marched for Puerto Rican independence. Organized by PIP (Puerto Rican Independence Party), thousands of others joined in. Colorful floats dramatized concern about the United States' placing of nuclear weapons in Puerto Rico in violation of the Tlatelolco Treaty for a nuclear-free Latin America. Of course, Professor Meléndez was there! He sees hope in such demonstrations of solidarity. It was an honor and a privilege for Prof. Meléndez to address the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs during their hearings on the international role of the United States insular areas. The question under discussion in this special session was on how insular international activities should be cleared with the federal government since there seemed to be no consistent federal policy. The implications were that the foreign relations activities of the insular territories should not be in conflict with the policies and interests of the United States. As representative of the Association of University Professors, Meléndez took this opportunity to point out that under the present colonial situation, Puerto Rico has no freedom in its relationship with foreign countries. He makes a distinction between the recent agreements with the Marshall Islands and Micronesia giving them free-associated status, and the colonial status of Puerto Rico. "They [the islands] shall have the right to conduct their own foreign affairs except for defense and security related matters." Puerto Rico has no such powers, he maintained. He considers its relationship with the United States as a "slave-master relationship in which free rights are denied.... Their role is limited as to what the master or metropoli permits them to do. And, of course, the granted or permitted role shall always be what the interests of the metropoli or master demands and not those of the subdued individual or collective body. "What is required," he specified, "is a formal recognition by the metropoli of full, unlimited sovereignty and transfer of all powers. .... The rules of international law and the United Nations must be complied with. Persecutions against intellectuals and workers in the scientific and cultural domain and of Puerto Ricans in general, under pretext of supposed subversion of ideological radicalism, must definitely cease. "If the people is a sovereign entity ... they will play the role inherent in their supreme power on an equal basis with other sovereign peoples; but if they are a colony ... their role will be limited to what the master permits them to do." It is up to the Committee which of these roles Puerto Rico is expected to play. He addressed also the 1986 hearings of the Decolonization Committee of the United Nations, ruing the failure of the United States government to take any positive action as to the status of Puerto Rico. In a letter to us, he thanked us for "all the invaluable help you bring to the Puerto Rican People, and your courageous defense of our dignity and your hunger and thirst for Justice and Love and Beauty. Thanks to you and the American people!" Puerto Ricans are indeed grateful for American support.