[Peace-discuss] Vieques

[Dlind49 at aol.com]

Subj:    [bieke_pr] denuncian ataque militar contra viequenses        
denounce military attack vs. Viequenses
Date:   11/27/02 3:03:51 PM Central Standard Time
From:   bieke at prdigital.com (Comité Pro Rescate y Desarrollo de Vieques)
Reply-to:   bieke_pr-owner at yahoogroups.com
To: bieke_pr at yahoogroups.com

 

 
ENGLISH VERSION
 
Committee for the Rescue and Development of Vieques
PO Box 1424  Vieques, Puerto Rico
787 741-0716  E mail:  bieke at prdigital.com
 
Press Release
25 November, 2002
 
Viequenses denounce military helicopter attack
 
The Committee for the Rescue and Development of Vieques (CRDV) denounces the 
attack by military helicopters this past Monday against the Luisa Guadalupe 
Camp here in Vieques.  The helicopters participate in war exercises the US 
Navy going on since last week in Vieques' waters and in Camp García.  Members 
of the CRDV indicate these maneuvers are taking place without any 
notification to the Puerto Rican government, the Municipal Government of 
Vieques or the population of this island municipality.  
 
Helicopters have been seen recently practicing landings and "rescue"  type 
actions on the military landing strip.  Also,  people have informed of 
illegal and dangerously low overflights in residential areas of Bravos de 
Boston and Esperanza.
 
"The attack against the compañer at s at the Luisa Guadalupe Camp is part of a 
larger violation against our community with these unannounced military 
practices," mentioned Jaime Peralta, member o the Committee.  The practices 
were decribed as evidence of the racist and violent attitude of military 
personnel toward the people of Vieques.
 
The indignation level rises here due to the docility displayed by the Puerto 
Rican government that has yet to offer information on previous Navy 
agressions against the Luisa Guadalupe Camp.   Defenseless women have been 
shot with rubber bullets by soldiers while children have been seen running 
hysterically to escape tear gas attacks by military police.   Thus far, the 
government has not submitted one single case in court against these abuses.  
The group also criticized the Puerto Rican police for serving as court 
witnesses against our civil disobedients while refusing to acuse military 
personnel even though the evidence clearly indicates violation of the rights 
of our people.
 
Referring to recent accidents and deaths involving military aircraft during 
practices in Vieques and in the municipality of Caguas, the Viequenses warned 
of the grave danger that these helicopters and jets pose for the civilian 
populations.