forwarded by Michael Hoover > --- Robert Rabin - Nilda Medina <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > wrote: > > Committee for the Rescue and Development of Vieques > > > > Box 1424 Vieques, Puerto Rico 00765 > > > > Telefax (787) 741-0716 cel 375-0525 > > > > Vieques Update > > > > 19 June, 2000 > > > > > > Incursions into the military zone and arrests of our > > people, screaming a military vehicles and personnel > > in the streets of our community, parades, > > internation tribunals are part of the activities > > organized by the Committee for the Rescue and > > Development of Vieques together with compañer@s from > > Vieques and the main island over the past two weeks. > > From 6 to 9 June, Dr. Doug Rokke, ex Director of the > > DOD´s Uranium 238 ("depleted uranium") was in > > Vieques and in Puerto Rico as part of the > > international campaign to outlaw these radioactive > > weapons. Rokke participated on Channell 28 (Vieques > > TV) about the horrible health effects of uranium 238 > > (DU), for civilians and for soldiers in the area > > where it is used. > > > > > > At the Museum Fort Count Mirasol in Vieques, the > > scientist from the US gave a detailed account about > > DU weapons and the long history of Defense > > Department irresponsability with their own personnel > > and civilians in terms of health effects of DU. > > Rokke emphasized that the dangers of contamination > > and the serious health crisis of the Viequenses are > > not related only to uranium, but to the multiplicity > > of dangerous chemical componentes from over half a > > century of bombing with conventional and non > > conventional weapons on the Eastern end of Vieques. > > Rokke showed visuals of the air transportation of > > uranium oxide, clearly demonstrating how the > > contaminants in the impact zone easily reach the > > civilian sector riding on the constant breezes that > > move precisely from East to West. > > > > On the main island, the Caribbean Project for Peace > > and Justice organized several meetings with Rokke > > and the scientific and medical community of Puerto > > Rico and a Press Conference at the PR Bar > > Association. After several days in Puerto Rico, > > Rokke travelled to New York to continue the > > information campaign against uranium 238 weapons > > used on Vieques and to participatein the Puerto > > Rican Day Parade, dedicated to the Peace on Vieques. > > > > Aproximately 150 people from Vieques travelled to NY > > for the Parade on 11 June. The largest contingent > > was the 40 or so members of the Committee for the > > Rescue and Development of Vieques and the Peace and > > Justice Camp. Nilda Medina, Norma Morales and María > > Elena Navarro, members of the CRDV, worked for > > several months to coordinate the participation of > > the group to assure a strong representation of > > Viequenses in struggle during the NY parade. > > > > Ismael Guadalupe, representing the CRDV, was the key > > speaker at a special dinner by the War Resisters > > League, US pacifist organization that recognized the > > work of the CRDV awarding the Vieques group its > > annual peace prize. Ismael also formed part of the > > jury in the International Peoples Tribunal held on > > June 10th that considered war crimes committed in > > the war against Yugoslavia. During the proceedings, > > Ismael brought up the issue of Vieques and received > > a standing ovation from the 500 participants > > representing 11 countries. > > > > > > The following week was equally productive. We > > received a great number of solidarity messages from > > different parts of the world - the Phillipines, > > Okinawa, US, Panamá, Hawaii - and commitments of > > support and participation in civil disobedience > > actions from a large number of Puerto Ricans. > > > > > > On Tuesday, those arrested on 1 June met here with > > lawyers Linda Backiel and Rosa Meneses Albizu > > Campos. Lolita Lebron, one of the arrested, also > > participated in the meeting to discuss future legal > > strategy. > > > > On Thursday, 15 June, the technical-legal team of > > Robert Kennedy, Jr., arrived on Vieques. Kennedy > > directs a team of envronmental and legal > > organizations - the Natural Resources Defense > > Council, the Puerto Rico Legal Defense Fund and the > > Environmental Litigation Clinic of Pace University - > > that prepares a case to end Navy bombing and force > > the Navy to decontaminate Vieques. Kennedy arrived > > Saturday to meet with community organizations > > related to the legal case. > > > > > > Friday night, 37 Puerto Rican professionals, > > including university professors, publiscists, sports > > writers and union leaders, entered into the Navy´s > > restricted area to denounce the Navy´s presence and > > intention to continue bombing. The group > > participated earlier in a special vigil at Peace and > > Justice Camp, before entering into military zone and > > were arrested around 3:00 in the morning. After > > being transferred to Roosevelt Roads, the group was > > released later in the afternoon. > > > > > > Saturday evening, Kennedy and his team participated > > in the vigil at Peace and Justice Camp, in front of > > the Navy´s installation here - Camp García. More > > than 400 Viequenses assisted the vigil that included > > the music of Vieques Libre, a new Vieques band that > > plays PLENA. Kennedy and his team left on Sunday > > after meetings with the plaintiffs in the case being > > developed. > > > > > > Robert L. Rabin Siegal > > > > US NAVY, OUT OF VIEQUES! > > > > ¡FUERA LA MARINA DE VIEQUES!