From: "benjamin ramos" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Committee for the Rescue and Development of Vieques P.O. Box 1424 Vieques, Puerto Rico 00765 (787) 741-0716 E mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 6 May, 2001 Press Release Viequenses concerned and in solidarity with jailed protesters The Committee for the Rescue and Development of Vieques(CRDV) expressed solidarity with Puerto Rican university professor, Carlos Al� Santiago Rivera, jailed for his participation in recent civil disobedience actions in Vieques. Al� has been arrestested on several occasions for entering into the US Navy�s restricted zone on this island municipality. "We are worried about the mistreatment of Carlos in the federal jail," said Robert Rabin, spokesman for the CRDV. "Al� is a man of deep pacifist convictions and great spirituality that guides his actions. We know this type of integrity and expression of Puerto Rican dignity threatens the federal agents, thereby placing in danger the security of this pro Vieques activist. We hold the Navy and the federal justice system responsible for any harm to Carlos Al� while he is in the federal jail," added Rabin. Members of the CRDV also expressed their concern for the health and security of Ismael Guadalupe, leader of that Viequense organization, and for North American artist resident in Vieques, Pablo O�Leary. Both were arrested in the Navy�s bombing zone last week. "Ismael is one of the principal leaders of this struggle and the Navy surely considers him a danger to their operations on this island municipality," mentioned Viequense leader, Nilda Medina. "Although he told us he is all right, we worry greatly for his health condition and the violent environment in which he is being held," expressed the Vieques peace activist. Guadalupe spent six months in a federal prison in Pennsylvania in 1979 for participating in an ecumenical activity in the miltary�s restricted zone. This year he has been arrested three times for his participation in civil disobedience actions in Navy territory. The Viequenses indicated they do not trust the federal courts or jails because these entities are part of the US Navy system in Puerto Rico. In telephone conversation with the Peace and Justice Camp in Vieques, Guadalupe exhorted people assembled there to express their solidarity with the group of university students also arrested and jailed but have not, according to Guadalupe, received the attention their sacrifice for the people of Vieques deserves. _________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki Phone +358-40-7177941 Fax +358-9-7591081 http://www.kominf.pp.fi General class struggle news: [EMAIL PROTECTED] subscribe mails to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Geopolitical news: [EMAIL PROTECTED] subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] __________________________________________________
