From: "Walter Lippmann" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Thu, 31 May 2001 05:05:59 -0700 To: "CubaNews" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [CubaNews] Navy to begin more Vieques bombing Navy to begin more bombing on Vieques Lilliam Irizarry ASSOCIATED PRESS May 31, 2001 SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -- The U.S. Navy plans to start its next round of bombing exercises as soon as June 13 on the small Puerto Rican island of Vieques, the U.S. territory`s governor said Wednesday. The Navy told the Puerto Rican government that the exercises will last no more than 18 days, Gov. Sila Maria Calderon said. The Navy notified the government Tuesday night, as it is required to give 15 days' notice under a 1983 agreement, she said. Calderon, who took office in January, also reiterated a campaign promise to hold a local government-run referendum on Vieques before the official vote set for November on whether the island's 9,400 residents want the Navy to stay or leave. "The Puerto Rican people won't give up in their fight to do justice and put an end to these exercises," Calderon said. The Puerto Rican government's referendum would offer the option of voting for the Navy to leave immediately -- a choice that would not be part of the vote in November. In that referendum, voters would decide whether the Navy should stay or leave in 2003. The federal government has not agreed to honor any local referendum. Calderon said she would present legislation to conduct the referendum, but she did not say when. No date has been set for the proposed vote. Luis Sanchez, a Navy supporter who lives on Vieques, said he would urge others not to vote in Calderon`s proposed referendum. "That doesn't have any legal validity," he said. "That is a waste of money. It's a waste of time." Opposition is ongoing The Navy's last exercises on Vieques were held from April 27 to May 1. About 180 people were arrested for trespassing on Navy land in protests that sought to thwart the exercises. The U.S. District Court for Puerto Rico has not yet tried those arrested. More than 40 protesters have been sentenced to prison terms up to four months, including the Rev. Al Sharpton, who along with three New York politicians was moved to New York last week to serve prison sentences ranging from 40 to 90 days. Puerto Rican independence leader Ruben Berrios, who refused to recognize the U.S. court's jurisdiction, was sentenced to four months in prison. Some other high-profile protesters who have yet to appear in court include environmental lawyer Robert Kennedy Jr., U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez of Illinois and actor Edward James Olmos. Navy insists on Vieques The Navy has used its range on Vieques for six decades and says it is vital for national security. Critics say it poses a health threat, which the Navy denies. Opposition to the exercises grew after a civilian guard was killed on the range in 1999 by two off-target bombs. The Navy has since stopped using live ammunition, but it can resume using it if islanders vote in November for the Navy to stay. The upcoming exercises will involve dropping inert bombs from planes, said Lt. Cmdr. Katherine Goode, a Navy spokeswoman. Ships from the Theodore Roosevelt Battle Group will participate, she said. Copyright � 2001, Orlando Sentinel _________________________________________________ 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] __________________________________________________
