----- Original Message ----- From: Downwithcapitalism <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Friday, April 27, 2001 1:53 AM Subject: [downwithcapitalism] FW: Puerto Ricans protest U.S. target practice on Vieques Associated Press, 26 April 2001. Puerto Ricans stage protests to try to halt U.S. Navy bombings on Vieques. Excerpts. VIEQUES, Puerto Rico Puerto Ricans mobilized for massive protests to prevent the U.S. Navy from bombing its Vieques island range, after a federal judge ruled on Thursday that the military exercises could resume. In San Juan, Puerto Rico's capital, thousands of people waving blue-and-white Vieques flags gathered for an anti-Navy peace rally outside the Capitol building. Navy officials, buoyed by a federal judge's refusal to block the exercises, said ships would resume shelling the eastern tip of Vieques on Friday morning. Even as they spoke, federal marshals were scouring the range on the outlying Caribbean island for militants, including the prominent opposition Sen. Norma Burgos, who sneaked into the restricted military zone by boat before dawn Thursday. "We intend to prosecute trespassers to the fullest extent of the law," Navy spokesman Lt. Jeff Gordon said. Thursday evening, the first protesters were caught on the range by Navy sailors, Gordon said. The five unidentified males would be taken to San Juan and charged with trespassing on federal property. Among those reported on the range was Myrta Sanes, sister of security guard David Sanes, whose April 1999 death by bombs fired off-target on the range provoked an explosion of public anger and anti-U.S. sentiment. Protesters then invaded and occupied the area, preventing exercises until they were forcibly removed by U.S. marshals in May 2000. Under an agreement with the White House, scaled-back exercises resumed using only inert ammunition. But opposition mounted again after the popular Sila Calderon won gubernatorial elections in November, repudiated the agreement and demanded an immediate end to the bombing exercises. SPAM TO FOLLOW Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ _______________________________________________ Marxist-Leninist-List mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] To change your options or unsubscribe go to: http://lists.wwpublish.com/mailman/listinfo/marxist-leninist-list
