Peace for Vieques - Not One More Bomb!
Weekly Message 2001, #12 from the UCC Justice and
Peace Ministry
[5-1-01]
Vieques is a small and beautiful island off the coast
of Puerto Rico. Of its 32 miles, two-thirds have been taken over by the
U.S. Navy for the last 60 years as a target practice range. Tens of
thousands of bullets and bombs, including those filled with uranium,
have rained down on Vieques, filling the ground and water with
radioactive materials.
Navy bombing violates the human rights of the residents of Vieques,
causing profound health, environmental and social problems. It affects
the fragile eco-system of Puerto Rico and the entire hemisphere.
On April 19, 1999, David Sanes, a civilian, was killed by an errant Navy
bomb. David Sanes' death led to a peaceful occupation of the bombing
range. Citizens of Vieques were joined in solidarity by people from
around the world, including several delegations of UCC members and UCC
General Minister and President Rev. John Thomas. For a little over a
year, bombing was halted. In that time, small signs of the renewal of
land and the sea surrounding the island became visible.
Last year, the peaceful protestors were forcibly removed, and the U.S.
Navy began preparations to resume bombing on the island. Earlier this
year, the Governor of Puerto Rico, backed by strong international
outcry, filed a federal injunction to halt the bombing. Late last week,
the injunction was denied and bombing was resumed. However, nonviolent
protestors placed their lives on the line and re-entered the restricted
area, forcing the bombing to stop on April 28th.
Join in solidarity with the people of Vieques and the UCC Puerto Rico
Conference in calling for an end to the bombing. Contact President Bush
and urge him to permanently cease the bombing on Vieques.
President George W. Bush 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC
20500 (202) 456-1414 president@whitehouse.gov
Presidential Chief of Staff Andrew Card (202) 456-6798
This Weekly Message is sent by e-mail every Monday
for use in church newsletters and bulletins the following Sunday. To
add new names to this weekly advocacy service from the UCC Justice and
Peace Ministry, for more information or to remove your name from the
list, reply to jpmdc@ucc.org. For
additional information on the UCC and the Justice and Peace Ministry,
log on to the UCC website.
