Daniel Fox wrote: > Please do not delete this petition; if you haven't the time to read it, ple= > ase append your name and pass it along to those who might. On April 19, 1= > 999, American F-18 fighter planes, on a routine bombing maneuver over the i= > sland of Vieques (a small island of approximately 8,000 inhabitants 7 miles= > off the SE coast of Puerto Rico belonging to the Commonwealth of Puerto Ri= > co), dropped "by mistake" two five-hundred pound bombs on a guard-post on C= > amp Garcia, US Navy. The incident resulted in the death of David Sanet, a s= > ecurity guard employed by a private company, and the wounding of four other= > s, whose names have not yet been released. The four individuals wounded are= > being hospitalized at Fort Roosevelt (Puerto Rico), and the US Navy refuse= > s to comment on their condition. > > This tragedy is only the latest incident in a history of US Naval presence = > on Vieques that extends back to the early 1940's, when the Navy expropriate= > d 26,000 acres of land, more than 72 percent of the island's total area. Th= > is land was stolen primarily to use for artillery drills, bombing exercises= > , and munitions storage. The effects of this expropriation were devastating= > to the local population. The Playa Grande Sugar Mill, the center of the is= > land's modest economy, was forced to close, and a severe social and economi= > c crisis ensued. The US Interior Department planned to alleviate this crisi= > s by relocating the island's entire population to Saint Croix, US > Virgin Islands, and granting control of the remaining territory to the Navy= > . Fierce opposition quelled these plans, and every additional attempt at re= > location over the course of twenty years. > > In 1964, the residents of Barrio Esperanza, on Vieques's south coast, organ= > ized opposition to stop the last forcible effort to relocate the remaining = > population. Opposition hasn't been limited to a defensive posture, however.= > The residents of Vieques have banded together in a number of aggressive ef= > forts to halt the US Military's exploitation of the island. Fishermen of Vi= > eques have demonstrated repeatedly against bombing and against restrictions= > limiting their use of the sea. There have been numerous demonstrations to = > raise public awareness to the catastrophic ecological consequences of the N= > avy's island operations. In 1983, the Governor of Puerto Rico, Carlos Barce= > lo, added his own voice to the popular opposition by issuing formal charges= > against the Navy for ecological damage caused to Vieques. Today, in the wa= > ke of this senseless bombing, the demonstrations continue. The island's pop= > ulation has vowed to stage continuous protest, and the fishermen have said = > that they will f! > ish in restricted waters. > > The Mayor of Vieques, Manuela Santiago, has drafted a "cease and desist" re= > solution to permanently halt all military operations on the island. This re= > solution, once passed by the Vieques Municipal Assembly, will serve as the = > consummate declaration of collective opposition to American Military presen= > ce on the island. Please voice your support for the struggle of Vieques by: > > 1. Appending your name to this petition to President William Clinton and Se= > cretary of Defense William Cohen. > > 2. Forwarding this petition to as many individuals as possible. > If your name on the petition is #50, #100, #150 ... please return it to: > > [log in to unmask] > > or > > [log in to unmask] > > Petition to: The President of the United States of America, William Clinton= > , and US Secretary of Defense, William Cohen. > > We, the undersigned, are outraged at American Naval operations on the islan= > d of Vieques. The more than five decade long use of 72 percent of the islan= > d for artillery drills, bombing exercises, and storage of munitions has rav= > aged the environment, has dislocated the island's population, and has now r= > esulted in loss of human life. In accordance with Vieques Mayor Manuela San= > tiago's resolution, we petition that the US Navy cease and desist all opera= > tions on the island of Vieques. > > Note: It is best if you highlight the text in its entirety and COPY it onto= > a new outgoing message, add your name to the bottom of the list, then send= > it on. Thanks. > > 1. Kevin Hoffman, San Diego, CA > 2. Aned Yarelis Muniz Gracia, Corozal, PR > 3. Dr. Rev. Thomas Marshall, Santa Cruz, CA > 4. Alba Yarimar Muniz Gracia, Corozal, PR > 5. Freddie Marrero, New York, NY > 6. Heidi J. Figueroa Sarriera, Trujillo Alto, PR > 7. Edwin Ramos Mart=EDnez, Trujillo Alto, PR > 8.Alejandro Torres Rivera, Trujillo Alto, PR > 9.Victor Ivan Rodriguez Perez , Manati , PR > 10. Dr. H=E9ctor L. Pesquera, Bayam=F3n, PR > 11. Jos=E9 Escoda, San Juan, Puerto Rico > 12. Lyvia Rodr=EDguez, San Juan, Puerto Rico > 13. Marisa Rosado, Puerto Rico > 14. Rosaelena Su=E1rez Sierra, Puerto Rico > 15. Kar=EDn Men=E9ndez Delmestre, Puerto Rico > 16. Sara Gavrell Ortiz, Puerto Rico > 17. Adolfo L. Velazquez Dones, Puerto Rico > 18. Abel Baerga Ortiz,San Diego,CA > 19. Benjamin Ernesto Torres Vergne, Atlanta, GA > 20. Jose F. Otero, Somerville, MA > 21. Raul C. Gomila, Boston, MA > 22. Ana Morales, Waltham, MA > 23. Jose E Lizardi, Bayam=F3n, PR > 24. Carola Fernandez Rivera, PR > 25. Otto L. Aldahondo, San Juan, PR > 26. Omar G=F3mez, San Juan, PR > 27. Grace M. Robiou, Guaynabo, PR > 28. Vera Soltero, San Juan, PR > 29. Isabel Ramos, San Juan, PR > 30. Hector Arce, Boston, MA > 31. Daniel Fox, Boston, MA 32. Herbert Fox, Lynn, MA > > > "When spiders unite they can tie down a lion" (Ethiopian proverb)