PUERTO RICO again

Committee for the Rescue and Development of Vieques

bieke@coqui.net

21 June, 2000

Press Release

Two groups enter into Navy„s restricted zone

A group of around twenty protestors penetrated early in the morning, the US

Navy„s bombing range on Vieques, where they will serve as human shields to

block the resumption of bombing on the island. The group is guided by a

Viequense with much experience in the resistence against the US Navy presence

and activities on the island municipality.

The group consists of members of the Committee for the Rescue and Development

of Vieques and individuals from the main island of Puerto Rico, from all

sectors of civilian society who have joined the cause of Peace for Vieques.

The group entered the bombing range through an area of thick and thorny

vegetation to avoid being detected. The are prepared with water and other

supplies to remain in the restricted zone for as long as possible.

The members of the group will disperse throughout the bombing range to create

a more serious obstacle for bombing and to make arrests more difficult.

Simultaneously, fifty representatives of the Pro Vieques Movement - labor,

cooperativist and religious leaders - entered the bombing zone with a group

of Vieques fishermen, under the direction of Carlos Ventura. This group

avoided military security all night and finally walked into the area of

targets where they carried out a series of ecumenical ceremonies dedicated to

Peace for Vieques.

The purpose of this action was to dramatize the serious health concerns for

the people of Vieques in the face of Navy announcements they will fire

thousands of bombs on the East end of the island in the next few days.

Ventura as well as labor leader Wilfredo LŪpez, explained by radio from the

bombing area, that the struggle to end the military presence will continue

until there is peace in Vieques.

These two groups bring to around 200 the number of those arrested for

entering into the Navy„s restriced area since the removal and arrest of over

200 people from 15 civil disobedience camps here on the 4th of May.