f1f0 on Fri, 23 Apr 1999 06:35:15 +0200 (CEST)


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cow boy

Jose Fortuno wrote:
>
>  ________________________________________________
>       A - I N F O S  N E W S  S E R V I C E
>             http://www.ainfos.ca/
>  ________________________________________________
>
> US Navy kills Puerto Rican in Vieques
> by José Fortuño
>
> The people of Puerto Rico, the US colony in the Caribbean, had its dose
> of the military aggression in the Balkans, when a missile shot by a US
> Navy killed one civilian and wounded four. This happened last Monday
> night, during Navy exercises in the island municipality of Vieques.
> The missile that took away David Sanes’s life, a civil security guard,
> was shot by a F-18 plane, from the USS Kennedy, that is getting prepared
> to be sent to Yugoslavia. Sanes, as all Puerto Ricans, was a US citizen.
>
> The incident has launched a unanimous reaction of repudiation against
> the US Navy. Representatives from every social and political sector have
> raised their voices. Even Governor Pedro Rosselló, that had never
> expressed opposition to the Navy, sent a letter to President Clinton
> asking for the end to live ammunition practices.
> The Navy responded with a short declaration asking “pardon” for the
> “error”.  A Navy spokesman pointed out that Vieques is “essential” to US
> military interests because it is the only place where they practice in
> actual combat conditions.
> Some of the wounded have given signs of having been intimidated not to
> say too much to the press.
> Vieques is a 52 square miles island with a population of 9,000
> civilians. Three fourths of its territory are occupied by the Navy and
> are used continually for shooting exercises. This situation has
> prevented the development of Vieques, an island with an unlimited
> tourist potential, forcing most of its people to leave.
> Over the years, wide sectors of the Vieques people, especially the
> fishermen, and of the Puerto Rican people in general, have expressed
> themselves against the Navy. Besides claiming that they are prevented
> from carrying a normal life, because of their lands being occupied by
> the Navy, and for the constant bombing, they have said repeatedly that
> there was a real danger of an incident of fatal consequences.
> Since Monday, in Vieques, every day thousands have gathered demanding
> the end of the Navy occupation, and a massive demonstration, with people
> attending from all Puerto Rico is scheduled for next Saturday.
>
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