Press Release
HISPANICS SUPPORT PUERTO RICO ON VIEQUES:
Urge Congress to Move on Self-Determination Legislation
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 28, 2000
CONTACT: Brent Wilkes (202) 833-6130
WASHINGTON, DC--The Hispanic Coalition for Puerto Rican Self-Determination, an alliance of leading national Hispanic organizations, today reaffirmed its support for Puerto Rico's position on the US Navy's future use of a live-fire range on Vieques, a tiny island in the Puerto Rican archipelago. Puerto Rico is calling for an immediate and permanent halt to all air and sea bombing while the US government offers to limit aerial bombing to non-explosive ordinance, accompanied by a complete phase-out of operations within five years. An April 19, 1999 misfiring of two 500-pound bombs from an FA-18 jet, that killed one and injured four Vieques residents, caused immediate public denunciations of the Navy and a subsequent invasion of the military compound by squatting protesters, including some of the island's leading political figures.
In a letter to congressional leadership (attached), the Coalition made it clear to those advocating punitive measures against the island that any censure of Puerto Rico would be treated by Hispanic Americans as an insult to all Hispanics. Citing forthcoming hearings by the Senate Armed Forces Committee on Vieques, Rick Dovalina, National President of LULAC, said that "U.S. Hispanics deplore the manner in which Puerto Rico has been threatened with economic reprisals by some Republican senators, including the threat of closing the Roosevelt Roads Naval Base, if Puerto Rico does not bend to the Navy's will. This is no way to be treating people who have served valiantly in the defense of our country. States are frequently at odds with the federal government on a variety of issues, including military bases and facilities, and you don't see them menaced with the kind of threats being made against Puerto Rico in this case."
Francisco Ivarra, National Commander of the American G.I. Forum, the largest Hispanic veterans organization in the United States and a member of the Hispanic Coalition, said, "Hispanic veterans throughout the United States are outraged at the threats being made by some members of the Senate against the U.S. citizens in Puerto Rico at a time when good faith negotiations to resolve the issue are still under way. Puerto Ricans have demonstrated through their valiant service in our armed forces that they are patriotic Americans who have made great sacrifices in defense of our nation, and it is a deep concern to our organization that they are not given the respect and courtesy due to American citizens by some of our law makers. Since its occupation by the United States in 1898, over 200,000 Puerto Rican men and women have served in the uniform of our nation and some 2,000 have died in combat. Four of those who made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our country were recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor."
The Coalition charged that, in the controversy over Vieques, Congress is dealing with the symptom of a deeply chronic political disease, having its roots in the colonial relationship existing between the United States and Puerto Rico. The island is still an Unincorporated Territory of the United States after more than a century of US occupation. As such, it lacks the congressional representation that any one of the 50 states of the Union could call upon in such a conflict. If it were an independent country, some treaty between sovereign powers would govern the US Navy's use of the controversial military base.
Coalition leaders renewed their demand that Congress provide a mechanism for the people of Puerto Rico to choose a permanent political status. The 105th Congress failed to provide a process authorizing a plebiscite in Puerto Rico that offered congressionally-approved status options. This failure constituted an abrogation of legislative responsibility and a breach of faith, not only with the American citizens of Puerto Rico, but also with the 34 million Hispanic Americans living on the mainland. Andres Tobar, Executive Director of the National Association of Hispanic Publications, emphasized that, "It is time that the Congress deal with the real cause of the Vieques issue-the second class status of U.S. citizens in Puerto Rico, and the lack of genuine self-determination for Puerto Rico. It is urgent that Congress address the real issue causing the Vieques controversy, and not just the symptoms. The Hispanic community will not rest until Puerto Ricans achieve equal rights with their fellow Americans on the mainland."
Coalition leaders said they would continue their support for the Puerto Rico self-determination, and would make every effort to make this a major issue in the forthcoming presidential campaign. Among the organizations that are members of the Hispanic Coalition are the following: the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the American G.I. Forum, the National Association of Hispanic Publications, the National Hispanic Policy Forum, the Hispanic National Bar Association, and the National Puerto Rican Bar Association.
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Hispanic Coalition for Puerto Rican Self
Determination
2000 L Street, NW, Suite 610, Washington, DC 20036
(202) 833-6130 , FAX (202) 833-6135
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