<html>
<body>
<tt><br>
From: Comité Pro Rescate y Desarrollo de Vieques
<bieke@prdigital.com> <br><br>
The Committee for the Rescue and Development of Vieques (CRDV)
celebrates<br>
today the victory of our community with the solidarity of the Puerto
Rican<br>
nation in the archipelago and in the diaspora and lots of people from
other<br>
countries that defeated the most powerful military force in the history
of<br>
humanity. May First 2003 is an historic day of great and positive
meaning<br>
for Vieques, for all Puerto Ricans and for communities throughout the
world<br>
struggling against militarism.<br><br>
<br><br>
We stopped the bombing that for more than half a century destroyed
our<br>
natural resources and poisoned the environment. Since May First,
2003,<br>
Vieques has had the opportunity to cure the wounds of its sea and
sands,<br>
corals and lagoons. We regained control over an important piece of
our<br>
lands 4 thousand acres, including a very important point for our
maritime<br>
transportation to the main island. We put an end to a period of
constant<br>
danger and the ever present threat of an explosion in the civilian
sector, a<br>
plane crash in the population area, a helicopter accident near a
school,<br>
street violence by gangs of drunken sailors…<br><br>
<br><br>
And on May 1, 2003 we stopped the military use of Vieques to attack
our<br>
brothers and sisters of the Americas and other parts of the globe where
US<br>
militarism works in the service of the economic and politic interests
of<br>
Washington. <br><br>
<br><br>
Friends… What we achieved on May First, 2003 and it is crucial we
remember<br>
and recognize the many moments of struggle prior to the death of David
Sanes<br>
this was truly an amazing feat that we must remember and teach the
next<br>
generations as a point of reference for the struggles that
continue.<br><br>
<br><br>
Everyone is very conscious of the serious problems of speculation,<br>
contamination, lack of democracy in the clean up and in the planning<br>
processes at the local and national levels of government related to
Vieques.<br>
The struggle for justice and peace is far from over in Vieques. The
CRDV<br>
maintains, since May First, 2003, that Peace is More than the Cessation
of<br>
Bombing. Without our lands in the hands of the community, there is
NO<br>
Peace. Speculation and displacement of our families robs us of our
peace.<br>
The ‘bombing’ that continues on the Eastern end of Vieques now part
of<br>
what the Navy calls, “clean up” violates our right to live in
peace.<br>
Large economic interests, teamed up with local and national
polilticians,<br>
threaten our hopes to create a sustainable, community controlled
economy.<br>
These are the realities of this post bombing phase of the Vieques
struggle.<br><br>
<br><br>
However, this reality will not take from us the delight of the great
victory<br>
of May First. For future generations of Viequenses and for
antimilitary<br>
fighters in different parts of the planet, the victory of stopping
the<br>
bombing on that International Workers Day three years ago will be a
moment<br>
of inspiration to continue on the way to a better world. <br><br>
<br>
<font face="Courier, Courier" size=3 color="#FF0000">The Freedom
Archives<br>
522 Valencia Street<br>
San Francisco, CA 94110<br>
(415) 863-9977<br>
</font><a href="http://www.freedomarchives.org/" eudora="autourl">
www.freedomarchives.org</a></body>
</html>