Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico was invaded by the US in 1898 after winning
independence from Spain. An independence movement has thrived ever since
that has reasserted a right to self-determination and an end to US
colonialism. Includes extensive material on Puerto Rican
Independentistas, political prisoners, prisoners of war* and land rights as well as
struggles in the diaspora.
This collection contains sub-collections focused on political parties and organizations committed to the struggle for Puerto Rican independence, groups and organizations founded to support political prisoners and prisoners of war and general information.
*Prisoners of War:
On October 12, 1970, UN resolution 2621 approved by the General Assembly, declared colonialism an international crime. Said resolution reaffirmed the right of any intervened, colonized nation to utilize whatever form of struggle is necessary to obtain its independence. Armed struggle, military resistance and whatever form of struggle that leads to the independence of nations that are colonized, invaded and occupied by foreign military troops, is recognized as a right by the UN. Puerto Rico, by virtue of being a colonial state is supported by International Law.
International Law is also very specific in reference to prisoners of war. According to the Geneva Convention, combatants who have declared themselves prisoners of war must be recognized as such. Those Puerto Ricans arrested were armed and accused of belonging to the Armed Forces of Puerto Rican National Libertion. The nature of the arrest and the US government's own indictment only serves to reaffirm that the eleven were combatants in the struggle for Puerto Rican independence at the time of their arrests. According to the Geneva Treaty, ratified by the UN in 1949, captured soldiers are prisoners of war. It is thus the argument of the eleven that they are prisoners of war.
This collection contains sub-collections focused on political parties and organizations committed to the struggle for Puerto Rican independence, groups and organizations founded to support political prisoners and prisoners of war and general information.
*Prisoners of War:
On October 12, 1970, UN resolution 2621 approved by the General Assembly, declared colonialism an international crime. Said resolution reaffirmed the right of any intervened, colonized nation to utilize whatever form of struggle is necessary to obtain its independence. Armed struggle, military resistance and whatever form of struggle that leads to the independence of nations that are colonized, invaded and occupied by foreign military troops, is recognized as a right by the UN. Puerto Rico, by virtue of being a colonial state is supported by International Law.
International Law is also very specific in reference to prisoners of war. According to the Geneva Convention, combatants who have declared themselves prisoners of war must be recognized as such. Those Puerto Ricans arrested were armed and accused of belonging to the Armed Forces of Puerto Rican National Libertion. The nature of the arrest and the US government's own indictment only serves to reaffirm that the eleven were combatants in the struggle for Puerto Rican independence at the time of their arrests. According to the Geneva Treaty, ratified by the UN in 1949, captured soldiers are prisoners of war. It is thus the argument of the eleven that they are prisoners of war.
Subcollections
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Free Puerto Rican POWs and Political Prisoners
The National Committee to Free Puerto Rican POWs and Political Prisoners, 1981-1998, campaigned around many issues, regarding the 15 Puerto Rican Political Prisoners and Prisoners of War. -
Fuerzas Armadas de Liberacion Nacional (FALN)
The FALN was an anti-colonial and anti-imperialist clandestine organization based in the diaspora using armed propaganda to advocate for Puerto Rican independence. -
Libertad
Bi-lingual newsletters produced from 1979-1998 by the Committee to Free Puerto Rican Prisoners of war. Libertad’s primary mission was to organize support for Puerto Rican prisoners of war incarcerated by the United States. -
Movimiento de Liberacion Nacional
Formed to analyze attempts by the US government to crush the Puerto Rican independence movement, and to form a new political vehicle to resist this oppression. -
New Movement
An anti-imperialist group in solidarity with the Puerto Rican Independence movement, it supported all aspects of the Puerto Rican Independence Movement- including clandestine groups on the island and in the Diaspora. -
Puerto Rico Small Books and Monographs
This collection contains books and monographs pertaining to the independence struggle of Puerto Rico. Many of these books were written by major figures in the Puerto Rican Independence movement and discuss a variety of topics. -
Puerto Rico: A History of the People
This collection contains documents detailing the various struggles of Puerto Ricans against foreign invaders from the arrival of the Spanish to the current occupation by the United States of America. -
Que Ondee Sola
Que Ondee Sola was established in 1972 and remains the oldest Puerto Rican/Latina/o university student publication in print.
Documents
![Puerto Rico Fact Sheet: Independence or Annexation](images/thumbnails//27522.jpg)
Publisher: Movimiento de Liberacion Nacional; New Movement in Solidarity with Puerto Rican IndependenceFormat: ReportCollection: New Movement
Report with information on the history of Puerto Rico, its political status, its economic situation, important dates in Puerto Rican history, resistance to US colonialism, Vieques, colonial political parties in Puerto Rico and independence parties and organizations.
![Report from Grito de Lares Program at Miranda High School Sponsored by the MLN](images/fileicons/nodigital.png)
Publisher: Movimiento de Liberacion NacionalDate: 9/27/1981Volume Number: 27-SepFormat: ReportCollection: Movimiento de Liberacion Nacional
Reproduction; report from a program on the explortation of Puerto Rico's mineral and other natural resources.
![Informe a la Comision de Derechos Humanos de las Naciones Unidas - Contrainsurgencia contra los Prisioneros Politicos…](images/fileicons/nodigital.png)
Publisher: Attorneys and Legal Representatives for the Puerto Rican Political Prisoners and Prisoners of WarYear: 1987Format: ReportCollection: Fuerzas Armadas de Liberacion Nacional (FALN)
Submission to the UN Human Rights Commission in support of the Puerto Rican Political Prisoners and Prisoners of War - lays out historical issues re colonialism and human rights violations in Puerto Rico and legal basis for resistance.
![Puerto Rico: The Cost of Colonialism](images/fileicons/nodigital.png)
Publisher: Fellowship of Reconciliation Task Force on Latin America and the CaribbeanYear: 1992Format: ReportCollection: Puerto Rico: A History of the People
A report from the interfaith organization, the Fellowship of Reconciliation Task Force, detailing the harmful effects of colonization and militarization in Puerto Rico and attempting to inspire others to act against injustice in Puerto Rico.
![Puerto Rico Background Information Sheet](images/fileicons/nodigital.png)
Publisher: New Movement in Solidarity with Puerto Rican IndependenceYear: 1980Format: ReportCollection: Puerto Rico: A History of the People
An overview of the history of colonization and oppression in Puerto Rico from the New Movement in Soidarity with Puerto Rican Independence.
![Imperialism and Militarism: An Analysis of the Puerto Rican Case](images/fileicons/nodigital.png)
Publisher: Caribbean Project for Justice and PeaceFormat: ReportCollection: Puerto Rico: A History of the People
An essay exploring how the evolution of militarism in Puerto Rico has made the island dependent on the U.S. military while simultaneously suffering from its action especially in Vieques.
![Militarization and the Caribbean Basin Initiative](images/fileicons/nodigital.png)
Publisher: Caribbean Project for Justice and PeaceFormat: ReportCollection: Puerto Rico: A History of the People
An essay about how the Caribbean Policy began during the Carter administration in response to the threat of Nationalist movements and how the militarization of Puerto Rico is implicit in that plan as the site for training of other Caribbean nations police force.
![Militarism and Natural Resources in Puerto Rico](images/fileicons/nodigital.png)
Format: ReportCollection: Puerto Rico: A History of the People
An essay on the effect of military activity on the island's natural resources.
![Battle for Vieques](images/fileicons/nodigital.png)
Publisher: Free Puerto Rico CommitteeYear: 1989Format: ReportCollection: Puerto Rico: A History of the People
A first hand account from a member of the Free Puerto Rico Committee of the who visited Puerto Rico during a confrontation on Vieques island between the Navy and longtime resident Felix "Carmelo" Matta when he was forcefully evicted.
![The Dollar Brings Destruction](images/fileicons/nodigital.png)
Publisher: Committee for Puerto Rican DecolonizationFormat: ReportCollection: Puerto Rico: A History of the People
An in-depth economic analysis of how the specific interests of U.S. capital in Puerto Rico were at odds with the welfare of the Puerto Rican people as a whole.