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.
Documents
![Colonialism in Puerto Rico: News and Articles on: The Environment Militarization](images/thumbnails//26974.jpg)
Publisher: National Committee to Free Puerto Rican POWs and Political PrisonersFormat: CompilationCollection: Free Puerto Rican POWs and Political Prisoners
A compilation of news articles about the environmental movement in Puerto Rico and its fight with the US military, multinational corporations, rampant industrialization and the tourism industry.
![Declaration to the International Community Regarding the Crime of Genocide Against the People of Puerto Rico](images/thumbnails//27076.jpg)
Publisher: Movimiento de Liberacion NacionalFormat: StatementCollection: Movimiento de Liberacion Nacional
Table Contents- Education: Instrument for the Destruction of the National Culture; Forced Emigration: Dispersion of the Puerto Rican Nation; Public Health: Tool for the Decimation of the Puerto Rican Nation; Repression: Physical Destruction of the Independence Movement and the Puerto Rican People; Conclusion.
![Repression Resistance](images/thumbnails//32172.jpg)
Publisher: Rebeldia: Movimiento de LiberaciFormat: MonographCollection: Movimiento de Liberacion Nacional
Documents from the national liberation struggles and their allies. Documents from FBI, think tanks, and other repressive agenices.
![Trilateral Commission: The new US imperialist world strategy](images/thumbnails//32181.jpg)
Publisher: Political Studies Commission of the Movimiento de LiberaciYear: 1979Format: MonographCollection: Movimiento de Liberacion Nacional
Includes historical background, the current crisis of imperialism, and a summary of factors in the current situation.
![LIBERTAD: Special Supplement](images/thumbnails//28255.jpg)
Publisher: National Committee to Free Puerto Rican Prisoners of WarYear: 1989Volume Number: November/DecemberFormat: PeriodicalCollection: Libertad
Bangs and Whimpers. Speech delivered by Judge Bruce Wright on the sixth anniversary of the Marion Lockdown.
![LIBERTAD](images/thumbnails//32086.jpg)
Publisher: New York Committee to Free the Four NationalistsDate: 10/1978Volume Number: OctoberFormat: PeriodicalCollection: Libertad
Esta lucha va llegar a la guerra popular
![LIBERTAD](images/thumbnails//32087.jpg)
Publisher: National Committee to Free Puerto Rican Prisoners of WarYear: 1980Volume Number: Vol. II-III July-AugustFormat: PeriodicalCollection: Libertad
![Puerto Rican Armed Movement Issues Ultimatum: Return Alfredo Mendez - or else!](images/thumbnails//27540.jpg)
Publisher: New Movement in Solidarity with Puerto Rican IndependenceFormat: StatementCollection: New Movement