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
-
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
LIBERTAD
Publisher: National Committee to Free Puerto Rican Prisoners of WarYear: 1998Volume Number: WinterFormat: PeriodicalCollection: Libertad
Contents: 100 National and International Prominent Personalities to Sign Declaration for Amnesty for Puerto Rican Political prisoners; Target: Pentagon Activists Demand Amnesty for Imprisoned Patriots; Puerto Rican Libratory educator Accused by FBI; Freedom Caravans gather Momentum for December 10th; IPOC to Commemorate Human rights Day at UN; Catholic Bishop Gumbleton Moved by Visit with Women POWs; A Report on the Conditions of Incarceration of the Puerto Rican Political Prisoners and the Campaign for Their Release, Mindful of the Release of Political Prisoners Throughout the World;
LIBERTAD
Publisher: National Committee to Free Puerto Rican Prisoners of WarYear: 1998Volume Number: FallFormat: PeriodicalCollection: Libertad
Special Fiesta Boricual Edition; Grand Jury Attacks; Victory for the Campaign; 100 Years Later: We Marched as a Nation!; Religious Update; Excerpts from July 25th Rally; The Struggle to Win; Editorial: 1998 is Not Over Yet; Alberto Writes from Texas; Area Briefs; Thank you from the Bruderhof
LIBERTAD
Publisher: National Committee to Free Puerto Rican Prisoners of WarYear: 1997Volume Number: SummerFormat: PeriodicalCollection: Libertad
Contents: Lolita Lebron at the UN; Junk Journalism and the Attack on the Puerto Rican Community by Oscar Lopez Rivera; My Perspective of the Recent Vigil/Fast by Edwin Cortes; Statement from the Puerto Rican Political Prisoners; News briefs from the Religious Community.
LIBERTAD
Publisher: National Committee to Free Puerto Rican Prisoners of WarYear: 1998Volume Number: SpringFormat: PeriodicalCollection: Libertad
Contents: National Hero Rafael Cancel Miranda in the US to promote Prisoner\'s Release; National Call to Washington DC on July 12th, 1998; The FBI Attacks Again; We Need Activism, Not Protagonism; The COINTELPRO Attack on the Campaign; An Analysis; Jericho 98; the Human Rights Problem in the World Today, Is Right Here in the USA!; Message by POW Adolfo Matos; Religious Community Update
LIBERTAD
Publisher: National Committee to Free Puerto Rican Prisoners of WarYear: 1995Volume Number: SummerFormat: PeriodicalCollection: Libertad
Contents: News briefs; The Campaign for the Release of the Imprisoned Puerto Rican Patriots: Foundations and Perspectives; When the Struggle for Parole is an Act of Futility by Edwin Cortes; How I See It by Oscar Lopez Rivera.
LIBERTAD
Publisher: National Committee to Free Puerto Rican Prisoners of WarYear: 1996Volume Number: SpringFormat: PeriodicalCollection: Libertad
Puerto Rican POWs & Political Prisoners Let Them Go! Inside: Briefs; The Patriots Speak; Reviews and Publications;
LIBERTAD
Publisher: National Committee to Free Puerto Rican Prisoners of WarYear: 1995Volume Number: SpringFormat: PeriodicalCollection: Libertad
15 Years is Long Enough: News Briefs; Editorial; Statements: Alberto Rodriguez; Carmen Valentin; Lucy Rodriguez; Alicia Rodriguez; Gulag ADX Florence by Oscar Lopez Rivera.
LIBERTAD
Publisher: National Committee to Free Puerto Rican Prisoners of WarYear: 1990Volume Number: Vol. XI-III AprilFormat: PeriodicalCollection: Libertad
10 Years of Struggle. Contents: Perspective by Elizam Escobar and Alberto Rodriguez; Letters from Haydee Beltran; Interviews with William Morales; Exclusive Interview with William Morales Part 2; Alberto Rodriguez; Special Section: 10th Anniversary POW Capture.
LIBERTAD
Publisher: National Committee to Free Puerto Rican Prisoners of WarDate: 12/1992Volume Number: DecemberFormat: PeriodicalCollection: Libertad
International Human Rights Day; Join the Campaign!; Libertad - A New Phase; NYC Council Passes History - Making Resolution; Editorial Politics; NYC Resolution; Messages to the New York City Council.
LIBERTAD
Publisher: National Committee to Free Puerto Rican Prisoners of WarYear: 1994Volume Number: SpringFormat: PeriodicalCollection: Libertad
40th Anniversary of the Attack on Congress/ 14th Anniversary of the Capture of Puerto Rican Prisoners of War. Inside: Editorial; 40 Years Later, the Nation Lives; Viva Puerto Rico Libre!; Message from Alberto Rodriguez; How Much Must we Wait? In Our Eyes, our fathers are Heroes; More Than Fourteen years in Prison; an Interview with Luis Nieves Falcon; Thirteen Years Older with no Oscar; Update
