Sent: Wednesday, August 02, 2000 7:24 PM
Subject: An open letter to President Clinton re: Vieques
Vieques Libre - http://www.viequeslibre.org
An open letter to President Clinton
From:Andrés Thomas Conteris
1804 S Street, NW
Washington, DC 20009
viequesfast@mail.com
25 July, 2000
Dear President Clinton:
I write to you appealing to your conscience and requesting that you take time to meet personally with the religious and peace movement leaders of Vieques, Puerto Rico.
Leaders of Vieques from the United Methodist Church, the Catholic Church, the Alliance of Vieques Women, the Committee for the Rescue and Development of Vieques and others have requested that you give them audience. They would like to explain to you face to face why they insist that the U.S. Navy must permanently stop bombing, a position supported by the vast majority of the people of Vieques, 88.5% according to a recent poll.
The religious and peace movement leaders would like to have a dialogue with you. They want to make a case for Demilitarization of their island, Decontamination of all the toxic pollution resulting from the military exercises, Devolution of the land that was forcibly expropriated during World War II and Development of their economy and environment. You have given ample opportunity to the representatives from the U.S. Navy to make their case to you personally. You have also consistently denied meeting personally with those most affected by the ongoing bombing. I ask you to reconsider this position and promote reconciliation by meeting with the leaders of the people of Vieques.
Your current policy, offering a referendum to the people of Vieques on a date to be determined by the U.S. Navy, which does not include the option for voters to express their desire for an immediate and permanent cessation to the Navy bombing, is not acceptable.
The people of Vieques and their supporters have expressed their opposition to the Navy presence with a campaign of active nonviolence including letter-writing, marching, picketing, risking arrest, spending time in the courts and doing jail time for civil disobedience. Many are still in prison for their prophetic nonviolent actions. There have also been four public initiatives for peace in Vieques involving fasting since May 4, 2000.
I was on the bombing range on Vieques on May 4, 2000 when the FBI and U.S. Marshalls removed the peace encampment that held vigil for over a year. Instead of turning myself in, I, like others, decided to go into hiding to continue to serve as human shields in the hope that the bombs would not fall. Despite the fact that the Navy was aware of the presence of protesters in the restricted area, the bombing recommenced even while I and others were still there. This has happened repeatedly since that time and is absolutely unconscionable.
This morning, at 6:00am, over twenty representatives from churches, popular movement organizations and people of faith and conscience began a rotating fast in front of Camp Garcia, the entrance to the bombing range on Vieques. They are appealing to your conscience so that you grant a long-requested meeting with the peace movement and religious leaders of Vieques.
In Washington, DC, we have also inaugurated a fast today asking that you reconsider your hard stance on refusing to meet with the leaders of Vieques. Members of a number of organizations and religious groups will participate in this rotating fast.
I am a part of the Fellowship of Reconciliation, a faith-based organization that seeks to resolve conflicts nonviolently. The FOR has worked for many years on the demilitarization of Puerto Rico through the Task Force on Latin America and the Caribbean. I am also a lay missioner with the United Methodist Church whose leadership in Puerto Rico has taken a strong position against the bombing in Vieques. I have decided to enter into an open-ended, liquid-only fast (juices with calories) appealing to your conscience so that you grant the long-requested meeting. This fast will become a liquid-only, no-calorie (water with some non-caloric salts, electrolytes, vitamins, minerals, etc.) if the Navy resumes the massive bombing exercises. This type of fast will continue indefinitely until you grant the meeting with the religious and peace movement leaders of Vieques.
Our witness is called Fast for Justice and Peace in Vieques, Puerto Rico: An Appeal to the Conscience of President Clinton to Meet with the Leaders of Vieques. We will hold a press conference in Lafayette park at 12 noon today and a prayer vigil and peace witness every evening from 5:00pm to 8:00pm.
Mohandas K. Gandhi called fasting the "prayer of a soul in anguish." It is the final stage along the path of an ever intensifying nonviolent witness. Indeed, those of us moved to fast are in deep anguish over the death of David Sanes on April 19, 1999 during a Navy bombing exercise. We are alarmed at the escalating cancer rates and other deleterious health effects on Vieques because of the bombing, and the rising repression by police, military and judicial authorities against peace activists on that tiny island. We are anguished over the threat that the bombs will continue to fall and we are filled with hope knowing that when we act together we can bring change.
Fasting for Justice and Peace,
Andrés Thomas Conteris
Member of the Task Force on Latin America and the Caribbean Fellowship of Reconciliation
Los Angeles Times
Wednesday, August 9, 2000
11 More Arrested in Vieques Protest
By: Associated Press
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -- The U.S. Navy detained 11 more protesters Tuesday, all youths who broke into its training ground to try to stop military exercises on the outlying island of Vieques, a spokesman said.
The protesters cut through a fence and were caught by military police about 5:30 a.m., spokesman Jeff Gordon said. He said the detainees were members of a youth group, but he was unsure of their ages.
Protesters claim 60 years of bombing and other exercises on the island have stunted its economy and damaged the environment and islanders' health--charges the Navy denies.
The Navy detained 32 women who broke into the training range Monday.
They were charged with trespassing and were freed until trial by a federal magistrate.
Mon, 14 Aug 2000 04:12:51 EDT
Vieques Libre - http://www.viequeslibre.org
August 2
Sent by Robert Rabin
Construction Project: Peace and Justice Shelter
Vieques Peace and Justice Camp (PJC), in front of the entrance to the Navy facility, Camp Garcia here in Vieques, where the US Navy does its bombing practice, plays a central role in the struggle against the military presence on the island. Currently, a shelter is under construction on the camp grounds to offer housing for the many people who come in solidarity to stay at PJC and participate in protest activities, civil disobedience actions and to offer services for the struggle. We are asking for financial support from people and organizations who solidarize with the Vieques cause to help complete this project.
Peace and Justice Camp
Founded on 4 December, 1999, with the aim of blocking the entrance and exit to the military base, Vieques Peace and Justice Camp was a vital element in the support system for the resistence camps set up in the bombing area until the arrests on May 4th. The PJC became the collection center for provisions - water, food, batteries, medicines, etc. - that were sent daily by fishing boat to the camps in the restricted zone. The PJC was also the center of communications between the civilian population and the resistence camps.
The peaceful civil disobedience action of the PJC was the obstruction, with human bodies, of vehicles, personnel or military equipment through the gate to Camp Garcia. This mission was carried out succesfully until the 4th of May when around sixty people - mainly Viequenses - were arrested, or "kidnapped" by the military forces at the camp.
After May 4th, the PJC reorganized its human, physical and spatial resources to continue as a resistence camp against the military aggresion on Vieques. We receive hundreds of people each week from Vieques, from the main island and from other countries. The camp´s office continues to be the command and communications center during civil disobedience actions. We also serve as headquarters for the Committee for the Rescue and Development of Vieques (CRDV) and meeting and protest space for all the community organizations that struggle for Peace on Vieques. Every Saturday a vigil is held at the camp, coordinated by the CRDV since 1998.
Friend to the camp, Noel Hernandez, designed and directs the construction of the Peace and Justice Shelter that began last week and is expected to be finished at mid month. We appeal to those friends in solidarity with the Vieques cause to help us with the costs of this project, estimated to be over five thousand dollars.
Donation
For more information please contact the Committee for the Rescue and Development of Vieques at (787) 741-0716 or (787) 375-0525.
Donations can be sent to the CRDV at P.O. Box 1424, Vieques, Puerto Rico 00765 or deposited in the Committee´s account: Banco Popular # 112 868231
Please forward this message.
Nuclear Bomb used in Vieques -Transcript of "RED ALERT 2: THE COVER UP"
Sat, 12 Aug 2000 16:09:06 EDT
Vieques Libre - http://www.viequeslibre.org
This is the transcript of the first part of the special report RED ALERT 2: "THE COVER-UP", transmitted on Wednesday August 9, 2000, by the News program "Noticentro 4" in San Juan, Puerto Rico (Channel 4, WAPA TV) by news reporter Pedro Rosa Nales. The second part of the series will continue on Thursday August 10 on "Noticentro 4" at 5:00 PM and the third and final part will be aired Friday, August 11 on "Noticentro 4" at 5:00 PM.
RED ALERT 2: "THE COVER-UP"
FIVE YEARS AGO NOTICENTRO DENOUNCED IN AN EXCLUSIVE REPORT THE COMPLICATED SITUATION LIVED BY THE PEOPLE OF VIEQUES DUE TO THE PRESENCE OF THE NAVY AND THE MILITARY MANEUVERS ON THE ISLAND. DURING THE SPECIAL ASSIGNMENT, "RED ALERT", IT WAS ALSO DENOUNCED THAT AN INCIDENT WITH A NUCLEAR BOMB HAD OCCURRED IN VIEQUES DURING THE MID 60’S.
THE HIGH COMMAND OF THE NAVY IN PUERTO RICO CATEGORICALLY DENIED IN 1995 THAT SUCH AN INCIDENT EVER OCCURRED AND COMMENCED A CAMPAIGN TO SUPPRESS AND HARRASS THIS TV STATION AND OUR REPORTER. NOW, AFTER FIVE YEARS OF INVESTIGATIONS, NOTICENTRO HAS FOUND NEW EVIDENCE THAT CONFIRMS THE OCCURRENCE OF THE NUCLEAR INCIDENT AND ITS COVER-UP. LET'S GO TO PEDRO ROSA NALES AND THE FIRST PART OF THE SPECIAL ASSIGNMENT "RED ALERT 2: THE COVER-UP".
ON FEBRUARY, 1995 WE PRESENTED, FOR THE FIRST TIME ON TELEVISION IN PUERTO RICO, THE SHOCKING IMAGES OF THE OCEAN FLOOR IN THE AREA THAT THE NAVY USES FOR WAR GAMES IN VIEQUES, AND THE DAMAGES TO CORAL REEFS AND MARINE SPECIES CAUSED BY THE BOMBS DROPPED BY THE NAVY. WE DENOUNCED THE LARGE AMOUNT OF BOMBS THAT HAVE BEEN LEFT ON THE BOTTOM OF THE OCEAN AND ON THE BEACHES -UNEXPLODED BOMBS--, WE ALSO EXPOSED THE FACT THAT THE NAVY USED DEPLETED URANIUM AND NAPALM, AND ALSO THE HIGH INCIDENCE OF CANCER AMONG VIEQUESERESIDENTS. BUT CIVILIAN SECURITY GUARD DAVID SANES HAD TO DIE BEFORE THE PUERTO RICANS COULD GAIN AWARENESS OF THE DAMAGES CAUSED BY THE MILITARY EXERCISES. MOREOVER, WE DENOUNCED IN AN EXCLUSIVE REPORT AN INCIDENT THAT OCCURRED IN '66 WITH A NUCLEAR BOMB JUST A FEW MILES OFF THE COAST OF VIEQUES.
VOICE FROM THE RED ALERT REPORT FROM 1995:
"While the Vietnam War was at its height, United States Navy aircraft accidentally dropped --near the coast of Vieques-- a nuclear bomb. By chance, the bomb --which power was stronger than that of the bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki-- did not explode."
THE NAVY'S HIGH COMMAND REACTED WITH ANGER. THEY DENIED, CATEGORICALLY, THE TRUTH OF THE NUCLEAR BOMB INCIDENT AND EVEN RIDICULED THIS REPORTER AND THE LOCAL NEWS MEDIA, CALLING US LIARS.
VOICE FROM REPORTER EFREN ARROYO, OF WAPA TV, REGARDING THE 1995 LETTER FROM NAVY ADMIRAL ERNEST CHRISTIANSEN:
"In his letter Admiral Christiansen questions the standards used by the news media in Puerto Rico. Some, considering the sender, could consider it a praise."
AND NOT SATISFIED WITH THAT, ADMIRAL ERNEST CHRISTIANSEN, WHO WAS THEN IN CHARGE OF THE ROOSEVELT ROADS BASE, FILED A COMPLAINT BEFORE THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION REQUESTING THE REVOCATION OF THIS STATION'S LICENSE DUE TO THE TRANSMITAL OF THE INFORMATION ON THE NEWS PROGRAM. EVEN MORE, HE ACCUSED THIS REPORTER OF VIOLATING ESPIONAGE LAWS.
HON. DAVID NORIEGA, THEN MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES IN P.R. (1995):
"This is bona fide journalism, why are they trying to apply the Espionage Law which is the product of the Cold War era, and they know is not applicable?"
DR. RAFAEL RIVERA CASTAÑO, EPIDEMIOLOGIST FROM VIEQUES, MEMBER OF THE COMMITTEE FOR THE RESCUE AND DEVELOPMENT OF VIEQUES (1995):
"The letter from Admiral Christiansen to the Federal Communications Commission is evidence, once again, of the Navy’s efforts to conceal the great danger of its presence and its activities in Vieques and the rest of the Puerto Rican Archipielago."
HON.DAVID NORIEGA, THEN MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF P.R. (1995):
"A copy of the letter was sent to the U.S. Attorney General in Puerto Rico and to the owners of WAPA, GE Capital. Why? With the obvious purpose of intimidating them."
BUT NOW WE HAVE NEW EVIDENCE THAT PROVES THAT THE INCIDENT WITH THE NUCLEAR BOMB INDEED OCCURRED AND THAT THE NAVY CONCEALED THE INFORMATION. THIS LETTER, THAT WAS A SECRET JUST A FEW MONTHS AGO, WAS SENT BY ONE OF THE TOP MILITARY ASSISTANTS IN THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE: CAPTAIN F. COSTAGLIOLA, TO THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE JOINT COMMITTEE ON ATOMIC ENERGY OF THE U.S. CONGRESS, JOHN T. CONWAY. THIS LETTER UNVEILS THE SHROUD OF SECRECY THAT FOR 34 YEARS CONCEALED THE NUCLEAR INCIDENT IN VIEQUES. THE LETTER, DATED AUGUST 29, 1966, INCLUDES A SUMMARY OF THE OFFICIAL REPORT OF THE INCIDENT AND OF THE SEARCH AND RESCUE MISSION CARRIED OUT BY THE U.S. NAVY TO RECOVER THE NUCLEAR BOMB.
DR. HERIBERTO TORRES, NUCLEAR PHYSICIST (2000)
"One bomb, even one of the smallest ones developed during that period in history, that detonates in that place, would have affected Puerto Rico and not only Puerto Rico, I believe that the United States as well."
TOMORROW [AUG. 10] WE WILL LEARN THE FACTS DESCRIBED IN THE REPORT. THE FACTS WILL SHOW HOW A NAVY AIRCRAFT HAD AN ACCIDENT AND DROPPED A NUCLEAR WEAPON NEAR THE COAST OF VIEQUES AND WE WILL SEE HOW THE NAVY CONDUCTED A RESCUE MISSION USING TRAINED DOLPHINS --DOLPHINS FROM THE THEN TOP SECRET MARINE MAMMAL PROGRAM. IN SPECIAL ASSIGNMENT, PEDRO ROSA NALES, NOTICENTRO 4.
Transcript of the second part of the special report RED ALERT 2: "THE COVER-UP"E (See Below)
This is the transcript of the second part of the special report "RED ALERT 2: THE COVER-UP" which aired yesterday in Channel 4 of Puerto Rico (Noticentro 4 - WAPA TV). In 1995 Channel 4 denounced an incident of a nuclear bomb dropped by the U.S. Navy off the coast of Vieques, Puerto Rico in the mid '60's. Now, Channel 4 has new evidence which confirms that the incident with the nuclear bomb did indeed occur and, in this new three-part series, reveals the new evidence as well as the cover-up by the U.S. Navy. The series concludes today, Friday August 11, at 5:00PM.
RED ALERT 2: "THE COVER-UP" (Second Part)
THIS DOCUMENT IS AN OFFICIAL REPORT, RECENTLY DECLASSIFIED, OF THE INCIDENT THAT OCCURRED ON JUNE 30, 1966 IN THE AREA THAT THE U.S. NAVY USES FOR MILITARY MANEUVERS IN WHICH A TEST BOMB WITH NUCLEAR CHARACTERISTICS FELL FROM AN A4C NAVY AIRCRAFT. THE REPORT REVEALS THAT THE NAVY WAS GOING TO DROP THE BOMB AT THE SIMULATED AIRFIELD INSIDE THE BOMBING RANGE ON THE EASTERN TIP OF VIEQUES AND THAT THE BOMB ACCIDENTALLY FELL INTO THE SEA DUE TO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONING OF THE DEVISE THAT FIRES AIRPLANE’S BOMBS. BUT, WAS THIS REALLY A NUCLEAR BOMB? NOTICENTRO SENT A COPY OF THIS REPORT TO A SPECIALIST IN NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND MILITARY WEAPONS WHO IS VERY WELL KNOWN IN THE SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY THROUGHOUT THE WORLD. HE COOPERATED WITH THIS INVESTIGATION UNDER THE CONDITION OF ANONYMITY BECAUSE HE WAS AFRAID OF RETALIATION BY THE U.S. GOVERNMENT. I WILL CALL HIM DR. X.
DR. X, NUCLEAR SCIENTIST:
"Absolutely. It's a non-conventional weapon. I think that it had Uranium 238. But definitely it was a non-conventional weapon."
FOR ALMOST TWO MONTHS THE BOMB WAS LOST AT A SHORT DISTANCE FROM THE COST OF PUNTA ESTE RISKING THE LIVES OF ALL THE HUMAN BEINGS WHO LIVE IN THIS PART OF THE CARIBBEAN. DR. HERIBERTO TORRES WAS IN CHARGE OF THE NUCLEAR ENERGY PROGRAM IN PUERTO RICO. CURRENTLY HE WORKS IN THE SCHOOL OF MEDICINE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PUERTO RICO.
DR. HERIBERTO TORRES, SPECIALIST IN NUCLEAR ENERGY:
Dr. Heriberto Torres: "It's incredible to attempt to make a nuclear test in the atmosphere. It is possible that they wanted to drop a bomb without its combustible elements."
Pedro Rosa Nales (Reporter): Did they expect the bomb to detonate?
Dr. Heriberto Torres: "That is totally incredible. I see that as something impossible, because one bomb, even one of the smallest ones, if it detonates in that place it was going to affect Puerto Rico and not only Puerto Rico but also the United States."
IN THE SEARCH FOR THE BOMB 13 SURFACE VESSELS PARTICIPATED, 7 OF WHICH WERE MINESWEEPERS AND 2 UNDERWATER RESEARCH VESSELS. ONE OF THE VESSELS WAS, THE ASHERAH. DOZENS OF DIVERS FROM THE MILITARY AND THE CIA ALSO PARTICIPATED. THESE WERE JOINED BY A GROUP OF DOLPHINS FROM THE THEN TOP SECRET NAVY MARINE MAMMAL PROGRAM THAT WERE TRAINED BY DR. MICHAEL GREENWOOD AND HIS WORK GROUP WHO WORKED AT LOCATING BOMBS AND CARRYING OUT OTHER MILITARY MISSIONS. AT THAT TIME THE NAVY’S DOLPHIN PROGRAM WAS SECRET AND WAS GROWING AS A RESULT OF THE COLD WAR AGAINST THE SOVIET UNION. THE REPORT CONFIRMS THAT THE SEARCH MISSION WAS COMPLICATED DUE TO THE CORAL REEFS AND THE SPONGES ON THE OCEAN FLOOR. IRONICALLY, IT WAS ALSO DIFFICULT DUE TO THE LARGE AMOUNT OF PIECES OF METAL DEBRIS PRESUMABLY FROM OTHER BOMBS, OF THE CONVENTIONAL TYPE, THAT HAD BEEN DROPPED IN THE PAST BY THE NAVY.
DR. X, NUCLEAR SCIENTIST:
"What this proves is that the Navy had the intention to test a bomb in Vieques to see what would happen. The other thing is that the report says that the bomb did not detonate, right? Which means that it had explosives inside, they were probably conventional explosives to see what would happen when the bomb was dropped. The Navy was definitely conducting a test."
THE BOMB WAS FOUND BY THE UNDERWATER VEHICLE ASHERAH SOME 2 MILES NORTHEAST OF PUNTA ESTE, IN OTHER WORDS AT 6 MILES FROM ITS ORIGINAL TARGET. THE REPORT EMPHASIZES THAT THE BOMB DID NOT EXPLODE, THAT ITS CENTRAL BODY WAS INTACT BUT THAT FRAGMENTS OF THE BOMB WERE FOUND SCATTERED WITHIN A 300 FOOT DIAMETER. IT WAS TAKEN OUT OF THE WATER ON AUGUST 20TH AT 7:45 AT NIGHT EVEN THOUGH IT WAS FOUND AT 5:42 IN THE MORNING. TWO DAYS AFTER THE MAIN COMPONENTS OF THE WEAPON WERE SENT TO THE ROOSEVELT ROADS BASE AND THEN, ACCORDING TO THE REPORT, THEY WERE TAKEN TO THE MAIN NUCLEAR WEAPONS LABORATORY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, THE SANDIA BASE IN NEW MEXICO. TOMORROW [FRIDAY, AUGUST 11] WE WILL KNOW THE DETAILS OF THE COVER-UP BY THE AUTHORITIES. IN SPECIAL ASSIGNMENT PEDRO ROSA NALES, NOTICENTRO 4.
Transcript of the third and final part of the special report "RED ALERT 2: THE COVER-UP" which aired today in Channel 4 of Puerto Rico (Noticentro 4 - WAPA TV). In 1995 Channel 4 denounced an incident of a nuclear bomb dropped by the U.S. Navy off the coast of Vieques, Puerto Rico in the mid '60's. Now, Channel 4 has new evidence which confirms that the incident with the nuclear bomb did indeed occur and, in this new three-part series, revealed the new evidence as well as the cover-up by the U.S. Navy.
RED ALERT 2: "THE COVER-UP" (Third Part)
ON MAY 8 1995, SENATOR EUDALDO BAEZ GALIB ASKED THE PUERTO RICO SENATE FOR AN INVESTIGATION OF THE INCIDENT IN 1966 WITH AN ALLEGED NUCLEAR WEAPON IN VIEQUES. THE RESOLUTION WAS APPROVED AND THE SENATE FEDERAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE WAS ASSIGNED THE TASK OF INVESTIGATING THE MATTER.
SENATOR EUDALDO BAEZ GALIB, PUERTO RICO SENATE:
"And that was a formal and official matter that ended in nothing because the U.S. Navy did not cooperate at all. On the one hand, they now have to admit that they lied. On the other hand, they owe an explanation to the people of Puerto Rico about what consequences that bomb could have had when the report itself indicates that fragments of the bomb were found scattered. What effect could that have had on the ecology of Vieques and on the general situation in that area."
THE SENATE HAD THE SAME LUCK AS THE MAYOR OF VIEQUES AND THE MUNICIPAL ASSEMBLY OF VIEQUES, WHO REQUESTED OFFICIAL EXPLANATIONS AND RECEIVED NONE. FROM THE START, THE NAVY KEPT THE INCIDENT IN VIEQUES SECRET, AN INCIDENT WHICH TOOK PLACE 5 MONTHS AFTER THE NUCLEAR INCIDENT WHICH OCURRED IN PALOMARES, SPAIN.
[Description of reporter Pedro Rosa Nales about the nuclear accident in Palomares, Spain in January of 1966]
THE INCIDENT WITH THE BOMB IN VIEQUES AND THE USE OF TRAINED DOLPHINS IN THE UNTIL RECENTLY SECRET NAVY MARINE MAMMAL PROGRAM HAS BEEN MENTIONED IN OTHER MEDIA. THIS INTERNET WEBSITE DEDICATED TO DOLPHIN ENTHUSIASTS PUBLISHED THE ARTICLE "THE PENTAGON'S DEADLY PETS" WHICH HIGHLIGHTS THE MISSION WITH DOLPHINS TO SEARCH FOR THE NUCLEAR BOMB THAT WAS LOST IN VIEQUES. THE ARTICLE STATES THAT, ACCORDING TO A SOURCE THAT WAS PART OF THE CIA'S DOLPHIN RESEARCH PROGRAM, THE PENTAGON DID NOT INFORM OF THE ACCIDENT IN VIEQUES IN ORDER TO AVOID ALARMING PUBLIC OPINION AND SO AS NOT TO AFFECT THE IMAGE OF A PROGRAM THAT WAS SUPPOSEDLY FAIL-PROOF. NOW, THE SENATE IS CHARGING BACK AND THERE ARE MORE QUESTIONS TO ANSWER.
SENATOR EUDALDO BAEZ GALIB, PUERTO RICO SENATE:
"If they come back and refute this again or if they come back with their fictitious excuses like they did last time, then I have one of two options. I would have to request from the Senate of Puerto Rico that it defend its honor and its pride which were disregarded back then by the Navy. And number two as Chairman of the Democratic Party in Puerto Rico, I would have to request from the leaders of the Democratic Party in Congress that they intervene in this matter because this is not child's play. We are dealing in this historic moment in particular with an issue of vital importance, not only for Puerto Rico but also for the United States because this is an issue that could affect the international relations of the United States if it is determined that there was a violation of the treaty, which had been signed, which prohibits nuclear weapons."
THE LEGISLATOR RECENTLY SENT A FORMAL REQUEST FOR AN INVESTIGATION OF THE INCIDENT TO PRESIDENT CLINTON. HOWEVER, THE NAVY THROUGH CAPTAIN MIKE BRADY OF THE HEADQUARTERS IN NORFOLK, VIRGINIA ISSUED THIS BRIEF STATEMENT IN WHICH THEY ADMIT FOR THE FIRST TIME THAT THE INCIDENT DID OCCUR IN VIEQUES IN 1966 BUT CLAIM THAT THE BOMB WAS NOT NUCLEAR.
CAPTAIN MIKE BRADY, ATLANTIC FLEET COMMAND IN NORFOLK, VIRGINIA:
"The allegation concerning a nuclear weapon is completely false. It is an obvious lie intent on discrediting the Navy. What was dropped and recovered in 1966 was a training device which contained no nuclear material."
THE CLAIM BY THE NAVY RAISES NEW QUESTIONS. WHY THE DEPLOYMENT OF SO MUCH PERSONNEL AND EQUIPMENT FOR THE SEARCH? WHY DID THEY SEND THE BOMB TO THE GOVERNMENT'S PRINCIPAL LABORATORY FOR ATOMIC ENERGY, IN SANDIA BASE? WHY WAS THE INCIDENT CONCEALED AS A NATIONAL SECRET FOR OVER 30 YEARS? WHY IS THE SPECIFIC BOMB TYPE STILL SECRET? WHY WAS THE SECRET REPORT SENT TO THE JOINT COMMITTE ON ATOMIC ENERGY OF THE U.S. CONGRESS? AND WHY DID THE ATOMIC ENERGY DEPARTMENT ITSELF CLASSIFY THE ACCIDENT AS NUCLEAR? IN THE PAST THE NAVY HAD DENIED THAT THEY STORED NUCLEAR BOMBS IN PUERTO RICO, BUT RECENTLY THEY HAD TO ADMIT IT. THEY DENIED THE USE OF DEPLETED URANIUM IN VIEQUES AND LATER HAD TO ADMIT IT. THEY ALSO DENIED THE USE OF NAPALM, AND LATER HAD TO ADMIT IT. THEY HAD DENIED THE EXISTENCE OF THE PROGRAM TO TRAIN DOLPHINS FOR MILITARY MISSIONS AND ADMITTED IT A FEW YEARS AGO. THEY ALSO DENIED THE INCIDENT IN VIEQUES AND NOW THEY HAD TO ADMIT IT. IN SPECIAL ASSIGNMENT, PEDRO ROSA NALES, NOTICENTRO 4.
12 August, 2000
PRESS RELEASE
The Committee for the Rescue and Development of Vieques (CRDV) demanded that pertinent authorities carry out an immediate and profound investigation about an explosive artifact dropped by the Navy in Vieques waters in 1966.
According to information revealed in the news report, "Red Alert" aired in 1995 by the Channel 4 news reporter, Pedro Rosa Nales, and according to new evidence described this week in the report, "Red Alert 2: The Coverup" by the same reporter, the artifact was a nuclear bomb.
The CRDV said that recently declassified documents mention that the bomb was composed of "many classified (secret) components identical to those found in war reserve weapons." The testimony of Dr. Michael Greenwood, marine biologist, about his participation in the recovery of a nuclear bomb off the coast of Vieques in 1966; the reports in the newspaper Newsday about this information; the intense search for two months with a dozen mine sweepers and submarine vehicles; the fact that the bomb, once found, was sent to the Sandia(New Mexico) warehouse for nuclear bombs; the fact that the report on this accident was submitted to the Joint Commission of Congress on Atomic Energy; that the report was filed in the office of the Federal Department of Energy in Nevada and that this office catalogued the report under "Nuclear Weapons"; Navy lies that the incident never occurred when their own documents show the contrary and the fact that 34 years later the most detailed description of the bomb is censored because it is "sensitive information"; all of this constitutes a mountain of evidence that that bomb the Navy dropped in Vieques waters in 1966 was a nuclear bomb.
Robert Rabin, spokesman for the CRDV, said that "The Navy has done the unspeakeable, since it will not admit the accident happened nor will it provide information about the bomb. Whatever specific content the bomb had, the Navy's own documents insist they must be kept secret. The nuclear bomb was a test bomb with explosive material and probably with a uranium 238 charge." Rabin added that the Navy cannot say the bomb was inert since "the Navy documents state that when the bomb was found it 'had not exploded'."
The report, "Red Alert 2: The Cover up", by Pedro Rosa Nales of Channel 4 News, descibres the process of lies and deceit used by the Navy to deny or minimize the dangers related with their exercises in Vieques. "In the same way they denied the use of Napalm and depleted uranium weapons until the evidence got into the hands of the CRDV," Rabin said. "They deny the relationship between Vieques' severe health crisis and the toxics produced by the bombing, while community and government scientists have compiled an enormous amount of documentation that indicates the military contaminants are carcinogenic and very dangerous for our people," sustained Rabin.
In 1995, the CRDV wrote to President Clinton to ask for an investigation about the 1966 incident as a result of the first Red Alert program by Rosa Nales. The Mayor of Vieques and the Municipal Assembly, the House of Representatives and the Senate of Puerto Rico also demanded in 1995, information about this incident and have never received an answer. The Navy not only denied the incident happened, but also attempted to submit charges against Rosa Nales under the Espionage Law and tried to get the Federal Communications Commission to revoke the license of WAPA-TV for transmitting the program.
The Viequenses applauded Pedro Rosa Nales and WAPA-TV News for the transmission of the special report, despite Navy threats. High officials of the Deparment of the Navy pressured the television station not to show the Rosa Nales report about the lost bomb and the recently obtained information that confirms what was revealed in the 1995 report. The Viequenses also lauded Puerto Rican lawyers Flavio Cumpiano, CRDV representative in Washington, DC, and Ivan Ramos Soler of Connecticut, who discovered and obtained the Navy documents with the Navy report about the nuclear bomb incident.
Contacts: Robert Rabin,CRDV Vieques 787 741-0716 Cel. 375-0525
Lcdo. Flavio Cumpiano,CRDV Washington, DC 202 721-4688