Puerto Rican movement tells Clinton:
NO CONDITIONS!
Free political prisoners, U.S. Navy out of Vieques
By
Vanessa Lewis and Carlos Rovira
New York
Elation spread throughout the Puerto Rican community and
other activist and revolutionary movements on Aug. 3 when word
got around that 11 of the 16 Puerto Rican political prisoners
would be released under clemency from President Bill
Clinton.
But this elation turned to frustration when the official
announcement came that any pardon of the 11 would depend on
their agreeing to outrageous political conditions. These
conditions confirm that the only reason these sisters and
brothers have been imprisoned is because of their roles as
freedom fighters in the Puerto Rican independence struggle.
The Puerto Rican political prisoners, also known as soldiers
or prisoners of war, are Carmen Valentine, Alicia Rodriguez,
Ricardo Jimenez, Dylcia Pagan, Alberto Rodriguez, Edwin Cortes,
Alejandrina Torres, Carlos Alberto Torres, Ida Luz Rodriguez,
Oscar Lopez-Rivera, Adolfo Matos, Antonio Comacho Negron, Luis
Rosa, Juan Segarra Palmer, Elizam Escobar and Dr. Jose Solis
Jordon.
Between 1980 and 1985, they were convicted of conspiring to
overthrow the U.S. colonial occupation of their island. They
were charged with "seditious conspiracy," which can mean
imprisonment or even death for the mere discussion of
revolutionary acts.
In other words, the "crime" is their just struggle for
self-determination and political independence from U.S.
imperialism and colonialism.
Problems with the "clemency" demands
The offer doesn't apply equally to all prisoners.
Of the 16, three were not even included in the offer: Carlos
Alberto Torres, who is serving a 70-year sentence; Camacho
Negron, who has already been offered parole, and Solis
Jordon.
Segarra Palmer was offered release in five years and
remittance of his fine; Oscar Lopez would get release in 10
years. The rest were offered immediate release. But there is no
real commutation of their sentences. They would in effect be on
parole. And all these offers apply only if they agree to accept
a series of conditions set by the White House.
What are these conditions? They have not yet been spelled
out, but discretion is left with the Parole Commission to
restrict the prisoners' travel and association. This means they
could be barred from associating with each other or with anyone
in the Puerto Rican political movement. So far, the prisoners
have not been afforded the opportunity to discuss the offer
with each other.
Ironically, the prisoners have more freedom of speech and
association in prison than under the terms of this so-called
offer of clemency.
If they violate these conditions, their "clemency" would be
voided.
These conditions are an admission that they are indeed
political prisoners--something the U.S. government strenuously
denies. The deal is also an admission that the sentences were
excessive and politically motivated.
These punitive conditions in fact criminalize the struggle
for independence. The White House has drafted a document for
the prisoners to sign renouncing the use, attempted use or
advocacy of the use of "violence" as a condition of release.
This is an attempt to undermine the right of Puerto Rican
independentistas to self-determination by any means necessary,
which is the right of all nationally oppressed people.
Even the American Revolution of 1776 recognized, in the
Declaration of Independence, that an oppressed people have the
right to take up arms and fight for their liberation. This is
much more valid today, when the oppression is so much
greater.
Liberation struggle continues
After 19 years of a struggle to free these prisoners, why
does the government offer clemency now? It is the opinion of
the three leading organizations in the movement to free the
Puerto Rican political prisoners that this is not an offer at
all.
The Pro-Libertad Amnesty Campaign of Puerto Rico, as well as
the Pro-Libertad Amnesty Campaign based in New York City and
the National Committee to Free the Puerto Rican Prisoners of
War and Political Prisoners, based in Chicago, are all in
agreement that the offer is intended as a diversion from the
huge struggle taking place over the island of Vieques in Puerto
Rico.
That struggle is at its highest level since the U.S. Navy
and Marines occupied the island in 1942. Ever since they have
used Vieques, along with the Panama Canal, as a major base for
war games and imperialist conquests in Latin America and the
whole Western Hemisphere.
Recently, while carrying out training exercises for its
bombardment of Yugoslavia, the U.S. Navy "accidentally" killed
a young civilian there and wounded four others. The killing
ignited mass protests across the island of Vieques. Puerto
Ricans from all over the island have been participating
alongside the Viequenses in civilian base occupations.
The Vieques struggle is at the heart of and wholly
represents the struggle of the prisoners of war to liberate
Puerto Rico from U.S. occupation and imperialism.
Doña Rosa, former political prisoner, fighter in the
Pro-Libertad Amnesty Campaign, and pillar of Puerto Rican
national liberation says, "The White House wants to exchange
our political prisoners for Vieques. It is a big mistake,
because it is not going to work. Washington is playing with us.
Just last Friday, in Puerto Rico, 1,800 soldiers were
transferred from Panama to Vieques [just before Clinton
announced the clemency]. What they want is Puerto Rico, and
they want to stop the struggle in Vieques."
Frank Vergara, a leader of Pro-Libertad Amnesty Campaign in
New York, added, "It is clear that the welcome of the soldiers
to the Southern Command in Puerto Rico was the setting for the
announcement of clemency.
"The issue was to divert attention from this imperialist
move of intensified aggression against and abuse of the people
of Puerto Rico. The timing couldn't be better for the
administration to create confusion in the wake of the
high-level struggle taking place in Vieques against the U.S.
Navy occupation."
Free the Puerto Rican political prisoners now!
Fifteen of the 16 POWs have suffered such torment as sleep
deprivation, denial of medical care and solitary confinement
for the last 19-and-a-half years.
The prisoners have yet to take an official position on the
clemency offer. They are currently demanding to be able to
speak to each other and assemble in Chicago in order to make an
assessment and take a position as a group. So far this demand
has been refused by the U.S. government.
The National Committee to Free the Puerto Rican Prisoners of
War and the Political Prisoners has issued a call asking people
to either write to the president or call the White House at
(202) 456-1111 to demand unconditional release of all the
Puerto Rican political prisoners.
African American political prisoner and journalist Mumia
Abu-Jamal has issued a statement in support of the
unconditional release of all the Puerto Rican political
prisoners. The Leonard Peltier Defense Committee is also
calling on activists to support the letter-writing campaign.
Other organizations are being called on to publicly express
their support.
Also adding their voices to the call for an unconditional
release of all the prisoners are U.S. representatives Luis V.
Gutierrez and Nydia Velazquez, the Rev. Jesse Jackson,
Archbishop Roberto Gonzalez Nieves, New York City Councilmember
Jose Rivera, the National Puerto Rican Coalition, the National
Lawyers Guild and the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education
Fund.
"In order for them to accept clemency, they have to request
a pardon, admitting that they performed a criminal act," said
Doña Rosa. "They are not criminals, they are our
heroes." However, she added, "Pro-Libertad is willing to accept
whatever the prisoners want to do, including accepting
clemency. We support them, and will continue to keep fighting
for those who refuse the conditions of clemency and those who
have not been offered," said Rosa.
Free all the Puerto Rican political prisoners!
Self-determination for Puerto Rico!
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