TIME Magazine Story Highlights Moral Crisis in Vieques

The studies mentioned weren't performed by "agenda driven people," but independent scientists at very reputable institutions including Yale, UGA, and San Juan College of Engineers. The island of Vieques is only 8 miles away from the main island of Puerto Rico and is demographically similar in nearly every way. Yet children on Vieques are 25% more likely to die than those 8 miles away on the main island. The contamination affected the island's food, water, soil, and air. You can't blame poisoning from heavy metals, agent orange, or napalm on diet and smoking! In the TIME article, the former mayor stated that at least 13 people in his family have cancer, that's due to more than "genetic anomalies." The only substantial difference between Vieques and the main island of Puerto Rico is that one had the Navy dropping bombs on it for more than 60 years while the other didn't. Now the people of Vieques are at significantly higher risk for cancer, cirrhosis of the liver, hypertension, diabetes etc, than those on the main island. That's not a coincidence. The Navy has a responsibility to help these people. Those are the real facts.

This article is appalling. These people are Americans, and they deserve to be treated just like every other citizen of this country! I would like to respond to the comment made earlier, because talking about "personal responsibility" is just naive ... and frankly it shows a stark lack of compassion for our neighbors, our fellow Americans. I am disgusted to read that someone would take the attitude of "go and see for yourself" to distract from the real suffering of these people.

It takes someone who is completely detached from reality to act like this isn't happening and simply excuse our government for this clear moral imperative. The Puerto Rico Senate and House both passed unanimous resolutions this summer urging President Obama to deal with this situation. The mayor of Vieques has demanded that action be taken. A state representative from Georgia has launched a national coalition of elected and appointed Puerto Rican officials to band together in the name of justice. That's what this is: an issue of justice. Let's acknowledge our sin here, and then most importantly of all, go and sin no more by acting immediately to right this wrong.

Dear Jesus:

I have also been to this beautiful island – in fact, have lived here all my adult life (past 30 years), and I can assure you that things are much grimmer than reported in the Time article. The statistics are provided by the US Navy, the federal agency for toxic substances (ATSDR), the EPA, international and Puerto Rican scientists. And the statistics indicate the Navy dropped millions of pounds of explosives on Vieques during half century of bombing and other military practices; invited NATO and other allied militaries to bomb Vieques; allowed US arms manufacturers to experiment with new weapons systems on Vieques; brought radioactive contamination to be sunk in shallow waters off the coast of Vieques (USS Killen); dropped Napalm bombs and used Vieques to practice with radioactive uranium projectiles during decades.

Your comments related to diet, alcohol and genetic anomalies smack of racismo and deserve no further discussion.

Your are right to say the Navy is not responsible for every problem in the lives of Viequenses and certainly people here must take responsability for solving the pressing issues faced by the community, including the socio-economic and health crisis caused by and/or greatly exacerbated by the US Navy presence and activities on Vieques.

Water system on Vieques insalled by Puerto Rican Acqeducts Authority ... with the help of Navy ... in the 1960’s, not forties; Navy didn’t pave Vieques roads nor did their money build schools and playgrounds – i’d like to know where you got that false information.
The Navy took approximately 70% of Vieques’ lands through a process of expropriation – not purchase in any normal, free sense – mandated by Congressional Public Laws 13 (March 17, 1941) nd 247 (25 August, 1941) – with absolutely no participation by the people of Vieques or Puerto Rico.

You are also correct about people here being upset about transfer of lands from Navy to Fish and Wildlife. People on Vieques have struggle for decades to defend their right to life, liberty and the persuit of happiness against the horrific violations of these rights by the US Navy. With the support of the Puerto Rican nation in the Caribbean archipelago and in the diaspora, solidarity and active participation by the Bishops of all the churches in Puerto Rico and a unity in Puerto Rican society across class, race, age and ideological differences, Vieques defeated – without firing a single shot, the most powerful military force in the history of humanity: the US Navy.

However, the movement to stop the bombing and end military presence on Vieques did not respond to a theoretical, ideological interest against US militarism. The people of Vieques fought to get the Navy out because the Navy was destroying the islands environment, natural resources, economy and hopes for a positive future. The people of Vieques have a better plan for Vieques than the Navy: instead of bombing, let’s create a peacefull, healthy, democratic community. People are certainly upset because the struggle to regain control over their geographic patrimony has not concluded.

We will, i suggest, continue to work here for as long as it takes to get the Navy to perform a complete environmental clean up and restoration, make reparations for the enormous damage done and retake every inch of Vieques territory that belongs by natural right to this community and the next generations of Viequenses.

Robert Rabin
Director, Vieques Historic Archives
Robert.rabin@cprdv.org

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