Vieques and Task Force Meeting Participants

Wed Feb 23 15:00:18 EST 2000

Yahoo! News - Associated Press PhotoMary Ann Lucking (corals at caribe.net) has sent you a news article.  Please scroll down to view photo and attached message to coral-list members. 

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Tens of thousands of people march through a San Juan, Puerto Rico Monday Feb. 21, 2000. Summoned by Puerto Rico's top religious leaders, demonstrators staged a silent march Monday to protest the planned resumption of U.S. Navy training on the island of Vieques.(Ap Photo/Andres Tirado) -- Puerto Rico Out, Mags Out -- 

Associated Press Photo
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/p/ap/20000221/wl/puerto_rico_us_navy_afu.html 

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      Associated Press Photo Monday 21 February 2000 

Photo Galleries: Top Stories - International - Sports - Entertainment - Public Opinion

            Tens of thousands of people march through a San Juan, Puerto Rico Monday Feb. 21, 2000. Summoned by Puerto Rico's top religious leaders, demonstrators staged a silent march Monday to protest the planned resumption of U.S. Navy training on the island of Vieques.(Ap Photo/Andres Tirado) -- Puerto Rico Out, Mags Out -- 

            E-mail this photo 

            Personal message: 

            CALL TO ACTION: Coral Reef Executive Task Force Advisors and Participants 

            Attention Coral Reef Experts and NGO's planning to present or submit comments at the next Coral Reef Executive Task Force Meeting. As you know, we have many water quality issues in Puerto Rico and the USVI's that demand attention if we are to reverse the destruction to our coral reefs. 

            Today we ask that you help us focus the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force on one important issue.

            The United States Navy plans to resume "inert" target practice on the coral reefs and target range of the Puerto Rican island of Vieques for three more years. We ask: how can three more years "make or break" our national security? In terms of coral reef conservation, however, we realize that three years may be all we have left in many coastal areas.

            What does this say about the U.S. commitment to coral reef conservation in principle? What kind of an example does it set to other nations when the United States attempts to buy permission to destroy coral reefs or tropical coastline from the people who live near them?

             What does this say about how the U.S. places value on human dignity?

            In our opinion, this not only represents an environmental issue of global significance, but it represents a human rights issue of moral significance. 

            Over 9,000 people inhabit the island of Vieques: people at risk every time an ordnance, even an inert ordnance, drops off target. If the inert ordnance impacts on target, it releases clouds of contaminants into the air. (The U.S. Navy has admitted using depleted uranium on Vieques.) 

            This could be impacting the health and environment of many people on Vieques and adjacent islands. Nobody knows, and yet the U.S. Navy (which calls the inert bombs "green" ordnance) plans to resume air to ground practice maneuvers. On the coral reefs of Vieques scientists documented a sunken barge full of barrels of unknown contents which would be released to the water if an inert missile were to impact it. How can this be considered "green."

            To date, nobody knows the extent of contamination of these areas, yet they plan to resume practice. 

            Does this contamination give us the green light to further contaminate, in the hopes that other "pristine" (if there are such areas left) are spared?

             We say no. Even if you are able to ignore the serious human rights issue, allowing further contamination of these ecosystems sets a very dangerous precedent for all of the anthropogenic sources that impact our declining reef systems.

            The time for discussions of coral reef conservation has past. We are now discussing restoration.  

            Although the military contends that such practice activities on Vieques are paramount to the national security of the United States, everyone should know that Vieques generates revenue for the U.S. Navy who lease the island to foreign nations for similar practice maneuvers. Although we are now focusing on air to ground maneuvers, immeasurable activity is also taking place under water in the Caribbean region, as nuclear submarines are often seen in our waters participating in underwater military war games.  

            There is no time for the Executive Tasks Force's Oversight Policy, if implemented, to take meaningful action on this issue. As advisors to the President on the crisis facing our coral reef ecosystem and all the life this ecosystem supports on a global scale, we ask that everyone mention at the next meeting (in  verbal presentations or in written comments) just two points: 

             1) We do not have the luxury of targeting these biologically diverse and already threatened ecosystems, and,  

            2) Not One More Bomb, inert or otherwise, should be dropped on the Island of Vieques. 

            By helping, you are joining in the march you see pictured above, where 100,000 + U.S. citizens carried the non-political white flags of PEACE FOR VIEQUES: a democratic and peaceful demonstration given little or no national coverage on United States television.

            In this way you can stand in solidarity with the local NGO's developing clean-up and conservation initiatives IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE LOCAL COMMUNITY of Vieques. 

            The future of the world's coral reefs depends on  effective change now. 

            Please take a few minutes to include a brief statement to the United States Coral Reef Task Force about Vieques.

            Sincerely, 
            Mary Ann Lucking 
            Project Coordinator 
            CORALations

            corals at caribe.net 

     Related Story 
            - 80,000 Protest Navy in Puerto Rico (Associated Press)  

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