POEOTO HDD: OOOOIOOOE OF p IISLrAND UNDER THE GVN ,'/! '"" .?' ••-.-,-.• - ' .-.V I . ' ';.- •*:.&*-•*'<•'.'•> -,/ "-;•-' -:- .- Culcbra Confrontation , " } k Mfci".'5 '..^Si«1s? '•'_ """...fjr^ 9 INTRODUCTION ................. 3 CULEBRA: A HISTORY .............. 4 A GUIDE TO THE PENTAGON'S 13% .... 5 CULEBRA: WHY DO THE PEOPLE WANT THE NAVY OUT? . .1 CULEBRA: THE REAL ISSUES . .8 On September 18, 1970, the San Juan daily ElMundo few years. It impinges on the popular consciousness more carried an article by Eladio Rodriguez Otero, President of than the draft, more than the Chocolate Soldier antics of the Puerto Rican Atheneum, called "Puerto Rico: Nuclear ROTC which has already caused armed confrontation and Aircraft Carrier". deaths, more even than the fact that the Yellow Sub- The burden of the article was that the entire island has marine has been converted into a nuclear aircraft carrier. been converted into a major military complex and thus an That symbol is the tiny island of Culebra which, inevitable prime target in the event of nuclear war. And together with its sister island of Vieques, has erupted into that Puerto Rico, unlike any other nation or colony or the forefront of the battle between the people and the even state of the U.S., would necessarily be totally military. destroyed in a first nuclear strike. It is a nation program- Years ago, the great patriot Albizu Campos decried the med for extinction. U.S. efforts to eradicate the historic meaning of Vieques, Whether the genocide of Puerto Rico comes in a which "was always a strong point in the defense of our mushroom cloud or through attrition by developmentalist Hispanic personality. It was here that the great Leguillou programs, the presence of the U.S. military has been a stopped the second British attempt to conquer our constant problem since the country was first "liberated" national territory." in 1898. Vieques, Albizu Campos declared, was able with its The response of Puerto Rican youth to the immoral own resources to maintain its whole population. It had and unjust military conscription system has already been cattle, fruit, vegetables and 20,000 tons of sugar products. described. Even so, few Americans-even draft resisters It was a province unto itself. But why, Albizu Campos and others who oppose this form of involuntary servi- asked, "why has the United States chosen Vieques to tude—realize that Puerto Rican independentistas have repeat in the broad daylight of contemporary civilization written the most brilliant chapter in the anti-conscription the crime of genocide; that is, the deliberate destruction story. Because of their togetherness and their tenacity in either physically or culturally of a people?" fighting court judgments against them, not one indepen- The question of Vieques is, today, far from solved, dentista has been forced to join rthe death machine. even in the sense of a "final solution". We shall be hearing American pacifists can't claim that good a record, and more about this tiny island off the East coast of Puerto certainly not such an effective political challenge to the Rico. But at this moment the focus is on its even smaller whole system. sister island, Culebra. But an even more important symbol of the-attempted In the articles that follow, something of the meaning- military conquest of Puerto Rico has emerged in the last and the complexity-of the Culebra struggle emerge. Page 3 ' '•' ' •*:^'S®^I':^^§ ^ W^S^?^ t-v/;*.'> ^o :•*•>"*?•--• ^"Ca*'-''.:*' - ;.>-;-• ~-rt •«•>• t. 'y&Aag V *Y"J CULEBRA: A HISTORY v.£'$ii$ The island of Culebra is located 17 miles from the to move either to rural areas or to other lots on what is Eastern coast of Puerto Rico. Even though the island was now the only town, Dewey. Even if the Treaty of Paris of an integral part of the Spanish colony of Puerto Rico, it December 10, 1898 were considered to be valid, this wasn't colonized until the latter part of the 19th Century. action by the Navy violated the rights of the inhabitants After a period of uncertainty and a lack of organization of Culebra. The document mentioned, written without regarding the best way of colonizing the island, then the consent of the Puerto Rican people, cedes Puerto Rico known as San Hdefonso de la Culebra, Cayetano Escudero as war booty and transposes its national partimony to the arrived there on October 27, 1880 with ten men to begin sovereignty of the United States. the colonization. As an incentive the Spanish Overseas Ministry offered free lands, tax exemption, transporta- tion, some material help, two lots—one urban and one "... all buildings, docks, barracks, forts, businesses, rural, and a free port. public roads and other real estate, which by right is public property, belong as such to the Spanish Crown. A process never clarified, and which constitutes one of Therefore, it is declared that the cession referred to in the juridical aspects of the conflict caused by the military the above paragraph, may in no way interfere with the presence of the U.S. Navy in Culebra, is that of rights to property according to law, of the peaceful urbanization and the distribution of lands. Colonization provider of goods of all kinds in the provinces, began on the deserted island, once an adequate urbaniza- municipalities, public or private enterprise ... and all tion map was drawn up, but the land distribution was individuals whatever their nationality." provisional. The island was divided into several zones, some of which the State reserved for its use, i.e. public lands, mangrove plantations, lands for war use, and some beach areas. '•'••»" ".*'•'_ •, •'-'-.'•'""•'' • •" " *•'• ^- ' • -"-,.-'- . NAVY VIOLATES RIGHTS In September, 1889 a Royal Order extended the Independently of the affront suffered by the people in deadline for a colonist to cultivate his total land in order 1898, by the treatment to their persons as well as to their to acquire a land title from six months to four years. The property, it is necessary to mention here that this treaty process was interrupted in 1898 when the U.S. Navy was not respected by the Navy in its attempts to evict the invaded Puerto Rico as a consequence of the so-called people of Culebra. In 1902 the Navy arrived and removed Spanish-American War, the people from San Hdefonso. It continued in 1936 when naval training was initiated on the peninsula of Flamenco, obliging the residents to move and abandon their farming tasks. It took on juridical character in 1941 when President Franklin Delano Roosevelt issued executive GUNS KEEP POPULATION STABLE order number 8684, placing in the person of the Secretary According to the census of 1899, the population of the of the Navy or his representative complete control over island was 704. There were 206 urban inhabitants and 498 the territorial waters of Puerto Rico and the air space rural. It is interesting to note that at the present time above the Island. It was intensified in 1960 when the there are 743 inhabitants on its 7,000 acres. After 71 Navy extended its radius of operations over most of the years of Northamerican domination the population of island to the dismay of the inhabitants and with disregard Puerto Rico has grown but not that of Culebra. And it for their lives. isn't because they have found an effective means of family planning! The reason? Last year directed missiles were fired during 228 days, there were air strikes during 13 As a result of this abuse sanctioned by the Metropoli- days, navy gunning during 123 days and other kinds of tan Congress and by those charged with governing the firing during 114 days. island, the residents of Culebra have organized themselves and mobilized public opinion in order to search for ways to get the Navy out of their island. A recent study made After the invasion the Navy evicted the inhabitants by the Commission on Civil Rights lists the following 6 from the original town of San Hdefonso and forced them areas affected by military operations and especially by Page 4 The fishing industry has been doubly affected since a. Transportation to the Island by the sea route is the shelling has destroyed both the fish and the nets cause of great risk and suffering even in those ships placed by the fishermen. given to the Free Associated State by the Navy. e. The data gathered about student life confirms that there are educational deficiencies which can only be b. The control of the air access is also a source of attributed to the atmosphere or continuous fear in danger, limiting and isolating the inhabitants. which it is carried out. f. Industrial and tourist development, as well as c. The prolongation of military training exercises has investments, cannot prosper since every plan must created an atmosphere of tension and fear because be subordinated to the programs and plans of the of the danger and noise it creates. Navy. "The Chief of Naval Operations is opposed to any proposal for the independence of Puerto Rico that does not guarantee the keeping and future expansion of our bases there as well as the acquisition of new ones. "The United States must be the only judge of its military needs in the area." -Capt. G. D. Parks, USN, in testimony before Tydings hearings in mid-30's. ^:'m>ym, HV,''- . v '*?^%?f.;&#$*t*:is A GUIDE TO THE PENTAGON'S 13% . RAMEY AIR BASE LUQUILLO RAIN FOREST Only Strategic Air Command base in Latin America. Has Training area for "Green Beret" anti-guerrilla units in complement of B-52 bombers and guided missiles. Both tropical jungle conditions. Large radar and radio installa- carry nuclear weapons.