wfn.org | Methodist leaders from across globe make witness at Vieques

[NewsDesk <NewsDesk@UMCOM.ORG>]

Nov. 13, 2002  News media contact: M. Garlinda
Burton7(615)742-54707Nashville, Tenn.  10-21-32-71BP{519}

NOTE: For related coverage of the council's meeting, see UMNS stories #517
and #518. Photographs are available.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (UMNS) - Methodist bishops from around the world spent
part of their weeklong business meeting in November in prayer and worship on
the Puerto Rican island of Vieques, joining residents in a call for an end
to weapons testing and occupation by the U.S. Navy.

In a subsequent resolution adopted Nov. 7, during their weeklong, semiannual
business meeting, United Methodist bishops commended U.S. President George
Bush for his pledge to end bombing exercises on Vieques by summer 2003. The
bishops encouraged Bush to take responsibility for ensuring "the
demilitarization of the naval base, the decontamination of the land, and
assistance in developing (the) infrastructure of the island."

The statement further praised the Methodist Church of Puerto Rico,
grass-roots Puerto Ricans and Gov. Sila Calderon for their efforts to
restore the economic, social and spiritual health of the island.

Members of the United Methodist Council of Bishops - which oversees work in
the United States, Africa, Europe and the Philippines - and bishops and
leaders from CIEMAL, a consortium of Methodist churches throughout Latin
America and the Caribbean, joined pastors and community leaders on Vieques
Nov. 2 and Nov. 6. 

The show of support was the latest in a series of churchwide resolutions,
visits by Methodist individuals and groups and civil disobedience by Puerto
Rican Methodist pastors and laity, all with the goal of urging the United
States to end nearly 60 years of military presence on Vieques.

Standing in an open-air camp just across the street from the Navy's Camp
Garcia, beneath banners reading "Paz Para Vieques" (Peace for Vieques),
United Methodist Bishop Elias Galvan of Seattle told peace workers, "We are
here in solidarity with you and believe that this (Vieques) is holy ground."

The Nov. 6 group of more than 30 bishops heard from local residents that the
economy, public health and livelihood of Vieques' residents have all been
negatively affected as a result of the U.S. occupation of nearly
three-fourths of the island.

Victor Emeric, vice mayor of Vieques, said the early influx of military
personnel brought increases in alcohol abuse, prostitution and street
violence. "My first negative contact with the Navy was seeing the military
men take over our towns, get drunk and (urinate) on our sidewalks," he
recalled.

He debunked the notion that outsider agitators - rather than natives of
Vieques - have stirred recent protests against the U.S. military presence.
"I was born and raised here, and this is our struggle," Emeric said. "More
than 4,000 people have lost their land and have had to leave the island
because they had no way to make a living." 

Clergy, fishermen and local officials on Vieques said military testing is
believed to be the reason that incidents of cancer are 25 percent higher
than throughout the rest of Puerto Rico. The testing and military presence
have also stunted the growth of businesses, education, health and social
services, they said.

Carlos Zenon, a Methodist layman, emphasized that, as a citizen of the U.S.
province of Puerto Rico, he is not anti-American. "I have children and other
family living in the United States. I support efforts to end terrorism, to
protect the land.

"But when you drop bombs and poison the air so that children are dying of
cancer in their homeland, that is also terrorism," he added.

Zenon and Bishop Juan Vera Mendez of the Methodist Church of Puerto Rico
commended the Rev. Rev. Lucy Rosario-Medina, pastor of Sam Culpeper
Methodist Church, for her pastoral support of individuals and families on
Vieques. 

Rosario was arrested in 2001 for civil disobedience and sentenced to
probation and 150 hours of community service, which was "ironic," Vera said.
"Her whole life is dedicated to the service of the people in Vieques."

Bishops from outside Puerto Rico praised the community organizers and
religious community on Vieques for their tenacity and resilience. "To hear
people still sing songs of victory is powerful," said Bishop Alfred Johnson,
United Methodist bishop from New Jersey.

# # #

The complete text of the United Methodist Council of Bishops' statement on
Vieques follows.

RESOLUTION ON VIEQUES

The United Methodist Council of Bishops, meeting in San Juan, Puerto Rico,
November 3 through 8, 2002, was honored by a visit of the Honorable Governor
of Puerto Rico, Sila Maria Calderon. Addressing the Council, she expressed
her gratitude for the Council's solidarity with the people of Vieques and
informed us that President George W. Bush has promised her to end bombing by
May 2003. 

Whereas, the Council of Bishops has raised its voice in support of an end to
using Vieques as a naval bombing range, and 

Whereas, groups of bishops have visited Vieques on November 2 and 5, 2002,
personally encountering the beauty of the place and the suffering of the
population, and 

Whereas, President Bush has promised an end to the use of Vieques for
bombing practice by the Spring of 2003, 

Therefore be it resolved that the Council of Bishops is committed to the
call of our Lord to be peacemakers and to seek "the things that make for
peace" (Luke 19:42), and 

We commend the President of the United States for his decision to end the
bombing in Vieques, and encourage him to take responsibility for insuring
the demilitarization of the naval base, the decontamination of the land, and
assistance in developing infrastructure of the island, and 

We congratulate the people of Puerto Rico and especially Governor Calderon
on this occasion, expressing our hope for a quick and complete realization
of the President's decision, and 

We pledge our support to the Methodist Church in Puerto Rico in its efforts
to bring about demilitarization, decontamination, return of the land, and
redevelopment of the Island for the sake of the residents of the Island of
Vieques and their future. 

*************************************
United Methodist News Service
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