Methodist Leaders from Across Globe Make Witness at Vieques

November 13, 2002

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – 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