Car caravans from several cities in New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts converged here for the action. Speakers included members of Pro-Libertad, New York City Councilman Jose Rivera, and others. The protest was marked by the number of young people in attendance.

The U.S. government has used the island of Vieques for live-fire training of Naval forces since the Second World War, despite opposition from residents of the island. In addition to pushing out the population from two-thirds of the land, the livelihoods of local fisherman have been destroyed.

Puerto Ricans have organized large protests and land occupations following the killing of a worker at the base by an errant bomb. These actions led to Washington suspending the naval bombardment. A march of more than 80,000 people February 21 condemned a move by Washington, with support from the governor of Puerto Rico, to restart the U.S. Navy exercises.

"The U.S. government needs to respect human rights," said 18-year-old Patrick Sheenhan-Gauner, a member of Youth Peace. He came with eight others from Norwich, Connecticut, including two classmates at his high school.

"Just living in this society, I am made to feel like an outsider," said Hiram Rivera, 23, a student at Southern Connecticut State in New Haven. "I'm proud to be Puerto Rican. When they celebrate independence day here, we are still a colony. Just like in Cuba, it's better to stand up now."

Angelixa Colon, 16, and Ann Adams, 15, sophomores from Westfield High in Westfield, Massachusetts, came to the demonstration. Adams was born and raised in Vieques. Her family left the island eight years ago "because there are no jobs there." "The Navy is taking people's lives," Colon said. She wasn't sure if she supported independence.

"Most of us here are for independence," said Julio Pabón, 19, a student at Weslyan University in Middletown, Connecticut. Pabón was speaking about a group of eight students who organized to join the action from the campus. "I heard about the protest on the Internet and decided to get some friends together and go."

Sajj Rahman, 18, is also a member of this group. "There are many organizations represented in our group--La Casas Albizu Campos, Black and Latino Brotherhood, and Students Against And Reforming Corporations," Rahman said. "I think Cuba is one place where they can stand up to the United States."

A number of the young people were interested in attending the Latin American and Caribbean Student Congress, which will be held in Havana, Cuba, next month. Pabón, who attended the World Youth Festival in Havana in 1997, and Sajj said that they would discuss with their friends the possibility of going to the April conference.

Brock Satter is a member of the Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees.  
 
 
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