The Italian government is protesting the serious health problems among its soldiers caused by the use of uranium 238 weapons by the U.S. military in the recent conflict in the Balkans. The issue of depleted uranium weapons captured the front pages of the press of several European countries, members of NATO, when soldiers from the region began to die of cancer and leukemia after their return from Kosovo, Yugoslavia, and Bosnia, where large quantities of uranium 238 shells were fired.

Since 1994, the Committee for the Rescue and Development of Vieques (CRDV) has denounced the use of uranium weapons upon learning of such arms at an Environmental Justice Conference in Washington, D.C.

"We listened in horror as scientists and community activists from the United States told about this new type of weaponry that had been used extensively in the Gulf War. We had recently heard retired admiral Diego Hernández say that the 'success' of the U.S. forces in Iraq was due in great measure to their practicing in Vieques," said Ismael Guadalupe, spokesman for the CRDV.

Members of the Vieques organization mentioned also that 80 percent of the ships and jets that participated in the attacks against Yugoslavia--where large amounts of uranium shells were used--practiced first in Vieques before leaving for the Mediterranean.

"For years we have denounced the relationship between the military contamination and the excessive levels of cancer on Vieques. The heavy metals and other chemical components from explosives, which are dangerous to human health, combined with the radioactive uranium 238 shells, jeopardize the life of Vieques residents today as well as the future generations," said Nilda Medina, another spokesperson for the CRDV.

In May 1999, Navy representatives admitted that their jets had fired hundreds of uranium shells on Vieques during maneuvers in February of that year, while practicing for the war in Yugoslavia. The uranium oxide (dust) that results from the impact of the shells can travel more than 20 miles and cause a long list of illnesses, including cancer.

Among people who have recently died of cancer in Vieques, high levels of uranium and heavy metals have been detected.

The Navy admits they could not recover all the uranium-tipped shells fired on the eastern part of Vieques. Military officials plan more bombing here in January and February.

"There is no way to guarantee that the next bomb or shell that is fired will not hit one of these uranium shells, throwing radioactive particles into the air that could be carried by the wind to the civilian sector [of the island], to our children, to our old folks, to any one of us. We urge the authorities that are responsible for our health and security to block any future bombing that endangers the entire Vieques community," Medina stated.  
 
 
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