War games resumed October 17 on the Puerto Rican island of Vieques. The exercises, billed as rehearsal for an imagined UN/NATO "peacekeeping" mission, were the largest since April, 1999.

By land and sea, two delegations of Viequenses - veterans, religious, political, and community leaders - had entered the bombing range overnight to place themselves between the la isla nena and the Navy. As bombing continued on October 18th, Ismael Guadalupe of the Committee for the Rescue and Development of Vieques (CRDV) sent a letter to President Clinton condemning the bombing while the range was occupied.

The letter also detailed recent political maneuvering and congressional action that had fully gutted the promises Clinton made to the people of Vieques. It "respectfully and emphatically request[ed]" he issue an Executive Order to end the bombing.

That day, the Navy apprehended nine people on the range, but only after one group sought aid from surprised guards for an ailing elder among them. In federal court on the main island, eight of the nine were released on a promise to post bond. CRDV spokesman Robert Rabin was required to post $5,000 up front, and told he would be required to abstain from advocating civil disobedience.

"I'm a leader of a community organization struggling against the Navy bombing," retorted Rabin. "I have a responsibility to support those in disobedience." Rabin spent the night at the federal prison in Guaynabo. After bail was posted the next day, he was released without the offensive condition. Proclaiming his bail receipt an "agitator's license," Rabin returned to his responsibility.

At the second "Embrace the Fence" action, October 23, hundreds of Viequenses cheered on or joined in to remove hundreds of feet of fence near the Peace and Justice Camp at the gate to Camp Garcia. No one was arrested.

In early December, yet another bombing practice began with less than the mandated public notice.

A few days later, dozens of Viequenses met to collectively reject an offer from federal prosecutors to table their cases while continuing to prosecute defendants from other parts of Puerto Rico.

On December 21, three members of the Peace and Justice Camp blocked heavy equipment engaged in construction on civilian land next to the Camp Garcia fence, about half a mile from the existing gate at Peace and Justice camp. The blockaders demanded the Navy produce the necessary permits to continue the construction, believed to be preparation for a new gate. The Navy may still be looking for the permits, as construction has ceased. There were no arrests, but Camp Luisa Guadalupe, named in honor of the 83-year old matriarch of the Vieques struggle, has been established at the site to monitor any construction.

Year-end celebrations at Peace and Justice Camp drew at least 500 local residents, who took advantage of the occasion to remove several hundred more feet of fence. Revelers were occasionally annoyed by pepper spray that wafted by whenever a military patrol vehicle passed by upwind.

The newly-elected governor of Puerto Rico and mayor of Vieques both strongly support the goal of peace for Vieques. Governor Sila Calderon's statements have already led the Navy to ignore a previous agreement to return some lands to Vieques, while the new mayor has himself been arrested on the bombing range. Meetings have been held with the governor's representative, the new Puerto Rican police superintendent and Vieques' mayor, who have all been asked to help ban military traffic from the civilian sector of Vieques and withhold assistance to military police enforcing security at the bombing range and gates.

Still, the message from leaders of the Vieques resistance is clear: "We stand firm in our position that this struggle belongs to the people - not the politicians. We cannot have complete faith in the politicians because history does not allow it. We hope to have the support of the elected government officials, who are responsible for the security of our people. We hope the Governor stands firm in her position in favor of the immediate and permanent cessation of military activity here - and that she support future actions by our people against threats of future bombing. But we will not lower our guard. We will not wait for others to do what is the responsibility of the community - continue the struggle for the complete demilitarization of Vieques." (CRDV, 1-19-01)

A civil disobedience workshop was held at the Peace and Justice Camp on January 13 to prepare activists for the next round of bombing and resistance. The next day, the third Embrace the Fence action took place. Within 15 minutes, about 150 people had dropped 200 feet of military fence, razor-wire and all. No arrests were made.

Trials in federal court in Puerto Rico for hundreds of people arrested in 2000 continue. Judge Perez-Gimenez has typically levied fines of $100 for an uncontested case, or $300 for those convicted after a trial. Unpaid/refused fines have not been forcibly collected, but liens have reportedly been placed on some property.

Tito Kayak, barred from returning to Vieques by a condition of probation from an earlier protest conviction, may be ordered back to court after videotape made public shows him raising the Vieques flag above the mayor's office at a recent demonstration.

PFC David Rivera, the young Puerto Rican Marine who went AWOL and spoke out against the bombing at the September demonstration at the White House, was given a less-than-honorable discharge from the Marines on November 7. The night he arrived home in Rochester, NY, the nearby home of his uncle, a Vietnam combat veteran and outspoken opponent of the bombing of Vieques, was hit by four bullets. Police blamed it on a neighborhood drug dealers' dispute, but Rivera's uncle doubts this and has requested an investigation.

For more information, contact the Committee for the Rescue and Development of Vieques, P.O. Box 1424, Vieques, PR 00765; (787)741-0716; bieke@coqui.net; or visit www.viequeslibre.org.