Almost three years after errant practice bombing killed a private security guard, and two years after the first mass arrests of citizens who had reclaimed the island for peace, the campaign of civil disobedience to rid the U.S. Navy from Vieques carries on. Missiles and bombing and shells again rained down beginning April 1, and now more than two dozen nonviolent resisters are in federal prison in Puerto Rico, many serving sentences of 20 days to six months, while others have either refused or been denied bail while awaiting trial for trespass.

The people of Vieques and the Puerto Rican government were officially notified of the new round of military exercises on March 15: 22 days long, beginning April 1. The Committee for the Rescue and Development of Vieques (CRDV), the principal popular organization opposing the bombing, coincidentally convened their ninth anniversary meeting on March 26, as a People's Assembly. The assembly passed a resolution reaffirming the determination of the people of Vieques to continue with civil disobedience and other peaceful strategies to struggle for "the creation of a Free Vieques - clean and in the hands of the people - with genuine participation of the community in the planning for sustainable development for future generations."

A force of over 200 Puerto Rican police moved into Vieques the next morning, positioning themselves in the civilian third of the island to control territory approaching the Navy facilities that occupy either end. The airport and ferry dock to the main island were also placed under police control. Despite her campaign support for a free and peaceful Vieques, in recent months Governor Sila Calderon has openly opposed the decision of the residents of Vieques to continue the civil disobedience campaign, and acted administratively to weaken previous Navy promises to quit Vieques in 2003. In further alliance with the Navy, the new police superintendent, Miguel Pereira, declared the priority to be stopping civil disobedience in Vieques.

Tension grew as April 1 approached. About 50 resolute Vieques residents, including the mayor and Catholic parish priest, openly traveled Saturday, March 30, to Yayi Key, inside the military restricted zone. There they held a service and planted a large wooden cross on the highest point. At the Peace and Justice Camp outside the gate to the bombing range, gatherings on Sunday night, March 31, and Monday, April 1 were both interrupted by tear gas shells from military personnel just inside the fence. Tear gas was also shot into Louisa Guadalupe Camp at the gate to Camp Garcia, the military base on the opposite end of the island from the bombing range. One woman was struck by a projectile believed to be a rubber bullet. Two pro-statehood, American flag-waving demonstrators arrived moments before a scheduled press conference, successfully provoking much shouting and shoving until the police took one man away for his own safety. The man now seeks charges against two camp leaders.

Several groups were prepared to enter the bombing zone to disrupt the exercises. Five women from the Puerto Rican Independence party, including party Vice President María de Lordes Santiago, were arrested before dawn April 1 as they attempted to enter the bombing range. All five women refuse to recognize the legitimacy of the federal courts and would not post bond. A few days later, they were convicted of trespass and sentenced, each to 30 days in prison.

On April 4, another group of four were arrested. The Navy again fired tear gas into a crowd of supporters, claiming that some began throwing rocks as they took the four away to prison. This group was convicted within the week, receiving sentences of 20 - 40 days.

Three men arrested April 5 soon after entering the restricted zone were beaten, dragged and pepper-sprayed by police. Two were freed on bond; Ismael Gonzales remains in prison, refusing bond and awaiting trial. A pepper spray canister struck another demonstrator, and five stitches were required to close the wound.

Saturday, April 6, brought an admission from the Navy that that day's tear gas attack occurred before any rocks were thrown, "to disperse a threatening crowd." Even the police complained of the unprovoked gas attack that day, while Puerto Rico's special commissioner overseeing the Navy exercises told Reuter's news agency, "They are using exaggerated, unnecessary force and violating people's constitutional rights," adding he would make a formal complaint to Navy officials. An Episcopal priest and a nun were arrested on the range. The priest was freed while the nun has refused bond.

A group from the Socialist Workers Movement entered the bombing zone that night. Their presence on the range held up bombing for much of April 8, and on the 9th and 10th, the activists were finally tracked down and arrested. All five have refused bond and remain in custody.

Principal spokesman for the CRDV, Robert Rabin Siegal, was among four people arrested on April 11. The next day in court, Federal Judge Castellanos declared they were a danger to society, and refused to grant them bail. Their trial will be April 19. Four more people arrested on the range April 12 were also denied bond, even though some had never before been arrested on Vieques. All told, 27 people have been arrested so far during the current round of military exercises.

Overt intimidation tactics continued and at midnight on the 12th, the security lights inside the base went out. Under cover of darkness, two groups of military personnel were seen entering the neighborhood of Monte Carmelo. As happened several times that week, incendiary devices were thrown in the civilian neighborhood, sparking several brush fires. The Navy claimed the fires were caused by residents' flares, but reporters on at least one occasion witnessed otherwise.

In the midst of this activity, a National Summit for Peace with Justice in Vieques was held in New York City on April 13. The assembly endorsed the civil disobedience campaign, denounced the complicity of the Puerto Rican Governor, and called for more pressure on President Bush to issue an executive order that formalizes the Navy's commitment to be out by 2003.

Amigos del Mar activist Alberto "Tito Kayak" de Jesus, sentenced last year to one year in prison for resisting the Navy, was freed March 13, a month after returning from the federal detention center in New York City to a half-way house in Puerto Rico. At a press conference, he told of the physical abuse and lengthy isolation he suffered in the New York prison, but declared it had not diminished his desire to continue the struggle. Tito Kayak expressed gratitude for the support of the people of Puerto Rico, but said he would not feel truly free until the Navy was out of Vieques.

For more information, contact the Committee for the Rescue and Development of Vieques, POB 1424, Vieques, PR 00765; (787)741-0716, bieke@prorescatevieques.org

Letters of support should be written and addressed individually to the Vieques resisters listed at Inside and Out.

The civil disobedience campaign on Vieques is coordinated through the Peace and Justice Camp (PJC), just outside the gate to the bombing range. The CRDV and the PJC mobilize the people of Vieques to prepare food, coffee, water, cleaning of the latrines, work with telephones and other equipment in the CRDV office at the Camp, for prayer, music, the picketing, transportation of people between Vieques and the main island and between different points of action in Vieques, security at the camp, communications with lawyers and families of disobedients, among other tasks. The costs of this type of operation are impressive: gasoline for vehicles - both on land and water - food, water, communications equipment, first aid materials, etc. Any contribution to help sustain this camp will be greatly appreciated. Donations can be sent to the address above.