Vieques: A Women's Struggle
by Paul Jeffrey
For almost six decades the people of Vieques,
Puerto Rico, a 21-mile long island east of the main island of Puerto Rico, have
been struggling against the U.S. Navy's use of their land as a place to practice
war. With higher cancer rates than the rest of Puerto Rico and years of abuse by
military personnel, the people of Vieques have come together to tell the Navy to
leave.
In April 1999, after a civilian guard was killed by an errant Navy bomb, protestors -– including many church people –- occupied the Navy's bombing range on Vieques, forcing the military to make war no more. As the United Methodist General Conference met in Cleveland, Ohio, word came that May 4, 2000, U.S. marshals had arrested more than 200 demonstrators, including Puerto Rican Methodist Bishop Juan Vera and the Rev. Lucy Rosario, pastor of the Methodist congregation in the Vieques town of Isabel Segunda.
While the public struggle of the islanders has received media coverage, there is a quieter side to the story, best represented by three Methodist laywomen who are natives of Vieques – Leonor Cruz, Cristina Vasquez and Lucrecia Torres. They have dedicated their free time to supporting the anti-Navy struggle, and providing pastoral care for the victims of the military occupation.
These women shared their experiences and concerns as they visited the sick in their homes to pray for healing. Then they went to the main gate of the Navy's facilities to join their neighbors and a delegation of Methodist women from across Puerto Rico to pray for peace for their island.
Ms. Cruz explained her ministry:
"I love Vieques because I was born here, I grew up here, I married here, and I had my children here. It hurts to see my island suffer so much because of the Navy. I'm involved in the protests because I'm a daughter of God, and God created me to be a steward of this land, to conserve and defend it.
"One day, when I'm in front of God, I will be asked about my life, and I want to have a good reply ready. That's why I'm here, as a daughter of God."
Ms. Vasquez agreed:
"If I'm forced to choose between obeying God and obeying people, I will obey God. God has called us to this work. If we are taken prisoner, it will be in the name of the Lord and we'll carry the Gospel in our hearts and preach it wherever we have to go."
Not everyone on the island has supported the demonstrations. Ms. Vasquez has addressed their concerns:
"I was in a prayer group, and some people were opposed to what we're doing, and we discussed, this a lot. At the end of the discussion everyone volunteered to help receive the group of Methodist women that came here to visit the protestors. We're raising the consciousness of the church with our lives and our testimony."
Support from Puerto Rican Methodist leaders has encouraged the women. Ms. Torres explained:
"The support of Bishop Juan Vera gives us courage. We know we're not alone. The bishop's presence makes me proud to call myself a Methodist. And I'm proud that I have a pastor who has been present in the struggle. The Rev. Lucy Rosario came to Vieques at the moment we needed her."
The three women are among those who bear scars from the military occupaton and use of their island. Ms. Vasquez shared her experience:
"For years I had nightmares because of the harassment we suffered as little girls from the U.S. Marines and sailors who came here. I had nightmares about being raped. Now I know it was caused by the harassment that I and so many other girls and women suffered from the military personnel."
The women dream of a Vieques without U.S. military presence. Ms. Torres said:
"I want my Vieques to be the same island where I was raised, where families don't have to fall apart because children have to leave as soon as they grow up. Like many mothers, I suffered this when my son couldn't find work here and had to go to New York.
"We want an environment here where our children can stay home and get decent work. Yet as long as the Navy is here, that won't happen.
"God has called us to live in peace, yet here on Vieques, they're practicing to go and kill somewhere else, where people are our sisters and brothers. We want Vieques and all of Puerto Rico to be liberated from the U.S. Navy."
Paul Jeffrey is a United Methodist missionary serving in Central America.