UN: Self-determination for Puerto Rico
12:16 pm By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · Puerto Rico
15 Jun 2006
The Latin Americanist reports today:
A United Nations General Assembly committee on decolonization adopted a text yesterday that calls for the self-determination of Puerto Rico
The blog points us to a UN web site article which reads, in part:
The special committee of the United Nations General Assembly that deals with decolonization issues today adopted a text calling for an expedited process in Puerto Rico to determine what kind of relationship the territory’s population would prefer to have with the United States.
The unanimously adopted resolution, sponsored by Cuba, calls for an investigation into the 23 September assassination of pro-independence leader Filiberto Ojeda Rios and violent acts against others.
It also calls on the United States to respect fundamental human rights in Puerto Rico, pay for the clean-up and decontamination of areas of the island affected by United States military activities, and address the ensuing serious environmental and health consequences.
Self-determination, investigation into crimes against independence leaders and retribution for military activities…wow. How many of us believe any of this will actually happen, though?
The article goes on to say that the resolution has the support of officials from PR’s main political parties:
Many petitioners speaking today and yesterday, including representatives of Puerto Rico’s main political parties, supported the text, saying that the island’s current relationship with the United States was deeply flawed and had stunted its socio-economic development and allowed the exploitation of its natural resources by American companies and the United States Navy.
NYC Indy Media has a blow-by-blow of the hearing. Check it out.
Via / The Latin Americanist
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7 Responses to UN: Self-determination for Puerto Rico
Maegan la Mala
June 15th, 2006 at 5:53 pm
This is not the first time the U.N. Decolonization Committee has wriiten such a resolution. Every few years it comes up and every few years the United States governmnet does nothing or points to one of its useless plebecites.
Jennifer Woodard Maderazo
June 15th, 2006 at 6:44 pm
Yeah, I figured as much. It’s just so powerful that the UN would spell it out in such a blatant way, but I guess it has no meaning if it’s just ignored.
Maegan la Mala
June 15th, 2006 at 7:33 pm
Well which is why it remains important to cover the decolonization hearings. While many continue to deny the fact that Puerto Rico is a colony, the United Nation has made it clear for years, that that is indeed the case.
lola
June 15th, 2006 at 7:34 pm
the key here is that there is a big chance, for the first time, the issue will be raised in the general assembly, that changes everything
Boricua
January 30th, 2007 at 11:00 am
¡Puerto Rico is a USA domestic issue! I just don’t know why UN has to be envolved in it.
Besides, we Puerto Ricans do NOT want to be separate from our beloved nation (USA).
Maegan la Mala
January 30th, 2007 at 11:26 am
Since when is imperialism domestic????
Boricua
February 1st, 2007 at 11:25 am
Oh yeah, we all know that imperialism isn’t domestic or “good”.
But this is not the case. In 1898 Puerto Rico was an overseas part of Spain; an old imperialist power. For centuries Puerto Ricans and Spaniards fight back attempts to invade the island. They did it against Holland, England and France, etc.
But in 1898 they (Puerto Ricans) did NOT. Basically any native fought back US “invasion”. And it is critical to keep in mind that the USA did not invade an independent nation, since Puerto Rico was part of Spain.
Well, after more than a century we Puerto Ricans agree to keep our ties with the rest of our American Nation; either as a Commonwealth or as a state. So, where is the imperialism here?
I haven’t seen our nation going to places like Iraq and annex ‘em as territories or federated states. So, where’s the imperialism here? Our nation released Cuba, Philipines, several territories in the pacific so, where’s the imperialism here?
Is it correct to push a separation (Independence) from our nation against the will of 97% of our people? In the name of whom 3% is demmanding separation from US? What kind of Third World republic will be Puerto Rico with almost a 100% of souls that were not pro-independence?
Where the “heck” is imperialism here?