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NYC Educational Event in Support of the UPR Protests

9:56 am By Maegan La Mala · New York City|Puerto Rico · Comments Off

18 Feb 2011

For local peeps looking for a way to get more information on what is happening on the ground in Puerto Rico here is an event in NYC .

NYwithUPR Solidarity Group Presents:
——————————————
An Educational Forum
Puerto Rico: Privatization & the Human Rights Crisis

A TALK BY and WITH
William Ramirez, Director, ACLU – Puerto Rico Chapter

The Puerto Rico government’s recent firings of over 25,000 public
employees and spending cuts to public education are decisions that
have deepened the nation’s economic and social crisis. The government
aims to boost the privatization process of the basic services on the
island and has responded with intolerance and repressive police
brutality, including torture and sexual abuse. The University of
Puerto Rico (UPR) students continue to resist creatively, heroically
and valiantly. The university student strike continues to gain
momentum as more and more people and sectors join in solidarity.
Support the UPR students in their struggle against unjust tuition
increases, privatization and police repression!

Monday, February 21, 2011 – 6:30 pm
Taller Boricua’s Multi Arts Space at Julia de Burgos Cultural Center
1680 Lexington Avenue @ 106 Street(#6 Train to East 103rd Street)
For more info: www.VirtualBoricua.org or FaceBook group: NY with UPR

ACLU Declares Human Rights Crisis in Puerto Rico

5:06 pm By Maegan La Mala · Puerto Rico · 6 Comments

17 Feb 2011

In the United States, the media and the citizenry consuming media is focused on the protests in Wisconsin and the revolutions at work across the Middle East while continuing to turn a blind eye to what is happening in Puerto Rico.

It is too simple to look at the protests at the Universidad de Puerto Rico (UPR) and say the student/youth led movement on the island is just about $800. As the American Civil Liberties Union reports, Since the pro-statehood Governor of Puerto Rico Luis Fortuño came into power two years ago, free speech has been under all out assault.

The report, which calls the situation on the U.S. a colony, a “human rights crisis” makes special note of how women have been especially targeted by police for physical and sexual assault.

The report ties the pro-Statehood Fortuño with the ultra-right in the United States, as evidenced by his participation in the recent Conservative Political Action Conference.

The ACLU is looking to file charges on Human Rights violations and other legal options. The question is, that since Puerto Rico is a colony owned by the U.S., where and how will these charges be filed.

Rep. Luis V. Gutierrez Denounces Civil Rights Violations in Puerto Rico

6:52 pm By Maegan La Mala · Puerto Rico · 13 Comments

16 Feb 2011

Finally it seems that the situation in Puerto Rico is gaining a little more attention, with articles in mainstream media and earlier today Congressman Luis Gutierrez raised the issue before congress. Of course looking at the Congressional floor, we see the interest that the U.S. legislature, the only body who can “legally” change the status of Puerto Rico., has in what is happening to U.S. citizens there.

Accusations of Sexual Aggression Against Police Arresting Students in Puerto Rico

9:15 am By Maegan La Mala · Puerto Rico|Violence|Women · 4 Comments

31 Jan 2011

From Indy Media Puerto Rico

The Caribbean Peace & Justice Project, el Grito de las Excluidas y Excluidos de Puerto Rico (The Cry of the Excluded of Puerto Rico), and the Pro-Haitian/Dominican Childhood Committee issued a press release yesterday denouncing and demanding an investigation into inappropriate touching (or toqueteo/feeling up) of women by the riot police in Puerto Rico who have been arresting those UPR students engaged in civil disobedience.

A video on Indymedia Puerto Rico shows an officer, on two clear occasions, touching the breasts of a young woman he is arresting and restraining in a police van. No doubt the police and Gov. will defend the actions saying the officers were merely restraining the protester and that they may have had accidental contact. From my perspective it looks like the officer took an opportunity to “cop a feel” (pun intended) not once but twice.

As we think of what is happening in Egypt, Tunisia, Puerto Rico and globally really wherever young people are gathered, especially those that identify as women, we have to wonder and know that once incident caught on video likely represents countless more incidents not documented.

This week can be the determining week for the freedom of Oscar López Rivera.

7:00 am By Maegan La Mala · Puerto Rico · 1 Comment

31 Jan 2011

The US Parole Commission has said they intend to make their decision to confirm or reject the negative recommendation by the US Parole Examiner on Puerto Rican Political Prisoner Oscar López Rivera, #87651-024, currently incarcerated at FCI Terre Haute. Oscar, 68 years old, is presently serving his 30th year of incarceration for struggling for Puerto Rican independence.

The National Boricua Human Rights Network and the Puerto Rico-based Comité Pro-Derechos Humanos are urging the parole commissioners to reject the wrong-headed and politically punitive recommendation of the parole examiner. We intend to flood the Parole Board with letters until they respond positively. PLEASE DO ALL THREE of the following:

1) DAILY CALL-IN CAMPAIGN FOR THIS WEEK (Jan 31-Feb 4): CALL the Parole Board in support of Oscar Lopez Rivera from 9:00am UNTIL 5:00 PM (EST) CALL and have others call. It only takes 5 minutes. THE NUMBER IS: 301-492-5990 hit 0 to speak to operator. Sample script is below.

Hi, my name is ______________ and I live in Chicago [NY, etc.] The Parole Commission should parole Oscar López # 87651-024 immediately, in spite of the hearing examiner’s recommendation to deny parole.

IF YOU HAVE TIME, USE ONE OF THE FOLLOWING REASONS:
1) Oscar has the support of a broad sector of Puerto Rico’s civil society as well as Puerto Rican and Latino communities throughout the United States.
2) Oscar was not accused or convicted of causing injury or taking a life. He was never accused or convicted of participating in the 1975 Fraunces Tavern bombing or any other action that resulted in injury or death.
3) President Clinton’s determination that Mr. López Rivera’s sentence was disproportionately lengthy, and his offer that would have resulted in Mr. López Rivera’s release in September of 2009.

2) Download the letter to mail and fax here (or write your own using that as a template and place on your letterhead) and send right away. (FAX NO: 301/492-5543) Remember the Parole Commission has stated their intention to make their decision by Feb. 4. Get as many of your friends, family. colleagues and forward to your Facebook and retweet.

3) MAIL Letters to:
Isaac Fulwood, Chariman
United States Parole Commission
5550 Friendship Boulevard, Suite 420
Chevy Chase, Maryland 20815

Re: Oscar López Rivera, #87651-024, FCI Terre Haute

Please keep close track of the letters sent/faxed to the Parole Board and let us know at alejandrom@boricuahumanrights.org.
Please forward far and wide and post and repost.

Via / Boricua Human Rights Network

Tear Gas, Rocks, Rubber Bullets. Egypt? No, in the U.S.

8:58 am By Maegan La Mala · Education|Puerto Rico · 6 Comments

28 Jan 2011

This morning, with good reason, much of the news in the twittersphere is focused on the popular uprisings in Egypt and the government’s harsh response by shutting down the internet, allowing for a mass cover up of violations of human rights. While it is easy to ignore what is happening in Egypt and the state response by dismissing it as something happening in a foreign land, tear gas canisters have also been opening over land currently occupied by the United States.

As we have been writing about, in Puerto Rico protests continue against rising fees in the university system but there are also protests against the violence being used against students and journalist attempting to do their jobs and cover the struggle.

Yesterday about 30 students were arrested during acts of civil disobedience carried out by the colonial Capitol Building. Originally students sought to present a plan whereby the Govt would allocate $50M from a surplus fund, eliminating the need for the $800 fees that sparked this latest round of protests. Riot police said they were forced to use tear gas because some of the hundreds of students that were protesting were throwing rocks.

Of special note in the video above from WAPA TV in Puerto Rico, is the nun who comes out to confront the police shooting tear gas, calling what their actions “disrespectful” and telling them that there are children nearby.

While there is no State blackout on information like what is happening out of Egypt, the fact that the U.S. media continues to not cover this, remains a shining example of colonizer politics at work.

Puerto Rican Political Prisoner, Oscar Lopez, Denied Parole

9:38 am By Maegan La Mala · Puerto Rico · 2 Comments

6 Jan 2011

Yesterday, in the federal prison of Terre Haute, Indiana, a hearing officer recommended to the Federal Parole Commission that they deny release of Puerto Rican political prisoner Oscar López Rivera.

Lopez, 67, is serving a sentence of 70 years in prison, having been incarcerated for 29 years and nine months in prison, convicted of seditious conspiracy for his links to the Fuerzas Armadas de Liberacion Nacional, a Puerto Rican independence group linked to violence. The recommendation was made invoking the 1975 bombing of Frances Tavern in New York City that killed four people, for which the FALN claimed credit. However, Lopez himself though was never connected to any of the attacks carried out in the name of the FALN.

Marc Tanner, the hearing officer, presented testimony from family members of the Frances Tavern bombing and recommended that Lopez-Rivera serve an additional 12-15 years.

Via / El Nuevo Dia

NYC Rally for Puerto Rico: Tues 12/14

8:17 am By Maegan La Mala · Education|New York City|Puerto Rico · Comments Off

13 Dec 2010

Last week, we told you about the student strike in Puerto Rico. Things have gotten more tense with the police taking over campuses in the name of “order”.

Across the United States, Puerto Ricans have expressed their concern over the treatment of the students and over the lack of English language coverage. In Puerto Rico, this past weekend, there was a march in rally in support of the UPR, demanding that talks over the increase in fees, between the University Administration and the students, resume.

Tomorrow, Tuesday, there will be a rally in NYC in support of the people of the island and against the actions of the Puerto Rican colonial government.

The people of Puerto Rico are under siege by the Colonial Administration headed by governor Luis Fortuno. Join us in supporting the people as they struggle to safeguard the right of our youth to education in the University of Puerto Rico, protect public sector jobs and the services they provide. Join us in supporting those on the island who are standing up to defend their democratic and human rights and our culture. Join the National Congress for Puerto Rican Rights (NCPRR) N.Y.C. Chapter and support the people in struggle in Puerto Rico.

Support the People of Puerto Rico: Rally
Tuesday, December 14, 2010 – 5:30pm
Location:
Office of Puerto Rican Affairs, 135 W 50th St New York City
Contact:
panama.alba@gmail.com [2], 917 626 5847
TUESDAY DEC. 14th 5:30 p.m.
RALLY AT THE OFFICE OF PUERTO RICAN AFFAIRS
135 W 50th St New York City
#1 train to 50 St. (at Broadway); B, D, F, M to 47-50 St./Rockefeller Ctr.; N, R, Q to 49 St. (at 7th Av.); B, D, E to 7 Ave. (at 53rd St.); C (not A) to 50 St.(at 8th Av.);
map http://is.gd/iCV6M-/

Puerto Rican University Students on Strike Again

3:36 pm By Maegan La Mala · Education|Puerto Rico · 3 Comments

7 Dec 2010

I’ve been seeing from the statuses of some of my friends on Facebook, that the students of the University of Puerto Rico in Rio Piedras (UPR) have called a 48 hour strike which began approximately at midnight. The strike is over an increase in the amount per semester students have to pay back their loans.

As far as I can tell, there is no English language news coverage of what is happening including student barricades and what has been described as aggressive UPR security, private security brought likely hired by the University, and police. At least four students have been injured.

According to reports on Primera Hora, there are two factions of students : students who are against the fee and are for the strike, and students who are against the fee but want for the UPR to stay open.

The students of the Aguadilla Campus have approved a 48 hour strike and in Cayay, a 36 hour strike was approved in support and solidarity with the students in Rio Piedras.

Both Primera Hora and You Tube has videos that media and students themselves are taking.

You will remember that over the summer, strikes in Puerto Rico unleashed violence against the students by police.

What Isn’t Included in Latino Heritage Month : El Grito de Lares

2:03 pm By Maegan La Mala · Puerto Rico · Comments Off

23 Sep 2010

It’s an independence celebration often not mentioned. Perhaps because El Grito de Lares, Puerto Rico’s cry of independence from Spain on September 23, 1868 has yet to fulfill itself completely. There will be no digital flags waving on the Spanish language television networks wishing Puerto Ricans a “happy independence day” because since 1898, Puerto Rico has been a colony of the United States. While many Puerto Ricans do not know their own history, specifically that 142 years ago Ramón Emeterio Betances and Segundo Ruiz Belvis declared the Republic of Puerto Rico, the United States government knows the power of that date since they chose September 23, 2005 to kill modern day Rican independence leader Filiberto Ojeda Ríos.

This means that to Puerto Ricans, today carries tremendous importance and weight. This year we have seen the release of Puerto Rican political prisoner Carlos Alberto Torres and we have celebrated the sacrifices of Lolita Lebron and Juan Mari Bras. While the town of Lares, Puerto Rico attempted to change it’s name from the “city of el grito” to “the city of open skies”, Puerto Rican people take today to reaffirm the struggle that continues and reaffirm their commitment to fighting against colonialism, no matter what name changes attempt to cover up the international crime.

Que Viva Puerto Rico Libre!

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