http://www.libertadparaoscar.org/index.php

http://www.claridadpuertorico.com/content.html?news=AEAA8193B1C4551474375F5C0C417AD8

With the slogan “2012, the year of Oscar López Rivera’s release,” the Human Rights Committee of Puerto Rico (CPDH, by its Spanish initials) called on the Puerto Rican people to intensify demands for the release of Puerto Rican political prisoner Oscar López Rivera, who this year will have served 31 years in prison.

The message directed to the people of Puerto Rico was pronounced at a press conference at the Bar Association on Wednesday, January 4, two days before López Rivera’s 69th birthday. The press conference was attended by an impressive presence of figures from various sectors of the country, including senators, mayors, representatives, former Bar Association presidents, artists, filmmakers, clergy, sports commentators, former political prisoners, members of the Committee and Clarisa López, the political prisoner’s daughter.

Committee spokesperson, attorney Eduardo Villanueva, urged those present, including senator Norma Burgos of the New Progressive Party (PNP, by its Spanish initials), representative Carmen Yulín of the Popular Democratic Party (PPD, by its Spanish initials), attorney Juan Dalmau who is the Puerto Rican Independence Party (PIP) gubernatorial candidate, attorney María de Lourdes Santiago who is vice-president of the PIP, Josean Santiago (PPD) mayor of Comerío, singer Danny Rivera, and filmmaker Jacobo Morales, to be spokespeople for the release of López Rivera in their various organisms, given that as respected figures they will be listened to.

Among those present were also sports commentator Fufi Santori; Reverend Ángel Rivera,
Executive Secretary of the Puerto Rican Council of Churches (CIPR, by its Spanish initials); members of the Sovereigntist Union Movement (MUS, by its Spanish initials); professor José ‘Che’ Paralitici; attorneys and former Bar Association presidents Noel Colón Martínez, Julio Fontanet and Luis F. Camacho, who delivered a message from the mayor of Cayey,
Rolando Ortiz Velázquez (PPD).

The spokesperson for the CPDH said that there are many ways to help the campaign for López Rivera’s release, and that any effort, any detail, would be significant. “Every time the people of Puerto Rico have united in a demand for a human rights cause, before the United States and before the world, we have achieved our purpose, so we shouldn’t think that Oscar’s release is impossible. That’s how it looked before with the other political prisoners, and that’s how it looked before with other causes we have won. When Puerto Rico is determined to win and unites to do so, overcoming our differences, what we hope and what we achieve is victory,” he stated.

It was reported that Jan Susler, legal advisor to López Rivera, has already submitted to president Barack Obama a petition for his release, along with letters from other personalities and international organisms.

Villanueva added that they were making efforts through diplomatic channels, though he didn’t want to elaborate and indicated that “there is always a tiny minority who live on hate and rancor who will move to block this cause from arriving at its happy ending.” However, he noted that the most important support must come from the broadest diversity of the people of Puerto Rico. “Oscar has this support, and also has the moral and political call on the president of the United States, that he be consistent with his policy of Human Rights in the world when they ask other countries to release their political prisoners,” he said with respect to the policy of the U.S. government.

The best gift for Three Kings Day
“My Father turns 69 years old on Friday. My Father has always been the best Three Kings Day gift for me and my family. I am already 40 years old, and my Father will turn 69. Physically the passage of time is noticeable. I just visited him in November, and it was the first time I realized that my Father is getting old. That’s normal for a lot of people, but I’ve never had the opportunity to share with my Father outside of prison,” said Clarisa López.

Silence reigned in the conference room as people listened to Oscar López’ daughter. “My relationship with him is excellent, in spite of what people may think given the circumstances, because throughout all these 30 years, my Father has been in very inhumane conditions, which haven’t just been for him, but for all of us as well. We spent 12 years without having contact visits. During that time I became a mother, and the first time my Father could touch my daughter was when she was eight years old. That granddaughter is already a university student; she’s 20 years old. Two weekends ago she spend New Year’s Eve day with her grandfather. They have a marvelous relationship. My daughter and I both want to be able to have my Father with us.”

As for the situation of his imprisonment, she emphasized that it was very important to reveal that her father has gone more than 10 years without any news media able to interview him in person, and that three weeks ago, a television channel in Puerto Rico requested to interview him. She continued that when her father went to the civil servant who runs all those errands in the prison, when he signed the form to agree to the interview and turned in the document, he asked the person, ‘this time will they let me speak?’ and the person turned around and looked at him, saying, ‘I doubt it.’” “That means that in some way they have wanted to keep my Father quiet.”

As a way to break from that isolation and silence, she said that this Christmas she asked her closest friends to write to her father instead of giving her a gift, especially on Three Kings Day, and pointed out that the fact that the prison receives the letters, and due to the process the letters have to go through in the prison, it’s a way for the prison to see that “my Father isn’t forgotten, that after Papi has been in prison for 30 years, there is a people and a family who are waiting for him. For us that’s been really important this Christmas, and this January 6 I earnestly ask you all to send him a little note, a simple note for Oscar López Rivera on his birthday.”

As for the isolation in which the Puerto Rican political prisoner is held, attorney Villanueva reiterated Clarisa’s request that elected officials write, since that would obligate the U.S. government to recognize that there are people in Puerto Rico interested in this political prisoner. He indicated that attorneys can ask for a legal visit, but that clergy, artists and professors can also do so. If the visiting requests are granted, he guaranteed that they would take care of the necessary arrangements. If the visiting requests are denied, it would be evidence that the government is trying to isolate a Puerto Rican, and the people of Puerto Rico, regardless of all their differences, would be interested in guaranteeing his human rights.

He recounted that his first contact visit with Oscar was with his attorney Jan Susler, after Oscar had been 12 years in isolation. “In a room about six feet wide and eight feet long, a cement table in the middle, to be able to hug, we had to reach across the table. The first time Oscar could have contact with his granddaughter was through glass. When she was 10 years old, she put her hands on the glass and said to him, “Grandpa, even though they don’t let us hug, put your hands here and I’m going to send you the warmth and love I have for you as my grandfather.”

For his part, professor and veteran of the campaign for the release of the political prisoners,
Luis Nieves Falcón, added that “today’s clearest goal is to make clear to the United States that we will not cease in our efforts until Oscar is free. That this myth that Latinos start things and drop them when they become difficult, that doesn’t apply to us. We are going to continue, and we are going to develop all the forces to be assured that he can be here, and thus we will develop activities here and in the United States, where the President can better feel them.”

Among the activities already scheduled are the celebration of a mass in the Cathedral of Old San Juan on Saturday, January 14; consideration of the support of the leadership of the Mexican community in the United States, which will take place in a meeting this March; the publication in English of a book about López Rivera, with a prologue written by South African Bishop Desmond Tutu.

“It seems to me that our message is that we will not stop, we are going to continue working here and working there and working internationally until we achieve the goal of Oscar being here with us. The González Claudio brothers already have closer release dates, but are included in our denunciation of the abuses committed because of ideological beliefs. We have to criticize this persecution, regardless of ideology, be it a pro-commonwealth independentista, a pro-statehooder, any persecution will obligate us to criticize and censure it. At this moment Oscar is our priority because he is the political prisoner who, in the history of political prisoners in the world, has been held the longest, and we will not stop, and I am sure that with the forces from here and there and internationally we will win his release and show that the spirit of freedom cannot be silenced in any way,” said Nieves Falcón.

Committed to freedom
Others present at the press conference were the co-president of the National Hostosiano Independence Movement (MINH, by its Spanish initials), Héctor Pesquera Sevillano; the ex-Women’s Ombudsman, attorney María Dolores Fernós, and the president of the Bar Association, attorney Osvaldo Toledo.

Attorney Toledo expressed that “the Bar Association has consistently supported the release of Oscar López. We have passed a resolution asking President Obama to release him. It’s time to release him. He’s been in prison so many years; he’s the longest held. It’s time for him to return home, to Puerto Rico.”

The mayor of Comerío, Josean Santiago, who also presides over the Mayors’ Association, indicated that the Association, with the support of all the associated mayors, has already passed a statement supporting Oscar’s release. “Now let’s welcome this plan of declaring this year as the year of his release, 2012. So in the first place, I have no problem in immediately writing to request a visit with Oscar in prison. In the second place, we are going to participate in a Latin American event — the Latin American Federation of Towns and Cities, which we belong to, is having a convention in Santiago de Chile in March, and I’ll be there as the President of the Mayors’ Association, asking that the mayors of all of America support Oscar’s release.”

Meanwhile, senator Norma Burgos expressed that “we are present here precisely because we are consistent with the demand we’ve made for Oscar López’ release. We did so when we were in the position of Secretary of State of the government of Puerto Rico, when in ‘99 the President granted the release of the other compañeros and in this case we want to continue to be consistent.”

The Senator revealed that previously she had made several efforts, such as during the recent visit of President Obama, when she raised three things with him, and the first she did personally was precisely Oscar’s release.

Another person committed to his release was representative Carmen Yulín Cruz Soto, who recognized the consistency in the struggle of the compañeros in attendance, Juan Dalmau of the PIP and his colleague Luis Vega Ramos. During Obama’s visit, Cruz Soto handed him a letter requesting López’ release, a letter signed by dozens of members of the Bar Association and political and non-political organizations. The letter was not only supported his freedom, but also his human rights.

“You do what you can, and I started on the first of January a little crusade of writing every day, every day, a letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, a letter to the President of the United States, and a letter to Oscar López, seeking his release, so that he would know what’s being done. In the coming weeks, I will be asking that the Organization of Popular Women, over which I preside, join as an organization, and that these women write daily or send emails to the White House or letters to the president asking for Oscar’s release. If a compatriot is left out, no Puerto Rican can feel satisfied. Oscar is in prison simply and merely for loving Puerto Rico.”

The mayor of Toa Baja, Aníbal Vega Borges, said that the first thing he will do is to pass a resolution in his city council to send to the president, and his own letter pointing out that this is a humanitarian case. “How is it possible that someone 69 years old can be in prison for over 30 years, when he represents no threat to society?” he stated.

He assured that he would be talking with some pro-statehood mayors, urging them to join and dispelling the confusion of believing that López Rivera committed any crimes. “When you have a human being behind bars for 31 years, and they don’t want to let him go, you have to ask why they don’t want him released, why, if he doesn’t represent a danger. Then it must be for his ideals, so I think they’re keeping him for his ideals. That is lamentable in a democratic system. We Puerto Ricans must unite so that a human being who’s been in prison for 30 years in the U.S. prison system can enjoy his family. I believe this is a humanitarian act. If the United States doesn’t see it as a humanitarian act, then I think they are totally mistaken.”

In written statements, the mayor of Cayey Rolando Ortiz Velázquez committed to joining the demand for the compatriot’s release, his participation and solidarity with the work and the efforts of the Committee, and that he would be participating in future activities supporting Oscar’s release.

“I think that what is happening here today, like what happened in the last campaigns for the release of Political Prisoners, is a really important sign for the country of how people from different ideologies can come together on essential points. But as an independentista, I want to underline that for us, in addition to being a humane act, an act of solidarity, with attention to juridical details, we are here because like Oscar, we want Puerto Rico to be run by Puerto Ricans,” stated the vice-president of the PIP, attorney María de Lourdes Santiago.

Santiago asked Clarisa to tell her father that he represents an inspiration for all independentistas who in a different way dedicate their lives so that one day our flag may be the only one flying in Puerto Rico.

2012, el año de la liberación de Oscar López Rivera
Por Cándida Cotto
Publicado: jueves, 5 de enero de 2012

http://www.claridadpuertorico.com/content.html?news=AEAA8193B1C4551474375F5C0C417AD8

Con la consigna “El año 2012, el año de la liberación de Oscar López Rivera”, el Comité Pro Derechos Humanos de Puerto Rico (CPDH) llamó al pueblo puertorriqueño a intensificar los reclamos de excarcelación del prisionero político puertorriqueño Oscar López Rivera, quien este año cumple 31 años en prisión.

El mensaje dirigido al pueblo de Puerto Rico fue pronunciado en conferencia de prensa en el Colegio de Abogados, el miércoles 4 de enero, a dos días del cumpleaños número 69 de López Rivera. La conferencia contó con una contundente presencia de figuras de diversos sectores del país, incluidos senadores, alcaldes, representantes, ex presidentes del Colegio de Abogados, artistas, cineastas, religiosos, comentaristas deportivos, ex prisioneros políticos, miembros del Comité y Clarisa López, hija del prisionero político.

El portavoz del CPDH, licenciado Eduardo Villanueva exhortó a los presentes entre los que se encontraban, la senadora Norma Burgos, del Partido Nuevo Progresista (PNP), la representante Carmen Yulín, del Partido Popular Democrático (PPD), el candidato a la gobernación del Partido Independentista Puertorriqueño (PIP), licenciado Juan Dalmau, la vicepresidenta del PIP, licenciada María de Lourdes Santiago, el alcalde de Toa Baja, Aníbal Vega Borges (PNP), el alcalde de Comerío, Josean Santiago (PPD), el cantante Danny Rivera, y el cineasta Jacobo Morales, a ser portavoces de la liberación de López Rivera en sus distintos organismos ya que como figuras respetadas son escuchados en el país.

Entre los presentes también se encontraban el comentarista deportivo Fufi Santori, el Reverendo Ángel Rivera, secretario Ejecutivo del Concilio de Iglesias de Puerto Rico (CIPR), los miembros del Movimiento Unión Soberanista (MUS), profesor José ‘Che’ Paralittici, los licenciados y ex presidentes del CA Noel Colón Martínez, Julio Fontanet y Luis F. Camacho, quien entregó un mensaje del alcalde de Cayey, Rolando Ortiz Velázquez (PPD).

El portavoz del CPDH expresó que había muchas maneras de ayudar a la campaña de excarcelación y que cualquier esfuerzo, cualquier detalle era uno significativo. “Todas las veces que el pueblo de Puerto Rico se ha unido en un reclamo de una causa de derechos humanos frente a Estados Unidos y frente al mundo ha logrado su propósito, así que no tenemos que pensar que es imposible la excarcelación de Oscar. Así parecía antes con los demás prisioneros políticos y así parecía antes con otras causas en las que hemos vencido. Cuando Puerto Rico se propone vencer y se une para hacerlo por encima de sus diferencias lo que espera siempre y lo que logra es la victoria”, manifestó.

Se informó que Jan Susler, asesora legal de López Rivera, ya sometió al presidente Barack Obama, una petición de excarcelación junto a escritos de otras personalidades y organismos internacionales.

Villanueva agregó que se estaban haciendo gestiones por la vía diplomática, sobre las cuales no quiso abundar y reparó en que “siempre hay una ínfima minoría que viven de odio y rencores que se mueven para evitar que esta causa llegue a su feliz terminación”. No obstante destacó que el apoyo más importante debe proceder de la más amplia diversidad del pueblo de Puerto Rico, “Oscar tiene ese respaldo y tiene el reclamo moral y político también el Presidente de Estados Unidos para que sea consistente con su política de Derechos Humanos en el mundo ellos le piden a otros que excarcelen a los presos políticos”, dijo en relación a la política del Gobierno de Estados Unidos.

El mejor regalo de Reyes

“Mi Papá cumple el viernes 69 años mi Papá ha sido nuestro mejor regalo de Reyes para mí y mi familia. Yo tengo ya 40 años y mi Papá cumple 69. Físicamente ya se le nota el paso del tiempo. Lo visité ahora en noviembre y fue la primera vez que me di cuenta que ya mi Papá se está poniendo viejito y es algo normal para mucha gente, pero yo nunca he tenido la oportunidad de compartir fuera de la prisión con mi Papá”, expresó Clarisa López.

El silencio reinó en la sala de conferencia al escuchar a la hija de Oscar López. “Mi relación con él es una excelente, a diferencia de lo que muchos podrían pensar por las circunstancias, porque a través de todos estos 30 años mi Papá ha estado en condiciones bien infrahumanas, no tan sólo han sido para él sino también para todos nosotros. Nosotros pasamos 12 años que no teníamos visitas de contacto. Durante ese tiempo yo me convertí en madre y mi Papá la primera vez que pudo tocar a mi hija fue a los ocho años. Ya esa nieta es una estudiante universitaria, tiene 20 años. Hace dos fines de semanas atrás pasó el día de despedida de año con su abuelo tienen una relación maravillosa. Mi hija lo mismo que yo desea poder tener a mi Papá con nosotras”.

Sobre la situación de encarcelamiento resaltó que era bien importante revelar que su padre lleva más de 10 años en que ningún medio noticioso lo ha podido entrevistar en persona y que hace tres semanas un canal de televisión de Puerto Rico hizo una solicitud para entrevistarle.
Prosiguió que cuando su padre fue donde la persona que se supone que hace todas esas diligencias dentro de la prisión, una persona civil, cuando firmó aceptando que lo entrevistaran y entregó el documento, le preguntó a la persona ‘¿esta vez sí me van a dejar hablar?, y la persona se vira y lo mira y le dice ‘lo dudo’.” “Esto significa que de alguna manera han querido dejar a mi Papá callado”.

Como una manera de romper ese aislamiento y silencio contó que estas navidades le pidió a sus amistades más cercanas a que en lugar de darle a ella un regalo le escribieran a su padre, en particular el Día de Reyes y apuntó que el hecho de que la prisión reciba las cartas y debido al proceso que tienen que pasar en la prisión es una forma de que la prisión vean que “mi Papá no está olvidado, que nosotros después de 30 años Papi preso, hay un pueblo y una familia que lo espera. Eso para nosotros ha sido bien importante en estas navidades y este seis de enero yo les pido encarecidamente que le envíen una notita, una simple nota para Oscar López Rivera en el día de su cumpleaños”.

Respecto al aislamiento en que se mantiene al Prisionero Político Puertorriqueño, el licenciado Villanueva reiteró la petición de Clarisa a los funcionarios electos ya que esta acción obliga al Gobierno de Estados Unidos a reconocer que hay gente en Puerto Rico interesada en ese preso político. Detalló que los abogados podían pedir la visita como una legal pero que los religiosos, artistas, profesores también podían hacerlo. En caso de que la contestación fuese en la afirmativa garantizó que se harían los arreglos pertinentes para ello. En caso de que se negara la visita, era evidencia de que el Gobierno está tratando de aislar a un puertorriqueño al cual el pueblo de Puerto Rico, por encima de todas sus diferencias, tiene interés de que se le garanticen sus derechos humanos.

Contó que la primera visita de contacto que tuvo Oscar fue después de 12 años de aislamiento con su abogada Jan Susler y él. “En un cuarto como de seis pies de ancho con ocho de largo, una mesa de cemento entre medio, para podernos abrazar tuvimos que abrazarnos por encima de la mesa y la primera vez que Oscar pudo hacer contacto con su nieta fue a través del cristal. A los 10 años, puso las manos en el cristal y le dijo ‘abuelo, aunque no nos dejen abrazarnos pon tus manos ahí que yo te voy a transmitir calor y el cariño que te tengo como abuelo”.

Por su parte, el profesor y veterano luchador de la campaña de excarcelación, Luis Nieves Falcón, agregó que “el objetivo más claro de hoy es dejarle claro a Estados Unidos que nosotros no vamos a ceder en nuestro esfuerzo hasta que Oscar no esté libre. Que ese mito de que los latinos comienzan las cosas y las dejan cuando les son difíciles, eso no funciona con nosotros. Vamos a continuar y vamos a desarrollar todas las fuerzas para asegurarnos que él pueda estar aquí y para eso vamos a desarrollar actividades aquí y en los Estados Unidos porque es donde más lo siente el Presidente”.

Entre las actividades que se tienen pautadas está la celebración de una misa en la Catedral del Viejo san Juan, el sábado 14 de enero, la consideración del apoyo del liderato mexicano en Estados Unidos, el cual llevará a cabo una reunión este próximo mes de marzo; la publicación en inglés de un libro de López Rivera, con el prólogo escrito por el Obispo Surafricano Desmond Tutu.

“Me parece que nuestro mensaje es no vamos a ceder, vamos a continuar trabajando aquí y trabajando allá y trabajando internacionalmente hasta conseguir que Oscar pueda estar con nosotros. Los hermanos González Claudido ya tienen una fecha más cercana de salida, pero entran en nuestras denuncias de los abusos que se cometen contra nosotros por su carácter ideológico. Tenemos que criticar esa persecución, no importa la ideología del que lo haga, sea independentista estadolibrista, estadista, cualquier persecución vamos a estar en la obligación de criticarlo y censurarlo. En este momento es prioritario Oscar porque es el preso político, en la historia de los presos políticos del mundo, que más tiempo está encarcelado y no vamos a ceder y estoy seguro que con esfuerzos de aquí y de allá e internacionalmente lo vamos a sacar y vamos a demostrar que el espíritu de la libertad no lo pueden acallar de ninguna manera”, manifestó Nieves Falcón.

Comprometidos con la liberación.

Otros presentes en la conferencia de prensa fueron el copresidente del Movimiento Independentista nacional Hostosiano (MINH), Héctor Pesquera Sevillano, la ex procuradora de la Mujer, licenciada María Dolores Fernós y el presidente del CA, licenciado Osvaldo Toledo.

El licenciado Toledo expresó que “el Colegio de Abogados ha sido consistente con la liberación de Oscar López. Hemos emitido una resolución solicitando al presidente Obama que lo libere. Ya es tiempo de liberarlo, lleva muchos años preso, es el más antiguo, ya es tiempo de que esté pronto en su casa, en Puerto Rico”.

El alcalde de Comerío, Josean Santiago, quien también preside la Asociación de Alcaldes, indicó que ya la Asociación, con el respaldo de todos los alcaldes asociados, hizo una declaración a favor de la liberación de Oscar. “Ahora acogemos este planteamiento de decretar este año como el año de la liberación, el año 2012. De manera que en primer lugar, no tengo ningún problema en hacer de inmediato un escrito para solicitar una visita a Oscar allá en la cárcel. En segundo lugar, nosotros vamos a participar en un evento de carácter latinoamericano, la Federación Latinoamericana de Municipios y Ciudades de la que formamos parte, celebra una convención en Santiago de Chile en marzo y estaré allí como Presidente de la Asociación de Alcaldes solicitando que también se manifiesten los alcaldes de toda América a favor de su liberación”.

En tanto, la senadora Norma Burgos expresó que “estamos aquí presentes precisamente porque somos consistentes con el reclamo que hemos hecho de la liberación de Oscar López. Lo hicimos cuando estuvimos ocupando la posición de la Secretaría de Estado del Gobierno de Puerto Rico, en aquel momento en el ‘99 cuando el Presidente permitió la liberación de otros compañeros y en este caso queremos seguir siendo consistentes”.

La Senadora reveló que anteriormente ya había realizado varias gestiones como durante la reciente visita del presidente Obama le hizo tres planteamientos y el primero que le hice personalmente fue precisamente la excarcelación de Oscar.

Otra persona en comprometerse por la excarcelación fue la representante Carmen Yulín Cruz Soto, quien reconoció la consistencia en la lucha de los compañeros presentes Juan Dalmau del PIP y su correligionario, Luis Vega Ramos. En la visita de Obama, Cruz Soto le entregó una carta solicitando la excarcelación de López, la cual fue suscrita por decenas de miembros del Colegio de Abogados y organizaciones políticas y no políticas. La misiva no solo fue un pronunciamiento de libertad, sino como un pronunciamiento de derechos humanos.

“Uno hace lo que uno puede y comencé desde el 1 de enero una pequeña cruzada de escribir todos los días, todos los días, una carta a la secretaria de Estado Hilary Clinton, una carta al Presidente de Estados Unidos y una carta a Oscar López, pidiendo su excarcelación y que él supiera lo que se está haciendo. En las próximas semanas estaré procurando lograr que la Organización de Mujeres Populares que presido se una como organización, a que esas mujeres escriban diariamente o correos electrónicos a la Casa Blanca o cartas al Presidente pidiendo la excarcelación. Si un compatriota se nos queda a la orilla, ningún puertorriqueño se puede sentir satisfecho o satisfecha. Oscar está preso simple y sencillamente por amar a Puerto Rico”.

El alcalde de Toa Baja, Aníbal Vega Borges, dijo que lo primero que hará será la aprobación de una resolución de su Asamblea Municipal para enviarla al Presidente, y una carta suya donde hará constar que este es un caso humanitario. “¿Cómo es posible que una persona pueda estar más de 30 años preso, tenga 69 años de vida y no representa ningún peligro para la sociedad?”, declaró.

Aseguró que estaría conversando con algunos alcaldes estadistas para que se unan y disipen su confusión de creer que López Rivera cometió unos delitos. “Cuando tú tienes un ser humano con 31 años en la cárcel que no lo quieren liberar, entonces hay que preguntarse por qué no lo quieren liberar, por qué si no representa un peligro. Entonces es por su ideal, yo creo entonces lo están sentenciando por su ideal, eso es lamentable en un sistema democrático. Nosotros los puertorriqueños nos tenemos que unir para lograr que un ser humano que lleva 30 años preso en el sistema de cárcel de Estados Unidos pueda disfrutar de su familia. Creo que es un acto humanitario. Si los Estados Unidos no lo ven como un acto humanitario entonces creo que están totalmente equivocados”.

En declaraciones escritas, el alcalde de Cayey Rolando Ortiz Velázquez se comprometió a unirse al reclamo de libertad para el compatriota, su adhesión y solidaridad con el trabajo y esfuerzos del Comité y que estaría participando en futuras actividades dirigidas a ese fin.

“Creo que lo que se está dando aquí hoy, como ha ocurrido en las últimas campañas por la excarcelación de los Presos Políticos, es una señal importantísima para el país de cómo gente de distintas ideologías puede coincidir en puntos esenciales. Pero yo como independentista quiero subrayar que para nosotros, además de ser un acto de humanidad, de solidaridad, de atención a los detalles jurídicos, estamos aquí porque igual que Oscar queremos que en Puerto Rico mandemos los puertorriqueños”, declaró la vicepresidenta del PIP, licenciada María de Lourdes Santiago.

Santiago le solicitó a Clarisa que le transmitiera a su padre la inspiración que él representa para todos los independentistas que de una manera diferente dedican su vida para hacer que nuestra bandera algún día ondee sola.

It’s the spirit of sharing that’s the most fundamental element of the tradition of celebrating Three Kings Day, because such a spirit cannot be commodified. We can look at the way a group of Puerto Ricans decided to share that spirit with the children of Vieques during the campaign to get the Navy out of Vieques. It decided to provide the children with a very festive day including giving them non-violent and non-military gifts. The children, every year since the group started the project, have been provided with gifts and with activities that are true expressions of the sharing spirit. It’s becoming a tradition. The same could be said about the Puerto Rican community in Chicago. A group of people have been celebrating Three Kings Day by sharing with the children gifts and by involving the community in this important and significant celebration.

By Puerto Ricans celebrating Three Kings Day in the Diaspora, we are being shown that we can observe and celebrate our traditions wherever we are. Let’s keep celebrating Three Kings Day and passing the tradition down to future generations. It’s always good to maintain a celebratory spirit, even when conditions are hard. Enjoy this holiday.

En resistencia y lucha, OLR.

from Juan Santiago

In another grand heroic deed of the youth-students at the UPR, they started working on this mural on Friday December 23, 2011, working from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. They continued on Christmas Eve, Saturday the 24th of December at 9:00 a.m. They worked intensely that day. It was obvious that they wanted to finish the Mural, and that it would be a Christmas present for Oscar. Midnight came, and the work was well advanced. It was Christmas. The brigade kept working. They found spotlights to light their work. It rained on them. They put up a tent. The police kept passing by on their typical rounds and saw with strange reverence how beautiful the Mural was. They worked on the details of the Mural. With dawn they continued on their course, with no sign of surrender or exhaustion. This photo was taken at 4:30 a.m. The brigade was led by the artist Abdiel Arenas, Abderaman, Cesar, Manuel, Carlos, and others whose names I don’t know. Their finished their patriotic marathon right on Christmas. It was dawn and you could hear the mist of nature that Oscar so longs for. Christmas happily sang “Justice-Freedom- Solidarity” for the political prisoner whose only purported crime was to love his homeland. This is proof of the ancestry and strength of the new generation taking on the struggle, and how they are inspired by Oscar López Rivera’s life and heroic deeds. Long live free Puerto Rico! Long live Oscar López Rivera! How welcome the Redeeming Christmas will be!

Su única hija, Clarisa López, agradeció al Asambleísta Rivera por la dedicatoria a su Padre. Clarisa se dirigió al público: “Han sido 30 años de resistencia y lucha, sueños y esperanzas. Hemos luchado por los pasados 30 años por la excarcelación de mi Padre. Pero a la vez hemos vivido por las pasadas tres décadas soñando con su regreso junto a mi hija, Karina y a mí a nuestro querido Puerto Rico. Vivimos con la esperanza de que nos pueda acompañar y compartir tiempo y espacio con nosotras. Les exhorto a que se unan a nosotras al esfuerzo recolección de firmas para las cartas de solicitud de petición de perdón presidencial dirigida al Presidente de EU Barack Obama. A la salida se encuentran las cartas, sólo tienen que firmarlas y se estarán uniendo al esfuerzo de que mi sueño de tener a mi lado a mi Padre, Oscar López Rivera se convierta en realidad.” Acto seguido El Jibaro entono la canción Mi viejo.

It is worth noting that his co-defendant, Carlos Alberto Torres, as well as those 10 others arrested in 1980 are today free and living productive lives as responsible citizens who are committed to the social well being of our people. We walk, bicycle, pray and rally for Oscar’s Freedom! Join the Campaign!

Saturday, May 28, 2011

Cleveland, OH

Grito de Libertad
Prayer, Rhythm, and Reflection for Oscar López Rivera
Puerto Rican Political Prisoner completing 30 years of imprisonment
2:00 pm
Edgewater Park
sponsored by/auspiciado por
The Interfaith Prisoners of Conscience Project and
The Boricua Human Rights Network

NYC, NY
The NYC National Boricua Human Rights Network will co-sponsor a unitary march, letter signing and cultural program on Sat, 5-28. For more information, nyc@boricuahumanrights.org
Community March for the Puerto Rican Political Prisoners
Marcha de la Comunidad por la Libertad de los Presos Politicos Puertorriqueños
Gather at La Casita de Chema, 499 E. 157th St (corner of Brook Ave).
Take train # 5 or 2 to 149th St and 3rd avenue and walk up 3rd and make a right on 157th Street. The march will end 2 pm at Resurrection Church 799 Elton Avenue.
Speakers/Performers
Ricardo Jimenez, Former Puerto Rican political prisoner, served 20 years in prison
Prisionera, Poet
The Welfare Poets
Sponsored by
National Boricua Human Right Network – NY Chapter, nyc@boricuahumanrights.org
ProLibertad Freedom Campaign

Sunday, May 29, 2011

Philadelphia:
Service for Oscar López Rivera, Iglesia Cristo y San Ambrosio,
6th and Venango @ 11:00am
sponsored by the Naitonal Boricua Human Rights Network

Chicago:
8am Walkers leave to complete last 15 miles of Freedom Walk 2011; to arrive at Unity Ecumenical Service at Lincoln Memorial Methodist Church, 2242 S. Damen, and from there, to La Casita de Don Pedro, 2625 W. Division St, for concluding cultural event.
1) Arrival of the Freedom Walkers
Over 30 Freedom Walkers will be arriving to the Unity Ecumenical Service, several of which will have marched almost 200 miles in 10 days, from Terre Haute, IN to Chicago, IL and the majority marching 30 miles to Chicago. HELP US GREET THEM by joining us at the Ecumenical Service below.
2) Unity Ecumenical Service
Lincoln Methodist Memorial Church
3:00pm
2242 S. Damen Ave
Chicago, IL 60608
3) Arrival of the Freedom Bikers and Cultural Event at La Casita de Don Pedro
Over 30 Freedom Bikers will be arriving to La Casita de Don Pedro, after biking to and from Glenview, IL where Oscar Lopez Rivera was arrested on May 29, 1981. HELP US GREET THEM! Join us at the cultural celebration below.
La Casita de Don Pedro
2625 W. Division Street
Chicago, IL 60622

In Puerto Rico
The Ecumenical and Interreligious Coalition of Puerto Rico and the Puerto Rican Human Rights Committee will convoke an ecumenical service for Oscar’s freedom Sunday, May 29, 2:00pm at the University Methodist Chruch in Rio Piedras.

This ecumenical service is part of a broad national and international campaign for his freedom. Oscar, who is 68 years old, will have served 30 years in prison this Sunday. This makes him the political prisoner who has served the most time in prison for the struggle for freedom and independence of Puerto Rico.

The Ecumenical and Interreligious Coalition of Puerto Rico and the Puerto Rican Human Rights Committee do not agree with the US Parole Board’s determination on May 10, rejecting Oscar’s appeal for parole and demanding that he serve 15 more years in addition to the 30 that he has already served. The parole Board also did not recognize his excellent behavior, the development of his creative talents and his contribution to the well-being of his fellow prisoners. We understand that Oscar Lopez Rivera meets all of the criteria for parole.

The Ecumenical and Interreligious Coalition of Puerto Rico and the Puerto Rican Human Rights Committee invites all Puerto Ricans to unite in prayer, which is the most efficient instrument for those people who have faith and confidence in God, and exhorts the entire community to add it’s efforts so that Oscar López Rivera may enjoy the affection and love of his granddaughter, his daughter, his beloved family and that of all of the Puerto Rican nation. It is time we had him home!