> Committee for the Rescue and Development of Vieques
>
> P.O. Box 1424 Vieques, Puerto Rico 00765
>
> Tel. (787) 741-0716 Fax 741-0358 Email:
> bieke at coqui.net
>
> December 8, 2000
>
> Press Release
> Don´t Play with the Health of our Children
>
> The Agency for Toxic Substances Disease Registry
> (ATSDR), is visiting Vieques to investigate about
> health and toxic substances. It is a federal agency
> that intervenes in communities with high levels of
> toxic contamination. But this agency has a long and
> negative history of bad relations with affected
> communities.
>
> Hiding behind a façade of "science", the ATSDR does
> not conduct scientific studies. Its procedures are
> limited to interviewing a few people in the affected
> area, ask the contaminator (in this case, the US
> Navy), or other governmental agencies for information
> about toxics in the environment, and later conclude
> that there is no "scientific" way to prove causal
> relationship between the contamination and terrible
> health problems.
>
> We know what to expect from this agency in Vieques.
> Admiral Kevin Green has already announced publicly
> that ATSDR will exonerate the US Navy for any
> responsibility related to health problems suffered by
> the people of Vieques.
>
> The Vieques community has heard testimony from people
> who have suffered from the machinations and trickery
> of this federal agency, like the case of the ex
> residents of Christian City in Humacao, Puerto Rico.
> Several experts in health and environment told about
> ATSDR intervention in Puerto Rico and the United
> States and all gave identical testimony: ATSDR carries
> out incomplete studies, manipulates and twists
> information, and in almost all cases, has exonerated
> the contaminator of being the cause of the health
> crisis in the communities.
>
> Several Vieques doctors asked ATSDR for economic help
> so health professionals on the island municipality
> could carry out medical studies and laboratory
> analisis necessary to diagnose and provide treatment
> to Viequenses exposed to the toxic substances of the
> US Navy. But ATSDR does not provide resources for this
> tipo of study nor does it do medical exams for
> residents, so it is not clear how the agency will use
> and/or manipulate the healt data available.
>
> Individuals, community organizations and professionals
> in Vieques and in Puerto Rico must sound the alert and
> energetically protest the lies and deceit planned by
> ATSDR against the people of Vieques. Our struggle for
> real, for peace and for the health of this and future
> generations of Viequenses. ATSDR OUT OF VIEQUES!
>
> Contacts: Nilda Medina, Comité Pro Rescate y
> Desarrollo de Vieques 741-0716 Dr. Dulce María
> Albandoz, Médico
> de Vieques 741-2288
> Lisandro Rivera, Colectivo Cayo La Yayi
> Dr. Jorge Colón, Grupo de Apoyo Técnico Para el
> Desarrollo Sostenible de Vieques 640-7694
> Sarah Peisch, Centro de Acción Ambiental 250-8551