[NYTr] P'Rico: Protest for peace,  against “tourism of death” greets Natl Guard Assn
 
Date: Sun, 26 Aug 2007 22:49:59 -0500 (CDT)


Via NY Transfer News Collective  *  All the News that Doesn't Fit
 
sent by Raulmax - Aug 26, 2007

Protest for peace and against btourism of deathb 
promoted by Puerto Rican Group

SAN JUAN.  8/26/07 b An alliance of thousands of Puerto Ricans from
dozens of religious,  labor, environmental and cultural groups;
representatives of political parties,  anti war and youth
organizations, pro- Vieques and pro b independence activists  held
today a peaceful massive demonstration for peace and against the
American  National Guard Associationbs 129th Annual Convention, being
held in  San Juan during this weekend. The protesters  also called for
peace in Iraq and Afghanistan, where more than seventy Puerto  Rican
soldiers have died so far, and demanded that local soldiers be brought
from overseas. 

Coordinators  of the event criticized the military Convention that
brought to Puerto Rico more than five thousand members of the
Association, as well as U.S. Congressional Representatives, armed forces
generals and Republican presidential candidate John McCain. With them
came the eight most important weapons and battle equipment moguls to
exhibit and sell their wares: Lockeed Martin, Boeing, BAE Systems,
Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, General Dynamics, EADS and L-3
Communications.
  
The local Government was also criticized for sponsoring the
convention, and for hosting an  organization that bpromotes violence
and a new kind of tourism that focuses on  death and destructionb, and
letting the military and their suppliers use Puerto  Ricobs national
territory as an bopen marketb for selling state-of-the-art battle
equipment and nuclear, biological and chemical weapons that are being
used against innocent people in Asia, Africa and the rest of the
World. Activists also said the same Government that claims having
financial problems is sponsoring the National Guard Convention and
organizing special activities and receptions, labeled it as bshamefulb
and called for an investigation on how much the Government will spend
in honoring death and war when our country faces a financial crisis. 

Local  newscasters covering the convention informed this evening that
while outside  people condemned the war in Iraq, inside the Conventions
Center, the Chairman of  the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Peter Pace,
was addressing the Convention. He said the war in Iraq will continue
for several more decades and that eventually  the United States will
prevail for ideological reasons. Todaybs  activity was part of a series
of events that were held during this weekend to protest war, promote
peace and condemn the National Guard Associationbs presence  in Puerto
Rico and its military series of events. 
 
Movimiento  Independentista Nacional Hostosiano 
ComisiC3n  Nacional de  Comunicaciones

 
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