The Puerto Rican Prisoners of War and Violations of Their Human Rights

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ThePuerto RicanPrisoners of War

andViolations of theirHuman Rights


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SPECIAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENTThis publication was produced with the

generous financial help ofthe United Church of Christ

IntroductionThe Puerto RicanPrisoners of War

by Juan Manuel Delgado, HistorianOn April 4, 1980, the repressive forces of the United States

arrested eleven Puerto Ricans in the suburb of Evanston, Illinois.They were immediately accused of membership in the ArmedForces of Puerto Rican National Liberation (FALN). The arreststook place at 4:00 in the afternoon and by 10:00 that evening, thepatriots had declared themselves "prisoners of war".The eleven arrestees were Carlos Alberto Torres, Luis Rosa,Freddie Mendez,Adolfo Matos, Elizam Escobar, Ricardo Jimenez,Ida Luz Rodriguez, Dylcia Pagan, Carmen Valentin, AliciaRodriguez and Haydee Torres.Afterwards, a massive campaign was carried out to publiclydenounce the psychological torture of Freddie Mendez. Mendezwas subject to psychological torture and sophisticated "pressure"and brainwashing techniques until he became a mouthpiece ofthe federal authorities.The principled position of those arrestedthe prisoner of warpositionintroduced a new front of struggle to the internationalarena. This new front was publicly backed by organizations thatsupport Puerto Rico's right to armed revolution of an anti-imperi-alist an d anti-colonial nature. However, confronted with the factthat some combatants had been captured, the creation of organiza-tions to defend the prisoners of war became necessary.

Because of the circumstances described beforehand, the Na-tional Committee to Free Puerto Rican Prisoners of War was im-mediately organized.

Who is a Prisoner of War?From the international viewpoint, a prisoner of war is any

combatant or reserve, that in any phase or circumstance of war,either by individual or collective surrender, or by being captured,falls into the enemy's hands.


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The P uerto Rican Prisonersof War Ricardo JimenezPiri Thomas, Csaba Polony and Jay Murphy, recently metwith prison officials to demand that Elizam's right to expresshis creativitybe respected.

Those interested in combatting such censorship or toexhibit his paintings can write to Friends of Elizam, c/oPuerto Rican Cultural Center, 1671 North Claremont Ave-nue, Chicago, IL 60647.Elizam Escobar #88969-024, Box 1500Colorado Unit, El Reno, Oklahoma 73036

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Ricardo Jimenez was born in SanSebastian, Puerto Rico on April 3,1956. His family later moved toChicago, where Ricardo became ac-tive in the struggle to assure commu-nity participation in the educationalprocess at Tuley High School. Heattended Loyola University and atthe time of his capture, Ricardo was

completing his studies at the Chicago Institute of Technol-ogy in Chicago. Ricardo is currently serving a 90-yearsentence for seditious conspiracy and other charges.

Human Rights ViolationsDuring his 4-year incarceration in State prisons, Ricardo

was transferred six times. Every transfer was abrupt, with-out explanation and carried out in total secrecy. His familyand friends were never informed of his destination. Histransfers have caused emotional and financial distress for hisfamily.

At every prison he has been in, hehasbeen denied accessto any educational or cultural programs.

On one occasion, his legal materials and personal corre-spondence were withheld for several months. While Ricardowas incarcerated at Stateville, his paralegals were routinelydenied visitation rights without any explanation. Ricardo'svisitors and their cars were regularly searched by guardsemploying dynamite-sniffing dogs. Ricardo has enduredphysical and psychological harassment by prison guards.Although his f ami ly and friends live in Chicago,Ricardo is imprisoned several hundred miles awayin Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. He is allowed only fivepeople on his visiting list.Ricardo Jimenez #88967-024 Unit A -2Box 1000, Lewisburg, Pennsylvania 17837

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The Puerto Rican Prisoners of War Dylcia Pagansentence was later reduced by a judge to 8 years.This judge recognized Guillermo as a politicalprisoner, pointing out that he is a valuable elementto his political movement. If Guillermo wereextradited to the US, he would be torturedphysically and psychologically as happened in NewYork and Mexico. It is for this reason that the PuertoR i can independence movement has initiated acampaign appealing to the traditional hospitality ofthe Mexican nation, which has never denied politicalasylum to the politically persecuted. We ask Mexicoto grant political asylum to the compatriotGuillermo Morales or to allow him to seek asylum inanother country that will assure his physical andmoral integrity. At this time, three countries(Angola, Libya and Ethiopia), have offe red himpolitical asylum. This campaign counts on thesupport of wide sectors of the population in PuertoRico, Mexico and the United States.

Guillermo Morales ApartadoPostal 20-853Col. San Angel, Mexico 20, D.F.

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Dylcia Paganwasborn in "ElBarrio"in New York City on October 15,1946. Sheattended Brooklyn Collegewere she majored in Cinematogra-phy and Sociology, participated inthe struggle for students'rights and founded the PuertoRican Students Union. Shetaught social studies in the

New York City school system, has worked for allthree major television networks (ABC, NBC, CBS)and also for the daily newspaper El Tiempo.Dylcia was captured. April 4, 1980 along with othercomrades. She is serving a 55-year sentence oncharges of seditious conspiracy among others. Shehas already completed an 8-year state sentence.Dylcia's patriotism has manifested itself in many artisticforms which include painting, ceramics, poetry and herwritings. She has participated in the production of a videoabout her life and lives of her companeros in thestruggle. While in prison, she helped direct adocumentary about the Puerto Rican WomenPrisoners of War.Her biography has been published in Puerto RicanWomen: A History of Oppression and Resistance. Dylcia'spoetry has appeared in Have You Seen La NuevaMujer Puertorriquena? Part of Dylcia's lifestory was also included in a book by the famousanthropologist, John Langston Gwaltney entitled,The Dissenters: Voices from ContemporaryAmerica.

H U M A N RIGHTS VIOLATIONSThe first three days of her capture, Dylcia was kept in

isolation and was physically injured by the guards.

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The Puerto Rican Prisoners of WarLuis Rosa was born in Chicago, Illi-nois on August 6, 1960. At thet ime of his cap ture Apr i l 4,1980, he was l iving with hismother and 3 younger brothers.His father died on the day of hisbirth. Luis has a son by the nameof Luis Jr., age 10. Luis studiedat the University of Illinois inChicago, was president and organizer of the Unionfo r Puerto Rican Students. He was a communi tyactivist involved in such issues as police brutalityand the lack of services in the Puerto Ricanc o m m u n i t y .Before his capture, Luis was writing poetry andplaying congas with a cultural group. From behindprison walls, Luis st i l l expresses his fee l ingsth rough his poetry and music . He is a regu la rcontributor to Libertad and other publications. His

poetry has been published in Flores y Balas. Luiswas sentenced to 30 years on State charges and 55-years on Fede ra l charges, inc lud ing sedi t iousconspiracy and other charges.HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS

Since his capture 8 years ago Luis has beent rans fe r red 14 d i f f e r en t t imes wi thin 8 securi typrisons in Illinois and isolated 9 different times.Thirty-eight photos were taken upon his arrival atJoliet Penitentiary, force was used and the photoswere d i s t r ibu ted to the g u a r d s at the prisoninterrogation room and high prison officials. He wasforced to take on e photo per month and if he refused,he was put in isolation. He was also accused of aconspi racy to help other prisoners escape. False

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Luis Rosacharges were filed against Luis after a guard wasinjured when a Judge ordered them to restrain Luis.The repression and hostility were not limited toLuis a lone , i t extended to members of thecommunity. His bro ther, Felix was arrested on falsecharges. The motives behind these false arrestswas to secure convictions on charges of beingmembers of the FALN. For 6 years Felix Rosa wassub jec ted to the sa m e i n h u m a n e and bru ta ltreatment to which prisoners of war are subject inthe United States.

His m o t h e r and family were under constantsurveillance. On one occasion, his mother was hit byan ambulance whi le she was walk ing on thesidewalk (she was on her way to see Luis). Hisgrandfather was interrogated at gun point whichp r o v o k e d a heart a t tack. His son was a lmostkidnapped by a man who resembled a known FB Ia g e n t .The purpose of these calculated and systematicacts of repression is to isolate Luis f rom hisfamily, friends and supporters in the community.L u i s R o s a NO2743B ox 711, Menard, I l l inois 52259

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The Puerto Rican Prisoners of Wargovernment. Haydee was subject to physical abusein interrogations for refusing to implicate hercomrades in unfounded crimes. This was doneseveral times by FBI and other government agents.These and other inhumane acts by the USgovernment have led to serious injuries whichprison medical directors have misdiagnosed, also,Haydee has received injections of unknownmedications.

Haydee is currently at the Pleasanton federalprison in California, thousands of miles away fromher immediate family and friends.Haydee Torres #88642-024

5701 W . 8th St.,Camp Parks,Dublin, CA. 94566

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CarmenValentinCarmen Valentin was born in Arec-ibo, Puerto Rico on March2,1946. Atthe age of 9, her family moved toChicago. She has a 18-year old son,Antonio, who is attending DePaulUniversity in Chicago. Carmengraduated from Northeastern Illi-nois University with a Master'sDegree in Spanish. She was very

active in community struggles for better servicesand education. Carmen led the fight to reverse a 73%drop-out rate among our youth in the Chicago PublicSchool system. She was a counselor at Tuley HighSchool and Central YMCA Community College whereshe helped hi the struggle for better conditions forThird World students.Carmen is serving a 90-year sentence for charges ofseditious conspiracy. From prison, her poetry has beenpublished in a book entitled: Have You Seen La Nueva MujerPuertorriquena ?Carmen has contributed articles to Libertadand artistically, to the Puerto Rican Cultural Centerin Chicago. John Langston Gwaltney, the famous au-thor and anthropologist documented part ofCarmen's life in a book entitled: The Dissenters:Voices of Contemporary America.

HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS

Carmen Valentin was captured April 4,1980 and for thefirst three days she was held under the worst conditions everin the State of Illinois. She was only allowed to see her sononce in five months and was strip-searched on every visit.She was subject to a system called "Call and Report" wherethe guards were required to report on her movements everyhour.

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The Puerto Rican Prisoners of WarShe was held for f ive months in the hospitalsection of the prison and in one particular instance,

shut in a room with four other companeras for aweek. Carmen was denied contact with the outsideworld, as well as the general prison population. Shewas allowed to see her son (at that time only 10years old) only once in five months. She was strip-searched before and af ter legal visits, a practiceunheard of and not applied to other prisoners.

When she arrived at Dwight Prison, she wasimmediately quarantined for three weeks andallowed no recreation or communication.In 1983, Carmen was transferred to Alderson,West Virginia and denied communication or contactwith anyone for a week. In November of that year,she was transferred to Pleasanton federal prison inCal i fornia , where her mail, political publicationsand other materials were intercepted and censored.Carmen Valentin #88974-0245701 W. 8th Street,Camp Parks, Dublin, CA 94566

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Formore information onthe Puerto RicanPrisonersofWar, please contact the following committees:

Ministry to Prisoners of Conscience2048 W. DivisionChicago, IL 60622

National Committee toFreePuerto RicanPrisoners of WarPO Box 476698Chicago, IL 60647New YorkPO Box 357, Hellgate StationNew York, NY, 10029HartfordBox6072Hartford, CT, 06106

PhiladelphiaPO Box 24825Philadelfia, PA, 19130BostonBox 613Dorchester, MA 02124

San Francisco3552 20thSiSan FranciscoSpecial Committee in Support and Defenseof the Puerto Rican Prisoners of War

Box 137San Juan, Puerto Rico 00905

Documents

The Puerto Rican Prisoners of War and Violations of Their Human Rights