AS OF APRIL 4, 1999, FOR NINETEEN YEARS, fifteen women and men have been imprisoned throughout the U.S. because of their acts and belief in favor of the independence of Puerto Rico. The majority of the prisoners are parents, some are grandparents. Before going to prison, they were workers, professionals and activists in their communities. In prison, they have developed day care, AIDS awareness, literacy and services to other prisoners.

They were convicted of "seditious conspiracy", the same charge for which the President of South Africa Nelson Mandela ( praised by Clinton ) served so many years in prison. Although none of the Puertoricans were charge with any act of bloodshed, they are serving long sentences ( of 15 to 105 years each ), sentences longer than meted out to those convicted of rape or murder. The majority of these prisoners have suffered extremely harsh treatment at some time during their imprisonment including physical assault and extended period of isolation - conditions condemned by Amnesty International. Puertoricans in the U.S. and Puerto Rico, from all political sectors have called for their release from prison.

Reconciliation and forgiveness are at the core of human relationship. The freedom loving Puertorican people also have reconciliation in mind. Wether we agree with these Puertoricans goal of independence or their methods to achieve it, the nineteen years they have already been imprisoned is more than enough. It is time to bring them home.

The prisoners love for the people, the poor and the exploited, have led them to demand independence for Puerto Rico conquer by the U.S. 100 years ago. Today, Puerto Rico remains a colony. Among other things, it is exploited as a military base, to the detriment of the people with little voice in the determination of their own lives.

The new millennium beckons us to a new relationship between the U.S. mid Puerto Rico. We concur with the United Nations calling this coming decade, as the decade to end colonialism. Political prisoners are being released in other nations around the world. We join forces to begin the next century without political prisoners in the U.S.

(Document presented by the Interfaith Prisoners of Conscience Project. )