“31 DAYS FOR 31 YEARS”
A Multimedia and Interactive Exhibit for the Release of Oscar López Rivera
The National Boricua Human Rights Network (NBHRN), Batey Urbano and Latin@ Coalition have commenced “31 Days for 31 Years” in which 31 activists and community residents will spend 24 hours each in a makeshift storefront cell with guard, for a total of 31 days. The exhibit, starting April 29th, also features an exhibition of Oscar’s artwork (he is a prolific painter) as well as literature and posters from the campaign to free Puerto Rican political prisoners for the past 30 years and a wall of Oscar’s letters to his supporters as well as a station where people may write to Oscar, in the Batey Urbano, located at 2620 West Division St. Chicago, IL 60622. Batey Urbano is in the heart of “Paseo Boricua” in Chicago’s Humboldt Park Neighborhood.
The purpose of this is to call attention to the continued unjust incarceration of Oscar López Rivera. The ambitious joint effort of the Latin@ Coalition, Batey Urbano and NBHRN will culminate in a major event commemorating his arrest and 31 years of imprisonment on Tuesday, May 29.
Oscar, a decorated Vietnam veteran, has been imprisoned since his arrest on May 29, 1981. Subsequently, he was charged and convicted for seditious conspiracy and minor arms charges and sentenced to 55 years. The other Puerto Rican political prisoners of his generation, arrested in 1980 and 1983 and also convicted of seditious conspiracy, were released in 1999 by President Clinton, due to mass international and domestic pressure. Oscar rejected the offer at that time because 2 others, Carlos Alberto Torres and Haydee Beltrán, were not included. Both of them have since been freed on parole.
Another creative way folks have organized to show Oscar support and educate the people about his incarceration and Puerto Rico's struggle to be free:
Not yet fluent in Spanish? You can learn more about the mural here.
For more information, please see:
Previous Dandelioness Herbals blog posts about Oscar López Rivera, including his artwork:
Interested in writing to Oscar López Rivera? Please see:
Saludos,
ReplyDeleteTenemos que trabajar juntos para descolonizar a Puerto Rico y excarcelar a Oscar López Rivera. Únete a 2 protestas pacificas anualmente hasta lograrlo.
Un abrazo,
José
http://www.todosunidosdescolonizarpr.blogspot.com/
Greetings Partner,
ReplyDeleteWe will have a peaceful protest on Saturday, November 23rd in Puerto Rico for the liberation of our patriots and political prisoner Oscar Lopez Rivera. Click on the link below for more information.
Un abrazo,
José
www.TodosUnidosDescolonizarPR.blogspot.com
Dear Partner,
ReplyDeleteAfter the approval of the 33rd United Nations’ resolution by consensus on June 23, 2014 asking the United States (US) to immediately decolonize of Puerto Rico, we should work together to force the United States government to comply with it.
The facts that the United States government has maintained Puerto Rico as its colony for 116 years, has had Oscar López Rivera in prison for 33 years for fighting for Puerto Rico decolonization, and has ignored 33 UN resolutions to decolonize Puerto Rico, confirm that the US government has no intentions of ever decolonizing Puerto Rico. Therefore, we need to form a tsunami of people to force the US to comply with the 33 resolutions.
We should peacefully protest at least 3 times a year until we achieve our goal. The first one will be a march up to the US Courthouse in Puerto Rico on the Abolition of Slavery Day on March 22. The second will be another march in Puerto Rico on a day before the UN’s Puerto Rico decolonization hearing. The third one will be a protest in New York City on the same day the UN holds its Puerto Rico decolonization hearing.
These 3 protests are indispensable, because those who have colonies don’t believe in justice for all.
Sincerely,
José M López Sierra
Jlop28vislophis@gmail.com
Comité Timón del Pueblo
United Partners for the Decolonization of Puerto Rico
www.TodosUnidosDescolonizarPR.blogspot.com