By Kara Shire
Tri-Valley Herald

Sept. 11, 1999

DUBLIN — To the sounds of conga drums and excited shouts for freedom, four women convicted of terrorism and granted clemency by President Clinton were released Friday from the federal prison here.

Carmen Valentin of New York, and Alicia Rodriguez, Dylcia Pagan and Ida Luiz Rodriguez — all of Chicago — boarded planes for their Puerto Rican homeland.

Their release marks the end of a 19-year struggle that has attracted international attention and put Puerto Rico in the spotlight.

For the women, the release from prison was a long-awaited victory. But their sup porters called the day bitter sweet and said the battle to free political prisoners in the United States was not over.

Carmen Valentin, who served 19 years of a 90-year sentence, smiled as she greeted about 40 supporters who gathered outside of Camp Parks, an Army training facility that occupies 2,700 acres and houses the Federal Correctional Institution.

"The Puerto Rican people know that Puerto Rico's colonial status has to change," she said with her commonwealth's flags blowing in the breeze. "We will worrk until our last dying day to change the colonial status of Puerto Rico."

Around the nation Friday, seven other members of the Puerto Rican nationalist group FALN, the Spanish acronym for the Armed Forces of National Liberation, stepped out of federal prisons after renouncing violence, a condition of their clemency.

The FALN has been blamed for 130 bombings in the late 1970s and early 1980s that left six dead and scores wounded.

None of those offered clemency was directly responsible for deaths or injuries, officials said.

Although the women said they were happy to be re leased, some people in the crowd said they were not pleased with the terms of the clemency, which prevents some of the former prisoners from speaking to certain family members.

"I think the conditions are an insult, but it is a victory," said Edy Scripps of Oakland. Scripps was one of many people gathered Friday who had visited the women in prison.

"We're making concessions that we didn't want to have to make, but we're also getting a victory that we wanted," she said.

Dylcia Pagan greeted sup porters with her 20-year-old son, Guillermo, whom she left when he was just 13-monthsold. She was sentenced to 55 years in prison, and served 19.

"We've been waiting for this day for 20 years," Guillermo said. "I know she wants to be with me. I want to be with her."

Holding a bouquet of purple flowers, Pagan said, "This is an incredible moment. It is to the Puerto Rican nation that I say thanks."

Pagan said she's anxious to start a new life, but vowed to continue fighting for the freedom of Puerto Rico and political prisoners in the United States.

"We will work in whatever means necessary to free (prisoners)," she said. "The struggle continues until all political prisoners in this country are released."

Alicia Rodriguez also took her first steps into freedom Friday after nearly 20 years in prison.

"It's numbing, absolutely numbing," she said. "I want to go home to Puerto Rico."

Kahlil Jacobs-Fancauzzi, of Berkeley, has been visiting the four women every other weekend for five years.

"We feel these people are heroes," said Jacobs-Fan cauzzi, a Bay Area middle school teacher and member of Comite, an Oakland coalition that works to free political prisoners. "We think they should be released unconditionally."

Even his nephew, Jivan Fe liciano had something to say. Perched on his father's shoulders, he led the crowd in a chant of "Free Puerto Rico."

Activists said they are not finished fighting.

"We pray for the well-being of those being released today," said Rev. Lillian Valentin de Ricl of the United Church of Christ, which aided the women with money and support throughout their incarceration. "We continue to struggle be cause we are not free until all of us are free."

Jason Negron, also a Comite member, agreed.

"We're happy to have these people out of jail, and at the same time we're not happy," Negron said. "It is a bitter sweet moment. We still have work to do."

Scripps, who knew Valentin and the Rodriguezes when they lived in Chicago and taught some of their children in Puerto Rican schools, was overwhelmed by their release.

"It's one of the deepest plea sures and the happiest moments of my entire life," she said. "It was worth waiting for, I just wish we didn't have to wait so long."