By Becky Trout
Editor in Chief

Panelists discussed "‘Terrorism,’ the FALN, and the Significance of President Clinton’s Clemency Offer" Sunday afternoon in Science Center 150.

Twelve of 16 Puerto Rican nationalists offered clemency by Clinton accepted his offer in early September. They were associated with the Armed Forces of Puerto Rican National Liberation (Spanish initials FALN) which claimed responsibility for a series of bombings in the 1970s and early 1980s. None of the prisoners were found guilty of murder, bombing, or hurting a person, according to CNN.

Clinton’s move incited a media fervor and drew criticism from the FBI, Congress, and even Hillary.

Martha Crenshaw, John E. Andrus professor of government, provided an overview of terrorism to the panel discussion’s approximately 50 attendees and pointed out that the relationship between Clinton and Congress is at perhaps its lowest point ever.

"This decision by President Clinton... which in other circumstances might have gone unnoticed... provoked congressional outrage," Crenshaw said.

Angelo Falcon, senior policy executive and director of PRLDEF Institute for Puerto Rican Policy, and Vincente ‘Panama’ Alba, co-founder of National Congress for Puerto Rican Rights, discussed the clemency offer and its surrounding political circumstances more specifically.

"One of the things that really bugged me was the way the press... mangled the issue," Falcon said. "It was a frustrating experience for many of us... we felt like we were being used."

"There is a lot more going on here that neither the President or the American media is willing to talk about," Alba said.

Alba said he was the first person arrested in the United States accused of being a member of the FALN but said he was not associated with the FALN; he was arrested in 1977.

"What we thought the issue really was–that is the status of Puerto Rico–never really came up," Falcon said.

Puerto Rico is a commonwealth associated with the United States. Its political affiliation is a contentious issue; many Puerto Ricans would like it to become the 51st state while other groups such as the FALN advocate complete independence.

"The issue of Puerto Rico is not a domestic issue... Puerto Rico is a nation," Alba said.

Puerto Ricans born in Puerto Rico are U.S. citizens but they cannot vote in presidential elections. A governor heads Puerto Rico and the commonwealth sends one non-voting representative to Congress.

Falcon said the reaction of statehood forces in Puerto Rico to the offering of clemency was "fascinating." They passed a general proposal condemning terrorism but, due to the popularity of the prisoners, could not condemn the decision itself, Falcon said.

"This whole [episode] really created a setback to the statehood movement," Falcon said.

Lin-Manuel Miranda ’02 divided Falcon and Alba when he asked for their assessments of the future direction of the statehood movement during the discussion’s question period.

"The issue of Puerto Rico is heading for a political showdown," Alba said.

Falcon disagreed.

"I think we’re going to continue with political mushiness," he said.

La Unidad Latina, Lambda Upsilon Lambda Fraternity Inc., Latinas Promoviendo Comunidad, Lambda Pi Chi Sorority, Inc., Amnesty International, the Wesleyan University Latino Alumni Council, and the Government Majors Committee sponsored the panel discussion.