SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) -- The Caribbean Human Rights Network
                  on Tuesday joined the opposition to the U.S. Navy's live ammunition training
                  area on the inhabited Puerto Rican island of Vieques.

                  The Barbados-based group said in a statement that a three-member panel it
                  appointed has accused the Navy of "gross human rights violations" in
                  Vieques and recommends it cease bombing exercises.

                  "It is clear to us that the war games, bombardment and military maneuvers
                  cannot, in good conscience and consistent with the human rights of the
                  people of Vieques, be continued," the panel said in its report.

                  The human rights organization plans to forward the report to the U.S.
                  secretary of defense, members of the Caribbean Community trade group,
                  the United Nations Human Rights Commission and other organizations.

                  Navy spokesman Scott Bassett said Tuesday he was not aware of the
                  report and could not comment.

                  The Navy has occupied two-thirds of the 18-mile-by-4-mile
                  (30-kilometer-by-6-kilometer) island off Puerto Rico's east coast since
                  1940. It says its live-fire exercises in Vieques are needed to keep its Atlantic
                  Fleet ready for battle.

                  Officials at the Human Rights Network's Barbados office could not be
                  reached Tuesday to give more detail of the alleged violations.

                  Caribbean Rights assembled the panel after a bomb dropped off-target
                  within the Navy's range killed a civilian guard in April. The Navy has halted
                  exercises on the island since the accident.

                  The Navy later admitted it mistakenly fired depleted uranium-tipped rounds
                  at the island in violation of local and federal law.

                  The Rev. Jesse Jackson called the bombing facilities a violation of human
                  rights when he visited the island in August, as did a panel appointed by
                  Puerto Rican Gov. Pedro Rossello.

                    Copyright 1999 The Associated Press.