The Last Straw? White House lashes Cuba over dissident crackdown

yahoo.com ^ | April 9, 2003 | AFP

[Cincinatus' Wife]

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The White House pointed an accusing finger at Cuba's latest crackdown on dissidents, calling it proof President Fidel Castro's government remains a "totalitarian blight" on the region.

"We are not going to reverse our policy of helping the dissidents," pledged national security spokesman Michael Anton, who said US President George W. Bush was "deeply concerned" about Castro's heavy-handed tactics.

In the widest crackdown on opposition to the Castro government in years, dozens of dissidents, including journalists, economists and political reformers, were sentenced to lengthy prison terms this week.

"The Castro regime's arrest, prosecution and sentencing of these brave and peaceful activists are repugnant reminders that the regime remains a totalitarian blight in an otherwise peaceful and democratic hemisphere," said Anton.

The US House of Representatives meanwhile unanimously approved a resolution condemning the arrests of 79 Cuban dissidents and the harsh sentences handed down to dozens of them.

The measure passed by 414 "yes" votes and 10 abstentions, said the office of Florida Republican Representative Lincoln Diaz-Balart, who co-sponsored it.

"The House of Representatives sent a clear message today in support of the Cuban people's right to be free and in opposition to the brutal tyranny that oppresses Cuba," said Diaz-Balart, a Cuban-American and hardline Fidel Castro opponent.

"Today's vote honors the Cuban people as well as the American people," he said.

Over the past several days, Cuban courts have handed down jail terms ranging from 10 to 27 years to dozens of dissidents detained and accused of subversion in a crackdown that has raised international concerns.

The House resolution noted that the trials "expeditiously sentence pro-democracy leaders to try to intimidate and silence other pro-democracy activists on the island" while world attention focuses on the war in Iraq.

The bill "condemns the brutal crackdown of the Cuban government on the island's peaceful pro-democracy movement" and calls for "the immediate release of all Cuban political prisoners."

It also calls on the UN Commission on Human Rights to issue "the strongest possible condemnation of the current crackdown of dissidents and of the gross human rights violations committed by the Cuban Government."

And the bill urges the commission's Latin American and Caribbean group to exclude Cuba from the body, urging all of its members to oppose the renewal of Cuba's membership until Cuba "adheres to international human rights standards."

Canada, the European Union and several non-governmental organizations also have condemned the crackdown carried out across Cuba after 34 independent journalists took part in an ethics workshop at the residence of the head of the US Interests Section in Havana, James Cason.

State-run television reported then that the detainees were being held for "provocations" and "subversive activities" allegedly hatched by Cason.

Hector Palacios, a democratic reform campaigner, was jailed for 25 years; Paul Rivero, a leading dissident journalist, and economist Marta Beatriz Roque -- the only woman detained -- were jailed for 20 years, their families said.

Palacios is one of the leaders of the Varela Project, which seeks broad political and economic reforms from within the current system. It is widely viewed as the boldest direct dissident challenge ever to Castro's government, the only one-party communist regime in the Americas.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Nancy Alfaya, left, wife of Jorge Olivera, comforts Gisela Delgado, wife of Hector Palacios, Monday April 7, 2003 in front of the court in Old Havana, Cuba, after learning about their husbands' sentences. A group of dissidents arrested in a crackdown on Cuba's opposition were sentenced to 15 to 25 years in prison Monday on charges of collaborating with U.S. diplomats to undermine the socialist state, family members said. (AP Photo/Jose Goitia)

Miami Herald Editorial: CRIMES AGAINST FREEDOM [Full Text] In Havana yesterday, independent journalist Raúl Rivero was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Ricardo González Alfonso, his editor at De Cuba magazine, also was sentenced to 20 years. They are among some 80 Cubans accused of crimes against the state, including Martha Beatriz Roque, (20 years) and Héctor Palacios, (25 years).

Their real crime? They've spoken out. They've stated their opinions, signed petitions and written articles. They've even congregated in each other's homes to talk politics and how to build a better Cuba.

Mr. Rivero regularly writes for El Nuevo Herald and occasionally for this newspaper. He has had many chances to leave the island, but has refused them all because he insists that he will not be run out of his country. A few years ago at a meeting in Costa Rica, the Inter American Press Association honored him with its highest free-speech award. Although he was given an exit visa by the Cuban government, he declined to attend the meeting because his return to Cuba wasn't guaranteed.

Today, he sits in jail, still committed to principles of free expression and ideas. Among the items taken from him when the police came about a week ago: a collection of Martin Luther King's speeches, autographed by former president Jimmy Carter on his recent trip to the island. It was taken as evidence of subversive thought.

We highlight these jailings to remind readers that each incident is about an individual. They should not be viewed or discussed as numbers, but as tragedies that have fallen on courageous people. The continuing repression of thought and expression in Cuba is a shame on all humanity. [End]

Fidel Castro - Cuba

[agitator]

ping

[friendly]

The US House of Representatives meanwhile unanimously approved a resolution condemning the arrests of 79 Cuban dissidents and the harsh sentences handed down to dozens of them. The measure passed by 414 "yes" votes and 10 abstentions, said the office of Florida Republican Representative Lincoln Diaz-Balart, who co-sponsored it.

I was intensely curious who refused to support this measure.

A little research reveal the 10 names: 9 are known anti-American, avidly pro-Castro, Marxist scum traitors: Ballance, Johnson, E. B. Rush, Conyers, Kilpatrick, Waters, Jackson (IL), Lee, Wynn, and Jackson-Lee (TX). One is a sometimes loopy libertarian: Ron Paul.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Opponents of US embargo on Cuba lament new crack-down on dissidents - It's Bush's Fault *** "The group of people that's running policy toward Cuba are ideologically committed to ending the regime, and I think would like nothing better than to see even the nominal cooperative relationship we have evaporate," said Sweig. Castro's response has been to send "a message internally to the Americans," said Sweig.

"The message is that 'if you force us, if you rub in our face the fact that you're helping to organize these dissidents, we're going to have to crack down on them, but if you pull back a little bit we'll allow them to function.'" According to Erikson, both the US and Cuban governments are interested in increasing hostilities: the United States, to boost areas of its own national politics, notably in favor of the anti-Castro community in Miami, and Castro, because he is fearful of losing power. ***

[Cincinatus' Wife]

...avidly pro-Castro, Marxist scum traitors:....

Sort of says it all.

[friendly]

bttt

[xm177e2]

One is a sometimes loopy libertarian: Ron Paul.

Are you sure you aren't being overly generous?

[AmericaUnited]

Let's clean off this blight from our own door step.

A carrier returning to Norfolk from the Gulf could make a quick stop in Cuba...

[Cincinatus' Wife]

I'd go along with that!

[friendly]

Time to make Castro bond with worms.

[friendly]

Ron Paul loses almost all respect with his absentia vote.

[tet68]

And only silence from FORMER Presidents Carter.and Clinton.
Not unexpected. God rot them.

[TxBec]

Today, he sits in jail, still committed to principles of free expression and ideas. Among the items taken from him when the police came about a week ago: a collection of Martin Luther King's speeches, autographed by former president Jimmy Carter on his recent trip to the island. It was taken as evidence of subversive thought.

Bet they are thinking .."Thanks, Jimmy."

[Free the USA]

http://www.freerepublic.com/perl/bump-list