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Official Press release.
International MCUD /The Cuban Movement for a Unified Democracy wants to
publicly state its position with respect to the resolution emitted by
the European Parliament this past Tuesday November 16, 2004 in reference
to the Republic of Cuba.
The Cuban Movement for a Unified Democracy recognizes, is thankful and
celebrates that the European parliamentary has recently shown interest
in trying to find a civic and viable solution for the Cuban problem.
The Cuban Movement for a Unified Democracy recognizes and thanks the
unprecedented and positive points concerning the exigency for the
freedom of our political prisoners and the liberties that our people
deserve referenced in the resolution.
However, the Cuban Movement for a Unified Democracy stresses to the
parliamentarians, the European political personalities and its people in
general our true feelings, which are one and the same with our suffering
Cuban people.
The European governments know perfectly well that in Cuba there has been
for over forty-five years a cruel and authoritarian dictatorship, that
in this very long period of existence has executed and assassinated
hundreds of political opponents, has imposed on its Cuban children exile
and/or long sentences in its many prisons for merely disagreeing with
the totalitarian system.
The European governments know perfectly well that in Cuba, free and
democratic elections do not exist ever since Castro assumed power; they
know that Cuba is governed by a mono-partisan body and has not allowed
any competing organization including the independent unions; they know
that there is no freedom of expression and that in the jails there are
many journalists and writers; they know that the right to freely leave
and enter the country does not exist; they know that there is a single
type of press, radio and television, "the Official one" and directed by
the only party, the Communist of Cuba.
Then, as connoisseurs of this situation we only have one question to
ask: Where is the moral and political responsibility of these
governments who unscrupulously continue making political and commercial
businesses with the dictatorship? Distinguished Chiefs of State,
Parliamentarians, politicians... in Cuba for more than four decades our
people have been surviving under a system of Apartheid much worse than
any other. The Cubans cannot enter their hotels, cannot visit their keys
and islets, they are paid in Cuban Pesos and the government sells them
ninety-five percent of their necessities in dollars that it brazenly
demands from the same exile that they imposed.
The commercial investments and negotiations that are made daily in Cuba
bring absolutely no benefit nor enjoyment to the Cuban people. On the
contrary the gains that the government receives with these transactions
are what gives the regime the necessary oxygen to construct new jails
and to increase their repressive apparatus. The only thing that the
Cuban people obtain in exchange for those commercial transactions is the
increase of its external debt per capita. A debt that surely the new
government, once the Cuban people free themselves of this nightmare,
will have to repay. Now we want to ask the distinguished negotiators: Is
it just and moral for the Cuban people to pay in the future a debt that
the present regime, that prohibited and repressed them, contracted?
European parliamentarians, hidden between the lines in your declaration
are several points that we must clarify as soon as possible:
G. Whereas hundreds of prisoners are still being held at the
Guantanamo naval base (in violation of the most basic human-rights
standards) and having regard to the views expressed on the subject by
the European Parliament,
What has the Cuban people or its exile to do with this subject? Will it
not be more appropriate for the European Parliamentary gentlemen to
bring this subject up directly with the Government of the United States
of America, which has the legal control of that territory?
7. Stresses that the current embargo imposed on Cuba by the USA is
counterproductive and should be lifted;
The legislation of "No Bilateral Commerce" (well-known as the "embargo")
was imposed by the Government of the United States on the government of
Cuba for the reasons of intervention, appropriation and non-payment on
the part of the Castro regime for hundreds of properties of Americans
and Cubans who currently reside in the United States and around the
world. The Castro regime ignored any international laws that existed and
exists in the matter regarding indemnifications.
The feelings of the Cuban people on the island and the great majority of
the Cuban exile is to maintain the embargo between the United States and
the present government of the island. Honest and moral Cubans do not
want to see their external debt per capita increased and their lack of
freedom remain the same. We do not want the present government to
continue receiving new credits to repress us even more; we Cubans all
know that the slogan of the "Embargo" is false, Cuba can and has dealt
with the entire world whenever it wants to. The problem is that by not
maintaining an economic market and a private initiative it does not have
the money to solve its necessities and requires an escape goat to hide
its total inefficiency. The politicians and parliamentarians who visit
Cuba know that in Cuba there is everything, including American products,
but they become accomplices by not stating the truth, that in Cuba there
is everything but not for its people due to the existing Apartheid and
the lack of rights to a free enterprise.
Similarly we asked of the European parliamentarians that they not only
take steps to acquire the permission for Oswaldo Payá to leave, because
by doing so, they are recognizing and accepting intrinsically that only
the people formally requested by the European parliament, will be given
the right to leave Cuba. We respectfully suggest that you request
permission for the freedom to leave Cuba for Martha, Oscar, Vladimiro,
Juan, Jose and all the Cuban people. We also suggest that you request
unconditional entrance permission for all our exile.
The Cuban Movement for a Unified Democracy takes this opportunity to
gently insists that the illustrious European Parliamentarians send a
joint declaration in which all country members of the European Union
immediately grant "Total Legal Status" and the "Permission to Work" to
all Cubans that have been forced to flee the island by the lack of
liberties and are currently rambling under a migratory limbo in Europe.
The Cuban Movement for a Unified Democracy thanks everyone that see the
true Cuban problem as something that must be solved urgently, justly,
morally and democratically.
The Cuban Movement for a Unified Democracy also condemns the
politicians, organizations and individuals that mal-intentionally weaken
the reality and extend the suffering of the Cuban people hiding it under
the camouflage of a possible dialogue, instead of asking for immediate
free and clear elections, with all Cubans as one and indivisible people.
Written in Baltimore, Maryland on this 20th day of November 2004.
The Resolution:
The European Parliament, having regard to
its earlier resolutions on the situation in Cuba and, in particular, its
resolution of 21 April 2004,
having regard to the Presidency statements of 26 March and 5 June 2003
concerning the detention of dissidents and members of the opposition in
Cuba and concerning the relevant measures adopted unanimously by the
European Union,
having regard to the 16 June 2003 General Affairs Council conclusions,
having regard to the EU's Common Position 96/697/PESC on Cuba, which was
adopted on 2 December 1996 and which has been periodically updated,
having regard to its 28 October 2004 resolution on Guantanamo,
having regard to Rule 103(2) of its Rules of Procedure,
A. whereas protecting the universality and the indivisibility of human
rights (including civil, political, economic, social and cultural
rights) is still one of the EU's main objectives,
B. whereas scores of freelance journalists, peaceful dissidents and
upholders of human rights (members of the democratic opposition and in
most cases linked to the Varela project) are still being held in jail in
subhuman conditions, and whereas some of them are seriously ill,
C. whereas in June 2003 the European Union decided to impose sanctions
on Cuba, following the arrest and imprisonment of 75 dissidents in April
and the subsequent summary execution of three hijackers,
D. whereas exercising freedom of expression and freedom of association
is a basic right of the individual,
E. whereas the winner of the European Parliament's 2002 Sakharov Prize -
Oswaldo Payá Sardiñas - has been systematically denied the freedom to
leave Cuba and to accept the invitations issued by this Parliament and
by other EU bodies,
F. whereas in recent weeks the Cuban authorities - in contravention of
the basic right to meet freely - have expelled a number of
parliamentarians from the EU Member States and also people working for
humanitarian organisations who were trying to enter the country with a
view to interviewing members of the democratic opposition and of the
Varela project, in order to demonstrate to them their support and
solidarity in the upholding of democratic values,
G. whereas hundreds of prisoners are still being held at the Guantanamo
naval base (in violation of the most basic human-rights standards) and
having regard to the views expressed on the subject by the European
Parliament,
1. Calls for the immediate release of all political prisoners and
prisoners of conscience who are being held in the country and once again
condemns such detentions, which constitute an attack on the most basic
human rights, in particular freedom of expression and freedom of
political association;
2. Urges the Council and the Commission to continue to take whatever
action is necessary in order to seek the release of the above
individuals;
3. Reiterates that the objectives of the European Union's policy towards
Cuba continue to be respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms,
encouragement of a process of transition to a pluralist democracy and a
lasting economic recovery aimed at improving the living standards of the
Cuban population;
4. Vehemently condemns the Cuban authorities' expulsion of three
parliamentarians from the EU Member States and of two representatives of
NGOs, and expresses its support for them and for the members of the
democratic opposition;
5. Repeats its invitation to the winner of the European Parliament's
2002 Sakharov Prize - Oswaldo Payá Sardiñas - and urges the Cuban
authorities to grant him the necessary permits in order to enable him to
appear before the Community institutions;
6. Considers that, in such circumstances, the release of all political
prisoners, the granting of authorisation to Mr Payá Sardiñas and
evidence of significant progress on the island as regards the promotion
of democracy and the upholding of human rights and fundamental freedoms
are essential conditions for any revision of the European Union's Common
Position on Cuba and the measures adopted unanimously on 5 June 2003;
7. Stresses that the current embargo imposed on Cuba by the USA is
counterproductive and should be lifted;
8. Stresses that the political future of Cuba must rest on the sole will
of its citizens;
9. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and
Commission, to Cuba's Government and National Assembly of People's
Power, and also to Oswaldo Payá Sardiñas (Winner of the European
Parliament's Sakharov Prize).
This is the Official Resolution of the European Parliament on Cuba.
Sent to the Information Bridge Cuba Miami and Net For Cuba International
on the 17th day of November 2004. (www.netforcuba.org)
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