Increasing Solidarity with Cuban Five around the World
HAVANA, Cuba, June 9 (acn) Protest actions continued around the world against the recent decision by the 11th Circuit of Atlanta Court of Appeals, which ratified the convictions in the case of the five Cuban antiterrorist fighters held in US jails. In Montreal, Canada, dozens of activists gathered in front of the US Consulate to condemn the court decision. Bearing placards and Cuban flags, the demonstrators shouted slogans in support of the release of the Five and against the decision by the three-judge panel of the Atlanta Court of Appeals, which affirmed the convictions of Gerardo Hernandez, Rene Gonzalez, Ramon Labañino, Fernando Gonzalez and Antonio Guerrero.The antiterrorist fighters were framed and arrested in 1998 by FBI agents and submitted to a biased trial in Miami which imposed extremely long and unfair sentences, after the Five had collected information on Florida-based ultra-right organizations that have undertaken terrorist actions against Cuba.Along with the ratification of all convictions, the Atlanta Court of Appeals also vacated the sentences of Antonio, Ramon and Fernando and ordered their re-sentencing by a Miami judge (download Court decision from www.freethefive.org ). The Montreal protest action was organized by the Table de Concertation de Solidarité Québec-Cuba and its Comité Fabio di Celmo pour les 5 (comitefabio@hotmail.com).Meanwhile, the US National Lawyers Guild issued a declaration denouncing that the decision by the Atlanta Court of Appeals was politically motivated. The organization explained that in the appeal, the defense attorneys questioned the decisions related to the suppression of evidence attained under the laws establishing proceedings dealing with classified information, sovereign immunity and the proceedings to reveal evidence. Those elements are joined by the selection of the jury, the inappropriate performance by the prosecution and witnesses, the instructions given to the jury, the lack of evidence supporting the convictions and sentences. And in France, the director of the Europe Department of the Cuban Friendship Institute, Holmedo Perez, reiterated a call to go ahead with an international campaign in favor of the release of the Cuban Five.The Cuban official stressed that actions undertaken by European solidarity groups are very important and underscored the most recent initiatives by the president of the CubaSiFrance organization, Charles Bouhana. Other actions have been taking place in numerous Latin American countries as well.
Cuban Youths to Stage Protest Demonstration on Cuban Five Case
HAVANA, Cuba, June 10 (acn) Cuban youths and students will stage a strong protest demonstration today at 8 am, Cuba local time, at the Anti-imperialist Plaza, in front of the US Interest Section in Havana, against the injustice practiced against the five Cuban antiterrorist fighters unfairly held in US prisons.The youths will be joined by workers, artists and revolutionary combatants who will also express their unconditional support to Gerardo Hernandez, Antonio Guerrero, Ramón Labañino, Fernando Gonzalez and Rene Gonzalez
Defying U.S., EU Nears Deal Ending Cuban Sanctions
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European Union states are nearing agreement on ending sanctions on Cuba in defiance of U.S. calls for continued pressure for democratic reform on the communist island, diplomats said on Tuesday.Closed-door talks on the move are continuing as EU leaders host President George W. Bush for a farewell summit in Slovenia. EU foreign ministers could endorse the step at a meeting in Luxembourg next Monday, the envoys said.The measures were imposed after a crackdown on dissent in 2003 and include a freeze on visits by high-level officials. They were formally suspended in 2005 but an outright abolition would be the EU's way of encouraging Cuba's new leadership after the February 24 retirement of Fidel Castro."The time could be right because of changes undertaken by Cuba's new leadership," said one EU diplomat. Signs of an opening include new rules allowing Cubans to buy cell phones, rent rooms in hotels once reserved for foreigners, and an increase in public debate."Sanctions could be lifted ... but linked with dialogue, with a review. We are working on finding the exact formula," another EU diplomat said of the ongoing talks ahead of the June 16 meeting of EU foreign ministers.Former colonial power Spain has long led calls for an end to the EU sanctions, which unlike the 1962 U.S. embargo do not prevent trade and investment. But it has met resistance from the bloc's ex-communist members, notably the Czech Republic.Prague is skeptical of signs of progress in Cuba and wants the EU to take a "dual-track" approach under which high-ranking delegations would be obliged to raise human rights and democracy concerns during any visits, and to meet opposition groups."This is our condition for the negotiation (on ending the EU sanctions)," a spokesman for the Czech delegation in Brussels said, adding that Prague was concerned changes brought in by Castro's brother Raul were largely cosmetic.The lifting of EU sanctions would put the 27-member bloc at odds with Washington over Cuba policy.U.S. Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierres urged Europe last week to uphold the measures to prevent authorities being able to give the impression human rights were improving on the island."The so-called reforms or so-called changes that have taken place in Cuba, we believe are somewhat cynical," Gutierres told Reuters in an interview in ex-communist Ukraine."It is surprising that the world would rather talk about the fact that Cubans can now visit their own hotels and not talk about the fact that there are political prisoners starving in their own jails," he said.
Cuba Rejects US Report on Human Trafficking
HAVANA, Cuba, June 9 (acn) Cuba has rejected the US State Department’s annual “Trafficking in Persons Report” released last Wednesday by the US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.In a statement from the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MINREX) published on Monday by Granma news daily, Cuba says the report ignores and distorts reality in the Caribbean nation.The document points out that, for the fourth consecutive year, the US Government listed Cuba as one of the countries that does not do enough to combat an alleged domestic human trafficking of children and women for the sex trade.The report by the US State Department describes Cuba as a sexual tourism destination and makes other serious and completely unfounded accusations. It also makes several recommendations to the Cuban government on how it should deal with this issue.“The report aims at denigrating the social work and prestige of the Cuban Revolution and, in particular, its work in favor of women and children, which has been amply recognized by the international community,” the MINREX note stresses.“It also aims at undermining the healthy and increasing development of our tourism industry, which is completely denied access to the US market,” the statement adds.The declaration notes that the US Government, and particularly the administration of George W. Bush, lacks the necessary morality and credibility to accuse Cuba and to make any cynical recommendations.“Cuba does not see any value in the State Department’s report,” the Foreign Ministry’s statement says. “The government of the United States has a lot to do in its own country to combat the rampant phenomenon there of prostitution, sexual exploitation, forced labor and the trafficking of people.”“The government of the United States has a lot to learn about Cuba and is not in a position to judge anyone,” the statement concludes.
Deplora Cuba actitud de Washington sobre derechos humanos
GINEBRA, 9 de junio.— Cuba calificó hoy al actual gobierno de Estados Unidos como el más grave y perverso transgresor del Derecho Internacional y el más connotado violador de los derechos humanos en todo el mundo.En un comunicado de prensa de la Misión Permanente de la Isla ante la Oficina de las Naciones Unidas en Ginebra y los Organismos Internacionales, se asegura que Washington le teme al escrutinio en derechos humanos.Se refiere así a la decisión reiterada de la Casa Blanca de vincularse al Consejo de Derechos Humanos (CDH) de la ONU, únicamente cuando haya asuntos de profundo interés nacional, según expresó el vocero del departamento de Estado Sean McCormack.Estados Unidos no es miembro del Consejo. Su pésimo historial en materia de derechos humanos, frustraría cualquier aspiración de ese país a integrar el Órgano, consideró la representación diplomática cubana aquí.Las recientes declaraciones del señor McCormack confirman el unilateralismo y la selectividad de la actual administración estadounidense. Reiteran el profundo desprecio de ese gobierno a la cooperación internacional en materia de derechos humanos, anotó.Los que se arrogan la condición de gendarmes mundiales, no tienen la más mínima voluntad de rendir cuenta de sus actos. Lo demás, son simples pretextos. Intentan deslegitimar la instancia (el CDH) para desconocer su autoridad. Solo queda esperar que la nueva Administración estadounidense, que asumirá sus funciones el próximo año, no siga los pasos de un gobierno de tan mala reputación, sentenció.
ENTREVISTA : A 27 AÑOS DE UNA EXITOSA OPERACION DE LA CIA Y UNA RESPUESTA DE CUBA
Por: Eduardo Maza
LA HABANA, 9 DE JUNIO (WORLD DATA SERVICE).- El sicario de origen cubano Eduardo Arocena siempre se sintió seguro, no era para menos, creador y organizador, en territorio estadounidense, del grupo terrorista Omega-7, sabía que los enemigos de los enemigos de Estados Unidos eran amigos del imperio, no importara lo que hicieran, lo mismo detonar una bomba en un avión civil que ametrallar a un hombre delante de su hijo.Como responsable de Omega-7 Arocena carga con el record y la impunidad de 55 actos de terrorismo en territorio estadounidense además de 6 en Puerto Rico, entre estos últimos varios asesinatos. http://www.wdrc-wds.info/articulo.php?id=1163,
Cubans Plan Voluntary Work Day to Celebrate Che Guevara’s 80th
On Sunday, young people across the country will voluntarily participate in farm work.Members of the Young Communist League (UJC) and other young Cubans will pay tribute to Che Guevara on the 80th anniversary of his birth by remembering what is perhaps his most fundamental quality: that of the hard worker.“There is no better way to remember him, than by doing something useful where it is most needed,” said Maday Iglesias, a member of the UJC national leadership. She said that on Sunday, young people will volunteer in activities related to the sugar cane harvest and other areas of agriculture, a sector that Cuba is focusing on to increase productivity.Given the importance of Che’s presence in Villa Clara and vice versa, the province will be the national venue of the voluntary work project to commemorate Che’s 80th birthday.Iglesias also spoke about the volunteer work campaign sponsored by the UJC in celebration of the organization’s 47th anniversary and about the importance of the concept of volunteerism in the ideology of Che Guevara. She added that this spirit is carried forward by the country’s young people who continue to support the island’s development, especially through volunteer work in the agriculture sector.
Vietnam, Cuba’s Main Rice Supplier in 2008
HAVANA, Cuba, Jun 9 (acn) Vietnam will ensure sufficient rice supply for Cuba this year, despite the significant increase in the price of rice in the world market recently, said Vietnamese commercial counselor to Cuba Nguyen Thai Binh as reported the Vietnam News Agency (VNA). Vietnam is Cuba’s main rice supplier providing around 400,000 tons per year. Cuba’s rice consumption has reached about 600,000 tons per year, while its annual output is 100,000 tons, according to the national Statistics Office.Vietnam and Cuba have worked together to develop wet rice farming. Experts from the Asian country have provided technical assistance for rice cultivation in six Cuban provinces, which has helped to increase rice yield by three times, up to eight to nine tons per hectare.
Cuba-Venezuela Communications Project On the Move
HAVANA, Cuba, June 9 (acn) Venezuelan and Cuban specialists have finished mapping out a 1,550 kilometer highway of underwater fiber-optics cable linking the two countries. Two pairs of fiber-optics cables will run from the Venezuelan state of Vargas to the province of Santiago de Cuba, potentially increasing the island’s international communications capacity by 3,000 times upon completion by 2010.Wilfredo Morales, who heads the Gran Caribe Telecommunications Co. —a joint venture created to manage the project—, said the cable will break the US blockade that forces the island to use more expensive and vulnerable satellite services for connections abroad. The idea to connect Cuba and Venezuela by sea goes far beyond laying more than 1,500 kilometers of cable. In addition to the technical challenges of placing the cable that will lie in areas as deep as 5,400 meters, the top coordinator for Venezuela, Lilian Rivas, spoke about the political elements involved: “the issue of territorial waters, the blockade and the search for reliable suppliers.”“If it weren’t for the blockade Cuba could connect for a cost of US $500,000. The companies can’t do it because they don’t have permission from the US Department of State and/or attempts by the State Department to impose unacceptable conditions on Cuba,” said Carlos Orfila, an engineer working as a project consultant to the Venezuelan Ministry of Telecommunications. Orfila also noted that because of conditions imposed by the US blockade on national borders and economic zones, the cable route between La Guaira and Santiago is being drawn almost entirely in international waters, in addition to both technical and cost aspects. For those reasons the cable has to be extended by 100 kilometers.With a total capacity of 640 Gigabytes, 320 for each pair of fibers, and state-of-the-art technology, the Cuban-Venezuelan cable will guarantee communication independence for both countries, something that is impossible via satellite.Orfila said the project will take advantage of Venezuelan telecommunications experience, especially in cellular telephone technology, fiber optics and its entering into satellite administration; and will employ Cuba’s Backbone system to extend the fiber optics network to most of the country.
Complejidades de la lucha revolucionaria
Manuel E. Yepe
El salto de una sociedad movida por la ambición individual y la competencia, a otra que descanse en la solidaridad y la ayuda mutua, tropieza con muchos mas obstáculos materiales y trabas mentales que los que podrían haber imaginado Carlos Marx, sus precursores y todos sus seguidores en busca de la utopía socialista.
http://www.granma.cubaweb.cu/2008/06/10/nacional/artic02.html,
Where to Cuba?
By: Luis Sexto
http://www.juventudrebelde.co.cu/columnists/2008-06-09/where-to-cuba/,
Che Guevara’s Final Verdict on the Soviet Economy
By John Riddell
http://www.socialistvoice.ca/?p=298,
Entrevista a Jean Ziegler, ex ponente de la ONU para el derecho a la alimentación
"La Cumbre de la FAO de Roma es un fracaso total"
http://www.rebelion.org/noticia.php?id=68618,
El presidente Chávez llama a iniciar conversaciones para un proceso de paz en Colombia http://www.insurgente.org/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=13859,
Cuban Literacy Method Helps Millions of People Around the World
The First Ibero-American Conference on the Teaching of Basic Literacy and Basic Education for youth and adults will be held from June 9 to 12 at the Havana Convention CenterThe Cuban “Yes, I can” literacy method has been used to teach 3,192,000 people in 28 countries to read and write. This fact represents the hope for the more than 774 million illiterate people around the world.If the situation of illiteracy continues, humanity will not be able to meet the goals of the United Nations Literacy Decade (2003-2012), which is aimed at reducing this scourge by half. If basic education is not guaranteed, the evil will not be eradicated, and therefore, it will continue to reproduce itself.The First Ibero-American Conference on the Teaching of Basic Literacy and Basic Education for youth and adults, to be held from June 9 to 12 at the Havana Convention Center, will allow for a review of cooperation and integration actions and coming up with new proposals.Francisco Fereira, Cuba’s first deputy director of the Ministry of Education, said in a press conference that the carrying out of this meeting is recognition of the contribution of our country to the teaching of basic literacy. This contribution consists of the Cuban literacy method “Yes I can” and the support of our advisors.Called on by the Organization of Ibero-American States for the Education, Science and Culture (OEI), the meeting will be attended by 1,000 specialists from 30 countries. There will also be 16 ministers of Education from Ibero-America, as well as their counterparts from Mozambique and Equatorial Guinea.The conference will include the carrying out of an International Roundtable with the ministers and representatives of the participating countries; an OEI experts’ meeting and a social forum, where members of literacy campaigns in diverse countries will present their experiences.
Alfabetización para todos
Leticia Martínez Hernández
Cuando más de 34 millones de latinoamericanos desconocen las letras y otros 110 millones no han finalizado los estudios primarios, académicos, maestros, alfabetizadores y alfabetizados provenientes de 30 países se reúnen en La Habana durante el Congreso Iberoamericano de Alfabetización y Educación Básica para Jóvenes y Adultos, con el fin intercambiar experiencias y analizar nuevas propuestas que permitan detener el flagelo que hoy lacera al 40% de la población de América Latina.Con la presencia de un millar de delegados comenzó en La Habana el Congreso Iberoamericano de Alfabetización y Educación Básica para Jóvenes y Adultos.Durante la ceremonia de apertura, Álvaro Marchesi, secretario general de la Organización de Estados Iberoamericanos para la Educación, la Ciencia y la Cultura, reconoció la labor de Cuba en la lucha contra el analfabetismo en innumerables rincones del planeta durante más de cuatro décadas. En consecuencia celebró la labor de sus maestros y la eficacia del método Yo, sí puedo, que han permitido llevar la luz del conocimiento a millones de personas.Marchesi consideró que no basta con enseñar a leer y escribir, debemos convertir a cada alfabetizado en una persona capaz de relacionarse en el cada vez más cambiante siglo XXI. Este Congreso debe buscar alternativas que permitan llevar el conocimiento a todas las lenguas y etnias, somos responsables de las alarmantes cifras de analfabetos, y este encuentro debe servir para ir más allá de lo que hoy hacemos. Ena Elsa Velázquez Cobiella, titular de Educación, impartió una conferencia durante la cual explicó a los delegados cómo la Revolución cubana logró erradicar el analfabetismo en menos de tres años y ofrecer luego educación con calidad para todos. Consideró que nuestros profesores constituyen el sostén de esa obra educacional, a ellos nuestro agradecimiento infinito por estar siempre al lado del deber, sin pedir nada material a cambio y haber sostenido y garantizado la educación aún en las más adversas situaciones creadas por la escasez. La apertura del Congreso Iberoamericano de Alfabetización y Educación Básica para Jóvenes y Adultos estuvo presidida por José Ramón Fernández, vicepresidente del Consejo de Ministros; Juan Vela Valdés, ministro de Educación Superior; Armando Hart, director de la Oficina del Programa Martiano; y los titulares de Educación de Guinea Bissau, Mozambique y Venezuela.
More than 160 Bolivian Municipalities Literate
HAVANA, Cuba, June 9 (acn) More than half of Bolivia’s municipalities have so far been declared free of illiterates, by way of the literacy campaign carried out in that South American nation using the Cuban ‘Yes I Can’ teaching method. With the incorporation of Pucarani, there are now 164 municipalities (of the country’s 327) in that category, where the population has learned how to read and write with this method, that has proved equally successful in other Latin American nations, reports Granma digital newspaper. According to the program’s director general in Bolivia, Benito Ayma, the plan is now 84 percent completed, 26 months after the start of the campaign. He pointed out that 541,279 people have graduated from March 2006 to date –most of them women- and that another 150,335 are attending class. Ayma stressed that the goal is to teach 823,256 people how to read and write by the end of 2008, when Bolivia will become the third country in Latin America to be free of that social scourge, after Cuba (1961) and Venezuela (2005).
Reclaman NOAL independencia de Puerto Rico
La petición fue presentada ante el Comité de Descolonización de la ONU por Rodrigo Malmierca, en su calidad de presidente del Buró de Coordinación de los NOAL
El independentismo en Puerto Rico, una historia de represión.
AP NACIONES UNIDAS, junio 9.— El Movimiento No Alineado (MNOAL) pidió a la Asamblea General de la ONU que considere en todos sus aspectos el caso colonial de Puerto Rico, bajo dominio de Estados Unidos desde hace 110 años.La petición de ese influyente grupo de 118 países en desarrollo fue presentada este lunes ante el Comité de Descolonización de la ONU por el embajador de Cuba, Rodrigo Malmierca, en su calidad de presidente del Buró de Coordinación de los NOAL, dijo PL.El caso Puerto Rico fue debatido en la Asamblea General hasta 1953, cuando Estados Unidos logró que esa isla fuera borrada de la lista de territorios coloniales al argumentar su presunta autonomía bajo el estatus de Estado Libre Asociado, vigente desde 1952. El Comité Especial de Descolonización ha aprobado 25 resoluciones sobre el tema.Al respecto, la declaración de los NOAL reitera su defensa al pleno derecho de la población puertorriqueña a la autodeterminación y la independencia, posición que aparece contenida en la Declaración Final de la XIV Cumbre de ese bloque de países, celebrada en La Habana en septiembre del 2006.El Movimiento también llamó al gobierno de Estados Unidos a asumir la responsabilidad de acelerar un proceso que permita a los puertorriqueños ejercer totalmente su derecho inalienable a la autodeterminación y la independencia.Representantes del movimiento independentista de Puerto Rico también incluyeron en sus intervenciones ante el Comité de Descolonización, las denuncias sobre el incremento de la injerencia del gobierno de Estados Unidos en la isla.Sobre este asunto, un proyecto de resolución presentado por Cuba y Venezuela destaca la preocupación reinante entre la población boricua por las acciones violentas, incluidas la represión e intimidación, contra militantes del independentismo.Varios oradores del movimiento independentista intervinieron para demandar las investigaciones del asesinato, en 2005, del dirigente Filiberto Ojeda Ríos por agentes del Buró Federal de Investigaciones (FBI) de Estados Unidos.Durante la jornada también se denunciaron los ataques contra periodistas, así como las pésimas condiciones carcelarias de los presos políticos puertorriqueños Oscar López, Carlos Alberto Torres y Avelino González Claudio.También se exige a EE.UU. la limpieza y descontaminación de todas las tierras ocupadas e instalaciones que utilizó como polígonos militares en Vieques y la Ceiba.
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