Kez
19th May 2002, 16:20
[The following is a speech delivered at Havana's May Day
rally this year by Gloria La Riva of San Francisco,
coordinator of the National Committee to Free the Five Cuban
Political Prisoners Held in the United States. The five were
given long jail sentences for having monitored the actions
of anti-Castro terrorist organizations in Miami. The Free
the Five Committee is at 2489 Mission St., No. 24, San
Francisco, CA 94110; [email protected]]
As Comandante Fidel Castro and the Cuban people know, it is
the struggle that will win the freedom of our five heroes,
prisoners in the jails of the empire. That has always been
true with the question of political prisoners. It was the
struggle of the people of South Africa that destroyed
apartheid and liberated Nelson Mandela.
More than once Mumia Abu-Jamal was in danger of execution,
but the unceasing struggle of those who support Mumia is
what stopped his execution and will win his freedom.
It was the same in the fight for Elian Gonzalez. Although
the government of Washington pretended to ignore the
gigantic mobilizations in Cuba, those were decisive.
Something else was gained in the struggle for Elián, a
favorable aspect that will help in the battle to free the
five companeros. And it is that the people of the U.S.
learned the true nature of the ultra-right in Miami.
In the case of the five heroes, the problem is, there is no
knowledge about them in the United States. Once we explain
their case, people understand and support them. Imperialism
wants to keep their case secret.
They were arrested by the FBI not only to imprison
revolutionary Cubans, not only to give the green light to
the Miami terrorists, but also to intimidate the Cuban
community in Miami, which is more and more opposed to the
blockade and challenging the terror of the ultra-right.
In the committees in support of the five, one of our
principal tasks is to go to the people and seek their
backing through signatures on petitions. The petition is
very important because it shows the government that
thousands of people support their freedom, and we will be
many more. The petitions give us a vehicle to go to the
street, to political forums, to protests, and explain their
struggle.
And being part of other progressive struggles, uniting the
struggle of the five heroes with others, gives us a much
broader audience. That synthesis of mutual solidarity gives
more strength.
For example, on April 20th in the anti-war coalition ANSWER,
we organized the largest demonstrations in the history of
the United States in solidarity with the Palestinian people:
100,000 in Washington and 35,000 in San Francisco, and a sea
of Palestinian flags.
The unbreakable resistance of the Palestinian people has
placed millions of people in the world on their side.
In these protests, the Cuban flag and this banner demanding
the freedom of the five companeros were also present.
We are producing an educational and inspiring video on the
five, because the people of the U.S. are capable of being
inspired to support just causes. Together with the admirable
work of their attorneys, by a proposal of former U.S.
Attorney General Ramsey Clark, a friend of Cuba, we will
file a "friend of the court" brief, and solicit signatures
of attorneys.
Companeros, from this dear tribunal, full of history and
struggle, I make a call to the foreign friends present here,
to the friends of Cuba, to form committees of support for
the five heroes in your countries. Let us stand side by side
with the Cuban people, with the Cuban companeros. Gerardo,
Antonio, Ramón, René and Fernando are men born and raised in
this revolution. The U.S. prisons are truly a nightmare, a
great violation of human rights. And yet, from the letters
we receive from them, one sees their steadfastness and
determination. They will never be defeated!
We are living in truly dangerous times for the world.
Bombing after bombing by the imperialists, massacres of
Palestinians while Bush declares that Ariel Sharon is a "man
of peace."
We see the empire speak openly of assassinating leaders, and
expressing their right to use nuclear arms. But we are also
living moments of glorious resistance and struggle, in
Palestine, in Venezuela, here in Cuba, and within the very
United States.
Bush, Clinton, Bush senior, Reagan, Carter, Ford, Nixon,
Kennedy, Eisenhower, all have tried to destroy the Cuban
Revolution, but they haven't been able, nor will they be
able to.
While other leaders try to rescue themselves by embracing
Bush, while they betray their people, Cuba and our beloved
comandante continue raising the banner of revolution, the
banner of the truth of socialism.
Thank you, Fidel, for defending the world of the workers and
the oppressed. Thank you, Cuba, for showing that only
socialism can create a just society. Thank you, Fernando,
René, Ramón, Antonio and Gerardo, for your sacrifice, which
you have never renounced. We will never let you down. You
will be free and march anew with your beloved people in a
May Day like this.
They will return to Cuba! They will return to Cuba! They
will return!
Comrade Kamo
rally this year by Gloria La Riva of San Francisco,
coordinator of the National Committee to Free the Five Cuban
Political Prisoners Held in the United States. The five were
given long jail sentences for having monitored the actions
of anti-Castro terrorist organizations in Miami. The Free
the Five Committee is at 2489 Mission St., No. 24, San
Francisco, CA 94110; [email protected]]
As Comandante Fidel Castro and the Cuban people know, it is
the struggle that will win the freedom of our five heroes,
prisoners in the jails of the empire. That has always been
true with the question of political prisoners. It was the
struggle of the people of South Africa that destroyed
apartheid and liberated Nelson Mandela.
More than once Mumia Abu-Jamal was in danger of execution,
but the unceasing struggle of those who support Mumia is
what stopped his execution and will win his freedom.
It was the same in the fight for Elian Gonzalez. Although
the government of Washington pretended to ignore the
gigantic mobilizations in Cuba, those were decisive.
Something else was gained in the struggle for Elián, a
favorable aspect that will help in the battle to free the
five companeros. And it is that the people of the U.S.
learned the true nature of the ultra-right in Miami.
In the case of the five heroes, the problem is, there is no
knowledge about them in the United States. Once we explain
their case, people understand and support them. Imperialism
wants to keep their case secret.
They were arrested by the FBI not only to imprison
revolutionary Cubans, not only to give the green light to
the Miami terrorists, but also to intimidate the Cuban
community in Miami, which is more and more opposed to the
blockade and challenging the terror of the ultra-right.
In the committees in support of the five, one of our
principal tasks is to go to the people and seek their
backing through signatures on petitions. The petition is
very important because it shows the government that
thousands of people support their freedom, and we will be
many more. The petitions give us a vehicle to go to the
street, to political forums, to protests, and explain their
struggle.
And being part of other progressive struggles, uniting the
struggle of the five heroes with others, gives us a much
broader audience. That synthesis of mutual solidarity gives
more strength.
For example, on April 20th in the anti-war coalition ANSWER,
we organized the largest demonstrations in the history of
the United States in solidarity with the Palestinian people:
100,000 in Washington and 35,000 in San Francisco, and a sea
of Palestinian flags.
The unbreakable resistance of the Palestinian people has
placed millions of people in the world on their side.
In these protests, the Cuban flag and this banner demanding
the freedom of the five companeros were also present.
We are producing an educational and inspiring video on the
five, because the people of the U.S. are capable of being
inspired to support just causes. Together with the admirable
work of their attorneys, by a proposal of former U.S.
Attorney General Ramsey Clark, a friend of Cuba, we will
file a "friend of the court" brief, and solicit signatures
of attorneys.
Companeros, from this dear tribunal, full of history and
struggle, I make a call to the foreign friends present here,
to the friends of Cuba, to form committees of support for
the five heroes in your countries. Let us stand side by side
with the Cuban people, with the Cuban companeros. Gerardo,
Antonio, Ramón, René and Fernando are men born and raised in
this revolution. The U.S. prisons are truly a nightmare, a
great violation of human rights. And yet, from the letters
we receive from them, one sees their steadfastness and
determination. They will never be defeated!
We are living in truly dangerous times for the world.
Bombing after bombing by the imperialists, massacres of
Palestinians while Bush declares that Ariel Sharon is a "man
of peace."
We see the empire speak openly of assassinating leaders, and
expressing their right to use nuclear arms. But we are also
living moments of glorious resistance and struggle, in
Palestine, in Venezuela, here in Cuba, and within the very
United States.
Bush, Clinton, Bush senior, Reagan, Carter, Ford, Nixon,
Kennedy, Eisenhower, all have tried to destroy the Cuban
Revolution, but they haven't been able, nor will they be
able to.
While other leaders try to rescue themselves by embracing
Bush, while they betray their people, Cuba and our beloved
comandante continue raising the banner of revolution, the
banner of the truth of socialism.
Thank you, Fidel, for defending the world of the workers and
the oppressed. Thank you, Cuba, for showing that only
socialism can create a just society. Thank you, Fernando,
René, Ramón, Antonio and Gerardo, for your sacrifice, which
you have never renounced. We will never let you down. You
will be free and march anew with your beloved people in a
May Day like this.
They will return to Cuba! They will return to Cuba! They
will return!
Comrade Kamo