Wanted Man
24th October 2005, 10:35
Yesterday, there was yet another solidarity manifestation for Cuba. It turned out to be a very good one too. This time, about 65 people attended, compared to about 45 last time. Also, we had some distinguished guests, including Irma González, daughter of René González who is one of the Cuban Five (http://www.freethefive.org) who are currently unjustly being held in United States high security prisons.
Another guest speaker was lawyer Nuris Piñero Sierra. There was also another law expert who started, but I forgot his name. We also had the chairman of the Socialist Party of Bangladesh whose name I honestly do not know(after the manifestation, he wanted to quietly talk with our youth leader in the party's office, I wonder what they were up to...), and two people speaking for the Philippino National Democratic Front, one of them being none other than J.M. Sison (http://www.defendsison.be) who now lives here to avoid prosecution in his country. He has since been placed on the list of "terrorists" of the United States and the European Union.
Also, we once again had the privilege of welcoming the same person from Pastors of Peace who held a lengthy speech the last time, in June, and who now once again spoke for a while to offer his religious perspective on the solidarity movement for Cuba.
To keep both Dutch- and Spanish-speaking people happy, most speeches were either in Dutch or Spanish and translated by the head of the party's list Alejandro de Mello. Many groups were represented, including of course our Communist Youth Movement. We also had a Russian boy who is going to college here in our midst, he was asked by his movement, the Red Youth Vanguard(AKM) to seek for contacts here. There was also a supporter of our movement whom I hadn't met before, but he's already very enthusiastic and has designed some posters for us.
Between the speeches, we had about 45 minutes break, and there was also plenty of revolutionary Latin music to enjoy, including, of course, classics like the Chilean song of struggle, Venceremos(search for it here (http://www.sovmusic.ru/e/search.php)). We also welcomed two salsa dancers who enjoyed us with their Cuban dance. As a speaker for the New Communist Party of the Netherlands noted, this was the first time we had dancers on an occasion like this. At the end, one of them appeared again along with someone else to dance and sing "Guantanamera".
All in all, it was a great day, although it was very sad to hear the story of Irmita González, who, along with her mother, has constantly been denied access into the United States to visit René because her mother would be a "threat to the security of the United States". Everytime she'd get a chance to make a phonecall or visit René, the American authorities would have "incidentally" lost her documents, so she wouldn't be able to afterwards. If I'm not mistaken, Irma also speaks on the Cuban/Irish movie Mission Against Terror (http://www.leftbooks.com/cgi-local/SoftCart.exe/online-store/scstore/p-dce2004mat.html?E+scstore).
Some pictures. I haven't put IMG tags around them to avoid stretching the board.
"The Panel". On the red table, from the left to the right: Alejandro de Mello, Irmita González, Nuris Piñero Sierra, Cuban law guy, Tomas of the NCPN. (http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a151/eyeflash/Cuba/p1010001.jpg)
Raul(of the NCPN, I think) plays some beautiful Latin American music. (http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a151/eyeflash/Cuba/P1010005.jpg)
Chairman of the Socialist Party of Bangladesh speaks. I managed to speak to him afterwards, he was a very kind man who told us we should visit his country sometime. (http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a151/eyeflash/Cuba/p1010006.jpg)
The dancers shaking it. (http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a151/eyeflash/Cuba/P1010009.jpg)
Irmita González tells her heart-breaking story. (http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a151/eyeflash/Cuba/P1010013.jpg)
Members of the Communist Youth Movement. The guy in the foreground is the AKM member I mentioned. (http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a151/eyeflash/Cuba/P1010014.jpg)
Speaker for IFCO/Pastors for Peace. A very friendly man. (http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a151/eyeflash/Cuba/P1010017.jpg)
Philippino member of the National Democratic Front who also spoke the previous time. (http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a151/eyeflash/Cuba/P1010018.jpg)
Alleged terrorist J.M. Sison speaks. Sadly, I didn't manage to speak to him. (http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a151/eyeflash/Cuba/P1010020.jpg)
Nuris Piñero Sierra answers questions. (http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a151/eyeflash/Cuba/P1010021.jpg)
Singing and dancing "Guantanamera". Sadly, this was ruined by one of our members screaming way too fucking loud. Tom, if you're reading this, it was terrible. (http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a151/eyeflash/Cuba/P1010022.jpg)
Another guest speaker was lawyer Nuris Piñero Sierra. There was also another law expert who started, but I forgot his name. We also had the chairman of the Socialist Party of Bangladesh whose name I honestly do not know(after the manifestation, he wanted to quietly talk with our youth leader in the party's office, I wonder what they were up to...), and two people speaking for the Philippino National Democratic Front, one of them being none other than J.M. Sison (http://www.defendsison.be) who now lives here to avoid prosecution in his country. He has since been placed on the list of "terrorists" of the United States and the European Union.
Also, we once again had the privilege of welcoming the same person from Pastors of Peace who held a lengthy speech the last time, in June, and who now once again spoke for a while to offer his religious perspective on the solidarity movement for Cuba.
To keep both Dutch- and Spanish-speaking people happy, most speeches were either in Dutch or Spanish and translated by the head of the party's list Alejandro de Mello. Many groups were represented, including of course our Communist Youth Movement. We also had a Russian boy who is going to college here in our midst, he was asked by his movement, the Red Youth Vanguard(AKM) to seek for contacts here. There was also a supporter of our movement whom I hadn't met before, but he's already very enthusiastic and has designed some posters for us.
Between the speeches, we had about 45 minutes break, and there was also plenty of revolutionary Latin music to enjoy, including, of course, classics like the Chilean song of struggle, Venceremos(search for it here (http://www.sovmusic.ru/e/search.php)). We also welcomed two salsa dancers who enjoyed us with their Cuban dance. As a speaker for the New Communist Party of the Netherlands noted, this was the first time we had dancers on an occasion like this. At the end, one of them appeared again along with someone else to dance and sing "Guantanamera".
All in all, it was a great day, although it was very sad to hear the story of Irmita González, who, along with her mother, has constantly been denied access into the United States to visit René because her mother would be a "threat to the security of the United States". Everytime she'd get a chance to make a phonecall or visit René, the American authorities would have "incidentally" lost her documents, so she wouldn't be able to afterwards. If I'm not mistaken, Irma also speaks on the Cuban/Irish movie Mission Against Terror (http://www.leftbooks.com/cgi-local/SoftCart.exe/online-store/scstore/p-dce2004mat.html?E+scstore).
Some pictures. I haven't put IMG tags around them to avoid stretching the board.
"The Panel". On the red table, from the left to the right: Alejandro de Mello, Irmita González, Nuris Piñero Sierra, Cuban law guy, Tomas of the NCPN. (http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a151/eyeflash/Cuba/p1010001.jpg)
Raul(of the NCPN, I think) plays some beautiful Latin American music. (http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a151/eyeflash/Cuba/P1010005.jpg)
Chairman of the Socialist Party of Bangladesh speaks. I managed to speak to him afterwards, he was a very kind man who told us we should visit his country sometime. (http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a151/eyeflash/Cuba/p1010006.jpg)
The dancers shaking it. (http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a151/eyeflash/Cuba/P1010009.jpg)
Irmita González tells her heart-breaking story. (http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a151/eyeflash/Cuba/P1010013.jpg)
Members of the Communist Youth Movement. The guy in the foreground is the AKM member I mentioned. (http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a151/eyeflash/Cuba/P1010014.jpg)
Speaker for IFCO/Pastors for Peace. A very friendly man. (http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a151/eyeflash/Cuba/P1010017.jpg)
Philippino member of the National Democratic Front who also spoke the previous time. (http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a151/eyeflash/Cuba/P1010018.jpg)
Alleged terrorist J.M. Sison speaks. Sadly, I didn't manage to speak to him. (http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a151/eyeflash/Cuba/P1010020.jpg)
Nuris Piñero Sierra answers questions. (http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a151/eyeflash/Cuba/P1010021.jpg)
Singing and dancing "Guantanamera". Sadly, this was ruined by one of our members screaming way too fucking loud. Tom, if you're reading this, it was terrible. (http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a151/eyeflash/Cuba/P1010022.jpg)