Larissa
13th May 2003, 13:17
EMERGENCY ACTION CALL ON CUBA
A Statement from A.N.S.W.E.R.
To the anti-war and peace movement of the United States and the world:
Intense developments regarding U.S.-Cuba relations have taken place in recent weeks. The Bush administration has raised hostilities against Cuba to a new level. There are growing signs that Bush is trying to provoke a new crisis and possible war against Cuba.
Tens of thousands of U.S. troops occupy the length and breadth of Iraq, securing the oil fields and leaving the country in ruins. The beleaguered Iraqi people are suffering miserable conditions under occupation.
The Bush administration could be prepared to launch new aggression against any country, including those already named as targets, Iran, Syria, North Korea, or Cuba.
The U.S. State Department on April 30 issued its annual list of "state sponsors of terrorism," including Cuba, along with Iran, Iraq, Libya, North Korea, Sudan and Syria.
Cuba denounced the list as politically motivated and which creates "favorable conditions for a possible military aggression."
Part of Cuba's response said, "The Cuban government
energetically rejects, once again, the infamous inclusion of our country on this unilateral and spurious list ... Our country has firmly and decidedly opposed the wars against Afghanistan and Iraq and the new Nazi-fascist doctrine (of preemptive war) that the United States is attempting to impose on the world." The full statement is available on www.granma.cu
URGENT ACTION NEEDED MAY 19-21
During the days of May 19-21, we urgently suggest the following actions be taken, in whole or in part, depending on your organization's capacity and the specific situation in your locality.
These dates are suggested, because it is expected that on May 20, Bush will announce possible new measures that would, if implemented, create more hardships for the Cuban people, such as cutting off Cuban-Americans' right to send remittances to their families in Cuba. Bush's spokespersons have also hinted that he may cancel direct charter flights between the U.S. and Cuba. He has already cancelled the provision of travel licenses for cultural exchange between the two countries. There
may very well be other anti-Cuba measures adopted.
Why is Bush speaking on Cuba May 20? It is a date that annually, every U.S. president since Eisenhower (from the time of the 1959 revolution) has used to declare or re-affirm anti-Cuba policies.
May 20 is considered by U.S. historians to be the date of the so-called Cuban independence in 1902, but it is regarded in Cuba as the beginning of the "Pseudo-Republic," when the U.S. military occupation after the Spanish-American(-Cuban) war ended only with the imposition of the Platt Amendment in the U.S.-authored Cuban constitution. The Platt Amendment guaranteed the U.S. the right to intervene militarily at any time it
saw fit, and the right to establish military bases. This is how Guantanamo U.S. military base was established in Cuba. May 20 is an ignominious date which the Cuban-American right-wing in Miami celebrates in Cuban history.
Last year, May 20, George W. Bush issued a harsh statement against Cuba, although at that time he took no significant action. He spoke at the White House in the morning and then flew immediately to Miami, surrounded by extremist right-wing Cuban-Americans, to give them encouragement in their anti-Cuba and terrorist activities.
This May 20 it is expected that Bush will use the opportunity to unveil new hostile moves against Cuba.
Therefore, it is important that timely public actions be held across the U.S. and other countries to reject this latest Bush move, and to show the world that Cuba has support.
Ideas for action May 19-21 in your area could include
1.) Hold a public forum to explain the facts behind the new U.S. hostility and Cuba's actions to defend itself;
2.) Organize a press conference May 20, after Bush announces his new policies, or May 21 (any later and it loses news relevancy for coverage) to expose their real intent and protest this new aggression.
3.) Hold a picketline or protest at an appropriate place to denounce Bush's aggression against Cuba.
4.) It is important to remember the other relevant issues, the need to lift the blockade, the right for people of the U.S. to travel to Cuba, and freedom for the Cuban Five, in addition to exposing the U.S. violation of the migration accord by not issuing the agreed-upon 20,000 entry visas to the U.S. per year.
5.) Help distribute two important statements, and sign onto:
a. The ANSWER statement, In Defense of Cuba. Over 3,500 people have already joined in. That link is:
http://www.internationalanswer.org/campaig...ba/signers.html (http://www.internationalanswer.org/campaigns/cuba/signers.html)
b. A Latin American statement for cultural artists and intellectuals is also being distributed. It is:
http://www.granma.cubaweb.cu/2003/05/04/cu...articulo03.html (http://www.granma.cubaweb.cu/2003/05/04/cultura/articulo03.html)
Contact us at www.internationalanswer.org or 415-821-6545.
In San Francisco, there will be a picket on Tuesday, May 20, 5 pm, 24th and Mission Streets.
If you would like more information, the following are some talks and presentations by Cuban leaders, that explain more fully the current situation. They are insightful and expose the facts behind the latest U.S. hostilities toward Cuba, and Cuba's position regarding their self-defense.
One is the speech of Cuban President Fidel Castro at the May Day march in Havana's Revolution Square. It is accessible at:
ENGLISH:
http://www.granma.cubaweb.cu/2003/05/01/na...articulo14.html (http://www.granma.cubaweb.cu/2003/05/01/nacional/articulo14.html)
SPANISH:
http://www.granma.cubaweb.cu/2003/05/01/na...articulo13.html (http://www.granma.cubaweb.cu/2003/05/01/nacional/articulo13.html)
Another is the press conference held by Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque on April 9, about the trials of the 75 people convicted of being agents for the U.S. government. It is available in PDF format on:
http://www.freethefive.org/updates.cfm
An important speech was also given by Cuba's President of the National Assembly, Ricardo Alarcon, on May 2, at the Solidarity Conference, in Havana's Convention Center. We will send the transcript out as soon as it is available.
Issued by A.N.S.W.E.R., Act Now to Stop War and End Racism http://www.internationalanswer.org
*****************************************
And for those who live in Buenos Aires, today (May 13) we are holding a meeting supporting Cuba at the University of Mothers of Plaza de Mayo, at 7:30 PM.
check their site at www.madres.org
Lara
A Statement from A.N.S.W.E.R.
To the anti-war and peace movement of the United States and the world:
Intense developments regarding U.S.-Cuba relations have taken place in recent weeks. The Bush administration has raised hostilities against Cuba to a new level. There are growing signs that Bush is trying to provoke a new crisis and possible war against Cuba.
Tens of thousands of U.S. troops occupy the length and breadth of Iraq, securing the oil fields and leaving the country in ruins. The beleaguered Iraqi people are suffering miserable conditions under occupation.
The Bush administration could be prepared to launch new aggression against any country, including those already named as targets, Iran, Syria, North Korea, or Cuba.
The U.S. State Department on April 30 issued its annual list of "state sponsors of terrorism," including Cuba, along with Iran, Iraq, Libya, North Korea, Sudan and Syria.
Cuba denounced the list as politically motivated and which creates "favorable conditions for a possible military aggression."
Part of Cuba's response said, "The Cuban government
energetically rejects, once again, the infamous inclusion of our country on this unilateral and spurious list ... Our country has firmly and decidedly opposed the wars against Afghanistan and Iraq and the new Nazi-fascist doctrine (of preemptive war) that the United States is attempting to impose on the world." The full statement is available on www.granma.cu
URGENT ACTION NEEDED MAY 19-21
During the days of May 19-21, we urgently suggest the following actions be taken, in whole or in part, depending on your organization's capacity and the specific situation in your locality.
These dates are suggested, because it is expected that on May 20, Bush will announce possible new measures that would, if implemented, create more hardships for the Cuban people, such as cutting off Cuban-Americans' right to send remittances to their families in Cuba. Bush's spokespersons have also hinted that he may cancel direct charter flights between the U.S. and Cuba. He has already cancelled the provision of travel licenses for cultural exchange between the two countries. There
may very well be other anti-Cuba measures adopted.
Why is Bush speaking on Cuba May 20? It is a date that annually, every U.S. president since Eisenhower (from the time of the 1959 revolution) has used to declare or re-affirm anti-Cuba policies.
May 20 is considered by U.S. historians to be the date of the so-called Cuban independence in 1902, but it is regarded in Cuba as the beginning of the "Pseudo-Republic," when the U.S. military occupation after the Spanish-American(-Cuban) war ended only with the imposition of the Platt Amendment in the U.S.-authored Cuban constitution. The Platt Amendment guaranteed the U.S. the right to intervene militarily at any time it
saw fit, and the right to establish military bases. This is how Guantanamo U.S. military base was established in Cuba. May 20 is an ignominious date which the Cuban-American right-wing in Miami celebrates in Cuban history.
Last year, May 20, George W. Bush issued a harsh statement against Cuba, although at that time he took no significant action. He spoke at the White House in the morning and then flew immediately to Miami, surrounded by extremist right-wing Cuban-Americans, to give them encouragement in their anti-Cuba and terrorist activities.
This May 20 it is expected that Bush will use the opportunity to unveil new hostile moves against Cuba.
Therefore, it is important that timely public actions be held across the U.S. and other countries to reject this latest Bush move, and to show the world that Cuba has support.
Ideas for action May 19-21 in your area could include
1.) Hold a public forum to explain the facts behind the new U.S. hostility and Cuba's actions to defend itself;
2.) Organize a press conference May 20, after Bush announces his new policies, or May 21 (any later and it loses news relevancy for coverage) to expose their real intent and protest this new aggression.
3.) Hold a picketline or protest at an appropriate place to denounce Bush's aggression against Cuba.
4.) It is important to remember the other relevant issues, the need to lift the blockade, the right for people of the U.S. to travel to Cuba, and freedom for the Cuban Five, in addition to exposing the U.S. violation of the migration accord by not issuing the agreed-upon 20,000 entry visas to the U.S. per year.
5.) Help distribute two important statements, and sign onto:
a. The ANSWER statement, In Defense of Cuba. Over 3,500 people have already joined in. That link is:
http://www.internationalanswer.org/campaig...ba/signers.html (http://www.internationalanswer.org/campaigns/cuba/signers.html)
b. A Latin American statement for cultural artists and intellectuals is also being distributed. It is:
http://www.granma.cubaweb.cu/2003/05/04/cu...articulo03.html (http://www.granma.cubaweb.cu/2003/05/04/cultura/articulo03.html)
Contact us at www.internationalanswer.org or 415-821-6545.
In San Francisco, there will be a picket on Tuesday, May 20, 5 pm, 24th and Mission Streets.
If you would like more information, the following are some talks and presentations by Cuban leaders, that explain more fully the current situation. They are insightful and expose the facts behind the latest U.S. hostilities toward Cuba, and Cuba's position regarding their self-defense.
One is the speech of Cuban President Fidel Castro at the May Day march in Havana's Revolution Square. It is accessible at:
ENGLISH:
http://www.granma.cubaweb.cu/2003/05/01/na...articulo14.html (http://www.granma.cubaweb.cu/2003/05/01/nacional/articulo14.html)
SPANISH:
http://www.granma.cubaweb.cu/2003/05/01/na...articulo13.html (http://www.granma.cubaweb.cu/2003/05/01/nacional/articulo13.html)
Another is the press conference held by Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque on April 9, about the trials of the 75 people convicted of being agents for the U.S. government. It is available in PDF format on:
http://www.freethefive.org/updates.cfm
An important speech was also given by Cuba's President of the National Assembly, Ricardo Alarcon, on May 2, at the Solidarity Conference, in Havana's Convention Center. We will send the transcript out as soon as it is available.
Issued by A.N.S.W.E.R., Act Now to Stop War and End Racism http://www.internationalanswer.org
*****************************************
And for those who live in Buenos Aires, today (May 13) we are holding a meeting supporting Cuba at the University of Mothers of Plaza de Mayo, at 7:30 PM.
check their site at www.madres.org
Lara