ANSWER solidarity statement
'Stop Bush's new aggression against Cuba'
In response to intensified threats and slanders against
Cuba by the Bush administration, the International ANSWER
coalition is circulating the statement below, which has already
received thousands of signers.
We, the undersigned individuals and
organizations, view with great concern the intensifying
campaign of subversion and aggression against Cuba, directed by
the U.S. government.
We in the U.S. progressive and anti-war movement recognize
our obligation to expose and organize against the Bush
administration's plans to overthrow the government of Cuba.
Under the rubric of the "war against terrorism" the Bush
administration has aggressively embarked on a campaign to carry
out the overturn of governments that seek to maintain
independent control over their own land and resources. At stake
in Cuba are the considerable social and economic gains of the
people made in spite of overwhelming opposition from the
government representing the most powerful country in the
world.
On April 7, James Cason, chief of the U.S. Interests Section
in Havana and the top U.S. diplomat in Cuba, declared, "All of
our allies agree that their policy goal in Cuba is, ultimately,
the same as ours: the rapid and peaceful transition to a
democratic government characterized by strong support for human
rights and an open market economy." He stated on the same day,
"The Administration's top priority is to promote a rapid,
peaceful transition."
Coming from a U.S. government representative, the meaning is
clear: "transition" translates to overthrow.
In the wake of the war on Iraq, there is no corner of the
world that is safe today from U.S. aggression. This is
especially the case for Cuba, part of whose national territory
remains under U.S. military occupation. U.S. diplomats have
warned Cuba, along with Iran, Syria and North Korea, to "learn
the lessons of Iraq."
Over the past 43 years Cuba has suffered the loss of 3,478
of its citizens from numerous acts of terrorism, invasions,
assassinations, assassination attempts, biological warfare and
blockade. The government of one country has perpetrated these
illegal acts against Cuba: the government of the United
States.
The United States government has imposed an economic and
political blockade on the island nation for more than 40 years,
causing $70 billion damage to Cuba's economy, and inflicting
unnecessary suffering on the most vulnerable in Cuban society.
The U.S. military has continued to maintain and expand its
naval base at Guantanamo Bay, a legacy of colonialism. Today,
hundreds of people--including children under the age of 16
years--are being imprisoned and interrogated by the U.S. at
Guantanamo with no recourse whatsoever to due process.
Recently, a coordinated campaign of aggressions and foreign
subversion against Cuba has been revealed, indicating the U.S.
may be setting the stage for a renewed confrontation with
Cuba.
The trial of the 75 Cuban individuals arrested in March
uncovered the directing role of the U.S. Interests Section in
guiding, financing and organizing subversive actions against
the Cuban government. The U.S. Agency for International
Development (USAID) has funneled some $20 million in support to
anti-government organizations in Cuba as a part of this
counter-revolutionary campaign. After the popular revolution
that overthrew the U.S.-backed dictatorship of Batista in 1959,
the U.S. government has resorted to invasion, nuclear threats,
biological and chemical attacks, assassination attempts and
murders, CIA financed and organized "opposition," and economic
destabilization. For 40 years the overthrow of the Cuban
government has been a priority for U.S. policy makers. The Bush
administration's goal is to carry out regime change and replace
the Cuban government with a puppet regime. It is a testament to
the popular support of the Cuban government and its ability to
stand up and confront U.S. aggression that the people of Cuba
have successfully repelled overt and covert attempts to
recolonize their country.
Over the past seven months, a series of seven armed airplane
and boat hijackings have occurred in Cuba--an exceptionally
high number in such a short time. The hijackings have together
endangered the lives of hundreds of people. Thus far, the
Justice Department has failed to prosecute any of the hijackers
who arrived in the U.S. Despite having committed the terrorist
crime of air piracy, several have been released on bail.
At the same time, the U.S. Interests Section has virtually
stopped granting visas to Cubans applying for admission to the
United States. Under the 1995 U.S.-Cuba Migratory Agreement,
the U.S. agreed to grant 20,000 entry visas to the U.S.
annually. The purpose of the 1995 agreement was to assure a
safe, legal and orderly immigration process.
However, from October 2002 to February 2003, the first five
months of the accord's calendar year, only 505 visas were
granted to Cubans wishing to enter the U.S. This fact must be
understood in conjunction with the Cuban Adjustment Act (CAA)
of 1966, a law which uniquely accords Cuban immigrants the
right to U.S. residency and financial assistance if they set
foot on U.S. soil. Cutting off legal channels for immigration,
while the CAA remains in effect, serves as open invitation to
Cubans to immigrate illegally to the U.S. Non-prosecution of
even those individuals who hijack planes to get to the U.S.
means that the U.S. government is openly encouraging the most
dangerous forms of terrorism against Cuba.
As a fact of international law, which recognizes the rights
of states to defend their sovereignty, Cuba is exercising its
legal right and responsibility to defend and protect its people
against foreign government subversion, terrorism and other
forms of U.S. aggression.
In light of these developments, and understanding the real
dangers that Cuba faces from the U.S. government:
1. We demand that the Bush administration cease and desist
from the current campaign of attacks on the Cuban people and
government.
2. We call on the U.S. government to end its blockade
against Cuba, to lift restrictions on travel, and to end its
ongoing multi-faceted war against the Cuban government.
3. We further call upon the Bush administration to free the
five Cubans who are imprisoned in the U.S. for trying to stop
Miami-based terrorism against their people.
To become a signer of the above statement, write to
International ANSWER at 39 West 14th St., New York, NY 10011,
or go to the web site www.internationalanswer.org.
Reprinted from the May 8, 2003, issue of
Workers World newspaper
This article is copyright under a Creative
Commons License.
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