> >US TREASURY CONTINUES CAMPAIGN AGAINST CUBA SOLIDARITY > Wed, 9 Feb 2000 04:07:18 -0500 > > >Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit > >Mon, 07 Feb 2000 19:28:33 -0800 > > >US TREASURY OFFICE CONTINUES EFFORT TO STOP CUBA-US CONTACTS > >Dear NNOC members and Friends of Global Exchange, > >We urgently need your help again! > >The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) at the Treasury Department >continues its crusade to thwart Global Exchange's efforts to establish >people-to-people ties between the US and Cuba. Ten days ago we received a >second "cease and desist order," threatening our efforts to fulfill our >mission as educators and travel providers to Cuba and demanding that we >provide the names, addresses and phone numbers of the thousand of people who >have traveled to Cuba with us since March of 1996. > >Global Exchange will neither cease nor desist! We will NOT provide them >with the names of our Cuba travel participants. > >Rather, we are determined to bring an end to all restrictions on people's >right to travel and to form first-hand opinions about other countries, >especially where the US has been waging a lowgrade war for four decades. As >the national campaign on the Freedom To Travel gets underway in Congress, >our own campaign to remain afloat, despite the intimidation of OFAC, will >lead it. > >The initial cease and desist order against Global Exchange was issued by >OFAC in September of 1998, at which time our legal team at the Center for >Constitutional Rights quickly responded with a request for a hearing on the >matter. Our lawyers informed OFAC of the unconstitutionality of the travel >regulations and their discriminatory manner of enforcement. Global Exchange >received widespread support from grassroots organizations, humanitarian and >human rights groups, academics and GX members around the country. > >This outpouring of support resulted in both an expected and an unexpected >outcome: > >1) OFAC offered to negotiate with us regarding our application to become a >legal Travel Service Provider to Cuba, an application they had chosen to >ignore for over four years. > >2) Secretary of State Madeleine Albright announced in January of 1999 that >the administration 's new policy was to encourage"people-to-people" ties >between the United States and Cuba. They virtually adopted Global >Exchange's mission statement. In May of 1999, OFAC DID, in fact, widen its >scope of regulations allowing for the Cuba travel of many more US citizen; >students, members of religious institutes, humanitarian aid providers, >professionals attending professional meetings, sports and performance >exchanges, and travelers engaging in educational people-to-people ties are >today receiving licenses to go to Cuba regularly. > >But, along with this liberalization, greater resources were made available >to OFAC for penalizing travelers who do not appear to comply with OFAC's >onerous and unfair regulations. The administration has apparently moved >lawyers from the Environmental Protection Agency into OFAC in order to >oversee hearings brought upon organizations like Global Exchange and >individual travelers who have gotten caught in their net. > >Despite the model for responsible, educational travel that Global Exchange >has provided for the last eleven years, OFAC persists in threatening us with >hefty fines and other penalties. > >We do view this as a significant threat, but also an opportunity to further >raise awareness of an arcane and unconstitutional policy that must be >removed. The success of our first organized response in 1999, resulting in >more liberal regulations, is a testament to the potential of our second and >louder organized response. Non-compliance and a unified network of support >will push Freedom to Travel legislation through Congress this year. > >Our first step must be made with your help. Please take the time now to join >our efforts in demanding the Freedom to Travel. > >We are asking three actions of you: > >1)Write a letter to OFAC and cc it to the Treasury Department, the Stae >Department, and the Administration. We have included a sample letter in a >moderate tone. Feel free to draft your own letter in place of this one. It >should be mailed and faxed to the following offices to arrive on Wednesday, >FEBRUARY 23, 2000 : > > >Steven Pinter, Office of Foreign Assets Control >&Richard Newcombe 202-622-2480 >1500 Pennsylvania Ave. >Washington, DC 20520 >Tel:202-622-2480 >Fax: 202-622-1657 > > >Secretary Lawrence Summers at the Department of Treasury >1500 Pennsylvania Ave. NW >Washington, DC 20220 >Tel:202-622-0190 >Fax:202-622-0073 > >Charles Shapiro, Cuba Desk at the Department of State >2201 C Street, NW >Washington, DC20520 >Tel:202-647-9273(2) >Fax:202-736-4476 > >Sandy Berger, National Security Council Advisor: >1600 Pennsylvania Ave. >Washington, DC 20500 >Tel:202-456-9481 >Fax:202-456-9130 > >(Send us a copy as well fax:415-255-7498, Attn: Caryn) > >A phone comment may start off with a statement such as "I am appalled to >hear that the Treasury Department is harrassing Global Exchange which is >among the most reputable international organizations for their public >education and socially responsible campaigns." > > >2)Alert your congressperson and senators of this struggle and of your >desire >to see the travel restrictions lifted. Ask them to communicate your >concerns >to OFAC and to co-sponsor Congressman Mark Sanford's (R-SC) legislation on >the Freedom to Travel to Cuba. They can contact legislative aide Brent >Gibadlo at 202-225-3176. In addition, they should contact aide Janice >O'Connell at Senator Christopher Dodd's office (D-CT) at 202-224-2823 to >inquire of strategies for the 2000 Congressional session on passing Travel >legislation to Cuba. > >3)Finally, please forward contact information of any high profile >individuals, particularly major contributoes to the Democratic Party, who >could intercede on our behalf with OFAC. > >Thank you for all your help. > >In Solidarity, > >Caryn Mandelbaum >Cuba Campaigns Coordinator >Global Exchange > > > >Steven Pinter >Office of Foreign Assets Control >1500 Pennsylvania Avenue >Washington, D.C. 20520 >Fax: 202-622-1657 February 23, 2000 > >Dear Mr. Pinter, > >It has come to my attention that the Office of Foreign Assets Control has >repeatedly harrassed the nonprofit organization, Global Exchange with >regard >to their educational tours to Cuba. It is also my understanding that OFAC >has implemented new travel regulations to Cuba which explicitly outline >travel authorization for "educational exchanges under the auspices of an >organization that sponsors and organizes such programs to promote >people-to-people contact." Global Exchange attempted to abide by your >regulations at there inception and has never > >Global Exchange is widely respected for its mission to build >people-to-people ties between the U.S. and the developing world. For the >past eleven years, their socially responsible and educational tours have >taken thousands of citizens abroad to meet with foreign citizens and >organizations, fostering a better understanding of our global neighbors. >Certainly this is an activity that should be encouraged and supported by >the >U.S. government. > >I am pleased by OFAC's streamlining of travel applications and compliance >with the Administration's and the Honorable Madeleine Albright's US-Cuba >policy initiative to encourage "people-to-people contacts." However, given >that Global Exchange is the largest provider of educational travel to Cuba, >any thwarting of their efforts would be contrary to US foreign policy. I am >also aware that the organization's attempts to comply with your >regulations, >from the time they were implemented in 1994, have not been received with >reply or regard. I see no further reason to delay issuing Global >Exchange's >license. > >Please refrain from any continued intimidation or harassment of Global >Exchange. I urge you to immediately revoke the Cease and Desist order >imposed on Global Exchange. This organization does an exemplary job of >establishing international ties and educating US citizens. Eleven years of >experience with the people of Cuba, gives me utter confidence in Global >Exchange's ability to provide me with the best understanding of this >culture >and our diplomatic relations with this country. I can only assume that you >wish to smother this knowledge by not granting Global Exchange their due >license. > >Sincerely, > >Your Name > >cc: Richard Newcombe, Office of Foreign Assets Control >Secretary Lawrence Summers, Department of the Treasury > Charles Shapiro, Office of Cuba Affairs > Sandy Berger, National Security Council Advisor > > * >Caryn Mandelbaum >Cuba Campaigns/RT Coordinator >Global Excahnge >[EMAIL PROTECTED] >1.800.497.1994 >2017 Mission St. #303 >SF, CA 94110 > > >================================================================= > NY Transfer News Collective * A Service of Blythe Systems > Since 1985 - Information for the Rest of Us > 339 Lafayette St., New York, NY 10012 > http://www.blythe.org e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >================================================================= > >nytcari-02.09.00-04:07:18-19860 > >------------------------------------------------------------------------ >Cuba SI: http://www.egroups.com/group/cubasi/ >Imperialism NO! Venceremos! >Information and discussion about Cuba. >Discussion of the path of Ernesto Che Guevara. > >------------------------------------------------------------------------ >Join eGroups eLerts to Save! >Sign up for one or two today! >http://click.egroups.com/1/1229/0/_/30563/_/950087312/ > >-- Easily schedule meetings and events using the group calendar! >-- http://www.egroups.com/cal?listname=cubasi&m=1 > > __________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki - Finland +358-40-7177941, fax +358-9-7591081 e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.kominf.pp.fi ___________________________________ [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe/unsubscribe messages mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] ___________________________________
