>Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit > >Radio Havana Cuba - News Update - 5 June 2000 20:00 > > >*REPORT SHOWS US FEDERAL AGENTS ACTED APPROPRIATELY DURING ELIAN RESCUE >*ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION EXAMINES CASE OF ELIAN GONZALEZ >*FIDEL CASTRO MEETS WITH MEMBERS OF U.S. CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS >*TWO DEATH-ROW CASES SHOW HOW EASY IT IS TO KILL BLACKS IN THE US >*CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO CONGRATULATES NICKEL WORKERS >*TECNOTUR 2000 UNDERWAY IN HAVANA >*EVERYTHING READY FOR THE EXPOCARIBE 2000 INTERNATIONAL TRADE FAIR >*CUBA WORKS ON PROGRAM FOR SUFFERERS OF ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE >*CUBAN RENOWNED PERSONALITY AMONG CANDIDATES FOR AWARD >*Viewpoint: MEMBERS OF U.S. CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS VISIT CUBA > > >*REPORT SHOWS FEDERAL AGENTS ACTED APPROPRIATELY DURING ELIAN RESCUE > >Washington, June 5 (RHC)-- A U.S. government report on the rescue operation >carried out to free a six-year-old Cuban boy from his kidnappers in Miami >conclusively shows that Federal agents acted appropriately and without the >use of excessive force. > >According to the CBS television network, the report affirms that the team >that entered the house where Elian Gonzalez was being held did not hit or >threaten to shoot anyone, despite claims to the contrary by members of the >right wing, extremist Cuban-American community. > >The detailed report concludes that the Federal officer, who is shown in a >photo with his gun pointing toward Donato Dalrymple as the tried to hide >Elian in a closet, did NOT threaten to shoot. CBS reports that the study >also shows that the gun's safety was locked and could not have been fired >even if the agent's finger was on the trigger, which the photo clearly shows >it was not. > >Other parts of the report prove that the agents performed their jobs-- >professionally, with skill and discipline and were only armed to protect-- >themselves from possible harm, due to information that weapons could be in >or around the Miami house. Once it was determined that force would not have >to be used, the agents lowered their guns and were able to carry out their >mission in less than two and a half minutes. > >According to the CBS news report on the government findings, no one in the >house was hit or even touched in the rescue operation which took place on >April 22nd. Once in the hands of Federal agents, young Elian Gonzalez was >flown to his father, who was waiting for him in Washington, DC. > >*ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION EXAMINES CASE OF ELIAN GONZALEZ > >Havana, June 5 (RHC)-- A roundtable discussion was broadcast live on Cuban >radio and television Monday night, with the latest information on the case >of Elian Gonzalez. Journalists and experts in international law analyzed the >current status of the case, making special mention of events that took place >over the weekend. Cuban viewers were shown clips from talk show programs >aired over the weekend on U.S. television. On Sunday's CBS program Face the >Nation, attorney Gregory Craig responded to reports that attorneys for >Elian's great-uncle in Miami planned to appeal the case. Craig, who >represents Juan Miguel Gonzalez, said that he is convinced that the courts >will not even hear the case, calling the appeal only another delay. > >David Abrams, professor of Immigration Law at the University of Miami, >referred to the argument by attorneys for Elian's kidnappers in Miami that >the six-year-old boy has constitutional rights. Abrams stated that newly >arrived foreign immigrants do not have many rights under the U.S. >Constitution and that such cases are normally handled by immigration >authorities. Another legal expert in the United States interviewed by phone >-- Alek Alneikov -- stated that the case "is destined to die" before >reaching the U.S. Supreme Court. Alneikov, a law professor at Georgetown >University, said that attempts by the Miami attorneys to appeal the case >represents "a legal battle without hope." > >Robert Eiselman, an attorney from California, told Cuban viewers that courts >in the United States sometimes produce abuses by delaying justice. Eiselman >said there is no legal basis for continuing to appeal this case and that >Elian Gonzalez and his father should be returned to Cuba as soon as >possible. > >Finally, Francisco Aruca, a popular journalist and talk show host on Radio >Progreso in Miami, stated that the kidnappers in Miami are only prolonging >the situation and affirmed that Elian and his father are being held prisoner >in the United States. Interviewed on Monday's roundtable, Aruca stated that >those in Miami are using migration laws for political ends. > >The roundtable discussion was aired on Cuban television, the national radio >network and the international shortwave frequencies of Radio Havana Cuba. > > >*FIDEL CASTRO MEETS WITH MEMBERS OF U.S. CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS > >Havana, June 5 (RHC)-- Cuban President Fidel Castro has offered to provide >free medical training for American youths from low-income families. The >offer came at a gathering Saturday evening with the visiting members of the >U.S. Congressional Black Caucus that lasted into the early morning hours of >Sunday. It was in response to Democratic Congressman Bennie Thompson's >affirmation that in his district, in the Mississippi Delta, the infant >mortality rate is extremely high. > >The Congressional Black Caucus delegation began their visit to Cuba last >Wednesday and wrapped up the stay with the gathering with President Castro. >On Saturday, they toured various sites of economic and historic interest in >eastern Santiago de Cuba, where they reiterated their opposition to >Washington's blockade against the island. > >The head of the delegation, Representative James Clyburn, stated that when >Congress resumes debates on lifting restrictions on the sale of food and >medicine to Cuba next week, the voice of the Black Caucus will be there to >demand an end to what he called "this obsolete policy." > > >*TWO DEATH-ROW CASES SHOW HOW EASY IT IS TO KILL BLACKS IN THE US > >Havana, June 5 (RHC)-- Cuba's weekly Trabajadores newspaper wrote today that >the cases of African-American political prisoners Mumia Abu-Jamal and Shaka >Sankofa demonstrate how easy it is to kill Black people in the United >States. > >In an article entitled "White Power Continues On The Hunt," the Cuban news >weekly pointed out that in Pennsylvania, where Mumia was convicted of >killing a white police officer in a trial riddled with racism and >irregularities, 60 percent of death row inmates are African-Americans in a >state where Blacks constitute only nine percent of the population. > >In reference to Texas, the record holder of executions, the article recalled >that Texas Governor George W. Bush has been baptized as the "legalized >serial killer." Shaka Sankofa was convicted of murdering a white drug >trafficker at the age of 17 in court proceedings in which there were neither >fingerprints, nor ballistics nor any credible evidence pointing to his >guilt. He was sentenced to death on the basis of police-coaxed testimony of >a single witness during a quick trial. > >The Trabajadores newspaper said both Sankofa's and Abu-Jamal's trials were >tainted by racism, police and judicial misconduct, suppression of evidence >and an incompetent, unenthusiastic defense by court-appointed lawyers. > >19 years later, Mumia still has an appeals possibility, but Sankofa -- after >the Supreme Court refused to hear a final appeal last May 1st -- has been >sentenced to die on June 22nd. > > >*CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO CONGRATULATES NICKEL WORKERS > >Holguin, June 3 (RHC)-- President Fidel Castro has congratulated nickel >workers in the province of Holguin for their improved production and >modernization of the industry over the past three months. > >Delivering the Cuban president's message to the workers in Holguin, Vice >President Carlos Lage visited the area to assess the progress of the nickel >and energy plants there. Lage affirmed that present energy investments have >resulted in the most important progress in the area during the Special >Period. He said that this progress is illustrated in the Felton Plant in >Mayari, which currently runs at a 250-megawatt capacity. In contrast, during >the 1990s -- the most severe years of the economic crisis -- the plant was >only running at 25 percent production. > >Vice President Lage commented that the thermo-electric plant is in perfect >condition and, regarding automation, is one of the most modern both in Cuba >and in the world. > >With respect to the nickel industry -- one of the nation's most important -- >Lage added that production stability, organization and experience all serve >to reduce costs and contribute to increased production. > > >*TECNOTUR 2000 UNDERWAY IN HAVANA > >Havana, June 5 (RHC)-- The 12th International Technology and Tourism-- >Industry Products Fair -- Tecnotur 2000 got underway on Monday at Havana's >Pabexpo Exhibition Hall. This year's exhibition fair will have over 3100 >square meters and will be attended by some 200 companies from 15 countries. > >Tourism Deputy Minister and President of the Organizing Committee, Marta >Maiz, told reporters that, while in the early 1990s only 18 percent of the >needs of the tourism industry were covered by national production, by >December of 1999 the figure reached nearly 60 percent. > >According to Marta Maiz, the tourism industry has become Cuba's principal >industry, accounting for more than half of the island's hard currency income >in 1999. > > >*EVERYTHING READY FOR THE EXPOCARIBE 2000 INTERNATIONAL TRADE FAIR > >Bayamo, June 5 (RHC)-- Everything is ready for the 9th International Trade >Fair Expocaribe 2000, slated for Santiago de Cuba from June 18th through the >25th. > >According to Jose Puente, a representative of Cuba's Chamber of Commerce for >the island's eastern provinces, some 200 foreign companies from 21 countries >have confirmed that they will attend the event -expected to be the largest >since its inauguration in 1992. Some 600 Cuban companies will be represented >at the fair. Puente said that Spain, Mexico, Panama, Italy, the Dominican >Republic and Venezuela will be the countries with the largest number of >companies in the event. However, there will also be representatives from >Germany, Japan, Canada, France, Colombia, the United States, Holland and the >United Kingdom. > >The representative of the island's Chamber of Commerce added that Expocaribe >aims at promoting trade exchange and investment and enhancing economic >cooperation in the Caribbean region. > > >*CUBA WORKS ON PROGRAM FOR SUFFERERS OF ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE > >Havana, June 5 (RHC)-- Cuba is developing a program to assist those who >suffer from Alzheimer's disease -- characterized as a progressive loss of >memory and other problems related to aging. > >The project, which is being developed at the Ibero-American Center for the >Elderly in Havana, includes not only treating the patient but also training >the family to care for the patient. > >There are currently a million and a half elderly people living in Cuba, >making it the fourth nation in Latin America with the most number of senior >citizens. > > >*CUBAN RENOWNED PERSONALITY AMONG CANDIDATES FOR AWARD > >Havana, June 5 (RHC)-- Cuba's Prima Ballerina Assoluta and Director of the >island's National Ballet, Alicia Alonso, is among candidates for the Prince >of Asturias Award. The award, granted in the Arts category, will be >presented on Wednesday in the Spanish city of Oviedo. > >The winner of the prize will also receive 28,000 dollars. Among other >candidates are filmmakers Arturo Ripstein and Manuel de Oliveira as well as >musicians Paul McCartney and Mikis Teodorakis. > >The most recent winners of the Arts Prince of Asturias Award are Spanish >architect Santiago Caltrava, Portuguese photographer Sebastiao Salgado and >Italian actor Vittorio Gassman. > > >Viewpoint: MEMBERS OF U.S. CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS VISIT CUBA. > >The visit to Cuba by members of an African-American congressional delegation >will hopefully help to dispel many myths held by U.S. legislators in >relation to the island and its system of government. The U.S. Congress and >all the American people have been the victims of more than 40 years of >anti-Cuba propaganda. > >It was indeed an opportune moment for the Congressional Black Caucus to see >what's happening on the island first-hand, taking into account that Congress >is about to vote on a measure designed to lift the prohibition on the sale >of food and medicine to Cuba. Up until now, the sale of food and medicine >has been prohibited under the U.S. blockade against the island. Ironically, >last year the U.S. Senate authorized the sale of these specific items, but >the complicated framework of the blockade, in effect since February of 1962, >has made any commercial transaction virtually impossible. > >The intermediary channels established through the official visits by >Democratic and Republican legislators alike, including extensive trips >throughout the island, have helped to facilitate the debate in the U.S. >Congress on ending the blockade. In this case, Democratic Representatives >Bennie Thompson, Gregory Meeks, and James Clyburn, among many others, have >expressed the will to articulate their observations to the U.S. Congress on >the Cuban system of government, health care and education, as well as the >negative effects of the blockade on the Cuban people. > >The present trend of official visits by U.S. legislators, religious leaders >and members of the business community have helped to combat the propaganda >of the Cuban-American National Foundation lobby and their right wing >representatives in the U.S. Congress. Given the current statistics on U.S. >public opinion concerning the Elian Gonzalez case, in conjunction with the >recent normalization of trade relations with China, the winds of change >appear to be blowing in favor of ending the criminal blockade against the >Cuban people, which has resulted in economic hardships unparalleled in many >areas of the world. > >(c) 2000 Radio Habana Cuba, NY Transfer News. All rights reserved. > >================================================================= > 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] >================================================================= > >------------------------------------------------------------------------ >Law Enforcement Professionals: SAVE ON LONG DISTANCE TODAY!!! >http://click.egroups.com/1/4170/0/_/30563/_/960253726/ >------------------------------------------------------------------------ > >Cuba SI - Imperialism NO! >Information and discussion about Cuba. >Socialism or death! Patria o muerte! Venceremos! >http://www.egroups.com/group/cubasi > >Subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Change Delivery Options: http://www.egroups.com/mygroups > > > > __________________________________ 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] ___________________________________
